Learning Chinese is not easy. The characters look different from English letters. The tones change the meaning of a word. Grammar rules can feel strange at first. But millions of people around the world are learning Chinese today, and many of them are doing it well. The secret is not talent. The secret is using the right resources alongside a good Chinese language course.
If you are already enrolled in a class, or thinking about joining one, this guide will show you the best tools to use beside it. These resources will help you study faster, remember more, and enjoy the process.
Why You Need More Than Just a Classroom
A Chinese language course gives you structure. A teacher explains grammar. You get homework. You have a set path to follow. This is helpful, especially for beginners.
But a classroom alone is often not enough. Most courses meet only a few hours each week. Chinese needs daily practice. Your brain needs to hear the tones again and again. Your hand needs to write the characters many times before they stick. This is why smart learners always add outside resources to their main course.
Below are the best options, sorted by what they help you with most.
1. Apps for Daily Practice
Apps are perfect for short study sessions. You can use them on the bus, during lunch, or before bed.
Duolingo is a good free option for absolute beginners. It teaches basic words and short sentences in a fun, game-like way. It will not make you fluent, but it builds a habit of daily study.
HelloChinese is built only for Chinese learners. It teaches pinyin (the way Chinese sounds are written with English letters), tones, and characters step by step. Many teachers recommend it as a companion to formal lessons.
Pleco is the most trusted Chinese dictionary app. You can look up any word, see example sentences, and even use your phone camera to scan Chinese text and get an instant translation. Every serious Chinese learner should have this app.
2. Flashcard Systems for Memorizing Characters
Chinese characters are the biggest challenge for most students. There are thousands of them, and each one must be remembered by shape, sound, and meaning.
Anki is a flashcard app that uses spaced repetition. This means it shows you a character right before you are about to forget it. This method is proven to help long-term memory. Many students who pass HSK exams (China's official Chinese proficiency test) say Anki was a key part of their success.
Skritter focuses on writing. You trace characters on your screen with your finger, and the app checks your stroke order. This is great for people who want to actually write Chinese by hand, not just recognize it.
3. Listening and Speaking Practice
Reading and writing are only half of language learning. You also need to hear real Chinese and practice speaking it out loud.
ChinesePod offers podcast-style lessons with real conversations. Episodes range from beginner to advanced, so you can grow with the platform over the years. Listening to natural speech, even when you do not understand every word, trains your ear.
iTalki connects you with real Chinese tutors for one-on-one conversation practice. This is one of the best ways to fix your pronunciation and gain confidence speaking. Many students use iTalki alongside their main course, treating it as extra speaking practice time.
HelloTalk is a language exchange app. You chat with native Chinese speakers who want to learn your language too. It is a relaxed, low-pressure way to practice real conversations.
4. Textbooks and Structured Study Materials
Even in the digital age, a good textbook keeps your learning organized.
Integrated Chinese is one of the most widely used textbook series in university Chinese courses. It has a clear grammar path and useful vocabulary for daily life.
New Practical Chinese Reader is another popular option, especially outside of North America. It includes workbooks, audio files, and clear explanations that pair well with classroom teaching.
If your course already uses a textbook, do not skip it, even if it feels old-fashioned. Textbooks give you a complete map of what to learn and in what order, which apps often do not.
5. YouTube Channels for Free Lessons
YouTube has become a huge resource for Chinese learners, and best of all, it is free.
Mandarin Corner offers slow, clear conversations with subtitles in both Chinese and English. This is excellent for training your listening skills at a beginner or intermediate level.
Yoyo Chinese breaks down grammar and pronunciation in a simple, friendly style. The tone explanations are especially helpful for people who struggle with the four tones.
Learn Chinese Now covers useful daily topics like ordering food, asking for directions, and small talk, which are things textbooks sometimes skip.
6. Websites for Reading Practice
Reading helps you learn chinese characters in context, which is easier to remember than studying them alone.
Du Chinese offers short stories written for learners at different levels. Each story comes with audio, pinyin, and character breakdowns.
The Chairman's Bao is similar but focuses more on current news, written in a simplified way. This is a great choice if you enjoy reading about real-world topics while building your vocabulary.
7. HSK Exam Prep Tools
If your goal is to get certified, or if your course is preparing you for the HSK test, focused prep tools will help.
HSK Online offers practice tests that match the real exam format. Taking practice tests regularly shows you exactly where your weak points are.
Many students also use Anki decks made specifically for HSK vocabulary lists, which combine two resources into one efficient study tool.
How to Combine These Resources With Your Course
You do not need to use every tool on this list. That would be too much and could lead to burnout. Instead, pick one from each category:
- One app for daily practice (like HelloChinese)
- One flashcard tool for characters (like Anki)
- One speaking resource (like iTalki or HelloTalk)
- One reading resource (like Du Chinese)
Use these alongside your regular Chinese language course, not instead of it. Your teacher and classmates give you feedback and motivation that apps cannot fully replace. But these resources fill the gaps between classes, keeping your brain engaged with Chinese every single day.
Final Thoughts
Learning Chinese takes time, but it becomes much easier when you build the right habits around your course. Apps like Pleco and HelloChinese support your daily study. Anki keeps characters in your memory. iTalki and HelloTalk give you real speaking practice. Textbooks and reading sites round out your understanding.
Pick a few tools, stay consistent, and let your Chinese language course guide the bigger picture. Over time, these small daily efforts will add up to real fluency.