Reading in Chinese

Reading is one of the best things you can do for language practice.

Step 1 - Build Up Your Vocabulary

There's a lot of great apps out there like Skritter, Memrise, and Duolingo.
Go here to learn more about why they are so effective.

Step 2 - Start Doing Extensive Reading

What is extensive reading? It's when you are reading for fun instead of for homework or specific problem in a textbook. 
Go here for more about extensive reading.

But to do extensive reading, experts say that it shouldn't be too hard. You should be able to read about 95-98% of the text. That means for every 100 words, you have 2-3 words you don't know.

There are great resources for reading in Chinese. There are simplified books depending on your vocabulary size.
Go here for a list of reading resources.

Step 3 - Check Your Vocabulary Size

If you're not sure what your vocabulary size is, you can try to guesstimate. 
Go here info about vocab size.

Step 4 - Keep Reading More Books

Once you're ready, move on to books and stories you are interested in. But how can you know if it's too hard?
Go here to learn how to analyze a book.

Email me your questions: contact.


-Makoto