View Post

The Neutral Tone Demystified

In Chinese by Gwilym James

The neutral tone in Mandarin causes a lot of confusion for many second-language learners. The neutral tone can be written in several ways, which of all mean the same thing. The neutral tone is called …

View Post

Tone Sandhi: Third Tone

In Chinese by Skritter

Tones are arguably the most difficult aspect of Mandarin for many second-language learners. The 3rd tone (三声 sānshēng), often known as Tone 3, causes a lot of trouble! Let’s understand why this is the case, and make it slightly easier for you!

View Post

Earth Day Chinese Vocabulary

In Chinese by Gwilym James

April 22nd is Earth Day. Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. At Skritter, we’re deeply passionate about making this planet as hospitable as possible and encourage you …

View Post

New Japanese Jouyou Kanji Decks!

In Japanese by Skritter

Jouyou Kanji (常用漢字) are Kanji that are used on a daily basis– there are roughly 2,000 of them. The Japanese Ministry of Education decides what is included in the Jouyou Kanji and the last time …