Big changes are coming to the HSK, the most widely used proficiency test for Mandarin Chinese for non-native speakers. The new standard takes effect on July 1st, 2021, and in this post we take a deep dive into what changes are coming, what they mean for you as a student. We also present vocabulary lists for HSK 1-9, including lists specifically for handwriting.
The Neutral Tone Demystified
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 …
Hacking Chinese Vocabulary Challenge, June 2021
This month, I’m running another vocabulary challenge on Hacking Chinese! It starts on June 10th and focuses on learning characters, words, and expressions in Chinese. In these challenges, you challenge yourself to learn more than …
Wh- Questions in Mandarin
In this post, we’ll learn the “Wh-” questions in Mandarin Chinese, and see how they are used in sentences.
The Ultimate Guide to Japanese Stroke Order
Welcome to the ultimate guide to Japanese character stroke order! If you’re new to Japanese and just want the most essential information, the Japanese character stroke order 101 is for you. Japanese character stroke order …
Looking for Freelance Japanese Content Writer
Skritter is looking for an amazing Japanese content writer to help expand our sentence database and help students learn new high-frequency vocabulary! UPDATE: The position has been filled, however if you would like to send …
Learning Japanese through Music, Part 12: 真夜中のドア (Midnight Door)
Click here to see more of these posts! This series of posts covers Japanese songs, along with their lyrics, and translations so you can make sure you learn every word. When translating Japanese, and especially for things …
Tone Sandhi: Third Tone
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!
Earth Day Chinese Vocabulary
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 …
New Japanese Jouyou Kanji Decks!
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 …