名míngname
Chinese names
How Chinese names work, how to choose your own, and hundreds of real names with their meanings.
The WillyChina blog
读dúto read
Mandarin and Chinese culture, explained
The WillyChina Mandarin blog: guides to Chinese names, the HSK, characters and learning Mandarin, and to the culture and history behind the language. Written by a native Mandarin teacher.
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Editor’s pickHow to Add Mandarin to Your Homeschool Plan
Homeschool Mandarin made simple: hours by age, a 10-week term plan, milestones, record-keeping for your local rules and free Week 1 audio.
Start here
Explore by topic
Every guide on the Mandarin blog, grouped by what you want to know, with the free tools that go with them.
考kǎoto sit an exam
The HSK exam
The six levels, the new HSK 3.0, how long each level takes and what happens on test day. Test dates and registration are on the official HSK website.
字zìcharacter
Chinese characters
How characters are built, the rules of stroke order and the hundred you will meet most, each with pinyin, meaning and native audio.
学xuéto learn
Learning Mandarin
Honest answers on difficulty, timelines, apps and teachers, and on learning at any age, from homeschooled children to busy adults.
文wénculture
Culture, history and travel
Dynasties, dialects, regional food and traditional music, and China province by province.
New on the blog
Latest from the Mandarin blog
Everything we publish, newest first.
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HSK Test Day: What to Expect (Format, Scores & Survival Guide)
How HSK test day works: registration, what to bring, section timing, scoring and results, and the mistakes that cost marks.
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How Long Does Each HSK Level Take? Honest Timelines
Realistic timelines for every HSK level, from six to eight weeks for HSK 1 to several years for HSK 6, and the daily routine that changes the maths.
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HSK 3.0 Explained: Levels, Word Counts and Start Date
HSK 3.0 replaces six levels with nine. The word counts, the new skills and the key dates, explained.
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HSK Levels Explained: All 6 Levels, Words, Tests & How to Choose
Every HSK level explained: words per level, CEFR equivalents, exam format and scores, with free vocabulary lists for HSK 1 to 6.
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What Can I Achieve in 3, 6, 12 Months of Mandarin? An Honest Timeline
What can you actually achieve learning Mandarin in 3, 6 or 12 months? Realistic milestones for adult learners — by commitment level.
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Is Mandarin Hard to Learn? An Honest Answer
Is Mandarin hard to learn? Yes and no — the honest breakdown of what trips English speakers up, what's easier than you think, and how long it actually…
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WillyChina vs italki, Preply & Mandarin Blueprint – WillyChina
Compared four ways to learn Mandarin online — italki, Preply, Mandarin Blueprint and WillyChina. Honest pros, cons, prices and who each is best for.
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Why Learning Mandarin Will Boost Your Career
By 2030, the world’s economic centre of gravity will have shifted east. Major institutions — Goldman Sachs, PwC and the IMF — disagree on the exact year China…
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Why Parents Should Encourage Their Children to Learn Mandarin
From Arabella Trump to Silicon Valley executives — the world's most forward-thinking families are teaching their children Mandarin. Here's why yours should too.
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Can You Really Learn Mandarin Chinese Online? (Yes — Here’s Exactly How It Works)
Think you can't learn Mandarin tones or Chinese characters without a classroom? Here's exactly how effective online Mandarin lessons work — tools, methods and all.
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The five guides readers found and opened most from Google search.
Ranked by Google search clicks, 4 August to 1 November 2026.
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