Chinese characters look impossible from the outside, but they are built from a small kit of reusable parts: 214 Kangxi radicals, seven stroke order rules, and a few thousand recombinations that cover 99% of the text you will ever read. This hub collects the Mandarin Audio guides that turn hanzi from a wall of squiggles into a learnable system.
Chinese characters hub
Chinese Characters: Radicals, Stroke Order and Real Literacy
Everything a Mandarin learner needs to know about hanzi - from the 214 Kangxi radicals and stroke order rules to HSK thresholds and the character counts needed for real-world reading.
Articles in this collection (4)
Learning Tips
Chinese Character Stroke Order: The 8 Rules and Why They Matter
Learn the 8 canonical Chinese character stroke order rules, why they matter even if you only type, common exceptions, and a quick reference table for the top 20 characters.
7 min read · 2026-08-31
Learning Tips
Chinese Characters for Beginners: How to Actually Learn Them
A beginner-friendly guide to Chinese characters, radicals, stroke order and the 80/20 of hanzi. Covers HSK thresholds, common mistakes, and a 90-day starter plan.
11 min read · 2026-08-31
Learning Tips
How to Memorize Chinese Characters: 5 Methods That Actually Work
Five evidence-based methods for memorizing Chinese characters: radicals, spaced repetition, mnemonics, handwriting, and reading in context. Includes a 30-day routine.
11 min read · 2026-08-31
Learning Tips
What Are Chinese Radicals? The 214 Building Blocks You Need to Know
Chinese radicals (部首 bushou) are the 214 Kangxi building blocks that turn thousands of hanzi into a learnable system. Learn the semantic vs phonetic split, the top 20 by frequency, and a 30-day learning plan.
10 min read · 2026-08-31
Practise what you have just read
Mandarin Learner offers private 50-minute lessons over video with certified teachers in China. Launching soon for iOS and Android. Join the waitlist to be notified.
Join the waitlist