The 7 Worst Ways to Learn Chinese (And What to Do Instead)

After 300 days of secretly studying Chinese, one guy surprises his partner with phrases like “the cheesecake is grieving” and “the purple elephant eats passion for breakfast.” It’s a bit humorous, but it also highlights a bigger issue: extreme learning methods that feel productive but fall flat in practice.

In this episode, Jared and John dive into seven common extremes they’ve seen (and lived) in the world of learning Chinese. From bingeing flashcards or grammar rules to over-relying on Duolingo or doing nothing but watch TV in Mandarin, these extremes can slow your progress, or worse, burn you out completely.

Drawing on personal experience, stories from past podcast guests, and insights from language learning experts like Paul Nation, the hosts break down what works, what backfires, and how to build a more balanced and effective approach to learning Chinese.

If you’re stuck, overwhelmed, or questioning your methods, this episode will help you get back on track.

Links from the episode:

• “Burnout, Breakthrough, and Fluency: Chaniece’s Story” | YCLC Podcast

• “Vocab Apps and Learner Engagement” – Jonathan Covey Interview | YCLC Podcast

• “Steven Kaufmann “The Linguist” Interview” | YCLC Podcast

• Hack Chinese | Modern flashcards

• Mandarin Companion Graded Readers