<p>A quick way to learn characters is grinding flashcards in the spaced repetition app <a href="https://apps.ankiweb.net" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Anki</a> – there are plenty of existing HSK vocab sets that other users have made. You can also check out <em>Remembering Simplified Hanzi</em> by James Heisig and Timothy Richardson to help with making mnemonics.</p>
<p>For reading, I like <a href="https://duchinese.net" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Du Chinese</a> and <a href="https://decipherchinese.com" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Decipher Chinese</a> (now dead), which provide interesting articles with integrated word segmentation and a mobile-friendly pop-up dictionary. Du Chinese also has sentence-level translation, which is great when you can't quite figure out how the sentence works. You can filter articles by difficulty to something you're comfortable with. You may be interested in graded readers in general. There are some paid graded readers in Pleco Dictionary.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-28T05:16:55.893Z
2020-08-07T15:27:57.390Z
2020-08-07T15:27:57.390Z
mic
<p>Good Day!</p>

<p>I have an interesting conundrum - I can speak Chinese just fine (in fact I just took an HSK placement exam at the local Confucius Centre and was ranked at 4 for listening and speaking). I however, cannot write (or type if you will) nor can I read past (approx. HSK 2). I would rather learn simplified characters as the people I converse with use those (mainland-Chinese). Any advice? Some background, my wife is Chinese (but due to time constraints and work schedules can't teach me), I lived in China for 18 months, I have only be actively trying to learn Mandarin for about 3 years now, and we speak daily in the home. </p>

<p>Thanks! </p>

<p>EDIT: I have tried learning how to read by using Duolingo which seeing as I can listen (and understand) it has helped a little by learning by association. I also took a class in 2012 as an elective in Uni, but the teacher wasn't great (just checked she has a whooping 1.9 on RateMyProf) and I struggled to understand her let alone a totally foreign language. I understand pinyin just fine, but want to be able to learn the characters. </p>

<p>So my question is -given the above information. Does any one have any resources they would recommend to me to help me learn to read.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-26T20:48:20.500Z
Please visit LanguageLearning StackExchange.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-26T21:34:30.210Z
I have posted it there as well, I figured seeing as this is a Chinese Lanuage site - and I have seen other people writing about differences in characters and grammatical usages this question wouldn't be off the mark.
J Crosby
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-27T00:49:57.820Z
But I don't know what your question is
Toosky Hierot
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-27T04:25:31.833Z
In reverse, I can read and write Engilsh. But can't speak it.
Zhang
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-27T14:42:58.933Z
Look up how "heritage speakers" or "heritage learners" learn.
Michaelyus
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-27T14:47:35.003Z
@Michaelyus, never thought of that! Good insight - as I never classed myself with those who were brought up with the language.
J Crosby
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-28T22:34:01.303Z
Crosspost: https://languagelearning.stackexchange.com/questions/4255/can-speak-chinese-need-learning-resources-to-bring-reading-skill-to-same-level
mic
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-28T22:40:04.417Z
@MiCl I posted it here originally - then there as per one of the earlier comments. But seemingly this place has been better help in this regard.
J Crosby
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-08T06:30:39.970Z
It is now a year later. Any progress? Actually being able to speak is itself an advantage over people who couldn't speak like you.
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-13T15:14:34.000Z
@WayneCheah actually yeah. I took the advice and my reading has improved greatly.
J Crosby
<simplified-characters><reading>
Can Speak - Can't Read
# Can Speak - Can't Read

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-06-26)

Good Day!

I have an interesting conundrum - I can speak Chinese just fine (in fact I just took an HSK placement exam at the local Confucius Centre and was ranked at 4 for listening and speaking). I however, cannot write (or type if you will) nor can I read past (approx. HSK 2). I would rather learn simplified characters as the people I converse with use those (mainland-Chinese). Any advice? Some background, my wife is Chinese (but due to time constraints and work schedules can't teach me), I lived in China for 18 months, I have only be actively trying to learn Mandarin for about 3 years now, and we speak daily in the home.

Thanks!

EDIT: I have tried learning how to read by using Duolingo which seeing as I can listen (and understand) it has helped a little by learning by association. I also took a class in 2012 as an elective in Uni, but the teacher wasn't great (just checked she has a whooping 1.9 on RateMyProf) and I struggled to understand her let alone a totally foreign language. I understand pinyin just fine, but want to be able to learn the characters.

So my question is -given the above information. Does any one have any resources they would recommend to me to help me learn to read.

**Tags:** simplified-characters, reading

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Please visit LanguageLearning StackExchange.  
> **username_0**: I have posted it there as well, I figured seeing as this is a Chinese Lanuage site - and I have seen other people writing about differences in characters and grammatical usages this question wouldn't be off the mark.  
> **username_2**: But I don't know what your question is  
> **username_3**: In reverse, I can read and write Engilsh. But can't speak it.  
> **username_4**: Look up how "heritage speakers" or "heritage learners" learn.  
> **username_0**: @username_4, never thought of that! Good insight - as I never classed myself with those who were brought up with the language.  
> **username_5**: Crosspost: https://languagelearning.stackexchange.com/questions/4255/can-speak-chinese-need-learning-resources-to-bring-reading-skill-to-same-level  
> **username_0**: @MiCl I posted it here originally - then there as per one of the earlier comments. But seemingly this place has been better help in this regard.  
> **username_6**: It is now a year later. Any progress? Actually being able to speak is itself an advantage over people who couldn't speak like you.  
> **username_0**: @username_6 actually yeah. I took the advice and my reading has improved greatly.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2019-06-28. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

A quick way to learn characters is grinding flashcards in the spaced repetition app [Anki](https://apps.ankiweb.net) – there are plenty of existing HSK vocab sets that other users have made. You can also check out *Remembering Simplified Hanzi* by James Heisig and Timothy Richardson to help with making mnemonics.

For reading, I like [Du Chinese](https://duchinese.net) and [Decipher Chinese](https://decipherchinese.com) (now dead), which provide interesting articles with integrated word segmentation and a mobile-friendly pop-up dictionary. Du Chinese also has sentence-level translation, which is great when you can't quite figure out how the sentence works. You can filter articles by difficulty to something you're comfortable with. You may be interested in graded readers in general. There are some paid graded readers in Pleco Dictionary.


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