LTL BLOG

Vietnamese National Holidays 2025–2026: Dates, Traditions & Celebrations

VIETNAMESE NATIONAL HOLIDAYS (2025-26) Below is a list of the 2025 Vietnamese National Holidays.  Further down, we will also talk about the significance of Vietnamese…

Korean National Holidays (2025-26) || How Many & When Are They?

2025 KOREAN NATIONAL HOLIDAYS Below is a list of the 2025 Korean National Holidays.  We will also dig deeper and talk about the significance of…

Japanese National Holidays (2025 & 2026) | How Many & When?

2025 & 2026 Japanese National Holidays Explained: Dates & Significance Below is a list of the 2025 Japanese National Holidays. Further down, we will also…

Chinese National Holidays for 2025 & 2026 (+ Taiwan Holidays)

Here is the list of all the National Holidays for China. Discover why in China you have to work weekends before and after certain holidays.

HSK EXAM || THE COMPLETE 2025 GUIDE

Everything You Need to Know About the HSK Exam The HSK Exam in Chinese is Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (汉语水平考试) literally meaning “Mandarin Level Test”. It…

Chinese Zodiac Calculator | Find Your Chinese Zodiac Animal

DISCOVER YOUR CHINESE ZODIAC ANIMAL HERE Ever wondered if you were a dragon, a rabbit or a tiger? Wonder no more, you’ve stumbled across the…

Du Chinese 🀄 Rated and Reviewed (for 2025)

How good is Du Chinese? Is it worth downloading? How would you rate Du Chinese? All your questions answered with our comprehensive review.

Memrise Review | Should I Download It to Learn Chinese in 2025?

Memrise is a popular tool with Chinese learners but with so many learning Chinese apps out there does it rank with the best? Check out…

SuperTest HSK Review (Formerly HSK Online) // Our Complete 2024 Guide

The Complete Guide to SuperTest HSK To Download or Not To Download 🤔 SuperTest (HSK Study and Exam) Review: 9/10An invaluable companion for HSK studies.…

The Chairman's Bao App Review - Updated for 2023

Our ‘The Chairman’s Bao’ Definitive Review & Guide to this Chinese Reading App  A simplified Chinese news site, specifically aimed at Mandarin learners. Ease of…

Ninchanese Review // Rated and Reviewed by LTL Mandarin School

Welcome to LTL's Ninchanese review! Ninchanese is a website and app that uses gamification and SRS to teach you Mandarin. Here, we'll be reviewing the…

Slow Chinese Review // Mastering Modern Mandarin with this Magnificent Membership

Slow Chinese Review // Slow Chinese have recently launched a membership service to gain access to every more content. Is it any good? We reveal…

6 Cantonese Tones || Learn and Speak Cantonese like a Native!

As a tonal language, Cantonese is considered very difficult to learn. But don't worry, in this article we've simplified the six tones to get you…

10 Greetings in Cantonese || Useful Phrases to Use in Hong Kong

Do you want to travel to Cantonese-speaking regions? Then it'd be a good idea to learn some greetings in Cantonese such as hello and goodbye.

Shanghai Language 🗣 Shanghainese or Mandarin?

What is the Shanghai Language? Mandarin or Shanghainese? Shanghainese is a part of the Wu Dialect family but should I learn Shanghainese?

What Are The 7 Main Differences Between Learning Cantonese and Mandarin?

What are 7 key differences between Mandarin and Cantonese? They're both Chinese, right? Well, for starters, when spoken, you'd barely even notice a similarity

Learning Shanghainese 📖 Alex's Journey

Follow Alex's journey as he aims to add Shanghainese to his long list of languages. Can he crack Shanghainese, how different is it from Mandarin?

7 Hilarious Chinese Jokes That Will Make You Laugh (With Explanations!)

Chinese jokes can be a fun way to learn new vocabulary and cultural nuance. Time to unlock the secrets to learning Chinese with this hilarious…

Chinese Memes and Funnies 😂 The Ultimate Collection (for 2025)

Chinese Memes for 2021 😅 Learning Chinese is a long road, so we've got to have some fun along the way, right? Check out our…

8 of The Best (& Cheesy) Chinese Pick-Up Lines || Chinese Rizz

Pick Up Lines in Chinese - Living in China and have a HUGE crush? Here are LTL's top 8 Chinese Chat Up Lines to help…

Chinese + English = Chinglish 😲 You Must See To Believe

Chinglish - Sometimes you have to see it to believe it. You will be amazed at some of these language mishaps that are made when…

41 Ultimate Examples Of Chinese Slang 🤫 Speak Like The Locals

Check out the best ways to speak Chinese in 2021! Chinese Slang is the ultimate way to level UP your Mandarin and we've got a…

I Learnt 55 Swear Words From Native Chinese Speakers

Chinese swear words are the most exciting thing for newbies is learning how to say bad things. Here are 55 I learnt from native speakers.

Chinese Proverb of the Day | Learn a New Chinese Saying Daily

Get a Daily Dose of Wisdom With Our Chinese Proverb of the Day Looking for a daily dose of ancient Chinese wisdom? You’re in the…

Chinese Pinyin Translator – Easily Add Tone Marks to Pinyin Text

Chinese Pinyin Converter – Add Tones To Mandarin Pinyin Struggling to type Mandarin pinyin with tones? Don’t worry, you’re in the right place! Our free…

Why Intensive Is Best // Learning Chinese In The Shortest Possible Time

There are so many ways to learn Mandarin so we do we believe so strongly in an Intensive Chinese Course in China? Give us 5…

Chinese Name Generator: Discover Your Mandarin Name

GET YOUR OWN CHINESE NAME // CHINESE NAME GENERATOR Ever wanted your own Chinese name but have no idea where to start? Welcome to the…

Online vs Offline Learning 📚 Pros and Cons of Each Side

Online vs Offline Learning - Find out what's best according to your situation and your individual needs. Do you research, take your time, decide!

HSK Preparation Tips | 7 Tips to Pass the HSK Exam with Confidence

HSK Preparation Tips | Exams can be stressful but our students have a 95% HSK Exam pass rate. We share the secrets to success with…

Chinese Hongbao 🧧 Everything You Need To Know About The Lucky Red Envelope

A lucky red envelope is a traditional gift for Chinese New Year. But who gets them, and how much are they filled with? We answer…

The Complete Guide to Time in China ⏱ Timezones & Daylight Savings

Time in China : Why China Doesn't Have Daylight Saving Time? One of the main aims of DST is to make people’s active hours match…

9 Travel Tips for Beijing 🧳 - A Useful List for 2025

With long history, rich culture and nice people, Beijing is a city which deserves several days of your time.

A Complete Guide to ALL The Languages Spoken in China (300+)

Chinese really is an umbrella term for a very complex subject. Get answers to all your questions about the languages in China, with explanations and…

Chinese New Year 🐉 The Complete Guide To China's Biggest and Most Important Holiday

Chinese New Year Guide | Traditions, Superstitions, Vocab and Experiences. A complete guide to Chinese New Year from different perspectives.

How to Say Merry Christmas in Chinese🎄PLUS Christmas in China

The Complete Culture & Language Guide to Christmas 2024 in China || BONUS Chinese Christmas Carols! 🎅 With Christmas just around the corner, a lot…

7 Reasons Why You Should Learn Chinese in China in 2025

Reasons You Never Expected // Learn Why YOU Should Come to China Learning a language is not just about vocabulary and grammar—it’s about culture, context,…

Studying Chinese in Chengde - William's Story

Studying Chinese in the Birthplace of the Mandarin Language This blog was written by LTL student William Shaw, who studied Chinese in Chengde. I’d studied…

My Review of LTL Chengdu || Intensive Chinese Course

This blog post has been written by LTL student, Mark from Canada. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with everyone.

Learning Chinese As A Beginner - Andrew's Story

My biggest concern when making my 3.5 month commitment wasn’t whether or not I could learn the language but whether or not I would actually…

Getting Fluent in Chinese Whilst Working Full Time || It Can Be Done

Getting fluent in Chinese whilst working full-time is a challenge. However, it is possible with a well-thought out plan and plenty of determination.

School Trip to China || When Ancona Came to Beijing (Again!)

In April 2024, we welcomed Istituto d’istruzione Superiore Savoia Benincasa to LTL for the third time. Here is a summary of how the trip went.

The Great Race 🐯 Ultimate Guide to Chinese Zodiacs

Have you ever wondered about the origin of the Chinese Zodiacs and how the animal were selected? Did you know there was a Chinese Zodiac…