LTL BLOG

Japanese National Holidays (2026 & 2027) | How Many & When?

2026 & 2027 Japanese National Holidays Explained: Dates & Significance Below is a list of the 2026 Japanese National Holidays. Further down, we will also…

14 Chinese TV Shows for Practicing Your Chinese

The Very Best Chinese TV Shows to Learn Chinese When it comes to learning Chinese, Chinese TV shows is a huge resource. How many times…

The Ultimate Guide to Getting a Haircut in China 💇🏻‍♂️ Key Words & Phrases

Everything You Need to Know About Getting the Chop in China 💇🏾‍♀️ We know from experience, something that scares our students the most is the…

8 🗝 Benefits of Learning Mandarin 🤩 How It Improved My Life

The benefits of learning Mandarin are probably greater than you think. Learning Chinese cna take you far in many walks of life, but how exactly?

Studying Chinese as a Teenager 📖 Laodice's Story

Laodice is a great example of students coming to China and Studying Chinese as a teenager. She loved her time at LTL. Follow her story…

The Ultimate Guide for Using a VPN in China (2026) || Your Questions Answered

Here's everything you need to know about what a VPN is, why you'll need one for China and whether or not it's worth paying for…

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…

Real Time Mandarin 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…

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?

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.

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.

Free Mandarin Ebook

Download your free Mandarin ebook! Packed with tips, resources, and tools to help you start learning Chinese the smart way. Get it instantly by email.

How to Say No in Chinese: Essential Phrases Guide

Learn the Different Ways to Say “No” in Chinese Like A Local Saying “no” in Chinese is a bit trickier than just saying “no” in…

Chinese Alphabet 🗣 What is it? Does it Exist? A Definitive Guide

Does the Chinese Alphabet exist? What's the history of Chinese Characters? What are the most common Chinese characters? All your questions, answered

Sweet Dreams 🌜 How to Say ‘Goodnight’ in Chinese

Discover the Different Ways to Say Goodnight in Chinese and How to Wish Sweet Dreams Saying “goodnight” is a simple and sweet gesture. There are…

Happy New Year in Chinese 🎉 Don't Say The Obvious, These Ways Are Better!

How to say Happy New Year in Chinese? Opt for something more elaborate and personalized with some of these alternate ways of wishing in the…

Simplified or Traditional Chinese? Which One Is Right For Me in 2025?

Simplified Chinese vs Traditional Chinese 🤔 This will depend on your goals and where you want to study or live. Let's help you decide.

Ultimate Guide to WeChat 2026📱 How to Use WeChat's Features

We've got 5 great things you never knew Wechat could do. It's the most used app in all of China, but how to use Wechat?…

A Beginners Guide on How to Eat and Order Chinese Hot Pot

Chinese hot pot (火锅 huǒguō) literally means fire-pot. It's history goes back over 1,000 years. It is one of the most traditional and popular meals in…

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…

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.

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…

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…