Corrections · 1
Learning Chinese.
Hi everybody.
I just started learning Chinese a few days ago.
I don't know where to begin.
谢谢!
If you are talking about writing, then I suggest you start learning common Chinese root words (called radicals) first. Know its meaning and pronunciation. They are the building blocks of the script. Once you know them, the rest of the written language begins to unravel to your understanding easily. For example, 口 a square representing the shape of a mouth, so all combinations has something to do with the mouth, ie sound made from the mouth, things do with the mouth. Some radicals change form when in combinations for easier writing. For example, the hand (手) becomes 扌 and all verbs that use the hand radical mean some kind of hand action, "pull", "push", "tear" etc. Same kind of reasoning for the foot 足. With the water radical, 水 all things to do with liquids, "float" "sink", "ocean", "slippery", "dissolve" etc. So get a good dictionary and look at the radical index. There are about 200 of them. Some are obscure and not used everyday. A handful say, 20 will get you on a good footing.
As for the oral aspect, listen, listen, listen and reproduce the sound and tones. Chinese is a tonal language. This is what you have to master first.
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