LEVEL 0: INTRODUCTION TO CHINESE

Tutorial: Tones, Pinyin, and Chinese Characters

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MISSION OBJECTIVES: ​

1. Understand the Chinese sound system.
2. Recognize and pronounce Chinese tones.
3. Recognize Hanyu Pinyin initials and finals.
4. Understand how to read Chinese characters.
5. Recognize and handwrite basic Chinese characters.
6. Handwrite your name in Chinese characters.

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STORY QUEST: "The Three Keys"

You wake up in a mysterious forest. You don't remember... anything...

Act One: The Bronze Key

• Chapter 1: “Wake” (How to understand the Chinese sound system) 
  • Chinese syllable: initial, final, tone
• Chapter 2: “Temple of Doom” (How to recognize the five tones)
  • (mā) First Tone, (má) Second Tone, (mǎ) Third Tone, (mà) Fourth Tone, (ma) Neutral Tone
• Chapter 3: “The Power of Words” (How to recognize tone combinations) 
  • (hén hǎo) very good, (bù hǎo) not good, (duì) right, (bú duì) not right, (shén me) what?
• MINIBOSS #1​​​

Act Two: The Silver Key

• Chapter 4: “Haunted Forest” (How to pronounce “simple finals” in Pinyin)
  • a, o, e, i, u, ü
• Chapter 5: “Summoning” (How to recognize familiar “initials” in Pinyin)
  • b, p, m, f, d, t, n, l, g, k, h
• Chapter 6: “”Yes, Sir!” (How to recognize tricky “initials” in Pinyin)
  • j, q, x, z, c, s, zh, ch, sh, ri
• Chapter 7: “The Master of the Game” (How to recognize “compound finals” in Pinyin)
  • ai, ei, ao, ou, an, eng, ang, eng, ong, ia, iao, ie, iu, ian, in, iang, ing, iong, ua, uo, uai, ui, uan, un, uang, ueng, üe, üan, ün, er
• MINIBOSS #2

Act Three: The Gold Key

• Chapter 8: “Shattered Mountain” (How to read Chinese writing)
  • Chinese writing: radicals, characters words
• Chapter 9: “Manhunt” (How to recognize basic Chinese radicals)
  • 人，口，大，女，子，日，月，马

• Chapter 10: “Field of Dreams” (How to handwrite basic Chinese radicals)
  • 人，口，大，女，子，日，月，马
• Chapter 11: “Rebirth” (How to recognize basic Chinese phrases)
  • 很好，明白吗？，毛毛，熊老师
• Chapter 12: “The Mystic Chords…” (How to handwrite your name in Chinese characters)
  • Your Chinese name: surname + given name
• MINIBOSS #3

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WORKBOOK EXERCISES:

Workbook L1P1: Introduction

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BOSS FIGHTS:

Jump to BOSS FIGHTS

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RESOURCES:

1. Integrated Chinese 4th Edition, Volume 1
2. Level 0 Folder (Google Drive)  
3. Level 0 Story Quest
4. Level 0 Learning Slides​
5. Level 0 Vocab Packet
6. Level 0 Handwriting Sheets
7. Level 0 Vocab List: Quizlet
8. Level 0 Vocab List: Skritter​