LEVEL 0: INTRODUCTION TO CHINESE
Tutorial: Tones, Pinyin, and Chinese Characters
MISSION OBJECTIVES:
- Understand the Chinese sound system.
- Recognize and pronounce Chinese tones.
- Recognize Hanyu Pinyin initials and finals.
- Understand how to read Chinese characters.
- Recognize and handwrite basic Chinese characters.
- Handwrite your name in Chinese characters.
STORY QUEST: "The Three Keys"
You wake up in a mysterious forest. You don't remember... anything...
Act One: The Bronze Key
Act Two: The Silver Key
Act Three: The Gold 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
WORKBOOK EXERCISES:
BOSS FIGHTS:
RESOURCES:
