Mandarin Meadow
A little Mandarin, every day.

Help & FAQ 常见问题

Practising Mandarin

How do Listen, Record, Play mine and Compare work?

Listen plays the example. You can skip listening and record straight away. Tap Record, say the item, then tap Stop. A successful recording completes that item’s task. Play mine plays your voice; Compare plays the model, then your voice.

“Recorded” means you practised; it is not a pronunciation score. Listen for tones, rhythm and light syllables. You can record again. Try a few items at a time and take a break when needed.

Where do my recordings and completed tasks go?

Voice clips stay in this browser tab. Reloading, closing the tab or leaving the website clears them. Opening this help page keeps your clips available. Completed tasks remain saved even when a voice clip is gone, so Play mine and Compare become available after a new recording.

Learners have separate progress. Use the learner’s progress backup or sign-in sync to carry supported learning progress between devices. Voice clips are not included in backups or sync.

How can I read a longer text?

Use the Listen button beside each part. Pause or stop with the audio controls, then continue when ready. Pinyin + English and Useful expressions provide optional support. Short texts have one Listen button.

How do character animations and tracing work?

Flip a character card to see the writing controls. Replay shows the strokes; Trace lets you try them. The lesson’s writing focus identifies which characters to practise first. Printable pages are available in Practice.

Choosing a course & reviewing

How do I choose a starting point?

Each course page lists what to know before starting and what you will practise. Choose by what you can understand and do in Mandarin. Later literature and social themes are intended for teenagers and adults ready for extended reading and discussion; language support remains available.

How do the cumulative reviews work?

Open Review & connect on a course page, or use the extra review in the Review tab after each study block. Earlier vocabulary, sentence patterns and readings return in short recall questions, followed by a written response. First choices and retries remain saved. The written reflection is self-reviewed, with room for different supported answers.

Can I spread a long reading over several days?

Yes. Open Goals & study plan for reading sessions linked to each part. Read one part in a sitting, then connect the parts and complete the reading tasks when ready. The short Course 7 bridge readings have optional longer versions; the longer version is not required.

Chinese typing

How do I type Chinese and use written responses?

Add a Simplified Chinese Pinyin keyboard in your device’s keyboard or language settings. On iPhone/iPad, look under Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards. On Android, use your keyboard’s Languages settings. On Windows or Mac, use language or input-source settings. Select the Chinese keyboard, type pinyin, then choose the intended characters.

Later readings include a short written response. Drafts are saved to the active learner’s progress as you type. You can save a response, compare it with a possible supporting detail, and revise it. These responses are not automatically graded; different reasoned answers can work. Progress backup and supported sign-in sync include saved responses.

Microphone setup

What if microphone access is blocked?

Tap Record and allow microphone access when your browser asks. If access was denied, change this website’s microphone permission to Allow or Ask. Your device must also let the browser use its microphone. Return to the lesson and try Record again; reload only if your browser requires it. Reloading clears voice clips in this tab.

Open Mandarin Meadow directly in your browser if recording is unavailable in an embedded window. If the microphone is busy, close other apps using it. For children, a parent or carer can help with permission settings.

iPhone or iPad · Safari
  1. Open this website in Safari, then tap Record and allow the request.
  2. If blocked, open Safari’s page menu beside the address, find Website Settings (or More, then Website Settings), and change Microphone to Ask or Allow for this website.
  3. You can also check Settings → Apps → Safari → Microphone; older versions may show Safari directly in Settings. Return to Safari and try again.

Menu names vary by version. Apple’s Safari settings guide

Android phone or tablet · Chrome
  1. In Chrome, open Settings → Site settings → Microphone. Allow this website or remove its blocked permission, then try Record again.
  2. If still blocked, check Android Settings → Apps → Chrome → Permissions → Microphone, and allow access while using the app.

Google’s microphone guide for Android

Mac · Safari or Chrome

In Safari, use Settings → Websites → Microphone and choose Ask or Allow for this website. In Chrome, open the controls beside the address → Site settings → Microphone → Allow.

If the browser is blocked by macOS, check System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone and allow the browser if listed. Relaunch it if requested; relaunching clears current voice clips.

Safari website settings · Chrome microphone settings

Windows · Chrome or Edge

Open the controls beside the website address and allow Microphone in this site’s permissions. In Windows Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone, check microphone access and permission for desktop apps. On older Windows versions, look under Privacy.

Microsoft’s microphone settings guide

Firefox

Use the permissions icon beside the address to remove a blocked microphone permission, then tap Record and allow the new request. You can also review Microphone under Firefox Settings → Privacy & Security → Permissions. Check your device’s microphone permission for Firefox too.

Mozilla’s permission guide

Crossing at traffic lights

Name crossing signals, people and places.

Goals & study plan
Crossing at traffic lights

Start with this short core reading. Explain one reason or clue before trying the optional longer version. You can pause after any study block and continue later.

  • Name crossing signals, people and places.
  • Describe an ordered action using 先……再…….
  • Find the reason for waiting in a short crossing story.

Everyday encounters & clues · Lessons 1–4

Dialogue · reading focus

Identify the speakers’ purpose and what information each needs. Try an alternative reply that still fits the situation.

Words & sentences

5–8 minutes

Learn the core expressions and record in short blocks.

Reading & dialogue

5–10 minutes

Read one part, try the checks, then record the core dialogue.

Practice & review

5–10 minutes

Practise the writing focus and revisit your first-choice answers.

Help with self-study

Try each item in a short block. Listen when needed, record when ready, and use the hints to retry. Pinyin and English can be turned off independently.

Show support:
Pronunciation & learning options

Pinyin shows how to say a word. The mark above a vowel shows its tone.

mā1. High and level
má2. Rising
mǎ3. Low, then rising
mà4. Falling

Watch the tone marks and listen for the rhythm of the whole phrase. Light syllables are short; pauses belong between meaningful groups.

Characters0 / 10 tasks
Task checklist · 0 / 10 complete

Characters · 生字

Flip each card for stroke order. This lesson’s writing focus: 灯 · 行 · 待 · 等.

Lesson text · words, sentences and reading

Words & phrases

红灯

hóng dēng

red light

绿灯

lǜ dēng

green light

路口

lù kǒu

intersection

行人

xíng rén

pedestrian

等待

děng dài

wait

安全

ān quán

safe; safety

Model sentences

红灯亮了,我们要停下来。

hóng dēng liàng le, wǒ men yào tíng xià lai。

When the red light comes on, we must stop.

绿灯亮了,也要先看看路。

lǜ dēng liàng le, yě yào xiān kàn kan lù。

When the green light comes on, we still check the road first.

过路口时要留意车辆。

guò lù kǒu shí yào liú yì chē liàng。

Watch for vehicles when crossing an intersection.

行人要从人行横道过马路。

xíng rén yào cóng rén xíng héng dào guò mǎ lù。

Pedestrians should cross at the pedestrian crossing.

请在安全的地方耐心等待。

qǐng zài ān quán de dì fang nài xīn děng dài。

Please wait patiently in a safe place.

遵守交通规则能保护大家的安全。

zūn shǒu jiāo tōng guī zé néng bǎo hù dà jiā de ān quán。

Following traffic rules helps keep everyone safe.

红绿灯

我和妈妈走到路口。行人的红灯亮着,我们停下来等待。

wǒ hé mā ma zǒu dào lù kǒu。 xíng rén de hóng dēng liàng zhe, wǒ men tíng xià lai děng dài。

Mum and I reach the crossing. The pedestrian light is red, so we wait.

绿灯亮了。妈妈说:“先看车辆,再确认安全。”

lǜ dēng liàng le。 mā ma shuō:“xiān kàn chē liàng, zài què rèn ān quán。”

The light turns green. Mum says to check the vehicles and make sure it is safe.

我们看清楚以后,才一起走过去。行人不能只跟着别人走。

wǒ men kàn qīng chǔ yǐ hòu, cái yì qǐ zǒu guò qù。 xíng rén bù néng zhǐ gēn zhe bié rén zǒu。

We check before crossing together. Pedestrians should not simply follow others.

Conversation

A 我们现在能过马路吗?

wǒ men xiàn zài néng guò mǎ lù ma?

Can we cross now?

B 还不能,行人的灯是红色的。

hái bù néng, xíng rén de dēng shì hóng sè de。

Not yet; the pedestrian signal is red.

A 前面的人已经走了呀。

qián miàn de rén yǐ jīng zǒu le ya。

But the person ahead has already crossed.

B 不要只跟着别人,要自己看清楚。

bú yào zhǐ gēn zhe bié rén, yào zì jǐ kàn qīng chǔ。

Do not just follow others; check for yourself.

A 现在绿灯亮了,还要看车吗?

xiàn zài lǜ dēng liàng le, hái yào kàn chē ma?

The green light is on now. Do we still check for cars?

B 要,先确认安全,再一起走过去。

yào, xiān què rèn ān quán, zài yì qǐ zǒu guò qù。

Yes. Check that it is safe, then we can cross together.

Sources & image credits

Curriculum references: 幼儿汉语 1–4 and 中文 1–12. Lessons are organised by learning themes and include original texts and graded adaptations.

Scene illustrations: Twemoji, © Twitter and contributors, CC BY 4.0. Pilot word-card illustrations are original AI-generated images.