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

Our learning exhibition

Explain a choice and its reason.

Goals & study plan
The last lesson: learning what could be lost

Read this original text about our learning exhibition. Compare actions, reasons and consequences, using details as evidence. You can pause after any study block and continue later.

  • Explain a choice and its reason.
  • Support a view with a detail from the text.
  • Compare an earlier and a later response.

Evidence, explanation & learning · Lessons 9–12

Original Story · reading focus

Trace events, perspective and a meaningful detail. Explain your interpretation and consider another possible view.

Reading sessions · 3 parts
  1. Session 1 · Part 1

    Read this part, identify the main event or idea, and note one useful detail.

  2. Session 2 · Part 2

    Read this part, identify the main event or idea, and note one useful detail.

  3. Session 3 · Part 3

    Read this part, identify the main event or idea, and note one useful detail.

  4. Connect & respond

    Link the parts, try the reading checks, then write or explain a supported response. Complete the dialogue recordings in short blocks.

Words & sentences

5–8 minutes

Learn the core expressions and record in short blocks.

Reading & dialogue

10–15 minutes per sitting

Read one part per sitting. Use the reading sessions in this plan, then connect the parts and practise the dialogue in short blocks.

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 / 22 tasks
Task checklist · 0 / 22 complete

Characters · 生字

Flip each card for stroke order. This lesson’s writing focus: 分 · 计 · 回 · 划 · 进 · 步.

Lesson text · words, sentences and reading

Words & phrases

回顾

huí gù

look back

进步

jìn bù

progress

修改

xiū gǎi

revise

证据

zhèng jù

evidence

分享

fēn xiǎng

share

计划

jì huà

plan

Model sentences

回顾过去的作品,可以看清进步。

huí gù guò qù de zuò pǐn, kě yǐ kàn qīng jìn bù。

Looking back at earlier work helps reveal progress.

学习的进步需要具体的证据。

xué xí de jìn bù xū yào jù tǐ de zhèng jù。

Learning progress needs specific evidence.

我根据同伴的建议修改短文。

wǒ gēn jù tóng bàn de jiàn yì xiū gǎi duǎn wén。

I revise the text using a classmate’s suggestions.

这两份作品提供了比较的证据。

zhè liǎng fèn zuò pǐn tí gōng le bǐ jiào de zhèng jù。

These two pieces provide evidence for comparison.

我想分享修改前后的文章。

wǒ xiǎng fēn xiǎng xiū gǎi qián hòu de wén zhāng。

I want to share my text before and after revision.

我的计划是每周写一次阅读回应。

wǒ de jì huà shì měi zhōu xiě yí cì yuè dú huí yìng。

My plan is to write a reading response every week.

我们的学习展

Original reading for this course.

学期快结束时,中文老师请大家准备一次学习展。每个人可以选择作品,介绍自己怎样学习。展览不按谁写得最多来排名,也不要求作品从一开始就没有错误。

xué qī kuài jié shù shí, zhōng wén lǎo shī qǐng dà jiā zhǔn bèi yí cì xué xí zhǎn。 měi gè rén kě yǐ xuǎn zé zuò pǐn, jiè shào zì jǐ zěn yàng xué xí。 zhǎn lǎn bù àn shuí xiě de zuì duō lái pái míng, yě bú yào qiú zuò pǐn cóng yì kāi shǐ jiù méi yǒu cuò wù。

Near the end of term, the teacher invites everyone to exhibit work and explain their learning. The exhibition does not rank quantity or expect perfect first attempts.

小雨打开本子,看到最早写的句子只有几个字。后来,她能介绍家人,描述学校生活,还能给故事里的选择说出理由。她觉得自己进步了,却不知道怎样让别人看出来。

xiǎo yǔ dǎ kāi běn zi, kàn dào zuì zǎo xiě de jù zi zhǐ yǒu jǐ gè zì。 hòu lái, tā néng jiè shào jiā rén, miáo shù xué xiào shēng huó, hái néng gěi gù shì lǐ de xuǎn zé shuō chū lǐ yóu。 tā jué de zì jǐ jìn bù le, què bù zhī dào zěn yàng ràng bié rén kàn chū lái。

Xiaoyu sees that her first sentences were short. Later she could introduce family, describe school and explain story choices. She wonders how to show her progress.

老师说:“不要只写一个结论。找一找,什么作品能成为证据?”小雨选了两篇介绍花园的短文。第一篇只列出花和树,第二篇写了季节、观察顺序和自己的发现。

lǎo shī shuō:“bú yào zhǐ xiě yí ge jié lùn。 zhǎo yī zhǎo, shén me zuò pǐn néng chéng wéi zhèng jù?” xiǎo yǔ xuǎn le liǎng piān jiè shào huā yuán de duǎn wén。 dì yī piān zhǐ liè chū huā hé shù, dì èr piān xiě le jì jié、 guān chá shùn xù hé zì jǐ de fā xiàn。

The teacher asks for evidence, not just a conclusion. Xiaoyu selects two garden descriptions; the later one includes seasons, observation order and discoveries.

她又找到同伴留下的建议:“你说这里很漂亮,能不能告诉读者,你看见了什么?”根据这句话,她增加了叶子的颜色和雨后的气味。她明白,修改不是把原来的努力全部丢掉,而是让意思更清楚。

tā yòu zhǎo dào tóng bàn liú xià de jiàn yì:“nǐ shuō zhè lǐ hěn piào liàng, néng bù néng gào su dú zhě, nǐ kàn jiàn le shén me?” gēn jù zhè jù huà, tā zēng jiā le yè zi de yán sè hé yǔ hòu de qì wèi。 tā míng bái, xiū gǎi bú shì bǎ yuán lái de nǔ lì quán bù diū diào, ér shì ràng yì si gèng qīng chu。

A classmate had asked what she actually saw. She added leaf colours and smells after rain. Revision made her meaning clearer without discarding earlier effort.

小明准备分享一段录音。他第一次说得很快,句子之间没有停顿。后来,他先整理意思,再分句练习。他没有说自己已经完全学会,而是指出哪里更清楚,哪里还想练习。

xiǎo míng zhǔn bèi fēn xiǎng yí duàn lù yīn。 tā dì yī cì shuō de hěn kuài, jù zi zhī jiān méi yǒu tíng dùn。 hòu lái, tā xiān zhěng lǐ yì si, zài fēn jù liàn xí。 tā méi yǒu shuō zì jǐ yǐ jīng wán quán xué huì, ér shì zhǐ chū nǎ lǐ gèng qīng chu, nǎ lǐ hái xiǎng liàn xí。

Xiaoming shares a recording. He had spoken too fast; later he organised his meaning and practised sentence by sentence. He identifies progress and further practice.

同学们把作品放在一起,发现每个人的进步并不相同。有的人更敢开口,有的人开始独立输入汉字,还有的人能用课文细节支持自己的看法。大家认真听,不把不同的起点当成高低。

tóng xué men bǎ zuò pǐn fàng zài yì qǐ, fā xiàn měi gè rén de jìn bù bìng bù xiāng tóng。 yǒu de rén gèng gǎn kāi kǒu, yǒu de rén kāi shǐ dú lì shū rù hàn zì, hái yǒu de rén néng yòng kè wén xì jié zhī chí zì jǐ de kàn fǎ。 dà jiā rèn zhēn tīng, bù bǎ bù tóng de qǐ diǎn dàng chéng gāo dī。

Their progress differs: confidence, Chinese typing or using evidence. They listen without ranking different starting points.

展览当天,家长问小雨:“你最满意的是哪一篇?”她没有马上指着最长的文章,而是拿出修改前后的两页,解释同伴的建议怎样帮助了自己。家长又问她下一步的计划。

zhǎn lǎn dāng tiān, jiā zhǎng wèn xiǎo yǔ:“nǐ zuì mǎn yì de shì nǎ yì piān?” tā méi yǒu mǎ shàng zhǐ zhe zuì cháng de wén zhāng, ér shì ná chū xiū gǎi qián hòu de liǎng yè, jiě shì tóng bàn de jiàn yì zěn yàng bāng zhù le zì jǐ。 jiā zhǎng yòu wèn tā xià yí bù de jì huà。

Asked which work she values most, Xiaoyu shows drafts and explains how feedback helped. Her parent asks about next steps.

小雨想了想,写下:“每周读一个短故事,用两句话写出想法,再找一个细节说明理由。”小明计划先录一小段,听完以后再决定需要怎样调整。

xiǎo yǔ xiǎng le xiǎng, xiě xià:“měi zhōu dú yí ge duǎn gù shì, yòng liǎng jù huà xiě chū xiǎng fǎ, zài zhǎo yí ge xì jié shuō míng lǐ yóu。” xiǎo míng jì huà xiān lù yì xiǎo duàn, tīng wán yǐ hòu zài jué dìng xū yào zěn yàng tiáo zhěng。

Xiaoyu plans weekly short stories, two-sentence responses and supporting details. Xiaoming plans to listen to short recordings before adjusting them.

活动结束后,大家一起收好作品。学习展结束了,学习却没有停下。小雨把第一篇短文也留下,因为回顾过去,能帮助她看清已经走过的路,也能决定下一步怎样走。

huó dòng jié shù hòu, dà jiā yì qǐ shōu hǎo zuò pǐn。 xué xí zhǎn jié shù le, xué xí què méi yǒu tíng xià。 xiǎo yǔ bǎ dì yī piān duǎn wén yě liú xià, yīn wèi huí gù guò qù, néng bāng zhù tā kàn qīng yǐ jīng zǒu guò de lù, yě néng jué dìng xià yí bù zěn yàng zǒu。

The exhibition ends, but learning continues. Xiaoyu keeps her first text: looking back helps her see progress and choose next steps.

Conversation

A 你想分享哪一份作品?

nǐ xiǎng fēn xiǎng nǎ yí fèn zuò pǐn?

Which work would you share?

B 我想比较修改前后的短文。

wǒ xiǎng bǐ jiào xiū gǎi qián hòu de duǎn wén。

I would compare my text before and after revision.

A 什么细节能说明进步?

shén me xì jié néng shuō míng jìn bù?

What detail shows progress?

B 第二篇增加了观察到的颜色和气味。

dì èr piān zēng jiā le guān chá dào de yán sè hé qì wèi。

The second text adds observed colours and smells.

A 你的下一步计划是什么?

nǐ de xià yí bù jì huà shì shén me?

What is your next plan?

B 我想用两句话表达看法,再提供一个理由。

wǒ xiǎng yòng liǎng jù huà biǎo dá kàn fǎ, zài tí gōng yí ge lǐ yóu。

I want to express a view in two sentences and give a reason.

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.