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

Vienna: hearing a city’s musical connections

Describe rehearsal, performance and response.

Goals & study plan
Vienna: hearing a city’s musical connections

Follow rehearsal before performance and applause before leaving. Distinguish a musical feature from a listener’s personal association; a city’s musical life includes learners as well as famous composers. You can pause after any study block and continue later.

  • Describe rehearsal, performance and response.
  • Connect a recurring melody with changed instruments.
  • Separate a musical observation from an imagined scene.

Performance, cooperation & places · Lessons 5–8

Culture · reading focus

Explain the practice or setting using specific details. Compare perspectives respectfully without assuming everyone shares one experience.

Reading sessions · 4 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. Session 4 · Part 4

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

  5. 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: 曲 · 乐 · 作 · 欣 · 律 · 奏.

Lesson text · words, sentences and reading

Words & phrases

作曲

zuò qǔ

compose music

乐章

yuè zhāng

movement of music

旋律

xuán lǜ

melody

圆舞曲

yuán wǔ qǔ

waltz

演奏

yǎn zòu

perform music

欣赏

xīn shǎng

appreciate

Model sentences

许多作曲家曾在维也纳生活和工作,为城市留下丰富的音乐传统。

xǔ duō zuò qǔ jiā céng zài wéi yě nà shēng huó hé gōng zuò, wèi chéng shì liú xià fēng fù de yīn yuè chuán tǒng。

Many composers have lived and worked in Vienna, leaving the city a rich musical tradition.

一部作品可以分成几个乐章,每个乐章又有自己的速度和结构。

yí bù zuò pǐn kě yǐ fēn chéng jǐ gè yuè zhāng, měi gè yuè zhāng yòu yǒu zì jǐ de sù dù hé jié gòu。

A musical work can contain several movements, each with its own tempo and structure.

熟悉的旋律再次出现时,听众能够比较它前后的变化。

shú xī de xuán lǜ zài cì chū xiàn shí, tīng zhòng néng gòu bǐ jiào tā qián hòu de biàn huà。

When a familiar melody returns, listeners can compare how it has changed.

圆舞曲常用三拍子的节奏,使舞步产生旋转和流动的感觉。

yuán wǔ qǔ cháng yòng sān pāi zi de jié zòu, shǐ wǔ bù chǎn shēng xuán zhuàn hé liú dòng de gǎn jué。

A waltz often uses triple metre, giving the dance a sense of turning and flow.

乐团演奏同一首作品时,需要留意指挥、音量和彼此的配合。

yuè tuán yǎn zòu tóng yì shǒu zuò pǐn shí, xū yào liú yì zhǐ huī、 yīn liàng hé bǐ cǐ de pèi hé。

When an orchestra performs the same work, its members must attend to the conductor, dynamics and coordination.

欣赏音乐既可以说出个人感受,也可以指出作品中的具体声音。

xīn shǎng yīn yuè jì kě yǐ shuō chū gè rén gǎn shòu, yě kě yǐ zhǐ chū zuò pǐn zhōng de jù tǐ shēng yīn。

When appreciating music, we can describe personal feelings and also identify specific sounds in the work.

音乐之都

维也纳位于奥地利,常被人们称为“音乐之都”,许多音乐家的生活和创作都与这座城市相连。

wéi yě nà wèi yú ào dì lì, cháng bèi rén men chēng wéi “yīn yuè zhī dū”, xǔ duō yīn yuè jiā de shēng huó hé chuàng zuò dōu yǔ zhè zuò chéng shì xiāng lián。

Vienna, in Austria, is often called the “city of music,” with strong connections to many composers’ lives and work.

海顿、莫扎特、贝多芬和舒伯特等人的名字,经常出现在介绍这座城市的音乐历史时。

hǎi dùn、 mò zhā tè、 bèi duō fēn hé shū bó tè děng rén de míng zi, jīng cháng chū xiàn zài jiè shào zhè zuò chéng shì de yīn yuè lì shǐ shí。

Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert frequently appear in accounts of the city’s musical history.

他们并非都出生在这里,有人在这里学习,有人在这里生活,有人在这里创作和演出,各自留下不同的联系。

tā men bìng fēi dōu chū shēng zài zhè lǐ, yǒu rén zài zhè lǐ xué xí, yǒu rén zài zhè lǐ shēng huó, yǒu rén zài zhè lǐ chuàng zuò hé yǎn chū, gè zì liú xià bù tóng de lián xì。

They are not all born there: some study, live, compose or perform there, leaving different connections.

排练的地方没有正式演出那样热闹,乐手会停下来,再从同一段开始。有人调整音量,有人检查进入的时机,指挥听见不一致的地方,便请大家重新配合;观众后来听到流畅的音乐,背后却有许多这样短暂的停顿。

pái liàn de dì fang méi yǒu zhèng shì yǎn chū nà yàng rè nào, yuè shǒu huì tíng xià lai, zài cóng tóng yí duàn kāi shǐ。 yǒu rén tiáo zhěng yīn liàng, yǒu rén jiǎn chá jìn rù de shí jī, zhǐ huī tīng jiàn bù yī zhì de dì fang, biàn qǐng dà jiā chóng xīn pèi hé; guān zhòng hòu lái tīng dào liú chàng de yīn yuè, bèi hòu què yǒu xǔ duō zhè yàng duǎn zàn de tíng dùn。

Rehearsals involve pauses to adjust volume, entries and coordination behind the fluent music audiences later hear.

走进音乐厅,观众静静等候,乐队调好乐器,指挥举起双手,第一段旋律便在空间里展开。

zǒu jìn yīn yuè tīng, guān zhòng jìng jìng děng hòu, yuè duì tiáo hǎo yuè qì, zhǐ huī jǔ qǐ shuāng shǒu, dì yī duàn xuán lǜ biàn zài kōng jiān lǐ zhǎn kāi。

In a concert hall, audiences wait as the orchestra tunes; the conductor raises both hands and the first melody unfolds.

弦乐有时柔和,管乐有时明亮,节奏从轻轻流动变得有力,同一首作品里也可以听见丰富的变化。

xián yuè yǒu shí róu hé, guǎn yuè yǒu shí míng liàng, jié zòu cóng qīng qīng liú dòng biàn de yǒu lì, tóng yì shǒu zuò pǐn lǐ yě kě yǐ tīng jiàn fēng fù de biàn huà。

Strings may sound gentle and winds bright, while rhythms grow stronger, offering varied changes within one work.

一段旋律先由一种乐器奏出,另一种乐器再接过去,声音的颜色变了,熟悉的线条却仍然能够被认出来。有的听众留意这种接续,有的注意节奏怎样从轻柔变得强烈,同一首作品因此可以在不同次聆听中带来新的发现。

yí duàn xuán lǜ xiān yóu yì zhǒng yuè qì zòu chū, lìng yì zhǒng yuè qì zài jiē guò qù, shēng yīn de yán sè biàn le, shú xī de xiàn tiáo què réng rán néng gòu bèi rèn chū lái。 yǒu de tīng zhòng liú yì zhè zhǒng jiē xù, yǒu de zhù yì jié zòu zěn yàng cóng qīng róu biàn de qiáng liè, tóng yì shǒu zuò pǐn yīn cǐ kě yǐ zài bù tóng cì líng tīng zhōng dài lái xīn de fā xiàn。

A melody passed between instruments changes in colour but remains recognisable, allowing repeated listening to reveal different details.

圆舞曲的节拍让人想到旋转的舞步;《蓝色多瑙河》的名称,也使许多听众联想到河流与城市。

yuán wǔ qǔ de jié pāi ràng rén xiǎng dào xuán zhuàn de wǔ bù;《 lán sè duō nǎo hé 》 de míng chēng, yě shǐ xǔ duō tīng zhòng lián xiǎng dào hé liú yǔ chéng shì。

A waltz’s beat suggests turning dance steps, and the title The Blue Danube evokes the river and city for many listeners.

不同的人听见同一段音乐,可能想到不同画面,有人想起水面,有人想起舞会,也有人只留意声音之间的关系。

bù tóng de rén tīng jiàn tóng yí duàn yīn yuè, kě néng xiǎng dào bù tóng huà miàn, yǒu rén xiǎng qǐ shuǐ miàn, yǒu rén xiǎng qǐ wǔ huì, yě yǒu rén zhǐ liú yì shēng yīn zhī jiān de guān xì。

Listeners may imagine water or a dance, or simply notice the relationships among the sounds.

圆舞曲继续响着,乐手抬起又落下琴弓。一位听众轻轻数着节拍,身旁的人却闭起眼睛,安静地听旋律转向另一段。

yuán wǔ qǔ jì xù xiǎng zhe, yuè shǒu tái qǐ yòu là xià qín gōng。 yí wèi tīng zhòng qīng qīng shǔ zhe jié pāi, shēn páng de rén què bì qǐ yǎn jīng, ān jìng de tīng xuán lǜ zhuǎn xiàng lìng yí duàn。

The waltz continued as bows rose and fell. One listener counted the beats while another closed their eyes and listened to the melody change.

音乐家的工作还需要老师、同行和观众,演出场所与交流机会,也为新的作品提供了成长的条件。

yīn yuè jiā de gōng zuò hái xū yào lǎo shī、 tóng háng hé guān zhòng, yǎn chū chǎng suǒ yǔ jiāo liú jī huì, yě wèi xīn de zuò pǐn tí gōng le chéng zhǎng de tiáo jiàn。

Composers’ work depends on teachers, colleagues, audiences, venues and opportunities for exchange that allow new work to develop.

街头的一段演奏、音乐学校的一次排练、剧院里的一个夜晚,都使音乐成为城市生活的一部分。

jiē tóu de yí duàn yǎn zòu、 yīn yuè xué xiào de yí cì pái liàn、 jù yuàn lǐ de yí ge yè wǎn, dōu shǐ yīn yuè chéng wéi chéng shì shēng huó de yí bù fèn。

A street performance, a school rehearsal and a theatre evening each make music part of the city’s life.

当最后一个音符停下来,观众稍稍安静,随后响起掌声,演奏者又把这次相遇带进下一次排练。

dāng zuì hòu yí ge yīn fú tíng xià lai, guān zhòng shāo shāo ān jìng, suí hòu xiǎng qǐ zhǎng shēng, yǎn zòu zhě yòu bǎ zhè cì xiāng yù dài jìn xià yí cì pái liàn。

When the final note ends, a brief silence precedes applause, and performers carry the encounter into their next rehearsal.

走出剧院时,街道仍有声音,脚步、谈话和车轮与刚才的音乐并不一样,听众却可能还在心里轻轻重复某个旋律。城市的夜晚因此把演出带到剧院之外,作品又与一个人的记忆连在一起。

zǒu chū jù yuàn shí, jiē dào réng yǒu shēng yīn, jiǎo bù、 tán huà hé chē lún yǔ gāng cái de yīn yuè bìng bù yí yàng, tīng zhòng què kě néng hái zài xīn lǐ qīng qīng zhòng fù mǒu gè xuán lǜ。 chéng shì de yè wǎn yīn cǐ bǎ yǎn chū dài dào jù yuàn zhī wài, zuò pǐn yòu yǔ yí ge rén de jì yì lián zài yì qǐ。

Street sounds differ from the performance, but a listener may silently repeat its melody, carrying the work beyond the theatre into memory.

第二天,一间音乐学校里又开始新的练习,学生先听清一段,再尝试演奏,老师指出需要修改的地方。文化并不只留在已经有名的作品里,也在这些新的学习和相遇中继续发生。

dì èr tiān, yì jiān yīn yuè xué xiào lǐ yòu kāi shǐ xīn de liàn xí, xué shēng xiān tīng qīng yí duàn, zài cháng shì yǎn zòu, lǎo shī zhǐ chū xū yào xiū gǎi de dì fang。 wén huà bìng bù zhǐ liú zài yǐ jīng yǒu míng de zuò pǐn lǐ, yě zài zhè xiē xīn de xué xí hé xiāng yù zhōng jì xù fā shēng。

New learning begins in music schools, where listening, playing and feedback keep musical culture developing beyond already famous works.

“音乐之都”因此不只是一串名人的姓名,也是作品、空间和不同的人共同建立起来的文化联系。

“yīn yuè zhī dū” yīn cǐ bù zhǐ shì yí chuàn míng rén de xìng míng, yě shì zuò pǐn、 kōng jiān hé bù tóng de rén gòng tóng jiàn lì qǐ lai de wén huà lián xì。

“City of music” thus means more than famous names: it is a cultural connection made by works, places and people.

Conversation

A 同一篇文章里的人都出生在那里吗?

tóng yī piān wén zhāng lǐ de rén dōu chū shēng zài nà lǐ ma?

Were all the musicians born there?

B 不,出生与创作是不同联系。

bù, chū shēng yǔ chuàng zuò shì bù tóng lián xì。

No; birth and composition are distinct connections.

A 圆舞曲可以让人产生怎样的联想?

yuán wǔ qǔ kě yǐ ràng rén chǎn shēng zěn yàng de lián xiǎng?

What association might a waltz suggest?

B 像轻轻转动。

xiàng qīng qīng zhuǎn dòng。

Gentle turning.

A 水面起伏是唯一答案吗?

shuǐ miàn qǐ fú shì wéi yī dá àn ma?

Is rising water the only interpretation?

B 不是,那只是听众可能产生的一种联想。

bú shì, nà zhǐ shì tīng zhòng kě néng chǎn shēng de yì zhǒng lián xiǎng。

No; it is one possible listener association.

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.