One word at a time · 汉字

Han Zi

Simple Chinese lessons — characters, phrases, and the stories behind them.

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The Character for 'Eat' (吃) — And Why It Matters

Han Zi4 min read

The Character for 'Eat' (吃) — And Why It Matters

One character that opens the door to Chinese culture, one meal at a time.

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The Character for 'Home' (家) — And Why It's a Pig Under a Roof

Han Zi4 min read

The Character for 'Home' (家) — And Why It's a Pig Under a Roof

One character tells you everything about what Chinese people value most.

Ni Hao (你好) — More Than Just Hello

Han Zi3 min read

Ni Hao (你好) — More Than Just Hello

The most famous Chinese phrase has a deeper meaning than you think.

The Four Tones of Mandarin (And Why 妈 Is Not 马)

Han Zi5 min read

The Four Tones of Mandarin (And Why 妈 Is Not 马)

A wrong tone can turn 'mother' into 'horse.' Here is how to get it right.

Xie Xie (谢谢) — The Art of Saying Thank You in Chinese

Han Zi4 min read

Xie Xie (谢谢) — The Art of Saying Thank You in Chinese

Two characters that carry a thousand years of gratitude culture.