Online Textbook

This online textbook represents materials that were used in the first four semesters (two years) of the Mandarin program at MIT. They eventually formed the basis of a print textbook of the same name, published by Yale University Press (elementary level available 2011, intermediate level due late 2011 or early 2012). Information about the Yale edition, plus online materials that could supplement the OCW material with some allowances. The Yale website also includes extensive audio-clips (numbering over 40 by July 2011, up through Unit 4), which cover much of the same ground as the OCW version.

Wheatley, Julian K. Learning Chinese: A Foundation Course in Mandarin. (汉语基础教材) New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2010. ISBN: 9780300141177.

The OCW course materials were extensively revised, and at times reordered, before publication, but the general principles of the original remain: to provide a comprehensive resource for the foundation levels of Chinese language that separates the learning of oral skills from literary (the former being transcribed in pinyin, and the latter in characters). This resource contains the complete online version of the text in four parts. Audio recordings courtesy of Julian K. Wheatley, Tong Chen, Jin Zhang, and Min-Min Liang accompany the text, used with their permission.

Front Matter

  • Acknowledgments and Preface (PDF)
  • Table of Contents (PDF)

Additional Resources

  • Highlights of Character Lessons 1-7 (PDF)
  • Calligraphy practice grid (PDF)

Chinese Sequence on OCW

OpenCourseWare now offers a complete sequence of four Chinese language courses by Dr. Wheatley, covering beginning to intermediate levels of instruction at MIT. They can be used not just as the basis for taught courses, but also for self-instruction and elementary-to-intermediate review. These courses use Learning Chinese as a textbook, covering roughly one part each semester. View syllabi and day-by-day schedules for each course in the sequence:

21G.101/21G.151 Chinese I (Regular), Spring 2006

21G.102/21G.152 Chinese II (Regular), Spring 2006

21G.103 Chinese III (Regular), Fall 2018

21G.104 Chinese IV (Regular), Spring 2006

Students who have completed this material are encouraged to explore additional Chinese courses on the OCW Global Studies and Languages page.

Each section and recording in Part I is available as an individual file, as well as a single download. Additional audio and other supplemental files are available with purchase of this textbook.

Complete Part I text and audio (ZIP)

CONTENTS FILES

Background

1. China
2. Chinese speech
3. Chinese writing
4. Key terms
5. Further readings and references

Chapter (PDF)

Sounds and symbols: An overview of pinyin

1. The syllable
2. Tones
3. Initial consonants
4. Rhymes
5. Miscellany
6. Writing connected text in pinyin
7. Recapitulation

Chapter (PDF)

0.2.3 The low-tone (MP3)

0.3.1 The consonant chart (MP3)

Unit 1

1.1 Conventions
1.2 Pronunciation
1.3 Numbering and ordering
1.4 Stative verbs
1.5 Time and tense
1.6 Pronouns
1.7 Action verbs
1.8 Conventional greetings
1.9 Greeting and taking leave
1.10 Tones
1.11 Summary
1.12 Rhymes and rhythms

Chapter (PDF)

1.10.1 Tone combos (the first 6) (MP3)

Exercise 3c (MP3)

Exercise 3d,e (MP3)

Characters 1

1.1 General features of Chinese texts
1.2 The form of characters
1.3 Function
1.4 Writing
1.5 Presentation of characters
1.6 Numbers
1.7 Dates
1.8 Days
1.9 Surnames and pronouns
1.10 More pronouns and function words
1.11 Stative verbs and associated function words
1.12 Action verbs and associated function words
1.13 On the streets

Lesson (PDF)

Stroke Order (PDF)

Unit 2

2.1 Pronunciation
2.2 Adverbs
2.3 More stative verbs
2.4 Nouns and modification
2.5 Identity
2.6 Names and titles
2.7 Location and existence
2.8 Miscellany
2.9 Dialogue: At the airport
2.10 Reflections: What have you learned?
2.11 Pinyin notes and practice
2.12 Summary
2.13 Rhymes and Rhythms

Chapter (PDF)

2.4 Nouns and modification (MP3)

2.7.1 Some Chinese place names (MP3)

2.9 At the airport (MP3)

2.11.3 Tone combos (the next 6) (MP3)

Characters 2

2.0 Review
2.1 Set 1, with notes
2.2 Set 2, with notes
2.3 Set 3, with notes
2.4 Set 4, with notes
2.5 Form of characters
2.6 Miscellany
2.7 On the street #2

Lesson (PDF)

Stroke Order (PDF)

Unit 3

3.1 Pronunciation: Initials of rows 3 and 4
3.2 Amount
3.3 Nationality
3.4 The cardinal directions: NSEW
3.5 Yes and no
3.6 Thanks and sorry
3.7 Things to drink
3.8 Why, because, so
3.9 Money
3.10 Other numbered sets
3.11 Courses and classes
3.12 Dialogue: Courses and classes
3.13 Sounds and pinyin
3.14 Summary
3.15 Rhymes and rhythms
Appendix: Countries and nationalities

Chapter (PDF)

3.4.1 Dialogues (MP3)

3.7.1 Dialogue (MP3)

3.12 Courses and classes (MP3)

3.13.1 Tone combos (the last 3) (MP3)

Characters 3

3.0 Review
3.1 Set 1, with notes
3.2 Set 2, with notes
3.3 Set 3, with notes
3.4 Set 4, with notes
3.5 Creating new characters
3.6 Miscellany
3.7 On the street #3

Lesson (PDF)

Stroke Order (PDF)

Unit 4

4.1 Tone contrasts
4.2 Existence and location
4.3 Time phrases
4.4 de revisited
4.5 Names in detail
4.6 Years
4.7 Studying and working
4.8 Forms of address
4.9 Introductions
4.10 Dialogue: On the bus to Miányáng
4.11 Food (1)
4.12 Pinyin: Initial w and y
4.13 Summary
4.14 Rhymes and rhythms
Appendix 1: Courses of study and university names
Appendix 2: The 45 most common surnames

Chapter (PDF)

4.2.1 Places (MP3)

4.10 On the bus to Miányáng (MP3)

4.11.1 Two short narratives (MP3)

Each section and recording in Part II is available as an individual file, as well as a single download.

Complete Part II text and audio (ZIP)

CONTENTS FILES

Characters 4

4.0 Review
4.1 Set 1, with notes
4.2 Set 2, with notes
4.3 Set 3, with notes
4.4 Set 4, with notes
4.5 Traditional vs. simplified characters
4.6 名片 Míngpiàn
4.7 On the street #4

Lesson (PDF)

Stroke Order (PDF)

Unit 5

5.1 Tone contrasts
5.2 Or
5.3 At the beginning of class
5.4 Food (2)
5.5 Expanding the V + de construction
5.6 Talking to children
5.7 Music and musicians
5.8 Verbs of cognition
5.9 Destination
5.10 Purpose
5.11 In the past
5.12 And
5.13 Sports and scores
5.14 Dialogue: Who won?
5.15 Pronunciation
5.16 Summary
5.17 Rhymes and rhythms

Chapter (PDF)

5.1 Tone contrasts (MP3)

5.4.1 Ordering in a restaurant (MP3)

5.6 Talking to children (MP3)

5.7.2 Musical preferences (MP3)

5.14 Who won? (MP3)

5.15 Pronunciation (MP3)

Characters 5

5.0 Review
5.1 Set 1, with notes
5.2 Set 2, with notes
5.3 Set 3, with notes
5.4 Set 4, with notes
5.5 Traditional characters
5.6 Formal numbers
5.7 The five elements
5.8 On the street #5

Lesson (PDF)

Stroke Order (PDF)

Unit 6

6.1 Opposites
6.2 Describing people
6.3 Verb + guò ‘have you ever…’
6.4 When, before, after
6.5 When?
6.6 Places of work
6.7 Directions
6.8 The shì-de construction
6.9 Dialogue: Where are you from?
6.10 Calling Michael Jordan
6.11 Food (3)
6.12 Highlights
6.13 Rhymes and rhythms
Appendix: Chinese historical periods

Chapter (PDF)

6.3.5 Dialogues (MP3)

6.9 Where are you from? (MP3)

Characters 6

6.0 Review
6.1 Set 1, with notes
6.2 Set 2, with notes
6.3 Set 3, with notes
6.4 Set 4, with notes
6.5 A tale of filial piety
6.6 Traditional characters (reading)
6.7 Animal radicals
6.8 On the street #6

Lesson (PDF)

Stroke Order (PDF)

Unit 7

7.1 Verb combinations (1)
7.2 Connecting sentences
7.3 Speaking languages
7.4 Dialogue: Language abilities
7.5 Dialogue: Tea and coffee
7.6 Alone or with others; conveyances
7.7 Cái ’not until’
7.8 Duration
7.9 More le patterns
7.10 Weather
7.11 Dialogue: Talking about weather
7.12 Co-verbs (2)
7.13 A letter home
7.14 Pronunciation practice
7.15 Highlights
7.16 Rhymes and rhythms
Appendix: Question words

Chapter (PDF)

7.2.4 If… (MP3)

7.4 Language abilities (MP3)

7.5 Tea and coffee (MP3)

7.9.2 Enduring states (MP3)

7.11 Talking about weather (MP3)

7.13 A letter home (MP3)

7.14 Pronunciation practice (MP3)

Each section and recording in Part III is available as an individual file, as well as a single download.

Complete Part III text and audio (ZIP)

CONTENTS FILES

Characters 7

7.0 Review
7.1 Set 1, with notes
7.2 Set 2, with notes
7.3 Máo Zédōng’s youth, with glossary
7.4 Set 3, with notes
7.5 Set 4: Weather terms, with notes
7.6 On the street #7
Coda

Lesson (PDF)

Stroke Order (PDF)

Unit 8

8.1 Temporal and logical sequence
8.2 Sports
8.3 Comparison
8.4 Cities, population
8.5 Bargaining
8.6 Dialogue: In the store
8.7 Regional languages: dialogue and narrative
8.8 A narrative about Lin Mei
8.9 Jobs
8.10 V + le revisited
8.11 Dialogue: What did you do yesterday?
8.12 Verb combinations (2)
8.13 Measure words revisited
8.14 Aspirations
8.15 Highlights
8.16 Rhymes and rhythms
Appendix: Additional measure words

Chapter (PDF - 1.1MB)

8.1 Temporal and logical sequence (MP3)

8.2 Sports (MP3)

8.3.2 Comparing population (MP3)

8.3.3 Comparison ’not as…’ (MP3)

8.4.4 Talking about size of cities, population (MP3)

8.5.1 At the fruit stand (MP3)

8.6 In the store (MP3)

8.6.1 Shìqing ’things’ (MP3)

8.7.1 Chinese regional languages (MP3)

8.8 A narrative about Lin Mei (MP3)

8.9 Jobs (MP3)

8.11 What did you do yesterday? (MP3)

8.12.1 Directional complements (MP3)

Unit 9

9.1 More modification
9.2 Clothes
9.3 Bargaining, the way the Chinese might do it
9.4 Setting the stage: Verb + zhe
9.5 Colors
9.6 Dialogue: Buying a seal
9.7 The (把) construction
9.8 Verb combinations (3)
9.9 Peking Duck
9.10 ‘Stand a little closer’
9.11 Destination and goal: Verb + dào, zài, or gěi
9.12 Wáng Xuéyīng: the story
9.13 Patterns with duì
9.14 Interjections
9.15 On apologies
9.16 Highlights
9.17 Rhymes and rhythms

Chapter (PDF - 1.1MB)

9.1.2 Who’s in the photo? (MP3)

9.3 Bargaining, the Chinese way (MP3)

9.4.1 Standing and sitting in class (MP3)

9.4.3 Current actions vs. persisting states (MP3)

9.4.5 At the temple (MP3)

9.6 Buying a seal (MP3)

9.7 The (把) construction (MP3)

9.9 Peking Duck (MP3)

9.10 ‘Stand a little closer’ (MP3)

9.10.1 Getting home (MP3)

9.11 Destination and goal: Verb + dào, zài, or gěi (MP3)

9.12 Wáng Xuéyīng: the story (MP3)

Unit 10

10.1 Feeling ill
10.2 More on indefinites
10.3 Verb reduplication
10.4 An interview with your teacher
10.5 Minor constructions
10.6 Xiēhòuyǔ, a form of word play
10.7 Religion
10.8 Verb combinations (4)
10.9 Transformations (with chéng)
10.10 Bèi ‘by’
10.11 Dialogue: Seeking opinions
10.12 Chōuyān ‘smoking’
10.13 Driving
10.14 Vivid stative verbs (of the form SVxx)
10.15 Tōngxùn gōngjù ‘communication tools’
10.16 Waiting and rushing
10.17 Telephoning
10.18 Chinese etiquette
10.19 Highlights
10.20 Rhymes and rhythms
Appendix: Body parts

Chapter (PDF - 1.2MB)

10.4 An interview with your teacher (MP3)

10.8.1 -xiàlai (MP3)

10.8.3 Moving out (MP3)

10.9 Transformations (with chéng) (MP3)

10.10 Bèi ‘by’ (MP3)

10.10.3 Dialogue (MP3)

10.11 Seeking opinions (MP3)

10.12 Chōuyān ‘smoking’ (MP3)

10.12.1 Smoking (MP3)

10.13 Driving (MP3)

10.15 Tōngxùn gōngjù ‘communication tools’ (MP3)

10.17.1 Leaving a message (MP3)

10.18 Chinese etiquette (MP3)

Each section and recording in Part IV is available as an individual file, as well as a single download.

Complete Part IV text and audio (ZIP)

CONTENTS FILES

Unit 11

11.1 Constructions with ‘one’
11.2 Places to see in Beijing
11.3 Requests
11.4 A geography lesson
11.5 Following a recipe
11.6 Xuéxí Hànzì
11.7 Australia
11.8 To Yángzhōu by way of Zhènjiāng
11.9 Confrontation (1)
11.10 Rhymes and rhythms

Chapter (PDF)

11.2 Places to see in Beijing (MP3)

11.4 A geography lesson (MP3)

11.6 Xuéxí Hànzì (MP3)

11.7 Australia (MP3)

11.8 To Yángzhōu by way of Zhènjiāng (MP3)

Unit 12

12.1 Taking photographs
12.2 Méi Tàidé: the story
12.3 The Tiān’ānmén incident
12.4 Kinship
12.5 Death
12.6 The Chinese school system
12.7 Life in Tiānjīn
12.8 Adverbials of manner
12.9 Confrontation (2)
12.10 The North Wind and the Sun

Chapter (PDF)

12.2 Méi Tàidé: the story (MP3)

12.3 The Tiān’ānmén incident (MP3)

12.4 Kinship (MP3)

12.6 The Chinese school system (MP3)

12.7 Life in Tiānjīn (MP3)

The Chinese Menu (Zhōngguó càidān)

Part I: Preliminaries
Part II: Dialogue in a restaurant
Part III: Sample menu items

Chapter (PDF)

Course Info

Instructor
As Taught In
Spring 2011
Learning Resource Types
Online Textbook