7 common mistakes when learning Chinese and how to fix them

Chinese learners are prone to making mistakes such as translating each word, wrong auxiliary words, wrong quantifiers, wrong tones... The article points out common mistakes and how to fix them.

7 common mistakes when learning Chinese and how to fix them

📘 Why are mistakes so easy to make when learning Chinese?

Chinese seems simple because it doesn't have tenses or person conjugations. However, learners - especially Vietnamese - often make common mistakes that slow down their learning or misunderstand the meaning. Below are the mistakes you should avoid and how to fix them.


❌ 1. Translate each word into Vietnamese

Mistakes: Think in Vietnamese and then translate each word into Chinese.

Wrong example: I'm not going to work today learn → ✖ 我今天不去上学了了

Correct way: 我今天不去上学。

Tip: Learn according to Chinese sentence order, don't translate each word mechanically.


❌ 2. Skip particles like 了, 着, 过

Incorrect example: 我吃饭 → means "I ate rice" (it's unclear if I ate yet).

Correct example:我吃了饭。– I have eaten rice.

  • → completed action
  • → continuous state
  • → past experience

Tip: Learn each particle with a specific example.


❌ 3. Using wrong or missing quantifiers (量词)

Chinese always uses quantifiers when talking about quantity:

  • ✔ 一个人 – one person
  • ✔ 三只狗 – three dogs
  • ✔ 五本书 – five books

Common mistakes: *三狗, 五书* (wrong because of missing quantifier).

Tip: Learn nouns with quantifiers.


❌ 4. Mistaking homonyms for different meanings

Chinese has many homonyms (read the same) but different meanings:

  • 会 (huì – know/will) ≠ 回 (huí – return)
  • 花 (huā – flowers or spend money) ≠ 话 (huà – words)

Tip: Learn vocabulary with Chinese characters – not just pinyin.


❌ 5. Using words in the wrong context (colloquial vs formal)

For example:

  • *高兴* is used in spoken language, while *愉快* is more formal.
  • *吃饭* (to eat) vs *用餐* (to have a meal – polite).

Tip: Learn the nuances of the word: who is it for? In what situation?


❌ 6. Mispronouncing the tone

For example:

  • 买 (mǎi – to buy) ≠ 卖(mải – bán)
  • 他 (tā – anh anh), 她 (tā – cô mà), 它 (tā – không)

Tip: Practice listening and speaking right from the start, use an app with standard pronunciation.


❌ 7. Writing the wrong order of Chinese characters

Error: Writing characters from memory or shape without following the stroke rules.

For example: The character "好" must be written 女 first, then 子.

Tip: Practice writing on an app with stroke instructions, follow the writing order.


📌 Conclusion essay

Learning right from the start saves you time and prevents you from forming bad habits. Keep a record of these mistakes, and practice with AI or a Chinese learning app to correct them – step by step you will see noticeable progress!

Have you ever made any of these mistakes? Try writing 3 grammatically correct Chinese sentences today!

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