The Insperium blog

How to actually learn to read Chinese — the characters that matter most, graded readers, and vocabulary that sticks.

Learning Chinese

A young man in a mustard hoodie smiling at his phone on a sofa, reading a short Chinese story

Learn to Read Chinese Faster: the Right Text at the Right Moment

You learn to read Chinese fastest from texts where you know 9 characters in 10. Why that is, and how to get every story at exactly that moment.

7 min read · Oct 10, 2026

A man reading a paperback at a wooden table, with a stack of books, a mug and a tablet beside him

Chinese Graded Readers: The Complete Guide (2026)

What Chinese graded readers are, how levels map to CEFR and HSK, what to look for, and why rereading one classic at six levels beats one-level books.

7 min read · Jul 21, 2026

A woman reading on a tablet at a sunlit table, with a notebook and a cup beside her

Learn Chinese by Reading: The Method That Works

Why reading beats flashcard-only study, the 98% comprehension rule, how to pick your level honestly, and a realistic weekly routine from A1 to C1.

6 min read · Jul 21, 2026

A woman with earbuds reading on a tablet in an armchair, with a cup and a notebook on the side table

Chinese Stories with Pinyin: Free Samples & Reading Plan

When pinyin helps, when to switch it off, and a one-story-a-day plan with graded Chinese stories — free samples included, no account needed.

6 min read · Jul 21, 2026

A man practising on his phone at a table with an open book and index cards

Learn Chinese Vocabulary: The 400 Words That Unlock A1

400 words cover 92% of A1 Chinese text. Why frequency order beats textbook chapters, how Leitner drills (6 hours to 30 days) work, and what to learn first.

6 min read · Jul 21, 2026

A woman writing in a notebook at a desk, with a tablet propped up in front of her

The Most Common Chinese Characters (and How to Learn Them)

The 20 most common Chinese characters with pinyin and meanings, why frequency order beats stroke order, and how to beat lookalikes like 未/末 and 己/已.

5 min read · Jul 21, 2026

A woman working on a laptop with an open book, a notebook and a phone on the table

DuChinese Alternatives: Other Ways to Read Graded Chinese

Looking for a DuChinese alternative? A fair look at the other ways to read graded Chinese: news apps, graded books, dictionary readers and Insperium.

4 min read · Jul 21, 2026