Tips and Tricks for Learning Chinese with ChatGPT

I began learning Mandarin seven years ago, at a time when online resources for learning Chinese were – relative to today – still lagging behind in the stone age. The concept of using AI to learn a language was not talked about and I relied heavily on YouTube videos, podcasts, and online reading materials for my studies. My only opportunity to practice speaking was one to one sessions with a tutor and chatting with language exchange partners.

That all changed in 2022 When ChatGPT became publicly available. At that time I was about to embark on a year-long journey to Taiwan, where I would live and study. I was eager to see how this new AI tool could enhance my studies and provide more dynamic, personalized support. Since then, I’ve explored various ways of using ChatGPT to practice my Chinese, testing different methods and prompts to get the most out of it.

If you’re unfamiliar with ChatGPT, it’s an AI chatbot that generates customized responses to any prompt you give it. The most basic version is free to use, and you don’t need to install anything, you can simply access it through your browser.

In this blog post, I’ll share some of the ways ChatGPT changed the way I learn Chinese, as well as some pitfalls to watch out for when using it yourself.

1. Conversing with ChatGPT in Chinese.

The first and most straightforward way in which I began practicing Chinese with ChatGPT was to converse with it in Mandarin in the same way that I would in English. I would ask it questions on topics of interest, such as, ‘对于外国人来说， 中文最难学的地方是什么？’  – what is the hardest aspect of learning Chinese for a foreigner?  I found doing this very useful, as it allowed me to practice interacting in Chinese when none of my Chinese friends were online.

However, over time I found ChatGPT’s use of Chinese could sometimes feel slightly off, especially for conversational text. After showing the answers to my tutor and friends, they told me the Chinese wasn’t too far off from native, though at times it can come across as overly formal or just slightly unusual. Studies have since confirmed this is the case with as many as one in 10 Chinese sentences generated by the chatbot being unnatural. 

So while chatting with ChatGPT in Chinese is definitely enjoyable, and far better than having no one to practice with, it’s still always preferable to chat with a native speaker. Especially if your goal is to learn authentic conversational Chinese!

2. Using ChatGPT to generate original stories in Chinese.

The next way I started using ChatGPT was by asking it to generate stories in Chinese. I found it was surprisingly good at doing this. The language it uses to tell stories is arguably much more natural than its attempts at conversational Mandarin. This is almost certainly because ChatGPT’s language model bases its output style on the input it has been fed by programmers, which is restricted to written Chinese, including fiction. 

I found it to be surprisingly good at building engaging settings and creating interesting plots. However, there are a few drawbacks. Sometimes, the stories lack depth or consistency, especially with longer narratives. Certain cultural nuances or complex emotions can feel a bit flat, making the story feel less authentic than real Chinese novels. 

Since I was already at a level where I had read a few authentic Chinese novels written by humans, ChatGPT’s attempts at fiction could never compete with human authors like 余华 or 三毛. But I see real value in relying on AI to generate stories for learners at higher elementary and intermediate levels. 

3. Using ChatGPT for grammar and vocab explanations

ChatGPT is pretty helpful for answering certain questions about the Chinese language, for example breaking down grammar points and explaining the precise meaning of a particular word. That said, I’ve learned to be cautious as sometimes it tends to “hallucinate” facts, creating answers that sound credible but aren’t always accurate. Occasionally, it will come up with something that’s completely off but is delivered in an authoritative tone, making it hard to distinguish fact from fiction.

One area where ChatGPT has been especially helpful for me is when I ask about subtle differences between words that are similar in meaning. For example, I asked it to explain the difference between 制造 (zhìzào, “to manufacture”) and 创造 (chuàngzào, “to create”). Its answer was surprisingly thorough and well-articulated, highlighting how 制造 implies producing something physical, like goods or products, whereas 创造 often implies creating something more abstract, like art or ideas. 

Most human tutors will intuitively understand these differences but may struggle to explain them in detail, so ChatGPT’s breakdown was quite useful for me.

4. Correcting my Chinese

In my experience, ChatGPT is not particularly strong at correcting Chinese mistakes. I’ve had it correct straightforward sentences that didn’t need any adjustment, yet it might miss small slips that a native speaker would catch right away. 

This inconsistency makes it hard to trust ChatGPT for corrections, as you can never be sure whether they’re right or not. So while ChatGPT is useful and convenient for quick feedback, I still rely on human native speakers for final corrections. 

5. Chatting with ChatGPT’s voice feature

I recently tried ChatGPT 4.0’s latest voice feature, and it actually felt a lot like having a real conversation with a human being. This feature was recently launched and is a lot more natural than previous editions. 

In the past, when having a voice chat with ChatGPT you would need to wait several seconds after speaking to wait for it to generate an answer. Now, the chatbot is able to intuit when you’ve finished speaking and respond immediately, making it feel much more like a natural back-and-forth conversation. 

It’s not quite the same as chatting in Chinese with a native speaker, but it’s surprisingly responsive. The language is still a little formal at times, but I’ve found it especially useful for practicing Mandarin in a non-Chinese-speaking environment. 

Since returning to the UK from Taiwan, I’ve missed the everyday interactions that kept my language skills sharp, so this feature has been incredibly useful. It helps me keep up my listening and speaking skills, even if it’s just with an AI, and it feels like a solid way to maintain my Mandarin while I’m away from a native-speaking community. 

6. Generating Mnemonics

Mnemonics are memory aids or techniques that help people remember information more easily. They work by linking new information to something familiar, using vivid imagery or associations. This could include creating a memorable story to make recalling facts simpler. Although I’ve never used mnemonics, some learners use them to remember Chinese vocabulary better, especially at a lower level where it’s hard to retain new words. And I was keen to test how well ChatGPT performs in this area.I asked it to generate one for the word wallet in Mandarin. Here’s what it said:

“In Mandarin, the word for “wallet” is 钱包 (qiánbāo).

Here’s a mnemonic to help remember it:

Imagine a “chain” (sounds like qián) wrapped around a treasure-filled “bag” (sounds like bāo), keeping your valuables safe. Picture yourself holding this chain-wrapped bag as your wallet, where all your money is stored.

Visualizing a “chain bag” can help you remember that qiánbāo means “wallet” in Mandarin!”

7. Explaining the stories behind Chinese idioms

One of the most effective and engaging ways to learn Chinese idioms (成语, chéngyǔ) is by understanding the unique stories behind them. Chinese idioms are often steeped in ancient folklore, and knowing these stories can make the phrases seem more meaningful and memorable. ChatGPT can explain the original tales behind these idioms, helping learners connect with the deeper cultural and historical roots of the language.

For example, say you’re learning the idiom 守株待兔 (shǒu zhū dài tù), which translates to “to guard a tree stump, waiting for a rabbit.” Without context, this phrase might seem puzzling. I asked ChatGPT to tell the story and it replied:

“The idiom comes from a tale about a farmer who saw a rabbit accidentally run into a tree stump and die. Expecting to catch more rabbits in this way, he wasted time guarding the stump instead of tending his fields, symbolizing a reliance on luck rather than hard work.”

One issue with this is that, without actually knowing the original story or historical context, it’s hard to know if ChatGPT is making it up. Even if it is made up though, it still helps make the phrase more memorable. 

Conclusion

ChatGPT is an excellent tool for learning Chinese if used correctly and with caution. As discussed, its Chinese tends to be a little formal, and it can’t yet replace a native speaker for conversational Chinese, although it’s likely to improve in these respects in the future. 

Despite these drawbacks, in this blog post, I’ve outlined some ways in which ChatGPT can be used right now to boost your Chinese learning. There’s no doubt that if ChatGPT had been available when I was an elementary student, using it to generate graded stories and mnemonics, among other things, would have hugely benefited my learning. 

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