Early in my Chinese language journey, I dabbled with Anki. I was excited to see my progress, as my Anki deck showed I had learned the most common 1,000 words. However, I found myself still struggling in conversations. Why was that?

The missing piece was context.

Memorizing a word is one thing, but knowing how to use it in conversation is another. Context is crucial for cementing our understanding of a word. In van den Broek's paper, "Vocabulary Learning During Reading: Benefits of Contextual Inferences Versus Retrieval Opportunities (1)," the importance of context is highlighted. While tools like flashcards can boost vocabulary recall, true mastery comes from using words in context. Practicing vocabulary through reading, intentional conversations, and journaling helps deepen our understanding and recall.

Reading, though a slower method, exposes you to words in various contexts, enriching your learning experience. As an avid reader, I find this approach most effective for me.

However, during my time in China, I had limited opportunities to read and review flashcards. Instead, I immersed myself in the language through podcasts and by listening to locals during my explorations. I paid attention to their tone, sentence structure, and the scenarios in which they used different phrases. This immersion helped me understand and use the language more naturally and effectively.

I still vividly remember the first time I heard the phrase 好嘞 (ㄏㄠˇ ㄌㄟ˙ / hǎo lei). I’d always struggled with understanding ending particles, but the cheerful tone of the housekeeper in a Jinan hotel left a lasting impression on me.

Whenever I encountered new phrases, I would jot them down. If I made mistakes, I’d record the feedback for the next day: What was the listener's reaction? Did they repeat after me? These reflections helped solidify the vocabulary in my memory.

Instead of relying on flashcards, I prefer immersing myself in native content like podcasts, live conversations, and audiobooks. Engaging with these materials functions as a natural spaced repetition system (SRS). Each time I listen, I naturally absorb new vocabulary and phrases, making the learning process more organic and enjoyable.

If you prefer to use Anki, then do what helps you progress through your journey. However, there is no denying that using native content is integral to speaking Chinese naturally.

感谢谢你看这个博客喔～

Thank you for reading~

艾乐

Sources

(1) van den Broek, G. S. E., Wesseling, E., Huijssen, L., Lettink, M., & van Gog, T. (2022). Vocabulary Learning During Reading: Benefits of Contextual Inferences Versus Retrieval Opportunities. Cognitive science, 46(4), e13135. https://doi.org/10.1111/cogs.13135