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Among all the foreign languages to learn, Chinese is arguably one of the most rewarding (and complicated languages to master. While there are various ways to learn Mandarin from scratch, such as by using Chinese learning apps, sometimes, nothing beats a good ol’ fashion textbook!
Regardless of your current level of proficiency in Mandarin, here are 15 Chinese textbooks that can you improve your Mandarin and truly master the language!
What to look out for depending on your proficiency
Before we dive into it, I do have some words of advice when it comes to Chinese textbooks. As you read on, you’ll notice that the number of recommended books decreases as the level of proficiency increases.
That’s because Mandarin is somewhat of a self-sustaining language. Once you’ve reached a certain threshold in fluency, the only way to continue improving is by immersing yourself in a Chinese learning environment. Think movies, news, trips to China, and other forms of real-life immersion.
That said, there are certain aspects of Mandarin that you can focus on depending on your level of proficiency. For beginners, I recommend focusing on building up your vocabulary and learning basic phrases. After all, the more words you know, the better you understand Mandarin.
Once you reach the intermediate level, it’s time to focus on grammar and weaving in some idioms to fancify your Mandarin. This is the best time to explore Chinese grammar books. Finally, advanced learners should work on proper sentence structure and stylistic devices for more native-sounding Mandarin.
Chinese textbooks for beginners
1. Integrated Chinese
- Yuehua Liu (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 348 Pages – 11/17/2016 (Publication Date) – Cheng & Tsui (Publisher)
Among all the Chinese textbooks on this list, Integrated Chinese is arguably the best Chinese beginner textbook for those who are just starting to learn Mandarin.
To date, this popular Chinese textbook series is in its 4th edition and offers holistic lessons on all the core language skills needed to get started in learning Mandarin. What we particularly like about Integrated Chinese is its emphasis on listening, reading, and writing using the Hanyu Pinyin system.
Beginners will be able to quickly get a hang of pronouncing essential words as they build their vocabulary quickly. The accompanying workbook and periodic reviews are also great for helping learners refresh their memories and recall important lessons. All in all, a great gateway textbook to learning Mandarin!
Why I like this book:
- Emphasizes learning via Hanyu Pinyin
- Focuses on core language skills fit for beginners
- Regular reviews and exercises to improve retention of lessons
2. New Practical Chinese Reader
- Xun Liu (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 313 Pages – 12/31/2015 (Publication Date) – Beijing Language and Culture University Press (Publisher)
Another highly-reputable Chinese beginner textbook is New Practical Chinese Reader, currently in its 3rd edition. Much like Integrated Chinese, this textbook focuses on helping new learners quickly build a strong foundation in the language to help further improve their fluency.
What sets New Practical Chinese Reader apart is how the textbooks are separated into six volumes. This roughly corresponds to the six different levels of proficiency set out in the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi, the standardized Mandarin proficiency test used in China.
Throughout the six volumes, learners are introduced to essential vocabulary, Hanyu Pinyin, basic sentence structure, and even tidbits about cultural nuances in China. You can also get a separate test booklet to check your progress after completing each volume.
Why I like this book:
- Lessons are separated into six easy-to-navigate volumes
- Does well to help new learners achieve basic conversational fluency
- Introduces learners to some aspects of Chinese culture
3. Easy Peasy Chinese
The standout feature of Easy Peasy Chinese is its effective array of audio lessons. The textbook comes with a CD and separate workbook and focuses on beginner-level lessons that help learners improve their pronunciation.
It focuses on different fundamental aspects of Chinese, with lessons separated into different themes to keep learners interested. Apart from listening to actual conversations, beginners will also appreciate the lessons on writing and reading Mandarin characters, which is arguably one of the most challenging things to master for new learners.
While Easy Peasy Chinese may not be that appealing for those who already have a basic grasp of the language, it goes a long way in helping beginners gain the confidence to speak in Mandarin.
Why we like this book:
- Keeps lessons interesting with regular audio lessons
- Features conversations that are reflective of life in China
- Comes with a workbook to help track your progress
4. Mandarin Chinese for Beginners: Learning Conversational Chinese
Another Chinese textbook that champions learning via audio is Mandarin Chinese for Beginners: Learning Conversational Chinese. No prizes for guessing what the core focus is highlighted in this textbook!
Over the course of 16 chapters, you’ll learn how to introduce yourself to others, order at a restaurant, and engage in simple daily chatter on your next trip to a Chinese-speaking country.
Most of the lessons rely on simple dialogue and Hanyu Pinyin romanization. This means that even total beginners will be able to pick up this book and start learning.
Why I like this book:
- Fully focused on Chinese pronunciation
- Lessons are broken up into progressively challenging themes
- Comes with a separate workbook to track your progress.
5. Chinese Made Easier
- Used Book in Good Condition
As many native speakers would agree, the one thing you should be doing if you want to quickly improve your Mandarin is to focus on expanding your vocabulary bank. To that end, Chinese Made Easier is one of the best textbooks for learning Chinese you can pick up, especially in your early days of learning the language.
As you might have guessed by the name, the main goal of this textbook is to help learners quickly get the hang of conversing in Mandarin. That’s why it contains a large archive of basic words and phrases that are often used in daily conversation among native speakers.
The lessons are separated into several beginner-friendly themes, such as introducing yourself, asking for directions, telling the time, and more. In many ways, Chinese Made Easier is an elementary Chinese textbook, but one that can help beginners quickly improve their proficiency. Do note that Chinese Made Easier is separated into different books with increasing levels of difficulty.
Why I like this book:
- Razor-focused on vocabulary
- Helps beginners quickly grasp the basics of conversing in Mandarin
- Comes with exercise sheets to practice newly-learn vocabulary
6. Colloquial Chinese
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Kan, Qian (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 450 Pages – 01/25/2021 (Publication Date) – Routledge (Publisher)
Another Chinese vocabulary textbook that I recommend beginners pick up is Colloquial Chinese. Like Chinese Made Easier, this book focuses on building your vocabulary bank and filling it with essential words and phrases that are used in daily conversation.
However, what I personally found amusing is that Colloquial Chinese also includes modern Chinese slang terms that other textbooks may not necessarily feature. This helps you to converse in a more natural-sounding way with locals, once you’ve built up the proficiency to do that, of course!
There are also some lessons and exercises that introduce you to proper Chinese grammar, and a glossary at the back in case you need to quickly review what you’ve learned.
Why we like this book:
- Features a large vocabulary bank
- Teaches a little bit about Chinese slang terms
- Features complementary exercises for basic grammar
7. Living Language Mandarin Chinese
- Chinese, Mandarin, Teacher, Training
- Audio CD – Audiobook
Living Language is a Chinese beginner textbook that is actually better suited for those who are ready to advance to the intermediate level.
While it features a full course (with books separated into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels), this series places more emphasis on grammar and sentence structure, which may be a bit challenging for those who are just starting out.
At the end of each chapter, you can practice everything you’ve learned by creating your own sentences from scratch.
Why we like this book:
- A decent bridge between beginner and intermediate level
- Introduces readers to grammar and proper sentence structure
- Features plenty of exercises and other resources
Chinese textbooks for intermediate learners
8. HSK Standard Course (Series)
- Jiang Liping (Author)
- Chinese (Publication Language)
- 129 Pages – 01/01/2014 (Publication Date) – Beijing Language & Culture University Press,China (Publisher)
When it comes to Chinese textbooks for intermediate learners, there really isn’t a series that I like more than the HSK Standard Coursebooks.
As mentioned earlier, the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) is the language proficiency test when it comes to Mandarin. As you might expect, these coursebooks are more challenging than most beginner Chinese textbooks. That said, it still provides the resources for non-native learners to continue improving their fluency in the language.
The lessons are structured according to corresponding levels of fluency, and each chapter comes with an audio CD. These CDs are arguably the best part of these books as they contain a helpful vocabulary list and plenty of conversation examples. If you’re looking for a step up from beginner-friendly textbooks, this is arguably the best series for you.
Why we like this book:
- Lessons structured according to HSK exam standards
- Holistic series that touches on all important aspects
- Difficulty of books increases as you progress
9. Beyond the Basics
- Used Book in Good Condition
As the name suggests, Beyond the Basics is a Chinese textbook that welcomes non-native learners who feel confident enough to move beyond just basic words and phrases.
While some may find the jump in difficulty a gaping one, Beyond the Basics offers an honest reflection of what intermediate proficiency in Mandarin looks like. You will find longer passages, more sophisticated phrases, new Chinese characters, and even idioms that jazz up normal conversations.
You will also notice that the themes in this book are more serious, focusing on social issues and deeper conversational topics.
Why we like this book:
- Comes with a decent jump in difficulty and proficiency
- Introduces readers to Chinese idioms
- Good for learning how to read longer Chinese articles and passages
10. 500 Common Chinese Idioms: An Annotated Frequency Dictionary
Speaking of idioms, they actually make up an important aspect of Chinese conversations. While using idioms on a daily basis may not be the norm in English, it’s part and parcel of a day in the life of Mandarin native speakers.
If you’re looking to add some Chinese idioms to your word and phrase bank, then pick up this Chinese textbook that introduces readers to some of the most common idioms (chengyu). You’ll be able to learn about the meanings of the idioms and the interesting stories behind them.
Most importantly, you’ll learn how to properly use them in the correct context so you can speak even more eloquently in Mandarin!
Why we like this book:
- Builds your archive of Chinese idioms
- Provides a fun, interesting way to learn about Chinese culture and history
- Features a glossary for quick review
11. Conversational Chinese Dialogues: Over 100 Chinese Conversations and Short Stories
Didn’t believe me when I said that idioms are internalized aspects of Chinese conversations? Then pick up this Mandarin textbook and see for yourself!
As you can guess from the title, this book contains sample conversations, lots of them! Unlike books that rely on audio CDs though, this 337-page book presents the sample conversations in text form, allowing you to read and re-read them until you fully understand.
There are Hanyu Pinyin romanizations and translations as well to help you follow each conversation. By the end of this book, even if you’re not confident about speaking fluently, you would have at least expanded your word bank and picked up conversational nuances along the way.
Why we like this book:
- Provides lots of examples of real conversations in Mandarin
- Allows readers to follow along at their own pace
- Covers various themes and topics
12. All Things Considered
- Used Book in Good Condition
With an ominous title like All Things Considered, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that this is one of the Chinese textbooks that signal the end of your intermediate-level proficiency stage.
This book heavily focuses on grammar, sentence structure, and Mandarin stylistic devices. To put it into perspective, these were the things I learned during my final two years in high school as a native speaker!
Another way this book signals a shift to advanced level Mandarin proficiency is the way the chapters are structured and presented. While the first few chapters use mock dialogue and conversations, the latter half of All Things Considered features actual Chinese newspaper articles. If you made it this far, then you’re ready to move on to advance Chinese textbooks.
Why we like this book:
- Provides a seamless transition from intermediate to advanced proficiency level
- Introduces readers to actual Chinese news articles and clippings
- Emphasizes the importance of sentence structure and stylistics
Chinese textbooks for advanced learners
13. Discussing Everything
Simply put, Discussing Everything is often the advanced Chinese textbook that is used for final year non-native students in college.
To say that the level of difficulty goes up would be an understatement, even when compared to intermediate-level textbooks. Featuring more colloquial and informal Chinese phrases, Discussing Everything is one of those Chinese textbooks that really offer readers a glimpse into what native speakers talk about in real life and how they talk.
Expect advanced and colorful vocabulary, conversational expressions, and more. The book series comes with Chinese workbooks and trust me, you’re gonna need them for this one!
Why we like this book:
- Extremely challenging welcome to advanced level Mandarin
- Features colloquial phrases and words
- Comes with an extremely well-structured workbook
14. Advanced Spoken Chinese
- Amazon Kindle Edition
Chinese is a language that exists within its own cultural nuance. What that means is that if you want to achieve true fluency, you will need to also assimilate into the culture.
Advanced Spoken Chinese is one such Chinese textbook that does that. Apart from introducing readers to yet more colloquial Chinese, the textbook also features stories, dialogues, and scenarios that offer a glimpse into Chinese culture. One point to note though: There is literally no English in this book series.
That said, it does come with some supplementary resources like a list of idioms and phrases that you can go over in your free time.
Why we like this book:
- Encourages the reader to learn without using English
- Helps the reader immerse fully in Chinese culture
15. Chinese for Working Professionals: A Textbook for Intermediate-High to Advanced Learners
One of the main reasons many people decide to pick up Mandarin is because of its increasing stature in the global workplace. If that’s also the case for you, then one advanced Chinese textbook to pick up is Chinese for Working Professionals.
The book features different thematic chapters that help prepare you to enter workplace scenarios. These include career preparation, business etiquette, and more. It also comes with supplementary online resources that offer audio and video lessons to help you better understand workplace Mandarin, as well as certain dos and don’ts that you should adhere to.
Why we like this book:
- Focuses specifically on workplace Mandarin
- Comes with exercises and examples for workplace scenarios
- Prepares the reader for working in Chinese-speaking environments
Conclusion
And there you have it: 15 Chinese textbooks for all learners of different proficiency levels. While these textbooks are all great tools to help you improve your Mandarin, as a native speaker, I have to be honest and advise you to not rely solely on these books.
Instead, supplement your learning by using different Chinese learning resources — fun Chinese learning apps, Chinese podcasts to improve your listening skill, or different books to learn Chinese. Include grammar books and workbooks into the mix, too. This is arguably one of the best ways to truly improve your Mandarin proficiency level.
In addition, check out these tips to improve your Mandarin faster!