中文
Chinese for kids: learn Mandarin through family life
By the Parler team · Updated · Read-aloud voices: Mandarin, simplified characters
The short answer
Children learn Mandarin best through everyday life and family: meals, school, calls with grandparents. Use a few Chinese words at home every day, read short picture books aloud, and let your child tell stories about their own day. Parler turns those stories into illustrated pages in Mandarin with simplified characters, read aloud with each word lighting up as it is spoken.
Mandarin is the main language of China and Taiwan and one of the official languages of Singapore, and it is spoken by families in nearly every country. Many children learn it to talk with grandparents, to stay close to their family's culture, or because it is offered at school. Others learn it simply because a parent loves it.
For an English-speaking child, the hardest parts are tones and characters. In Mandarin the pitch of your voice changes the meaning of a word, and writing uses characters instead of an alphabet. Pinyin, a way of writing Chinese sounds with Latin letters, helps children read and say words while they learn the characters.
Some parts are easier than people expect. Mandarin grammar has no verb endings to memorize, no plural forms and no gendered nouns. Young children are also good at hearing and copying tones, so starting early with lots of listening pays off.
What’s different
What to know about Mandarin Chinese for a young learner
- Listen for the four tonesMandarin has four main tones plus a light neutral tone. Mā, má, mǎ and mà are different words. Do not drill tones in isolation at first. Let your child hear and copy whole words and short phrases, the way they learned English.
- Characters and pinyin togetherPinyin shows how a word sounds, and characters show what it means. Children's books often print pinyin above the characters. Use pinyin as a bridge, and let your child recognize familiar characters like 人, 大 and 家 as they come up.
- Start with the words in your child's dayCharacters stick better when they are tied to real things. Label a few things at home, such as 门 on the door and 水 on a water bottle, and read them together as you pass by.
- Family words are preciseChinese has different words for older and younger siblings and for grandparents on each side of the family. Children enjoy learning exactly what to call each person, and it makes calls with relatives feel more personal.
- Measure words can waitChinese uses measure words between a number and a noun, like 一个苹果 for one apple. Your child will pick these up over time. For now, 个 works for many things, and that is fine for a beginner.
First words
Mandarin Chinese words for everyday life
Start with the words for their own day: home, family, school and play. They come up every day, so they stick.
| Mandarin Chinese | English | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| 家 | home | jiā (jyah) |
| 门 | door | mén (mun) |
| 窗户 | window | chuānghu (chwahng-hoo) |
| 床 | bed | chuáng (chwahng) |
| 桌子 | table | zhuōzi (jwoh-dzuh) |
| 椅子 | chair | yǐzi (yee-dzuh) |
| 厨房 | kitchen | chúfáng (choo-fahng) |
| 水 | water | shuǐ (shway) |
| Mandarin Chinese | English | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| 妈妈 | mom | māma (mah-mah) |
| 爸爸 | dad | bàba (bah-bah) |
| 哥哥 | older brother | gēge (guh-guh) |
| 姐姐 | older sister | jiějie (jyeh-jyeh) |
| 弟弟 | younger brother | dìdi (dee-dee) |
| 妹妹 | younger sister | mèimei (may-may) |
| 奶奶 | grandma (dad's mom) | nǎinai (nye-nye) |
| 爷爷 | grandpa (dad's dad) | yéye (yeh-yeh) |
| Mandarin Chinese | English | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| 学校 | school | xuéxiào (shweh-shyow) |
| 老师 | teacher | lǎoshī (lao-shir) |
| 书 | book | shū (shoo) |
| 笔 | pen, pencil | bǐ (bee) |
| 书包 | school bag | shūbāo (shoo-bao) |
| 教室 | classroom | jiàoshì (jyow-shir) |
| 朋友 | friend | péngyou (pung-yo) |
| 同学 | classmate | tóngxué (tohng-shweh) |
| Mandarin Chinese | English | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| 开心 | happy | kāixīn (kye-shin) |
| 难过 | sad | nánguò (nahn-gwo) |
| 累 | tired | lèi (lay) |
| 害怕 | scared | hàipà (hye-pah) |
| 玩 | to play | wán (wahn) |
| 球 | ball | qiú (chyo) |
| 玩具 | toy | wánjù (wahn-jyoo) |
| 公园 | park | gōngyuán (gohng-ywen) |
Family phrases
Mandarin Chinese phrases to use at home today
| Mandarin Chinese | English | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| 你好 | Hello | nǐ hǎo (nee how) |
| 早上好 | Good morning | zǎoshang hǎo (dzow-shahng how) |
| 谢谢 | Thank you | xièxie (shyeh-shyeh) |
| 我爱你 | I love you | wǒ ài nǐ (wo eye nee) |
| 吃饭了 | Time to eat | chī fàn le (chir fahn luh) |
| 我们走吧 | Let's go | wǒmen zǒu ba (wo-mun dzoh bah) |
| 你今天怎么样？ | How was your day? | nǐ jīntiān zěnmeyàng (nee jin-tyen dzun-muh-yahng) |
| 该睡觉了 | Time for bed | gāi shuìjiào le (guy shway-jyow luh) |
| 晚安 | Good night | wǎn'ān (wahn-ahn) |
| 再见 | Goodbye | zàijiàn (dzye-jyen) |
早上我和妈妈一起去学校。
In the morning, I go to school with Mom.
Questions
Mandarin Chinese for kids: questions
Short answers. The help center has more on using Parler.
Visit helpWhat age should my child start learning Chinese?
Earlier is easier for tones, so even toddlers benefit from hearing Mandarin. Most children are ready to start recognizing characters around four to six. Older children can start too and often learn pinyin quickly.
Which Chinese does Parler's voice use?
Parler reads aloud in Mandarin and writes in simplified characters, the form used in mainland China, Singapore and most Chinese classes. Families who speak Cantonese or another Chinese language at home can keep speaking it while their child learns to read Mandarin.
Is Parler free?
Yes, you can start free. First Page is free with 5 pictures a month for one learner, and the Storybook plan has a 14-day free trial with 30 pictures and no card needed. Words, translations, voices and reading scores are free.
Can my child learn Mandarin if we don't speak it at home?
Yes. A little every day goes further than a long lesson once a week. Read short books with a clear voice reading each word, use a few phrases at meals and bedtime, and learn the tones alongside your child.
How long does it take a child to learn Mandarin?
With regular daily practice, most children understand and use simple everyday phrases within a few months. Reading takes longer because characters are learned one by one, so expect steady progress over several years.
Keep reading
- How do I raise a bilingual child?How to raise a bilingual child: one parent one language, minority language at home, time and place, English-only answers, and why mixing languages is normal.
- How do I keep a family language alive when my child is losing it?How to keep a heritage language alive when your child is losing it: daily routines, grandparents on video calls, family stories and real reasons to use it.
- How can I help my child learn a language I don't speak?Help your child learn a language you don't speak: learn alongside them, lean on native-speaker audio, involve relatives and make everyday routines the practice.
