Chinese: Making a First Impression Course

Lesson 1 • Introduction to Chinese Characters

Characters are the written backbone of Chinese; recognising high-frequency ones accelerates reading. Students identify stroke order and basic radicals.

Lesson 2 • The Pinyin Romanisation System

Pinyin maps Mandarin sounds to Latin letters, enabling accurate pronunciation from the start. Mastery here underpins every spoken skill in the course.

Lesson 3 • The Four Tones and Neutral Tone

Tones are phonemic in Mandarin; identical syllables carry different meanings across tones. Accurate tone production prevents critical miscommunication.

Lesson 1 • Numbers, Age, and Contact Details

Numbers 0–100 enable age exchange and phone number sharing, both common in first meetings. Students practise digit strings and age questions.

Lesson 2 • Asking About Others Politely

Polite inquiry phrases let learners ask names, origins, and roles without causing offence. Question words 什么, 哪, and 谁 are introduced here.

Lesson 3 • Introducing Yourself in Chinese

Self-introduction covers name, nationality, and occupation using 我叫, 我是, and 我来自. These phrases form the core of any first impression.

Lesson 1 • Face, Hierarchy, and Respect

The concept of mianzi governs social interactions; missteps cause lasting damage to relationships. Students learn to show deference through language and behaviour.

Lesson 2 • Gift-Giving in First Encounters

Small gifts are common in Chinese professional introductions and carry symbolic meaning. Students learn appropriate choices, presentation, and refusal etiquette.

Lesson 3 • Business Card Exchange Rituals

Card exchange follows strict two-handed protocols and signals professional respect. Correct handling and reading of cards is practised here.

Lesson 1 • Industry and Sector Vocabulary

Sector-specific terms allow learners to describe their field accurately during introductions. Coverage spans technology, finance, manufacturing, and services.

Lesson 2 • Workplace Action Verbs

High-frequency verbs like 负责, 管理, and 合作 enable learners to describe their responsibilities. Verb-object pairings are drilled for fluency.

Lesson 3 • Company and Organisation Descriptions

Phrases for describing company size, type, and location are essential for professional small talk. Students practise 公司, 机构, and related descriptors.

Lesson 1 • Topics to Avoid in First Meetings

Politics, income, and sensitive historical events can derail a first impression quickly. Students identify risky topics and practise graceful redirection.

Lesson 2 • Safe Small-Talk Topics in China

Topics like weather, food, travel, and hometowns are universally safe openers in Chinese contexts. Students learn topic-specific vocabulary and transition phrases.

Lesson 3 • Active Listening and Backchanneling

Responses like 是吗, 对对对, and 嗯 signal engagement and keep conversation flowing. Students practise these fillers to sound natural and attentive.

Lesson 1 • Connected Speech and Tone Sandhi

Third-tone sandhi and 一/不 tone changes alter pronunciation in connected speech. Students apply these rules automatically in practised phrases.

Lesson 2 • Shadowing and Imitation Techniques

Shadowing native speaker audio trains prosody, speed, and natural phrasing simultaneously. Students use structured shadowing protocols to accelerate fluency.

Lesson 3 • Tone Correction and Minimal Pairs

Minimal pairs like 买/卖 and 问/吻 expose tone errors that change meaning entirely. Targeted drills build automatic tone accuracy under speaking pressure.

Lesson 1 • Email Structure and Formal Register

Chinese professional emails follow distinct opening, body, and closing conventions. Students learn formal salutations, sign-offs, and honorific language.

Lesson 2 • Common Written Politeness Markers

Phrases like 请多关照 and 敬请回复 signal respect and professionalism in writing. Students identify and deploy these markers in context.

Lesson 3 • Introducing Yourself in Writing

Written self-introductions require more detail and formality than spoken ones. Students draft introductory paragraphs covering role, organisation, and purpose.

Lesson 1 • Client Meeting Opening Scenarios

First client meetings demand precise language, correct honorifics, and cultural sensitivity. Students rehearse opening sequences from arrival to seated introductions.

Lesson 2 • Conference and Networking Simulations

Simulated conference settings require rapid switching between greeting, small talk, and self-introduction. Students practise under time pressure with unfamiliar partners.

Lesson 3 • Video Call and Remote Introduction Skills

Remote first meetings require adapted greetings, clearer articulation, and digital etiquette. Students practise video-call-specific opening and closing sequences.