As a modern language learner, there is an abundance of Chinese video resources that provide Chinese dialogues, helpful lessons and skits you can use to master the language. These videos will help you learn foundation language skills, like essential vocabulary for conversing with native speakers.
I’ve also made sure to include videos for all levels of learners, so whether you’re a beginner or pretty advanced already, you’ll find a video channel that you can study with.
Chinese Zero to Hero offers lessons that take you from beginner all the way to advanced in Chinese language comprehension.
They specifically select TV shows and movies that supplement units within their courses.
On their YouTube channel, Chinese Zero to Hero offers lessons that go into the details of specific grammar points, complete with skits to illustrate them.
While their videos don’t have pinyin, relying instead on your knowledge of the characters and sounds, all dialogue is spoken very clearly, so listening along isn’t too much of a struggle.
You can watch scenes from your favorite Chinese TV shows, movies and more with interactive subtitles in Chinese, pinyin or English—or all three. As you watch, you can hover over any unfamiliar word in the subtitles to see its translation, part of speech and a corresponding image.
Click on the word to see example sentences (with normal and slow-speed audio!) and other videos where it’s used. This means you can truly understand how the word is used by native speakers in natural contexts.
If you want to review a word later, just add it to one of your flashcard decks. After you finish watching a video, you’ll take a personalized quiz to test your knowledge of the video’s key vocabulary.
This program offers a unique form of language learning that doesn’t get old, as there’s an expansive library of videos covering a wide variety of topics and new content is added all the time.
These longer videos for beginner to advanced learners are incredibly diverse, with everything from parts of speech, tips on correcting your accent and street interviews with Chinese natives. With this particular video, you will be able to form a number of different sentences just by following a few simple patterns.
During interviews, they discuss current events and social phenomenons with people that have a wide variety of accents, so you can get familiar with speech styles from different regions of China.
On a more formal front, their in-depth lessons range from beginner to upper-intermediate. They even offer practice tests for HSK hopefuls, which is fantastic for those hoping to get in some study time before the big exam!
HSK Academy releases videos designed to help learners pass the Chinese Proficiency Test. The channel itself has not been updated for some time, but it may be worth subscribing in case they make a comeback.
Plus, there are 30+ useful videos to peruse, which cover topics from stroke order to vocabulary, and it even breaks down the “Game of Thrones” season seven trailer in Mandarin Chinese.
This video is essentially an audio-based flashcard deck meant to accompany a secondary textbook resource. Using it in conjunction with the book is a great idea, but it also works well on its own for advanced learners who want to improve their listening comprehension skills.
Many Chinese learners have heard of ChineseClass101. And for good reason! This program is great for learning Mandarin across all levels and utilizes video-based lessons. Their YouTube channel features a lot of content that you would have to pay for through their program, so it is essentially a goldmine of Chinese lesson content.
This video is one of their best uploads by far. This five-hour-long lesson teaches a substantial number of the most important words and phrases you will ever need to know in Chinese.
There are also subtitles, so beginners do not need to feel too nervous going into this one.
Kendra’s Language School is a multilingual channel that features videos in Korean, Japanese, Spanish, Chinese and many other languages. You can find more phrases, vocab and some listening comprehension practice by doing a search on the channel for “Chinese.”
This video tackles a whopping 2,513 advanced Chinese words that every learner striving for fluency will need to know.
Learning from native speakers can be a great way to improve your pronunciation and learn authentic language skills.
Videos include vocabulary, grammar, poetry, culture, and more. There’s material for beginners through advanced students, so you can grow with the channel over time.
Whether you’re looking for beginner, intermediate or advanced videos, this YouTube channel has you covered.
Chinese Zero To Hero’s YouTube channel aims to provide a high-quality learning experience that provides both instruction and practical use.
One big bonus is that Chinese Zero To Hero often labels videos with Chinese Proficiency Test (HSK) levels, so it’s easy to spot videos that are appropriate for your level. HSK 1 is a beginner level, while HSK 6 is the most advanced.
The Easy Languages YouTube channel doesn’t just focus on Chinese. It actually focuses on a huge variety of languages, but there’s definitely some great material for Chinese learners!
The main focus of Easy Languages is on-the-street style interviews that feature native speakers. The Chinese videos are captioned in Chinese, pinyin, and English, making it easy to read along in whatever way is most comfortable for you.
The Easy Mandarin playlist is an easy way for students to access the Chinese content on its YouTube site.
This Android app advertises over 21,000 videos to learn Chinese, which is super impressive.
Plus, videos are organized into playlists to make it easier to find the material you’re looking for: such as characters, reading practice, writing practice, speaking practice, listening practice, vocabulary, and grammar.
If you like a video or playlist, you can just add it to your favorites list for easy access the next time you use the app.
If it’s a conventional classroom setting that you are looking for, Learn Chinese with Yi Zhao may be the channel for you.
Yi Zhao is an independent Chinese teacher on YouTube who has a mix of both short and long structured lessons, some of which are as long as three hours! The lessons also end with a quick quiz to see how much you picked up from the videos.
This video channel by Shao Lan, creator of the app Chineasy, takes an introductory look at the meanings behind Chinese characters by using simple, easy-to-understand pictograms.
Starting with basic characters, she combines them with other radicals to show how they form larger words and ideas. You’ll be hypnotized by the gorgeous animations, which all build off of those previously introduced in the video.
She associates the character with its meaning, rather than the individual Chinese word, which is immensely helpful when you’re first learning to read and write Chinese.
Some videos explain Chinese culture as well, showing how its ideas translated into the Chinese writing system. You’ll be amazed at the vast majority of words you can make with a few simple characters!
Lili is an experienced Chinese teacher, and her in-depth videos aimed at a beginner audience makes this apparent.
On her YouTube channel, she offers listening and conversation practice.
She encourages you to pay attention to the spoken words by having the dialogue transcript in a lighter, hard-to-read font. Once the dialogue is complete, you’ll be offered a comprehension check.
Playlists are arranged based on level and category, so you can select the videos that are right for you.
Lili also covers grammatical points in incredible detail, such as “up” “and” and “very.” With so much comprehensive material, you can spend hours enjoying all the ins and outs of Chinese!
The Yoyo Chinese channel has quite a few useful videos mostly for beginner learners. Many of their videos are in short format.
This is one of their longer videos and it is by far one of their most useful ones. With this lesson, you will be able to get past the newbie hump of learning tones and basic pronunciation rules in just half an hour.
For a sunny and bubbly channel focused on beginners, look no further than Yimin. She does a fantastic job of breaking down new words and phrases into their individual parts so they’re easy to understand.
In addition to her HSK course videos, she offers tips on how to sound like native Chinese speakers, introducing key phrases and vocabulary that natives use.
She also has an Etsy store where she makes flashcards and worksheets for the first three HSK levels, which are both adorable and helpful!
As the channel name implies, Slow & Clear Chinese tells Chinese stories in a slow, steady voice so viewers can catch every word.
The stories cover a wide array of topics, from cooking to technology and more, so you can find exactly what you’re interested in learning about. The narrator’s voice is very soft and mellow—really, you could spend hours listening to her talk!
In some videos, the stories are recited once in a slow voice, then again at a more natural speed so you can get accustomed to both styles of speech.
Shuo is an upbeat Chinese teacher, best suited for high-level beginners with a foundation in Chinese. She teaches extremely common terms and phrases that can “level up” your Chinese!
Topics she covers include common mistakes in speech, conversation fillers and diversifying your vocabulary. Her skits are charming and engaging, with handy tips and examples of each word.
She engages well with the viewer, putting a personal touch on every video and letting the audience test their Chinese comprehension as well as their understanding of the new material.
A very systematic service that focuses on the more traditional video lecture—but hey, that format exists for a reason!
While the YouTube channel hasn’t been updated in some time, it’s still a valuable resource for beginners.
These short lectures cover vocabulary and grammar, as well as the construction of Chinese characters. The instructor breaks all of the points down very literally, so you can get a full look at the structure of Chinese sentences.
Fluent in Mandarin.com is a channel run by Mandarin language enthusiasts dedicated to teaching others the Chinese language. In this video, they cover the basics of Chinese grammar.
If you are going to learn Chinese, you will need to learn grammar. Preferably sooner rather than later. This video breaks it all down in a short amount of time so that any newbie learner can grasp the basics.
You will not learn everything about Chinese grammar, of course, but you will get what you need to move on to intermediate grammar.
Yishuang is a native of Harbin, which in addition to its frigid climate, is known for its residents speaking incredibly standard Mandarin.
If you’re looking to learn from someone who won’t throw in too many regional terms, Harbin Chinese is a great teacher.
Yishuang’s lessons run longer, around 10-15 minutes, for more extensive instruction. She speaks very eloquently and is extremely easy to understand.
After introducing the sets of vocabulary, she provides example sentences and allows you to put together the pieces on your own. She’s great at illustrating and emphasizing the tones, too!
Peggy is a Mandarin tutor with a YouTube channel full of free material.
Like some of the other channels mentioned, several of the videos include Peggy assuming dual roles in a dialogue, though there are also others that include multiple participants.
What I really like about Peggy’s videos is that she clearly puts a lot of work into them. You get engaging lessons on unique topics, with lots of cultural relevance.
It’s especially evident in this video where she has a conversation with an actual bartender.
The end of the video contains a little humor where she tries to leave without paying and is arrested by police. Real police officers actually haul her into a patrol car.
Now, that’s some dedication if you put in the work to get actual law enforcement involved for a skit!
This channel is hosted by Ben Hedges. He’s quite comical in his commentary and makes learning Mandarin fun.
What makes this channel so awesome is that the lessons are often based on current events in China or Taiwan. Ben discusses the event and uses it as the catalyst for the day’s lesson.
In the videos with a dialogue, Ben often assumes dual roles, dressing in silly attire to distinguish between the two speakers that he’s playing. The videos are interspersed with Ben providing an explanation of the conversation before resuming the skit. Other videos include multiple actors.
If you need a break from the typical repetitive nature of language learning, watch Ben’s videos; you’ll appreciate his light-hearted approach!
eChineseLearning is rich in material for beginners.
The video skits typically begin with a brief lesson introducing new words or phrases. Then you’ll see a single actor assuming a dual role in a back-and-forth conversation in Chinese, with some explanations in English interspersed throughout.
While it’s a bit cheesy, it’ll keep your attention!
The dialogue is also interrupted midway to provide a grammatical or vocabulary lesson about some of the words just spoken. This format, combined with the pinyin subtitles, makes the videos very beginner-friendly.
With a casual take on learning, Jessie’s vlogs are highly emotive and hilarious, with laughter in every clip.
Her Mandarin is highly casual with lots of slang thrown in. She goes into details on sounding casual (some topics are a bit less family-friendly), as well as corrections on commonly misused terms found in Chinese learners’ speech. She also goes into tones and Chinese names, such as nicknames for Western celebrities.
Some of her videos have Cantonese language tips alongside Mandarin ones!
Blondie in China is an Australian YouTuber who shares her travels in China as well as other Chinese-speaking countries on her YouTube channel, going all over the nation to try regional cuisine, experience local culture and get to know the cities.
All videos are subtitled in Mandarin Chinese and English.
In addition to her tourism videos, Blondie offers really helpful advice for embarking on your Chinese learning journey. Whether it’s how to memorize vocabulary or finding material suited for your level, this video is GREAT for figuring out how to plan out your learning strategy:
mandarinnetwork no longer appears to be active, but its videos are still published on YouTube, so you can take advantage of the useful lessons found there.
Videos here normally begin with a vocabulary lesson before taking the viewer through a simple dialogue skit using the newly introduced words.
All the lessons in the beginning and in between the skits include Chinese characters and pinyin. Some of the skits also contain subtitles while others don’t. Most videos conclude with a recap.
Memrise is a language learning app with a twist. It features countless videos with native speakers to give you insight into the Chinese language. Plus, those videos are incorporated into interactive activities that help you engage with the videos on a different level.
Videos are mixed in with other content, so if you just want to watch videos and nothing else, Memrise might not be the best choice for you. However, if you want to use videos to break up other methods for Chinese study, Memrise might be just what you’re looking for.
Their skits are charming and never fail to make you smile. All of their videos are in Chinese with English subtitles, so even watching just one or two will provide valuable listening practice.
This channel is more like a podcast than a traditional video, but it’s incredibly valuable for intermediate learners.
The instructor guides you through formal textbook-style exercises, covering grammar and vocabulary that you’ll be likely to find in a structured language class. Her approach is akin to a tutor’s, answering any questions the viewer may have about some of the trickier aspects of intermediate grammar.
She also has a few videos on Chinese poetry and short stories, if you want to spice things up a bit.
With both a YouTube channel and website, Everyday Chinese offers videos that teach grammar points, HSK tips and insights into Chinese culture through street interviews.
They have playlists specifically for HSK materials, covering up to level 4 (high intermediate). The people in their interviews range from children to the elderly, enabling you to practice listening to a wide variety of speech styles.
Additionally, their channel boasts a wide variety of authentic Chinese conversations that delve into the different customs and traditions of China, such as making mooncakes.
With practical conversation tied into lively and interesting language lessons, you’ll get a more thorough understanding of the context behind each word.
Grace is a Taiwanese YouTuber who reviews food, slang and how to pronounce words just like a native. She also offers insight into the differences in Chinese between Taiwan and Mainland China.
She’s very expressive and goes into the details of certain areas that may cause Chinese learners confusion, such as sentence-final particles. She also shows examples of fixed expressions from skits and TV shows, offering a look at how these terms are used in real-world contexts.
Since she’s Taiwanese, sometimes her videos use bopomofo instead of pinyin.
Foreign on Campus is an entertainment channel intended for a Chinese-American audience.
There aren’t really any dialogue videos here, but most videos contain Mandarin and English subtitles.
I particularly wanted to share this video of ABCs speaking to their parents in Mandarin. If you don’t know, the term ABC generally refers to Asian Westerners and stands for “American-born Chinese.”
In this particular video, ABCs who are just barely learning Chinese are filmed speaking to their parents in Mandarin over the phone for the first time. It highlights a series of phone conversations in Mandarin between non-native speakers and their native-speaking parents.
The dialogues are real and don’t consist of a pre-planned script. Aside from providing some useful vocabulary and listening comprehension practice, it should help you feel a little less alone in your language quest!
It is time to crack down on your vocabulary! In a little over an hour, this video will present you with 750 common phrases in Chinese to write down in your language-learning notebook.
DigMandarin has quite a library of Chinese video lessons, most of which focus on vocabulary, so if you manage to remember these 750 words, there are plenty of others waiting to be learned.
This channel is a bit unique in that it focuses exclusively on Taiwanese Mandarin.
All Mandarin words are in pinyin, characters and bopomofo (Mandarin phonetic symbols).
Lin’s videos are very informative and engaging, with information on Taiwanese culture, how to speak with a proper Taiwanese accent and the differences between Taiwanese Mandarin and mainland Mandarin.
She packs a lot of information into every minute, so they’re good for a more involved study session. Covering everything from professional vocabulary to slang words, you’ll be set for any situation you find yourself in.
Asian Boss is an independent South Korean press company with a presence in several Asian countries, including Japan, Korea, India and yes, China.
Their video channel features plenty of interesting street interviews, where they ask residents about social issues related to dating, news, workplace practices, social media trends and more.
It’s refreshing because it’s unscripted and the interviewees can have very different responses! You also get exposed to a variety of accents, along with how Chinese is used in everyday life.
Since the videos have only English subtitles, you can practice as an advanced learner by challenging yourself to listen without looking at the subtitles.
This Group of People is a Taiwanese comedy group that creates sketches about modern life in Taiwan, which offer a look at contemporary Taiwanese culture. All of their videos include subtitles in English and Taiwanese Mandarin.
This video features different scenarios found within a group of friends on a trip, from the complaining travel mate to the lovey-dovey couples.
Not only does it feature everyday conversations between Taiwanese people, but it’s sure to be relatable to anyone who’s ever traveled in a group. Keep your ears peeled for lots of slang and vocabulary around travel and friendships!
Other sketches on their channel include how people shop and what you hear at the doctor’s office, which are perfect supplements to any unit on Mandarin!
This channel has a video series of an actual Chinese sitcom with professional actors.
The premise of the show revolves around the daily life of a western foreigner living with a host family in China. It’s a fantastic stepping stone to watching authentic Chinese TV!
While Chinese and English subtitles are provided, the dialogue is spoken at a near-nativelevel, so they’re more geared towards advanced students.
All of Wenyu Chinese’s lessons are structured around real Chinese movies, TV shows and news.
As they play a clip from a show or movie, certain key phrases and grammar points are highlighted in the subtitles. After the clip, they offer an explanation of the highlighted terms.
Fortunately, they’re very comprehensive in their explanations and elaborate on easily confused terms.
If you’re looking to add more Chinese media to your learning schedule, Wenyu Chinese is a fantastic channel to check out.
How YouTube Chinese Videos Boost Your Learning
They improve comprehension and pronunciation skills.
We really cannot get better and closer to fluency in any new language without hearing how it is spoken by native speakers.
Chinese videos often feature native speakers who speak Mandarin throughout the video. Listening to these native speakers can really help learners improve their comprehension and listening skills.
They’re more interesting than traditional lessons.
Sitting in a classroom for a lecture or learning Chinese directly from a textbook can get boring fast. Supplementing your learning plan with Mandarin lesson videos can add a visual and entertaining edge to improving your Chinese language skills.
To maximize your learning with Chinese videos, you can apply these study tactics:
Besides, unlike traditional lessons, there is no commitment or obligation to stick with one resource—if a channel is not clicking for you, just find another!
They simulate real situations without being overwhelming.
One of the best ways to get fluent is to practice understanding real-world speech and situations in Chinese.
Unlike studying Chinese movies or TV shows on your own, which are often very fast and sometimes crammed with slang, these online videos will get you comfortable hearing realistic Chinese without confusing you. Sometimes the dialogue is even a bit slowed down to help your ear.
They provide helpful visuals.
We’ve all heard of the old cliché that a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, according to Forrester Research, a minute of video is worth precisely 1.8 million words.
That means these videos will help boost your language skills by creating connections between the dialogue and the action on the screen.
Plus, since many of these videos are made for a Chinese learning audience, the visuals are typically designed to boost your understanding (rarely will someone be talking about something that’s not connected to what you’re watching).
Some people are also visual learners. This can become a problem when taking on more traditional approaches to learning Chinese, such as structured courses and text-only programs.
Mandarin videos can be a lifesaver for learners who need a more visual way to learn.
Textbook learning has its place, but it’s always nice to introduce some novelty to the way you learn. Videos showing conversations in action add a fresh spin. Best of all, they make learning fun, and fun maintains motivation.
