Chinese for Host Families Welcoming a Student From China or Taiwan
Chinese for host families doesn't need to be a course. A few greetings said properly, your student's name pronounced the way their parents say it, and some interest in the words on their phone go a long way in the first week. Chenjin's beginner track covers the sounds and first words in order, the Tone Coach checks your pronunciation of a name, and the games give you something to do together at the table.
Start from zero, in the right order
The Start from Zero path begins with pinyin and tones, then the first word decks (people and greetings come first), then three short HSK 1 stories. The greetings are the first deck. Nothing assumes you'll go on to fluency; the track just makes sure the first hundred words are the useful ones.
Say their name the way home says it
Type your student's name into the Tone Coach, listen to the native voice, record yourself, and see your pitch curve against the reference, syllable by syllable. Getting the tones of a name right is the single most noticed thing a host family can do. Tone Coach is part of the Plus plan, with a 7-day free trial; the blog's guide to pronouncing Chinese names is free.
Something to do together
The games hub has a shop game where customers ask for things in spoken Chinese and you pick from the tray. Let your student play the customer's lines for you, or swap: you read, they correct. The holiday posts on the blog tell you when Mid-Autumn and Lunar New Year fall and what a host family can do for them.
Frequently asked questions
Our student is from Taiwan. Does that change anything?
The spoken Mandarin is the same for a host family's purposes. Taiwan uses traditional characters, and the reader can display everything in traditional from Settings.
How much time does the beginner track take?
The pinyin and first-words modules are a few short sessions each. Most host families stop after the greetings and names, which is fine; the rest of the path is there if you want it.
Is this useful for the student too?
Only indirectly. Chenjin teaches Chinese to English speakers. The interest you show in their language is the part that helps them.
Keep exploring
Try it tonight
The free plan includes the dictionary, the free graded reader, three library articles a day, games, and flashcards. If it fits the way you learn, the Plus plan unlocks the rest with a 7-day free trial.
Create a free accountFree forever plan · no credit card required
Complete beginner? Start from zero.