1. Chinese Reading Materials

Reading is the vitamin A of learning Chinese and getting to that advanced level. The more you read, the more vocabulary and grammar patterns you absorb, and the more you’re able to actively use them. Even though textbooks seem a little useless at this point, there are special books made specifically for advanced learners that focus on advanced grammar content.

Yale University published a great textbook called “Advanced Chinese: Intention, Strategy, and Communication.” This book includes an audio program focusing on the variety of Chinese linguistic strategies that are essential for advanced communication.

There are five types of discourse that are considered in detail: narration, description, persuasion, exposition and lyrical expression. The book assists learners in improving all parts of the Chinese language through carefully selected vocabulary, grammar and exercise sections in each lesson.

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Besides textbooks, reading novels is key. If you haven’t read a book in Chinese before, you might want to start with a guided book. “The Graded Chinese Reader 2,000 Words” containing selected abridged Chinese contemporary short stories can help you with your first Chinese novel experience.

The book features various versions of mini-stories and novellas written by contemporary Chinese writers, reflecting the everyday lives of ordinary Chinese people. The stories are limited to about 2,000 common Chinese words, which are based on the 2,500 Chinese words listed in the Chinese Proficiency Test Syllabus Level 5.

The key to efficiently using a book of advanced Chinese level is to remember the new vocabulary. Highlight new words and look up their meanings afterwards. There’s no need to write down every single word. Choose up to 10 words of new vocabulary per chapter and practice it afterwards.

Possible Study Plan Items:

Read two pages of “Graded Chinese Reader” and try to summarize the content in your own words afterwards.
Read one of these Chinese novels for 5 minutes, and underline 10 unknown words. Afterwards, look them up in a dictionary and write them down in a notebook (or make flashcards, or use whatever system works best for you).
Read the Chinese classic “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu in Chinese to broaden your vocabulary but also to deepen your cultural insights.

2. Authentic Chinese Materials

The real difference between intermediate and advanced Chinese is the vocabulary you can actively use. You might study words from books or newspapers, but that’s usually not how people really talk. So try and learn “modern” vocabulary as well as idioms. If you master this type of real-world content, your Chinese level will soar.

I learned a lot of this kind of vocabulary by watching modern Chinese TV shows, such as “爸爸去哪儿” (bà ba qù nǎ er – Where Are You Going, Daddy) and “非诚勿扰” (fēi chéng wù rǎo – You Are the One).

3. Official Chinese Resources

The internet is an advanced Chinese learner’s best friend since it features an endless amount of great and mostly free resources. I always recommend the advanced Chinese courses by the Confucius Institute Online. The site is dedicated to all levels of Chinese language learning, but offers great resources for advanced learners where students can interact with each other and discuss different topics.

I highly recommend CCTV’s Learn Chinese programs, which are fun to watch and useful for advanced learners. Their entire website is full of great tools and shows to discover. I personally enjoy watching their “China travel” series, which shows you all different parts of the country, leading you through the most beautiful spots in Chinese. They even have a Kung Fu series where you can learn all about the ancient martial art!

Possible Study Plan Items:

Start your day by doing Kung Fu exercises from CCTV.
Watch an episode of the “Happy Journey Across China.”
Pick out a topic of interest on the Culture section of the Confucius Institute Website and explore (i.e. “Five thousand years of Chinese characters“).

4. Chinese Media

A little bit more challenging but fun is the new show “The Empress of China,” which you can watch for free at Youku. It features top actress 范冰冰 (Fan Bingbing) and tells the story of the first and only legitimate Empress of China during the Tang Dynasty.

Have you ever listened to Chinese radio stations online? Tunein offers a wide selection of radio stations from all over China. These stations offer new music, news and chats about a variety of topics.

Possible Study Plan Items:

Watch an episode of “The Empress of China” every week.
For a challenge, dissect the lyrics to a rap song, such as “上海说唱 “女神不说话” (shàng hǎi shuō chàng “nǚ shén bù shuō huà”), and look up all unknown words.
Spend 5 minutes every day for a month using FluentU to master the lyrics of a Chinese music video.

5. Time in China

One of the easiest ways to improve a language is to spend time in the country where the language is spoken. Travel to China or, better, move and live there for a while. Internships in China, volunteer programs or simply vacation time in China can help you broaden your horizons.

If your budget isn’t that big, try HelpX, an online listing platform for travelers who can volunteer at ranches, lodges, B&Bs, hostels and even sailing boats in exchange for food and accommodation. Explore different parts of China on a low budget!

Possible Study Plan Items:

Spend 20 minutes researching an internship or volunteer program in China.
Contact a blogger who has lived, worked or volunteered in China and ask them questions, or set up a time to video chat.
Set up a budget and specific saving plan to save for your airfare to China. If you’re serious about making this happen and have never tracked your money before, we highly recommend investing in You Need a Budget.

6. Chinese Language Partner

All the traveling in the world is no good if you don’t open your mouth and speak the language. If you aren’t able to visit China at this point, or if you want to practice beforehand, you absolutely should be practicing with a language partner to reach the advanced level.

The online platform italki is a great way to meet people who want to learn your mother tongue and help you practice your target language.

Is there a Chinese community in your city that already has a conversation table? Look for them on Facebook, Meetup or notice boards at universities and public libraries.

If you’re really coming up empty handed, why not start a Chinese conversation group of your own? Invite locals and Chinese people to join in the fun. Advertise your group with flyers and social media, and be sure to visit local universities, Chinese restaurants and supermarkets to connect with the community.

Possible Study Plan Items:

If you don’t have a Chinese language partner yet, your first action item is to use all of these resources and find one.
Meet with your language partner or attend a Chinese conversation table once a week this month.
Discuss a current news story with your language partner.
The path of advanced Chinese is not an easy one. But with the tools mentioned above, the journey will be much easier for you. Never forget to stay motivated and that progress takes time!