Why I started learning Chinese

2026-05-20

I started because the characters looked like small puzzles. Each one is built from parts, and the parts often hint at meaning or sound. 好 (good) is a woman and a child. 休 (rest) is a person leaning on a tree.

This site is my notebook: what I learned, what confused me, and the word lists from each lesson. It is written for myself first, but if it helps someone else starting out — good.

I study with a teacher once a week and review every day for ten to fifteen minutes. Progress is slow and steady, which is exactly the point.