{"id":23,"date":"2025-11-01T11:21:38","date_gmt":"2025-11-01T11:21:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.chunkingchinese.com\/?p=23"},"modified":"2026-09-26T02:04:30","modified_gmt":"2026-09-26T01:04:30","slug":"how-to-actually-learn-to-speak-mandarin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/how-to-actually-learn-to-speak-mandarin\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Actually Learn To Speak Mandarin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After Teaching Hundreds of Students, I Realised There Are Only 3 Pillars to Actually Speaking Mandarin&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What we&#8217;ll be covering: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Problem<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Three Pillars of Learning To Speak Mandarin Confidently<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How To Apply This Into Your Mandarin Learning<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/how-to-actually-learn-to-speak-mandarin\/#The_Problem\" >The Problem<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/how-to-actually-learn-to-speak-mandarin\/#The_Turning_Point\" >The Turning Point<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/how-to-actually-learn-to-speak-mandarin\/#The_3_Pillars\" >The 3 Pillars<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/how-to-actually-learn-to-speak-mandarin\/#Put_Pronunciation_First\" >Put Pronunciation First<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/how-to-actually-learn-to-speak-mandarin\/#Deepen_Comprehension\" >Deepen Comprehension<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/how-to-actually-learn-to-speak-mandarin\/#Actively_Listen\" >Actively Listen<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/how-to-actually-learn-to-speak-mandarin\/#Shadow_What_You_Hear\" >Shadow What You Hear<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/how-to-actually-learn-to-speak-mandarin\/#Test_Yourself\" >Test Yourself<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/how-to-actually-learn-to-speak-mandarin\/#Retain_What_You_Learn\" >Retain What You Learn<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/how-to-actually-learn-to-speak-mandarin\/#Why_Most_Study_Feels_Like_Spinning_Your_Wheels%E2%80%A6\" >Why Most Study Feels Like Spinning Your Wheels&#8230;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/how-to-actually-learn-to-speak-mandarin\/#The_Bottom_Line\" >The Bottom Line<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Problem\"><\/span>The Problem<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After years of studying Mandarin and teaching Mandarin to learners from all over the world, I started to notice a pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No matter how much effort they put in, hours of studying vocabulary, watching Mandarin lessons on YouTube, or memorizing grammar points, many of them still couldn\u2019t <strong>actually speak Mandarin confidently<\/strong>. They were doing all the &#8216;right things&#8217;, but weren&#8217;t getting the results they desired. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They could recognize characters. They could translate simple phrases. But when it came time to have a real conversation, they froze, frequently stuttered and lacked the  ability to express themselves confidently in the language. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If this sounds like you, keep reading&#8230; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I want us to fix this together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let me tell you this, it wasn\u2019t because they weren\u2019t smart or motivated. It was because they were focusing on doing the wrong things, and chances are you&#8217;re making the same mistakes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Turning_Point\"><\/span>The Turning Point <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So after all of this, I decided to dig deeper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I paid attention to what separated the ones who <em>actually started speaking fluently<\/em> from those who stayed stuck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When I focused my teaching on fixing the core issues, the results were quite incredible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Learners who had struggled for years suddenly started <strong>holding natural conversations in just a few weeks<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of my students Sara said the following after implementing my 3 Pillar Chunking  Chinese System: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In only a few weeks, I&#8217;ve become more confident at speaking and although I&#8217;m not perfect at it, I can now properly practice actively speaking! &#8211; Sara<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another student of mine went from being completely unable to hold any kind of conversation in Mandarin when I first met her, to having conversations that were 98% in Mandarin about Ultramarathons in Morocco and her daughter&#8217;s driving test. Pretty impressive right? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So after getting results like this, that\u2019s when it became obvious:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To truly speak Mandarin naturally, you only need to master <strong>three pillars<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And you can get my system step-by-step, for free, delivered straight to your inbox here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/pages\/transform-your-mandarin-learning\">Get The System<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_3_Pillars\"><\/span>The 3 Pillars <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Put Pronunciation First <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Deepen Comprehension<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Retain What You Learn<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let&#8217;s look at each of these in a bit more detail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Put_Pronunciation_First\"><\/span>Put Pronunciation First <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The harsh truth is that most learners overlook pronunciation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mandarin is a tonal language, meaning if your tones or rhythm are off, people won\u2019t understand you, even if your words are technically \u201ccorrect.\u201d Even if you are understood, natives will find it painful to communicate with you as they have to expend so much energy trying to understand you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s not to say you need to sound &#8216;native-like&#8217; or have a &#8216;perfect accent&#8217;. In China there are literally thousands of uniquely different accents. But having clear, easy to understand tones, initials and finals and overall rhythm will be of great benefit to you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Getting pronunciation right early builds the foundation for everything else. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you can hear and reproduce tones accurately, every new word you learn sticks more easily, and you gain the confidence that you\u2019re being understood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Also strangely enough, learning pronunciation well will greatly help your listening abilities in the long run. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Deepen_Comprehension\"><\/span>Deepen Comprehension<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you can\u2019t <em>hear<\/em>  Mandarin the way it\u2019s naturally spoken, you\u2019ll always feel one step behind in conversations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To a certain extent, your listening ability is your foundation for your speaking. Listening and speaking go hand in hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Understanding isn\u2019t just about knowing vocabulary, it\u2019s about being able to follow real speech: the rhythm, tone changes, and flow of natural dialogue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s why the second pillar is all about <strong>training your ear to truly understand the language<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most learners only ever listen <em>passively<\/em> , they have Chinese podcasts or shows playing in the background while doing other things. But that alone doesn\u2019t build real comprehension, at least not when you&#8217;re a beginner or intermediate. It is certainly helpful, especially when you reach more advanced levels and want to spend more time in the language, But to make progress, you also need to <strong>listen actively<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s how to do it effectively:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Actively_Listen\"><\/span><strong>Actively Listen<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pick short, manageable clips, something you can play multiple times, like a podcast segment, dialogue, or short video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead of just letting it wash over you, focus your attention:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Try to catch individual words, phrases and sentence patterns <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pay attention to <em>how<\/em> speakers connect words together or drop sounds.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each time you replay the clip, you\u2019ll start hearing new layers, small pronunciation details, sentence patterns, or filler words you didn\u2019t catch before. That\u2019s how your brain tunes itself to <em>real<\/em> Mandarin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Shadow_What_You_Hear\"><\/span><strong>Shadow What You Hear<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you can follow along, start <strong>shadowing<\/strong>, that means speaking almost <em>at the same time<\/em> as the speaker, imitating their rhythm, tone, and flow as closely as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It might feel awkward at first, but in my opinion shadowing is one of the fastest ways to improve both <strong>listening<\/strong> and <strong>speaking fluency<\/strong>. It also helps bridge the gap between just understanding and actually being able to use what you hear in real conversation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It forces your mouth and ears to work together, you\u2019re training your brain to instantly connect sound to meaning and production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even just 5 minutes of shadowing per day can dramatically improve your pronunciation, tone accuracy, and natural speaking rhythm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My students often tell me echoing and shadowing practice are their favourite part of my system: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is exactly at my level and it is exactly the kind of material that gets me hooked, and it seems very well structured too. I love the shadowing segment!!! &#8211; Emilio<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Test_Yourself\"><\/span><strong>Test Yourself<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After listening or shadowing, take a moment to test what you\u2019ve actually absorbed. A lot of people who just listen passively vastly overestimate how much they understood. Although testing yourself can be a humbling experience, it helps with both overall memory in the language and training yourself to catch onto those small details. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ask yourself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Can I repeat or summarize what I just heard?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can I identify key words or sentence structures?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Could I respond if someone said that to me in conversation?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You could even write down a few sentences from memory and then check them against the original. The goal isn\u2019t perfection, it\u2019s awareness. You\u2019re actively building comprehension through feedback and reflection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over time, this kind of <strong>active, mindful listening<\/strong> turns Mandarin from a blur of sounds into something your brain automatically understands. You\u2019ll stop translating in your head and start <em>thinking<\/em> in Chinese, which is a sign of real, deep comprehension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Retain_What_You_Learn\"><\/span>Retain What You Learn <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most learners forget what they study because they only memorize <strong>isolated words<\/strong>, not real sentences or situations. Many also don&#8217;t have an efficient system to actually ensure they retain what they learn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The fix?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Speak out loud. Recreate phrases you hear from memory. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use spaced repetition and recall-based techniques <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Practice producing full sentences from day one.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you use evidence-based strategies for retention, your vocabulary becomes usable, not just recognizable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/products\/courses\/chunkingchinese\">Chunking Chinese<\/a>, we teach learners to learn in context, and focus on key &#8216;chunks&#8217; and &#8216;sentence patterns&#8217;. Think of these like premade building blocks which can help you effectively put together sentences in the language on autopilot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Most_Study_Feels_Like_Spinning_Your_Wheels%E2%80%A6\"><\/span>Why Most Study Feels Like Spinning Your Wheels&#8230;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So if it\u2019s this simple\u2026 why do so many learners still struggle?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because most people spend their time on <strong>the wrong activities<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Endless vocabulary lists with no context.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rigid grammar drills with no speaking practice.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Passive learning (watching, reading) without active use.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Others go to the opposite extreme, trying to \u201cjust speak\u201d without any form of proper guidance, which often reinforces mistakes instead of fixing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Without <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/products\/courses\/chunkingchinese\">a system <\/a>that <strong>combines pronunciation, listening, and active use<\/strong>, progress feels painfully slow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Bottom_Line\"><\/span>The Bottom Line <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You don\u2019t need years and years of study or hundreds of apps to start speaking Mandarin confidently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You just need to focus on the <strong>three pillars<\/strong> that actually make a difference:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Get pronunciation right.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Train your ear for comprehension.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Retain what you learn through active use.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When these three work together, Mandarin stops feeling like a wall of tones and characters , and starts feeling like a living language you can actually speak. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To help you actually apply this system, I&#8217;ve made a handy free email course that you can join here: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/pages\/transform-your-mandarin-learning\">Join The Course<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Looking forward to seeing you inside. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All the best, <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Will <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After Teaching Hundreds of Students, I Realised There Are Only 3 Pillars to Actually Speaking Mandarin&#8230; What we&#8217;ll be covering: The Problem After years of studying Mandarin and teaching Mandarin to learners from all over the world, I started to notice a pattern. No matter how much effort they put in, hours of studying vocabulary, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":250414639,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"order-bump-settings":[],"_wpfnl_thankyou_order_overview":"on","_wpfnl_thankyou_order_details":"on","_wpfnl_thankyou_billing_details":"on","_wpfnl_thankyou_shipping_details":"on","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[812978],"tags":[785164029,56130,246848,785168435,10048564,785164030,785164028],"class_list":["post-23","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-speak-mandarin","tag-chunking-chinese","tag-language-learning","tag-mandarin-learning","tag-speak-mandarin","tag-will-hart","tag-will-hart-chinese","tag-will-hart-mandarin"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pgWzLf-n","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/250414639"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":248,"href":"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23\/revisions\/248"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chunkingchinese.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}