Chinese Curriculum
HSK 4 Upper Intermediate

Ninchanese aims to provide Chinese learners with a structured program with which to discover and progress in Chinese while thoroughly enjoying the process. Made by professional Chinese teachers, meet the latest HSK-related program and more to completely understand and be fluent in Chinese.

Course content overview

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Unit 1 – How to pay your bills in China?

Goal: Learn useful words and express about bill paying

S01 Vocabulary
Settling in the neighborhood – Home sweet home

S02 Grammar
剛|刚[gāng] and 剛纔|刚才[gāng cái] – Are 剛|刚[gāng] and 剛纔|刚才[gāng cái] ganging up on you? Learn when to use which!

S02 Grammar Lesson
剛|刚[gāng] and 剛纔|刚才[gāng cái]

S03 Dialogue
Forgetting to pay the electricity bill – Is an electric power outage on its way?

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Unit 2 – Learn to use the convenience store in China to pay your bills.

Goal: Learn useful words and express about bill paying

S04 Vocabulary
A little walk in the area – First things is to know where you are and what you can do

S05 Grammar
適合|适合[shì hé] vs. 合適|合适[hé shì] – Aargh! They share the same characters, they both kind of mean the same, but one’s an adjective and one’s a verb: when should I use which?

S05 Grammar Lesson
适合 & 合适 (B2)

S6 Dialogue
Convenience stores are awesome – You can even pay your bills there!

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Unit 3 – Learn how to take the bus in China

Goal: Learn the use of separable verbs

S07 Vocabulary
sports and you? – Useful Vocabulary  to know when you want to go to the tennis court

S08 Grammar
Separable verbs – Notice how in Chinese, words come often in two? Well, despite that, some verbs can be broken apart. Come in see!

S08 Grammar Lesson
Separable verbs (B1)

S09 Dialogue
Taking the bus – Figuring out which bus to take

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Unit 4 – Using a self-service in Chinese and paying

Goal: Learn to ask somebody for help and to have change

S10 Vocabulary
Hop aboard the bus – Taking the bus is always an adventure!

S11 Grammar
經過|经过[jīng guò] vs. 通過|通过[tōng guò] – These two are easy to confuse: as they both mean to go through. But one’s more literal to use than the other.

S11 Grammar Lesson
经过 vs 通过 (B1)

S12 Dialogue
Self-service ticketing – Self-service ticketing is nice and all, but what happens when you don’t have the right change?

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Unit 5 – Learn how to buy and negotiate a price in Chinese

Goal: Learn useful words and expressions of haggling.

S13 Vocabulary
Outdoor shopping – Lupishu is looking to buy a little statuette at an outdoor market.

S14 Grammar (in development)
還是|还是[hái shi] or 或者[huò zhě]? – Two ways to give options: which should you use when?

S15 Dialogue
Shopping and haggling – Lupishu wants to buy a souvenir but the price is too steep!

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Unit 6 – Learn to bargain with art in Chinese

Goal: Learn how to bargain with others efficiently

S16 Vocabulary
Time to bargain! – In China, bargaining is a way of life and Lupishu’s learning how to bargain!

S17 Grammar
The different uses of “可[kě]” – You know 可[kě] in 可是[kě shì] and in 可以[kě yǐ] but did you know that 可[kě] can also be used on its own?

S17 Grammar Lesson
The different uses of 可

S18 Dialogue
Bargaining to get what you want – Lupishu really wants that souvenir, he’s not giving up!

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Unit 7 – Learn how to buy a phone in Chinese and understand the term conditions

Goal: Learn to seek information or advice from someone and to describe where an action is going (direction of an action)

S19 Vocabulary
Getting a new phone – Shopping around for the best deal for a new phone

S20 Grammar
Directional complements – Are you going up? Down? Coming in? Going out? Just like in English, it’s the little words that help you be clear about the direction of your action.

S21 Dialogue
充[chōng] 話費|话费[huà fèi] 送[sòng] 手機|手机[shǒu jī] – Pay for a monthly charge and get a phone for free? – Lupishu heard in an ad that he could get a phone for free!

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Unit 8 – Learn to express what you understood and what you want clearly in Chinese

Goal: Learn to explain things clearly to others

S22 Vocabulary
Understanding your phone contract – Looking for a new phone? Get ready, it’s a maze out there!

S23 Grammar
Directional complements II – What happens when you start using several words to describe what you’re doing? Your directions get a lot more precise.

S23 Grammar Lesson
Direction complements II

S24 Dialogue
No phones come for free – Getting a new phone isn’t that easy

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Unit 9 – Negotiate terms of Phone contract in Chinese and get internet

Goal: Learn useful words and expression about charge plan

S25 Vocabulary
Cellphone plans – Trying to make sense of cellphone plans? Here’s a little more phone lingo for you.

S26 Grammar
Expressing attitude with “就[jiù]” – 就[jiù] as you’re starting to see has many different meanings. One of the ways to use 就[jiù] is to show your attitude and this is what you’re going to learn to do here! Ready to show some attitude?

S26 Grammar Lesson
Expressing indifference with 就

S27 Dialogue
Picking the best plan for your cellphone – Lupishu’s an avid Internet user so he wants his phone contract to include plenty of data usage!

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Unit 10 – Going to the Chinese Market when you don’t know where it is

Goal: Learn to describe the state and the result of action

S28 Vocabulary
Going to the Clothing Market – When you don’t know the exact name of where you’re going, arriving where you want to can be a question of luck

S29 Grammar
Result complements – Whether intentional or unintentional, these words will help you talk about the result

S29 Grammar Lesson
Result complements (B1)

S30 Dialogue
A custom-made coat – Getting to the Clothing Market is the first step!

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Unit 11 – Suit up!

Goal: Learn to reserve or order something and to express the possibility of something being achieved

S31 Vocabulary
Coats, coats, coats! – Interested in a custom-made coat? The Clothing Market is perfect for that!

S32 Grammar
Potential complements – Able? Not able? Will you manage to create potential complements in Chinese? (of course, you will, we believe in you!)

S32 Grammar Lesson
Potential complements (B1)

S33 Dialogue
訂做|订做[dìng zuò] 大衣[dà yī] – Getting clothes made – Lupishu is in the process of getting a coat tailor-made!

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Unit 12 – Learn how to use the postal office in Chinese

Goal: Learn useful words and expression about sending something in the post office

S34 Vocabulary
Going to the post office – Useful words to send gifts back home at the post office

S35 Grammar
Degree complements – A little, a lot, not at all… Be specific about the degree of what you’re saying!

S35 Grammar Lesson
Degree complements (B1)

S36 Dialogue
去[qù] 郵局|邮局[yóu jú] 寄[jì] 國際|国际[guó jì] 郵包|邮包[yóu bāo] – Sending a package abroad – Decide whether you want to send your package by plane or by regular mail

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Unit 13 – Sending a Package from Chinese and being inspected.

Goal: Learn to complain about something

S37 Vocabulary
Sending a package – Get ready to answer some questions about what’s in your package!

S38 Grammar (in development)
還是|还是[hái shi] or 或者[huò zhě]? – Two ways to give options: which should you use when?

S39 Dialogue
檢查|检查[jiǎn chá] 郵包|邮包[yóu bāo] – Package inspection – What are you sending? As Lupishu learns the hard way, your package might get inspected.

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Unit 14 – Explain yourself to the police in Chinese

Goal: Learn to explain things and to persuade others

S40 Vocabulary
Making sure your package arrives home – Food and US Customs don’t go well together

S41 Grammar
忽然[hū rán] or 突然[tū rán] – 忽然[hū rán] and 突然[tū rán] kind of look alike and both mean the same thing but once you know where to use which, you’ll be fine!

S41 Grammar Lesson
Suddenly with 忽然 or 突然 (B1)

S42 Dialogue
開|开[kāi] 箱[xiāng] 檢查|检查[jiǎn chá] – Opening your package to inspect it – Lupishu’s package is being inspected. The US are very picky about what they let in!

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Unit 15 – Plan a trip by plane in China

Goal: Learn to talk about the motivation of doing something

S43 Vocabulary
貓|猫[māo] 京[jīng], here we come! – Lupishu and Nincha are soon on their way to the Capital of Ninchana.

S44 Grammar
肯定[kěn dìng] / 一定[yī dìng] / 確定|确定[què dìng] – One’s thing for certain: these three words can all mean certain!

S45 Vocabulary
Fly me to the moon – Direct flight or with a layover?

S46 Dialogue
Direct or with a layover? – Lupishu and Baimei discuss Lupishu’s upcoming flight

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Unit 16 – Learn how to do the checking at the airport in Chinese

Goal: Learn useful words and expression about checking in at the airport

S47 Vocabulary
At the airport – Useful airport lingo: checking in, dealing with overweight luggage

S48 Grammar
對|对[duì]， 對於|对于[duì yú] & 關於|关于[guān yú] – 對|对[duì]\ 對於|对于[duì yú]\ 關於|关于[guān yú]are three words you can use to say “Regarding this matter”. Let’s see when you can use which!

S48 Grammar Lesson
对、对于和关于 (B1)

S49 Dialogue
Overweight luggage – It’s time to check in but things aren’t going as smoothly as Lupishu hoped

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Unit 17 – Stay calm and it will be alright

Goal: Learn useful words and expression about going through security at the airport

S50 Vocabulary
Going through security at the airport – More airport lingo so you can take a plane in China like a boss!

S51 Grammar
Existential verbs (存[cún] 現|现[xiàn] 句[jù] ) – Do you need to emphasize the existence or nonexistence of something? These verbs are what you need!

S51 Grammar Lesson
Lesson 存现句 – Existential verbs and sentences

S52 Dialogue
過|过[guò] 安檢|安检[ān jiǎn] – Going through Security – Go through security and then you’re ready to go board your plane!

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Unit 18 – Love what you do

S53 Vocabulary
Experience a rainbow – Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life

S54 Grammar
只有[zhǐ yǒu]……纔|才[cái] / 只要[zhǐ yào]……就[jiù] – These two structures can seem confusingly similar; let’s see which one you can use when to express “only”/ “if only”!

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Unit 19 – Learn to plan a trip by train in China

Goal: Learn useful words and expression to take the train and to ask for help when you are in trouble

S55 Vocabulary
Train adventures – A few words to take the train

S56 Grammar
Comparing 一點|一点[yī diǎn]（兒|儿[r]）& 有點|有点[yǒu diǎn]（兒|儿[r]） – When you want to say “a little”, 一點|一点[yī diǎn]（兒|儿[r]）& 有點|有点[yǒu diǎn]（兒|儿[r]）are two expressions you can use. Curious to know in which cases you can use one and not the other? Let’s experiment!

S56 Grammar Lesson
Comparing 一点（儿）& 有点（儿）

S57 Dialogue
找[zhǎo] 候車室|候车室[hòu chē shì] – Looking for the train lounge – Nincha’s having trouble locating his train

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Unit 20 – Run, you’re late to take the train!

Goal: Learn useful words and expression to take the train

S58 Vocabulary
Catching a train – With this vocab, you’ll know all about catching or missing a train and what to do if you do!

S59 Grammar
由於|由于[yóu yú]；因此[yīn cǐ]；由於|由于[yóu yú]…因此[yīn cǐ] – Causes; results, causes resulting in results are useful structures to know how to use, so let’s practice using them.

S59 Grammar Lesson
由于；因此；由于 … 因此

S60 Dialogue
南京[Nán jīng] 南[nán] 站[zhàn] At the South Nanjing Train Station – Will Nincha catch his train in time?

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Unit 21 – Can you help find the wallet?

Goal: Learn to give advice to other people

S61 Vocabulary
The case of the missing wallet – Oh no! My wallet is missing!

S62 Grammar
All about “all” – There are many ways to talk about “all” and “everything” in Chinese. We may not see them all here, but here are a few to experiment with, and learn to distinguish.

S62 Grammar Lesson
All about “all”

S63 Dialogue
錢包|钱包[qián bāo] 不見|不见[bù jiàn] 了[le]！I can’t find my wallet! – Is your wallet lost or just misplaced?

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Unit 22 – Learn how to expose a problem to the police in Chinese

Goal: Learn to describe things which happened in the past in detail

S64 Vocabulary
Reporting a missing wallet – Reporting a missing wallet: crucial but no fun

S65 Grammar
Expressing “always” – Have you noticed? There are several ways to express “always” in Chinese: 一直[yī zhí], 從來|从来[cóng lái], 老[lǎo], 總是|总是[zǒng shì]…… but you can’t always use one instead of the other. Let’s see which you can use when.

S66 Dialogue
Looking for the missing wallet – Lupishu’s wallet has disappeared. What if it got stolen?

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Unit 23 – Learn to invite your friend to go out in Chinese

Goal: Learn to talk about your plan and learn how to persuade others

S67 Vocabulary
Going out – Friday nights aren’t meant to stay at home, are they?

S68 Grammar
Expressing “if…then…” – 如果[rú guǒ] means “if”, and when there’s an if… there’s usually a potential consequence that goes with it. Learn how to say “if… then” with the structures, we’re going to practice doing here!

S69 Dialogue
今晚[jīn wǎn] 你[nǐ] 有[yǒu] 什麼|什么[shén me] 安排[ān pái] 嗎|吗[ma]？ – What are your plans tonight? – Convincing your friend to go out on a Friday is essential friend duty!

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Unit 24 – Learn how to buy a drink at a bar in Chinese

Goal: Learn to express possibility

S70 Vocabulary
Going out and talking to someone – Going out’s one thing, then you need to work up the nerve to go talk to someone

S71 Grammar
Expressing possibility – Aah if everything were exactly as you wanted, there’d be so much you could do, right? Learn to express possibility and “ifs” in this stage!

S72 Dialogue
酒吧[jiǔ bā] 裡|里[lǐ] – In a bar – Going to a bar is a good way to meet people

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Unit 25 – Learn how to meet new Chinese people in Chinese

Goal: Learn to chat with strangers and ask them for contact information

S73 Vocabulary
Chatting with someone – A few things to discuss when you meet someone

S74 Grammar
Comparing 好像[hǎo xiàng] / 顯得|显得[xiǎn de] / 看起來|看起来[kàn qǐ lái] – 好像[hǎo xiàng], 顯得|显得[xiǎn de] and 看起來|看起来[kàn qǐ lái] all mean “to seem like” so it may seem like you can use each interchangeably. However, this is not quite the case so let’s compare these three words and what they really are like.

S75 Dialogue
可不[kě bu] 可以[kě yǐ] 留[liú] 個|个[gè] 聯繫|联系[lián xì] 方式[fāng shì]？Can I get your contact info? – So you’ve seen someone that seems interesting, now, go chat!

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Unit 26 – Explain what you did and what is your plan in Chinese

Goal: Learn to talk about what you have been recently.

S76 Vocabulary
Catching up with an old friend – Baimei ran into an acquaintance of hers in school

S77 Grammar
Expressing “no wonder” – Sometimes, you learn something new and then everything just starts making sense. Don’t you want to exclaim ‘no wonder’ in those cases? Here’s how to say that in Chinese.

S77 Grammar Lesson
Expressing “no wonder”

S78 Dialogue
Running into your upper classmates – Upper classmates can be of good advice when it comes to job hunting

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Unit 27 – Learn to plan your career in China

Goal: Learn to talk about your plan for the future and your dream job.

S79 Vocabulary
Talking about your dream job – There are jobs you want, and jobs you don’t.

S80 Grammar
Expressing “almost” with 差點|差点[chà diǎn](兒|儿[r])&差點|差点[chà diǎn] 沒|没[méi] – 差點|差点[chà diǎn](兒|儿[r]) & 差點|差点[chà diǎn] 沒|没[méi] both mean “almost”. They may look almost the same but you can’t quite use them in the same way. Let’s see when you can use which and then you’ll be a pro at saying “almost” in Mandarin!

S80 Grammar Lesson
Expressing “almost” with 差点(儿) & 差点没

S81 Dialogue
畢業|毕业[bì yè] 後|后[hòu] 我[wǒ] 想[xiǎng]… Your plans after graduation – What are you planning on doing after you graduate?

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Unit 28 – Learn to make your curriculum in Chinese

Goal: Learn to analyze things systematically by talking about strengths and weakness

S82 Vocabulary
My dream job is in China – So you want to work in China

S83 Grammar
Borrowing or lending? – Are you borrowing or lending something? Learn how to say both and become a pro at borrowing and lending in Chinese.

S83 Grammar Lesson
Borrow or lend?

S84 Dialogue
What are your skills? – To look for a job, it’s important to know what you’re good at!

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Unit 29 – Learn to find a job in China

Goal: Learn to talk about your abilities and your purpose

S85 Vocabulary
Abilities – Talk about your abilities and skills with these words

S86 Grammar
Expressing purpose – Express purpose in Chinese with 為了|为了[wèi le]， 好[hǎo] 讓|让[ràng] and 之所以[zhī suǒ yǐ].

S87 Dialogue
Job hunting? It’s your abilities that matter – Don’t give up before you even try!

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Unit 30 – Learn what you should do in a Chinese job interview

Goal: Learn to give advice to others and encourage them

S88 Vocabulary
Preparing for an interview – More useful Vocabulary  when you’re getting ready for an interview

S89 Grammar
Lesson: 不怎麼|不怎么[bù zěn me] – Feeling unimpressed? Use 不怎麼|不怎么[bù zěn me]to say something is “not very” or “not particularly”…

S89 Grammar Lesson
不怎么

S90 Dialogue
Any secret tips to acing a job interview? – If only there was a secret sauce that would make everything go ok

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Unit 31 – Visiting an old friend in Beijing

Goal: Learn to greet old friends

S91 Vocabulary
Traveling to go see a friend – You’re visiting a friend so let’s learn a few new words to use with your pal!

S92 Grammar
Lesson: Expressing “once then” & “as soon as” – Prone to imagining what would happen when…? Then these structures are perfect for you!

S93 Dialogue
Visiting a friend in Beijing – Yay, you’re going to go see your friend in Beijing!

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Unit 32 – Giving your paper to stay in China in Chinese

Goal: Learn about an administrative procedure for foreigners coming to China

S94 Vocabulary
Visiting a friend in China – Visiting a friend in China isn’t exactly the same as staying at a hotel

S95 Grammar
Comparing 一直[yī zhí]&一向[yī xiàng] – Both 一直[yī zhí]&一向[yī xiàng] can be used to talk about continuous actions and talk about things that happened “all along”. Let’s compare both to see which you can use when and then you can say you knew that all along!

S96 Dialogue
派出所[pài chū suǒ] 報道|报道[bào dào] Getting registered at the police station – Visiting a friend and staying at a hotel isn’t quite the same thing in China

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Unit 33 – Learn to express sickness at the hospital in Chinese

Goal: Learn useful words about seeing doctors and to talk about your symptoms

S97 Vocabulary
My tummy hurts! – Stomach aches in the summer are often caused by unfresh food…

S98 Grammar
後來|后来[hòu lái] vs 然後|然后[rán hòu] – 後來|后来[hòu lái] and 然後|然后[rán hòu] are two great words to talk about what happens or happened afterward. Let’s learn to use them!

S98 Grammar Lesson
Lesson 后来 vs 然后

S99 Dialogue
看病[kàn bìng] – Seeing the doctor – In China, you go to the hospital to see a doctor, it’s a little different.

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Upper Intermediate Vocabulary Stages

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Upper Intermediate Chinese Grammar Stages

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Upper Intermediate Chinese Grammar Lessons

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Upper Intermediate Chinese Dialogues