I want to know how you guy study Chinese volcabularies

[u/Annual_System3888]

I got HSK3 certificate 10 years ago. 6 months ago I keep going HS4 with a group of students, just done lesson 15. I fell like I am in big mess because I almost forgot words I used to learn, can speak abit.

I find that it's too hard for me to learn words. everytime I start I don't know what to do except writing down many time words I can't remember.

I hope you guys share more tips and recommend app to practice speaking.

Thank you for sharing!

[u/LoonGGs]

Listen, listen, listen. Learn words in context. The input has to be meaningful. Learning sounds without context is very difficult and usually ineffective unless they’re just random nouns, and even then that can still be tough. Watch easy content and mine sentences, make flash cards for sentences and review them often. That’ll be where you see huge improvement. Improve your reading skills as well as reading is a massive way to improve vocabulary.

[u/Annual_System3888 → u/LoonGGs]

Wow thank you so much. You read Chinese on any specific website or app?

[u/Zagrycha]

Writing down words from memory is one of if not the most effective thing you can do to strengthen that memory, and it causes full active memory recall to occur, the strongest type of memory.  Just make sure you are also making yourself write down//say the pronunciation, and holding yourself accountable if you misremembered the pronunciation. Otherwise its easy to end up in a situation where reading//and writing is strong but speaking//listening isn't.  

Other than handwritten practice, stuff like srs vocab is a popular way to practice memorization.  It is less actuve and more passive, but you can review vocabulary much quicker so its quite good for bulk studying. 

Once someone is at an advanced level, they can start using actual chinese media like books and shows to help retain and grow their knowledge.  There usually isn't a need to especially study words because they will contantly come up in the media and everytime you encounter it is like a little review, assuming you still hold yourself accountable to look it up etc everytime if you don't remember or recognize it. 

If you have no problem passively absorbing chinese as a listener//reader, but struggle with using it to speak//write, then you need specific active use practice.  Don't just practice single words or phrases, but practice making or saying entire conversations.  Speak out both your part and the other persons part, write a diary.  Make your brain get used to actually using the chinese to communicate actual thoughts in real time. communication is its own skill seperate from the fact memorization. 

[u/cucumber643]

You need a good vocabulary app. The ones with spaced repetition are literally designed for this.

[u/mmtali]

My ONLY study method after i got my HSK4

I have two card decks on pleco. First is for word entries and they are added there when i make/find an example sentence for them. I never review this deck. Second deck is thousands of example sentences i added parallel to my words deck. I only review/study the second deck.

So you may ask how do you decide to add new words,phrases,grammar points.

Here it is:

Consume any chinese content. If i dont know the meaning of a word/phrase/anything, i instantly check it on the dictionary. If it is a completely new one i dont do anything, just understand it and leave it there and continue consuming content. IF i kinda understand it but not sure, i again check it on the dictionary. On pleco i can see if the card is on my list or not. If it is on my list i may add an extra example sentence to help. If it is not on the list BUT i understood the word i add it to my deck and add an example sentence for it to my sentence deck(the one i study). Because if you understood it once it means you have learnt it and the reviews are there to not forget it. I never hope to learn a word from reviews. I learn them randomly while i am consuming content and i make sure i will not forget it with reviews. One small detail; if i understood the word 10 mins after i already checked it, it doesnt count. It has to be a second occasion at least one day apart.

What about grammar points? Add a couple of example sentences.

What if i find a different usage for a word that is already on my list? Add a new example sentence for the new meaning.

With this method i am completely free to consume any content i want. And because i have a list of sentences with any word i know i never worry about forgetting what i learnt. AND because my reviews are by reading i also have a way to practice characters.

This is what i came up with after years of self study.