Proficient Chinese

者: The One Who, 前者 and 后者 · 200–400 characters

Your company is choosing between two internal candidates for a team-leader post, and HR has asked you, as their current manager, for a short memo (200–400 characters) comparing them. Use 前者 and 后者 to refer back to the two, at least three 者 nouns, and end with your recommendation.

何: The Written 'What, Why, How' · 200–400 characters

A Chinese literary magazine is running a reader series on the theme 何为幸福 ('What is happiness?'). Write a short reflective essay (200–400 characters) giving your answer. Use the written question word 何 in at least three different forms, and end with your own definition.

Unit 1 review · 400–700 characters

Write a report for your company newsletter on a public talk or debate you attended. Say who the two speakers were, summarise what each one argued and how, define one key term they used, and finish with your own view.

Because Of … Hence: 因…而… · 200–400 characters

A local museum is preparing an exhibition on people from your town who became known for something. Write the profile (200–400 characters) of one of them, real or invented, for an exhibition panel. Use 因…而… at least twice, and other uses of 而 (为…而…, 简单而…, 而非).

则: Then, Whereas, As For · 200–400 characters

A Chinese friend can't decide whether to do a master's degree in Britain or in Germany. Write her a comparison (200–400 characters) in a written style, covering costs, length of study, teaching style and work after graduation. Use 则 to contrast the two, and 亦, 均 or 皆 at least twice.

Unit 2 review · 400–700 characters

Write an opinion essay for a student magazine on the question 'Is a white lie ever acceptable?'. Give two everyday examples, distinguish lies told out of malice from lies told out of kindness, set out the limits, and end with your own position.

So That and So As Not To: 以便 and 以免 · 200–400 characters

Your office is moving to a new building next week. Write a notice to all staff (200–400 characters) saying what they must do before and on moving day. Use 以便 and 以免 at least twice each, and the formal register of an office notice.

Even Though: 纵然, 纵使, 虽说 · 200–400 characters

A close friend has just failed the bar exam for the second time and is thinking of giving up. Write a letter (200–400 characters) encouraging them. Use 虽说 and 纵然 or 纵使 for concession, and 唯有…才 for the one way forward.

Unit 3 review · 400–700 characters

Write an article for your neighbourhood newsletter about a phone scam that targeted an elderly resident. Say what happened, how the police investigated and what the court decided, then give residents clear advice on protecting themselves.

Parallelism and Antithesis: 排比 and 对偶 · 200–400 characters

A colleague who has worked at your company for thirty years is retiring. Write the short speech (200–400 characters) you'll give at her farewell party. Use parallelism (排比) with at least three matching sentences, and quote or write one antithetical pair (对偶).

Personification and Metonymy: 拟人 and 借代 · 200–400 characters

Write a short lyrical description (200–400 characters) of an old object that has 'lived' with your family for years: a clock, a bicycle, a piano, a sofa. Bring it to life with personification (拟人), refer to people by an attribute (借代) at least once, and add a simile.

Unit 4 review · 400–700 characters

A travel magazine is running a series called 'A Place I Can't Forget'. Write your entry (400–700 characters) describing one landscape you have seen: the scene at a particular time of day, what you heard, smelled and felt, and the people there. Make the description vivid with figures of speech.

Sentence Particles: 吧, 嘛, 呗, 啊, 呢 · 200–400 characters

Write a dialogue (200–400 characters) between two flatmates deciding how to spend Saturday: one wants to stay in, the other is trying to drag them out. Use the sentence particles 吧, 嘛, 呗, 啊 and 呢 to show tone: suggesting, insisting, shrugging, softening and asking.

Just That and Nothing More: 而已, 罢了 · 200–400 characters

Someone has posted online that people who start learning Chinese as adults can never really master it. Write a reply post (200–400 characters) disagreeing. Play down their arguments with 而已 and 罢了, and press your own point with rhetorical questions.

Unit 5 review · 400–700 characters

Your friend 小静 (Xiǎo Jìng), 30, writes to you: her parents keep pushing her to marry a man with a good job whom she doesn't love, and she feels wronged and confused. Write her a reply (400–700 characters). Show you understand her feelings, gently question her parents' reasoning, put the pressure in perspective, and give her one piece of advice.

Chengyu Stories: 守株待兔, 画蛇添足, 亡羊补牢 · 200–400 characters

A Chinese primary school wants short stories for its reading corner. Write a modern story for children (200–400 characters) that illustrates 守株待兔, 画蛇添足 or 亡羊补牢 without retelling the original fable. End with the 成语 and what it teaches.

Numbers in Chengyu: 三番五次, 七嘴八舌, 千方百计 · 200–400 characters

The family upstairs has been renovating for three months, drilling at all hours. Write an email (200–400 characters) to the building manager complaining about it. Use at least three number 成语 (三番五次, 七嘴八舌, 千方百计, 乱七八糟, 一五一十, 四面八方) in different roles.

Unit 6 review · 400–700 characters

Your old school's newsletter has asked former students for a short letter (400–700 characters) to younger students: '给学弟学妹的一封信'. Tell the story of how you learned a skill (an instrument, a sport, a language), including a moment you nearly gave up, and give them advice. Use 成语 throughout, in different roles.

Chengyu for People: 足智多谋, 彬彬有礼, 自以为是 · 200–400 characters

A former colleague has applied for a job at another company and asked you for a reference. Write the reference letter (200–400 characters). Describe their character and work with at least four 成语 for people (兢兢业业, 一丝不苟, 足智多谋, 彬彬有礼, 任劳任怨, 雷厉风行), and mention one point they're still working on.

Chengyu for Feelings: 喜出望外, 心急如焚, 哭笑不得 · 200–400 characters

Write a diary entry (200–400 characters) about a day of mixed emotions: something that started badly and ended well. Use at least four 成语 for feelings (心急如焚, 哭笑不得, 忐忑不安, 喜出望外, 恍然大悟, 百感交集, 心花怒放).

Unit 7 review · 400–700 characters

A city magazine is running a series called '二十年' and has asked readers for a short feature (400–700 characters) about a place they know well: how it has changed in the last twenty years, one person who made a difference there, and one difficult moment and how it turned out. Use 成语 accurately throughout.

Sayings and Proverbs: 俗语 and 谚语 · 200–400 characters

Your younger cousin is about to start her first job in a big city and is nervous. Write her a message (200–400 characters) of advice, using at least four folk sayings or proverbs (熟能生巧, 万事开头难, 一分钱一分货, 远亲不如近邻, 吃一堑长一智, 三个臭皮匠赛过诸葛亮).

Three-Character Idioms: 走后门, 拍马屁, 开夜车 · 200–400 characters

Write an anonymous post (200–400 characters) for a workplace forum about something unfair at your office. Use at least four three-character idioms (惯用语) such as 走后门, 拍马屁, 吹牛皮, 背黑锅, 开夜车, 穿小鞋 and 炒鱿鱼.

Unit 8 review · 400–700 characters

A travel blog has asked readers to write about 'my first Chinese festival with a Chinese family' (400–700 characters). Describe the food and how it was cooked, explain at least two customs and the puns or taboos behind them, and report some of the sayings and idioms people used at the table.

Positive and Negative Connotation: 褒义 and 贬义 · 200–400 characters

The same person can be described with praise or with criticism. Write two short paragraphs (200–400 characters in total) about one colleague who is leaving: first a warm message for her farewell card, then a frank complaint about her to a friend. Describe the same traits with words of opposite colour (节俭 / 小气, 谨慎 / 胆小, 坚定 / 固执, 自信 / 自负).

Honorific and Humble Words · 200–400 characters

You spent a weekend as a guest at the home of a Chinese colleague's parents. Write a formal thank-you letter (200–400 characters) to his father, Mr Zhang. Use honorific words for the family (府上, 令郎, 贵地, 光临) and humble words for yourself (寒舍, 拙作, 晚辈).

Unit 9 review · 400–700 characters

Your company is celebrating its twentieth anniversary. Write (1) a formal invitation letter to an important client and (2) the short opening speech you'll give at the celebration (400–700 characters in total).

North and South: Different Words for the Same Thing · 200–400 characters

Write a short anecdote (200–400 characters) for your blog about the misunderstandings you had after moving to a part of China where people use different words from the ones you learned (土豆 / 洋芋, 冰棍儿 / 雪糕, 自行车 / 单车, 西红柿 / 番茄, 知道 / 晓得).

The Chinese Dialects · 200–400 characters

A Chinese education forum asks: 'Should schools in dialect-speaking areas teach the local dialect?' Write a short opinion essay (200–400 characters) giving your view. Mention the dialect groups and the role of 普通话, say what is lost when a dialect dies out, and answer the other side's main worry.

Unit 10 review · 400–700 characters

A Chinese travel website has asked readers for a post (400–700 characters) about a region of China they've visited or would like to visit. Describe where it is and what its landscape is like, then describe the local speech: words you heard that differ from standard Mandarin, the accent, and how local people feel about their dialect.

Mainland and Taiwan Usage · 200–400 characters

Write a dialogue (200–400 characters) between a mainland student and a Taiwanese student who share a flat abroad and keep using different words for the same things. Include at least five mainland–Taiwan word pairs and one Taiwan grammar or style feature.

Chinese Around the World · 200–400 characters

A Chinese-language magazine for overseas readers is running a series called 'Chinese Around the World'. Write a short article (200–400 characters) about the Chinese community and the Chinese language in Singapore or Malaysia. Use the right word for each group (华人, 华侨, 华裔) and explain at least three local words.

Unit 11 review · 400–700 characters

A mainland friend is about to visit Taipei and Hong Kong for the first time. Write them an email (400–700 characters) with practical language tips: the words for transport, shopping and paying that differ, how to read signs and menus in traditional characters (including one or two traps), and what they'll notice about how people talk.

How New Words Are Made · 200–400 characters

Your Chinese teacher's elderly mother keeps seeing new words online and has asked you what they mean. Write her a message (200–400 characters) explaining at least four new words made with productive affixes (～族, ～控, ～感, ～化, 零～, 反～): how each is formed, what it means, and an example sentence.

Social Media Genres · 200–400 characters

Write a social-media post (200–400 characters) for 微博 or 朋友圈 about something that happened to you this week: a trip, a kitchen disaster, a queue for a famous shop. Write it the way people really post: a catchy opening, a hashtag, lively language with a few internet words, and a question for your followers.

Unit 12 review · 400–700 characters

A Chinese-language student magazine has asked you for a column (400–700 characters) titled '网络让汉语变了吗？'. Describe how the internet is changing Chinese, with examples of new words, abbreviations and memes, give your own view on whether this is a good thing, and end with a word of warning about privacy online.

Editorials and Commentary: 不容, 势必, 理应 · 200–400 characters

A city newspaper invites short editorials (200–400 characters) on local issues. Write one on a problem that needs urgent action, such as the safety of food-delivery riders, empty shops in the old town or traffic around schools. Use editorial language: 不容忽视, 势必, 理应, 务必.

Diplomatic Language · 200–400 characters

Your company trades with two countries whose relations have suddenly worsened. Write a short internal briefing (200–400 characters) for management: what happened, what each side's foreign ministry said, how strong their wording was on the scale from 关切 to 谴责, and what it may mean for the company.

Unit 13 review · 400–700 characters

You are interning at a Chinese-language news site. Write a short news story (400–700 characters) about an international event of your choice (a summit, a treaty being signed, an election result or a breakdown in talks). Give it a two-line headline (引题 + 主题), a proper lede, what each side said, and a closing paragraph of brief commentary.

Economic Data: 同比, 环比, 增幅 · 200–400 characters

You manage a regional chain of bookshops. Write an internal email (200–400 characters) to head office reporting your region's third-quarter figures: sales, online orders and costs, each compared year on year (同比) and quarter on quarter (环比), with the main reasons for the changes.

Causing and Leading To: 致使, 导致, 引发, 促成 · 200–400 characters

Write a short case analysis (200–400 characters) for a business magazine on why a well-known company or chain, real or invented, collapsed. Trace the chain of causes, choosing precisely between 导致, 致使, 引发, 造成, 促成 and 造就.

Unit 14 review · 400–700 characters

A Chinese business website has asked you for a short news piece (400–700 characters) on a company's annual results. Choose a company (real or invented) and report: the key figures compared with last year and last quarter, what caused the change, what the board has announced (a plan, a dividend or an acquisition), and a senior appointment. End with an analyst's one-line comment.

Defining Terms: 所谓…是指, 简称, 定义为 · 200–400 characters

A Chinese online encyclopedia is looking for short entries written by learners. Write an entry (200–400 characters) defining a concept from your field, such as 碳足迹 (carbon footprint), 零工经济 (the gig economy) or 职业倦怠 (burnout). Define it, give another name for it, distinguish it from a related term, and give an example.

Citing Sources: 据…研究, 正如…所言, 转引自 · 200–400 characters

You're writing a term paper on whether smartphones harm teenagers' sleep. Write the literature-review paragraph (200–400 characters): summarise what three earlier studies (real or invented) found, how they relate to each other, and what gap remains. Cite them in Chinese academic style.

Unit 15 review · 400–700 characters

Write the abstract and the results paragraph (400–700 characters) of a short study you might have done yourself, for example a survey of how university students use AI tools, how much people in your city walk, or how often your classmates read paper books. Say what the study set out to do, how it was done, what it found (describe one chart), and how sure you are of the conclusions.

Less X Than Y: 与其说…不如说… · 200–400 characters

A newspaper column has argued that young people who 'lie flat' (躺平) are simply lazy. Write a letter to the editor (200–400 characters) in reply. Reframe the issue with 与其说…不如说… at least twice, back it with an example, and finish with what you think society should do.

Analysing Causes: 究其原因, 归根到底 · 200–400 characters

Small independent shops are disappearing from your city's old town. Write a short analytical report (200–400 characters) for the city council tracing the causes, from the obvious ones to the root cause, and saying where action should start.

Unit 16 review · 400–700 characters

A Chinese university magazine is running a debate page on the 'age 35 threshold' (35岁门槛): many employers in China won't hire applicants over 35. Write an argumentative essay (400–700 characters) giving your view. State your thesis, concede what the other side gets right, rebut their main argument, analyse why the practice exists, and finish with a conclusion and a recommendation.

Advanced Medicine · 200–400 characters

Your uncle has just been diagnosed with an early-stage cancer and offered a place in a clinical trial of a new drug. He's asked you to help him understand it. Write him an email (200–400 characters) explaining in plain but accurate Chinese what the trial is, its possible benefits and risks, and what questions he should ask the doctor.

Traditional Chinese Medicine · 200–400 characters

Write a diary entry (200–400 characters) about your first visit to a traditional Chinese medicine clinic: what the doctor did, what he said was wrong in TCM terms, the treatment and advice you got, and your own impression. Describe it accurately and neutrally.

Unit 17 review · 400–700 characters

Your city's science museum runs a website series called 'Science in Five Minutes'. Write one article (400–700 characters) explaining to a general reader how vaccines protect us: what happens in the body step by step, why some people get mild side effects, and why vaccinating many people protects everyone.

Tang Poets: 杜甫, 王维, 白居易 · 200–400 characters

A museum of Chinese culture is recording audio-guide scripts for an exhibition on Tang poetry. Write the script (200–400 characters) for the panel on one poet: 杜甫, 王维 or 白居易. Give his dates and his life in brief, the style he's known for, one famous line and what it means, and why he still matters.

Poetry in Everyday Speech · 200–400 characters

Your best friend is moving abroad for work. Write a farewell card message (200–400 characters) that weaves in at least three classical lines people still quote at partings, such as 劝君更尽一杯酒, 莫愁前路无知己，天下谁人不识君, 海内存知己，天涯若比邻 or 但愿人长久，千里共婵娟.

Unit 18 review · 400–700 characters

A Chinese culture magazine invites readers to write an appreciation (赏析, 400–700 characters) of a classical poem or ci they love. Introduce the poet and the form, paraphrase the key lines in modern Chinese, explain its images and the feeling behind them, and say when people still quote it today.

Old and New Meanings: 古今异义 · 200–400 characters

Your Chinese study group is reading classical texts, and members keep tripping over words whose meaning has changed. Write a post for the group (200–400 characters) explaining at least four such words (走, 去, 闻, 妻子, 汤, 再), each with a classical example, its old meaning and its modern meaning.

Fables in the Original: 刻舟求剑 and 自相矛盾 · 200–400 characters

Rewrite the fable 刻舟求剑 as a modern short story (200–400 characters), for example about someone who clings to a business plan that once worked. Keep the logic of the original, and end by quoting the fable's classical moral and explaining it in modern Chinese.

Unit 19 review · 400–700 characters

A Chinese student magazine is running a series called 'Old Words, New Times'. Write an essay (400–700 characters) on one classical saying (from Confucius, Mencius, Laozi or Zhuangzi) that you think still matters today. Quote it, explain what it meant in modern Chinese, give an example from modern life, and say where you think it no longer applies.

Contemporary Fiction: 余华, 莫言, 张爱玲 · 200–400 characters

A friend who's learning Chinese asks you to recommend a modern Chinese novel. Write an email (200–400 characters) recommending one, for example 余华's 《活着》 or a book by 莫言 or 张爱玲: what it's about, how it's told, what is special about its language or technique, and why your friend should read it.

The Literary Essay: 散文 · 200–400 characters

Write a short literary essay (散文, 200–400 characters) in the manner of 朱自清's 《背影》: describe one small scene with a family member (seeing someone off, a meal, a walk) and let the scene carry the feeling. Use 借景抒情 or 托物言志, a precisely described gesture, and a quiet, reflective close.

Unit 20 review · 400–700 characters

A culture magazine asks readers for a review (400–700 characters) of a film adapted from a novel. Write one about a film you know or one you invent: say briefly what it is about, analyse the main character and the theme, judge the acting, the script and the camera work against the book, and include a short portrait of the lead character as a writer would sketch them.

Couplets: 对联 and 春联 · 200–400 characters

Your Chinese neighbours have asked you to write the spring couplets for their door this New Year. Write a short blog post (200–400 characters) presenting your own couplet (a seven-character 上联 and 下联 and a four-character 横批) and explaining how the lines match in meaning, word class and tone, and where each is pasted.

Sport and Big Events · 200–400 characters

Write a sports report (200–400 characters) for a Chinese news site on a final you watched, real or invented (football, tennis, table tennis, a marathon): who competed, how the match went, the turning point, the result and what the winner said.

Unit 21 review · 400–700 characters

Your city has just held an international marathon, and you have been chosen to speak for the volunteers at the closing ceremony. Write your speech (400–700 characters): address the audience correctly, thank the organisers, tell one moment you witnessed during the race, say what it meant, and close with good wishes.