Chinese (Beginner Level)

Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world. Chinese culture is both rich and far-reaching and China is today the world's fastest-growing major economy. As China is becoming increasingly important to New Zealand’s future, it is crucial that we know more about Chinese culture, history, political and economic system. Learning Chinese language is an essential first step towards this understanding.

The number of people who are learning Chinese as a second-language is increasing very rapidly. It is also the second-most-common language on the Internet. As China is an increasingly important business partner of New Zealand, learning Chinese will give you the edge over other candidates for a wide variety of jobs. 

Course Content

This course is for absolute beginners and it is designed to set the foundation for your study of Chinese. If you already have some knowledge of Chinese (e.g., you have studied it at high school, lived in China, or have been exposed to Chinese in a family setting), you may be able to enrol in a more advanced paper (such as CHIN132 or CHIN231).

An introductory course in reading, writing, speaking and listening to Chinese for students with no previous knowledge of the language. The paper takes an integrated approach to the skills of language acquisition and includes basic material on the cultural heritage of the Chinese people.

Why study Chinese? The number of people who are learning Chinese as a second language is increasing very rapidly. It is also the second most common language on the Internet. As China is an important business partner of New Zealand, learning Chinese will give you the edge over other candidates for a wide variety of jobs.