Learn Mandarin for Beginners Through Hobbies: Music, Art, Cooking & Pickleball

Sep 17

Learning Mandarin doesn’t have to be boring or overwhelming. One of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to start is by combining language learning with the hobbies you already love such as music, art, cooking, or sports. By practicing Mandarin through activities you enjoy, you’ll stay motivated, remember more, and begin speaking sooner than you expect. Here’s how beginners can get started.

1. Learn Through Music

Music is a natural way to absorb a language. Start with simple songs, children’s tunes, or even Chinese pop hits.

How to get started:

Look up the lyrics in pinyin (the phonetic spelling of Chinese words).
Listen carefully and try to sing along.
Pick out a few words or phrases to translate and understand.

Example:

Song: 朋友 (Péngyǒu – “Friend” by Zhou Huajian)
Vocabulary: 朋友 (péngyǒu – friend), 一起 (yīqǐ – together), 快乐 (kuàilè – happy)

Mini challenge: Sing along three times today and practice saying the new words aloud.

2. Learn Through Art & Crafts

Whether you love drawing, painting, or DIY projects, your creative hobby is full of language opportunities.

Tips for beginners:

Label your tools and materials: 画笔 (huà bǐ – paintbrush), 颜料 (yán liào – paint), 纸 (zhǐ – paper).
Narrate your actions in Mandarin: 我在画画 (wǒ zài huà huà – I am painting).

Mini challenge: Take a photo of your artwork and write 1–2 sentences in Mandarin describing it.

3. Learn Through Cooking

The kitchen is full of vocabulary waiting to be learned.

Beginner-friendly tips:

Start with simple recipes like eggs, rice, or noodles.
Learn key phrases:
- 切菜 (qiē cài) – chop vegetables
- 炒 (chǎo) – stir-fry
- 煮 (zhǔ) – boil

Mini challenge: Cook one meal while saying each step in Mandarin. Even speaking aloud to yourself counts!

4. Learn Through Sports & Fitness

Exercise is another way to combine movement with language learning.

How to practice:

Pick a sport you enjoy, like pickleball.
Learn action words: 打 (dǎ – hit/play), 跑 (pǎo – run), 接球 (jiē qiú – catch/receive the ball).
Narrate what you’re doing: 我在打匹克球 (wǒ zài dǎ pǐkè qiú – I am playing pickleball);
我在打网球 (wǒ zài dǎ wǎngqiú – I am playing tennis).

Mini challenge: Teach a friend one action word in Mandarin while playing pickleball together.

Tips for Success

Pick one hobby to start with, and dedicate 10–15 minutes a day to practicing Mandarin.
Repeat phrases aloud and write them down to reinforce learning.
Don’t worry about perfection. Focus on fun, consistency, and confidence.

Combining Mandarin with your hobbies turns learning into a natural, enjoyable part of daily life. Start small, stay consistent, and you’ll see progress faster than you think.

Want more practical ways to learn Mandarin while having fun? Explore our beginner-friendly lessons at M for Mandarin and start speaking today!

Anastasia Lew