"Amazing. I started learning Zhōngwén with Rosetta Stone and Coffee Break Chinese, but this program is both fun and comprehensive. I especially like the Quizlets for each lesson. Thank you"
What Your First Lesson Actually Looks Like
Not features. Not bullet points. This is what happens when you sit down and press play.
1
0:000:00
You press play and the story begins...
"李明走进了一家小咖啡馆。他看了看四周，找了一个靠窗的位置坐下..."
A native Chinese speaker begins reading the opening of The City of Lost and Found. You follow along, hearing the words while seeing the characters and pinyin on screen.
You won't understand the words, not yet. But you hear the rhythm of the language. The rise and fall of the tones. The flow of a real story being told. And something about it makes you curious.
That's exactly where you're supposed to be. Over the coming lessons, your tutor will uncover the meaning of everything you just heard, vocabulary, grammar, characters, all drawn from this story. And chapter by chapter, you'll understand more, until you're following the story on first listen.
2
You start reading and writing real Chinese characters
This is the part most people dread, and the part our students love most. Chinese characters aren't random symbols. They started as pictures.
人 (rén) means "person", and it looks like a person walking. 大 means "big", a person with arms stretched wide. 木 is "tree," 林 is "forest" (two trees), and 森 is "dense forest" (three trees).
Each chapter introduces new characters connected to the story you're reading. You learn to recognise them, read them, and write them, building from the simplest strokes to real sentences. Once you see the logic, characters stop being mysterious and start making sense.
This is the moment students say: "Wait, I can actually read this."
3
Then Maggie breaks down how the language actually works
Take a line from the story: 你好，我叫大卫，是新学生 (Nǐ hǎo, wǒ jiào dà wèi, shì xīn xué shēng). Your tutor walks you through it using words you've already met in context.
是 (shì) means "is/am/are." One word covers all of them. No conjugation. No verb tables. 我叫 (wǒ jiào) means "I'm called." Chinese grammar is clean and logical, and you're discovering the patterns from real dialogue you've already heard.
No grammar tables. No abstract rules. Just real sentences from the story you just read, pulled apart so you can see how they fit together. You learn grammar naturally, using words you've already met in context, not by memorising rules.
4
You hear how Chinese really sounds
Chinese is tonal, four tones plus a neutral tone. Your pronunciation tutor teaches you to hear and produce each tone, master the initials and finals, and feel the rhythm of natural speech. Not textbook drilling, the real sound and flow of spoken Chinese as Chinese people actually speak it.
5
You learn the world the language lives in
Chinese culture, thousands of years of history, calligraphy, tea ceremonies, festival traditions, and the balance of old and new in modern China. Because you can't truly speak a language without understanding the people who speak it.
6
Then you go back to the story
You listen again. And this time, sentences that were opaque twenty minutes ago suddenly make sense.
You can hear where one word ends and another begins. You understand why the characters said what they said. You're not translating, you're understanding.
That's one chapter. Vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, writing, culture, speaking practice, and a story that pulls you through all of it.
You've already started reading Chinese characters, understanding grammar, and hearing the tones of the language.
There are 20 chapters. Each one goes deeper. Each one builds on the last.
Everything I just described is in the free trial. Full access to the entire course: story, videos, exercises, everything, for 7 days.
Want to see inside the course?
Watch Olly give you a personal tour of Chinese Uncovered:
Experience This Yourself7 days free. Cancel anytime.
Can I be honest with you?
I've learned 8 languages. And I've failed at most of them, spectacularly, before figuring out what works.
So I know exactly what you're going through right now.
You downloaded the app. You did the daily streak. You memorised 你好 (nǐ hǎo), 谢谢 (xièxie), 是 (shì). You even took a class or two.
And for a while, it felt like progress.
But then you tried to actually use your Chinese, with a real person, at real speed, and the whole thing fell apart.
- You know the words, but you can't string them into sentences fast enough
- You can read simple phrases, but native speakers sound like a blur
- You've spent months studying, but you still feel like a permanent beginner
I've been there. Staring at someone, nodding politely, pretending I understood. It's not fun.
But here's the thing I wish someone had told me years ago:
Apps teach you to pass their own quizzes. Textbooks teach you to
conjugate verbs on paper.
Neither of them teaches you to actually speak and understand
Chinese.
There's a reason you're still stuck. And it has nothing to do with talent, age, or how many hours you've studied.
It has everything to do with how you've been learning.
Let me show you what I discovered instead.
Why Stories Work (When Grammar Drills Don't)
Think about how traditional courses work. They teach you a language the way you learned algebra: rules first, practice second, application... maybe someday.
But that's not how you learned your native language. Nobody handed you a grammar table when you were two years old. You learned through immersion. Through context. Through stories that made you care about what happened next.
That's exactly what StoryLearning does. And here's why it works so well:
The StoryLearning Method
Your Brain Is Wired for Story
Stories aren't just entertainment, they're how humans have transmitted knowledge for 100,000 years. When you learn through narrative, your brain engages differently: deeper encoding, stronger memory formation, better recall.
Context Creates Memory
You don't remember random words. You remember the moment the detective discovered the note. The look on Maria's face when she heard the news. Words attached to story stick because they mean something.
Guided Discovery Beats Memorisation
Instead of giving you a rule and asking you to apply it, StoryLearning lets you encounter patterns naturally, then explains what you just discovered. You figure it out, so you own it. That's why you never forget it.
It's Not Just Our Opinion
The StoryLearning method is grounded in decades of language acquisition research.
Dr. Stephen Krashen, Professor Emeritus at USC and one of the most cited linguists in history, proved that language is acquired through comprehensible input, not grammar study.
When you understand messages in the target language, acquisition happens naturally. StoryLearning is built on this principle.
Dual Coding Theory shows that memory is strongest when you encode information both verbally and through imagery.
Stories create vivid mental pictures that make vocabulary stick, which is why you remember story words but forget flashcard words.
Contextual Learning Research consistently shows that words learned in meaningful context are retained 2-3x longer than words learned in isolation.
Every word in StoryLearning arrives with a scene, a character, and a reason to care.
"Olly's top-notch language-learning insights are right in line with the best of what we know from neuroscience and cognitive psychology about how to learn effectively. I love his work, and you will too!"
Start Your Free Trial7 days free. Cancel anytime.
Meet Your Guides
I'm Olly Richards. I'm the creator of StoryLearning and author of the bestselling Short Stories series (over 2 million books sold). I'm fluent in 8 languages, and my YouTube channel has racked up more than 70 million views on language learning.
Collaborated with:
Featured in:
I designed Chinese Uncovered using the same StoryLearning method that's helped over 100,000 people learn languages. But for Chinese, I brought in someone special to teach you...
Your Chinese Teacher: Maggie Wong
Maggie is the person you'll spend 60+ video lessons with, and her clear, patient teaching style makes even the trickiest concepts feel approachable. A professional Chinese teacher with over 10 years of experience, Maggie holds a degree in Chinese Education from the University of Hong Kong and a Master's in Language and Cultural Diversity from King's College London.
She has a particular gift for exploring cultural diversity through language learning, so you won't just learn Chinese, you'll understand the world it comes from.
🇨🇳Professional Chinese teacher, 10+ years experience
🎓Chinese Education degree (University of Hong Kong), Master's (King's College London)
🌍Has taught students of all ages and backgrounds
📚Specialises in cultural diversity through language learning
Is Chinese Uncovered Right For You?
StoryLearning isn't for everyone, and that's by design. Here's how to know if it's right for you.
This IS For You If...
- You've tried Duolingo, Babbel, or Rosetta Stone, but nothing stuck
- You know plenty of words, but freeze up when trying to speak
- You want to understand native speakers, not just pass quizzes
- You'd rather read an interesting story than memorise vocabulary lists
- You can commit to 20-30 minutes a day of focused practice
This is NOT For You If...
- You need travel phrases for a trip next week (this is comprehensive, not a phrasebook)
- You prefer structured grammar drills and memorisation exercises
- You want live classes with a teacher (this is self-paced)
- You're already at conversational level (check out our Intermediate courses instead)
- You're looking for a passive "learn while you sleep" solution
Start Your Free Trial7 days free. Cancel anytime.
What Happens When Chinese Finally Clicks
"Excellent course! The teacher explains very clearly all the concepts. It's a pleasure to listen to her. I really enjoyed the course. Now continuing with Level 2 and hoping there will be a Chinese intermediate course in the near future! Thx"
"The best Chinese language course I have ever purchased! I have tried everything to better my speaking skills but nothing sticks like StoryLearning. Simple to understand, fun, motivating, and encouraging!"
"I believe the StoryLearning course is equivalent to two semesters at a university. The quality of the material is at a university level. The lessons are a lot more fun than sitting in a lecture hall."
"I love the way we can learn things that are in the context of a story, and remember it because of the story. This is beyond my expectations."
"I can't even begin to describe how much this course has changed my life. In 2 months, I have learned more Chinese than in all 4 years I took of it in HS and college. I am actually understanding native speakers! Thank you Olly Richards!"
"This course is by far the best I've ever come across. As an ex English Language Teacher, I have very high expectations & this course exceeds these. The story-based approach makes all the difference, I'm actually reading and understanding real Chinese."
"I've tried a lot of courses and methods over the years. This is the first course that really helped me to comprehend the language. The story pulls you in, and the grammar suddenly makes sense in context."
"This program changed the way I learn Chinese. In school, I struggled to understand or speak. Now I'm naturally learning vocab, grammar, reading, writing, listening, & speaking in a super fun way. Highly recommend."
"I always wanted to learn Chinese but traditional textbooks were so dry and boring. Within just 2 months, I find myself actually reading and understanding real Chinese texts. This course surprised me. Thank you Olly."
"Very impressed so far! Olly explains and breaks down the rules of Chinese so well, with lots to learn right from the start. I have learnt more in 1 module than in months of free apps!"
"If you tell me a good story, I'll follow you anywhere. What better way to learn a language than through asking what happens next? This is a challenging, well-designed course that never bored me. And I learned a lot of Chinese."
Your Journey Through Chinese Uncovered
At the heart of Chinese Uncovered is an original story called The City of Lost and Found.
A young photographer named Li Ming travels across China, from the narrow lanes of old Beijing to misty mountain villages in Yunnan, searching for the subject of his next exhibition.Along the way he meets unexpected people, uncovers family stories, and discovers that the journey itself is the real destination. The answers unfold across 20 chapters, and as the story pulls you forward, the Chinese comes with you.
Watch Your Chinese Grow
Here's actual text from the course. See how much more you'll understand as the story unfolds:
Chapter 1
"李明走进了一家小咖啡馆。他看了看四周..."
Li Ming walked into a small café. He looked around... You understand this almost immediately, the context and pinyin guide you.
Chapter 5
"火车穿过了长长的隧道。窗外的风景变了..."
The train passed through a long tunnel. The scenery outside changed... You didn't study that sentence. You just... understand it.
Chapter 10
"李明站在山顶，看着下面的村庄..."
Li Ming stood at the mountaintop, looking at the village below... Longer sentences, richer vocabulary, but you follow it, because the story carried you there.
Everything You Get
20 chapters. 60+ video lessons. A complete path from beginner to confident.
✓
20 story chaptersNative Chinese audio
throughout
✓
60+ video lessons with MaggieGrammar, vocabulary, writing
& culture, all in context
✓
Pronunciation trainingChinese pronunciation
& tone guidance
✓
Speaking activity packsStructured exercises for solo
or tutor practice
✓
100% downloadableStudy offline, anywhere, on
any device
✓
Private communityAsk questions, get support,
connect with learners
✓
Comprehension quizzesCheck your progress at every
stage
✓
Lifetime accessIncluding all future updates,
forever
Try Chinese Uncovered Risk-Free
365-Day Money-Back Guarantee
I'm confident Chinese Uncovered will work for you. But I also know that confidence comes from experience, not promises.
So here's my guarantee: Try the course. Work through the chapters. If at any point in the next 365 days you decide it's not for you, email us and we'll refund every penny. No questions. No awkwardness. No hassle.
You have a full year to decide. That's how confident I am that you'll love learning this way.
Olly Richards
$397 $297
Less than $1 a day over a year • Equivalent to two university semesters
Start with a 7-day free trial. Full access. Cancel anytime.
Start Your 7-Day Free TrialYou won't be charged until your trial ends
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm not a complete beginner. Is this course for me?
If you're still building your foundation and don't feel
confident holding conversations yet, yes, Chinese Uncovered
will fill in the gaps and give you the fluency you're missing.
If you can already hold comfortable conversations with native
speakers, you might be better suited for our Intermediate
courses. Not sure? Start the free trial and see where you land.
What if I don't have time to study every day?
The course is entirely self-paced. There are no live sessions,
no deadlines, no pressure. You have lifetime access, so you can
start when you're ready, take breaks when life gets busy, and
come back whenever you want. Most students find that 20-30
minutes a day works well, but you can adjust to your schedule.
What variety of Chinese do you teach?
Chinese Uncovered teaches Mandarin Chinese (普通话, Pǔtōnghuà), the standard spoken language used across mainland China,
Taiwan, and Singapore. Characters are taught in simplified
form. Whether you plan to visit Beijing, Shanghai, or Taipei,
this is the Chinese that will serve you everywhere.
How is this different from Duolingo or Babbel?
Apps teach you to pass their own quizzes. You get good at
matching words and completing exercises, but when you encounter
real Chinese, a menu, a conversation with a local, a TV
show, you're lost. StoryLearning teaches you to read
and understand actual Chinese through immersion in a compelling
story. You're not learning to pass quizzes; you're learning
to communicate in the real world.
What if it doesn't work for me?
You have 365 days to decide. If Chinese Uncovered isn't right
for you, for any reason, email us and we'll refund your
purchase in full. No questions asked, no forms to fill out.
We've processed thousands of refunds without hassle, though we
rarely need to.
Can I try before I pay?
Yes. The 7-day free trial gives you full access to the course.
Explore the lessons, experience the story, try the method. You
won't be charged until the trial ends, and you can cancel
anytime with one click.
What happens after the free trial?
After 7 days, your card is charged $297 for lifetime access to
the full course. There are no recurring fees, it's a single
payment. If you cancel during the trial, you won't be charged at
all. And remember, even after paying, you still have the 365-day
money-back guarantee.
How long will it take to complete the course?
Most students complete Chinese Uncovered in 3-6 months, studying
20-30 minutes per day. But there's no clock ticking. Some move
faster, some take their time. The course is designed for
sustainable progress, not a sprint.
Will I be able to speak fluently after this course?
Chinese Uncovered will give you a solid conversational
foundation, the ability to understand native speakers, hold
real conversations, and express yourself confidently. "Fluency"
is a lifelong journey, but this course will get you further than
years of apps and classes combined. Many students report
achieving more in 10 weeks than in years of previous study.
