16 Amazing Reasons to Learn Chinese Language in 2024

There are many good reasons to learn a new language. But of all the great choices, why should you even think about learning Chinese?

You’re probably asking yourself this very question. Is it really worth the trouble, considering it is difficult to study?

Language is an emotion. A sentiment about culture, people, and their lifestyle. And when the word language gets attached to Chinese, it creates magic that can catch anyone’s eye and mesmerize them!

If you plan to learn Chinese soon, are already studying it, or can’t find any convincing logic, you will find this article helpful.

This post will discuss how learning Chinese can introduce you to the great Chinese culture and all the benefits associated with it.

While there are many convincing arguments, here are 16 practical explanations for anyone who should learn Chinese.

“千里之行﹐始于足下” (Qiānlǐ zhī xíng, shǐ yú zú xià)
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
— CHINESE PROVERB

16 Top Benefits of learning the Chinese language

Motivation is the key to successful language education. This means finding your motivations, i.e., “why.”

This article covers 16 excellent reasons learning Mandarin Chinese could make a significant difference in your academic, professional, and personal life. So let’s get started!

1. China is a rapidly growing country

China is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Who would miss the chance of being on its part? Learning Chinese will indirectly attach you to this broad economy.

Being attached to this economy is far from getting connected to a growth-oriented world. However, this will also open vast employment opportunities for you.

Specific language skills will open up wide doors for your future career growth. An additional skill will enable you to gain an edge in this competitive business world. It will be a key highlight in your CV.

2. Being multilingual is a pride

Being multilingual is a skill. In fact, knowing different languages makes you learn about other cultures, and learning cultures adds to your knowledge. This adds to your intelligence, making you smarter.

It can also give you an edge over your peers. And knowledge! It’s your pride. A piece of good news for movie lovers!

You don’t need a dubbed movie or series now! Instead, learning Mandarin allows you to experience the vast entertainment industry of China in its original language.

And yes! Learning a language just out of passion can bring another benefit to you. A career opportunity of being an interpreter is nowhere going out of your hands.

3. Chinese is the most spoken native language

With over 1.3 billion speakers, the Chinese language is the most spoken native language globally.

Of all the languages in China, Mandarin, with roughly 1.1 billion total speakers, is the most spoken one. To sum up, around 15% of the global population, i.e., one in six people, speaks Mandarin!

This makes Mandarin the most spoken mother tongue in the world. This is the magnetic influence of the Chinese.

How come a language so diverse, widespread, and profound can’t capture your attention? Languages like this cannot escape anyone’s interest.

4. The culture of Chine is unique and attracting

The richness of culture and diversity in the world attracts us. Language is an integral part of one’s culture. Knowing different cultures is one of the fundamental bases for learning any language.

China’s civilization is one of the oldest civilizations in human history. The ability to speak Chinese opens up a unique window into one of the world’s most enchanting, colorful, and ancient societies.

We trace the history of the ancient Chinese civilization back over 3000 years. And so is the Chinese language. So, learning the language associated with such an old civilization is fascinating. Isn’t it?

A new language gives you a brief glimpse of one’s entire culture. In fact, understanding one’s language generates mutual love, compassion, and harmony.

You will also know more about its history, traditions, folklore, values, philosophical and religious beliefs, and various aspects of the culture. As a result, the more you learn Mandarin, the more you will admire, respect, and understand China’s past, present, and future.

Maybe that’s an important reason you have jumped to this page.

5. It is one of the oldest languages

Being the language of such an old civilization, Chinese, like Sanskrit, are some of the oldest languages in the world. The Chinese language characters are considered one of the earliest forms of written language globally.

Being a language in China, Chinese has gone through many variations for years. However, the major dialects are Mandarin, Wu, Min, Xiang, Gan, Hakka, and Yue. Most are mutually intelligible, even though they are closely related because of geographical proximity.

Hokkien is the oldest Chinese dialect and the most difficult one to learn. In contrast, Mandarin is the most significant, most common, and widely spoken dialect.

Besides, simplified and modern Mandarin is easier to learn and is most preferred when learning the Chinese language.

6. Job opportunities in China

For the past many years, the number of migrant workers has increased rapidly in China.

Being bilingual gives you an edge in this competitive job market. Plus, learning Mandarin will indirectly push you to get jobs in a country as big as China.

There are many jobs available for non-native Mandarin learners. For example, working as an ESL (English as a second language) teacher is the most sought-after among foreigners.

There are many jobs in trade, import & export, IT, technology, writing, hospitality, marketing, language-related, entertainment, to name a few. That’s why thousands of foreigners are working in China.

The Chinese language can help you explore new economic opportunities in China.

So, why do you want to stay behind? Don’t wait for a second thought, and start learning Chinese as soon as the idea strikes your mind. The journey to Chinese fluency is magical and well worth it.

7. Chinese is a logical language

We widely regard Chinese as a challenging language to learn because of its complex writing and honorific system.

Despite being a complex language to pick up, it is easier to get started than you might think. This is because the grammar rules and vocabulary are straightforward and logical to understand.

Students of the language can often start speaking basic Chinese in as little as a few weeks of beginning their studies.

The toughness of the language is one of the primary motives people skip it. And that’s what keeps the Chinese untouched by many. But with proper mentorship, attitude, and learning approach, there are ways to simplify it!

Chinese is also one of the easily recognizable languages. As a result, the strokes differ from other languages that seek most public attention.

And even if you find it challenging, remember it’s always toughness that can attract anyone the most! Once you cross the initial struggle, it will be effortless and exciting.

8. Mandarin sounds incredibly beautiful

Many people learn a new language because they love how they sound.

Each language has its own beauty. Yet, there is a consensus regarding Italian and French. Plus, I find East Asia languages, like Mandarin, aesthetically pleasing.

Mandarin has four tones, sounds smooth and musical, and is a delight to listen to.

The Chinese also have an artistic way of expressing themselves. It makes a poetic tongue because of variation in pronunciation, natural vowels, and resounding consonants.

It is more rhyming when the ending sound is similar. Korean also has a distinct articulation and intonation. That could be one rationale Chinese sounds so musical and worth learning.

9. Studying in China

Besides being the world’s factory, China is also known for its thriving higher education at an affordable price.

China is a famous study abroad destination for most international students for various purposes.

The Chinese government invests vast amounts of money and resources into making Chinese universities a global educational hub. Today, many colleges in China are recognized and respected worldwide. Dozens of them also rank on lists like the Times Higher Education’s World University.

Tuition fees and the cost of living are pretty affordable compared to the US, European, or even developed countries in East Asia. Thus, if you are on a tight budget, you can live on a college campus and save money on travel and lifestyle.

You can also try various universities, companies, and government-sponsored scholarships. This covers part or even the entire tuition costs. So you can pursue higher education. They’re almost for free!

China is one of the safest nations in the world. People are friendly and kind. Your stay in China offers a unique experience and a lifetime chance to see a beautiful country with colorful culture.

China is mostly a monolingual country. Thus, if you do not speak the local language, you may face occasional problems. So, if you plan to pursue higher studies in China, learning Chinese would make your stay more pleasant!

The good news is that most Chinese educational institutions offer lessons in Chinese and their chosen courses. So, even if you know some elementary level, you can continue to reach intermediate to near-native when you live there.

Alternatively, you can also take the international Chinese language ability test like HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi).

10. Career opportunities involving Chinese

I would be remiss if I didn’t refer to the job options in Chinese.

Of so many advantages to learning Chinese, careers in Chinese are the most significant incentive that attracts learners.

Many career choices exist in industries as diverse as manufacturing, steel, construction, electronics, technology, real estate, finance, entertainment, embassies, export business, R&D, and government.

Proficiency in Mandarin can help you find many well-paid positions as a teacher, translator, interpreter, tour guide, content writer, and much more. You can also work in the enormous tourism, travel, hotel, leisure, and hospitality sector.

And all these are filled with outstanding career prospects.

Knowing how to speak Chinese always looks great on your CV if you wish to work in those companies that operate in these sectors.

11. Improve your artistic skills

Chinese art is an essential part of Chinese culture, history, and heritage. This includes painting, scripts, performing arts, sculptures, monuments, and cave drawings.

And this, of course, covers various languages of China.

Chinese is one of the rare languages that still use pictographic. Exquisite calligraphy is a superb example of art. This explains why Chinese characters and stylish artistic writing are admired globally as art.

It takes a steady hand to write Chinese symbols and characters. In reality, Chinese symbols are not letters but iconographic characters. As opposed to painting, strokes create these symbols.

So, if you want to dive deep into it, your artistic skills will significantly improve.

12. A variety of delicious Chinese food

Who does not enjoy flavorsome, savory, and delicious food?

The increasing interest in scrumptious Chinese cuisine has led to hundreds of restaurants offering authentic Chinese dishes. They are remarkable for health too.

Kung Pao Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, Sweet & Sour Pork, Dim Sum, Hot Pot, Xiaolongbao, Dumplings, Ma Po Tofu, Zhajiangmian, Char Siu, and the list is infinite. Besides, you can relish a wide range of Rice, Soup, and Chowmein dishes.

Sizzling food markets across China offer some unique dishes not found anywhere else. The experience is truly mesmerizing.

All these give you healthy, tasty, and delightful reasons to learn Mandarin.

If you are a staunch fan of mouthwatering foods. Then, it is absolutely beneficial to understand the original language to enjoy them fully.

13. Enjoy original Chinese movies, TV series, and music

Tired of reading subtitles and lyrics?

You can learn Chinese by watching movies and TV shows, and it is one of the most fun and great ways to learn this beautiful language.

You won’t have to depend on the subtitles and genuinely enjoy these flicks and TV series as initially intended.

More and more Chinese-speaking films and TV shows are gaining popularity in the ever-growing digital world. Today, you can find quality Chinese content on various websites and OTT platforms like Amazon Prime, Netflix, etc., for your viewing pleasure.

You can also view the same English films and shows with Chinese dubbed audio or Chinese subtitles.

There are subtitles for almost everything, and they are beneficial to some extent. But often, the proper sense and meaning are lost in translations for complex languages like Mandarin. So, if you want to enjoy these entertainment forms authentically at their best quality, learn Chinese.

It will help improve your vocabulary, listening, pronunciation, dialects, local slang, and learn new phrases!

Who doesn’t enjoy listening to great music that sounds melody to the ear?

Although Chinese music is not as popular as Korean Kpop. Your Chinese knowledge will open up a wide range of classical, traditional, folklore, trendy and modern music to you.

14. Good for the brain and provides many health benefits

Learning various languages increases your mental abilities. It also helps to enhance your memorization power.

Many researchers believe that bilingualism makes you smarter, keeps your mind sharp, makes you better at prioritizing and multitasking. In short, it provides built-in brain exercise.

You will not only become a more conscious thinker and listener who can speak clearly and think creatively. You will also gain the most significant benefit of multilingualism: a broader, more global perspective.

The strokes, writing style, and method of the Chinese language are diverse and unique. That’s what helps make it more valuable for brain exercise.

A unique and tricky language like Mandarin can challenge your mind like never. Studies have also shown that Chinese speakers use both sides of their brains! As a result, this will undoubtedly keep brains active for good.

This is the reason learning a language like Chinese makes your brain sharper.

15. Travel with confidence in China

Being a traveler and a foodie, you can never stop yourself from visiting the People’s Republic of China. After all, China has Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing, and the list is pretty endless!

And who can resist the Leshan Giant Buddha and the Great Wall of China?

You can visit China to experience the beautiful landscape, the bustling cities, massive monuments, the vibrant culture, mouthwatering food, and rich history. The incredible country will be your memorable voyage.

When traveling to any destination, connecting with the natives can give you the best experience ever. Traveling is fun only when you can talk to the local people and get along with them.

It’s well said by Nelson Mandela, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.”

Speaking in Mandarin will make you know untold stories about China and help you unleash the real world of China and its culture.

16. Chinese is helpful in many countries

The Chinese language isn’t just spoken in China. It is widespread in many countries, mainly Asian and south-east regions like Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Mongolia, Malaysia, Philippines, Brunei, Singapore, etc.

These nations offer some excellent travel destinations, and that’s why travelers visit these places from far and wide.

Everywhere you go in these places, you’ll see Chinese translations on signboards, menus, and different ways of communication. Plus, you will encounter native speakers because of the vast presence of influential Chinese communities.

The language can benefit you if your work requires you to do business in these countries.

You can still travel and work without speaking a single Chinese word. But, your Chinese skills will help you get along quickly with native speakers during your visit. It will be a fresh experience on a more personal level.

Final Words: Should You Learn Chinese?

“To learn a language is to have one more window from which you look at the world.” is a famous Chinese proverb.

So why not give yourself a chance and be a part of a language spoken by over a billion people? This post presents you with enough reasons to fall in love with the Chinese language.

Besides standing in the crowd, you can transform yourself into someone unique, precious, intelligent by studying Chinese.

I hope you got enough reasons to learn Chinese. I wish you luck in your learning process!

Do you have questions for me or want to share something? Let me know in the comment section below.

16 Good Reasons to Learn Chinese

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