Did you know you can take your Mandarin to the next level by watching films? That’s right. Here are 23 great Chinese movies to learn with — there’s something for everyone!
Seeing movies is one of the most popular ways of spending free time worldwide. The complex plotlines, heartbreaking scenes, and well-written dialogue often keep viewers engaged for hours.
Some people use it as a time to relax and relieve the stress from their busy schedules. While others watch it every instance, they get (not something to be guilty about).
Nevertheless, people do not realize that this seemingly simple task can be highly productive.
You have many compelling motivations for learning Chinese, including opportunities to study in China, new career prospects, and cultural considerations.
Movies can be an incredible way to learn a language. They often reflect a country’s culture, lifestyle, traditions, and language in their rustic, basic form and portray people’s day-to-day lives.
Thus, it provides a better understanding of the culture than reading about it in a book or on the Internet. Of course, this also applies to learning Chinese.
Table of Contents
- Why is watching films great for learning Chinese?
- 23 Best Movies to Learn Mandarin
- 1. To Live (活着 / Huózhe) — 1994
- 2. Mulan (花木兰) — 2020
- 3. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (卧虎藏龙 / Wò hǔ cáng lóng) — 2000
- 4. A Beautiful Life (不再让你孤单 / Bù Zaì Ràng Ní Gū Dān) — 2011
- 5. This Is Not What I Expected (喜欢你 / Xi huan ni) — 2017
- 6. House of Flying Daggers (十面埋伏 / Shí Miàn Mái Fú) — 2004
- 7. Big Fish and Begonia (大鱼海棠 / Dàyú Hǎitáng) — 2016
- 8. Happy times (幸福时光 / Xìngfú Shíguāng) — 2000
- 9. Last Train Home (归途列车 / Guītú lièchē) — 2009
- 10. Up the Yangtze — 2007
- 11. You Are the Apple of My Eye (我们一起追的女孩 / Na Xie Nian, Wo Men Yi Qi Zhui De Nu Hai) — 2001
- 12. Getting Home (落叶归根 / Lùo yè gūi gēn) — 2007
- 13. The Road Home (我的父亲母亲/ wǒde fùqin mǔqin) — 1999
- 14. Raise the Red Lantern (大红灯笼高高挂 / Dà Hóng Dēnglong Gāogāo Guà) — 1992
- 15. The Story of Qiu Ju (秋菊打官司 / Qiū Jú dǎ guānsi) — 1992
- 16. The Blue Kite (蓝风筝 / Lán fēngzheng) — 1993
- 17. Suzhou River (苏州河 / Sūzhōu Hé) — 2000
- 18. Together (和你在一起 / hé nǐ zài yì qǐ) — 2002
- 19. Beijing Taxi (北京出租 / běi jīng chū zū chē) — 2010
- 20. Lost in Thailand (人再囧途之泰囧 / Rén Zài Jiǒng Tú zhī Tài Jiŏng) — 2012
- 21. Farewell My Concubine (霸王别姬 / bàwáng bié jī) — 1993
- 22. Let The Bullet Fly (让子弹飞 / Rang Zi dan Fei) — 2010
- 23. Secret (不能说的·秘密 / Bùnéng shuō de·mìmì) — 2007
- Final Words on studying Chinese with films
Why is watching films great for learning Chinese?
There are several advantages of learning Mandarin with films.
Watching a movie in the Chinese language would introduce and help me get acquainted with native speech because filmmakers aim movies at native Mandarin speakers who are already fluent in the language.
The movie’s Mandarin language structure and flow would be realistic rather than textbook or formal.
Historical or fantasy films may not always accurately reflect current speech patterns. However, most contemporary films use everyday language that audiences can understand.
If you listened to an authentic, native speech portrayed in Chinese movies, you would more likely understand the actual dialogue in context.
The Mandarin films help you get used to those tricky accents, tones, honorific sounds, and pronunciations. You also know various dialects and common informal and conversational exclamations and phrases.
Additionally, vocabulary usage in Chinese films is context-based rather than relying on a dictionary or textbook. So, grasping what’s going on, you won’t have to rely solely on the words themselves.
If you don’t understand a word, you usually make presumptions or guesses based on what’s happening and visual indicators such as a character’s facial expressions. These all significantly aid word learning.
You can examine how terminology is employed in various contexts, which can help you know when different terms are acceptable. Finally, you can engage with a pictorial overview of unique Chinese customs and society.
The best part is that it is a fun way to study difficult Mandarin. Watching Chinese movies for hours on end would not bore you. It is much more enjoyable than using a conventional approach to memorizing words or sentences.
Watching movies also engages the auditory and visual senses simultaneously. As a result, it is easier to remember, as our minds focus more and retain information we find interesting.
Where to see Chinese cinema?
The internet and online streaming offer many Chinese movies, television series, and dramas to get you started.
OTT media services such as Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube Premium, Baidu Video, and others allow users to watch many Chinese movies.
You can also view the legitimate repository of Chinese titles on many websites from your comfort zone. Moreover, Netflix and a few other platforms produce many original and exclusive programs for their larger audiences.
23 Best Movies to Learn Mandarin
One of the fastest-growing movie industries globally, Chinese film production makes many good Mandarin movies yearly.
The Chinese film industry produces many good Mandarin films, but finding relevant movies is hard.
Here are 23 fabulous movies to help beginners, intermediate, and advanced learners study and improve their Chinese language skills.
1. To Live (活着 / Huózhe) — 1994
“To Live” should be at the top of anyone’s list of the best Chinese movies. It highlights the changes occurring in families during this turbulent time.
The flick also depicts everything from comedy to heartbreak, birth to death, and everything in between.
This is a culturally rich film with unique advantages for Chinese students. The dialogue is usually easy enough for intermediate-level Chinese learners, and you can follow it with or without subtitles.
2. Mulan (花木兰) — 2020
Mulan is one of the most well-known Disney princesses. However, a movie was also released in 2020 in Chinese.
When Mulan’s father is called to serve in the army during wartime, he is unable to go because of illness. Mulan takes his place and impersonates herself as a male soldier. She must conceal her identity and battle in the army to defend her nation.
This film may not teach you much about the Chinese language or introduce you to too much vocabulary. Still, it is a valuable method for understanding Chinese legends and myths, history, culture, and filial piety, which are sacred in Chinese culture.
3. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (卧虎藏龙 / Wò hǔ cáng lóng) — 2000
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was directed by Ang Lee in 2000. It is a period movie set in the 19th century.
This is one of the most captivating films in the Wuxia genre (a Chinese literature genre that depicts the exploits of ancient Chinese martial artists).
This film is based on Wang Dulu’s novel of the same name, published in 1942. It’s a touching romance about a 19th-century Qing Dynasty warrior and his love interest.
One of the most intriguing parts of the picture is that each of the four characters talks with a different Chinese accent. This movie can benefit you if you aim to achieve a higher Mandarin HSK level.
4. A Beautiful Life (不再让你孤单 / Bù Zaì Ràng Ní Gū Dān) — 2011
Peiru (Shu Qi) meets Zhendong (Liu Ye), who uses his savings to help her start a business. Unfortunately, he is later fired and has a brain injury due to his actions. Zhendong leaves, but Peiru follows him despite his memory loss.
They marry and start a family in the countryside. She works part-time in an office to support them while living with her brother and his family.
The movie helps you understand Chinese society and the issues it faces. The language is also relatively simple to follow, making it an excellent flick for learning the basics of the language.
5. This Is Not What I Expected (喜欢你 / Xi huan ni) — 2017
Although the Chinese title translates to “I like you,” the song was released in 2017 alongside “This Is Not What I Expected.”
Based on Lan Bai Se’s novel Finally, I Get You, this movie is an excellent introduction to contemporary Chinese humor. It also includes notable instances of how the language is employed in everyday situations.
This amusing chick flick is worth your time if you want to learn how to order at a Chinese restaurant or how couples communicate in China. This is one of the top Chinese movies for learning Mandarin.
6. House of Flying Daggers (十面埋伏 / Shí Miàn Mái Fú) — 2004
This 2004 martial arts film features some impressive battle scenes. It is a beautiful example of Chinese cinematography at its finest. Plus, the dialogue between the characters is very poetic for an action film.
If you are a more advanced Chinese learner and desire a career in the Chinese language, you can pick up some elegant lines. This can make your Chinese sound sophisticated.
Remembering Chinese idioms can be difficult. However, linking them with Chinese films is a fun and straightforward recognition approach.
7. Big Fish and Begonia (大鱼海棠 / Dàyú Hǎitáng) — 2016
This animated film tells the story of Chun and her quest to save Kun, a human child who saved her life and now lives in her world as a dolphin. They released it in 2017.
The artwork, narrative, and unpredictable plot create a compelling world vision that includes humans, non-humans, and the living and the dead.
The script uses simple Chinese phrases but is touching and touches on some philosophical themes. It will have you thinking long after the credits have rolled.
8. Happy times (幸福时光 / Xìngfú Shíguāng) — 2000
“Happy Times” is an unusual comedy with a hilarious story. As with many Chinese films, you can expect it to be goofy and ridiculous for being goofy and silly, but note that it’s also reasonably mature.
The characters are a strange bunch of retired buddies who set up a faux hotel in an abandoned warehouse and hire a blind girl to work in the “hotel” with good intentions.
Concentrating on the language spoken between the laughter may be difficult, but it will be worthwhile. This one is ideal for learning light-hearted conversation and daily romantic and friendly terms.
9. Last Train Home (归途列车 / Guītú lièchē) — 2009
“Last Train Home” is a fantastic look at one of the most fascinating and crucial aspects of modern Chinese life: trying to get home for the holidays. It centers on a physically and emotionally torn-apart family, driven by the need to relocate to large cities to find jobs.
The main characters speak with a thick dialectal accent, making it tricky to understand. Still, the film imparts at least one crucial lesson about China: don’t travel by train around the Chinese New Year.
This movie offers substantial support in areas such as transportation, commercial jargon, and family dynamics. This is an excellent film to learn Mandarin.
10. Up the Yangtze — 2007
“Up the Yangtze” depicts the significant impact of the Three Gorges Dam Project on people of various social classes. It tells the story of a family whose home will be flooded by the dam’s construction.
Surprisingly, the family’s daughter finds work on a river cruise ship. The other lead is a well-known young worker eager for new opportunities, but lacks the values and traditions of others.
Many Chinese learners are bound to converse with native speakers about personal and cultural changes. This makes for a terrific learning experience.
11. You Are the Apple of My Eye (我们一起追的女孩 / Na Xie Nian, Wo Men Yi Qi Zhui De Nu Hai) — 2001
You Are the Apple of My Eye is a coming-of-age romance film set in Taiwan, released in 2011. It is based on the semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by Taiwanese novelist Giddens Ko.
Michelle Chen plays Shen Chia-Yi, a popular and top student. Ko Chen-tung plays Ko Ching-teng, a troublemaker and mischievous student who eventually becomes a writer.
The plot follows the two main characters and their friends and family on their journey through life, from high school to beyond.
The movie’s straightforward language makes it easy for beginners to follow and learn from. If you wish to pass the Taiwan-based TOCFL exam, you cannot afford to miss it.
12. Getting Home (落叶归根 / Lùo yè gūi gēn) — 2007
“Getting Home” is a classic Chinese comedy film released in 2007. It follows the story of a man named Zhao who owes a favor to his close friend and co-worker.
The friend expresses his dying wish to be buried in the Three Gorges region. So Zhao, although poor, travels across the country carrying his dead friend. He meets people from all walks of life, giving him insight into their struggles and stories.
The deep story is light-hearted and has comedic elements, making it a must-watch. Moreover, they kept the language simple and accessible to beginners.
13. The Road Home (我的父亲母亲/ wǒde fùqin mǔqin) — 1999
“The Road Home” is a quiet, charming love story set in rural China around fifty years ago. The story follows a young couple through their lives, but most of it is set when they are children.
The Chinese language learner will benefit from the relatively small number of characters. The tale is simple to follow, and the old couple’s son provides some narration.
As a result, the story is straightforward to reconstruct. The film also has excellent images and a soundtrack that keeps you entertained.
It also allows Chinese language students to experience life in rural China before the Cultural Revolution’s modernization, with none of the above themes.
14. Raise the Red Lantern (大红灯笼高高挂 / Dà Hóng Dēnglong Gāogāo Guà) — 1992
This classic 1991 film depicts China’s cultural development and changes during the early 20th century.
The plot centers on the interactions among four spouses in a wealthy man’s household. They are occasionally amicable but more frequently envious and manipulative. The narrative is fascinating, especially as the plot unfolds and the film reaches a spectacular conclusion.
The film’s character depth and cultural aspects are a go-to learning point for the learners. The terms and flow will also facilitate Chinese language learning.
15. The Story of Qiu Ju (秋菊打官司 / Qiū Jú dǎ guānsi) — 1992
In this movie, a determined woman seeking justice travels to the city while pregnant to pursue a case against the man who injured her husband.
She appeals her way up the system, but the results are, at best, irritating. All she wants is an apology, but the culprit is adamant about not apologizing.
This film is excellent for students because the language is closer to everyday speech than to movie script lines. Yet, it will be perfect practice for advanced students. It also does an outstanding job of portraying China in the early 1990s through documentary-style street scenes.
16. The Blue Kite (蓝风筝 / Lán fēngzheng) — 1993
In this movie, various Chinese families describe their changing experiences during the Cultural Revolution.
In this film, the story is narrated by a young boy, Tietou. He is the central character, with a charming personality that elicits viewer sympathy. While growing up, he had to deal with three different fathers.
Conversations between the child and his family are a big part of Blue Kite (Lan Feng Zheng). Communication between adults is also easy to grasp. It is an excellent film for learners studying Mandarin.
17. Suzhou River (苏州河 / Sūzhōu Hé) — 2000
The film depicts a tragic love story set in contemporary Shanghai. This engaging story of love and obsession covers identity, neediness, and wishes.
Shanghai’s Suzhou River flows through a rapidly expanding city with dirt, debris, chaos, and poverty. It is a place where memories, secrets, and unknown mysteries meet.
Many international film festivals and events have recognized it with awards and nominations. This film was also well received overseas, although it was not initially screened in mainland China.
If you want to improve your Chinese language through “real cinema,” this is a flick you should keep on your favorites list.
18. Together (和你在一起 / hé nǐ zài yì qǐ) — 2002
This film is about a man who wants his son to succeed as a violin player. Together, they portray a typical Chinese view that success typically comes through significant sacrifice and intense focus.
The man moves to Beijing with his son so that the boy can participate in a music contest. But, sadly, the hardworking father often puts his son’s match above their relationship.
The relationship between the child and his violin teacher is humorous and fun. “Together” offers a glimpse of the challenges many Chinese who move to large cities face.
19. Beijing Taxi (北京出租 / běi jīng chū zū chē) — 2010
In Beijing Taxi, three taxi drivers followed taxi drivers in Beijing in 2008, just before the Beijing Olympics. The city changed dramatically during that time.
The words of these three individuals reflect the demolition of many old neighborhoods to make way for Olympic facilities. Yet, despite the changes they cannot control, it looks at hardworking people’s everyday lives.
Most Mandarin learners are likely already familiar with the Beijing accent, especially if they have listened to audio lessons, which typically feature this northern Chinese dialect.
20. Lost in Thailand (人再囧途之泰囧 / Rén Zài Jiǒng Tú zhī Tài Jiŏng) — 2012
Directed by Xu Zheng and starring Xu Zheng, Wang Baoqiang, and Huang Bo, Lost in Thailand is a 2012 Chinese comedy.
Scientists Xu and Bo traveled to Thailand to search for their boss, who lived in a Buddhist temple. They wanted to be the first scientists to get a patent and market a new chemical additive.
While going, Xu meets a pancake sales agent named Wang, who comes from Beijing. He wanted to achieve many dreams in Bangkok as a tourist, but he had no experience traveling.
Following a comic turn of events, both form a team and locate Xu’s boss in Thailand. The story is simple, making comedy even more enjoyable.
21. Farewell My Concubine (霸王别姬 / bàwáng bié jī) — 1993
Based on Lillian Lee’s novel, The Farewell My Concubine is a historical drama film directed by Chen Kaige. They are set in the mid-1800s and originate from Hong Kong.
This story is about an opera starring two of Beijing’s most renowned male opera stars and a charming woman who comes to separate them. It also examines political instability in China and its effects on families, groups, and individuals.
This film uses Chinese in the international context. In this historical setting, the acting is outstanding, and the visuals are spectacular.
It is an excellent film for Chinese learners who plan to take the Mandarin Proficiency exam.
22. Let The Bullet Fly (让子弹飞 / Rang Zi dan Fei) — 2010
Let the Bullet Fly is a Western comedy flick with many action scenes.
The story narrates a group of thieves who lay in an ambush on a train. They did all this to fight against a different group of bandits. Although the film features a high level of entertaining humor, the spoken Mandarin dialect is difficult for beginners to understand.
Only advanced language learners can comprehend it better. Thus, this film will be helpful if you intend to appear for the Level V or VI of the Chinese HSK test.
23. Secret (不能说的·秘密 / Bùnéng shuō de·mìmì) — 2007
“Secret” is a witty, romantic, delightful, and lively Chinese film released in 2007. Featuring Jay Chou as the protagonist, this time-spanning film delivers a strong punch and a great feeling for learners.
A Secret reveals a haunting and powerful love saga about a young and energetic piano student who falls in rebellious love with an adorable and mysterious girl.
The language is easy to understand due to the simple Mandarin dialect used in the film. If you appreciate classical music, you will like the pleasing background soundtrack.
Final Words on studying Chinese with films
Watching Mandarin films is an effective way to learn the Chinese language.
That was the list of 23 Chinese movies that are sure to be a stepping stone on your journey of learning the language and culture of China. While I could not list all the top-rated and popular options, these can serve as a good starting point for your Mandarin learning tools.
With the proper focus and time investment, fun things like films can be great learning opportunities. So get on to it, and let the fun begin!
If you want more recommendations and further information, please feel free to ask us in the comments below.
I will go to China 🇨🇳 1 day.
I want to study Chinese please help me
Join any learning center or find a teacher. Alternatively, use some resources like books, podcasts, apps, etc.