Workbook for the Chinese self-study course “365 Characters with the ‘About Chinese in Russian’ Website”
Learning Chinese characters becomes much easier when each new character is seen as a system of interconnected elements with a specific stroke order, rather than as a random drawing.
The workbook «365 Characters with the ‘About Chinese in Russian’ Website» was created for precisely this approach. It helps you go beyond memorizing individual character shapes to gradually master the patterns of Chinese writing, learn to write confidently by hand, and better understand how the language works.
What the workbook includes
The full workbook covers 365 of the most commonly used beginner-level characters.
For each character, it provides:
- writing in the correct stroke order;
- pronunciation (Pinyin);
- the radical;
- stroke count;
- exercises for gradually mastering the written form;
- a link to the dictionary entry on the «About Chinese in Russian» website.
Each dictionary entry supplements the workbook with stroke-order animation, standard pronunciation, usage examples, and additional character information. This makes the workbook part of an integrated system for independently studying Chinese writing.
How the lessons are structured
We recommend studying each new character in the same sequence.
First, build the character gradually, adding just one new stroke in each successive square. Then write the complete character several times to reinforce the correct stroke order. After that, consult the website’s dictionary entry, watch the animation, listen to the pronunciation, and explore the usage examples.
This approach helps develop a lasting writing skill while connecting the written form, pronunciation, and meaning of each character.
What results you can expect
After mastering all 365 characters, you will be able to read simple Chinese texts much more confidently, write the most common characters without constantly consulting a model, and understand the principles behind the construction of many other characters.
You will also be able to independently read and write short texts like this one:
我是在中国学汉语的俄国人。你也来这学吗？他她都说汉语很有用。 我看书写字听人讲课，春夏秋冬我读写。 日月山水很美，我去山上看风雨。 人在山中喝茶吃菜，人来我家我给他茶水。 我爱读书，也爱学中文。 你我都想学好汉语，走路看字听说读写。
This short story consists entirely of characters included in the workbook. It clearly demonstrates how many opportunities for reading and writing open up after mastering a relatively small but carefully selected set of commonly used characters.
Who the workbook is for
The workbook is primarily intended for those who:
- are beginning to learn Chinese independently;
- study with a teacher and want to master writing faster;
- are preparing for beginner-level HSK exams;
- want not only to recognize characters but also to understand how they are constructed.
An investment in a skill that stays with you
The complete workbook costs about the same as a single academic hour with a tutor.
Yet the workbook is yours to keep forever, letting you revisit the exercises as often as needed. Together with the materials on the «About Chinese in Russian» website, it forms a comprehensive system for studying Chinese writing independently, one you can return to at any stage of learning.