Chinese

With over 5,000 years of cultural history, the Chinese language is a fascinating one to learn and explore. You can choose from a series of short online Chinese language courses at the OU. Each gives you interactive audio and visual materials plus opportunities to interact virtually with your fellow learners, so that you can try out your communication skills and engage more deeply with the language. On our beginners course you'll learn the essentials of reading, writing, talking and listening in Chinese so that you can speak and understand simple Chinese in everyday contexts.

You’ll also develop key skills that will provide you with a strong platform for learning if you decide to take your Chinese language studies further. And after successfully completing this short course you will also receive a digital badge that you can share on social media, add to email signatures or use as a certificate, which could be useful if you’re studying to further your career.

Our courses

Beginners Chinese 1: 开始吧 kāishĭ ba!
Start learning Mandarin Chinese on our course that’s perfect for beginners (CEFR level A1).

Beginners Chinese 2: 开始吧 kāishĭ ba!
Expand your basic Chinese vocabulary in topics like food and leisure activities (CEFR level A1).

Beginners Chinese 3: 开始吧 kāishĭ ba!
Ideal for those with a grasp of beginners’ Chinese to improve their language skills (CEFR level A1).

Chinese business culture essentials
Build positive, long-term business relationships using knowledge of Chinese culture and values.

Ready to start learning Chinese? Take a look at our Courses.