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Chinese belongs to the Sino-Tibetan family of languages. The most widespread form of Chinese is Mandarin, which may be regarded as modern standard Chinese. It is spoken as a first language by over 835 million people in central and northern China, as well as Taiwan, claiming more native speakers than any other language. An additional 100 million speak it as a second language.

The Chinese writing system developed more than 4,000 years ago and consists of an individual character or ideogram for every syllable, each character representing a word or idea rather than a sound. Characters are written in columns read from top to bottom and from right to left, or in horizontal lines that read from left to right.

In 1956 an alphabet based on Roman letters (Pinyin) was developed in mainland China. Its purpose, however, was the phonetic transcription of Chinese characters rather than the replacement of them.

Online Audio and Video

"Languages Make a Difference"

Online audio and video materials are available for Chinese through Blackboard coursework.

Online Resources

  1. Online Chinese Tools, which includes a Chinese Character Flashcards java applet for learning Chinese characters.
    1. www.mandarintools.com
  2. Online character dictionary and pinyin chat, with various items of interest related to Chinese language learning
    1. www.zhongwen.com
  3. eStroke: animations to show order of strokes
    1. http://www.eon.com.hk/estroke/
  4. Online animations to learn to write characters
    1. http://www.csulb.edu/~txie/azi/page1.htm
  5. Bopomofo
    1. http://ctext.org/dictionary.pl?if=enctext.org

  1. Basic Chinese Grammar: A Review in Slides (Rutgers University)
    1. http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~rsimmon/chingram/

  1. Conversational Chinese Online (I)

http://www.csulb.edu/~txie/ccol/content.htm

15 Units of conversational Chinese for beginners, sound files and exercises developed by Tianwei Xie

  1. Conversational Chinese Online (II)

http://www.csulb.edu/~txie/ccol2/

6 Units of conversational Chinese for beginners, sound files and exercises

  1. Communicate in Chinese

http://english.cntv.cn/program/learnchinese/communicateinchinese/

A Chinese language-learning series by CCTV. Free online videos

  1. A blizzard website created by Prof. Marjorie Chan at Ohio State, on Chinese linguistics

https://chinalinks.osu.edu/

  1. Free U.S. State Department FSI print and audio materials for Mandarin, Cantonese, and many other languages

http://fsi-language-courses.org/Content.php

  1. A website of a leading expert on technology and Chinese learning and teaching in the U.S. His sites especially "Learning Chinese Online" have many resources. 

http://www.csulb.edu/~txie/ 

  1. Chinese Flashcard iPhone App

http://www.clavisinica.com/iphone-zika.html

  1. Chinese-English Dictionary App for iPhone, iPad, iPod, and Android

http://www.pleco.com

  1. KEY System for students & teachers of Chinese

www.cjkware.com

  1. Perapera Chinese pop-up dictionary for Firefox

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/perapera-kun-chinese-popup-tra

  1. Chinese Books Cyberstore

http://www.chinesebooks.net/

Self Learning

Communities

Atlanta Chinatown
Chinatown Mall, 5383 New Peachtree Rd Suite C, Atlanta, GA 30341
atlantachinatown.com

Center for Pan-Asian Community Services
3510 Shallowford Rd, Atlanta, GA 30341
www.icpacs.org
+1 770-936-0969

Center for Pan Asian Community Services: Gwinnett Office 
2100 Pleasant Hill Rd, Duluth, GA 30096
www.icpacs.org
+1 770-232-5200

Culture Center of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Atlanta
2840, 5377 New Peachtree Rd, Chamblee, GA 30341
https://www.ocac.gov.tw/ocac/
+1 770-451-4456 

Hong Kong Information Center – Atlanta
3390 Peachtree Rd # 1000, Atlanta, GA 30326
www.hongkongatlanta.com
+1 404-238-0875

Atlanta Chinese Dance Company (ACDC)
5595 Coverna Court Norcross, GA 30092
www.atlantachinesedance.org
+1 770-449-9953

Atlanta International Art Academy 绘画教育
2100 Parklake Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30345
+1 404-735-7918
 
Shaolin Institute
4350 Peachtree Industrial Blvd Suite 500 A, Norcross, GA 30071
http://www.shaolin-world.net/
+1 770-286-9808

William Pu Music Academy 浦立伟音乐学院
330 Prospect Pl, Alpharetta, GA 30005
+1 770-396-3626

88 Archery Club
4260 Creek Park Drive, Suwanee, GA 30024
https://www.88archeryacademy.com/
+1 678-451-5513

Association for Chinese from Korea
4300 GA-20, Buford, GA 30518
+1 770-945-1308 
 
Association of Chinese Professionals – Atlanta Chapter
P.O. Box 922436 Norcross, GA 30010
www.acp-atlanta.org
 
National Association of Chinese Americans – Atlanta
5483 Redbark Way, Atlanta, GA 30338
naca-atlanta.org
+1 770-394-6542

Organization of Chinese Americans – Georgia Chapter
+1 678-585-1524

Tai Chi Association
4651 Roswell Rd Suite E-402, Atlanta, GA 30342
www.tai-chi-association.com
+1 404-488-8383

Taiwanese Association of America – Atlanta Chapter
3189 Bolero Pass, Atlanta, GA 30341
+1 770-939-5753

Atlanta Chinese Life
6035 Peachtree Rd C210, Atlanta, GA 30341
+1 678-685-8086

Atlanta Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce
4101 Hooch Ct, Duluth, GA 30097
atlantatcc.org
+1 678-457-3356
 
China Business Alliance
303 Peachtree St NE Lobby, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30308
+1 770-552-6037 

Chinese Business Association of Atlanta
P.O. Box 47872, Doraville, GA 30362
www.cbaaweb.org 
+1 404-705-8079

Taipei Economic & Cultural Office In Atlanta
1180 West Peachtree Street Northwest #800, Atlanta, GA 30309
www.taiwanembassy.org
+1 404-870-9375

Atlanta Contemporary Chinese Academy (ACCA) - North Saturday Campus
Perimeter Church: 9500 Medlock Bridge Rd, Johns Creek, GA 30097
http://www.acca-web.org

Atlanta Contemporary Chinese Academy - North Sunday Campus
Bridgeway Christian Academy: 4755 Kimball Bridge Rd, Alpharetta, GA 30005
http://www.acca-web.org

Atlanta Contemporary Chinese Academy - South Campus
Callaway Memorial Center, Emory University, 537 Kilgo Circle, Atlanta, GA 30322
http://www.acca-web.org

Atlanta Contemporary Chinese Academy - West Campus
Hightower Trail Middle School 3905 Post Oak Tritt Rd,Marietta, GA 30062
http://www.acca-web.org

Atlanta Trilingual Academy
2581 Spring Rd SE, Smyrna, GA 30080
www.atlantatrilingualacademy.com
+1 404-647-4995

Atlanta Chinese News
3259 Oakcliff Rd, Doraville, GA 30340
www.atlantachinesenews.com
+1 770-455-0880

Chinese Community News
208 Willow Cove Ct SW, Lawrenceville, GA 30044
+1 770-717-5248 

World Journal Southeast Chinese Daily News
5389G New Peachtree Rd, Chamblee, GA 30341
www.worldjournal.com
+1 770-451-4509

Absolute Holistic Medicine
1868 Independence Square #A, Atlanta, GA 30338
www.baiacupuncture.com
+1 770-393-9090

Beijing Acupuncture & Herb Clinic
2645 N Berkeley Lake Rd NW #133, Duluth, GA 30096
www.acupuncturebeijing.com
+1 770-814-9898

Dr. Liu Chinese Medicine
2544 McClave Dr Suite 101, Atlanta, GA 30340
www.yellowmountaingreentea.com
+1 404-218-3685

Eastern Acupuncture & Herbal Clinic
4651 Roswell Rd #801, Atlanta, GA 30342
www.georgia-acupuncture.com
+1 770-720-1398

Renewai Herbs Center
5378 Buford Hwy NE #102, Doraville, GA 30340
+1 678-557-5718

Traditional Chinese Medicine
1512 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30324
+1 404-216-7008

Zhu Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine
Suite #300, 1776 Old Spring House Ln, Dunwoody, GA 30338
www.zhuacupuncture.com
+1 770-451-8199

Atlanta Chinese Christian Church
4434 Britt Rd, Tucker, GA 30084
www.accc.org
+1 770-908-1972

Atlanta Chinese Christian Church North
5055 E Morton Rd, Alpharetta, GA 30022
www.acccn.org
+1 770-740-1868

Atlanta Chinese Christian Church Northwest
1837 Bill Murdock Rd, Marietta, GA 30062
www.acccnw.org
+1 770-971-1837

Atlanta Taiwanese Presbyterian
1039 Rays Rd, Stone Mountain, GA 30083
www.atpc.org
+1 404-297-6656

First Chinese Baptist Church-Atlanta
2525 Gravitt Rd NW, Duluth, GA 30096
fcbca.org
+1 770-849-0017

First Chinese Church of Atlanta
6060 Spalding Dr, Norcross, GA 30092
+1 770-649-0393

North Atlanta Chinese Baptist Church
JFBC Room 326/346, 955 Johnson Ferry Rd, Marietta, GA 30068
www.nacbc.org
+1 678-674-9370