7 Reasons to Learn Chinese For The Future

Today’s economy has become a global village where multinational corporations are more common than ever before. And with the constant growth of international businesses, the importance of communicating on a worldwide scale continues to grow.

While many other languages hold a great deal of importance on a global scale, we will look at 7 reasons to learn Chinese and how Mandarin can benefit your future business, travel, or personal study. 

1. Growth in China’s economy

With China becoming an economic superpower and the most populous country globally, learning Mandarin will be immensely helpful for anyone who wants to get ahead in their career or business ventures.

With China’s rapidly expanding science and technology sectors, the country’s influence will continue to grow. Mandarin has a wide-reaching cultural significance and will be consistently recognized as one of the most prestigious languages in the world.

China’s importance in international trade cannot be understated. It was responsible for over ten percent of all global exports last year, with numbers projected to increase.

2. Over 1.1 billion people speaks Mandarin

Mandarin is the second most spoken language in the world, right after English | Statista

If Mandarin is one of the most spoken languages in the world, you’ll be joining 1.1 billion other people who can also speak it.

Over 80% of Chinese people speak Mandarin, and it is one of six official languages in Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

If you can read Hanzi and understand Chinese radicals, then traveling to these countries will be drastically easier.

3. China has created its own technology

China is building up its tech world, with the most prominent example being Huawei, a Chinese and popular tech giant.

China Huawei is a direct competitor to Apple and is blacklisted from the United States. For decades, China has attempted to use its own technology instead of relying on other countries.

4. Learning Mandarin makes you smarter

Learning a second or third language may make you smarter.

A study done in New Zealand found that bilingual children’s brains are more developed than monolinguals, and they have a greater capacity for cognitive control.

It is also worth noting that the benefits of learning a second language extend beyond just increased intelligence as it can increase empathy levels and improve your memory.

Learning the Chinese language is actually easier than you may think. Chinese grammar is similar to English, and even though the spoken language might seem hard, once you know the 4 tones, you will be able to speak Chinese easily. 

5. Knowing Mandarin will strengthen job applications

It is increasingly difficult to stand out on job applications today.

Everyone seems to have a university degree and highly demanded skills are being seen as no longer as essential.

Knowing Mandarin will provide you with an edge over other candidates and give you the potential to be hired for a position that otherwise might not have been available to you.

If you want your resume to stand out, speaking Chinese is a pathway!

6. Few Mandarin speakers know English

For the amount of business conducted between China and English-speaking countries, the number of people who speak Mandarin and English is surprisingly low.

In China, although English is taught in schools, it is estimated that less than 1% of the population is fluent.

Compared to other European languages, Mandarin is a tonal language which makes it harder for English native speakers to pronounce and speak Chinese.

But combining these two languages is a skill that a small percentage of the world has and can provide you with many opportunities for Chinese work.

7. Rich in Chinese culture and history

China is one of the most ancient civilizations that still exists today. As the birthplace of many different religions, languages, philosophies, etc., it is home to some of the world’s oldest continuous traditions.

The culture and history of China are something that many Westerners struggle to understand. Learning a language such as Mandarin can unlock your insight into one of the most fascinating cultures the world has to offer.

Even if traditional Chinese culture is not interesting to you, modern and pop Chinese culture is still prominent in today’s media. From its trendy Chinese food, fashion, technology, etc. There is just so much to explore in Chinese culture.

Start Learning Mandarin Today

Learning Mandarin isn’t as difficult as you may think! Even knowing the most basic Chinese will get you by when traveling. 

If you want to start learning Mandarin, try Pandanese! Pandanese combines mnemonics and SRS to have you actively recall more difficult hanzi. These methods will have you effectively memorize more Chinese vocabulary. Think of it like the Chinese WaniKani or the better Anki Alternative. 

Try it for free today!