Memorizing vocabulary is one of the most time-consuming parts of learning Mandarin Chinese.

Spaced repetition software is the most effective way to lock new words into your long-term memory.

Anki is a highly popular flashcard app that uses a smart algorithm to help you remember Mandarin vocabulary efficiently.

This guide explains exactly how to set up Anki for your daily Mandarin studies.

Downloading and installing Anki

You first need to download the software to your computer or smartphone.

Head to the official Anki website and download the correct version for your operating system.

It’s completely free to use on Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android devices.

The official iOS app for Apple users does cost money to download.

However, you can always use AnkiWeb on your iPhone browser for free if you prefer not to pay.

Creating your first Mandarin deck

You need a place to organize your flashcards once you open the application.

Click the “Create Deck” button located at the bottom of the main Anki screen.

Name your deck something simple and clear like “Mandarin Vocabulary”.

You can eventually create separate decks for different topics, but one main deck is perfect for beginners.

Click on your newly created deck to open it up.

You’ll then click the “Add” button at the top of the screen to start creating your first flashcard.

Designing the perfect Mandarin flashcard

A good language flashcard needs to test your memory without giving you too many hints.

You must design your cards to test your reading, listening, and pronunciation skills.

The front of your card should only show the Chinese characters (Hanzi).

The back of your card should contain the pinyin, the English meaning, and an audio file.

Putting the pinyin on the back ensures that you’re actually reading the characters and not just reading the phonetic alphabet.

Adding audio to your cards

Hearing the language spoken out loud is necessary for mastering Mandarin tones.

Anki allows you to attach audio files directly to the back of your flashcards.

You can click the small paperclip icon in the “Add” window to upload an audio file from your computer.

Alternatively, you can install the free AwesomeTTS add-on to generate audio automatically.

This add-on reads the Chinese characters on your card and generates realistic text-to-speech audio for you.

Where to find vocabulary

You should only add words to Anki that you’ve already seen in context.

Don’t download massive decks of random vocabulary from the internet.

Instead, extract useful sentences and words from your active study sessions.

You can find hundreds of practical phrases and dialogues inside our Talk In Mandarin curriculum.

For example, if you learn how to order drinks in a lesson, you can add that exact sentence to your flashcard deck.

Practicing full sentences helps you learn grammar and vocabulary at the same time.

Best settings for daily practice

Anki’s default settings work perfectly fine for most beginners.

However, you should manually limit your new cards to a maximum of 10 to 15 per day.

Click the gear icon next to your deck, select “Options”, and lower your daily new card limit.

Learning too many new Mandarin words in a single day will quickly overwhelm you with reviews later in the week.

Consistency is far more important than speed when it comes to language acquisition.

Open your Anki deck and complete your reviews every single day without skipping.