Below is a listing of recommendations and resources for learning Mandarin.
Lingq thread - “How do I start Chinese?” my recommendation: http://www.lingq.com/forum/46/17367/?page=1#post-122457
Steve on Mandarin study and language meta-learning:
Why people have difficulties studying Chinese: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPhmTOmB26E
transcript: Login - LingQ
Seven secrets of successful language learning: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDqoNTRB3og
transcript: Login - LingQ
On the Importance of Input: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V0iemIfeBQ
transcript: Login - LingQ
词汇量为什么重要: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybGXbHMkFHc
transcript: Login - LingQ
Beginner: recommended Mandarin language-learning podcasts, with audio and transcripts:
Popup Chinese (Pàopào Zhōngwén 泡泡中文): http://popupchinese.com/
Chinesepod : http://chinesepod.com/
Slow Chinese (Mànsù Zhōngwén 慢速中文): http://www.slow-chinese.com/
The Chairman’s Bao : http://www.thechairmansbao.com/
Wolf and Huahua series : Login - LingQ
(you are best off with these 5 imo, all the rest suffer in comparison, stick to Mandarin-only content on these sites)
Advanced: I’d recommend Mandarin chat radio with transcripts as the “gold standard” for advanced learning Mandarin:
Chat radio, with audio and transcripts:
Chat Radio Transcripts - Mandarin: Login - LingQ
Chat Radio Transcripts - Mandarin - Longer Chats (刘江 SBS): Login - LingQ
Morning coffee - Mandarin talk back radio transcripts : Login - LingQ
Hot issues: Login - LingQ
TV shows are also good : TV shows, with exportable transcripts:
Most shows from viki.com are ok. Also, if you register as an editor you can access soft copies of transcripts. Also see learn mode - https://support.viki.com/hc/en-us/articles/231829048-How-to-use-Learn-Mode-
Also:
Lǔ Yù yǒu yuē (鲁豫有约):
http://phtv.ifeng.com/listpage/678/1/list.shtml
http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/lyyy/list_0/0.shtml
Qiāngqiāng sān rén xíng (锵锵三人行):
http://phtv.ifeng.com/listpage/677/1/list.shtml
http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/qqsrx/list_0/0.shtml
Fēichéngwùrǎo , If you are the one (非诚勿扰): http://bit.ly/1ZqqsBA
1+1 : 往期回顾_《新闻1+1》专区
Kangxi : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-z9BI8hMHNPrvnccyWgjyg
Míngrén miànduìmiàn (名人面对面):
http://phtv.ifeng.com/listpage/679/1/list.shtml
名人面对面_凤凰卫视_凤凰网
Distractions:
The Jinxing Show: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1OG5YATWAbDw_-GefWKq6-nzz2rg--eS
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGjsh-EBqdUPoPEETWTuNxS_gdCjaq701
越夜越动听 那条视频不见了-腾讯视频
Funniest Home Videos: http://tv.cntv.cn/videoset/VSET100165719242
Top Gear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whQmBkoMwHo&list=PL4h4SEPdxAGwbZ-4qhdAeg27JPJ2Kmzrk
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1OG5YATWAbDRhsuTA-tkdI6_ibrT3KKw
Àiqíng bǎowèi zhàn (爱情保卫战): https://www.youtube.com/user/aqbwz
Miss Puff: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfDsdWj37vIyvmqyDI3cV4w
Podcasts:
Lìzhī (荔枝) : http://www.lizhi.fm/
PlayerFM/zh : https://player.fm/zh/featured/topics
Dragonfly : http://www.qingting.fm/
Xǐmǎlāyǎ (喜马拉雅) : http://www.ximalaya.com/
Books and Audiobooks:
Hán Hán (韩寒) “Sānchóngmén” (三重门)
Liú Cíxīn (刘慈欣) “Sān tǐ” (三体)
Qián Zhōngshū ( 钱锺书) “Wéi Chéng” (围城)
Mò Yán (莫言) “Tiāntáng suàntái zhī gē” (天堂蒜薹之歌)
Lǔ Xùn (鲁迅) “ĀQ zhèngzhuàn” (阿Q正传)
Local (for me) content:
SBS Podcasts | SBS Audio ,
http://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/mandarin?language=en ,
新足迹-华人论坛|澳洲华人|澳洲新闻|澳洲移民|股票外汇|澳洲旅游 - Powered by Discuz! ,
新闻汇总-澳洲新闻|澳洲时政|最新新闻|澳洲政府动态-新足迹论坛 - Powered by Discuz!
Xiàngsheng (相声): http://www.xiangsheng.org/portal.php?mod=list&catid=59 , 博文_洋洋爱相声_新浪博客
The above is 80% of what I used, below is the “long tail” other 20%:
Other TV shows
Current affairs / social shows, with audio and transcripts:
Zhìfùjīng (致富经) : 《致富经》栏目专区_央视网(cctv.com) , 《致富经》视频列表_央视网(cctv.com)
Měirì nóngjīng (每日农经) : 《每日农经》专区_央视网(cctv.com) , 《每日农经》节目视频_央视网(cctv.com)
Wèndá shénzhōu (问答神州): 问答神州_凤凰卫视_凤凰网
Fēngyún duìhuà (风云对话) : 风云对话_凤凰卫视_凤凰网
Yǔ mèngxiǎng tóngxíng (与梦想同行) : 与梦想同行_凤凰卫视_凤凰网
Shèhuì néng jiàndù (社会能见度): 社会能见度_凤凰卫视_凤凰网
Lěngnuǎn rénshēng (冷暖人生): 冷暖人生_凤凰卫视_凤凰网
Huánqiú shìxiàn (环球视线): 《环球视线》专区
Miànduìmiàn (面对面): http://cctv.cntv.cn/lm/mianduimian/index.shtml
Zhōumò lóngménzhèn (周末龙门阵): http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/zmlmz/list_0/0.shtml
Zǒng biānjí shíjiān (总编辑时间): http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/zbjsj/list_0/0.shtml
Shíshì kāijiǎng (时事开讲): http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/sskj/list_0/0.shtml
Yīzhōu cáijīng xīn qūshì ( 一周财经新趋势): http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/cjxqs/list_0/0.shtml
Tiānxià bèi wǎngluó (天下被网罗): http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/txbwl/list_0/0.shtml
Shí píng dà cáijīng (石评大财经): http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/spdcj/list_0/0.shtml
Jiāodiǎn guānzhù (焦点关注): http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/jdgz/list_0/0.shtml
Jiāodiǎn fǎngtán (焦点访谈) : http://cctv.cntv.cn/lm/jiaodianfangtan/jiemushipin/index.shtml
Xīnwén jīnrì tán ( 新闻今日谈) : http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/xwjrt/list_0/0.shtml
Huánqiú rénwù zhōukān (环球人物周刊) : http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/hqrwzk/list_0/0.shtml
Yī hǔ yī xítán (一虎一席谈) : http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/yhyxt/list_0/0.shtml
Shíshì biànlùnhuì (时事辩论会) : http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/ssblh/list_0/0.shtml
Health shows, with audio and transcripts:
Jiànkāng xīn gàiniàn (健康新概念): http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/jkxgn/list_0/0.shtml
Jiànkāng yǒu yuē (健康有约): http://jiankang.cntv.cn/jkyy/ , http://jiankang.cntv.cn/
Food shows, with audio and transcripts:
Shéjiān shàng de Zhōngguó (舌尖上的中国), video : http://jishi.cntv.cn/program/sjsdzg/index.shtml
Shéjiān shàng de Zhōngguó (舌尖上的中国), transcripts : http://wenku.baidu.com/view/b635a6da84254b35eefd3442.html , http://tushu.junshishu.com/Book20624/
Speeches, with audio and transcripts:
http://kejiao.cntv.cn/special/kaijiangla/biyeji/
History / culture, with audio and transcripts:
Shàngxià wǔqiān nián (上下五千年): http://www.amazon.cn/有声•上下五千年/dp/B00118OIIA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343144533&sr=8-1
Wǒ de Zhōngguó xīn (我的中国心): http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/wdzgx/list_0/0.shtml
Wénhuà dàguānyuán (文化大观园): http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/whdgy/list_0/0.shtml
Téngfēi Zhōngguó (腾飞中国): http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/tfzg/list_0/0.shtml
Books, reviews, with audio and transcripts:
Kāijuàn bā fēnzhōng (开卷八分钟): http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/kjbfz/list_0/0.shtml
Newscasts, with audio and transcripts:
Daily newspaper reading : http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/ybttd/list_0/0.shtml
XMWB : http://www.xmwb.com.cn/
VOA : http://www.voachinese.com/
UN Radio : http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/chinese/
CCTV : http://cctv.cntv.cn/lm/xinwenlianbo/
imandarinpod news : http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/special-chinese
Weather, with audio and transcripts:
http://xinwenlianbo.tv/tianqiyubao/
http://www.weathertv.cn/
Goss / entertainment sites, with some audio and transcripts:
http://ent.ifeng.com/
Interviews with TV/Music/Movies stars (h/t ShenBo): http://fangtan.ifensi.com/
Diǎndī fènghuáng rén (點滴鳳凰人): http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/ddfhr/list_0/0.shtml
Yú yuè dà fēngbào (娱乐大风暴): http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/yldfb/list_0/0.shtml
Wánquán shíshàng shǒucè (完全时尚手册): http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/wqsssc/list_0/0.shtml
Fènghuáng zīxùn bǎng (凤凰资讯榜): http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/fhzxb/list_0/0.shtml
Standup comedy, with audio and transcripts: http://www.lingq.com/forum/40/35648/
Finance / economics shows, with audio and transcripts:
Interviews with Chinese Economists (h/t ShenBo) : http://money.163.com/economist
Jīnshí cáijīng (金石财经): http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/jscj/list_0/0.shtml
Cáijīng diǎnduìdiǎn (财经点对点): http://phtv.ifeng.com/program/cjddd/list_0/0.shtml
Science podcasts, with audio and transcripts:
adults: http://www.csiro.au/en/Portals/Multimedia/CSIROpod-Mandarin.aspx
kids: http://www.hongbalun.com/
Audiobooks:
鲁迅: https://librivox.org/author/2654?primary_key=2654&search_category=author&search_page=1&search_form=get_results
Arthur Conan Doyle, example (h/t LFJ):
Text: http://www.shuku.net/novels/foreign/mosi/mosi.html
Audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1sbP6_3680
Folk stories, with audio and transcripts:
http://www.worldstories.org.uk/stories/stories?lang=cantonese,mandarin
Different dialects, with audio and transcripts:
http://phonemica.net/
Xiàngsheng (相声), audio and transcripts:
Listening Comprehension In Chinese: Performing ‘comic dialogs’ (shuo xiangsheng), Cornelius C. Kubler, ISBN: 0-88710-184-4
Xiàngsheng (相声) transcripts: http://www.xiangsheng.org/portal.php?mod=list&catid=59 , 博文_洋洋爱相声_新浪博客
Xiàngsheng (相声), with Chinese subs (Guō Dégāng 郭德纲 etc): http://www.youku.com/playlist_show/id_5253561.html
A good way to get xiangsheng transcripts and dialogues together is to go through lists like this http://www.xiangsheng.org/portal.php?mod=list&catid=59 ,and this 博文_洋洋爱相声_新浪博客 , then look for a performer you like, then just search on the name of the performance and/or dòugén for a video or the audio.
General news sites:
Cáixīn (财新): http://www.caixin.com/ , Cáixīn Enjoy (Enjoy财新) : http://enjoy.caixin.com/, BBC : http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/ , DW : http://www.dw.de/在线报导/s-9058 , NYT : http://cn.nytimes.com/ , NHK : http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/chinese/top/index.html ,
RFI : http://www.chinese.rfi.fr/ , FT : http://www.ftchinese.com/ , Finance Sina: http://finance.sina.com.cn/ , 163: http://www.163.com/ , QQ news: http://news.qq.com/ , China dialogue : https://www.chinadialogue.net/ , Engadget : http://chinese.engadget.com/ , Techcrunch : http://techcrunch.cn/ , Guokr : http://www.guokr.com/ , Sōngshǔhuì (松鼠会) : http://songshuhui.net/ , Swissinfo.ch : http://www.swissinfo.ch/chi , SBS : http://www.sbs.com.au/chinese/ , China daily: http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/language_tips/news/ , thepaper: http://www.thepaper.cn/
Radio:
Tunein Stations : 87.6 Beijing Joy FM, 87.8 VOC, 103.9 Beijing Traffic. RTI online: http://cnnews.rti.org.tw/ . 87.6 FM videos: http://v.rbc.cn/myvideo?uid=84207 , Radiovr : http://radiovr.com.cn/ , ifeng: http://uradio.ifeng.com/ , CNR: http://www.cnr.cn/ , http://wyzs.cnr.cn/ , SBS : http://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/social-tags/mandarin , http://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/social-tags/curatedm2 , CRI education: http://gb.cri.cn/1321/more/43229/more43229.htm
General podcasts, no transcripts:
Go to itunes, change your country to China, click on podcasts.
Some good ones:
https://itunes.apple.com/cn/podcast/huai-dan-diao-pin/id515330701?mt=2
https://itunes.apple.com/cn/podcast/xin-wen-suan-cai-guan/id473501583?mt=2
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/you-de-liao-bo-ke/id493254305?mt=2
https://itunes.apple.com/nz/podcast/lao-wai-kan-dian/id785834971?mt=2
also see: Xǐmǎlāyǎ (喜马拉雅) : http://www.ximalaya.com/
Movies and TV shows:
General TV and vids : pptv http://www.pptv.com/ , Sōuhú (搜狐) http://tv.sohu.com/ , Bǎidù shìpín (百度视频) http://v.baidu.com/ , Sōukù (搜库) http://www.soku.com/ , Ài qíyì (爱奇艺) http://www.iqiyi.com/ , Tǔdòu (土豆) http://www.tudou.com/ , Yōukù (优酷) http://www.youku.com/ , Mángguǒ TV (芒果TV) , http://www.hunantv.com/ , CCTV : http://cctv1.cntv.cn/ , BRTN : http://www.brtn.cn/ , Dragon : http://www.dragontv.cn/
, Kids TV : http://cctv14.cntv , and in particular http://cctv.cntv.cn/lm/donghuajuchang/index.shtml , this one is ok : http://donghua.cntv.cn/special/dedtt/shouye/ , http://donghua.cntv.cn/2013/09/29/VIDA1380424397912453.shtml
ZhongwenMovies: http://www.zhongwenmovies.com/
Watch movies in Chinese : https://www.facebook.com/watchmoviesinchinese
Wénmíng zhī lǚ (文明之旅), with subs : http://cctv.cntv.cn/lm/wenmingzhilv/index.shtml
Youtube soft subs:
- To obtain text use: keepsubs.com or any srt downloader
- To obtain audio: mp3/4 downloaders
Example content, with Chinese soft subs:
江苏卫视官方频道 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZWO2OrUFQ0F6Ft_zO4LqQg
eg: http://bit.ly/1ZqqsBA
Kangxi https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-z9BI8hMHNPrvnccyWgjyg
Books :
Bookfree : http://www.bookfree.com.cn/ , librivox: https://librivox.org/
Online forums:
Wēibó (微博) top trending topics: http://huati.weibo.com/
Tiānyá (天涯): http://bbs.tianya.cn/
Dòubàn (豆瓣): http://www.douban.com/
BBC news forums: http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/ws/category.jspa?categoryID=5 , http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/comments_on_china/index.shtml
Oursteps : 新足迹-华人论坛|澳洲华人|澳洲新闻|澳洲移民|股票外汇|澳洲旅游 - Powered by Discuz!
Some inspiration I used, some westerners who speak better Chinese than many Chinese people do:
Julien Gaudfroy:
http://tv.cntv.cn/video/C39192/f0ca8aadbba2406a82212f19da908785
Charlotte Macinnis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noyCrTCleZ0
Michael Crook: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voZ4Lfbs19o
Jonathan Kos Read:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOkSm-3H7hU
+obviously this guy - along with Gaudfroy, O Deorian etc: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XNTA2NTY3MDMy.html
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/05/can-stand-up-comedy-succeed-in-china/361801/
k-rud:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2APOCKyB3k#t=394
Other links:
Pronunciation:
Sinosplice provides and excellent overview for beginners:
http://www.sinosplice.com/learn-chinese/pronunciation-of-mandarin-chinese
Sinosplice pretty much nails it - but the following two links helped me with some of the more nuanced aspects, like the umlaut u:
http://www.learnchineseabc.com/chinese-pinyin-initials.htm , http://www.learnchineseabc.com/chinese-pinyin-finals.htm [ignore the instructions at learnchineseabc, which is mostly incorrect - and just watch the visuals]
Also seek out lots of PSC-type material eg
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XOTE5NTEwOTY=.html?from=y1.2-1-87.3.7-2.1-1-1-6
http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XODg2NjczNTI=.html?from=y1.2-1-87.3.3-2.1-1-1-2
I also highly recommend computer pronunciation feedback programs, or regularly recording yourself speaking natural dialogs and re-listening with a critical ear.
Casual conversation : (lingq, italki, chinesehour etc).
Notable mentions:
Pleco https://www.pleco.com/ , also see: http://pth.linqi.org/pyzd_biaozhu.html , http://mandarinspot.com/annotate , http://www.iciba.com/
Chinese grammar wiki: http://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/
Talkify: http://talkify.net/
culturelab: http://culturelab.cc/
FluentU Mandarin : http://www.fluentu.com/chinese/ (I haven’t used it since it became way too expensive. The ROI on sites like fluentu is also way overrated imo. No easy way to download dialogues etc, or to get editable text, dialogues too short etc). Also see - culturelab.cc
Sino motion: http://sinomotion.tumblr.com/
Funniest home videos : http://tv.cntv.cn/videoset/VSET100165719242
Shiny : http://www.shinychinese.com/
Shanghai xinmin : http://shanghai.xinmin.cn/video/ms/index.html
Chāoxīng (超星): http://chaoxing.com/
Chāoxīng mooc page : http://mooc.chaoxing.com/
Justing: www.justing.com.cn
also here: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/jing-ya-si-ting-zhong-wen/id289656806?mt=2
other moocs:
mooc.guokr.com
http://www.icourses.cn/home/
http://video.jingpinke.com/
My own views, fwiw:
Lingq thread - “How do I learn to read and write characters?” my response : http://www.lingq.com/forum/45/23045/?page=1#post-161810
Lingq thread - “Best way to learn a new language?” my response: http://www.lingq.com/forum/1/31284/?page=1#post-175821
Lingq thread - How many hours will it take me to get fluent? my response: http://www.lingq.com/forum/1/35158/?jump_to=1#post-194718
Lingq thread - The “10,000 hour rule” is not a rule : https://www.lingq.com/forum/1/38895/
Lingq thread - The fallacy of the two big jumps in language learning: http://www.lingq.com/forum/1/32320/
Lingq thread - How to remove your native accent : http://www.lingq.com/forum/4/35861/?page=1#post-199359
Lingq thread - My approach to studying Chinese : http://www.lingq.com/forum/40/32346/