Guilin rice noodles, or 桂林米粉 (Guìlín mǐfěn), is the ultimate dish to try in CLI’s beautiful home city of Guilin. These straightforward…
Guilin rice noodles, or 桂林米粉 (Guìlín mǐfěn), is the ultimate dish to try in CLI’s beautiful home city of Guilin. These straightforward…
The Chinese Language Institute Interactive Pinyin Chart Tap a syllable to hear it. Every sound in Mandarin is here, recorded in all…
Set along the Li River among limestone peaks, Guilin is a friendly, affordable city where Chinese becomes part of your day. Discover…
CLI was founded in Guilin, China in 2009 by two American brothers. Now in 2026, we remain as focused on our core…
In English, "pig" is an insult before it's an animal. In Chinese it means your household has more than it needs —…
Set along the Li River among limestone peaks, Guilin is a friendly, affordable city where Chinese becomes part of your day. Discover…
Starting a Chinese immersion program soon? This 30-day plan covers what to study before you go, the documents and payments to sort…
Nestled along the banks of the Li River, speckled with tens of thousands of individual karst peaks, and bustling with the arts,…
A practical guide to living with a Chinese host family — covering daily routines, hospitality culture, common friction points, key Mandarin phrases,…
The complete HSK 3.0 Level 4 word list — 1000 essential Chinese words with pinyin, definitions, 10 grammar patterns, 48 example sentences…
How long does it really take to learn Chinese? This beginner-friendly guide explains realistic timelines for speaking, HSK progress, and long-term fluency,…
You might be a master of western dining etiquette, but eating politely in China requires a whole new set of specialized skills…
Chinese Internet slang changes fast, but learning common terms like yyds, xswl, 内卷, 躺平, and 破防了 can help you understand Mandarin social…
Eating meat-free in China is easier than you think. Learn how to say "I am vegetarian" in Chinese, which dishes to order,…
In this July 2021 installment of CLI Perspectives, Immersion Program student Isabel Floyd takes us on an educational journey from the skyscrapers…
Covering nearly 300 acres in the heart of Guilin, Seven Star Park is the city's largest and most popular urban park. Its…
Immersion Program Your Pre‑DepartureTo‑Do List You're in! Welcome to the CLI community. 12 steps until your first bowl of Guilin rice noodles…
Do I need a passport and visa to study in China? Can I earn university credit that will count toward my degree?…
Discover the world of Chinese language, tradition and modern society while improving your Chinese skills along the way. We welcome you to…
CLI was founded in Guilin, China in 2009 by two American brothers. Now in 2026, we remain as focused on our core…
Elephant Trunk Hill is Guilin's most iconic landmark — a karst formation shaped like an elephant drinking from the Li River. Here's…
From ancient capitals to karst-mountain river towns, China packs an astonishing range of destinations into one country. This guide rounds up 10…
The idea that Chinese is impossibly hard is a myth—its grammar is often simpler than English. This beginner's guide breaks down nine…
Guilin Opera is a beloved artform celebrated in southern China. In fact, it is one of country’s ten major opera styles. Utilizing…
A shout-out to the photographers filling the #Guilin hashtag with beautiful images. Enjoy some of our favorites, plus a look at the…
Yangshuo (阳朔, Yángshuò) is located on the banks of the Li River just south of Guilin. Known for its hauntingly beautiful karst…
1. Great public transportation of Guilin Near and far Guilin is connected with buses, 面包车, domestic and international flights, conventional & bullet…
Chili peppers feel native to Chinese cooking, but they arrived from the Americas in the late 1500s. Discover their history, regional heat,…
As if spending a semester abroad in China wasn't reason enough, we felt compelled to list 12 reasons (among countless) why you…
Trevor James, a.k.a. The Food Ranger, is the most popular food vlogger covering Chinese cuisine. Here are 15 of his best videos,…
Studying abroad in Guilin? Here are 18 things to try while you're here, from climbing karst peaks to street barbecue and late-night…
A photo essay of Guilin locals: nine portraits of downtown streets, the Li River at dusk, and early morning in the city,…
Guilin means 'forest of sweet osmanthus.' Discover the story behind the name, the fragrant tree it comes from, and the tea locals…
Name: Susan 潘姿 Hometown: Yizhou, Guangxi, China 广西宜州 Job title: Study Abroad Manager 留学项目经理 We are happy to introduce Susan Pan, CLI's Study…
There was no turkey. There was a long table at a Guilin Buddhist restaurant, a room split between Chinese and international students,…
Bryan Herbert, CLI Immersion student, first came to China through James Madison University on a three month study tour. However, after the…
Mark Robinson, founder and president of HandicappedPets.com and the inventor of the Walkin' Wheels adjustable dog wheelchair, was initially motivated to learn Chinese…
Mikko Helimo shares his language journey in CLI Perspectives number nine. Mikko was first bitten by the Chinese language bug while studying…
Each semester, CLI leads our students on a whirlwind tour of Yangshuo (阳朔), a countryside town fabled for its otherworldly mountain landscape…
The 100 Most Common Chinese Characters By the teachers of the Chinese Language Institute (CLI) in Guilin, China. Updated September 28, 2026.…
Free Chinese Course Six short Mandarin lessons for complete beginners, from your first tone to reading your first stories in Chinese. You…
Chinese assessment is about more than test scores. This guide explains how feedback, HSK preparation, placement, self-assessment, and real-world practice can help…
Chinese wedding customs are far more diverse than many people realize. From tea ceremonies and red symbolism to 彩礼 and modern hotel…
The complete HSK 3.0 Level 3 word list: 500 new words (1,000 in total) with pinyin and definitions, plus example sentences, grammar…
The complete HSK 3.0 Level 1 word list — 300 essential Chinese words with pinyin, definitions, 10 grammar patterns, 48 example sentences…
Free interactive flashcards for HSK 1–3 vocabulary. Flip through 1,000 words with tone-colored pinyin, English translations, and part of speech — organized…
Practice real Chinese sentences with this interactive HSK flashcard tool from CLI. Browse HSK 1-4 sentence decks, flip cards to reveal pinyin…
Sanyuesan is one of Guangxi’s most important traditional festivals. Learn when it takes place, how the Zhuang people celebrate it, and why…
Earn full university credit at Guangxi Normal University (GXNU) while improving your Chinese through CLI’s daily one-on-one instruction and immersion-first community in…
What are the most common Chinese characters? In a language of approximately 50,000 characters, mastering the most commonly used Chinese characters—ranked by…
Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival (春节, Chūnjié), celebrates the beginning of the Chinese year based on the traditional Chinese…
Learn how to say "happy birthday" in Chinese (生日快乐), plus blessings for every age, the birthday song, and the customs behind Chinese…
Learn how to use Chinese measure words correctly, from the essential 个 and 块 to 100+ classifiers organized by category, with examples,…
Dōngzhì (冬至), the Chinese Winter Solstice Festival, is the longest night of the year and the 22nd of the 24 solar terms.…
The Chinese summer solstice (夏至, Xiàzhì) is both an astronomical event and the 10th of 24 solar terms on the Chinese calendar,…
Chinese society is far more diverse than it is often assumed to be. This guide explores the contrasts that define modern China…
The Immersion Program is CLI’s core language learning track. With fully customizable short and long-term academic terms, 20 weekly hours of one-on-one…
Considered by many to be one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization, Xi’an is a fascinating travel destination. Xi’an is the capital…