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0Can AI really help you learn Chinese? And how should you use it to get the best results?
In this episode, host Daisy invites two special guests — Max, a German student who went from almost zero Chinese to recording a podcast in just 9 months, and Xiao, his Chinese teacher and the founder of Chinese Surfing. Together, they share Max‘s real-life experience using AI to learn Chinese.
In Part 1, we cover:
Max’s 9‑month Chinese learning journey — from almost zero to fluent conversation
Max‘s three core methods for using AI: checking grammar, writing assistance, and building custom learning tools
Xiao’s first impression of Max — the “卷王juǎnwáng” (the most hard‑working student)
Does AI ever “hallucinate” or give wrong answers? Max and Xiao Laoshi share their honest thoughts
How to write good prompts for AI — and why it matters
If you’re a student using AI to learn Chinese, or just curious about “AI + language learning,” this episode will give you plenty of practical ideas.
If you’re interested in an intensive class in Hangzhou, a summer camp in Hangzhou, or HSK preparation in Hangzhou, Chinese Surfing is right here in Hangzhou!
🎧 Timestamps & Key Takeaways
– Opening & Max‘s Self-Introduction
Max is from Germany. He started learning Chinese a year ago because his girlfriend’s family speaks Chinese. He began taking classes with Xiao in December last year. In just 9 months, he went from HSK 1 to recording a podcast in Chinese.
– Xiao‘s First Impression of Max
Xiao shares a funny first impression — Max would look away from the screen while speaking, making the teacher wonder if “there was a Chinese person next to him helping.” Max is also called the “Juan Wang” (the most hard‑working student) at Chinese Surfing.
📖 Keywords:
卷王 (juǎnwáng) – the most hard‑working person
人如其名(rénrúqímíng) – a person lives up to their name
– Max’s Three Core Methods for Using AI
Daisy summarizes Max‘s three methods:
Grammar checking — When writing Chinese sentences or messages, use AI to check errors and understand why they’re wrong
Writing assistance — Ask AI to create a story outline in your native language, then translate it into Chinese for practice
Building custom tools — Develop or customize your own AI tools to match your personal learning needs
📖 Keywords:
人工智能 (réngōng zhìnéng) – artificial intelligence
研究报告(yánjiū bàogào) – research report
指令 (zhǐlìng) – prompt
语法 (yǔfǎ) – grammar
翻译(fānyì) – translate
开发(kāifā）– to develop
软件(ruǎnjiàn) – software
– Xiao Shares Max’s Unique AI Method
Xiao adds another interesting way Max uses AI — recording his lessons and using AI to organize notes. The AI automatically summarizes key points and mistakes, creating personalized review materials.
📖 Keywords:
整理 (zhěnglǐ) – to organize / sort out
文件 (wénjiàn) – document / file
复习 (fùxí) – review
笔记 (bǐjì) – notes
– Does AI Ever “Hallucinate”?
Max shares his honest take: AI can sometimes give answers that are too formal or not quite right. But as long as it makes learning Chinese feel like a fun activity, it’s not a big problem. His bigger concern is that AI doesn’t know his learning history — while Xiao does.
📖 Keywords:
准确 (zhǔnquè) – accurate
正式 (zhèngshì) – formal
– How to Use AI while learning Chinese
Xiao gives a key piece of advice: The most important thing when using AI is the prompt. Students can ask their Chinese teacher, “What prompt should I give to AI?” instead of guessing on their own.
📖 Keywords:
指令 (zhǐlìng) – prompt / instruction
📖 Useful Vocabulary from this episode (by HSK Level)
HSK 3
水平 (shuǐpíng) – level / proficiency
语法 (yǔfǎ) – grammar
复习 (fùxí) – to review
HSK 4
人工智能 (réngōng zhìnéng) – artificial intelligence (AI)
开发 (kāifā) – to develop
整理 (zhěnglǐ) – to organize / sort out
文件 (wénjiàn) – document / file
准确 (zhǔnquè) – accurate
正式 (zhèngshì) – formal
笔记 (bǐjì) – notes
HSK 5
卷王 (juǎnwáng) – the most hard‑working person (slang)
指令 (zhǐlìng) – prompt / instruction
效率 (xiàolǜ) – efficiency
人如其名 (rén rú qí míng) – a person lives up to their name
HSK 6+
提示词 (tíshìcí) – prompt (AI term)
个性化 (gèxìnghuà) – personalized
💬 Join the Conversation
Have you ever used AI to learn Chinese? What do you usually use it for?
Has AI ever given you a wrong or weird answer?
Max says, “AI is a tool, not the only tool.” Do you agree?
Leave a comment on your podcast platform or share your thoughts in your Chinese learning group!
📩 Learn Chinese with Chinese Surfing
Interested in intensive class in Hangzhou, summer camp in Hangzhou, or HSK preparation in Hangzhou? Chinese Surfing is right here in Hangzhou!
📧 Email: info@chinese-surfing.com
💬 WeChat: Chinesesurfing2
Follow us:
Instagram & Xiaohongshu: Chinese Surfing
🎁 Free learning materials: 👉 www.chinese-surfing.com
📜 Want the full PDF script of this episode?
📧 Email: daisy@chinese-surfing.com
Coming Up in Part 2: Can AI really replace Chinese teachers? What question did Max have for DeepSeek? And what was Xiao Laoshi’s answer? Stay tuned for Part 2!
