Category: Projects

I am rather new to Ai. But hey, it’s better late than never. 🙂 I’ve been studying Mandarin Chinese a while now, so I thought why not integrate my learning a language with Ai. And I want to share with you how I used AI to create stories for learning Mandarin.

As you may know, Mandarin Chinese is a very challenging language to learn, especially for English speakers. It has a different writing system, a different pronunciation system, and a different grammar system. Plus, there are so many words and expressions to learn, and so many cultural nuances to understand.

That’s why I decided to use stories as a way to learn Mandarin. Stories are a great way to immerse yourself in the language and culture, and to learn new vocabulary and grammar in context. Stories can also make learning more fun and engaging, as you can follow the plot and the characters, and use your imagination and creativity.

There are a few sites that I used for reading mandarin, however what started out of curiosity, it has become a way I used more and more since it is fun.

AI, or artificial intelligence, is the technology that enables machines to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as understanding language, generating text, and creating images.

I found some amazing AI tools that helped me learn Mandarin through stories in several ways. Here are some examples of how I used AI tools to enhance my Mandarin learning experience:

• AI story generator: I used an AI story generator to create stories based on my input. For example, I typed in a topic, a genre, a character, or a plot, and the AI generated a story for me. I then read the story and learned new words and sentences. I also used the AI story generator to practice my writing skills by continuing the story or rewriting it in my own words. Some AI story generators that I tried are Squib, [StoryAI], and [Storyteller].
• AI story translator: I used an AI story translator to translate stories from English to Mandarin, or vice versa. For example, I found a story in English that I liked, and I used the AI story translator to translate it into Mandarin. I then compared the original and the translation, and learned how to express the same idea in different ways. I also used the AI story translator to check my own writing, and to correct any errors or improve any expressions. Some AI story translators that I used are [DeepL], [Google Translate], and [Microsoft Translator].
• AI story illustrator: I used an AI story illustrator to create images based on my stories. For example, I wrote a story in Mandarin, and I used the AI story illustrator to generate an illustration for it. I then looked at the image and learned how to describe it in Mandarin. I also used the AI story illustrator to inspire me to write new stories, based on the images that the AI created. Some AI story illustrators that I experimented with are [Artbreeder], [VQGAN+CLIP], and [DALL-E].

Using AI to create stories for learning Mandarin was a very rewarding and enjoyable experience for me. I felt that I improved my reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills, as well as my vocabulary, grammar, and cultural knowledge. I also had a lot of fun and creativity, as I explored different topics, genres, characters, and plots.

Of course, AI is not perfect, and sometimes it made mistakes or generated nonsensical or inappropriate content. That’s why I always checked the AI output with other sources, such as dictionaries, grammar books, or native speakers. I also used other resources, such as apps, podcasts, videos, and books, to complement my learning.

But overall, I think AI is a very powerful and useful tool for learning Mandarin through stories, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn Mandarin in a fun and effective way. If you are interested in trying it out, you can check out the links that I provided above, or search for other AI tools that suit your needs and preferences.

I hope you enjoyed reading my blog post, and I hope you learned something new. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. Thank you for reading, and happy learning! 😊

Here’s an example of a story generated with Ai.😊

今天是星期天，李家一家人都在家里。李爸爸想做饭给大家吃，但是他不太会做饭。他去超市买了一些菜，但是他忘了买盐。他回家后，就开始做饭。他做了一盘鱼，一碗汤，和一些青菜。他把饭菜放在桌子上，叫大家来吃饭。李妈妈，李哥哥，和李妹妹都坐下来，拿起筷子，准备吃饭。他们先吃了一口鱼，然后都皱起了眉头。原来，李爸爸没有放盐，鱼很淡。他们又喝了一口汤，然后都吐了出来。原来，李爸爸放了太多的糖，汤很甜。他们再看了看青菜，发现青菜都是黑的。原来，李爸爸炒菜的时候，火太大，把青菜都烧焦了。李家一家人都不想吃饭了，只好去外面吃。李爸爸很尴尬，也很难过，他以为自己做的饭很好吃，没想到大家都不喜欢。他决定以后还是不要做饭了，让李妈妈做饭，或者去饭馆吃饭。

The story has 50 words. Here are 10 HSK 3 vocabulary words from the story, with their English translations:

做饭 (zuò fàn): to cook

超市 (chāo shì): supermarket

盐 (yán): salt

鱼 (yú): fish

汤 (tāng): soup

糖 (táng): sugar

青菜 (qīng cài): green vegetables

炒 (chǎo): to stir-fry

烧焦 (shāo jiāo): to burn

饭馆 (fàn guǎn): restaurant

Here are 5 comprehension questions about the story, with their answers:

Q: 今天是星期几？(What day is it today?)

A: 今天是星期天。(Today is Sunday.)

Q: 李爸爸为什么想做饭？(Why does Li’s father want to cook?)

A: 李爸爸想做饭给大家吃。(Li’s father wants to cook for everyone.)

Q: 李爸爸做了什么饭菜？(What dishes did Li’s father make?)

A: 李爸爸做了一盘鱼，一碗汤，和一些青菜。(Li’s father made a plate of fish, a bowl of soup, and some green vegetables.)

Q: 李家一家人为什么不喜欢李爸爸做的饭？(Why does Li’s family not like Li’s father’s cooking?)

A: 因为鱼很淡，汤很甜，青菜都烧焦了。(Because the fish is bland, the soup is sweet, and the vegetables are burnt.)

Q: 李家一家人最后去哪里吃饭？(Where does Li’s family go to eat in the end?)

A: 李家一家人最后去外面吃，或者去饭馆吃。(Li’s family goes out to eat, or goes to a restaurant.)