Why Do You Need To Learn Mandarin?

So, with all these different benefits, the question you should be asking yourself isn’t “Should I learn a new language?”; it is, “Which language should I learn?”. If you already speak English, we think the next choice should be Mandarin. It is the second most spoken language in the world. Over a billion people around the world speak it. China’s economy is on the track to become the largest in the world in a few years. The number of people studying Mandarin worldwide is growing exponentially. It is also spoken in many other countries like Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Philippines.

(Source:studyinchina.universiablogs.net)

In today’s highly connected and globalized environment, everyone is familiar with the myriad advantages of learning a new language. The benefits of learning a new language applies to Mandarin as well. Mandarin could be your key to unlocking and understanding Chinese culture. When you learn a new language, you also learn the polite ways to ask something, and the different mannerisms of the people. By understanding the nuances and subtleties of the colloquial language, you will also start understanding the way of thinking and societal preferences. The study of Chinese literature and culture will help you bridge the cultural gap and create a platform of knowledge and understanding that is crucial for effective communication.

This cultural knowledge can also benefit you by granting you access to Chinese society as more than just a foreigner. By integrating yourself into everyday life, you get a different perspective on the happenings in Chinese society and the rest of the world. This understanding of culture and language helps you make a better impression on people, increasing your networking opportunities. By impressing people, you also open many doors for yourself, both in terms of your career, as well as, your life.

(Source:mindsabroad.com)

Employers prefer hiring Speaking Mandarin is a pre-requisite for many jobs, especially in South East Asia; multinational corporations in Europe, Australia, and America that have business dealings, or are looking to expand in China, or other Chinese-speaking areas. Many local jobs also list Chinese language skills as highly desired, if not required. Learning Mandarin, therefore, will give you a desirable edge when it comes to job applications and interviews. If the position involves dealing Chinese clients, the added advantage of understanding the culture in context will definitely impress your interviewers!

Of course, the economic opportunities from learning a new language don’t end at job interviews. Especially for budding entrepreneurs, China is a great place to start. With a potential market of over a billion people, every type of start-up is bound to find a niche of customers. Understanding the needs of these customers, their backgrounds, and their daily lives is important in tailoring a product to them. Speaking Mandarin not only helps in liaising with suppliers, producers, distributors, or other business connections, it also helps in communicating with your customers and clients. Learning Mandarin also opens more doors, such as teaching English in China, or moving across the world for a job.