A foreign student got into a taxi and wanted to go to the "Capital Theater", and the driver readily agreed. The student was dozing off in the back seat, but when he opened his eyes, he arrived at the capital airport. One 'machine' and one 'drama', mispronounced a sound and ran many extra miles. The interesting story mentioned by Professor Su Yingxia of Beijing Language and Culture University is not uncommon in the process of overseas learners learning Chinese. Can they "easily grasp" or "become more confused as they learn"? The subtle blank spaces in Chinese not only test language proficiency, but also carry profound cultural connotations that need to be carefully savored and repeatedly pondered. Entering the interesting language phenomena of the Chinese world and the Chinese characters that have stumped many learners are the starting point for many overseas Chinese learners to fall in love with Chinese and enter the Chinese world. Masi, a young Argentine sinologist currently teaching at the School of Literature of Changchun Normal University, was initially attracted to Chinese characters. The structure, imagery, and sense of history of Chinese characters fascinate me, and it was precisely from learning Chinese characters that I gradually approached Chinese culture. ”Maxi said. As his understanding deepened, he gradually developed the idea of coming to China to take a look. After truly coming here, my love for China has become more concrete and profound. ”He said, "The rich cuisine, diverse scenery, and profound culture all attract me, but if I have to say, what moves me the most is the people I met here - they are sincere, friendly, trustworthy, and willing to patiently share their culture with you." In Maxi's view, from curiosity about Chinese to systematic learning, and then to further studies in China, this is a natural and gradual journey. In fact, many foreigners who learn Chinese have had similar experiences, "he said." Initially, they often come into contact with Chinese because of a certain opportunity. After coming to China and deeply studying and living, they will have a deeper connection with this language and the culture behind it. For me, this connection not only comes from the charm of Chinese culture and the development of society, but also from the human touch I feel here. "Huang Xingjian from New Zealand is the champion of the 17th" Chinese Bridge "World High School Chinese Competition in Oceania, and is currently studying at Fudan University. Although his connection with Chinese began with table tennis, after making Chinese friends through sports, he started learning Chinese in order to communicate more smoothly and fell in love with Chinese language and culture. During this process, I was deeply attracted by the charm of Chinese culture. ”He said, 'Later on, a very direct idea began to sprout in my heart - wanting to live in China for a period of time and see what the real daily life is like.' It's not just the tone that's difficult for overseas Chinese learners, the road to learning Chinese is not always smooth sailing. '. Bai Zhexiang, from Belarus, is a doctoral student in the Chinese Department of Fudan University, class of 2025. He has 8 years of Chinese language learning experience and has worked as a Chinese language teacher in Belarus. In his opinion, foreigners will encounter several "difficulties" in the process of learning Chinese. For many learners, Chinese characters are the first and most difficult hurdle to overcome. ”Bai Zhexiang said, "Many times when you see the shape of a character, it's difficult to immediately reflect its pronunciation." Tone is another hurdle that Chinese learners need to overcome. The four tones of Mandarin are easily confused, leading to misunderstandings, "said Bai Zhexiang. Distinguishing between homophones and synonyms often tests learners' language sense." Words like 'broad', 'broad', and 'spacious' have similar meanings, but when used in the wrong context, they will appear unnatural. "According to the teaching experience of Meng Dehong, a teacher at Beijing Foreign Studies University, syntactic logic is also a difficult learning point. When teaching the word "like", a foreign student was once very surprised by the example sentence "She looks very beautiful, her eyes are like her mother, and her nose is like her father": "Why does she have one father and two mothers standing on her face?" Meng Dehong realized that Chinese does not rely on surface formal logic, and for learners who are accustomed to explicit grammar, they need to cross the threshold of understanding. Bai Zhexiang added, "Although syntactic differences are not often emphasized, they directly affect the authenticity of expression." For example, Belarusian students often use their mother tongue word order to create lengthy and awkward Chinese sentences. However, in Marcy's view, in addition to these linguistic difficulties, deeper challenges also come from differences in cultural contexts and ways of thinking. If you have to ask me what is the most difficult part of learning Chinese, "he said," I would say it's not tones or Chinese characters, but cross-cultural understanding. "" For example, in Argentina, 'home' usually refers to 'the place where we live together now.'; But in the Chinese context, when Chinese people say 'home', they may also refer to their original family or parents' home. The same word has different cultural frameworks and emotional logics behind it. ”Masi explained that the same word carries different emotional orientations and social meanings in different cultures. "Without understanding these contextual differences, misunderstandings can easily arise in communication. Sometimes you understand every word, but still don't know what the other person really wants to express." Therefore, truly learning Chinese means understanding the cultural logic and social rules behind the language: when to use humble and respectful language? How to express oneself in different situations? Where is the boundary between humor and seriousness? These "sense of propriety" that cannot be mastered solely through textbooks often require immersive cultural experiences and interpersonal interactions to acquire. Many foreigners recall learning Chinese, and the most unforgettable moments are often not grammar rules or homophones, but rather some moments that make people laugh and cry. Bai Zhexiang admitted that when his vocabulary was limited and his listening skills were not yet mature, he often "pretended to understand". Sometimes when a teacher is telling me something, I mistakenly think they are praising me. Looking back now, I still feel embarrassed. ”Bai Zhexiang candidly admitted. A tone, a little tone, or a common usage in Chinese can all make the meaning twist. He has also seen classmates make jokes: during his study abroad at Fudan University, a teacher asked everyone in class what their favorite animal was. One student wanted to say that he liked "panda" the most, but because his tone was not suppressed, he called it "chest hair" instead of "panda". His enthusiastic speech instantly turned into a laughing spot. There are many interesting things like this. In addition to the "misunderstanding" caused by inaccurate tone, some foreign learners also deeply feel the differences in communication styles and lifestyle habits. For example, some foreigners who have just arrived in Beijing often hear the phrase "get off. Cultural understanding is indispensable, "Su Yingxia said." Language learning and cultural understanding are inseparable, and the culture behind language is everywhere. She told me that when it comes to the habit of drinking tea, which has Chinese characteristics, some foreign students learn in class to "come in, sit down, and drink tea". They can't help but ask their teachers, "Why don't Chinese people ask me what to drink first, but directly treat me to tea?" Only then did they understand that traditional tea is a default way of welcome in many occasions in China: presenting a cup of hot tea first expresses sincerity and courtesy. The experience of another foreign student is both funny and heartbreaking. In their country, the host pours tea for the guests and they have to finish it. In China, when a guest's cup is empty, the host needs to refill it with tea. So, this student was at a friend's house in China, and the host continued to drink one cup after another. He drank seven cups of tea in a row until he couldn't drink any more, so he hurriedly said goodbye. When two concepts collide, they spark a cultural 'spark'. ”Su Yingxia said. Maxi has a firsthand experience of this' spark of difference '. In Masi's view, for many Latin American Chinese learners, the common euphemistic expressions in Chinese are not easy to grasp. In contrast, Latin Americans tend to have more direct expression habits, while Chinese emphasizes moderation and subtlety in many social situations. It is precisely this difference that often becomes a overlooked yet deeply influential part of cross-cultural communication. When it comes to specific situations, Masi gave an example from daily life: "In the Chinese context, using 'brother' and 'sister' to address strangers is a common expression of closeness and politeness; for many native Spanish speakers, this kind of address may be somewhat uncomfortable. Only by understanding the contextual rules contained in it can expression become more natural and appropriate. It was in the process of constantly encountering and understanding these differences that Marcy gradually realized that there is often a deeper cultural logic hidden behind language forms. For him, comparing Chinese and Spanish together is not just a linguistic comparison, but also a way to understand how different societies organize relationships, express emotions, and construct meaning. To see the real Chinese language in the end, it is no longer limited to the language itself, but to feel the social, cultural, and historical information it carries through language. The moments that resonate with language may be on the journey, at the dinner table, or in other daily lives. During his first solo trip to China, Maxi had an unforgettable experience in Zhangjiajie, Hunan. At that time, mobile phones were not as convenient as they are now. After arriving according to the itinerary pre booked online, I wanted to take a taxi to the hotel. ”Maxi said, "As soon as the master glanced at the destination, he said it would cost about 300 yuan to get here, and it would take three hours to drive." Under the scorching sun and the open streets, Maxi stood on the roadside dragging her luggage, unsure of how to continue moving forward. While hesitating, Maxi met a local who was renovating a small supermarket. He tried to explain his situation in Chinese, but after a few words of communication, the family simply put down their work and said, "Wait a minute, we'll take you to find it." In order to make room, they even moved the things in the car first, and then drove Marcy and his family to find suitable accommodation, and even considered which one was more convenient for foreigners for him. Until he was settled in, the other party returned to continue working. At that moment, I was truly moved. ”Masi recalled, "For a foreigner who came to China for the first time and was unfamiliar with the place, this kind of help without expecting anything in return would immediately give you a very solid sense of trust in this country." Finally, he solemnly thanked the family and gave them the small gift he brought from Argentina. Years later, looking back on that experience, Masi still feels that it was one of the important starting points for him to understand China. In the process of constantly learning and using Chinese, he gradually realized that the real China was very different from the image he received in some Western narratives. My personal experience allowed Marcy to see a modern, safe, vibrant, and diverse society. At that moment, I made up my mind that even with limited abilities, I hoped to provide more people with the opportunity to experience a more authentic and three-dimensional China through my own learning, writing, and communication. ”Maxi said. Some people make jokes because of a single sentence, while others take the wrong path because of a single word, but what these Chinese learners ultimately remember is not only the embarrassment of that moment, but also the heartwarming moments of being patiently corrected and listened to carefully time and time again. Through repeated expressions, misunderstandings, corrections, and understandings, language builds a more genuine and lasting connection between people. It is in such a connection that it is even more true