CHIN10005 Chinese 1
University of Melbourne · Level 1 · 12.5 points · Runs in 2026: Semester 1.
- Final exam 45%
- About 4 class hours a week
Is CHIN10005 hard?
CHIN10005: Harder. Makes it easier: First-year subject. Makes it harder: Reviewers say it’s hard (4 reviews), Reviewers say it takes a lot of time.
What you learn
Chinese for complete beginners: basic speaking, listening, reading and writing for everyday situations.
After it you can
- Hold simple everyday conversations in Chinese
- Read and write basic Chinese words and sentences
- Understand everyday customs where Chinese is spoken
What you need first
a Chinese placement test
What it leads to
How it’s assessed
Tests 40%, Presentations 15%, Final exam 45%
Student reviews and ratings
Summarised from 4 students on StudentVIP (2016–2021)
- Everyone agrees it moves fast: about five class hours a week, and you are soon expected to read and write characters.
- Not an easy breadth for non-speakers and it takes a lot of study time, but the teachers are energetic and most felt the effort paid off.
A summary of public reviews, not scored here.
Taken this subject? Rate it anonymously (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Rate CHIN10005
Quick answers
- When is CHIN10005 offered?
- Runs in 2026: Semester 1.
- What do I need before taking CHIN10005?
- Needs a Chinese placement test.
- Does CHIN10005 have a final exam?
- Yes, the final exam is 45% of the mark. Assessment: Tests 40%, Presentations 15%, Final exam 45%.
- Is CHIN10005 hard?
- From 4 student reviews on StudentVIP: Everyone agrees it moves fast: about five class hours a week, and you are soon expected to read and write characters.
- What do students say about CHIN10005?
- Everyone agrees it moves fast: about five class hours a week, and you are soon expected to read and write characters. Not an easy breadth for non-speakers and it takes a lot of study time, but the teachers are energetic and most felt the effort paid off.
- How many class hours a week does CHIN10005 have?
- 4 h a week in class
- Can I take CHIN10005 as breadth?
- Yes, for: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Biomedicine, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Animation), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Film and Television), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Music Theatre), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Production), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Screenwriting), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Theatre), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Art), Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science.
- What can I take after CHIN10005?
- 1 subjects need it first, for example CHIN10006.
- Can I rate CHIN10005?
- Yes. If you've taken it, rate it anonymously on this page (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Averages show once 3 students have rated it; tips are checked before they appear.
Source: University of Melbourne Handbook 2026
Always confirm in the official Handbook.
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