Chien T
5.0
United States•
8:14 AM (GMT-07:00)
Mandarin
40
531
Mandarin
40
531
Speaks
English
Native
,Mandarin
Native
,Japanese
C1
About Me
I was a tenured professor of Chinese language, literature, culture, and cinema at UT Austin before returning to the west coast to be with my family. A published author in both English and Chinese, I am enthusiastic about helping you become an even more effective communicator in Chinese, in writing or speaking or both! I have interpreted for a few Chinese writers when they came to the US on a book tour. I can't wait to work with you as you reach your linguistic goals.
Read MorePrivate Lessons
60 minutesTeacher Stats
Within a few hours 
5 years ago 
100.00%531 
16.3 lesson average
5.0 Schedule
March 28, 2025 - April 4, 2025
All times listed are in your local timezone
(GMT+0000)GMT+0000
Fri
03/28/2025
Sat
03/29/2025
Sun
03/30/2025
Mon
03/31/2025
Tue
04/01/2025
Wed
04/02/2025
Thu
04/03/2025
8:00 PM
9:00 PM
10:00 PM
11:00 PM
Teaching Expertise
Beginner
Upper Beginner
Intermediate
Upper Intermediate
Advanced
Upper Advanced
Résumé
Education
2003 - 2009
PhD Modern Chinese Literature
Harvard University - Cambridge, MA
2000 - 2003
BA Comparative Literature
UW-Seattle - Seattle
2000 - 2003
BA Modern Japanese Literature
UW-Seattle - Seattle
Work Experience
2009 - 2019
Professor
UT-Austin - Austin, TX
Ratings
38
Fun
68
Motivation Guru
102
Excellent Materials
67
Great Conversation
26
Exam Coach
6
Business Expert
7
Writing Coach
14
Great for Beginners
39
Great for Intermediate
33
Great for Advanced
57
Accent Reduction
17
Tech Savvy
64
Goes the Extra Mile
61
Grammar Expert
15
Great for medical professionals
199
Cultural Insights
5.0 Average
279 ratings, 40 students
January 20, 2022 • Lessons: 28
Chien is a wonderful teacher and I would recommend him to anyone. Before I found Chien, I tried many teachers both on and off Verbling. Every teacher was a native Mandarin speaker with multiple years of experience in teaching, however, I always felt like I hit a wall after a few weeks with all of them. With Chien it has been different. The thing that sets Chien apart is his ability to explain nuances and subtleties in a clear and concise way. Whether it be grammatical points or vocabulary, Chien has been able to help me understand the subtle differences in things that might seem identical at first glance. As someone who is learning their 3rd language, I cannot over emphasis how important this ability is.
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March 27, 2021 • Lessons: 10
Chien is the bomb.com! Over the years I've taken various foreign language classes with many different teachers, and Chien is truly among the best I've ever had the pleasure of studying with. He is diligent, detail-oriented, and organized, but also super fun and easygoing (which is a difficult balance to strike!). I also appreciate how flexible he is when it comes to accommodating my personal language goals and learning style. I've learned a lot with Chien and I always look forward to my classes! I guarantee that you will not regret choosing him as your Mandarin teacher. :)
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