Xiaohongshu or ‘RedNote’ has long been one of China’s most popular social media platforms but was largely unknown elsewhere until recently – when a looming TikTok ban in the U.S suddenly prompted millions of Americans (‘TikTok refugees’) to flock over en masse. Since then, we seen an exciting explosion not only of cultural exchanges on the platform, but also in the number of foreigners wanting to learn Chinese! Perhaps that’s how you got here – in which case you are more than welcome to join the 200,000 global users already learning Chinese with The Chairman’s Bao graded, news-based reading app.
However, we want you to recognize that, actually, the RedNote app itself also is a fantastic (and free!) Chinese learning resource. So, while everyone is wondering how to most effectively improve their Chinese in order to use RedNote, why not stay ahead of the curve by asking the reverse: how might I use RedNote to more effectively improve my Chinese? Read on for ten specific tips on how you, as a Chinese learner, can leverage RedNote for a more enjoyable, interactive, and meaningful learning experience!
What is RedNote?
RedNote’s original Chinese name Xiaohongshu (小红书) means “little red book”, and is one of the most popular social media platforms in China. It was founded in 2013 and has since attracted over 300 million users. This user base has typically been mostly young and female but is growing increasingly diverse. Like TikTok, the app has short-form video content, but its overall purpose and interface is more often compared to Instagram or Pinterest. Many Chinese people use it almost as a search engine, most commonly for beauty, fashion, travel and food recommendations.
Why has RedNote suddenly become so popular?
Xiaohongshu’s recent surge in popularity among Americans, and subsequent rebranding into ‘RedNote’, came amidst threats of a TikTok ban in the U.S. In the week after a likely ban was signaled on 10 January, 2025, millions of self-proclaimed “TikTok refugees” (TikTok 难民) suddenly flocked to the Chinese app – both in the pre-emptive search for a new home, and as an act of defiance against the ruling. RedNote had previously neither particularly attracted nor targeted non-Chinese users, but as of January 14, 2025, it had become the number one most downloaded app on Apple’s U.S. App Store.
A Basic Guide to Using RedNote
To understand our tips for how to leverage RedNote in your Chinese learning, you will first need to familiarize with some of the platform’s basic features. Below is a basic user guide for newcomers to RedNote.
- Setting up your account: To install the app, search for “Xiaohongshu”, “小红书”, or “RedNote” in the App Store or Google Play Store. You can register using your email, international phone number, or WeChat account.
- Language and translation: We would of course encourage you, as a Chinese learner, to keep the app in its original language. But there is also the option switch the application language to English (or between simplified and traditional Chinese) by going to your profile or ‘Me’ (我) page, then ‘Settings’ (设置) ® ‘General Settings’ (通用设置) ® ‘Multiple Languages’ (多语). The main advantage of this is that it enables the newly launched translation function. Just click the ‘Translate’ button under any post in Mandarin to have it translated to English.
- Types of content: The four content forms on RedNote are images (图片), short videos (短视频) up to 60 seconds, text-based ‘notes’ (笔记), and livestreams (直播).
- Navigating the interface: The RedNote app has five sections in the bottom menu bar. You enter the app to a personalized home page, which has three subsections: a ‘Following’ (关注) page with posts from accounts you follow, a ‘Discover’ (发现) page which recommends you other content based on your interests, and a ‘Nearby Content’ page showing posts in your geographical area, as well as a search function. The other four are a ‘Trending’ (热门) page, a post creation page (the plus-sign), a notifications (消息) page, and a profile or ‘Me’ (我) page.
- Interacting with the community: Like on most social media platforms, you can interact with other users on RedNote by following (关注) their pages, liking (点赞) and commenting (评论) on their posts, or sending direct messages (私信). Followers on RedNote are commonly called “fans” (粉丝).
How to Leverage RedNote for Chinese Learning
In this section, we will share ten ways in which you, as a Chinese learner, can leverage RedNote – not only to boost your vocabulary and conversation skills, but also cultural knowledge and motivation! The first seven tips suit Chinese learners of all levels, while the latter three are specifically meant for advanced learners looking for an extra challenge.
Seven RedNote tips for Chinese learners of all levels
1. Use hashtags to find Chinese learning content on RedNote
The most straight-forward and beginner-friendly tip is to explore the abundance of specific Chinese-learning content available on RedNote! As Chinese creators seek to establish an audience among the newly arrived TikTok refugees, Chinese language-learning content is quickly proliferating on RedNote. This is a great opportunity for you to learn some things your textbooks or Chinese teachers may not cover – such as colloquialisms, internet slang, or even swear words… The best way to find this content is by searching hashtags such as #学中文, #学汉语, #对外汉语, #learnchinese, and #learnmandarin. Just beware, there is also the odd prank video where someone will try to convince you that, for example, “给我钱” (give me money) means “I would like to be friends”. If something feels off, check the comment section!
2. Organize your Chinese learning resources on RedNote into themed collections
Like Instagram and Pinterest, RedNote allows you to save (收藏) posts into themed boards (专辑). When you do this (by clicking the star icon between the like and comment buttons), it gives you an option to add ‘To a board’ (加入专辑). As a Chinese learner, you can use this feature to organize the learning content you find – for example by themes like ‘food’ and ‘fashion’, or by purpose, such as ‘HSK exam preparation’.
3. Interact with native Chinese users on RedNote
The most valuable Chinese learning opportunity provided by RedNote is the possibility to interact with native Chinese people! While AI chatbots can also be amazing conversation partners (see our post about the ten best ones!), nothing beats speaking to a real, living human being. With a lot of Chinese people on RedNote equally eager to learn English and make foreign friends, you may even find yourself a language buddy! Use hashtags such as #TikTokrefugee, #TikTok难民, #外国人, #老外, #交朋友, #和外国人交流 to find them.
4. Share posts asking native Chinese RedNote users for feedback
One way to initiate your interactions with Chinese RedNote users could be to make a post (either with some of your Chinese writing or a clip of you speaking) and asking them for feedback on your expression or pronunciation! Chinese people usually find it very exciting that foreigners are taking interest in their language, and many will be happy to help. Though just a heads up, Chinese netizens are also known for their brutal honesty….
5. Read long form posts on RedNote to practice your Chinese skim-and-scan reading skills
Even if you don’t feel like your reading skills are quite there yet, try find some long form content on RedNote about a topic that interests you, and use it to practice your skimming and scanning skills! Being able to quickly get the gist of a text when you don’t understand every single word is an important skill in any language, but perhaps especially so in Chinese. (Even native speakers sometimes encounter characters they do not know!).
6. Engage with trending topics on RedNote to improve your Chinese cultural knowledge
The ‘Trending’ page on RedNote is an invaluable tool for delving into contemporary Chinese culture and the topics currently capturing the attention of Chinese netizens. Unlike your textbooks, RedNote is updated in real time, by real people. Engaging with trending content will not only provide you with the most up-to-date vocabulary and conversation points, but also make your Chinese learning feel more alive and connected to the real world. Pro-tip: dive into the comment sections to see what different viewpoints there are, and maybe even join the debate yourself!
7. Use RedNote to document and share your Chinese learning progress
Another way to incorporate RedNote into your Mandarin learning is to use it for documenting and sharing your personal journey! Again, a lot of Chinese people will find it super impressive that foreigners are tackling this undoubtedly very difficult language, and likely overwhelm you with support. It can also be a great way to connect with other Chinese learners around the world, with whom you can exchange tips and encouragement, or vent your inevitable frustrations. Use hashtags such as #老外学中文, #外国人学中文, and #中文学习 to reach your target audience.
Three bonus RedNote tips for the advanced Chinese learner
1. Search for RedNote content from different regions to explore regional dialects in China
Did you know that what we frequently refer to as ‘Chinese’—standard Mandarin or 普通话—is only one of the many languages spoken in China? Besides the most commonly known Cantonese, there are also countless other regional dialects and sub-dialects known as 方言, which we have written about here. (We also have entire blog posts about just the Shanghai and Beijing dialects!). The breadth of RedNote’s user base is an excellent opportunity to familiarize with some of these. Look for hashtags like #方言 or #地方话 to discover dialect-focused posts. Or if you are interested in the dialect of a particular region, you can search “[Region] + 话”, for example, 上海话 (Shanghainese), 四川话 (Sichuanese), or 湖南话 (Hunannese).
2. Test your Chinese cultural literacy with stand-up comedy content on RedNote
The most memorable breakthrough in my own Mandarin learning journey was attending a stand-up comedy show in Guangzhou, and finally being able to laugh along. Comedy is an excellent challenge for advanced learners, because unlike other forms of speech, it not only tests your listening comprehension, but also your understanding of cultural contexts, norms, and taboos. For those who can’t attend a Chinese stand-up comedy show in-person, clips on RedNote is a great alternative – just search the Chinese word for stand-up comedy: “脱口秀”.
3. Incorporate RedNote into your daily life for effortless Chinese learning
Need to look up how to change a tire? Unclog a toilet? Hem a skirt? Before you turn to Google, try RedNote! As an advanced Chinese learner, you should try to use RedNote just like a Chinese person would: by incorporating it into your daily life. A lot of Chinese people actually use RedNote almost more similarly to how we use Google than TikTok: as a search engine. Of course, always be source critical given it is still a social media platform – but especially for practical inquiries, there are usually excellent tutorials on RedNote. You may also learn some new everyday vocabulary in the process, without even feeling like you are studying!
Precautions to Take When Learning Chinese through RedNote
As you can see, RedNote is a fantastic tool to incorporate into your Chinese language learning. But because it is fundamentally still a social media app, you should approach it with some caution. Not all content will be accurate or reliable – partly because some people may intentionally spread misinformation for entertainment (like the aforementioned prank videos), but mostly just because even native Chinese people can make typing or grammar mistakes! Always double-check new phrases, expressions, and uncertainties by consulting your teacher or other official learning resources. The other caution is that the algorithm makes it very easy to get distracted by content not strictly helpful for your language learning (yes, we are talking about the funny cat videos)… so set clear goals, and scroll with intent.
Conclusion
Now that you are equipped with all the best hacks, you are ready to make the most out of RedNote as a Chinese learning resource! The opportunities that RedNote offers to engage with real Chinese people and get real, authentic insights into contemporary Chinese culture are truly unique, and we hope you have lots of fun with it. Just make sure to take the necessary precautions, and always treat it as a complement rather than substitute to your existing Chinese learning methods. Happy learning – and scrolling!
FAQs
What is RedNote?
RedNote, whose original Chinese name Xiaohongshu means “little red book”, is a popular social media platform in China which focuses on lifestyle content. It was founded in 2013 and currently has over 300 million users, most of whom are young and female.
Can I change the language on RedNote?
The application language on RedNote can be changed between Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and English under ‘Settings’ (设置) , ‘General Settings’ (通用设置) , then ‘Languages’ (多语) on your profile page.
Does RedNote have a translation function?
RedNote officially announced the launch of a new one-click translation feature on January 19, 2025. If your application language is set to English, there will be a ‘Translate’ button under all posts in Chinese.
How is RedNote different from TikTok?
While TikTok focuses on short video content, RedNote is often described as a mix of Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok because it features more diverse formats. There is also only one version of RedNote for all users, whereas ByteDance has two separate apps, TikTok and Douyin, for overseas and domestic users.
How can I use RedNote to learn Chinese?
While RedNote is a social media app, the opportunities it offers for engaging with real Chinese people and authentic Chinese content also makes it a great resource for learning Chinese. Whether you are a beginner or advanced learner, looking to improve your reading skills or pop-culture knowledge, the app has something to offer.
How can I make Chinese friends through RedNote?
To find Chinese RedNote users eager to connect with foreigners, you can look for their posts under hashtags such as #TikTokrefugee, #TikTok难民, #外国人, #老外, #交朋友, and #和外国人交流. You can also use these hashtags in your own post alongside an introduction of yourself, so Chinese people can find you.
How can I find Chinese learning content on RedNote?
To find Chinese learning content on RedNote, you can search hashtags such as #学中文, #学汉语, #对外汉语, #learnchinese, and #learnmandarin. Many content creators on RedNote focus on teaching things that textbooks or Chinese teachers usually do not cover, such as the latest colloquialisms or internet slang.
Author Bio:
Vivianne Zhang Wei is a Swedish-born Chinese social sciences graduate of University College London. Particularly interested in the ethnographic study of rural China, agriculture, and biopolitics, she has spent the past year travelling around and writing about farms in the Chinese countryside. Previously, she has also organised and taught non-profit English language summer camps for young students in rural China, won national awards in student journalism, and worked in the media and communications industry.
