Chan Lü is Associate Professor at the University of Washington, where she has been teaching Chinese and Chinese linguistics since 2016. Her expertise is on bilingual and biliteracy development. She has published widely in peer-reviewed journals on second language acquisition, bilingualism and bilingual education, and is the author of Chinese Literacy Learning in an Immersion Program (2019). Zev Handel is Professor at the University of Washington where he has been teaching Chinese linguistics for over twenty-five years. An expert in Chinese historical phonology and East Asian writing systems, he is most recently the author of Chinese Characters Across Asia: How the Chinese Script Came to Write Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese (2025).

'This engaging and accessible textbook covers a wide range of topics in Chinese linguistics, blending general linguistic principles with vivid, memorable examples. Its well-structured chapters, featuring learning objectives, guiding questions, comprehensive exercises, and additional resources offer thoughtful support for both learners and native speakers. It makes teaching effortless, and I would happily adopt it in my courses.' Karen Huang, University of Auckland

• Preface; 1. Chinese and Linguistics; 2. Phonetics and Phonology; 3. Morphology; 4. Lexicon; 5. Lexical Semantics; 6. Syntax: Basic Concepts; 7. Syntax: Special Topics; 8. Change and Variation; 9. Writing: Early Chinese Writing; 10. Writing: Modern Chinese Writing; 11. Sign Language and Braille; Index.

Chan Lü is Associate Professor at the University of Washington, where she has been teaching Chinese and Chinese linguistics since 2016. Her expertise is on bilingual and biliteracy development. She has published widely in peer-reviewed journals on second language acquisition, bilingualism and bilingual education, and is the author of Chinese Literacy Learning in an Immersion Program (2019). Zev Handel is Professor at the University of Washington where he has been teaching Chinese linguistics for over twenty-five years. An expert in Chinese historical phonology and East Asian writing systems, he is most recently the author of Chinese Characters Across Asia: How the Chinese Script Came to Write Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese (2025).

'This engaging and accessible textbook covers a wide range of topics in Chinese linguistics, blending general linguistic principles with vivid, memorable examples. Its well-structured chapters, featuring learning objectives, guiding questions, comprehensive exercises, and additional resources offer thoughtful support for both learners and native speakers. It makes teaching effortless, and I would happily adopt it in my courses.' Karen Huang, University of Auckland

• Preface; 1. Chinese and Linguistics; 2. Phonetics and Phonology; 3. Morphology; 4. Lexicon; 5. Lexical Semantics; 6. Syntax: Basic Concepts; 7. Syntax: Special Topics; 8. Change and Variation; 9. Writing: Early Chinese Writing; 10. Writing: Modern Chinese Writing; 11. Sign Language and Braille; Index.

Chan Lü is Associate Professor at the University of Washington, where she has been teaching Chinese and Chinese linguistics since 2016. Her expertise is on bilingual and biliteracy development. She has published widely in peer-reviewed journals on second language acquisition, bilingualism and bilingual education, and is the author of Chinese Literacy Learning in an Immersion Program (2019). Zev Handel is Professor at the University of Washington where he has been teaching Chinese linguistics for over twenty-five years. An expert in Chinese historical phonology and East Asian writing systems, he is most recently the author of Chinese Characters Across Asia: How the Chinese Script Came to Write Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese (2025).

'This engaging and accessible textbook covers a wide range of topics in Chinese linguistics, blending general linguistic principles with vivid, memorable examples. Its well-structured chapters, featuring learning objectives, guiding questions, comprehensive exercises, and additional resources offer thoughtful support for both learners and native speakers. It makes teaching effortless, and I would happily adopt it in my courses.' Karen Huang, University of Auckland

• Preface; 1. Chinese and Linguistics; 2. Phonetics and Phonology; 3. Morphology; 4. Lexicon; 5. Lexical Semantics; 6. Syntax: Basic Concepts; 7. Syntax: Special Topics; 8. Change and Variation; 9. Writing: Early Chinese Writing; 10. Writing: Modern Chinese Writing; 11. Sign Language and Braille; Index.