Meet Your Laoshi

Vicky Huang

Hello, I'm Vicky! My Chinese name is ็ญฑๆถต XiวŽo Hán. You can call me Vicky Laoshi.

Born and raised in Taiwan, I've spent 9 years working with people from all over mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. Whether it's Northern Mandarin, Southern Mandarin, Taiwanese Mandarin, or Singaporean Mandarin, I've heard most of it firsthand. The diversity of native Mandarin Chinese is fascinating, and my goal is to help you communicate and connect with Mandarin speakers everywhere in the world! ๐ŸŒ

I'm a TEFL-certified teacher and a 5-time winner of the world's most prestigious English-Chinese translation awards. As a translator, I follow 3 principles: faithfulness, expressiveness, and elegance. I abide by the same rules when teaching so you learn knowledge that's accurate, relevant, and culturally respectful from me!

My 9 Years of Teaching 

Now

Online Teacher

Instagram + TikTok, Earth ๐ŸŒ

Every day is a happy day. I'm grateful that more than 138K Chinese learners choose to have Vicky as part of their journey!

2021

Mandarin Chinese Coach

The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ

At the largest Chinese Language Program in North America, I facilitated one-on-one and small group oral practice sessions.

2020

Teaching Assistant

Southwest University, Chongqing, China ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ

I designed and taught literary analysis lessons to 3rd-year English Literature majors.

2019

Chinese Philosophy Scholar

East China Normal University, Shanghai, China ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ

I studied Chinese philosophy and did my final report on Confucian humanism.

2018

Guest Lecturer

Confucius InstituteSanta Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ด

Thanks to my knowledge of traditional characters, I led a fun lesson on pictographs.

2017

English Teacher

Füle, Hungary ๐Ÿ‡ญ๐Ÿ‡บ

I earned my TEFL certification and did my practicum in Hungary, Poland, and Czechia – but my students asked me to teach them Chinese! ๐Ÿ˜‚

2013–2020

Private Tutor

Vancouver, Canada ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ

Over the years, I've offered one-on-one English coaching to more than 50 Chinese students aged 5–50 years.

5 Awards I've Won

English-to-Chinese literary translation is my strong suit. It's also the secret sauce to my unique teaching style. Below are my winning pieces:


National Taiwan Normal University

Liang Shih-Chiu Literary Award

๐Ÿ† 2017: "Tame" and "The Flirtation," Judges'โ€‹ Award for Translation in Poetry Category (English to Chinese)

๐Ÿ† 2016: "Hoffmannschen," Judges'โ€‹ Award for Translation in Prose Category (Chinese to English)


Hong Kong University

Youth Literary Award

๐Ÿ† 2021: English JourneyHonourable Mention in Literary Translation Category (English to Chinese)

๐Ÿ† 2015: Old FilthHonourable Mention in Literary Translation Category (English to Chinese)


Chinese University of Hong Kong

Global Youth Chinese Literary Award

๐Ÿ† 2017: "A Flower for Your Window," "On Education," and "Charles Dickens," Second Runner-Up in Literary Translation Category (English to Chinese)

Why I Teach 

Language is more than a communication tool. It's a key to a new world full of ideas, stories, and opportunities that can change your life for the better.

Many students said my lessons helped them relate to their Chinese partners better. Some thanked me for bringing them closer to their Chinese roots. Others stumbled on my page and wanted to try their hand at the "most difficult language in the world."

I'm so happy that many of you find my teaching style practical, relatable, and fun! Teaching is what gets me up in the morning and puts a smile on my face throughout the day. I can't wait to continue exploring Chinese with you!

3 Facts About Me

I'm "small bamboo."

My Chinese name is ็ญฑๆถต xiวŽo hán. ็ญฑ sounds the same as ๅฐ "small" but has a ็ซน zhú "bamboo" radical. It refers to a type of small bamboo. In Chinese culture, bamboo is a symbol of integrity, strength, and resilience.

I'm from "new bamboo."

My hometown is ๆ–ฐ็ซน xฤซn zhú, which means "new bamboo" (Hsinchu). It's among the world's top semiconductor hubs. Your smartphone probably uses semiconductor chips manufactured by Hsinchu-based companies.

I speak 3 languages.

Besides Mandarin and English, I'm also fluent in Taiwanese (Hokkien). I speak it with my grandparents. Taiwan had been a Japanese colony until 1945. So my grandparents spoke Taiwanese at home and learned Japanese in school.