The Intermediate Plateau is Broken
Every Chinese learning app assumes you're either a complete beginner or already fluent. Nobody builds for the messy middle.
The Problem
You know 1,000 characters. You've done 50,000 Anki reviews. You can navigate daily life in Chinese. But you can't read a book, watch a show, or have a real conversation about your interests.
So what do you do? More flashcards? Hire a tutor? Give up?
Why Existing Apps Fail Intermediates
They're built for beginners
Duolingo teaches "The apple is red." You need to discuss climate change, your career, your feelings.
They're not actually learning systems
Anki is a memorization tool. Pleco is a dictionary. Neither teaches you how to acquire language naturally.
They ignore your interests
Generic graded readers about Chinese tourism when you want to read sci-fi. No wonder you're bored.
What RushMandarin Does Differently
- Adapts to YOUR content: Love cooking? Learn through recipes. Into tech? Read tech news.
- Tracks what works: Not just time studied, but actual reading speed, comprehension, retention.
- Learns your patterns: Notices you skip grammar drills? Adjusts approach. Sees Friday dropoff? Sends Thursday motivation.
The Vision
In one year, go from "intermediate plateau" to reading novels, watching shows, having real conversations - without moving to China.
Because language learning shouldn't require choosing between your life and fluency.
The Numbers Don't Lie
Why I'm Building This
I spent a year in Taiwan. Came back with decent reading skills but watched them deteriorate month by month.
I tried everything: iTalki tutors ($50/hour), HelloChinese (too easy), native content (too hard), graded readers (too boring).
Nothing was designed for someone like me. Someone past beginner but before fluent. Someone with a job, a life, limited time.
So I'm building what I wish existed. And sharing the entire journey publicly.
The Commitment
I promise to:
- Share all my data - the wins AND the failures
- Build in public every single week
- Never hide behind marketing speak
- Actually use the app myself every day
- Quit if it doesn't work
Join the Journey
RushMandarin might fail. Most products do.
But if you're stuck on the intermediate plateau, if you're watching your Chinese slowly die, if you're tired of apps that don't get it...
Maybe it's worth trying something different.