The 'Redneck' guide to flashcards

Using flashcards for the purpose of studying Chinese might not be for everyone. I gave my best recommendation in this regard in the first article in the series, but if you're looking for a slightly more 'personalised' recommendation, then this article will guide you on what is best for you.

With apologies to Jeff Foxworthy and his "You might be a redneck if ..." series of one-liners.


You know you should be using flashcards if ...

• When you find yourself (again!) ordering "diet coke" in English in a Chinese restaurant instead of "Jiànyí​ Kelè" ... you should be using flashcards.
• If you keep getting confused between left & right in Chinese ... you should be using flashcards.
• If you keep asking your martial arts instructor if you have good sperm, instead of good power ('jing') ... you should be using flashcards.
• If you can never quite remember the difference between 必须 and 必需 ... you should be using flashcards.
• If you looked up a word last week but you can't remember the answer ... you should be using flashcards.
• If you listen to Chinese music, and there is one word you keep hearing in songs but you still don't know what it means ... you should be using flashcards.
• If there is a Chinese character you see all over town, and you keep forgetting what it means ... you should be using flashcards.
• If you keep saying 'foreskin' when you mean to say 'briefcase' ... you should be using flashcards. 
• If you find yourself asking your Chinese friend for the 8th time, "How do you say 'influence' again?" ... you should be using flashcards.
• If you don't know which of "我什么都不知道" or "我不知道什么都" is actually correct ... you should be using flashcards.
• If you can't remember the Chinese equivalent of "When in Rome, do as the Romans do" ... you should be using flashcards. 
• If you sometimes visit Chinese websites, and you're always seeing a button that says "取消" but you don't know what it means ... you should be using flashcards. 
• If you listen to conversations, Mandarin radio or Chinese TV and there are words you still don't know ... you should be using flashcards. 
• If you are studying Chinese ... you really should be using flashcards.

And what about you? What was it in your life that convinced you that you should be using flashcards?