As the possibility of a TikTok ban looms, a surprising trend has emerged: a surge of interest in learning Mandarin. Google searches for “learn Mandarin” are skyrocketing, and language learning app Duolingo has reported a 216% increase in U.S. users starting Chinese lessons.
This trend coincides with the Jan. 19 deadline for a potential TikTok ban in the U.S. As Straight Arrow News previously reported, the Chinese social media app Rednote, also known as Xiaohongshu, has climbed to the top of app store charts.
Rednote, similar to TikTok, features short-form video content and community-driven engagement. However, most of the app’s features are in Mandarin, leading some users, playfully dubbed “TikTok refugees,” to brush up on their language skills.
The rise of Mandarin?
Mandarin is already one of the most widely spoken languages worldwide. This recent surge in interest highlights its increasing importance, as users prepare for a potential shift in their digital habits.
Experts say the Mandarin craze, while linked to such shifts, offers lifelong benefits. Learning a new language improves cognitive skills, and opens doors in an increasingly interconnected world.
For some, learning Mandarin may be a way to maintain connections in a world where new platforms, like Rednote, may dominate.
However, not everyone is sold on switching to Rednote. Despite its rise in popularity, users have raised concerns over privacy, strict content moderation and the language barrier, which may limit its appeal to non-Mandarin speakers.
Whether or not the TikTok ban happens, the growing interest in Mandarin highlights the evolving relationship between digital platforms, language and culture.
