If memorising words is a chore for you, you might be doing it all wrong.
Does this sound familiar?
You clutch your vocab book, from "abandon" to "zoo", feeling like your willpower is off the charts. But then, the moment you turn around to chat with a mate and need a specific word, your mind goes blank. You end up awkwardly resorting to "that thing" instead.
Why do we bust our guts memorising words, only for them to bail on us when we need them most?
The problem might lie in a place we've never even considered: we've been treating language learning like 'stockpiling ingredients' rather than 'learning to cook'.
Your Brain Isn't a Storeroom, It's a Kitchen
Imagine you've set your sights on becoming a top chef. How do you go about it? Do you rock up to the market, buy stacks of potatoes, tomatoes, and onions, pile them all in the kitchen, and then spend every day muttering to them: "This is a potato, this is a tomato..."?
Sounds a bit bonkers, right? A storeroom overflowing with top-shelf ingredients won't make you a good cook.
But that's often exactly what we do when we learn English. We frantically swipe through vocab apps, organise new word notebooks, and stuff isolated words into our brains. We think that if we just hoard enough 'ingredients', one day we'll be able to whip up a gourmet feast.
The truth is: Your brain doesn't remember a word because you 'memorised' it; it remembers it because you 'used' it.
Just like learning to cook, you truly get to know each ingredient's characteristics by handling them, experimenting with combinations, and tasting the flavours. Language is the same: only by using, understanding, and experiencing words in real contexts can they truly become a part of you.
So, stop being an 'ingredient hoarder'. From today, let's learn how to become a real 'language chef'.
1. Don't just stare at the ingredients, read the recipe
Old method: Clutching a vocab list, from A to Z. New approach: Find a 'recipe' you're genuinely interested in—could be a movie you love, a song you're obsessed with, an interesting tech article, or a blogger you follow.
When you're immersed in content you genuinely enjoy, your brain isn't just passively soaking up information. It actively tries to understand the plot, feel the emotions, and make connections. In this process, those high-frequency, key words are absorbed naturally, just like essential seasonings in a dish. You're not 'memorising' them; you're 'using' them to understand the 'recipe'.
2. Don't learn in isolation, learn within the 'dish'
Old method: sky = 天空; beautiful = 美丽的. New approach: "I was looking at the beautiful sky."
Which is easier to remember? Definitely the latter.
An isolated word is like a raw spud—cold and hard. But when it turns up in a dish like 'braised potatoes', it gains warmth, flavour, and context.
From now on, when you come across a new word, don't just jot down its Chinese meaning. Jot down the whole sentence it's in, or a phrase that includes it. Let the word come alive in a story, a picture, an emotion. That's how it'll truly sink into your memory.
3. You don't need all the spices in the world, just a few reliable ones
Old method: When you come across an unfamiliar word, you want to look it up, trying to master every single one. New approach: Pick and choose carefully, only learning what you'll actually use when you're 'cooking'.
A great chef isn't great because they know every spice in the kitchen; it's because they can masterfully use the few they rely on most.
It's the same with language learning. Do you really need to know how to say 'basalt' or 'the Peloponnesian War'? Unless you're a geologist or a history buff, probably not.
Focus your energy on words that are closely related to your life, work, and interests. Ask yourself: 'Will I use this word when chatting with a mate? Is this word relevant to topics I like?' If the answer's no, just let it go for now. Learn to prioritise, and your brain will thank you for it.
The Real Secret: Stop 'prepping ingredients' by yourself; go 'share the meal' with friends
When we learn to cook, the ultimate goal isn't just to admire a table full of dishes by ourselves; it's for the joy and connection of sharing them with family and friends.
And language is even more so.
The most effective and enjoyable way to learn a language is to use it in real human interaction. This is the ultimate 'kitchen' for language learning. Here, you're not just practising your 'cooking'; you're also enjoying the 'meal' itself.
I know, you might be worried about not having enough vocab, making mistakes, or feeling awkward. It's like a beginner cook always worrying their food won't taste good.
But what if you had a 'smart kitchen assistant'? When you're flailing around trying to find an ingredient (can't recall a word), it can instantly hand it to you, making your cooking process (chatting) smooth and seamless.
That's exactly what a tool like Intent can offer you. It's a chat app with built-in AI translation, letting you communicate seamlessly with anyone, anywhere in the world. When you get stuck, it can translate for you in real-time, allowing you to focus on the 'communication' itself, rather than 'searching for words'. You'll naturally pick up the most useful 'ingredients' through genuine conversations.
Keen to give it a go? Make friends with the world: https://intent.app/
All in all, stop letting memorising words be a chore.
Stop being a lonely 'word collector' and start becoming a happy 'language cook'.
Find your beloved 'recipes' (content), learn words in real 'dishes' (contexts), focus on the 'ingredients' (core vocabulary) you need most, and most importantly, bravely share your 'feast' (start conversations) with others.
You'll find that language learning isn't a painful struggle anymore, but a wonderful journey full of surprises and connection.