Built for Shalom —
and every child like her
"I wanted her to feel that Chinese was a gift, not a chore."
— Chifan Founder
When my daughter Shalom began primary school, I wanted her to learn Mandarin — not just for career reasons, but to feel connected to a rich, living culture. We tried apps. We tried group classes. Neither felt right for her.
The apps were repetitive and gamified for attention, not genuine learning. The group classes moved at one pace — never hers. She came home bored, then discouraged. That's when I realized: no one had built the Chinese learning experience that real children and real families actually need.
So we built Chifan. Named after the first phrase every Chinese child learns — 吃饭, "let's eat" — an invitation, warm and welcoming. A word that gathers families together.
Every lesson at Chifan is built around the individual child: their pace, their interests, their learning style. Live teachers who genuinely love what they teach. Games and activities that reinforce — not replace — real instruction. A hybrid format that fits family life rather than demanding you reshape your week around a schedule.
This is the platform we wished existed for Shalom. And we built it for yours too.