Prime Immersion: How to Immerse Yourself in Chinese Using Amazon Prime Video

While nothing can replace moving to China or Taiwan, streaming TV shows and movies online is the next best thing! And if you are an Amazon Prime member, you can access a treasure trove of Chinese-language series and films for free (with a few Chinese classics available for rent).

In this post, I’ll show you how you exactly how to use Amazon Prime Video to immerse yourself in Mandarin Chinese, including how to find Chinese-language content, how to adjust your subtitle settings, and some of my favorite Chinese titles available on the platform.

Why You Should Watch Chinese TV Shows & Movies

Watching Mandarin-language videos provides valuable exposure to three key things:

1. Authentic, colloquial Mandarin. Language learners are often shocked when they first encounter real people speaking Mandarin in natural settings. Gone are the slow, stilted dialogues found in their Chinese textbooks, replaced by a rapid stream of slang and idioms. Watching videos helps prepare you for the way Chinese people really speak in informal contexts.

2. Regional accents. China is home to numerous languages, dialects, and sub-dialects, and even the same language can sound vastly different from city to city. For example, there are significant differences between the Mandarin spoken in Beijing (北京) and Taipei (台北). Watching shows from both sides of the Taiwan Straight will help you develop more well-rounded listening skills.

3. Cultural nuances. Learning a language is about so much more than words and grammar. You also need to master proper etiquette, learn what taboos and gaffes to avoid, and develop an intuitive understanding of local values, customs, and mores. Reading about the rules is helpful, but watching them unfold on screen is much more fun and effective.

How to Find Mandarin Audio on Amazon Prime

The easiest way to find Chinese content on Prime Video is simply searching for “Chinese” in any of the Prime Video apps on iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, etc.

Alternatively, you can use this link to show all available Chinese content available to stream for free as a Prime member.

You can then further filter by:

• genre

• rating

• decade

• video length

How to Adjust Subtitle Settings

Unfortunately, Amazon Prime Video only supports English subtitles for Amazon US users. I really wish there was the option to turn on Chinese subtitles as you can on Netflix, Apple TV, etc.

To turn on English subtitles:

1. Select the Subtitles and Audio button (the speech bubble with 2 lines inside).

2. Select English.

3. If you like, select Subtitle Settings to customize the font size, color, etc.

4. Tap or click anywhere outside the subtitle menu to return to your video.

To turn off English subtitles:

1. Select Subtitles and Audio again.

2. Select Off.

How to Get the Most Out of Amazon Prime Video

Simply watching lots of Chinese-language content on Prime Video will help your language skills, but you will get the most bang for your buck if you apply the following five tips.

① Read Plot Summaries to Boost Comprehension

Before you watch a Chinese TV show or movie on Amazon Prime, take a brief moment to read up on the plot and main characters on Wikipedia. First read the English entry, and then switch to the Chinese entry by clicking on the language drop-down menu and selecting 中文.

💡 Pro Tip: For help working through the Chinese-language entry, import it into LingQ or use the Zhongwen pop-up dictionary extension in Chrome.

② Look Up New Words (But Not Too Many!)

As you watch, keep a notebook handy and jot down some interesting or useful words, phrases, and structures that come up. Then batch process these in a good dictionary like Pleco to confirm their meaning and usage. Just make sure to limit how many terms you look up lest you get bored or lose track of the plot.

💡For more recommended dictionaries and reference tools, see my post Dive into Mandarin: The 10 Best Reference Tools to Explore Chinese Language & Culture.

③ Create Flashcards

Looking up words in a dictionary is a good first step, but you probably won't remember the pronunciation, characters, and meaning with just a single repetition. Instead, create personalized flashcards in a spaced repetition app like Anki so you can quickly and efficiently commit them to memory.

💡For more about Anki, see my post Rapidly Expand Your Foreign Language Vocabulary with These 7 Expert Anki Tips.

④ Rewatch Episodes & Films

If you have the time and motivation to rewatch the same episode or movie twice, watch one time through with English subtitles to build context and increase comprehension, and then watch again without subtitles to boost your listening skills.

⑤ Decide Not to Decide (Make a Chinese-Only Watchlist)

It's easy to immerse yourself in Chinese on days when you're full of energy and motivation. But what about when you're sick, stressed, or depressed? On such days, it's all too tempting to just binge a familiar English-language show instead of choosing a Chinese series.

The key to consistency is removing decision from the equation altogether! Instead of having to choose Chinese, make it the only option by including just Chinese TV shows and movies in your Prime Video watchlist.

Recommended Chinese Shows & Movies on Amazon Prime Video

The following series and films (arranged in alphabetical order) are currently available to stream or rent on Amazon Prime Video in the United States.

A Brighter Summer Day

A Brighter Summer Day, or Gǔ-lǐng-jiē Shào-nián Shā-rén Shì-Jiàn (牯岭街少年杀人事件, lit. “Kuling Street Teenage Murder Case”), is a crime drama directed by Edward Yang. Set in 1950s and 60s Taiwan, it centers on Zhāng Zhèn (張震, “Chang Chen”) a.k.a. Xiǎo Sì (小四, “Little Four,” i.e. the fourth of five children), a boy from a middle-class family whose life drastically veers off course into crime and disarray.

Rating: 13+  |  Genre: Drama  |  Release Date: 2011  |  IMBD: 8.2/10

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, or Wò-hǔ Cáng-lóng (臥虎藏龍・卧虎藏龙) is a 2000 wǔ-xiá (武俠, “martial arts fantasy”) film directed by Ang Lee. The 4-time Oscar winner combines classic Chinese storytelling, gorgeous landscapes, and epic martial arts choreography. The movie stars:

• Zhōu Rùn-fā (周潤發, Chow Yun-fat) as Lǐ Mù-bái (李慕白), a renowned swordsman

• Yáng Zǐ-qióng (楊紫瓊, Michelle Yeoh) as Yú Xiù-lián (俞秀蓮), a warrior and friend of Lǐ Mù-bái

• Zhāng Zǐ-yí (章子怡) as Yù Jiāo-lóng (玉嬌龍), daughter of the powerful Yù Dà-rén (玉大人)

💡 Pro Tip: The title is based on the Chinese idiom “crouching tiger, hidden dragon”, which refers to “talented individuals in hiding.”

Rating: PG-13  |  Genre: Kung Fu, Fantasy  |  Release Date: 2001  |  IMBD: 7.9/10

Dangerous Liaisons

Dangerous Liaisons, or Wéi-xiǎn Guān-xì (危險關係・危险关系), is a 2012 adaptation of the French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses. The film is set in 1930s Shanghai, and stars Zhāng Zi-yí (章子怡) as the virtuous Dù Fēn-yù (杜芬玉, "Tourvel"). She gets caught in a web of seduction and betrayal orchestrated by the wealthy Xiè Yì-fàn (謝易梵・谢易梵, "Valmont"), played by Zhāng Dōng-jiàn (張東健, Jang Dong-gun), and the manipulative Mò Jié-yú (莫婕妤, "Merteuil"), portrayed by Zhāng Bǎi-zhī (張栢芝・张柏芝, Cecilia Cheung). The film explores power, love, and revenge in an opulent, yet treacherous, world.

Rating: R  |  Genre: Drama  |  Release Date: 2012  |  IMBD: 6.0/10

Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace

Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace, or Rú-yì Zhuàn (如懿傳 · 如懿传), is about Qīng Yīng (青櫻 · 青樱), a royal consort who masters the intricate, treacherous politics of the palace, and eventually ascends all the way to the position of empress. To help erase her past and make a new start, she later takes on the new name Rú-yì (如懿).

Rating: 13+  |  Genre: Historical Drama  |  Release Date: 2018  |  IMBD: 7.6/10

Shaolin

Shaolin, or Xīn Shào-lín-sì (新少林寺, lit. "New Shaolin Temple"), is a 2011 martial arts film directed by Chén Mù-shèng (陳木勝・陈木胜, Benny Chan Muk-sing). The movie is set during the warlord era of early 20th-century China, and stars Liú Dé-huá (劉德華・刘德华, Andy Lau) as the ruthless warlord Hóu jié (侯傑・侯杰). After a tragic betrayal, he seeks redemption at the Shaolin Temple, where he undergoes a spiritual transformation.

Rating: R  |  Genre: Action, Drama  |  Release Date: 2011  |  IMBD: 6.8/10

The Assassin

The Assassin, or Cì-kè Niè Yǐn-Niáng (刺客聶隱娘, lit. "Assassin Nie Yin-niang"), is a stunning wuxia drama set in 9th-century China. The film follows Niè Yǐn-Niáng (聶隱娘), played by Shū Qí (舒淇), a highly skilled assassin tasked with killing her former lover, played by Zhāng Zhèn (張震, Chang Chen). Its poetic storytelling and breathtaking cinematography earned director Hóu Xiào-xián (侯孝賢, Hou Hsiao-hsien) the Best Director Award at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.

Rating: PG  |  Genre: Action, Drama, Martial Arts  |  Release Date: 2015  |  IMBD: 6.3/10

The Forbidden Flower

The Forbidden Flower, or Bù Néng Shuō de Huā (不能說的花・不能说的花, lit. "The Flower That Cannot Be Said"), is a 2023 romantic drama about of a passionate romance between a young woman, Hé Rǎn (何冉), played by Xú Ruò-hán (徐若晗), and an older gardener, Xiāo Hán (萧寒), portrayed by Yán Chéng-xù (言承旭, Jerry Yan). The film is set against a backdrop of lush landscapes and delicate blossoms, and explores themes of desire, self-discovery, and the complexities of forbidden love in an unconventional relationship.

Rating: 16+  |  Genre: Drama, Romance  |  Release Date: 2023  |  IMBD: 7.6/10

The Road Home

The Road Home, or Wǒ-de Fù-qin Mǔ-qin (我的父親母親 · 我的父亲母亲, lit. “My Father and Mother”) in Mandarin, is a touching story about a country girl and a young teacher who fall in love and get married, which was unusual during a time of arranged marriages. The movie stars:

• Zhāng Zi-yí (章子怡) as the young Zhāo Dì (招娣), the primary protagonist

• Zhèng Hào (鄭昊 · 郑昊) as Luò Zhǎng-yú (駱長餘 · 骆长余), Zhao Di’s husband and the narrator’s father

• Sūn Hóng-léi (孫紅雷 · 孙红雷) as Zhao and Luo’s grown son and the film’s narrator

Rating: G  |  Genre: Romantic Drama  |  Release Date: 1999  |  IMBD: 7.8/10

Yi Yi

Yī Yī (一一, lit. “One One”) is a 2000 drama written and directed by Yáng Dé-chāng (楊德昌, Edward Yang), who won Best Director for the film at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival. The story centers on the quotidian struggles of an engineer named Jiǎn Nán-jùn (簡南峻, NJ) and his middle-class family in Tái-běi (台北, Taipei) over the course of one year. The cast includes:

• Wú Niàn-zhēn (吳念真, Wu Nien-jen) as Jiǎn Nán-jùn (簡南峻, NJ)

• Jīn Yàn-líng (金燕玲, Elaine Jin) as NJ’s wife Mǐn-mǐn (敏敏)

• Lǐ Kǎi-lì (李凱莉, Kelly Lee) as NJ’s daughter Jiǎn Tíng-tíng (簡婷婷)

• Zhāng Yáng-yáng (張洋洋, Jonathan Chang) as NJ’s son Jiǎn Yáng-yáng (簡洋洋)

Rating: NR  |  Genre: Drama  |  Release Date: 2000  |  IMBD: 8.1/10

With the right approach, video can be one of the most effective ways to immerse yourself in Mandarin Chinese right at home. So, grab your favorite snack, kick back on the couch, and transform your Amazon Prime subscription into an immersion tool today!

Want more tips and tools to immerse yourself in Mandarin Chinese from the comfort of home? Check out my detailed guide Master Mandarin: How to Learn Mandarin Chinese Anywhere in the World.