Interest in learning Chinese soars in the U.S. amid TikTok ban

According to Duolingo, the number of U.S. users learning Chinese has increased by 216% in a short period, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports.

One reason for this surge is the anticipated TikTok ban in the U.S., set to take effect on January 19. As a result, many users are seeking alternative platforms for communication and entertainment. Among these platforms is the Chinese social network RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu. Recently, RedNote has become the top free app on the U.S. Apple App Store.

However, the platform faces challenges in adapting to an international audience, including language barriers and a lack of advanced content moderation tools in English. As a result, many users have turned to learning Chinese to better navigate the platform and engage with its content. One of the most accessible methods for this is through language-learning apps like Duolingo

TechCrunch reported that, according to app intelligence provider Appfigures, consumer demand for Duolingo's language courses has significantly impacted the app's install base. As of January 3, Duolingo saw a 36% increase in U.S. downloads across both the App Store and Google Play. This early surge suggests that users may have experimented with various Chinese social apps before the major influx to RedNote later in the month.

Earlier, Kazinform News Agency reported that millions of users have turned their attention to the Chinese app RedNote.