I've never studied spoken Chinese. Will I keep up?

NetChai has an introductory course that starts from pronunciation (pinyin) — no prior Chinese knowledge needed. Beginners should choose a tutor fluent in Japanese. All tutors hold JLPT Level 2 or higher, but fluency varies. As a guideline, look for tutors who have lived in Japan for at least one year.

Are there any communication costs during lessons?

No communication costs. Teams is free to download and use.

What are the lesson hours?

Lessons run 6 a.m. to midnight — ideal even for busy professionals who get home late.

Can I take lessons from outside Japan?

Yes, overseas access is generally supported. Check your connection quality during the trial lesson.

Can multiple people share one account?

Each account is limited to one user. Family members must register separately.

Is registration free?

Registration is free — no fees, no payment details required.

After your free lesson, pay via "Buy a plan" (under "Purchase") in the member menu to continue. Fees start at that point.

With a 50-min plan, must I take two lessons back-to-back?

Each lesson is 25 minutes. With a 50-min plan, you can take two 25-min lessons with different tutors or 50 minutes straight with the same tutor.

Can I update my registration details?

Yes. Log in, select "Registration Details" from the member menu, and update your information there.

How do I cancel my membership?

Submit a cancellation request via the contact form and we'll handle the rest.

Online Chinese Lesson FAQ

General

What do I need to get started?: You need a computer with internet access, a microphone and speakers (or headphones), and Microsoft Teams installed.
A webcam lets the tutor see you, which greatly improves lessons.
What courses does NetChai offer?: NetChai offers Introductory, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, and Free Talk courses to match your level.
Introductory through Advanced courses use commercial textbooks, purchased by the student.
See courses and learning materials here.
For Free Talk, choose from: (1) NetChai's topic list, (2) online news articles, or (3) open conversation — whatever suits you and your tutor.
I've never studied spoken Chinese. Will I keep up?: NetChai has an introductory course that starts from pronunciation (pinyin) — no prior Chinese knowledge needed. Beginners should choose a tutor fluent in Japanese. All tutors hold JLPT Level 2 or higher, but fluency varies. As a guideline, look for tutors who have lived in Japan for at least one year.
Are there any communication costs during lessons?: No communication costs. Teams is free to download and use.

About lessons

What are the lesson hours?: Lessons run 6 a.m. to midnight — ideal even for busy professionals who get home late.
How far in advance can I book?: Book up to two hours before lesson start. Popular slots fill quickly, so book early.

*If all slots are fully booked before 6:00 p.m. JST, a makeup lesson will be arranged.
Are there days without lessons?: No lessons during New Year holidays and select Chinese holidays (Chinese New Year, National Day).
Lessons may also be suspended for operational reasons.
Are makeup lessons available for scheduled breaks?: Makeup lessons are scheduled after the break period ends. Instructions are posted on the site each time.
Can multiple people share one account?: Each account is limited to one user. Family members must register separately.
Can children use NetChai?: Yes. NetChai has no age restrictions — anyone who wants to learn Chinese is welcome.
Japanese children in China and Chinese children in Japan are also welcome.

Booking

Can I reschedule a lesson I can't attend?: Monthly plan lessons cannot be rescheduled. With a point plan, you take lessons only on days that suit you.
Can I reschedule if my preferred time slot is fully booked?: Fully booked time slots cannot be rescheduled — please choose a different time.
What happens if a tutor can't teach?: Power outages and internet disruptions can occur in parts of China. If a tutor can't teach and it's known by the day before, the lesson will be cancelled — please book a different tutor.

If a tutor cancels same-day, support will arrange a replacement. A makeup lesson is also available on request.

*Rare disruptions (power outages, internet failures) may prevent tutors from holding lessons. We minimize these, but they are inherent to the service.
Can I reschedule if my regular tutor is unavailable?: We don't reschedule when a specific tutor is fully booked.
Tutors keep as many slots open as possible but may take regular or occasional days off.
Tutors may also cancel due to personal circumstances. In that case, please book a different tutor.
How do I book a lesson?: Log in, click "Book a Lesson" in the member menu, choose a tutor from the tutor list, and select your preferred date and time.
Can I cancel a lesson, and what's the deadline?: You can cancel up to one hour before the lesson. Within one hour, cancellation is not possible. For point plans, points are consumed within one hour of lesson start.

*Frequent same-day cancellations hurt tutors. Please avoid them unless unavoidable.

Pricing

Is registration free?: Registration is free — no fees, no payment details required.
When do fees start?: After your free lesson, pay via "Buy a plan" (under "Purchase") in the member menu to continue. Fees start at that point.
How long is my membership valid?: Your free membership period begins as soon as registration is complete.
You become a full member once you pay via "Buy a plan" (under "Purchase") in the member menu.
To cancel,Contact Form select "Membership and Withdrawal," send your cancellation request to support, and your withdrawal is complete when you receive a confirmation email.
How do I pay?: Pay by credit card, PayPal, or bank transfer.
For bank transfer, pay one month upfront. Paying 2 or 3 months at once is also available.
Credit card and PayPal payments are charged automatically each month.
Can I change my payment method?: Yes, you can.Contact Form select "Change of Payment Method" and specify your preferred method in the details.
How does the fee system work?: Here's how our pricing works.

(Monthly Plan)
Everyday 25-Min Plan: ¥10,880/month (tax incl.)
Everyday 50-Min Plan: ¥18,880/month (tax incl.)
Everyday 75-Min Plan: ¥26,280/month (tax incl.)
Everyday 100-Min Plan: ¥31,180/month (tax incl.)

Weekday 25-Min Plan: ¥8,980/month (tax incl.)
Weekday 50-Min Plan: ¥15,580/month (tax incl.)
Weekday 75-Min Plan: ¥21,180/month (tax incl.)
Weekday 100-Min Plan: ¥26,180/month (tax incl.)

Weekend 25-Min Plan: ¥7,480/month (tax incl.)
Weekend 50-Min Plan: ¥12,880/month (tax incl.)
Weekend 75-Min Plan: ¥17,280/month (tax incl.)
Weekend 100-Min Plan: ¥19,980/month (tax incl.)

(Point Plan)
2-Point Plan: ¥1,680 (tax incl.)
4-Point Plan: ¥3,280 (tax incl.)
8-Point Plan: ¥5,780 (tax incl.)
16-Point Plan: ¥10,680 (tax incl.)
24-Point Plan: ¥15,240 (tax incl.)
32-Point Plan: ¥19,180 (tax incl.)
48-Point Plan: ¥26,980 (tax incl.)
64-Point Plan: ¥34,320 (tax incl.)
Is the monthly fee prorated?: No proration. All plans run one month from your enrollment date, regardless of when you join.

(Example) Join Nov 15 → pay one month → valid through Dec 14.

If we don't receive a stop-renewal request by Dec 13 (two days before), payment is charged on Dec 15 and your plan runs through Jan 14.

The above applies to credit card and PayPal. For bank transfer, it applies per the period paid (1, 2, or 3 months).
Can I change my plan?: Plans are billed monthly, so you can change month by month. (Monthly plan changes take effect at renewal.)

Contact us at least two days before your renewal date to stop auto-renewal, then purchase a new plan after it expires.

You can change plans mid-period for the following additions. Contact us via the form.

(1) Adding lesson time (e.g., Daily 25-Min → Daily 50-Min Plan)
(2) Adding available days (e.g., Weekend or Weekday 25-Min → Everyday 25-Min Plan).

Note: prorated mid-period changes are not available in the following cases — the change takes effect at your next renewal.

(1) Reducing lesson time during the validity period (e.g., 50 min → 25 min).
(2) Switching from a point plan to a monthly plan (takes effect after all points are used).

For other questions, contact support via the form below.
Contact Form
Where can I check my remaining points and expiry date?: Check the "Lesson Registration Details" page.
Where can I check my monthly plan expiration date?: When you purchase a plan, you'll receive a payment confirmation email. For monthly plans, the renewal date in that email is your expiration date.
With a 50-min plan, must I take two lessons back-to-back?: Each lesson is 25 minutes. With a 50-min plan, you can take two 25-min lessons with different tutors or 50 minutes straight with the same tutor.
What happens to fees if I join mid-month?: A monthly plan runs for one month from enrollment (e.g., Nov 20 → Dec 20).

For point plans, validity varies by the number of points purchased. SeePricing plans and check the point plan section.
Can I use a weekday plan on public holidays?: Yes — weekday plan lessons run Monday–Friday including public holidays, except during scheduled breaks (New Year, Chinese New Year, National Day). Lessons during breaks are rescheduled.
How do I change my credit card?: Contact Form to request a card change. Support will then pause your current auto-payments.
After your current period expires, purchase again from the "Payment" page with your new card.
Are there costs beyond the monthly fee, such as textbooks?: Free Talk requires no textbook.
Students purchase their own textbooks for Introductory through Advanced courses.
Does a cooling-off period apply?: Our service does not fall under Japan's cooling-off rules, so lesson fees are non-refundable.
Can I get a receipt?: For credit card payments, your card statement serves as the official receipt. Copy the statement, redact non-NetChai entries, and use it as a receipt.

Email receipts are free on request. Postal receipts incur a ¥200 handling fee each.
Which entry on my credit card statement is the NetChai charge?: "GPO 057066602" on your statement is the charge from UNIVA Paycast (formerly IPS), our payment processor.

*The number next to "GPO" is UNIVA Paycast's support center phone number.

Account

Can I update my registration details?: Yes. Log in, select "Registration Details" from the member menu, and update your information there.
How is my information used?: Your data is stored securely per our Privacy Policy and used solely for member management.

About the Materials

What learning materials are used?: NetChai uses commercially available textbooks for Introductory, Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced courses.
See courses and learning materials here.

Free Talk

Are there restrictions on Free Talk topics?: Please avoid sexual topics, personal beliefs, religiously or politically sensitive subjects, and anything unsuitable for a lesson.

If a topic's suitability is unclear, the tutor decides. Please follow any suggestion to switch topics.

Teams & setup

I haven't received a Teams contact request from my tutor. What should I do?: Tutors normally send a Teams contact request in advance. Due to how Teams works, it may not always arrive. If you haven't received one before the lesson, please send the request yourself.
Can I record lessons?: Recording video calls during lessons is prohibited.

Audio recording for review is allowed only with the tutor's prior consent.

*Recording without the tutor's consent may constitute harassment, which we prohibit. Continued violations after warnings will result in a ban.
Can I use a tablet or smartphone?: A computer is recommended, but tablets and smartphones work too.

*Tablet and smartphone connections are not guaranteed — use at your own risk.
Does any internet connection work?: We recommend using your home internet connection for the best quality.
Public Wi-Fi and mobile data (3G/LTE) work too, but connection quality may vary.

*Non-home connections are not guaranteed — use at your own risk.
Can I take lessons from outside Japan?: Yes, overseas access is generally supported. Check your connection quality during the trial lesson.

*Connections from outside Japan are not guaranteed — use at your own risk.

Suspension & cancellation

How do I suspend my membership?: Monthly plans renew automatically. To suspend, contact support via the form at least two days before your expiration date.

*Your suspension is complete only when you receive our reply. If you don't hear back within 24 hours, please contact us again.

On a point plan, your membership suspends automatically when your points expire. No action needed.
How do I cancel my membership?: Submit a cancellation request via the contact form and we'll handle the rest.

Other

My question isn't in the FAQ. Can I still ask?: Contact Form to reach us.

Our support team may contact you via Teams, but Teams responses may be delayed due to priority handling. If you don't hear back, please useContact Form to contact us.

For important requests (auto-renewal cancellation, plan changes), always use the contact form.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ