Like its predecessor, the second edition of Fundamental Written Chinese places importance on a clear, systematic, and graduated introduction to written Mandarin. The authors continue the tradition of separating the teaching of written and oral skills, leaving the instruction of vocabulary and grammar exclusively to Fundamental Spoken Chinese, also in its second edition. The lessons in the two textbooks, however, are keyed to each other in terms of vocabulary and grammar, so they may be used simultaneously, or the parallel written skills may be introduced at a later time.

Fundamental Written Chinese begins by educating readers on the basics of the Chinese writing system so they are well-equipped for the practical application of Chinese characters. Chapters include lists of vocabulary items, exercises, charts explaining the characters' usage, mnemonics and memory suggestions, supplementary texts, and space for writing practice. This textbook teaches comprehension of written Chinese by methodically focusing on structural regularities such as radicals, phonetic components, and stroke order. The lessons are organized so students begin with simple independent characters before moving to the more complex compound characters.

Audio, exercise model answers, and other resources for Fundamental Written Chinese may be accessed at www.fundamentalchinese.com.