The article attempts to outline the range of issues related to the teaching of the Chinese language in modern conditions, highlighting those that appear to the authors most significant from the point of view of comprehending the basic mechanisms of the language associated with thought processes, understanding information in its perception and its representation with the help of speech, lexical means. Particular emphasis is placed on the consideration of the latter, in connection with the peculiarities of the Chinese language system and language consciousness. The authors suggest that in the teaching of Chinese lexical knowledge is formed on the model of Russian lexical units, which contradicts both word-building and substantive facts of the Chinese language. In this regard, it is proposed to pay attention to the semantic features of Chinese words. Priority in the study should be simple words (morphemes) with the involvement of information about complex formations derived from them. It is suggested that the study and analysis of the semantic structure of monosyllabic, simple words, will provide an opportunity to know the mechanism of their combination potencies. The formation of this kind of knowledge as procedural knowledge will help in the implementation of speech activities aimed at the perception and generation of statements that do not contradict the cognitive-semantic structures of Chinese speakers.