It has been one of the most popular Internet words since 2008. With the original meaning of thunder, the word ("雷"Léi) has been given another meaning on the web. Now it means that one is shocked by some bold actions, or by strange or even embarrassing things. It is said that this word is originated from the word
"雷倒" (léi dǎo), which is the dialect of "浙江" (zhèjiang) province of China.

You can say "我被雷到了" (wǒ bèi léi dào le ) or "好雷人啊" (hǎo léi rén a ) to express "I am shocked". So there are many circumstances for you to use this word. For example, after watching a video in which a bear dances like a ballet dancer, you can say "我被雷到了" (wǒ bèi léi dào le ) to express "I am shocked by this bear".

Still have questions? Take a Free 1-on-1 live online lesson with our professional teachers from China.

The Chinese word "山寨" (shān zhài) literally refers to remote mountain villages that are mostly beyond the reach of administrative control. Recently, however, the word has been used to describe people who imitate celebrities, or describe products or works of art or pop culture that have borrowed ideas from famous brands products or works. "山寨" (shān zhài) has become a culture of its own, symbolizing anything that imitates something famous.

"山寨" (shān zhài) has become an accepted name for the replicated products of brand goods after "山寨" (shān zhài) Cell phones produced by small individual workshops in southern China became popular in the mainland market over the past two years.

Besides "山寨" (shān zhài) electronic products, of which there are many, there are "山寨" (shān zhài) movies, "山寨" (shān zhài) stars and even a "山寨" (shān zhài) Spring Festival Gala, a copy of the 25-year-old traditional show presented by CCTV on Chinese Lunar New Year's eve.

Still have questions? Take a FREE 1-on-1 live online lesson with our professional teacher from China.

A: 暑假有什么安排吗？(Shŭ jià yǒu shěn me ān pái ma?)
B: 暑假我参加中文暑期班学中文。(Shŭ jià wǒ cān jiā zhōng wén shŭqī bān xué zhōng wén.)

A: Do you have any plans for your summer holiday?
B: I am going to take a summer Chinese program to learn Chinese.

Vocabulary(生词):
暑假 (Shŭ jià)   n   summer holiday
安排 (ān pái)   n/v   arrange
参加 (cān jiā)   v   participate

Usage(用法):
n. 有什么安排 (yǒu shén me ān pái ) / 没有安排 (méi yǒu ān pái) / 有安排了( yǒu ān pái lē.) Do you have any plans? /     I have no plans? / I have plans.
v. 安排一下 (ān pái yī xià) Have an arrangement.

Still have questions? Take a FREE 1-on-1 live online lesson with our professional teacher from China.

Liu Ting：你干吗呢？叫你怎么不理我？
                   (nĭ gàn má nē? jiào nĭ zěn mē bù lĭ wǒ?)
      Mike：抱歉，我净想着我的旅行计划了。
                   (bào qiàn,wǒ jìng xiǎng zhē wǒ dē lǚxíng jìhuà le.)
Liu Ting：离暑假还有两周呢，你就想得这么出神。
            (Lí shŭjià hái yǒu liǎng zhōu ne,nĭ jiù xiǎng de zhè me chū shén.)
      Mike：我计划去中国呢，说实话，我现在就想收拾行李动身。
                   (wǒ jì huà qù zhōng guó ne,shuō shí huà,wǒ xiàn zài jiù xiǎng shōu shī xíng lĭ dòng shēn.)
Liu Ting：哎，你干嘛，你不能说走就走啊。明天还有课呢。
                  (āi,nĭgàn má,nĭ bù néng shuō zǒu jiù zǒu ā.míng tiān hái yǒu kè nē.)
      Mike：我去订机票。
                   (wǒ qù ding jīpiào.)

Liu Ting: what are you doing? Why don't you answer me?
      Mike: Sorry. I was absorbed in thinking of my summer travel plan.
Liu Ting: Summer holiday is still two weeks away, but you put so much concentration on your summer travel plan                  right now?
      Mike: Actually, I plan to visit China. I actually want to pack and leave right now.
Liu Ting: Hey…what are you doing? You can't leave right now. We have classes tomorrow.
     Mike: I'm going to order the ticket right now.

Vocabulary(生词):
  1. 理 (lĭ) v   notice, answer
  2. 净 (jìng) adv   only, completely
  3. 计划 (jìhuà) n/v   plan
  4. 离 (lí) prep   away
  5. 出神 (chū shén) adj   absorbed
  6. 收拾 (shōu shi) v   pack
  7. 行李 (xíng lĭ) n   luggage
  8. 动身 (dòng shēn) v   set out/leave
  9. 订 (ding) v   order
10. 机票 (jīpiào) n   plane ticket

Usage(用法):
1. 净：净想着……/ 净说不该说的话 (Why do you just talk about some annoying things?). 用于动词前，表示
            “就、只、都”(just, exclusively)
2. 离……还有：搭配使用，如：离暑假还有两周 / 离公司还有五百米 (holiday is two weeks away/the company is
                             500 meters away)
3. 动身：我现在就动身。(I am leaving right now) 用于句末。
                 我动身去中国。(I am leaving for China)用于动词“去”前。
4. 说A就A：例如：说走就走。说干就干。表示说完后立刻行动。(Do something just after the decision)

Still have questions? Take a FREE 1-on-1 live online lesson with our professional teacher from China.

Li Ping: 你什么时候放暑假啊？
              (nĭ shěnmē shíhòu fàng shŭjià ā?)
   Julia: 明天就放了。我准备去南方几个城市玩玩。
              (míngtiān jiù fàng le.wǒ zhŭnbèi qù nánfāng jĭ gè chéngshì wán wan.)
Li Ping: 行李收拾好了吗？
              (xíng lĭ shōu shī hǎo le mā?)
   Julia: 正收拾呢。你说我带些什么衣服好呢？
              (zhèng shōu shī ne.nĭ shuō wǒ dài xiē shén me yīfú hǎo nē?)
Li Ping: 南方的天气说不准，厚的和薄的都带上几件吧。
              (nánfāng dē tiānqì shuō bù zhŭn,hòu dē hé báo dē dōu dài shàng jĭ jiàn bā.)
   Julia: 还用带伞吗？
              (hái yòng dài sǎn mā?)
Li Ping: 带着儿吧，反正也不占地儿。
              (daì zhē bā,fǎnzhèng yě bù zhàndì.)
   Julia: 对，带上。我还带了点儿晕车药、感冒药、拉肚子的药。还需要带什么？
              (duì,dài shàng.wò hái dài le diǎn yūnchēyào,gǎnmàoyào,lādùzi dē yào.hái xūyào dài shénmē?)
Li Ping: 创可贴啊。磕着碰着的话用得到。
              (chuàngkétiē ā.kē zhē pèng zhē dē huà yòng dé dào.)
   Julia: 对，多亏你提醒我。
              (duì,duōkuī nĭ tíxĭng wǒ.)

LiPing: When is your summer holiday coming?
  Julia: Tomorrow. I am going to travel around some southern cities.
LiPing: Have you got your package ready?
  Julia: Yea…I am packing. Could you give me some suggestions about my luggage?
LiPing: The weather in the south is unpredictable. You'd better take some clothes for different kinds of weather.
  Julia: Should I take an umbrella?
LiPing: Yea…yes, please take one. An umbrella will not take you much space.
  Julia: OK, I will take it just in case. I have also taken some medicines for carsickness, cold and diarrhea. What              else do you think?
LiPing: How about Band-Aids? It's going to be useful.
  Julia: OK…Thanks for reminding me.

Vocabulary(生词):
放假 (fàng )  v   take a holiday
占地 (zhàndì)  v   occupy
晕车药 (yūnchēyào)  n   carsickness pills
感冒药 (gǎnmàoyào)  n   cold medicine
拉肚子 (lādùzi)  v   diarrhea
创可贴 (chuàngkétiē)  n   Band-Aids
磕 (kē)  v   hit
碰 (pèng)  v   bump
多亏 (duōkuī)  adv   thanks to
提醒 (tíxĭng)  v   remind

Interested in our 2009 Summer Chinese Program? Click here

Questions: I've just started to learn Mandarin. How could I master Chinese tones?

Answers:
Chinese tones are usually challenging for the beginning-level Mandarin learners. There are several suggestions for you on Chinese tones:

First of all, memorize, memorize, and memorize. Try to remember the Chinese tones as much as possible. The tone chart (see below) and hand signals help you remember how four tones are pronounced.

Find some simple Chinese audios and listen to them. These options can expose your ears to native speaking Chinese.

Practice makes perfect. Grasp every opportunity to speak with native Chinese people. Read Chinese words or short stories aloud and try to hear the words to reinforce your memory. Record yourself and play it back later, and ask yourself: "how does it sound?"

Or you can get a tutor directly from China. She/he can help you get accustomed to the tones that are crucial to communicating in Mandarin Chinese.

The Four Tones in Mandarin Chinese
There are four tones in the Chinese language: the first tone, the second tone, the third tone and the fourth tone. The first tone has a high and even pitch. The second tone has a rising pitch while the third tone has a pitch that falls and then rises. The fourth tone, as the name implies, has a dropping pitch.

You may wonder why there are four tones in Chinese. Chinese is a tonal language with four pitched tones. The reason for having these tones is probably that the Chinese language has a limited number of possible syllables -- approximately 400 -- while English has about 12,000. For this reason, there may be more homophonic words in Chinese than in most other languages. Apparently, tones help the relatively small number of syllables to multiply.

Now you can understand how the Chinese people use only one syllable "da" and yet can tell the difference between "to hang over" (搭 dā), "to answer"(答dá), "to hit" (打dǎ),and "big"(大 dà). Yes, the secret lies in the tones. The tones determine the meaning of the word or syllable. For example: "睡觉" (shuì jiào) means "sleep," but "水饺" (shuĭ jiǎo) means "dumplings."

Still have questions? Take a free trial 1-on 1 live online lesson with our professional Chinese teachers in China.