When you learn Mandarin, you expect vocabulary lists, tones, grammar patterns… But what most learners don’t expect is that everyday Chinese is full of soft-sounding phrases with sharp hidden meanings.
They look polite.
They sound gentle.
But the tone and context can carry frustration, …
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Nà jiù suàn le 那就算了 Forget it then / Let it go
Hái kěyǐ 还可以 Not bad / It’s okay
Zhēn …
Wǒ xiǎng mǎi zhè ge. 我想买这个。 I want to buy this.
Duō shǎo qián? 多少钱？ How much is it?
Tài guì le. 太贵了。 Too expensive.
Wǒ mǎi zhè ge. 我买这个 I’ll buy this one
Wǒ yào zěn me zhī fù? 我要怎么支付？ How do I pay?…
Wǒ è le. 我饿了。 I’m hungry.
Wǒ kě le. 我渴了。 I’m thirsty.
Wǒ lèi le. 我累了。 I’m tired.
Wǒ yào qù cè suǒ. 我要去厕所。 I need to go to the bathroom.
Wǒ yào shuì jiào. 我要睡觉。 I want to sleep.
If you consider having your …
Kě yǐ kě yǐ 可以可以 Okay, okay / Sounds good
Hái xíng ba 还行吧 It’s okay / Not bad
Kàn yuán fèn 看缘分 Depends on fate / Let’s see how it goes
Mǎ mǎ hū hū 马马虎虎 So-so / Not great but acceptable
Nà jiù …
Shuō de hěn duì, xià cì bié shuō le. 说得很对，下次别说了。 You’re absolutely right—don’t say it again. Meaning: Love you, but please stop talking.
Wǒ jiù xǐ huan nǐ zhè fù jiāo ào de yàng zi. 我就喜欢你这副骄傲的样子。 I just love how proud you are. Meaning: …
Qǐng zuò xià！ 请坐下！ Please sit down！
Qǐng zhù yì tīng. 请注意听。 Please listen carefully.
Dǎ kāi shū. 打开书。 Open your book.
Qǐng gēn wǒ niàn. 请跟我念。 Please read after me.
Tí gōng wèn tí. 提问题。 Ask a question.
Qǐng xiě xià lái. 请写下来。 Please …
If you work in New York — Midtown offices, Wall Street firms, Brooklyn startups, or Queens-based logistics companies — you‘ve probably noticed something: Mandarin is becoming one of the most valuable skills in the city.
Whether you collaborate with China-based teams, handle APAC clients, or …
Lǎo shī hǎo！ 老师好 Hello, teacher！
Wǒ méi tīng dǒng. 我没听懂。 I didn’t understand.
Kě yǐ zài shuō yī cì ma? 可以再说一次吗？ Can you say it again?
Zhè dào tí zěn me zuò? 这道题怎么做？ How do I do this question?
Xiè xie lǎo shī！ 谢谢老师！ …
Yī qǐ wán! 一起玩! Play together!
Gěi nǐ. 给你。 Here you go.
Wǒ xǐ huan gēn nǐ wán. 我喜欢跟你玩。 I like playing with you.
Wǒ men zuò hǎo péng yǒu ba！ 我们做好朋友吧！ Let’s be good friends！
Wǒ men zǒu! 我们走! Let’s go!
If you consider …
Australia‘s workplaces — from Sydney finance offices to Melbourne retail, Brisbane hospitality, and Perth mining — are more global than ever. And as more Chinese customers, coworkers, and business partners appear in daily work, many Australians are discovering:
“I wish I knew even …
Nǐ fǎn yìng bié tài guò jī le. 你反应别太过激了。 Don’t overreact. (Stay calm)
Lěng jìng yī diǎn. 冷静一点。 Calm down a bit.
Fàng qīng sōng yī diǎn. 放轻松一点。 Relax a little.
Wěn zhù, bié zhà！ 稳住，别炸！ Chill, don’t blow up!
Bié pò fáng le！ 别破防了！ …
Zǎo ān！ 早安！ Good morning！
Nǐ hǎo. 你好。 Hello.
Dào le. 到了。 Arrived.
Qǐng zuò. 请坐。 Please sit.
Xiè xie. 谢谢。 Thank you.
Zài jiàn！ 再见！ Goodbye！
If you consider having your kid learn Mandarin, sign up for a free online 1-to-1 Mandarin lesson on …
Lái ba！ 来吧！ Come here！
Zǒu ba！ 走吧！ Let’s go！
Kuài yī diǎn! 快一点! Hurry up!
Bú yào！ 不要！ Don’t！
Wǒ lái. 我来。 I’ll do it.
Tài hǎo le! 太好了! Great! / Awesome!
If you consider having your kid learn Mandarin, sign up for a …
Wǒ de shǒu jī méi yǒu diàn le, wǒ yào chōng diàn. 我的手机没有电了，我要充电。 My phone is out of battery, I need to charge it.
Wǒ shǒu jī yào chōng diàn le. 我手机要充电了。 I need to charge my phone.
Qǐng wèn, wǒ kě yǐ zài zhè …
Hǎo ma? 好吗？ Okay? / Are you okay?
Wǒ lái le. 我来了。 I’m coming.
Děng yī xià. 等一下。 Wait a moment.
Wǒ zhī dào. 我知道。 I know.
Wǒ bù zhī dào. 我不知道。 I don’t know.
Wǒ yào zhè ge. 我要这个。 I want this.
If you …
Kāi dēng 开灯 Turn on the light.
Qǐng kāi dēng, wǒ kàn bù qīng chǔ. 请开灯，我看不清楚。 Please turn on the light, I can’t see clearly.
Wèi shén me bù kāi dēng? 为什么不开灯？ Why aren’t the lights on?
Guān dēng 关灯 Turn off the light.
Má …
Nǐ hǎo 你好 Hello
Zài jiàn 再见 Goodbye
Xiè xie 谢谢 Thank you
Duì bu qǐ 对不起 Sorry
Méi guān xi 没关系 It’s okay
Bāng bang wǒ 帮帮我 Help me
If you consider having your kid learn Mandarin, sign up for a free online 1-to-1 …
In New York‘s multinational companies, Mandarin has quietly become one of the most valuable soft skills. For Anna, a 29-year-old project specialist at a consulting firm in Midtown Manhattan, learning Chinese wasn’t part of the original career plan—until she realized it was the key she …
Méi nà me zhòng yào. 没那么重要。 It’s not that important.
Méi shì, bú yào zháo jí. 没事，不要着急。 It’s fine, no need to worry.
Méi nà me yán zhòng. 没那么严重。 It’s not that serious / don’t overreact.
Xiǎo shì er! 小事儿！ Small thing! / No big …
