Open Your Eyes: “占便宜 (zhàn piányi)” is Everywhere, Unfortunately!
An old English expression says: “Most burglaries are committed by casual opportunists” We all know someone who will step over their neighbors to get what they desire. It happens in every country and every culture, unfortunately. When these opportunistic people take advantage of a situation, …
HSK 3 Practice Quiz: Use “给 (gěi)” in a sentence
Read the sentence then fill in the blank below with the correct answer: Shìjiè zhēnde hěn xiǎo, wǒ zuótiān cái fāxiàn, nǐ gěi xiǎozhāng jièshào de nánpéngyǒu shì wǒ qīzi yǐqián 世界 真的 很 小， 我 昨天 才 发现，你 给 小张 介绍 的 男朋友 是 …
Answer to HSK 3 Practice Quiz: Use “给 (gěi)” in a sentence
Answer: A
Analysis:
Shìjiè zhēnde hěn xiǎo, wǒ zuótiān cái fāxiàn, nǐ gěi xiǎozhāng jièshào de nánpéngyǒu shì wǒ qīzi yǐqián 世界 真的 很 小， 我 昨天 才 发现， 你 给 小张 介绍 的 男朋友 是 我 妻子 以前 de tóngshì. 的 同事。 Its such …
Learn about China’s New Environmentally-Friendly Hanging Train!
This September, engineers and designers in the Chinese city of Chengdu, Sichuan province successfully tested the first battery-powered suspended urban railway 空铁 (kōngtiě). This November, the “hanging” train was actually put into use! The train carries 120 passengers and can travel at a top speed …
Matt Damon and “The Great Wall”: a Chinese-American “合拍” Movie
By 2017, Chinese citizens will become the world’s largest group of filmgoers worldwide. Each year, since the films “Lost in Thailand” in 2015 and later “The Mermaid in 2016,” Chinese films are breaking box office records each year in China! However, Chinese blockbusters have had …
Answer to Tell Dates in Chinese with This HSK 2 Quiz
Answer: D
Answer analysis:
Jīntiān shì qīyuè shíèr rì, zài yǒu sāntiān jiù shì wǒ bàba de shēngrì, wǒ xiǎng sòng tā yī tái diànnǎo. 今天 是 7月 12 日， 再 有 三天 就 是 我 爸爸 的 生日， 我 想 送 他 一台 电脑。 …
Tell Dates in Chinese with This HSK 2 Quiz
Jīntiān shì qīyuè shíèr rì, zài yǒu sāntiān jiù shì wǒ bàba de shēngrì, wǒ xiǎng sòng tā yì tái diànnǎo. 今天 是 7月 12日， 再 有 三天 就 是 我 爸爸 的 生日， 我 想 送 他 一台 电脑。 Question: From the sentence above …
Be Careful When Using “西天 (xītiān),” a Common Chinese Joke
In Buddhist funerals, the idea of a place called Sukhavati, or “Western Paradise,” is considered the favorable destination for a soul that is departing Earth. Different languages have various names for this “heaven” that we hope to go to. In Chinese, we call this place …
How to Decipher Chinese Menus (Part 1): Ordering Chicken
In your quest for learning Chinese, it is likely you have come into contact with a Chinese menu. Its very possible at first glance, the menu was set aside in disbelief. What on earth do these names mean?
What are you actually ordering? In …
Answer to HSK 4 Quiz: Master this Complicated Expression!
Answer: A
Analysis:
Jenny huì tiàowǔ, dàn tiào de bù zěnme yàng. Jenny 会 跳舞， 但 跳 得 不 怎么 样。 Jenny can dance, but she doesn’t dance very well.
You know the answer is A, because “不怎么样 (bù zěnme yàng)” means “not up to …
HSK 4 Quiz: Master this Complicated Expression!
Read the sentence below:
Jenny huì tiàowǔ, dàn tiào de bù zěnme yàng. Jenny 会 跳舞， 但 跳 得 不 怎么 样。 Question: Which of the following sayings is correct from reading the sentence above? A. Jenny tiào de bú tài hǎo. A. Jenny 跳 …
The Exotic Outdoor Chinese “菜市场 Food Market”
There are many differences between life in western countries and life in China. One similarity is that we both need to eat, obviously! However, the way we go out for grocery shopping is often quite different.
Over the past 100 years, in the USA most …