Answer to Nursery Rhyme – 萤火虫(Yínghuǒchóng) Firefly
Answers: 1. C 2. A <<Back to “Nursery Rhyme – 萤火虫(Yínghuǒchóng) Firefly”
Nursery Rhyme – 萤火虫(Yínghuǒchóng) Firefly
Yínghuǒchóng, yínghuǒchóng, mànmàn fēi. 萤火虫， 萤火虫， 慢慢 飞。 Firefly, firefly, flying slowly.
Xiàyè lǐ, xiàyè lǐ, fēng qīng chuī. 夏夜里，夏夜里，风 轻 吹。 On summer nights, summer nights, the breeze gently blows.
Pàhēide háizi ānxīn shuì ba, 怕黑的 孩子 安心 睡 吧， Kids who are afraid …
Three “Spicy” Provinces in China (Part III) – Guizhou
We have previously introduced Sichuan’s “麻辣(málà)” and Hunan’s “香辣(xiānglà)” flavors. In this last issue of our three-part sizzling-hot tour of China we will learn about one more unique kind of “spiciness” — the “酸辣(suānlà) sour spiciness” of “贵州(guìzhōu).” The special climate of Guizhou Province is, …
Answer to Which Way Does It Go? Chinese Name Order
Answer: A In China, the full name of a Han Chinese person (Han is the largest ethnic group in China) is composed of two parts: the surname and the given name. In Chinese, the surname comes first and is then followed by the given …
Which Way Does It Go? Chinese Name Order
How much do you know about Chinese surnames and given names? Take the following test! If a Chinese woman’s name is 张小梅(Zhāng Xiǎoméi), then 张(Zhāng) is _____. A. her surname B. her given name
Answer to Living on Nothing but Air – “喝西北风(hēxīběifēng)”
Answer: B The translation of “喝西北风(hēxīběifēng)” is “to drink the northwest wind.” It is a Chinese idiom which means getting nothing to eat or, essentially, having to live on air. The idiom comes from the philosophy of Taoism — “吸风(xīfēng) to absorb the air,” which …
Living on Nothing but Air – “喝西北风(hēxīběifēng)”
In the Chinese language there are many interesting idioms, or turns of phrase. How many do you know? How about the following one? What is the implied meaning of the Chinese idiom – “喝西北风(hēxīběifēng)”? A. to predict the weather B. to have nothing to eat …
Answer to Three “Spicy” Provinces in China (Part II) – Hunan
Correct Answers: 1. B 2. C 3. C <<Back to “Three ‘Spicy’ Provinces in China (Part II) – Hunan”
Three “Spicy” Provinces in China (Part II) – Hunan
In China, “辣椒(làjiāo) chili” has rich cultural connotations. The fire-red chilies, connected with feelings of joy and celebration, symbolize colorful and thriving lives. What’s more, the character “交(jiāo) make friends or associate with someone” is a homophone of “椒(jiāo)”, suggesting that making good friends with …
Answer to Do “牛奶(niúnǎi)” and “奶牛(nǎiniú)” mean the Same Thing?
Answer: B In option A, “蜜蜂(mìfēng)” means “bee” and “蜂蜜(fēngmì)” means “honey.” In B, “苹果(píngguǒ)” is “apple” but the character combination “果苹(guǒpíng)” doesn’t hold any meaning in Chinese. In option C, “国王(guówáng)” refers to “a king” and “王国(wángguó)” is his “kingdom.” Finally, in D, “白雪(báixuě)” …
Do “牛奶(niúnǎi)” and “奶牛(nǎiniú)” mean the Same Thing?
In Chinese, some two-character words or phrases will take on new meanings if the order of the two characters is swapped. For example, “牛奶(niúnǎi)” means “milk” but “奶牛(nǎiniú)” means “cow”, “喜欢(xǐhuān)” is “to like” but “欢喜(huānxǐ)” is “happy”, and “刷牙(shuāyá)” means “to brush one’s teeth” …
Watch Your Tone! Different Meanings of “扫”
Try this test to check your mastery of the pinyin of “扫地” and “扫把”. Please choose the correct answer to fill in the blanks. Zhāng Yáng zhèngzài yòng ( ) ( ). 张 阳 正在 用 扫把 扫地。 Zhang Yang is sweeping the floor with …
Answer to Watch Your Tone! Different Meanings of “扫”
Answer: C In Chinese there are a few polyphones, or characters with multiple pronunciations, “扫(sǎo/sào)” in the test is one of them. The two pronunciations of “扫(sǎo/sào)” express different meanings. “扫(sǎo)” means “sweep” in English, as in to clean the dust and rubbish away, like …
Nursery Rhyme – 种树歌(Zhòngshùgē) Song for Planting Trees
Shù ya, shù ya, 树 呀，树 呀， Oh, tree, tree,
Wǒ bǎ nǐ zhòngxià, 我 把 你 种下， I’ll plant you here,
Búpà fēngyǔ kuàidiǎn zhǎngdà. 不怕 风雨 快点 长大。 Hope you won’t be afraid of storms and grow up quickly.
Zhǎngzhe lǜde yè, 长着 …
Answer to Three “Spicy” Provinces in China (Part I) – Sichuan
Correct Answers: 1. B 2. A 3. C <<Back to “Three ‘Spicy’ Provinces in China (Part I) – Sichuan”
Three “Spicy” Provinces in China (Part I) – Sichuan
(Want to travel in China? Try a Travel Chinese lesson first!)
Mention of the word “spicy” often reminds people of hot peppers, which turn red when ripening. In China, red color is the color of auspiciousness and prosperity, symbolizing good luck, …
Song for Kids – 小乌龟(Xiǎowūguī) Little Turtle
Xiǎoxiǎo wūguī shàngshānpō, 小小 乌龟 上山坡， The little turtle is climbing up the hillside,
Hēihēiyo, hēihēiyo. 嘿嘿哟， 嘿嘿哟。 Stomp, stomp.
Dàizhe miànbāo hé tángguǒ, 带着 面包 和 糖果， With some bread and candies,
Yántú lèyōuyōu. 沿途 乐悠悠。 He is joyful and leisurely throughout his journey.…