Mandarin Essentials
Answer to the Exercise on The Negation of “都(dōu)”
Correct Answer: B “都(dōu)” is an adverb meaning “all” or “both” which is commonly used in Chinese people’s daily conversations. It refers to the total of all the nouns or collective nouns which precede it in a sentence.
Examples
Nǐmen dōu zhīdào nèi mǎ ěr …
“赞(zàn)”- Must Know Word When Complimenting Someone in Mandarin
With more and more Chinese people becoming internet users, Chinese social networks are growing ever more popular. Everyday, millions of Chinese netizens post their thoughts, their photos or even share tidbits of their daily personal lives on social media sites such as Weibo or Wechat. …
The Negation of “都(dōu)”
Please choose the correct answer to fill in the blanks. Wáng Xuě: Wǒ hé Lǐ Lín___qù cānjiā jùhuì le. 王 雪： 我 和 李林___去 参加 聚会 了。 Wang Xue: Neither me nor Li Lin will go to the party. Zhāng Níng: Rúguǒ nǐmen___qù, nàme wǒ …
Answer to “以为(yǐwéi)” vs. “认为(rènwéi)” – Similar but Different
Correct Answer: A In the Chinese language, both “以为(yǐwéi)” and “认为(rènwéi)” can be used to express what one thinks or thought to be true, in other words, to show one’s original opinion. But, when it comes down to it, they are actually quite different from …
“以为(yǐwéi)” vs. “认为(rènwéi)” – Similar but Different
Please choose the correct answer to fill in the blank. James, nǐ shì nǎ guó rén? Peter：James，你 是 哪 国 人？ James, where are you from? Wǒ shì Àodàlìyà rén. James：我 是 澳大利亚 人。 I’m Australian. Zhēn de ma? Wǒ ____ nǐ shì Měiguó rén. …
黑哨(Hēishào)- Bad Ref. Calls (World Cup Special Ⅲ)
The referee of a soccer game is often the focus of play controversy, and the 2014 World Cup is no exception. The referee is the ultimate authority in every soccer match, and although there are linesmen to help him, in most cases, the referee will …
Answer to the Exercise on The Difference Between “一点儿 (yìdiǎnr)” And “有点儿 (yǒudiǎnr)”
Correct Answer: C In the Chinese language, both “一点儿 (yìdiǎnr)” and “有点儿 (yǒudiǎnr)” can mean “a little” or “a bit,” and they can be used with adjectives. But, how exactly are they different in meaning and usage? First, “一点儿 (yìdiǎnr)” is often used after adjectives …
The Difference Between “一点儿 (yìdiǎnr)” And “有点儿 (yǒudiǎnr)”
Please choose the correct answer to fill in the blanks. Wáng Lì: Zhè shuāng xié ______ xiǎo, yǒu méi yǒu dà _____de? 王 丽：这 双 鞋 ______ 小 ，有 没 有 大 ____ 的 ？ Wang Li: This pair of shoes is a little small. …
Answer to the Exercise on the Difference Between “看(kàn)” and “看到(kàndào)”
Correct Answer: B In the Chinese language, both “看(kàn)” and “看到(kàndào)” similarly mean “to see” and they can also both be used as verbs and followed by objects. However, they are actually quite different in meaning and usage, and are therefore, not interchangeable. First of …
The Difference Between “看(kàn)” and “看到(kàndào)”
Please choose the correct answer to fill in the blank. Andrew and his wife are waiting for his friends at the pier. Suddenly, he spots his friend Wang Wei. Wáng Wěi! Wǒmen zài zhèr, nǐ kěyǐ ____ wǒmen ma? Andrew： 王 伟！ 我们 在 这儿，你 …
Answer to the Exercise on The More the Merrier: How to use the Chinese Numeral “多(duō)”
Correct Answer: B In the Chinese language, the word “多(duō)” can be used as a numeral referring to an uncertain, slight amount of difference between two numbers. The common and correct way to use it is: “number (1-10) + measure word +多(duō)”. Let’s start by …
“黑马(hēimă) Dark Horse” of the 2014 World Cup (Special Issue Ⅱ)
There are tears of joy and the not-so-happy kind in the 2014 World Cup because every match will have its winner and loser. As the 2014 World Cup charges on, there remain some teams on the brink of elimination. There are also teams who have …
The More the Merrier: How to use the Chinese Numeral “多(duō)”
Lǐ Píng: Nǐ lái Zhōngguó duō jiǔ le? 李 萍: 你 来 中国 多 久 了？ Li Ping: How long have you been in China? Cindy: ____ le. Cindy: ____ 了。 Cindy: It has been over five years. Please choose the correct answer to fill …
Answer to the Exercise on 课(kè) vs. 班(bān)-Two Ways to Talk About “Classes” in Mandarin
Correct Answer: A
Foreigners who are in the process of learning Chinese are most likely taking some sort of Chinese course. Some of them take online Chinese lessons and some join in-person classes in their home countries. No matter what kinds of courses you are …
课(kè) vs. 班(bān)-Two Ways to Talk About “Classes” in Mandarin
Please choose the correct answer to fill in the blanks. Wáng Lín: Anna, nǐ yě shàng zhōngwén ____ ma? 王 琳：Anna, 你 也 上 中文 ____ 吗？ Wang Lin: Anna, are you also taking Chinese class? Shìde, wǒ hé Mike zài tóngyígè ____ . Anna：是的， …