Quote of the week (May 19, 2010)
Huáicái jiù xiàng huáiyùn, shíjiān jiǔ le cái néng kàn chūlái. 怀才 就 像 怀孕， 时间 久 了 才 能 看 出来。
It takes a long time to find one’s talent just as it takes long to find out someone is pregnant. —From 易中天 Yi …
Mandarin Essentials
Chinese Quiz-How to Say “Good Night” in Chinese?
Correct answer: A
Analysis:
A. “Good night” is “晚安 (wǎn’ān)” in Chinese.
B. “To sleep” is “睡觉 (shuì jiào)” in Chinese language.
C. “To brush the teeth” is “刷牙 (shuā yá)” in Chinese language.
D. “To wash face” is “洗脸 (xǐ liǎn) in Chinese language.…
Chinese Mini-test: Good Night (Beginner)
Beginner Level 初级 (chūjí)
A: Why are you still awake?
B: I’m boning up for the HSK.
A: Well, enough energy can assure better preparation for the HSK, right?
So go to bed now. Good night!
B: Well, you’re right. Good night!
Have you learned
Chinese Mini-test: To Ask for Taking Some Time Off (From Work) (Intermediate)
Intermediate Level 中级 (zhōngjí)
Wǒ xiàzhōu de gōngzuò jiù jiāogěi nǐ le, yīnwèi wǒ yào qù kàn 2010 Shànghǎi A: 我 下周 的 工作 就 交给 你 了，因为 我 要 去 看 2010 上海 Shìbóhuì la! 世博会 啦！ I’ll hand over my next week’s work …
Mini-test Answer: 请假 (qǐngjià) (Intermediate)
Intermediate Level 中级 (zhōngjí)
Correct answer: D
Analysis:
A. “出差 (chūchāi)” is the Chinese word for “be on a business trip.”
B. “旅游 (lǚyóu)” is the Chinese word for “travel.”
C. “看病 (kànbìng)” is the Chinese word for “to see a doctor.”
D. “请假 (qǐngjià)” …
Chinese Mini-test: To Fall in Love at First Sight (Advanced)
Advanced Level 高级 (gāojí)
Qīnàide, zhīdào wǒ shì shénme shíhou ài shàng nǐ de ma? A: 亲爱的，知道 我 是 什么 时候 爱 上 你 的 吗？ Darling, do you know when I started loving you? Bù zhīdào. Shénme shíhou ne? Zhǐ jìdé wǒmen shì zài …
Mini-test Answer: 一见钟情 (yíjiànzhōngqíng) (Advanced)
Advanced Level 高级 (gāojí)
Correct answer: D
Analysis:
A. “情不自禁 (qíngbúzìjìn)” are the Chinese characters for “cannot control one’s emotion.”
B. “Be fair and reasonable” is “合情合理 (héqínghélǐ)” in Chinese language.
C. “心甘情愿 (xīn’gānqíngyuàn)” are the Chinese characters for “to be totally willing to.”…
卧室 (wòshì) Bedroom (Beginner)
卧室 (wòshì) Bedroom (Beginner)
Example:
Bǎobèi, nǐ de wòshì zěnme zhème luàn ne, chuángshàng hái rēnɡ le hǎoduō shū. A: 宝贝， 你 的 卧室 怎么 这么 乱 呢， 床上 还 扔 了 好多 书。
Honey, how come your bed is in such a mess with …
说大话 (shuōdàhuà) Brag (Advanced)
说大话 (shuōdàhuà) Brag (Advanced)
说 (shuō) means to talk, 大话 (dàhuà) means exaggerated words. Example： A: Nǐ de xuéshù nénglì pínggū kǎoshì zhǔnbèi de zěnmeyàng le? 你 的 学术 能力 评估 考试 准备 的 怎么样 了？
How is your preparation for the SAT exam going? …
感动 (gǎndòng) Be Touched (Intermediate)
感动 (gǎndòng) Be Touched (Intermediate) Example
A: Kàn le “Dāng Xìngfú Lái Qiāomén,” wǒ bèi shēn shēn de gǎndòng le. 看 了“ 当 幸福 来 敲门”， 我 被 深 深 地 感动 了。 I was deeply touched by the movie “The Pursuit of Happiness.”
B: …
饱 (bǎo) Full (Beginner)
饱 (bǎo) Full (Beginner)
Example：
A: Jīntiān zhōngwǔ chī de hǎo bǎo a! 今天 中午 吃 的 好 饱 啊！ I’m really full after lunch today.
B: Shì a , cài zhēn hǎochī. 是 啊，菜 真 好 吃。 Yeah, the dishes were really delicious. // …
地震 (dìzhèn) Earthquake (Intermediate)
地震 (dìzhèn) Earthquake (Intermediate)
Example： A: Xīnlàng wǎng shàng bàodào le dìzhèn zhōng de sǐwáng rénshù. 新浪 网 上 报道 了 地震 中 的 死亡 人数。
The death toll in the earthquake was reported on sina.com B: Ài, zìrán zāihài zhēn shì hěn kěpà! 哎，自然 …
饿 (è) Hungry (Beginner)
饿 (è) Hungry (Beginner) Example： A: Wǒ è le, wǒmen chūqu chī wǔfàn ba? 我 饿 了，我们 出去 吃 午饭 吧？ I am hungry. Let’s have lunch together.
B: Bù xíng a, wǒ yào zhǔnbèi hànyǔ shǔipíng kǎoshì ne! 不 行 啊，我 要 准备 汉语 …
“老公”“老婆”在中国有几种叫法？How to Call “Husband” and “Wife” in Chinese? (Beginner)
How to call husband:
1. “老公 (lăogōng)” refers to the man with whom a woman will live a long time together (i.e., get old together).
In this term, “老 (lăo)” means “old” (Find out why “老” can also stand for wisdom and prestige here.) and …
Quote of the week (May. 12, 2010)
Xīn xiàoyuán, huì yǒu de! Xīn jiāyuán, huì yǒu de! 新 校园， 会 有 的！新 家园， 会 有 的！
We will have new schools. We will have new homes.
生词 (shēngcí) Vocabulary:
新 (xīn): adj new
校园 (xiàoyuán): n school
家园 (jiāyuán): n home
Mini-test Answer: I (Beginner)
Beginner Level 初级 (chūjí)
Correct answer: C
Analysis:
A. “You” is the meaning for “你 (nǐ).”
If you want to know how to write the Chinese character “你,” take a look at The right way to write the Chinese character “你.” B. “They” means “他们 …
Chinese Mini-test: 我 (Beginner)
Beginner Level 初级 (chūjí)
Do you know the meaning of the Chinese character “我?” A. You B. They C. I D. Myself
// // …
Mini-test Answer: 饿 (Intermediate)
Intermediate Level 中级 (zhōngjí)
Correct answer: B
Analysis:
A. “鹅 (é)” is the Chinese character for “goose.”
B. “饿 (è)” is the Chinese character for “hungry.”
C. “饱 (bǎo)” is the Chinese character for “full.”
D. “饭 (fàn)” is the Chinese character for “meal.”
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Chinese Mini-test: Hungry (Intermediate)
Intermediate Level 中级 (zhōngjí)
A: I didn’t have my lunch at noon and I am very hungry now. B: What were you busy doing then? A: I was reading a book called “Easy Chinese“ and forgot the time. Do you know the Chinese character for …