Answer to Chinese Beginners: Try This Simple Test!
Answer: B 船 (chuán) Ship
The Chinese word “飞机 (fēijī)” means airplane, “飞 (fēi)” means “fly” and “机 (jī)” means machine. So, you know B is the correct answer.
Mandarin Essentials
Screwed Over? In a “坑 (kēng)”? This Lesson May Help!
As you know, the context and tone of how you say a word or expression in any language can change it’s meaning and intention. In English, you might jokingly say to your friends “you really screwed me over!” during a friendly game of Monopoly. However, …
China is Crowded: You May See a “一窝蜂 (yīwōfēng)” Scene Every Day!
There is an old English expression that describes people as sometimes being: “Packed like sardines in a tin.” Eventually, this expression was shortened down to the adjective “packed”, which is now the most likely-used word to describe a crowded place, or the scenario of people …
Are You a Sucker? Know “冤大头 (yuāndàtóu)” and It’s Warning Signs
As the old English expression goes: “A fool and his money are soon parted.” Some people have “deeper pockets” than others. Often, those people with the deep pockets are surrounded by others who sense that heavy wallet and will take advantage of that person’s financial …
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, …
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 …
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 …