Mandarin Essentials
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 …
What do Rich Men and Gold Turtles Have in Common?
In Chinese, a rich son-in-law, or a rich husband, is often referred to as a “Gold Turtle Husband”, or 金龟婿 (jīnguīxù)” . Are you looking for your golden turtle? Does this phrase make any sense to you? Probably not. There is, however, an interesting story …
Answer to What do Rich Men and Gold Turtles Have in Common?
Answer: 1. B
Answer analysis:
A. 房奴 (fángnú) “房奴 (fángnú)” mortgage slave is used to describe those people who have to pay significant portion of their monthly salary toward mortgage payment. In order to pay off the mortgage, they dare not easily change their jobs. …
Show off your Chinese! Pronounce ‘1’ the right way
One of the first things you probably learned when studying Mandarin is how to count to 10. But did you know that the number “1” actually has another, special pronunciation?
In most cases you will just pronounce the number “1” as “一 (yī)” when wanting …
Answer to Practice Chinese with this quiz on “帮 help”
Answer: A
Answer Analysis:
1. 帮 (bāng)
帮 (bāng) and 帮忙 (bāngmáng) both mean “help” in English. So why is just 帮 (bāng) the correct answer? This is because 帮 (bāng) is a transitive verb, which means an object can be placed after it.
Example:
… Had Enough of Someone’s Foolish Behavior? Call Them “榆木脑袋”
Do you know anyone that just doesn’t seem to learn from their mistakes? Someone who refuses to adapt and change for the better? Maybe they are a bit stubborn and hardheaded, too? We all know these types…maybe we can even see one in the mirror!…
When the British Pound Falls, Know 暴跌 to Describe It
Last month, the British pound fell 6% to $1.18 against the US dollar in Asian markets. This dramatic drop of the British currency was based on fears regarding the future of trade in Britain following the June 2016 voter decision for the UK to leave …
4 things you must ask when renting an apartment in China
If you are soon moving to China or already living there, it is possible that you will need to rent an apartment. For some people, such as English teachers, an apartment might be included in their contract. Students may live in dorms, which is prepared …
Bigger is better? Discuss China with this Quiz
Zhōngguó shì shìjiè shàng ______ zuì duō de guójiā. 中国 是 世界 上 ______ 最 多 的 国家。 China has the world’s biggest ______ . A. 人口 (rénkǒu) B. 民族 (mínzú) C. 土地面积 (tǔdì miànjī)
Answer to Bigger is better? Discuss China with this Quiz
Correct Answer: A
Answer analysis:
A. 人口 (rénkǒu) population China has the world’s largest population, with almost 1.4 billion people living there. Example: Měiguó xiànzài yǒu duōshǎo rénkǒu? 美国 现在 有 多少 人口？ How large is America’s population now?
B. 民族 (mínzú) nationality Nigeria has …
Are you Naughty or Nice? See if Your Behavior is 捣蛋 (dǎodàn)
Recently, a video of some misbehaving children in Henan Province, China went viral throughout the Chinese cyberworld. Some kids on a public bus were recorded on CCTV video footage dancing and swinging from the hanging straps. It all seemed like innocent “horse play” until one …
Get Ready for a 对决(duìjué): Trump vs. Clinton in November!
On Tuesday, November 8th 2016, the United States will elect a new president to begin serving in January of 2017. The two candidates this year are Donald Trump, representing the Republican Party and Hillary Clinton, representing the Democratic Party. These two candidates received more votes …
Know the Warning Signs of Being a 妻管严(qīguǎnyán) in China
A recent study named men in Shanghai as the most submissive, or “henpecked,” in China. The English term “henpecked” is often used to describe these males whose feathers have been “plucked” by their women (his hen). These “henpecked” husbands and boyfriends are controlled by their …