Learn Chinese Culture – To be the host
Have you ever invite your Chinese friend to dinner? How to express “it is my treat, let me be the host”? Listen to how these two guys say. Jīntiān de cài hěn là. Búɡuò, wǒ hěn xǐhuɑn. F: 今天 的 菜 很 辣。不过， 我 很 …
Mandarin Essentials
How to Express “Lose Face”
Sometimes, in mandarin Chinese, one word can have the meaning that you never imagine. Do you know how to express “lose face”? Ok, learn Chinese with echineselearning cast to get it. Don’t worry, you may find this word soon in today’s Chinese learning cast. Learn …
How to Pronounce The Four Tones in Mandarin
Mandarin, like most Chinese dialects, is a tonal language. This means that tones, just like consonants and vowels, are used to distinguish words from each other. Many foreigners have difficulties mastering the tones of each character, but correct tonal pronunciation is essential for intelligibility …
Learn Mandarin Chinese and the Beijing Dialect
According to the official standards set by the People’s Republic of China, standard Mandarin Chinese uses: The phonology or sound system of Beijing.
There’s a distinction between the sound system of a dialect or language. It differs from the actual pronunciation of words within it.…
Mandarin Language
Standard Mandarin language – also known as standard Chinese, standard Mandarin language or standard spoken Chinese – is the official language of the People’s Republic of China. “The phonology of standard Mandarin language is based on the Beijing dialect, one of Mandarin’s most popular dialects, …
Benefits of Studying Chinese
Studying anything has many advantages, and languages are no different. There are personal and professional advantages to be derived from studying them. Right now in the world Chinese is moving itself into a position to be the dominant language and cultural force for the 21st …
Common Chinese Mistakes
When learning a new language there are literally hundreds of things you can do wrong. With a good teacher you can learn how to overcome your difficulties. Everyone makes many mistakes but some mistakes are more common than others. Here is a list of some …
Idiom Stories: 开天辟地(Kāitiānpìdì) To advance with giant strides
Chuánshuō yuángŭ shíhou, tiān hé dì shì hé zài yìqĭ de, jiù xiàng yí gè jīdàn shì de. 传说 远古 时候， 天 和 地 是 合 在 一起 的，就 像 一 个 鸡蛋 似 的。 Shìjiè de kāichuàng rén Pángŭ jiù shì zài zhège jīdàn …
Idiom Stories：画饼充饥（Huàbĭngchōngjī） To draw a cake to satisfy hunger
Sānguó shídài, wèiguó yŏu gè jiào Lú Yù de rén, 三国 时代，魏国 有 个 叫 卢 毓 的 人，
Hĕn xiăo de shíhou jiù shīqù le fùmŭ hé liăng gè gēge. 很 小 的 时候 就 失去 了 父母 和 两 个 哥哥。
Lú Yù …
Idiom Stories-调虎离山（Diàohŭlíshān） To lure the tiger out of the mountains
Dōnghàn mò nián, jūnfá bìng qĭ, gè bà yì fāng. 东汉 末 年，军阀 并 起，各 霸 一 方。
Sūn Cè nián jĭn shíqī suì, què niánshàoyŏuwéi, shìlì zhújiàn qiángdà. 孙 策 年 仅 十七 岁，却 年少有为， 势力 逐渐 强大。
Gōngyuán 199 nián, Sūn Cè yù …
订票(DìngPiào) Making Reservations for Seats
(Diànhuà lùyīn: (电话 录音： (Recorded Message: Nínhăo,ChángHé jùyuàn. 您 好， 长河 剧 院。 Welcome to the Changhe Theater. Dìngpiào qĭng àn yī, cháxún jiémù qĭng àn èr, réngōng fúwù qĭng àn sān, fănhuí qĭng àn líng.) 订票 请 按 1，查询 节目 请 按 2，人工 服务 …
Exchanging Money
Láojià, wŏ xiăng bă mĕiyuán huàn chéng Rénmínbì. A: 劳驾，我 想 把 美元 换 成 人民币。 Excuse me, I’d like to exchange some US dollars for RMB. Qĭng nín xiān tián yī zhāng duìhuàn dān. B: 请 您 先 填 一 张 兑换 单。 Fill …
Asking the Way
Qĭngwèn, qù tiāntán zĕnme zŏu? A: 请问， 去 天坛 怎么 走？ Excuse me. How can I go to the The Temple of Heaven? Wăng qián zŏu, zài shí zyì lùkŏu xiàng yòu guăi, zài zŏu wŭ fēnzhōng jiù dào le. B: 往 前 走，在 十 …
Ordering Food
Nĭmen zhèér yŏu shénme tèsècài? A: 你们 这儿 有 什么 特色菜？ What are your specialties? Wŏmen de tèsècài shì shuĭzhŭyú. B: 我们 的 特色菜 是 水煮鱼。 The specialty is called Boiled Fish. Tīng qĭlái búcuò. Lái yī fènr. A: 听 起来 不错。来 一 份儿。 It …
Describing a Position
Situational Conversation I
Qiáo! Shuí zuò zài Xiăo Mă yòubian ne? A: 瞧！ 谁 坐 在 小 马 右边 呢？ Look! Who’s sitting on the right of Xiao Ma? shì, LăoLĭ. Kănjiàn wŏ de jiāotōngtú le ma? B: 是，老李。看见 我 的 交通图 了 吗？ It’s …
酒吧 (jiŭbā) In a Bar
酒吧(jiŭbā) In a Bar
Beginner Level/初级 chūjí
A: Nĭ tīngshuō méiyǒu, shì zhōngxīn kāi le yì jiā xīn jiŭbā. 你 听说 没有， 市 中心 开 了 一 家 新 酒吧。 You know that a new bar opened in the city center?
B: Tīngshuō le, hái …
Popular Words: 靠谱 (kàopŭ) Reliable; To Be Trusted
流行词语
(liúxíng cíyŭ) Popular Words
靠谱 (kàopŭ) Reliable; To be trusted
Origin and Meaning
“靠谱 (kàopŭ)” originated from a northern dialect in China, and became quite popular in recent years. The meaning is reliable and to be trusted. When you pronounce it, it’s best to …
Shanghai Disneyland
Events
After a courtship of about 20 years, the Walt Disney Company has won approval from the central government of China to build a Disneyland-style theme park in Shanghai. It happened that Barack Obama, the United States President, paid his first visit to China when …