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In America, when you think of stand-up comedy, you might think of a comedian spouting anecdotal stories and off the wall jokes on stage alone.
While in China, the popular comedy styles include a type of comedic dialogue called “crosstalk” as well as witty skits which both are hilarious and clever forms of entertainment.
Crosstalk first appeared ...
“Never give up” takes on an interestingly new perspective with the popular Chinese fable “愚公移山 (yúgōngyíshān) Yu Gong Yi Shan”. The story presents a magnifying look into the Chinese culture, a motivational pep talk, as well as an interesting lesson on how to use “聪明 (cōngmíng) clever” and “愚蠢 (yúchǔn) foolish” in Chinese.
The story ...
Are you planning a trip to China? Then you should be prepared with knowledge of daily life in China. These four must-know facts will allow you to be one step ahead of your friends as you get to know Chinese culture and language.
1. Don’t grab that toilet paper; it has already been used!
In America, ...
“Don’t play dumb!” This English phrase has a Chinese equivalent that, although its meaning is the same, has a very different literal translation with unique origins. The Chinese “装蒜 (zhuāngsuàn)” literally means “to pretend garlic” which may sound kind of funny in English. It is used to mean “feign ignorance” and “make a pretense.” Read ...
清明节 (Qīngmíngjié) Tomb Sweeping Day (Intermediate)
Key Learning Points (Preview):
放风筝 (fàng fēngzheng): v to fly kites
荡秋千 (dàng qiūqiān): v to swing
“清明节 (Qīngmíngjié) Tomb Sweeping Day” is celebrated fifteen days after the Spring equinox and is one of the few Chinese holidays that follows the solar calendar. The traditional Chinese calendar divides a year ...
春节(chūn jié) Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is the most traditional and grand festival in China. It falls on the first of every January in the lunar calendar. 除夕(chú xī) Chinese New Year’s Eve is the last day of last year and means ringing out the old year and ringing in the new. There ...
(Learn how to express your feelings while dating.)
鹊 桥 仙 (Què qiáo xiān) Immortal at the Magpie Bridge
作 者： 秦 观 (Zuò zhĕ: Qín guān)
Translated by: Xu. Yuanchong
Xiān yún nòng qiăo, fēi xīng chuán hèn, yín hàn tiáo tiáo àn dù
纤 云 弄 巧，飞 星 ...
中国的情人节(zhōngguó de qíngrénjié)
The Seventh Day of the Seventh Month in lunar calendar is Chinese Valentine’s Day, called 七夕(qīxī) Qi Xi (literally “The Night of Sevens”). Girls on this day look at the stars to pray for a happy marriage.
Origin
Chinese Valentine’s Day originated from a famous and beautiful love story. A young man named ...
一棵开花的树（Yì kē kāihuā de shù）A Tree in Blossom
by 席慕容 （Xí Mùróng）Xi Murong
Rúhé ràng nĭ yùjiàn wŏ
如何 让 你 遇见 我
How do I let you meet me,
Zài wŏ zuì mĕilì de shíkè
在 我 最 美丽 的 时刻
At my most beautiful moment.
Wèi zhè
为 这
For this,
Wŏ yĭ zài fó qián qiú le wŭ băi nián
我 ...
bái rì yī shān jìn
白 日 依 山 尽
登鹳雀楼 (Dēnɡ ɡuàn què lóu) On the Stork Tower
by 王之涣 (Wánɡ zhī huàn) Wang Zhihuan (Tang)
Bái rì yī shān jìn
白 日 依 山 尽
Along the mountains sink the last rays of sun,
Huánɡ hé rù hǎi liú
黄 河 入 海 流
Towards the sea ...
Chinese New Year（Spring Festival）2013 is coming up on February 10th, 2013. According to the Lunar Year Calendar, 2013 is the Year of Snake.
Is Snake (蛇 shé) Your Animal?
Happy New Year of the Snake. 蛇年快乐！(Shé nián kuàile!)
In China, we call 蛇 (shé, Snake) as little Dragon. As Dragon is the imperial symbol, the sign of the power ...
China is a country with a large territory and population, so people in different parts of China have different ways of celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival. However, some customs are the same throughout the whole country. On Mid-Autumn Festival, Chinese people usually send moon cakes as gifts to their friends and relatives and then have a ...
静夜思 (Jìng yè sī) Night Thoughts
by 李白(Lĭ Bái) Li Bai
Chuáng qián míng yuè guāng,
床 前 明 月 光，
I wake and moonbeams play around my bed,
Yí shì dì shàng shuāng.
疑 是 地 上 霜。
Glittering like hoar froast to my wondering eyes.
Jŭ tóu ...
嫦 娥(Cháng É) To the Moon Goddess
by 李商隐 (Lĭ Shāngyĭn) Li Shangyin
Yúnmŭ píngfēng zhúyĭng shēn, chánghé jiàn luò xiăoxīng chén.
云母 屏风 烛影 深， 长河 渐 落 晓星 沉。
Now that a candle-shadow stands on the screen of carven marble，and the River of Heaven ...
中国古代四大美女 (Zhōngguó gǔdài sì dà měinǚ) The Four Beauties of Ancient China
Key Learning Points (Preview):
美女 (měinǚ): n. beauty
含蓄 (hánxù): adj. reserved/implicit
温柔 (wēnróu): adj. gentle/tender
Throughout China's five thousand year history, numerous heroic figures have emerged and captured the people's fancy. But what most impresses and remains in the people's minds are the ancient "美女 (měinǚ) beauties." ...
Online Chinese Lesson- Li Bai- China's Greatest Poet (Intermediate)
Key Learning Points (Preview):
纪念 (jìniàn): v. to commemorate
风格 (fēnggé): n. style
Feb. 28, 2011 is the 1310th anniversary of the Poet Li Bai, one of the greatest poets in world history. Many people "纪念 (jìniàn) commemorated" this event on microblog sites in China that are similar to ...
Key Learning Points (Preview):
送行 (sòngxíng): to see sb. off
说……的好话 (shuō…de hǎohuà): to speak well of…
On the Chinese lunar calendar, "小年 (xiǎo nián)," or The Minor New Year, is on Dec. 23rd, which is when Chinese people make sacrificial offerings to "灶神 (zàoshén) the Kitchen God."
It is said that the Kitchen God was sent by the Jade ...
Learn Online Mandarin Idiom: 杞人忧天 (Qǐrényōutiān) The Man from Chi Who Worried that the Sky Would Fall Down
Listen to the whole story
Key Learning Points: (Preview)
忧 (yōu)：v. to worry
解决 (jiějué)：v. to solve
Cóngqián zài ChūnqiūZhànguó shíqī de Qǐguó,yǒu yígè dǎnzi hěnxiǎo de rén,
从前 在 春秋战国 时期 的 杞国，有 一个 胆子 很小 的 人，
tā cháng huì xiǎngdào yìxiē qíguài de wèntí.
他 常 ...
Origin of Moon Cakes: The Revolt of Zhu Yuanzhang
Key Learning Points (Preview):
起义 (qǐyì): n. revolt/uprising
月饼 (yuèbǐng): n. moon cake
团圆/团聚 (tuányuán/tuánjù): n. reunion
愿望 (yuànwang): n. wish/desire
抗/反抗 (kàng/fǎnkàng): v. to resist/to fight against
Learn Chinese Online：Origin of Moon Cakes
Zhōngqiūjié de chuántǒng shípǐn shì yuèbǐng,
中秋节 的 传统 食品 是 月饼，
yuèbǐng shì yuán xíng de, xiàngzhēng tuányuán,
月饼 是 圆 形 的， 象征 团圆，
fǎnyìngle ...
端午节 (Duānwǔ jié) Dragon Boat Festival
The fifth of May of lunar calendar is Dragon Boat Festival. There are many legends about this traditional Festival and the most popular one is "屈原 (Qū Yuán) QuYuan," who was a Chinese scholar and minister to the King of State of Chu during the Warring States period. He was famous ...
