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When I first decided to learn Mandarin Chinese, it was mostly because of China’s rising economy and all the business opportunities between China and western countries. However, once I began the language learning process, I became much more interested in Chinese culture and history.
This interest led me to read some of the classic books ...
There is a Chinese character that is used in many phrases. To me it is particularly beautiful, and Chinese it is particularly popular to use. And that character is ”虎 (hǔ) tiger.” (What does “母老虎” mean in China?)
There are many phrases that use this character, but one that is the most interesting of them ...
It’s an exciting time to be in China! The country is changing each year. The role of women in China is evolving and females are gaining skills and qualities that were not common in the past. In many of my Mandarin Chinese classes here in Beijing, we discuss what it means to be a woman ...
It was a lovely summer’s day where I just couldn’t say inside. The beautiful riverside park near my home was calling me. In an unexpected twist that caused the perfect day, I ran into some of my old students playing badminton on the courts. There was one student playing who was very uncoordinated, but so ...
We all decided it would be really funny to prank our teacher for April Fool’s Day. We had painted Easter Eggs as an activity with some local children and they were sitting in the window of our classroom. We thought it would be hilarious to replace the eggs with some baby chicks a classmate had ...
Basketball player 姚明 Yao Ming is the most famous athlete in China’s history. Yao played for the Shanghai Sharks from 1997 to 2002 and then played for the NBA’s Houston Rockets from 2002 to 2011. Standing 7’6” tall (229cm), Yao was dominating in the position of “center” and was elected as an “All-Star” eight times. ...
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, in Chinese we call this action “占便宜 (zhàn piányi).” It could ...
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 a difficult time finding success with American audiences due to ...
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 women, consistently following her demands and advice and often ignoring ...
Has your boat ever “gone under?” We have all been in those doomed situations, sometimes. In English, you may say that you are “done for,” “sunk,” or “have gone to the dogs.” In Chinese, you can say “完蛋了 (wándàn le).” Your business is closing? The bicycle is out of control and will soon crash into ...
Since China’s dramatic and successful hosting of the 2008 Olympic Games “奥运会 (Aoyùnhuì),” the Chinese people have considered The Olympics as a point of pride for their country. The Beijing games, and its colorful opening ceremony, captured the attention of the world and are still the most-watched Olympics in history. After China won 50 gold ...
Beginner Level/初级(chūjí)
Joey: Zuìjìn tiānqì búcuò, zánmen qù páshān ba!
Joey: 最近 天气 不错， 咱们 去 爬山 吧！
Joey: The weather is fine recently. Let’s go hiking!
Amy: Kěshì wǒ juéde tài rè le, háishì gǎitiān qù ba!
Amy: 可是 我 觉得 太 热 了，还是 改天 去 吧！
Amy: I think it’s too hot. Let’s change to a different day!
生词(shēngcí)Vocabulary
改天(gǎitiān): v change to a different day
Intermediate ...
The “元宵节 (yuánxiāojié) Lantern Festival” is several days after the Spring Festival. The Lantern Festival, which falls on January 15th of the lunar calendar, is another important traditional festival in China. In the evening of that day, streets are decorated with lanterns and festoons and also filled with the sound of gongs and drums. ...
跨越自己(Kuàyuè Zìjĭ) Surpass Ourselves
—汪国真(Wāng Guózhēn) Wang Guozhen
Wŏmen kěyĭ qīpiàn biéren
我们 可以 欺骗 别人
We can deceive others
Què wúfă qīpiàn zìjĭ
却 无法 欺骗 自己
But can not delude ourselves
Dāng wŏmen zŏu xiàng zhīfányèmào de wŭyuè
当 我们 走 向 枝繁叶茂 的 五月
When we go to ...
Michael Jackson
中国人的迈克尔·杰克逊记忆 ( zhōngguórén de mài kè ěr·jié kè xùn jìyì) Chinese Memories of Michael Jackson
The death of Michael Jackson has shocked his Chinese fans around the world. On June 26, 2009, Chinese students from Beijing held a vigil in memory of Michael Jackson. After his death, Jackson’s Chinese website MJJCN.COM broke down because ...
变形金刚2(biàn xíng jīn gang2) Transformers: The Revenge of the Fallen
Last week in China, Transformers: The Revenge of the Fallen became “火爆(huǒbào)” explosively popular. The Transformers finally has surpassed Ice Age and became NO.1 on Friday. But on the weekend Billboard charts, they “并列(bìngliè)” stood side by side in the race for most ...
The phrase “金婚(jīnhūn)” has become more popular ever since the release of the TV series (learn Chinese through movies and TV programs) “金婚(jīnhūn)” in 2006. As the title suggests, it is a story about an ordinary couple’s fifty-year marriage from 1956 to the new century.”金婚(jīnhūn)” refers to a fifty-year marriage. Chinese use different phrases ...
Situation:
Carl has promised his girlfriend May to have dinner with her after work in a new restaurant. But the taxi driver dropped him off at a wrong place and he had troubles in finding the restaurant.
Beginner Level / 初级(chūjí)
Nĭhăo! Néng sòng wŏ qù Xiān Zōng Lín cāntīng ma?
Carl: 你好！能 ...
讲价 (jiăngjià) Bargaining
Beginner Level / 初级chūjí
Gùkè: Qĭngwèn zhè tiáo kùzi duōshăo qián?
顾客：请问 这 条 裤子 多少 钱？
Customer: Excuse me, how much are these pants?
Shòuhuòyuán: Yībăi sānshí yuán.
售货员： 1 30 元。
Shop Assistant: 130.
Gùkè: Yŏu zhékòu ma?
顾客：有 折扣 吗？
Customer: Any discount?
生词(shēngcí) Vocabulary:
裤子 (kùzi): n pants, trousers
顾客 (gùkè): n customer
售货员 (shòuhuòyuán): n shop assistant
折扣 (zhékòu): n discount
用法(yòngfă) Usage:
“条”(tiáo) is a qualifier. It is frequently used in phrases like:
Yì tiáo wéijīn
一 条 围巾
one scarf
Yì tiáo yú
一 条 鱼
one fish
Yì tiáo chuan
一 条 船
one boat
(Take a test of “ 条tiáo” here.)
Intermediate Level / 中级zhōngjí
Gù kè: Qĭngwèn zhè xiāngjiāo duōshăo qián yì jīn?
顾客： 请问 这 香蕉 多少 钱 一 斤？
Customer: Excuse me, how much are these bananas?
Shòuhuòyuán: Liùyuán yì jīn. zhèxiē xiāngjiāo hĕn xīnxiān de.
售货员： 6元 一 斤。 这些 香蕉 ...
A year after the devastating May 12, 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake, people across China and around the world are still deeply concerned about the fate of the quake-affected people. Memories from the disaster and the government’s effective response are still fresh. The following are excerpts from Premier Wen Jiabao’s speech regarding the Sichuan earthquake.
“The earthquake has ...
