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March 8 is International Women’s Day. It is a holiday celebrating women all over the world, recognizing their accomplishments and reminding people everywhere to continue working towards unity in fighting for the equal rights of women and men.
History of International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is celebrated every year on March 8, and is a legal ...
I have talked with you about a lot of common Chinese vocabulary expressions and how Chinese people use them. Today, let’s talk about something different: let’s talk about a recent popular cultural phenomenon in China.
Recently, a phrase suddenly became popular on the Internet: ”凡尔赛文学(fán’ěrsài wénxué) Versailles Literature”.
Some people say that this expression was ...
If someone asks how to say, “OMG” in Chinese, are they really asking about the literal translation of “Oh my god”? Of course not; they’re asking how to express and evoke the same emotion when speaking Chinese.
The English emotion and version of this expression is actually not a foreign one to Chinese people – the ...
Have you ever seen a live performance, that was so magnificent and energetic, that it almost seemed like the floor itself was jumping? Musicians, athletes, and people who exhibit extraordinary traits are usually considered hardcore, cool and awesome. In an internet-centric world, it would only make sense that there would be a new buzzword created ...
碰壁(pèngbì) Be rebuffed
In this word, 碰(pèng) means “bump” and 壁(bì) means “wall.” The whole word 碰壁(pèngbì) literally means “run up against a wall.” But people usually use it to describe a situation in which you are turned down or rebuffed. In Chinese feudal times, a corrupted 衙门(yámen) government was always closed to the common people ...
淡定(dàndìng) Be Calm
Origin and Meaning
It is said that the phrase 淡定(dàndìng) first appeared in the work 空山灵雨•银翎底使命(kōngshān língyŭ•yín líng dĭ shĭmìng) 许地山(Xŭ Dìshān): “Only several wild flowers in front of us are 淡定(dàndìng) enough to look at the fish thrashing in the stream, which eat their residual petals.” In today’s ...
A Legend of Mid-Autumn Festival
嫦娥奔月(Cháng É bēnyuè) Chang Er Flies to the Moon
It is said that one year in ancient times, there appeared 10 suns in the sky, and every drop on the earth was melted away under such heat. As a result, the civilians couldn’t make a living any more. There was ...
做东(zuòdōng) Act as a Host
Where does it originate from?
In ancient China, most houses are oriented north and south. There is a drawing room in the middle with two seats placed to the east and to the west. The host usually seats the guest at the western seat before taking the other seat to ...
厚道(hòudao) Honest and kind; Decent and magnanimous
The origin of the word
The word 厚道(hòudao) comes from a sentence “做人要厚道(zuòrén yào hòudao) one should be honest and kind.” a famous line from the movie Cell Phone 手机(shŏujī) in 2003. Since the movie was released, the word has been widely used in China.
The ...
People in China love to sent text messages for blessings on Christmas. It is worth noting, but in Chinese, the pronunciation of the Chinese word for Christmas sounds exactly like another very common expression, "生蛋 (shēngdàn) lay an egg." Thus we get a play on words and imagery. Let's see some popular and interesting messages.
Zhèxiē tiān yìzhí ...
Learn Mandarin: 心急吃不了热豆腐 (xīn jí chī bù liǎo rè dòufu ) Haste Makes Waste (Advanced)
Example:
Bié zháojí, xué hànyǔ xūyào yǒu nàixīn, yǒu héngxīn, xīn jí chī bù liǎo rè dòufu.
A: 别 着急，学 汉语 需要 有 耐心、有 恒心， 心 急 吃 不 了 热 豆腐。
Be patient. Learning Mandarin needs patience and persistence. Haste makes ...
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舍不得 (shěbude) Hate to part with or leave (Advanced)
Example:
Tā shěbude huā hěnduō qián mǎi piàoliang de yīfu, yīnwèi tā xiǎng zǎnqián
她 舍不得 花 很多 钱 买 漂亮 的衣服，因为 她 想 攒钱
wèi AP hànyǔ kǎoshì bào míng.
为 AP 汉语 考试 报 名。
She hates to spend so much money on ...
说大话 (shuōdàhuà) Brag (Advanced)
说 (shuō) means to talk, 大话 (dàhuà) means exaggerated words.
Example：
A: Nǐ de xuéshù nénglì pínggū kǎoshì zhǔnbèi de zěnmeyàng le?
你 的 学术 能力 评估 考试 准备 的 怎么样 了？
How is your preparation for the SAT exam going?
B: Kěndìng méi wèntí.
肯定 没 问题。
No problem.
A: Shì mɑ? Nǐ bié yòu zài ...
路上小心 (lùshang xiǎoxīn) Take Care on Your Way Back (Advanced)
"路上小心 (lùshang xiǎoxīn) Take care on your way back" is often
communicated to people who are about to leave.
Example:
A: Jīntiān zài nǐjiā wánr de fēicháng kāixīn, dànshì wǒ xiànzài yào zǒule.
今天 在 你家 玩儿 得 非常 开心， 但是 我 现在 要 走了。
B: Hǎoba, lùshang ...
兴高采烈 (xìnggāocǎiliè) In High Spirit/ Overjoyed (Advanced)
When the character “兴 (xìng)” takes the falling tone, it means happy. But when it is pronounced as “xīng” it means to flourish. “高 (gāo)” means high. “采 (cǎi)” means to gather. “烈 (liè)” means violent.
Example:
A: Nǐ jīntiān zuò shénme shìr dōu xìnggāocǎiliè de. Yǒu shénme xǐshìr ma?
你 ...
高楼大厦 (gāolóudàshà) High Buildings and Large Mansions (Advanced)
The character “高 (gāo)” means high and “楼 (lóu)” means floor. “大 (dà)”
means large and “厦 (shà)” means tall building.
Example:
Xiàndàihuà de chéngshì lǐ biàndì shì gāolóudàshà.
现代化 的 城市 里 遍地 是 高楼大厦。
In modern cities there are high buildings and large mansions everywhere.
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打折 (dǎzhé) To Give a Discount (Advanced)
The character "打 (dǎ)" means to beat and "折 (zhé)" means fold or
discount.
Example:
A: Tīngshuō Bǎishèng dǎzhé ne, xiǎng qù kànkan ma? 听说 百盛 打折 呢， 想 去 看看 吗？
I heard that there is sale at Parkson, do you want to check it out?
B: Hǎo a, ...
跑题 (pǎotí) Digress into a Different Subject (Advanced)
The character "跑 (pǎo)" means to run; "题 (tí)" means topic or subject.
Example:
Zhècì zuòwén wǒ hǎoxiàng xiě pǎotí le.
这次 作文 我 好像 写 跑题了。
I seem to digress from the subject in this essay writing.
乐观 (lèguān) Optimistic (advanced)
The character "乐 (lè)" means happy; "观 (guān)" means view.
Example:
Tā jíshǐ zài zuì zāogāo de shíhou yě zǒngshì fēicháng lèguān.
她 即使 在 最 糟糕 的 时候 也 总是 非常 乐观。
She was always optimistic, even when things were at their worst.
幸亏 (xìnɡkuī) Fortunately/ Thanks to
The character “幸 (xìng)” means lucky and “亏 (kuī)” originally means loss.
Example:
Xìngkuī huǒchē wǎndiǎn le, wǒmen cái gǎnshàng le chē.
幸亏 火车 晚点 了， 我们 才 赶上 了 车。
Fortunately, the train came late so we did not miss it.
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