Wǒ men dào dòng wù yuán la! 我们到动物园啦！ We’re at the zoo!
Nǐ kàn! Cháng jǐng lù! 你看！长颈鹿！ Look! A giraffe!
Kuài kàn! Hóu zi zài zhèr! 快看！猴子在这儿！ Look! The monkey is right here!
Xióng māo zài shuì jiào… 熊猫在睡觉… The panda is sleeping…
Zhè …
Kāi xīn 开心 Happy
Wǒ hǎo kāi xīn! 我好开心！ I’m so happy!
Lèi 累 Tired
Wǒ yǒu diǎn lèi. 我有点累。 I’m a little tired.
Xiǎng huí jiā 想回家 Want to go home
Wǒ xiǎng huí jiā le. 我想回家了。 I want to go home.
If you …
Traveling in China can be an incredible experience. From historic cities and mountain landscapes to vibrant street food scenes, there is a lot to explore. While many young people speak some English, knowing a few basic Chinese phrases can make your trip much smoother and …
Píngguǒ 苹果 Apple
Wǒ dài le píngguǒ! 我带了苹果！ I brought apples!
Cǎo méi 草莓 Strawberry
Wǒ yào chī cǎo méi! 我要吃草莓！ I want strawberries!
Guǒzhī 果汁 Juice
Wǒ yào hē guǒzhī! 我要喝果汁！ I want to drink juice!
If you consider having your kid learn Mandarin, …
Fàng fēng zhēng 放风筝 Fly a kite
Wǒ yào fàng fēng zhēng! 我要放风筝！ I want to fly a kite!
Huá huátī 滑滑梯 Go down the slide
Wǒ yào wán huáhuátī! 我要玩滑滑梯！ I want to play on the slide!
Hǎo wán 好玩 Fun
Zhè lǐ hěn …
Spring is one of the best times to travel in China. Temperatures are mild, landscapes soften, and daily life feels less hurried. For travelers interested in more than sightseeing, spring offers the chance to slow down, observe local rhythms, and experience China beyond crowded itineraries.…
Qù gōng yuán 去公园 Go to the park
Wǒ men qù gōng yuán ba! 我们去公园吧！ Let’s go to the park!
Yě cān 野餐 Picnic
Wǒmen yīqǐ qù yěcān ba! 我们一起去野餐吧！ Let’s go on a picnic together!
Huā hua 花花 Flowers
Huā hua tài piào liang …
You study a list of words. You practice until you feel confident. A week later, you remember almost none of them. This experience is so common among Chinese learners that many assume it’s simply how learning works. But forgetting is not inevitable. It follows predictable …
Wǒ yào hē shuǐ. 我要喝水。 I want to drink water.
Wǒ yào bāng máng. 我要帮忙。 I want to help.
Ràng wǒ shì yī shì. 让我试一试。 Let me try.
Wǒ ná yī xià. 我拿一下。 I’ll grab it.
Ràng wǒ kàn yī kàn. 让我看一看。 Let me take …
Wǒ yào chī zhè ge. 我要吃这个。 I want to eat this.
Wǒ yào diǎn zhè dào cài. 我要点这道菜。 I want to order this dish.
Zhè ge hěn hǎo chī! 这个很好吃！ This is delicious!
Wǒ bù yào là. 我不要辣。 I don’t want it spicy.
Wǒ chī …
Wǒ yào mǎi zhè ge. 我要买这个。 I want to buy this.
Wǒ lái tuī gòu wù chē. 我来推购物车。 I’ll push the cart.
Wǒ ná yī ge kě yǐ ma? 我拿一个可以吗？ Can I take one?
Wǒ kàn jiàn le! 我看见了！ I see it!
Wǒ hěn xǐ …
Every Chinese learner knows the feeling. You have studied for months, maybe years. You can read characters, understand grammar rules, and pass written tests. But when a native speaker asks you a simple question on the street, your mind goes blank.
This is the “silent …
Kāi mén 开门 Open the door
Guān mén 关门 Close the door
Kāi dēng 开灯 Turn on the light
Guān dēng 关灯 Turn off the light
Chuān shàng wài tào 穿上外套 Put on your coat
Tuō xià wài tào 脱下外套 Take off your coat
If …
Yǒu yì si 有意思 Interesting / Fun / Meaningful
Yǒu diǎn yì si 有点意思 Kind of interesting
Hěn yǒu yì si 很有意思 Very interesting
Tài yǒu yì si le! 太有意思了！ So interesting!
Chāo jí yǒu yì si! 超级有意思！ Super interesting!
Yǒu yì si jí le! …
Gǎn’ēn 感恩 Grateful
Gǎn’ēn de xīn 感恩的心 A Grateful Heart
Wǒ xīnli hěn gǎn’ēn. 我心里很感恩。 I feel grateful in my heart.
Lǎo shī， wǒ gǎn ēn nín de jiāo dǎo！ 老师，我感恩您的教导！ Teacher, I’m grateful for your teaching!
Gǎn ēn yǒu nǐ zhè yàng de hǎo …
Wú liáo 无聊 Bored
Yǒu diǎn wú liáo. 有点无聊。 A bit bored.
Wǒ hǎo wú liáo a! 我好无聊啊！ I’m so bored!
Zhēn wú liáo. 真无聊。 This is really boring. / I’m really bored.
Zhè bù diàn yǐng hěn wú liáo. 这部电影很无聊。 This movie is very …
Many Chinese learners share the same frustration. You study regularly, review vocabulary, and understand the lesson in class. But a few days later, much of it feels unfamiliar again. Words disappear. Structures blur. Confidence drops. It can feel as if Chinese simply does not stay …
Mǎ nián dà jí 马年大吉 Good luck in the Year of the Horse
Lóng mǎ jīng shén 龙马精神 May you be energetic and vigorous
Mǎ shàng yǒu qián 马上有钱 May money come immediately
Mǎ nián xíng dà yùn 马年行大运 Good fortune in the Year of …
Jīng yà 惊讶 Surprised
Wǒ hěn jīng yà! 我很惊讶！ I am very surprised!
Zhēn lìng rén jīng yà! 真令人惊讶！ That’s really surprising!
Jīng xǐ 惊喜 Surprise
Zhēn shì yī gè dà jīng xǐ! 真是一个大惊喜！ What a big surprise!
Tài lìng rén jīng xǐ le! 太令人惊喜了！ …
Many learners ask the same question at some point: How hard on earth is learning Chinese?
This question rarely appears at the beginning. It usually comes later, after you have learned basic grammar, memorized vocabulary, practiced tones, and perhaps even learned to read …
