Smog, also known as “雾霾 (wùmái)” in Chinese, has been a hot and serious topic in China, especially in winter. It is such an issue that it affects people’s daily life and work. To not only protect yourself against smog, but also improve your Chinese, here are our top 4 tips for combating it!
● 戴帽子 (Dài màozi) Bring A Hat!
One of the most often forgotten organs affected by “雾霾 (wùmái)” is our hair, and “戴帽子 (dài màozi)” or bringing a hat offers a number of health benefits. Exposed hair has the ability to absorb a number of contaminants from the air, particularly the small pollutants found in “雾霾 (wùmái),” so taking a hat with you when you go out gives you an added layer of protection, and reduces the risk of exposure. “Just be sure that you don’t 戴绿帽子 (dài lǜ màozi)“!
● 戴口罩 (Dài kǒuzhào) Wear A Mask!
This one might be a no brainer, but you would be surprised at the number of people who forget or choose not to “戴口罩 (dài kǒuzhào)”. As humans use our noses and mouths to bring air into our lungs, it is of incredible importance to make sure that only clean air is entering our body. The best way to do so on a particularly smoggy day, is to take a face mask to filter out any hazardous airborne materials.
● 多吃水果 (Duō chī shuǐguǒ) Eat More Fruit!
Fruits or “水果 (shuǐguǒ)” are a fantastic and delicious way to ensure that your body doesn’t suffer from exposure to “雾霾 (wùmái)”. Almost every fruit carries a massive number of vitamins and minerals as well as water that will help boost your immune system, repair cell damage and flush toxins from your liver, kidneys and spleen. A particularly powerful fruit is the humble pear, called a “梨 (lí)” in Chinese. This little miracle fruit has the ability to keep your lungs clean and stop them from drying out in the smog. If you want to know the best way to buy fruits in China, be sure to click here!
● 少出门多锻炼 (Shǎo chūmén duō duànliàn) Stay Indoors and Exercise More!
Obviously the best way to not be affected by the smog is to stay indoors with an electric air filter, but make sure that you continue to “锻炼 (duànliàn) exercise”! It has been proven that “雾霾 (wùmái)“ has a stronger effect on the elderly and those who are not in shape, so while you are hiding from the weather at home be sure to put in a few minutes of cardio keep your body fit for any situation. Or you could just relax and watch our top 5 Chinese cinematic masterpieces and wait till the skies clear!
To learn more ways to keep safe using Chinese, ask our fully qualified teachers at eChineseLearning today!
1. In the reading we recommend:
A. 多吃水果 (Duō chī shuǐguǒ)
B. 少吃水果 (Shǎo chī shuǐguǒ)
C. 多看水果 (Duō kàn shuǐguǒ)
2. What does “锻炼 (duànliàn)” mean?
A. Smog
B. Exercise
C. Fruit
Jennifer Zhu is a professional Chinese teacher from eChineseLearning. She has many years of Chinese language teaching experience and received her B.A. and M.A. in “Teaching Chinese as a Second Language.”