Answer: C
Gifts play an important role in Chinese culture. They allow Chinese people to demonstrate respect for elders and superiors, to show their commitment to and enthusiasm for maintaining close relations with family and friends. Gifts also play an important role in building new …
Correct Answer: A “冬至(dōngzhì)” is the Winter Solstice Festival, which falls on December 22nd, 2014. It is the day of the year that the sun shines weakest and daylight hours are the shortest. This day has long been a very important holiday in China, and …
Please choose the correct answer to fill in the blanks. Nancy: Dōngzhì chī shénme? Nancy：冬至 吃 什么？ Nancy: What do you eat on the Winter Solstice?
Wáng Lì: Dōngzhì, běifāng chī ____ , nánfāng chī ____. 王 丽：冬至， 北方 吃____， 南方 吃____。 Wang Li: On …
Correct Answer: B Chinese people tend to put a lot of importance on numbers and they like to associate different numbers with various meanings. For example, Chinese people have come up with an interesting holiday associated with the day November 11th (11.11). This holiday is …
Xīnnián dào, xīnnián dào. 新年 到， 新年 到。 The New Year has arrived. Chuān xīnyī, dài xīnmào. 穿 新衣，戴 新帽。 We wear the new clothes and the new hats. Jiàn le miàn, hāhā xiào. 见 了 面， 哈哈 笑。 We meet each other and laugh …
Recently, there has been an intriguing news story spreading across the internet in China. Lily and Jerry are talking about it.
Wǒ kàndào yítiáo qíguài de xīnwén. Lily：我 看到 一条 奇怪 的 新闻。
I read a weird piece of news.
Shénme xīnwén? Jerry：什么 新闻？
What …
Valentine’s Day is coming, and all over the world people are buying chocolates, cards, and getting ready to celebrate with that special someone. But what about you? Do you have a special someone? We know that love can be a complicated affair, so today we’re …
During Spring Festival, Li Ming was invited to his friend’s home. Once there, Li Ming met Wang Gang. The two go to the same school, but they don’t know each other very well. Take a look at how they get to know each other by …
To celebrate the New Year, (Watch the video and know how Chinese people celebrate the New Year) Wang Wei invites his girlfriend Zhang Li to have dinner at a restaurant, but the two face a few challenges…
Nǐ chī cù ma? Wang Wei：你 …
The end of days, or Armageddon, is known as 世界末日 (shìjiè mòrì) in Chinese. So, the correct answer is B.
The English word, “day,” is interpreted in Chinese as 天 (tiān), 日 (rì), or 节 (jié). For example, daytime — 白天 (báitiān); an important day …
In the previous article, we mentioned that modern Chinese wedding ceremonies involve many elements from western traditions, such as wearing a white wedding gown, exchanging rings, and walking down the aisle to Mendelssohn’s wedding march. However, there are some unique wedding traditions that never lost …
Every year on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar (this year it falls on August 23) is Chinese Valentine’s Day “七夕节(Qīxījié).” As is the custom elsewhere in the world, this is a day devoted to romance. Chinese Valentine’s Day is …
The right answer for this test is A. Translation:
Míngtiān shì Duānwǔjié, wǒmen yíhuìr qù mǎi zòngzi, zěnmeyàng? Lily: 明天 是 端午节， 我们 一会儿 去 买 粽子， 怎么样？
Tomorrow is the Dragon Boat Festival. How about we buy some rice dumplings?…
Key Learning Points (Preview):
红 (hóng) red
白 (bái) white
黑 (hēi) black
Chinese have developed a rich culture around the use of color, especially in language. Below we will explain the significance of a few colors in Chinese culture: First, something you’ll no doubt …
The right answer to the test is A.
Translation:
Nǐ kě zhēn yǒu kǒu fú, zhèng hǎo pèng shàng wǒ zhège dà chú. Mary: 你可 真 有 口 福，正 好 碰 上 我 这个 大 厨。 You really are blessed with …
Key Learning Points (Preview):
抬 (tái): v. to lift/raise
理发 (lǐfà): v. to have a haircut
In North China, there is a saying that goes “二月二，龙抬头 (èr yuè èr, lóng tái tóu) The Dragon Raises Its Head.” It signals the arrival of spring, the beginning …
The answer to the test is C.
Translation: Yuánxiāojié wǒmen yìqǐ chūqu wán ba! Anne: 元宵节 我们 一起 出去 玩 吧？
We should go out and enjoy the Lantern Festival!
Hǎo a. Lisa: 好 啊。
Nice, sounds good to me!
Analysis:…
The answer to the test is A.
Analysis:
A: “拜年 (bàinián)” means “paying a New Year’s visit.”
For example: Míngtiān wǒ qù gěi péngyou bàinián. 明天 我 去 给 朋友 拜年。
Tomorrow I’ll be paying a New Year’s visit to my …
Yǒu qián méi qián, huíjiā guònián. 1. 有 钱 没 钱，回家 过年。 Money or no, we’ll be home for Spring Festival.
Background Information:
This popular phrase originated from a well-known song of the same name. On Chinese New Year, getting home to see family is …
Key Learning Points (Preview): 龙年 (lóngnián): n. the Year of the Dragon
本命年 (běnmìngnián): n. one’s year of birth in relation to the Chinese Zodiac
China’s celebration of the lunar New Year, the renowned Spring Festival, is less than a month away. As the zodiac’s …
