Answer analysis: 1. D Nǐ zhōngwǔ chī le shénme? 你中午吃了什么？ What did you eat this lunchtime?
面条 (Miàntiáo): noodles.
两个 (Liǎng gè): two.
蓝色 (Lán sè): blue.
很美丽 (Hěn měilì): so beautiful.
一年 (Yì nián): one year.
Answer: A Analysis: 图书馆 (Túshū guǎn) = library
大使馆 (Dàshǐ guǎn) = embassy
领事馆 (Lǐngshìguǎn) = consulate
Chinese embassies and consulates abroad are divided into consular districts. Applicants should apply for visas from the embassy or consulate of their place of residence for best results. …
Since the Beijing Olympics of 2008, there has been a large increase in the amount of foreign travelers coming into China. In recent years, with China’s economic and cultural rise, more and more people are choosing to come to China for travel, work and study. …
Let’s face it: The Internet has changed everything. And, “everything” includes Mandarin Chinese language learning! Years ago, the classroom and textbooks were the only resources available to begin learning Chinese. However, with recent online resources emerging, learning Mandarin Chinese is easier and more accessible than …
You know Chinese Kung Fu because of movies, right?
Chinese Kung Fu is so much more. It embodies China’s national wisdom and traditional culture in one very pure active art form.
The main concepts of Kung Fu are moderation and harmony. Its artistic nature and …
Answer: (1) 斤 (2) 长 (3) 水 (4) 好 (5) 下 Analysis: Nǐ hǎo! Xiāngjiāo duōshǎo qián yì jīn? 你 好！ 香 蕉 多 少 钱 一 斤？ Excuse me, how much for 500g of bananas?
Māmā de tóufà hěn cháng. 妈 妈 的 头 …
Just like shared bicycles, the moment that it was introduced, “unmanned retail” brought us one step closer to the future. It embraces the ”new retail” strategy where big data technology connects and optimizes offline outlets and online stores to enhance customer experiences. All of these …
Answer: C Analysis: 老铁 (Lǎotiě) is a popular Mandarin word used on the internet and in daily life. It can be used to describe the close relationship between friends and is the equivalent to “brothers”, “dude”, etc. in English. It means that the relationship is …
Language is always evolving, and Mandarin Chinese is no exception. The past two years or so, more and more Chinese people are using the word “老铁 (lǎotiě).”
Originally, “老铁 (lǎotiě)” was used as a word by a northeastern Chinese dialect.
One example of how this …
While learning Chinese expressions, it’s important that you understand the literal meaning and also the figurative meaning as well. Knowing the figurative meaning will help you apply the language to the appropriate situation, while knowing the literal meaning will help you avoid embarrassing or …
I get asked all the time by prospective students, new students, or even seasoned students–“How do I improve my spoken Chinese?” And not only do they want to know the answer to that question, they also want to know: “How can I do it fast?” …
Have you visited your local museum lately? Soon you may have the opportunity to do so for free. “国际博物馆日 (Guójì bówùguǎn rì) International Museum Day (IMD)” is an internationally celebrated day on or around 18 May. Each year, museums across the globe are invited to …
I like to introduce my students to common words used in Mandarin Chinese daily life. It’s important to learn words to use correctly in all kinds of social situations. One such popular Mandarin Chinese vocabulary word is “小看 (xiǎokàn).” What does it mean? Let’s look …
Answer: B Analysis: Shìjiè bówùguǎn rì shì shénme shíhòu? 世 界 博 物 馆 日 是 什 么 时候？ When is the International Museum Day?
“国际博物馆日 (Guójì bówùguǎn rì) International Museum Day (IMD)” is an internationally celebrated day on or around 18 May. So, the …
When talking about how things look, we can use terms such as ”辣眼睛 (làyǎnjīng)”, or “spicy eyes” to describe something awful or we can use a term to rate how good-looking someone or something is using “颜值 (yánzhí)” which is much different from commenting …
Learning Mandarin Chinese is different from learning other languages such as Italian or French. It is nearly impossible to self-study Mandarin Chinese or learn through books and audio/video resources alone. To effectively learn Mandarin Chinese, you need to immerse yourself into a learning process with …
So you are learning to speak Mandarin. That’s great! But can you speak with native Chinese people? The first step to doing so is to use a little slang or at least be able to understand when you hear it in conversation. Today’s slang word …
In English we have the saying, “Take a chill pill!” This can be slightly derogatory, but it also can encourage others to relax a bit when they are being too up-tight. In Chinese we have a phrase that very much relates to this meaning. It …
Answer: C Analysis: Jīntiān jiàn le xīn péngyǒu Lily, wǒ duì tā de yìnxiàng hěn hǎo. 今 天 见 了 新 朋 友 Lily，我 对 她 的 印 象 很好。 I met my new friend Lily today and I was very impressed with her.
“A+ 对+B+印象+好/不好” is a fixed grammar structure in Chinese which means “A …
There is one word that I ALWAYS teach my students when they are new to Chinese culture. As with any country/culture, relationship is everything. To interact with meaning with those around you, it’s essential you have an understanding of how business, interpersonal, familial and other …
