When learning Chinese, especially when you are not in China, you need a method to help you make the Chinese stick. One way to do that is to make Chinese feel like it is essential to your every day life, as it would be in …
The
“纸上谈兵(zhǐshàngtánbīng) armchair strategy” refers to people who engage in idle talk, but are unable to act on their high minded theories. It is usually used to urge people to combine theories with practical knowledge and not be bookworms. Let’s read about the …
The Chinese idiom “猴年马月(hóunián mǎyuè)” literally means “monkey year, horse month” and is causing a lot of excitement on social media in China. Following the cycle of the 12 Chinese zodiacs, every 12 years is the year of the monkey. In accordance with this, each …
商务问候 (Shāngwù wènhòu) Business Greetings (Beginner) (Learn Chinese Business Etiquette Lessons with our teachers!) Speaking Chinese in a business setting is often challenging. Let’s see a dialogue below.
Key Learning Points (Preview): 你 (nĭ) and 您 (nín): pron you 第一天上班 Dì yī tiān …
Key Learning Point (Preview): 隔墙有耳 (géqiángyǒu’ěr): walls have ears
Cóngqián, yǒu yíge hàoqíxīn hěn zhòng de rén. 从前， 有 一个 好奇心 很 重 的 人。 Once upon a time, there was a curious man.
Tā zǒngshì xǐhuan sìchù dǎting biérén de mìmi. 他 总是 喜欢 …
“对牛弹琴 (Duìniútánqín)” is used by Chinese people to describe someone who is explaining something complicated to a fool, or sometimes this idiom is used to describe a person who is trying to tell something to the wrong audience. In English, people sometimes joke around by …
毛遂自荐 (Máo Suí zìjiàn) to volunteer for a task; to recommend oneself for a difficult job
Idiom Story:
Máo Suí zài Zhàoguó dāile sān nián, què yìzhí bú bèi zhòngyòng. 毛 遂 在 赵国 待了 三 年，却 一直 不 被 重用。 …
The Chinese idiom “井底之蛙 (jǐngdǐzhīwā)” is derived from a story about a frog who lived at the bottom of an unused well. People now use it to refer to people who are short-sighted and arrogant. Read the story below to improve your Chinese learning.
Yì …
It is common to see many carts like the one in the video set out along the street selling breakfast each morning. A traditional breakfast, 煎饼果子(jiānbǐng guǒzi), is made up mainly of a fried flour and egg batter, with chopped green onions, lettuce and soy …
(Click to enlarge image)
Finding a good Chinese tutor is key if you want to learn the Chinese language correctly and in an effective way, but how do you know if your tutor is the right one for you? Use the following checklist as …
(Learn Chinese through Cartoons)
Cóngqián yǒu yígè gōngzhǔ, tāde pífū báide xiàng xuě, suóyǐ guówáng gěi tā qǐmíng wéi báixuě 从前 有 一个 公主， 她的 皮肤 白得 像 雪，所以 国王 给 她 起名 为 白雪 gōngzhǔ. Dànshì gōngzhǔ de māma qùshì dé hěnzǎo. 公主。 但是 …
筷子 (kuàizi): n. chopsticks
涵养 (hányǎng): n.good behavior
As you are doing business with Chinese people, you may have used “筷子 (kuàizi) chopsticks.” But do you know the taboos of using this dining tool? The following list has five things you must know about the …
In last week’s test, we learned about the idiom “喝西北风(hē xīběifēng)”, which means getting nothing to eat or having to live on air. Now in this issue we will get to know about two other kinds of “风(fēng)”: “东风(dōngfēng)” and “耳边风(ěrbiānfēng).”
“东风(dōngfēng)” …
(Want to travel in China? Try a Travel Chinese lesson first!)
Mention of the word “spicy” often reminds people of hot peppers, which turn red when ripening. In China, red color is the color of auspiciousness and prosperity, symbolizing good luck, …
Xiǎoxiǎo shàonián, hěnshǎo fánnǎo. 小小 少年， 很少 烦恼。 The little boy has few worries.
Yǎn wàng sìzhōu, yángguāng zhào. 眼 望 四周， 阳光 照。 He looks around and finds the sun is shining.
Xiǎoxiǎo shàonián, hěnshǎo fánnǎo. 小小 少年， 很少 烦恼。 The little boy has …
Answer: Yīnwèi jǐngchá shì zhègerénde jiějie. 因为 警察 是 这个人的 姐姐。 Because the cop is the young man’s elder sister.
The key word here is “警察(jǐngchá).” As we all know, English is a kind of inflectional language. So in English, we could …
Tàiyáng mīmīxiào, 太阳 咪咪笑， The sun is beaming with smiles,
Hóngqí yíngfēng piāo, 红旗 迎风 飘， The red flag is flying in the wind,
Chéngsède shì júzǐ, 橙色的 是 桔子， The tangerines are orange,
Lǜsède shì qīngcǎo, 绿色的 是 青草， The grass is green,
Xiǎoyādàn …
Correct Answer: C
A.工人(gōngrén) is the word for “Worker.” 工(gōng) means worker or labor and 人(rén) means person.
Both the characters 儿(ér) and 童(tóng) mean child. C.教师(jiàoshī) is the word for “Teacher.” The character 教(jiào) means to teach …
What does the phrase “教师(jiàoshī)” refer to?
