Answer: C or D Technically answer C is the most formal and polite way to ask someone’s age. Answer D is more informal but also polite and is used with people you are more familiar with. If you are asking someone who is much older …
“得寸进尺 (décùnjìnchǐ)” means that if you give someone an inch, they will take a mile. Nowadays, people usually use this expression to describe someone who is very greedy.
Key Learning Point (Preview):
得寸进尺(décùnjìnchǐ) If give someone an inch, he will take a mile.
Idiom Story:…
Love is in the air, and if you’re like many people, that means you’ve got one or two wedding invitations headed straight for your mailbox. As if deciding what to gift newlyweds isn’t hard enough, in China there are some culture-specific taboos. You’ll want to …
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 …
Answer: B As a technology user, you probably often reach into your “表情包(biǎoqíng bāo)” or “emoji bag” to represent some feeling that needs more than words. With this lesson you will get behind the scenes on what the emoticon actually means when it is sent …
The Pig Baijie is a much-loved character in the classic Chinese TV series Journey to the West《西游记》(Xīyóujì). He has the head of a pig and the body of a human, and is fat and greedy for food. The following story is an episode from Journey …
During the Spring Festival, Chinese adults will give children and elders “红包(hóngbāo),” known as Lucky Money or Red Envelopes in English, as a sign of luck and good fortune. However, this year, this Chinese tradition of …
压岁钱的故事 (Yāsuìqián de gùshi) The Story of Pocket Money for Children on Lunar New Year’s Day
哭 (kū):
to cry
宝贝 (bǎobèi):
baby/ take sth/ sb as treasured one
告诉 (gàosù):
to tell
Gǔ …
Answer: B
Analysis:
A: “包裹 (bāoguǒ)” means “package.” B: “红包 (hóngbāo)” means “red envelope.” C: “礼物 (lǐwù)” means “present.” D: “情书 (qíngshū)” means “love letter.”
Culture Note:
In Chinese culture, a “红包 (hóngbāo) red envelope” is usually presented with good tidings written on it and …
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 …
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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 …
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 …
Sòngcháo de shíhou, yǒu yí gè jiào Wén Tóng de huàjiā, hěn shàncháng huà zhúzi. 宋朝 的 时候， 有 一 个 叫 文 同 的 画家， 很 擅长 画 竹子。 In the Song Dynasty, there was an artist whose name was Wen Tong; he was …
Family plays an important role in every culture, and it is a topic you will certainly cover when learning any new language. As you might guess, there are many terms used to describe relationships in a Chinese family, which can be quite confusing because terms …
Key Learning Points (Preview):
“梨 (lí)” is the Chinese character for “pear.” （Riddle time: Guess the fruit.） Find taboo Chinese gift idea here! 礼物 (lǐwù) n. gift
Origin Story
Dōnghàn shíhou, yǒugè jiào Kǒng róng de rén. Tā xiǎoshíhou hěn cōngming, yǒu wǔgè gēge, …
“同样(tóngyàng)” and “一样(yíyàng)” both mean “the same.” They can be used interchangeably in most cases, but there are also some subtle distinctions between them. Let’s take a closer look.
while “同样(tóngyàng)” cannot. For example, if you …
We have previously introduced Sichuan’s “麻辣(málà)” and Hunan’s “香辣(xiānglà)” flavors. In this last issue of our three-part sizzling-hot tour of China we will learn about one more unique kind of “spiciness” — the “酸辣(suānlà) sour spiciness” of “贵州(guìzhōu).” The special climate of Guizhou Province is, …
In China, “辣椒(làjiāo) chili” has rich cultural connotations. The fire-red chilies, connected with feelings of joy and celebration, symbolize colorful and thriving lives. What’s more, the character “交(jiāo) make friends or associate with someone” is a homophone of “椒(jiāo)”, suggesting that making good friends with …
(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, …
