What’s Your Style? (Beginner)
Conversation:
Nǐ kàn Lady Gaga Xiānggǎng yǎnchànghuì le ma? Jen: 你看 Lady Gaga 香港 演唱会 了 吗？ Have you seen the Lady Gaga Live concert in Hong Kong?
Dāngrán le, nà kě zhēn shì shízú de Lady Gaga fànr a. Lily: 当然 了，那可 真 是 …
Hey, have you eaten yet? (Beginner)
Jack, a foreign friend who has studied Chinese for almost half a year, was excited about finally coming to China and putting his new knowledge to use.
One thing Jack learned was that people in China greet each other with the sentence “你吃了吗？ (Nǐ chīle …
高富帅 (gāo fù shuài) Tall, Rich and Handsome (Beginner)
During the Euro 2012 games, time and time again fans cheered the fantastic goals made by Cristiano Ronaldo.
His impeccable performance, combined with his good looks, attracted the attention of many girls’ eyes in China. Ronaldo was dubbed the top “高富帅 (gāo fù shuài)” …
(那是)必须的！((Nà shì) bìxū de!) Absolutely! (Beginner)
“(那是)必须的! ((Nà shì) bìxū de!)” is now a very popular word in the daily life of Chinese that is used to show confirmation. “那 (nà)” means that; “是 (shì)” means is; “必须 (bìxū)” means must; “的 (de)” is a particle. It gained popularity from a …
Ladies, which body type are you? (Elementary)
Amy and her friend Linda meet at a cafe to chat. Amy: Look at you! You’re so slim! Linda: Thanks! Amy: I wish I were you! I really admire those who keep a good figure. Linda: If you eat a healthy diet, you’ll… Amy: I …
The Reason Why Mike Is Late
Study the vocabulary then read through the conversation. Why is Mike late?
Vocabulary:
迟到 (chídào) adj. late
路过 (lùguò) v. to pass by
路标 (lùbiāo) n. signpost/road sign
Conversation:
Mike, nǐ zěnme měitiān shàngxué dōu chídào? Teacher: Mike，你 怎么 每天 上学 都 迟到？
Mike, why …
Mini-Test Answer: empty
Beginner Level 初级 (chūjí)
The right answer to the quiz is C.
Translation:
Zhè shì Mike hé Serena, tāmen hé wǒmen yìqǐ qù páshān. Lana: 这 是 Mike 和 Serena，他们 和 我们 一起去 爬山。
This is Mike and Serena, and they would like to go …
80后 (bā líng hòu) Post-1980s: Eighties Babies in China
Are you old enough to remember the ’80s? Crazy hairstyles and fashion often popped up throughout the world as well as a series of advancements in technology that changed the world. Those who grew up during that time can often be seen as having similar …
汗 (hàn), Don’t sweat it.
“汗 (hàn)” is the Chinese character for perspiration, or the sweat people produce when playing sports, or when faced with other intense or strenuous conditions. On the Internet, the word has come to indicate that one has nothing to say on an issue or conversation. …
Taobao – A Brand Becomes a Verb
淘 (táo) To Buy
In this dialogue, Anne is talking with her colleague, Ella, while having lunch at the office.
Xiǎng mǎi tiáo qúnzi, kě méi shíjiān guàngjiē. Anne: 想 买 条 裙子，可 没 时间 逛街。
I want to buy a skirt, but I have …
Mini-Test Answer: 五百零八 (wǔbǎi líng bā)
Beginner Level 初级 (chūjí)
The answer to the test is B.
Analysis: The correct pronunciation of “508” is “五百零八 (wǔbǎi líng bā).” “零 (Líng),” literally means “zero.” It is used in counting wherever a column or a sequence of columns is skipped. Note that in …
小心地滑 (xiǎo xīn dì huá) Caution! Slippery.
Story: One day, Tom saw a large sign in front of a busy, midtown restaurant with the printed characters, “小心地滑.” As he passed, he starts to slowly skate his feet across the floor. His friend Jack immediately stops him. Tom, nǐ gàn má ne? Jack: …
I Got One Point More.
Story: Māma: Zhècì kǎoshì, gēge kǎole jiǔshíwǔ fēn, nǐ kǎole duōshǎo fēn? 妈妈： 这次 考试， 哥哥 考了 95 分，你 考了 多少 分？ Mom: Your brother got 95 points on this exam. What about you?
Dìdi: Wǒ bǐ tā duō yì diǎn. 弟弟：我比他 多 一 点。 …
Popular Chinese Saying: 亲 (Qīn) Dear!
“亲 (qīn) dear” is short for “亲爱的(qīn’ài de) dear.” “亲 (qīn) dear” originated from the online conversation between sellers and buyers on Taobao.com, which is the Chinese version of eBay. The word “亲 (qīn) dear” helps the sellers create a friendly image, and some customers …
Greetings on Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is coming up! Who are you going to spend it with? In today’s lesson, we’ll learn three popular Chinese expressions to use on Valentine’s Day.
Qīn’ài de péngyou, zhù nǐ Qíngrénjié kuàilè. 1. 亲爱 的 朋友， 祝 你 情人节 快乐！ My dear friend, …
你懂的 (nǐ dǒng de) You know.
The expression “你懂的 (nǐ dǒng de)” was translated from the English expression “you know.” Its popularization is due to a video Old Boy, made by the Chopsticks Brothers. It’s a story about two middle-aged friends who combine their talents they learned in middle school to …
Greetings for Chinese New Year
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 …
hold住 (hold zhù) I got this under control./Hang in there!
“hold住 (hold zhù)” originated from the Sino-British, mixed language in Hong Kong. Its sudden popularization was sparked by internet sensation, Miss Lin, who during an appearance on a Taiwanese variety show, demonstrated fashion ideals to college students by enlisting exaggerated styles, pretentious English and sexual …
Chinese Greetings for New Year’s Day
New Year’s Day, or “元旦 (Yuándàn)” is just around the corner. Wouldn’t you like to impress your friends and relatives by wishing them a happy holiday in Chinese? Today let’s take a look at a few popular phrases in Mandarin for the New Year.
Yuándàn …
Four Words For Every Child’s Merry Christmas
Christmas is coming along with everybody’s favorite jolly fat man! In today’s lesson, we’ll take a look at the four most popular Chinese words for kids during Christmas time. And for any kids reading: study hard, be kind and we’ll all keep our fingers crossed …