Something anyone traveling in China should be aware of is over-exaggerated tours that will rip you off. Often walking down a street of a famous area in China, you will be approached by tour agencies trying to get you to buy some tour to nearby …
You just had a huge fight with your sweetheart, but your friend keeps pestering you with questions. Learn how to tell her in Chinese “I’m really annoyed right now! Leave me alone!”
1. A: Rachel, are you OK? B: Well…this project …
Either way is fine with me! It’s up to you! Whatever! In Chinese, you can just say “随便 (Suíbiàn)!”
1. A: Jenny, wǒmen wǎnshang qù chànggē, hǎo mɑ? B: Xíng. A: Wǒmen qù něi jiā KTV? B: Wǒ dōu xínɡ, suíbiàn. …
The second largest economy in the world, China, is rapidly changing. Recently two young men tried to rob a convenience store in China. They got in their disguises, gathered their weapons and drove in the middle of the night to a local convenience store. When …
I’m going to introduce a Chinese word that is useful to everyday situations of human interaction. We often use it in group work or when trying to get things accomplished. The word is 帮倒忙 (bāng dàománg) and I’m going to explain how we use it …
Today, I’m going to teach you a useful Mandarin Chinese phrase to describe uncivilized, or even “disgusting” behavior: 倒胃口 (dǎo wèikǒu). Our Mandarin language teacher taught us this phrase when we were discussing taboos in Chinese culture. So, when can we use this phrase? …
It was a lovely summer’s day where I just couldn’t say inside.
The beautiful riverside park near my home was calling me. In an unexpected twist that caused the perfect day, I ran into some of my old students playing badminton on the courts.
There …
We all decided it would be really funny to prank our teacher for April Fool’s Day. We had painted Easter Eggs as an activity with some local children and they were sitting in the window of our classroom. We thought it would be hilarious to …
When my Mandarin Chinese students come to China and study in our program, they often think that the stressful, high-pressure days of test-taking are behind them. Not quite! Mandarin Chinese students have goals to set and reach just as junior high and high school students …
妈妈我要亲亲你 (Māmā wǒ yào qīnqīn nǐ) Mom, I want to kiss you Mother’s day is coming and it is a day for many people to show their appreciation towards mothers. So how are you planning to celebrate Mother’s Day? How about learning this Chinese song!…
I was wearing high heels all day! My feet hurt!
1. A: These gloves have just arrived in the store. You can try them on. B: They’re too big for me. Wŏ de shŏu hěn xiǎo. Which of following is true …
It’s very likely you have heard of Mahjong before, you might have even played some version of it on the computer or your phone. Or, perhaps you saw the Chinese mafia in movies playing Mahjong.
But, do you know its everyday significance in China?
麻将 …
Guess what? I got a job offer from Google! I’m very happy!
1. A: Guess what? I have finally closed the deal with Disney! Wǒ hěn gāoxìng! B: Gōngxǐ nǐ, Bella! Which of the following sentences best describes how Bella is …
“Don’t play dumb!” This English phrase has a Chinese equivalent that, although its meaning is the same, has a very different literal translation with unique origins. The Chinese “装蒜 (zhuāngsuàn)” literally means “to pretend garlic” which may sound kind of funny in English. It is …
Arriving in Beijing a year ago to begin my Mandarin Chinese course was a pretty intimidating experience. Unlike a week long vacation, this move to China seemed to feel permanent. I was settling in China to master Chinese and perhaps begin a long and exciting …
Some students living in China may face a major decision. If their cellphone breaks or gets stolen, where will they go to buy a new one? In China, most people would go to a cellphone brand’s official store, or to an underground cellphone market for …
Up until the 1960s, China had a birthrate of about six children per woman. Since then, the birthrate has gone down drastically to between one or two per woman. This means that children are receiving extra attention in the family. When children in China turn …
Plans Foiled? “泡汤 (pàotāng)”! “泡汤 (pàotāng)”? Pick Yourself Up and Move Ahead! Our lives are filled with hopes and dreams. Unfortunately, part of our life experience is to watch those hopes dashed to pieces! On a positive note, we can learn from heartbreak and approach …
If you stay in China for a while, you will come to find that many Chinese people use English names.
You’ll meet a continuous stream of individuals named Jack and Lisa, even though their Chinese names are all quite distinct.
Many might ask, why are …
“Your Chinese is probably the worst in the class.”
A classmate said jokingly to my close friend in a study abroad program. Although her Chinese was not the best, it definitely wasn’t the worse. Yet, she took his teasing very personally and I am pretty …
