In Chinese, a classifier is special and some classifiers are easily confused in meaning and usage, like “次(cì)” and “遍(biàn).” “次(cì)” and “遍(biàn)” both can be used to describe frequency or how many times you have done something. However, “次(cì)” emphasizes the frequency of a …
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)” …
Correct Answer: B “给(gěi)” In the Chinese language, “给(gěi)” is most frequently used as the verb “to give.” Example Gěi wǒ yìbēi chá. 给 我 一杯 茶。 Please give me a cup of tea. But in phrases such as, “给你打电话 (gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà) give …
Correct Answer: B In the Chinese language, both “过(guò)” and “了(le)” can be used following verbs to show that something has happened.
They are both usually used in the same structure: Subject + Verb + “过(guò)” / “了(le).”
However, their precise meanings differ from one …
Answer: B In option A, “蜜蜂(mìfēng)” means “bee” and “蜂蜜(fēngmì)” means “honey.” In B, “苹果(píngguǒ)” is “apple” but the character combination “果苹(guǒpíng)” doesn’t hold any meaning in Chinese. In option C, “国王(guówáng)” refers to “a king” and “王国(wángguó)” is his “kingdom.” Finally, in D, “白雪(báixuě)” …
(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, …
Answer: B “对(duì)” and “双(shuāng)” are two Chinese measure words. They can both be translated as “a pair of” in English, and there are only a few differences between them. In the Chinese language, “双(shuāng)” is used to describe things that often come in pairs …
Answer: A In Chinese, “经常(jīngcháng)” and “通常(tōngcháng)” are both used as adverbials. “经常(jīngcháng)” means “often or frequently”, which is a time adverbial emphasizing that the action happens many times, and that the time between each occurrence is very short. On the other hand, “通常(tōngcháng)” means …
Yesterday, May 6, 2015, was a special day called 立夏(Lì xià),” the seventh solar term of the 24 Chinese Solar Terms This is the day that marks the beginning of the hot summer in China. These days, the maximum air temperatures of most cities in …
Last week we talked about the weird-looking, and tasting, “皮蛋(pídàn) preserved egg.” Have you rolled up your sleeves and given it a taste? If not, here comes another choice you might want to try! This week we will introduce another strange Chinese delicacy …
“驴友(lǘyŏu)” literally means “donkey friend,” but translates as “backpackers” or “travel buddies.” It is a homophone of “旅游(lǚyóu),” the Chinese word for tour. “驴友(lǘyŏu)” refers to people who like off-the-beaten-path travel or outdoor sports, especially those who enjoy adventures, climbing, hiking, etc. “驴友(lǘyŏu)” are people …
Are you the kind of person who is desperately overcommitted and suffering from exhaustion? Are you still upset about your most recent failure? Are you living with terrible pressure? If so, you’re the victim of negative emotions. To resolve these problems, you need some “正能量(zhèngnéngliàng),” …
Lately, discussions on social networking sites have turned their attention to, what some argue to be, a new type of ideal boyfriend called “暖男 (nuǎnnán).”
So, what is it about this type of men that makes them so sought after?
Do you or your man …
In theaters in ancient China, when there was a show, some wooden tablets bearing the names of the actors would be hung at the door of the theater. The tablet placed at the very front was called the “头牌(tóupái),” referring to the lead actor in …
If one day, one of your friends tells you that he or she is going to “裸婚(luǒhūn),” don’t be tricked by the phrase’s literal meaning of “naked wedding.” There’s no need to worry if you don’t know what the term actually means, because today we …
One basic meaning of “后(hòu)” is “after or later”, such as “一周后(yìzhōuhòu) after a week” and “三天后(sāntiānhòu) three days later.” Example Wǒ sāntiān hòu qù běijīng. 我 三天 后 去 北京。 I will leave for Beijing in three days.
At some point you will come …
Literally, “霸(bà)” means “to dominate, lord over, tyrannize over or rule by force.”
xué bà 学 霸
“学霸(xué bà)” is a new buzzword that has recently been spread widely on the Internet, but we also use it in our daily lives. If we call someone …
Sun Zi’s Art of War was written by Sun Wu in the final year of the Spring and Autumn
Period (770BC – 476BC).
It is not only the oldest Chinese military work in existence but also the oldest book
of military theory in the world, …
Sun Zi’s Art of War was written by Sun Wu in the final year of the Spring and Autumn
Period (770BC – 476BC).
It is not only the oldest Chinese military work in existence but also the oldest book
of military theory in the world, …
