Chinese Song: Counting Ducks (Elementary)
数鸭子 (Shǔ yāzi): Counting Ducks
Lyrics:
Mén qián dàqiáo xià, 门 前 大桥 下， Under the bridge and in front of the gate,
Yóu guò yìqún yā. 游 过 一群 鸭。 A team of ducks are swimming by.
Kuài lái kuài lái shǔyishǔ, 快 来 …
Is Learning Chinese Difficult?
Chinese is only hard if you don’t have the right mentor to ensure that you acquire the solid foundation you need. If you try learning alone without the guidance of a native speaker, you risk not learning the tones correctly and emphasizing the wrong vocabulary …
Tips to Make Chinese Unforgettable
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 …
WeChat Lucky Money Taps into Chinese New Year Tradition
“微信红包” WeChat Lucky Money (wēixìn hóngbāo)
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 The Story of Pocket Money on Lunar New Year’s Day (Beginner)
压岁钱的故事 (Yāsuìqián de gùshi) The Story of Pocket Money for Children on Lunar New Year’s Day
Listen to the story
Key Learning Points (Preview):
哭 (kū):
v.
to cry
宝贝 (bǎobèi):
n/v.
baby/ take sth/ sb as treasured one
告诉 (gàosù):
v.
to tell
Gǔ …
7 Tips for Choosing a Good Wonderful Chinese Tutor!
(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 …
中国商务送礼禁忌 Taboos of Giving Business Gifts in China (Intermediate)
中国商务送礼禁忌 (Zhōngguó shāngwù sònglǐ jìnjì) Taboos of giving business gifts in China
Key Learning Points (Preview):
送礼 (sònglǐ): v. to give gift
商务往来 (shāngwù wǎnglái): n. business exchanges/doing business with others
“送礼 (sònglǐ) Gift giving ” is an important part of “商务往来 (shāngwù wǎnglái) doing …
You’ll Blush with Embarrassment if You Use These Wrong Tones!
For Chinese learners, one major difficulty you may face during your Chinese studies is the pronunciation of the four tones. These include the 1st tone which is level, the 2nd tone which rises, the 3rd tone which falls then rises, and the 4th tone …
Three “Spicy” Provinces in China (Part II) – Hunan
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 …
Answer to Watch Your Tone! Different Meanings of “扫”
Answer: C In Chinese there are a few polyphones, or characters with multiple pronunciations, “扫(sǎo/sào)” in the test is one of them. The two pronunciations of “扫(sǎo/sào)” express different meanings. “扫(sǎo)” means “sweep” in English, as in to clean the dust and rubbish away, like …
Answer to Worst Gift to Your Chinese Friends!
Correct Answer: C In Chinese culture, giving and exchanging gifts is very popular. If you have any Chinese friends, learning the ins and outs of gift-giving culture in China is very important.
Especially when you visit a Chinese friend’s house, “点心(diǎnxīn) cakes,” “白酒(báijiǔ) hard alcohol,” …
Answer to Choose Lucky Numbers and Steer Clear of Unlucky Ones!
Correct Answer: A In the Chinese language, 4(sì) has similar pronunciation with “死(sì) die,” which gives people an ominous, unlucky feeling. For this reason, Chinese people don’t like the number 4. <<Back to “Choose Lucky Numbers and Steer Clear of Unlucky Ones!” …
Learn Chinese Pinyin-Vowels
Chinese Pinyin
is a Roman-letter based system that China now uses to mark the pronunciation of Chinese characters. That is to say, Chinese Pinyin is a way to represent Chinese characters and express the sounds in Chinese language using the alphabet.
There are other …
Chinese Learning Method – By Mary Jacob
There’s no doubt about it, learning any language requires a commitment of time and effort, even more so when there’s a great difference between one’s native language and the new one. Here are some suggestions and on-line materials to maximum your effectiveness, minimize the time …
Free Tips for Starting Your Chinese Learning Journey
Free Chinese Learning Tips—Where to Start?
Where does one start when learning Chinese? Chinese pinyin should be the first step. Pinyin uses the English alphabet to represent Chinese syllables. The earlier you start learning Chinese Pinyin, the easier it will be to grasp the …
Chinese Speaking
Learn Chinese pinyin- Consonants with audio Chinese pinyin is a Roman-letter based system that China now uses to mark the pronunciation of Chinese characters. With four tones and pinyin, any Chinese characters can be pronounced precisely. In many cases, pinyin is quite intuitive to English …
如何学中文 (rú hé xué zhōng wén) How to Learn Chinese
Learn Chinese Tip III: Learning Chinese characters comes just after learning Pinyin. To learn Chinese characters, you can read books, such as Fun with Chinese Character, which explains the structure and meaning of each character with illustrations and little stories. Learn Chinese Tip IV: Most …
Can I give “钟(zhōng) Bell” as a gift to Chinese people?
After accepting invitations from a friend, you must choose a special gift for the host. Many things could be on your present list: fruit, clothes, or books. However, in China, the Bell “钟”(zhōng) could never be given as a present. In Chinese, “钟”(zhōng) has the …
如何学中文 （rú hé xué zhōng wén） Tips to learn Chinese (I&II)
How to learn Chinese is a frequently asked question. With the purpose to help you become successful in learning Chinese, here are some tips for you: Learn Chinese Tip I: Where to start? Chinese Pinyin should be the first step to learn Chinese. Pinyin contains …
Learn Chinese Pinyin-Consonant
Chinese Pinyin is a Roman-letter based system that China now uses to mark the pronunciation of Chinese characters. With four tones and pinyin, any Chinese characters can be pronounced precisely. In many cases, Pinyin is quite intuitive to English speakers with only a few …