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Answer to Talk about Stingy People? Use “铁公鸡(tiěgōngjī)” in Mandarin!

27/07/2015 / #ChineseForAllLevels, #ChineseVocabulary, #StingyPeopleUseTieGongJi

Correct Answers 1. C 2. A <<Back to “Talk about Stingy People? Use ‘铁公鸡(tiěgōngjī)’ in Mandarin!”

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Talk about Stingy People? Use “铁公鸡(tiěgōngjī)” in Mandarin!

27/07/2015 / #ChineseForBeginnerLearners, #ChineseVocabulary, #StingyPeopleTieGongJiMandarin

The term “铁公鸡(tiěgōngjī)” comes from the Chinese idiom “铁公鸡,一毛不拔(tiěgōngjī, yìmáo bùbá) You can’t pluck a feather from an iron rooster.”

Here, “铁(tiě)” means “iron” and “公鸡(gōngjī)” means “rooster,” but what the term “铁公鸡(tiěgōngjī)” is really used to refer to is a mean, stingy person who …

Answer to Do You Know the 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac?

27/07/2015 / #12AnimalsChineseZodiac, #ChineseForAllLevels, #ChineseTraditionsAndCustoms

Answer: A The twelve Chinese zodiac animals are: “鼠(shǔ) Rat,” “牛(niú) Ox,” “虎(hǔ) Tiger,” “兔(tù) Hare,” “龙(lóng) Dragon,” “蛇(shé) Snake,” “马(mǎ) Horse,” “羊(yáng) Sheep/Goat,” “猴(hóu) Monkey,” “鸡(jī) Rooster,” “狗(gǒu) Dog,” and “猪(zhū) Boar.” You can see from this list that there is no “猫(māo) cat” …

Do You Know the 12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac?

27/07/2015 / #12AnimalsChineseZodiac, #ChineseForBeginnerLearners, #ChineseTraditionsAndCustoms

Each year of the Chinese zodiac is represented by twelve different animals. Are you familiar with all of them? Try the following question to check! Which of the following animals does not belong in the Chinese zodiac? A. “猫(māo) Cat” B. “狗(gǒu) Dog” C. “猪(zhū) …

Telling Time in Mandarin

21/07/2015 / #ChineseForBeginnerLearners, #ChineseSentences, #TellingTimeInMandarin

Please choose the correct answer to fill in the blank. Linda: Qǐngwèn xiànzài jǐ diǎn zhōng? Linda：请问现在几点钟？ Linda: Excuse me, what time is it? Zhāng Míng:___. 张明： ____。 Zhang Ming:___. A. 八点三十二分(Bā diăn sānshí’èr fēn)

B. 八点三十二分钟(Bā diăn sānshí’èr fēnzhōng)…

Answer to the Exercise on Telling Time in Mandarin

21/07/2015 / #ChineseForAllLevels, #ChineseVocabulary, #TellingTimeInMandarin

Correct Answer: A In the Chinese language, there are many ways to talk about the time, but actually, their meanings and usages are quite different. The words “点(diăn)” and “点钟(diănzhōng),” which have the same meaning of “o’clock,” are not interchangeable. Similarly, “分(fēn)” and “分钟(fēnzhōng)” both …

Answer to Chinese Terms of Endearment: Who Is Your “爱人(àiren)”?

20/07/2015 / #ChineseForAllLevels, #ChineseTermsofEndearment, #ChineseVocabulary

Answer: A In Chinese, “爱(ài)” means “love” and “人(rén)” means “person/people,” so “爱人(àiren)” literally means “the person you love.” However, the term can’t be used to refer to every person that you love: not your girlfriend, not your boyfriend, and not your lover. The term …

Chinese Terms of Endearment: Who Is Your “爱人(àiren)”?

20/07/2015 / #ChineseForBeginnerLearners, #ChineseTermsofEndearment, #ChineseVocabulary

You may have found that it’s not always easy to tell the true meanings of many Chinese expressions from their literal meanings. How about the one in the question below? Do you know what it really means? When you hear a Chinese person mention “我的爱人(wǒde …

Answer to You’ll Blush with Embarrassment if You Use These Wrong Tones!

15/07/2015 / #BlushwithEmbarrassment, #ChineseForAllLevels, #ChineseLearningMethods

Correct Answers 1. A 2. C 3. A <<Back to “You’ll Blush with Embarrassment if You Use These Wrong Tones!”

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You’ll Blush with Embarrassment if You Use These Wrong Tones!

15/07/2015 / #BlushwithEmbarrassment, #ChineseForBeginnerLearners, #ChineseLearningMethods

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 …

Answer to What does “你吃了吗(Nǐ chī le ma)” Actually Mean in Mandarin?

09/07/2015 / #ChineseForAllLevels, #ChineseSentences, #EatinMandarin

Answer: B

Actually, “你吃了吗(Nǐ chī le ma) Have you eaten yet?” is a traditional way of greeting others. Sometimes the speaker may not really care whether or not you have had your lunch or dinner, instead, the phrase will just be used to start a …

What does “你吃了吗(Nǐ chī le ma)” Actually Mean in Mandarin?

09/07/2015 / #ChineseForBeginnerLearners, #ChineseSentences, #EatinMandarin

There is a saying (Learn a popular Chinese saying!)among Chinese people that goes “民以食为天(mín yǐ shí wéi tiān).” This means “people regard food as their heaven,” which shows that they view eating to be of utmost importance. Along these same lines, many Chinese people …

Answer to 10 Essential Chinese Sentences for Traveling in China (Part 2)

08/07/2015 / #ChineseForAllLevels, #ChineseSentences, #EssentialChineseSentences

Correct Answers 1. B 2. B 3. C <<Back to “10 Essential Chinese Sentences for Traveling in China (Part 2)”

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10 Essential Chinese Sentences for Traveling in China (Part 2)

08/07/2015 / #ChineseForBeginnerLearners, #ChineseSentences, #EssentialChineseSentences

Asking What Something Is：

Zhè shì shénme? 这是什么？ What is this?

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Let’s Show and Share Our Happiness

07/07/2015 / #ChineseForBeginnerLearners, #ChineseVocabulary, #ShowAndShareHappiness

Well, summer is here, the hottest time of the year. Do you feel burned by the sun? We do! But we always try to use sun protection. In Chinese, “晒 (shài)” means “to sun” or “to shine.” “晒太阳 (shài tàiyang)” means “to bask in the …

How’s Your Summer Vacation?

06/07/2015 / #ChineseForAdvancedLearners, #ChineseSentences, #SummerVacation

Beginner Level/初级(chūjí)

Joey: Zuìjìn tiānqì búcuò, zánmen qù páshān ba! Joey: 最近天气不错，咱们去爬山吧！ Joey: The weather is fine recently. Let’s go hiking!

Amy: Kěshì wǒ juéde tài rè le, háishì gǎitiān qù ba! Amy: 可是我觉得太热了，还是 …

Answer to Chinese Words with Multiple Meanings

02/07/2015 / #ChineseForAllLevels, #ChineseVocabulary, #MultipleMeaningsOfChineseWords

Answer: D “方便(fāngbiàn)” usually means “convenient,” but as a colloquial word, it also means “to go to the toilet/use the restroom.” “感冒(gǎnmào)” literally means “catch a cold,” but it can also mean “have an interest in something or somebody.” “走后门…

Chinese Words with Multiple Meanings

02/07/2015 / #ChineseForBeginnerLearners, #ChineseVocabulary, #ChineseWordsWithMultipleMeanings

In Chinese, many words or phrases actually have more than one meaning. For instance, “加油(jiāyóu)” means “to add fuel,” “come on!” “cheer up,” and so on; “吃醋(chīcù)” literally meaning “eat vinegar,” but often implies “jealousy”; and “二(èr)”, the Chinese …

Answer to 10 Essential Chinese Sentences for Traveling in China (Part 1)

29/06/2015 / #10essentialChinesesentencesfortraveling, #ChineseForAllLevels, #ChineseSentences

Correct Answers 1. C 2. C 3. B <<Back to “10 Essential Chinese Sentences for Traveling in China (Part 1)”

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10 Essential Chinese Sentences for Traveling in China (Part 1)

29/06/2015 / #ChineseForBeginnerLearners, #ChineseSentences, #EssentialChineseSentences

Greeting:

Nǐhǎo, hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ. 你好，很高兴认识你。 Hello, nice to meet you.

Here, “高兴(gāoxìng)” means “happy” and “认识(rènshi)” is “ to meet”. This sentence is always used when first meeting new friends or acquaintances.

Example:

Lǐ Yuè: Nǐhǎo, wǒ shì Lǐ …