Mandarin Essentials
“无语(wúyǔ)” – I am speechless!
Have you ever been in a situation like in the picture above?
Have you ever been speechless, did not know what to say, or felt like that there were no words that could express your thoughts?
Nowadays, Chinese people tend to use “无语(wúyǔ)” to describe …
Answer to the difference between “短(duǎn)”and “矮(ǎi)”
Correct Answer: C In the Chinese language, both “短(duǎn)” and “矮(ǎi)” can be used as adjectives indicating “short.” However, these two words are actually used in different contexts. If we want to describe the length of something as being short, then we usually use “短(duǎn),” …
The Difference between “短(duǎn)” and “矮(ǎi)”
Please choose the correct answer to fill in the blanks. Olaf hěn ___, tā de tuǐ hěn ___. Olaf 很 ___，他 的 腿 很___。 A. 矮(ǎi), 矮(ǎi)
B. 短(duǎn), 矮(ǎi)
C. 矮(ǎi), 短(duǎn)
D. 短(duǎn), 短(duǎn)
Answer to the difference between “也(yě)” and “还(hái)”
Correct Answer: B In Chinese, both “还(hái)” and “也(yě)” can be used as adverbs in the latter part of a compound sentence to indicate “also.” However, they do not have the exact same meaning, nor are they interchangeable. Today we are going to learn the …
The difference between “也(yě)” and “还(hái)”
Please choose the correct answer to fill in the blanks. In the following dialogue two friends are ordering food in a café. Zhāng Míng: Nǐ hǎo, wǒ yào yí kuài dàngāo, ___ yào yì bēi kāfēi. 张 明： 你 好，我 要 一 块 蛋糕， ___ …
Answer to the Exercise on Chinese monetary measure word
Correct Answer: C
Basically, there are three measure word units for Chinese currency in spoken Chinese: “块(kuài) Chinese yuan,” “毛(máo) dime or ten cents,” and “分(fēn) cent.” “分(fēn) cent” is not used as much these days because of inflation. Therefore, now the two major units …
“No Zuo No Die”- Is this English or Mandarin?
“No zuo no die!” Chinese young netizens are always saying this on the internet these days. This phrase was even recorded in “The Urban Dictionary,” an American web-based dictionary of
, and more than 4,000 “thumbs” were given to it. However, …
Chinese Test: Chinese monetary measure word
Please choose the correct answer to fill in the blanks. Mike: Qīngdǎo píjiǔ duōshaoqián yìpíng? Mike: 青岛 啤酒 多少钱 一瓶？ Steven: Sān __ wǔ___. Steven: 三 __ 五 ___。 A. 块钱 (kuài qián), 毛钱 (máo qián)
B. 块钱 (kuài qián), 毛 (máo)
C. 块 (kuài), …
Answers to the Exercise on Correct Ways to Say “A Little Bit” in Mandarin
Correct Answer: B “一点儿(yìdiǎnr)” is a Chinese measure word which means “a little.” “有一点儿(yǒu yìdiǎnr)” is an adverb which also means “a little.” These are two very simple Chinese words, however, Mandarin beginners often get confused by them because their English translations are identical. Can …
Chinese Test: Correct Ways to Say “A Little Bit” in Mandarin
Please choose the correct answer to fill in the blanks. Anna: Jīntiān tiānqì zěnmeyàng? Anna: 今天 天气 怎么样？ John: Jīntiān_____ lěng. Nǐ duōchuān____yīfu. John: 今 天 _____ 冷。 你 多 穿 _____衣服。 A. 一点儿(yìdiǎnr), 一点儿(yìdiǎnr)
B. 有一点儿(yǒu yìdiǎnr), 一点儿(yìdiǎnr)
C. 一点儿(yìdiǎnr), 有一点儿(yǒu yìdiǎnr)
D. 有一点儿(yǒu …
The Good and the Bad about “事儿(shìr)”
Everyone’s life is made up of a variety of happenings and things. In Chinese, we call this matter or thing “事情(shìqing)” and its shorter form is “事(shì).” But in oral Chinese, we usually say “事儿(shìr)” instead of “事(shì).” Be sure to pay special attention to …
Back to The difference between “公园(gōngyuán)”and “员工(yuángōng)”
Correct Answer: A The pronunciations of “公园(gōngyuán)” and “员工(yuángōng)” are similar. However, their meanings are completely different. “公园(gōngyuán),” as a place word, means “park.” It can be used as a subject or an object and used with prepositions such as “在(zài), in or at.”
Examples:
… The difference between “公园(gōngyuán)” and “员工(yuángōng)”
Please choose the correct answer to fill in the blank. Peter and Alan meet Mike when they are jogging through the park. Alan: Mike, zhè shì Peter, wǒ de hǎo péngyou. Alan: Mike，这是Peter，我的好朋友。 Peter, zhè shì Mike, wǒ men gōngsī de xīn_____. Peter，这是Mike，我们公司的新_____ 。 Peter: …
Answer to the Test about How to Use the Mandarin Words “我们(wǒmen)” and “咱们(zánmen)”
Correct Answer: A In Chinese, both “我们(wǒmen)” and “咱们(zánmen)” can be used to indicate “we” or “us”. And they are similar in usage. Both of them can be used as a subject and an object.
Examples:
Wǒ men míngtiān qù běijīng. 我 们 明天 去 …
Distinguish two ways to say “we” in Chinese
Please choose the correct answer to fill in the blanks. Tom: Míngtiān nǐ hé Jason qù zuò shénme? Tom: 明天 你 和 Jason 去 做 什么？ Jack: Míngtiān__ qù kàn diànyǐng. Nǐ hé Anna ne? Jack: 明天 ___去 看 电影。 你 和 Anna 呢？ Tom: …
Answer to I have finished it!
Correct Answer: C How do you express the completion of a certain action? In the Chinese language, you can use the following structure to show that something is finished: Subject+V+完(wán)+了(le). In this structure, “了(le)” itself is a quite flexible and subtle auxiliary word which is …