Mandarin Essentials

Mini-test Answer: 马马虎虎 (Advanced)

Advanced Level 高级 (gāojí)

Correct answer: B Analysis: A. “Kuàikuàilèlè” is the Chinese pinyin for “快快乐乐cheerful.”

“快 (kuài)” means quick and “乐 (lè)” means cheerful.

B. “Mǎmǎhūhū” is the Chinese pinyin for “马马虎虎careless.” “马 (mǎ)” means horse and “虎 (hǔ)” means tiger.

C. “Tuántuányuányuán” is the Chinese pinyin for “团团圆圆 reunion.”…

Quotes of the week (Jan.6,2010)

Rúguǒ wǒmen bù chénggōng, yídìng yǒurén chénggōng; rúguǒ wǒmen bù chénggōng, hòuhuǐ de yídìng shì wǒmen zìjǐ.b 如果我们不成功,一定有人成功;如果我们不成功,后悔的一定是我们自己。 If we fail, there must be someone who will succeed; if we fail, it will be us who will regret. —from Ma Yun, CEO of Alibaba, one of the most famous e-commerce websites in China.…

蜗居(wōjū) Dwelling Narrowness

蜗居(wōjū) Dwelling Narrowness   

Key Learning Points (Preview):

房价(fángjià) n. housing price

房奴(fángnú) n. mortgage slave

“蜗居(wōjū) Dwelling Narrownes” is probably the most popular TV series in 2009. It is about a new couple struggling for buying their first “房子(fángzi) house.” The script expresses a confusion of all the houseless families—“the speed of saving money never catches up with that of 房价(fángjià) housing price‘s上涨(shàngzhǎng) rise.”…

新气象 (xīnqìxiàng) The New Look (Intermediate)

新气象 (xīnqìxiàng) The New Look 

The character “新 (xīn)” means new; “气 (qì)” means gas or air and “象

(xiàng)” means alike or resemble.

Example:

Tāde chūxiàn gěi tǐtán zēngtiān le jǐfēn xīnqìxiàng. 他的出现给体坛增添了几分新气象。

The emergence of him breathes new life into the sporting world.

Got questions?…

联欢晚会 (liánhuān wǎnhuì) Festival Gala Evening (Intermediate)

联欢晚会 (liánhuān wǎnhuì) Festival Gala Evening

The character “联 (lián)” means to unite; “欢 (huān)” means happy; “晚

(wǎn)” means evening and “会 (huì)” means party.

Example:

Jùshuō chūnjié liánhuān wǎnhuì yǒu hěnduō míngxīng lái yǎnchū. 据说春节联欢晚会有很多明星来演出。

It is said that a lot of stars will come to perform at Spring Festival Eve Gala Evening.…

大餐 (dàcān) Sumptuous Meal (Intermediate)

大餐 (dàcān) Sumptuous Meal  

“大餐(dàcān)” are the Chinese characters for “Sumptuous Meal.” The

character “大 (dà)” means big or sumptuous and the character “餐 (cān)”

means meal.

Example:

Wǒ shèngdànjié wǎnshang yào hé péngyou yìqǐ qù chī dàcān. 我圣诞节晚上要和朋友一起去吃大餐。

I’m going to have a sumptuous meal with my friends on Christmas night.…

中国工人入选时代周刊 Chinese Worker Selected as Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year”

中国工人入选时代周刊 (Zhōngguó gōngrén rùxuǎn shídài zhōukān) Chinese Worker Selected as Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year”

On Dec.16, 2009, “the Chinese worker” ended up ranking second in the selection of Time magazine’s prestigious “Person of the Year 2009.” They were the only group selected. Time magazine commented: “Chinese workers are ‘勤奋 (qínfèn) diligent,’ ‘努力 (nǔlì) hardworking‘ and ‘勇敢 (yǒnggǎn) brave,‘ they may not actually understand how important they are to the ‘稳定(wěndìng) stability‘ and ‘发展 (fāzhǎn) development’ of China’s economy, but they are the ones who lead the world to economic ‘恢复 (huīfù) recovery‘.”…

Quote of the week (Dec.29,2009)

Fángzi jiàgé tàigāo, lǎopo yāoqiú tàigāo, liǎngzhě wǒ dōu zhuī bú shàng! wú fáng de wǒ, bùxiǎng bèi bōduó jiéhūn de quánlì! 房子价格太高,老婆要求太高,两者我都追不上!无房的我,不想被剥夺结婚的权利!

The price of houses is too high, my wife asks for too much, I can’t satisfy them both! I have no house, but I don’t want to be deprived of the right of marriage!…

Mini-test Answer: 虎年大吉 (Advanced)

Advanced Level 高级 (gāojí)

Correct answer: C Analysis: A. “Cáiyuánguǎngjìn” is the Chinese pinyin for “财源广进 making plenty of  money.” “财 (cái)” means money and “源 (yuán)” means source. “广 (guǎng)” means widely and “进 (jìn)” means to come into.

B. “Xīnniánkuàilè” is the Chinese pinyin for “新年快乐 happy New Year.”…

Mini-test Answer: 团圆 (Intermediate)

Intermediate Level 中级 (zhōngjí)

Correct answer: A Analysis: A. “团圆 (tuányuán)” are the Chinese characters for “reunion” or “to have a  reunion.” “团 (tuán)” means to reunite and “圆 (yuán)” means round.

B. “团结 (tuánjié)” are the Chinese characters for “to unite.”

“团 (tuán)” means clew and “结 (jié)” means knot.…

Mini-test Answer: 元旦 (Beginner)

Beginner Level 初级 (chūjí)

Correct answer: B Analysis: A. “春节 (chūnjié)” are the Chinese characters for “Spring Festival.”

“春 (chūn)” means spring and “节 (jié)” means festival.

B. “元旦 (yuándàn)” are the Chinese characters for “New Year’s Day.” “元 (yuán)” means the first and “旦 (dàn)” means day.…

圣诞老人 (shèngdàn lǎorén) Santa Claus (Beginner)

圣诞老人 (shèngdàn lǎorén) Santa Claus  “圣诞老人 (shèngdàn lǎorén)” are the Chinese characters for “Santa Claus.” The character “圣 (shèng)” means saint; “诞 (dàn)” means birth; “老 (lǎo)” means old, and “人 (rén)” means person.

Example:

Nǐ zhīdào shèngdàn lǎorén xiànzài duō dà niánlíng ma? 你知道圣诞老人现在多大年龄吗? Do you know how old is Santa Claus now?…

糖果 (tángguǒ) Candy (Beginner)

糖果 (tángguǒ) Candy 

“糖果 (tángguǒ)” are the Chinese characters for “Candy.” The character

“糖 (táng)” means sugar or sweets and the character “果 (guǒ)” means

fruit.

Example: Měi nián shèngdànjié de shíhou, tángguǒ de xiāoliàng dōu hěn hǎo. 每年圣诞节的时候,糖果的销量都很好。

Candy sells well at every Christmas. Got questions?…

狂欢 (kuánghuān) Binge or Revelry (Intermediate)

狂欢 (kuánghuān) Binge or Revelry 

“狂欢 (kuánghuān)” are the Chinese character for “Revelry.” The

character “狂 (kuáng)” means unrestrained and the character “欢 (huān)”

means happy.

Example:
Shèngdànjié dàjiā yìqǐ qù kuánghuān ba!

圣诞节大家一起去狂欢吧!

We are going to revel at Christmas.

Got questions?

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