Do you want to know how to express “after” in Chinese?
1. A: Mr. Chen, we are still working on your suit. Qǐng nín zhèi ge xīngqīsì yǐhòu lái qǔ. B: Hǎo de, xièxie! Which of the following statements is true according to the dialogue?…
I like to introduce my students to common words used in Mandarin Chinese daily life. It’s important to learn words to use correctly in all kinds of social situations. One such popular Mandarin Chinese vocabulary word is “小看 (xiǎokàn).” What does it mean? Let’s look at each character individually so we can understand it fully: 小 (Xiǎo): small; little.…
Answer: A Analysis: Búyào xiǎokàn wǒ, wǒ lìqì kěshì hěn dà de! 不 要 小 看 我，我力气可 是 很 大 的！ Don’t underestimate me. I can carry a lot of stuff!
<<Back to“Do You Feel Underestimated? Learn How To Use This Word in Chinese”…
At times, Chinese can sound curiously similar to English. So what’s going on?
1. A: Cindy, zhù nǐ shēnɡrì kuàilè! B: Wā…qiǎokèlì! Xièxie. What present does Cindy get at her birthday party? Please choose the best answer. A. Cindy gets beautiful flowers. B.…
1. B 2. A 3. A 4. A 5. C <<Back to “Video Lesson: Sofas and Shafas!” …
In English it is common to compare someone running away quickly to a cloud of dust. In Chinese, there’s a similar slang word– “一溜烟 (yí liù yān),” which can be used instead. This word is fast as lightning, leaves smoke trails, and is its own disappearing act.…
Answer: B Analysis: Tīngshuō xiàozhǎng lái le, Jim yíliùyān jiù pǎo le. 听 说 校 长 来了，Jim一溜烟 就 跑 了。 Hearing the headmaster coming, Jim ran away swiftly.
It’s always fun to use Mandarin Chinese slang among Chinese friends. When we are joking around together, we often tease each other in a playful manner with “吐槽 (tǔcáo)” and lighten the mood. When we want to be self-deprecating regarding our sudden and impulsive behavior, there is another expression we can use: “脑子发热 (nǎozi fārè).”…
Answer: B Analysis: Wǒ dāngshí nǎo zi fārè jiù bǎ tóufǎ quán jiǎn le. 我 当 时 脑 子发热 就 把 头发 全 剪 了。 I was so impulsive that I cut all my hair.
<<Back to“When Your Brain is Fevered and Flustered, You May Be 脑子发热 (Nǎozi Fārè)”…
Why is the sky blue? Why do flowers bloom? Why do birds sing? … Why do you have so many questions? Let me tell you Why.
1. A: Duìbuqǐ, Jill, I’m not going to the movies tomorrow. B: Wèishénme? What did Jill wish to know?…
1. C 2. B 3. B 4. A 5. C <<Back to “Video Lesson: Why Me? ” …
Are you kidding? Get out of here! No way! A lesson to express doubt or shock in Chinese.
1. A: Chē zěnme hái bù lái? How about we walk back home, Wang Li? B: Shénme? Nǐ kāi wánxiào ba? Tài yuǎn le. Which of the following statements is true according to the dialogue?…
1. A 2. B 3. B 4. B 5. A <<Back to “Video Lesson: Are You Kidding? ” …
When talking about how things look, we can use terms such as ”辣眼睛 (làyǎnjīng)”, or “spicy eyes” to describe something awful or we can use a term to rate how good-looking someone or something is using “颜值 (yánzhí)” which is much different from commenting on a woman’s beauty, however.…
Answer: A Analysis: Tā de yánzhí nàme gāo, yídìng yǒu hěnduō rén zhuīqiú. 他 的 颜 值 那 么 高 ，一定 有 很 多 人 追 求。 He is so handsome that there must be a lot of people courting him.
<<Back to“When They’re Very Charming Use This Chinese Word”…
There are some words you hear over and over again once you begin living in China. As a student of Mandarin Chinese, the words may not be so familiar to us as we learn from textbooks and study for our Chinese exams. However, some words and expressions are used quite frequently on a daily basis in China.…
Answer: B Analysis: Here is the dialogue with the English translation added: Kathy: Wǒ xiǎng xiàng nǐ dǎtīng yíxià Lily de xiāoxī, qǐngwèn nǐ zhīdào tā xiànzài zhù nǎ’r ma? Kathy: 我 想 向 你 打 听 一 下 Lily 的 消 息，请 问 你 知 道 她 现 在 住 哪儿 吗？ Kathy: I want to ask you about Lily.…
Learning Mandarin Chinese is different from learning other languages such as Italian or French. It is nearly impossible to self-study Mandarin Chinese or learn through books and audio/video resources alone. To effectively learn Mandarin Chinese, you need to immerse yourself into a learning process with a native-speaking Chinese teacher.…
