Mandarin Essentials
You Should Have Never Trusted Him: Learn The Meaning of “栽跟头 (Zāi gēntou)”
Chinese Slang Words like “栽跟头 (zāi gēntou)” are the most important Chinese words to learn, because not only are they words that are used in daily life, but they are words that have a few meanings, which you can use in multiple ways in conversation. Do you know people who seem to suffer from a lot of setbacks, in life and work?…
Answer to You Should Have Never Trusted Him: Learn The Meaning of “栽跟头 (Zāi gēntou)”
Answer: B Wǒ xīngfèn dé zài cǎodì shàng fān le gè gēntou. 我 兴奋 得 在 草地 上 翻 了 个 跟头。 I was so happy that I turned a somersault on the lawn.
Chēmén túrán kāi le, ràng wǒ zāi le gè gēntou. 车门 突然 开 了，让 我 栽 了 个 跟头 。 The door of the car suddenly opened, making me fall.…
Video Lesson: It’s No Big Deal!
Your friend just broke up with her boyfriend, and cannot stop weeping. How would you comfort her besides passing her a pint of ice cream?
Exercises in the Video:
1. A: Wáng Yīng, zhēn duìbuqǐ, wǒ jīntiān hěn máng. I can’t meet you tonight. B: Méishìr. What does Wang Ying mean? A.…
Answer to Video Lesson: It’s No Big Deal!
Answers:
1. B 2. A 3. B 4. A 5. C <<Back to “Video Lesson: It’s No Big Deal!” …
Video Lesson: Chinese New Year (Part II)
Ok, you know the Chinese New Year. But do you know what Chinese do on the Chinese New Year’s Eve?
Exercises in the Video:
1. A: Becky, it’s about midnight. Wǒmen qù fàng biānpào, hǎo ma? B: Sure! Let’s go! What are they going to do?…
Learn How to Identify “The Silent Type” in Chinese!
There are many types of people with many types of personalities. In Chinese we use different words to categorize different interpersonal characteristics. One such word is “闷葫芦 (mèn húlu)”. This type of person isn’t necessarily popular, because he/she is considered to be overall quiet, a silent type.…
Answer to Learn How to Identify “The Silent Type” in Chinese!
Answer: B Lily: Nǐ juéde Jack zěnmeyàng? Lily: 你 觉得 Jack 怎么样？ Lily: How do you think of Jack?
16283648152Judy: Jack shì gè mèn húlu, yì tiān dào wǎn nánde zhāngkǒu. Judy: Jack 是 个 闷 葫芦，一 天 到 晚 难得 张口。 Judy: Jack is a silent person and finds it difficult to say even one word the whole day.…
Did You Just Deliberately Lose The Game?
One of my favorite things about Chinese is that it has a wide range of depth and meaning, especially when it comes to characters, or combinations of characters that have evolved into daily conversation piece over time. One such word is “放水 (fàngshuǐ)”.
It has, first, a very literal meaning:
放水 (fàngshuǐ): v.…
Answer to Did You Just Deliberately Lose The Game?
Answer: B
Analysis:
Jason zài yóuyǒng bǐsài zhōng gěi Kombi fàngshuǐ le. Jason 在 游泳 比赛 中 给 Kombi 放水 了。 Jason deliberately lost to Kombi in the swimming competition.
“放水 (fàngshuǐ)” means “to deliberately lose a game” in this sentence. So B is the correct answer.…
Answer to Video Lesson: Chinese New Year (Part II)
Answers:
1. B 2. A 3. C 4. B 5. C <<Back to “Video Lesson: Chinese New Year (Part II)” …
Video Lesson: Chinese New Year (Part I)
Things you need to know about Chinese New Year.
Exercise in the Video:
1. A: Ellie, jīntiān shì chúxī, let’s make some dumplings. B: Sure, I love dumplings! Which of followings is true? Please choose the best answer. A. Today is New Year’s Day. B. Today is Chinese New Year. C.…
Video Lesson: You Got Another New Boyfriend?
Exercises in the Video:
1. A: Lìlì, Lín Fēng zhǎo nǐ. B: Tā zěnme yòu lái le? Which of the following statements is true according to the dialogue? Please choose the best answer. A. Lili doesn’t know Lin Feng. B. This is the first time that Lin Feng has stopped by. C.…
Answer to Video Lesson: You Got Another New Boyfriend?
Answers:
1. C 2.B 3. B 4.C 5. A <<Back to “Video Lesson: You Got Another New Boyfriend?” …
To Be “单身 (Dānshēn) Single” or Not to Be Single? That Is the Question!
Are you still single? You’re not the only one. In China more and more people are choosing to remain “单身 (dānshēn) single.” In fact, the number of single people in China has reached 200 million. So what’s the reason? There are a few, actually:
1. 性别失衡 (Xìngbié shīhéng) Gender Imbalance.
… Answer to To Be “单身 (Dānshēn) Single” or Not to Be Single? That Is the Question!
Answer: A
Analysis:
Nǐ hái shì dānshēn ma? 你 还 是 单身 吗？ Are you still single?
Nǐ hái dānzhe ma? 你 还 单着 吗？ Are you still single?
Nǐ hái qí dānchē ma? 你 还 骑 单车 吗？ Do you still ride your bike?
Nǐ hái zài dānwèi ma?…
Answer Key – Youth Chinese Test: Know This When Meeting Others
Answer: B
Analysis:
记得 (jìde) v. remember.
认识 (rènshi): v. be acquainted with (a person), to be familiar with, to recognize.
认可 (rènkě): v. approve; accept.
In Chinese, “很高兴认识你。(Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ). Nice to meet you.” is a common greeting expression when meeting new friends. Therefore, B is the correct answer.…
Youth Chinese Test: Know This When Meeting Others
1. Please choose the correct word to fill in the blank.
Wǒ jiào Xiǎohóng, hěn gāoxìng ____ nǐ. A: 我 叫 晓虹， 很 高兴 ____ 你。
Xiǎohóng, nǐhǎo! Wǒ shì Lǐ Méi. B: 晓虹， 你好！我 是 李梅。
A. 记得 (jìde)
B. 认识 (rènshi)
C. 认可 (rènkě)
Further Reading:
Weekly YCT 1 Real Exam Question Practice and Analysis YCT 2 Real Exam Question Practice and Analysis YCT 3 Real Exam Question Practice and Analysis YCT 4 Real Exam Question Practice and Analysis $(document).ready(function(){…
Video Lesson: To Be Or Not To Be?
Pizza or pasta? Cooking or washing the dishes? Working or attending graduate school? To be or not to be?
Exercises in the Video:
1. A: Wáng Yīng, xià ge yuè Sūn Xiǎoměi jiéhūn. Nǐ dǎsuan sònɡ shénme? B: Bù zhīdào. Shì sònɡ lǐwù háishì sònɡ hónɡbāo ne? Which of the following statements is true according to the dialogue?…