April Fool’s Day has since developed into an international day of fun, with different nationalities specializing in their own style of humor at the expense of their friends and families. This can range from television and advertisements to children pointing down to a friend’s shoe and saying, “Your shoelace is untied”. Even the tradition of April Fool’s Day pranks in the media has a weird and wonderful history.

For instance, a British short film once shown on April Fool’s Day was a fairly detailed documentary about “spaghetti farmers” and how they harvest their crops from the spaghetti trees.

Cheetos brand produced a perfume called Cheeteau. Actual bottles of Cheetos scent were created and sampled on the “Today” show, but the marketing campaign around it was just an elaborate prank.

愚人节(yú  rén  jié) April Fool’s Day
愚人 (yú  rén) = fool
节 (jié) = festival

Examples:

zài  yú  rén  jié  nà  tiān, hěn  duō  rén  xǐ  huɑn  kāi  péng  yǒu  de  wán  xiào
在  愚  人   节  那   天，   很   多   人    喜      欢    开     朋    友     的    玩    笑。
People like to play tricks on their friends on April Fool’s Day.

zhè  yì  tiān  shì  yú  rén  jié,  gēn  jù  chuán  tǒng,  rén  men  dōu  xǐ  huɑn  shuǎ  nòng  hé  cháo  xiào  bié  rén
这  一   天   是    愚   人   节， 根   据       传      统， 人    们     都   喜    欢     耍      弄     和     嘲     笑      别     人。
It’s April Fool’s Day, a day when people traditionally like to try to make a fool of someone else and laugh at them.

cǐ  wài,  kě  néng  shì  yīn  wèi  yǒu  xiē  rén  de  yōu  mò  gǎn  gēn  qí  tā  rén  bù  yí  yàng  bɑ,  yīn  ér  tā  men  bǎ  fēn  shǒu  de  rì  zi  dìng  zài  le  yú  rén  jié nà   yì   tiān
此 外， 可     能     是   因   为   有    些    人   的   幽    默   感    跟    其  他    人   不   一   样  吧，  因  而  他   们    把  分   手   的   日  子  定  在  了  愚   人   节   那    一   天。
And, possibly showing that some people’s sense of humor is more twisted than others, there’s a spike in breakups on April Fool’s Day.

On this day pranks “玩笑 (wán  xiào)” can be innocent fun such as switching out the sugar for salt or putting mayonnaise in the toothpaste tube. Or the pranks can be elaborate but in China, for the most part, pranks are kept to a minimum and are relatively harmless.

More vocabulary:
恶作剧 (è  zuò  jù) prank
整 (zhĕng) trick
玩笑 (wán  xiào) joke

Examples:

wǒ  xiǎng  kāi  gè  wán  xiào  ér  yǐ
我   想    开   个   玩     笑     而   已。
I wanted to play a prank.

tā   men  dǎ  suàn  zài  mā  mɑ  huí  jiā  shí  gēn  tā  kāi  gè  wán  xiào
他    们     打     算   在    妈   妈   回  家   时  跟  她  开    个    玩    笑。
They are going to play a gag on their mom when she comes home.

If you really want to “忽悠 (hū  you) pull someone’s leg” you’re going to have to get creative and be “鬼鬼祟祟的 ( guǐ  guǐ  suì  suì  de) sneaky since people are on high alert on April 1st.

忽悠 (hū  you) v. to fool or pull someone’s leg

nǐ   yòu   bèi   wǒ   gěi   hū   you   le   yì   bǎ
你     又    被    我    给    忽    悠   了  一   把。
You were fooled by me again.

Because everyone is expecting pranks, it’s nearly impossible to achieve the results you want.
But, once you’ve successfully pranked someone, you can say “愚人节快乐 (yú  rén  jié  kuài  lè) April fools!” Rember that this day is to get people to laugh and have fun being creative with pranks. It’s not intended to harm anyone or embarrass them seriously in front of others. It’s only a good joke if everyone can laugh at it.

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As with English, there are a few different ways you could express this phrase, depending on the situation, your intention, how familiar/formal you want to be, etc. Here are some common ways, most of which are variations on a common theme. Also note that the majority of these, as in English, can convey quite different feelings, depending on the intonation or tone of voice you use.

First an important vocabulary word:

意思（yìsi）：n. meaning

Example:

nǐ shuō zhè huà shì shénme yìsi？
你说这话是什么意思
What do you mean by this?

zhè jù shī de yìsi shì zhǐ yǒu zhàn de gāo cái néng kàn de yuǎn。
这句诗的意思是只有站得高才能看得远。
This poem means that you can see far only by standing tall.

1.你的意思是什么？

Let’s start with the most basic one way to ask someone “What do you mean?”

你的意思是什么（nǐ de yìsi shì shénme）？

This is probably the most direct translation of the question from English to Chinese. As with the English expression, “你的意思是什么 (nǐ de yìsi shì shénme)?” can be used in a wide range of situations, which also means that it’s hard to imbue this sentence with any special emotion.

Example:

A: nǐ zhīdào wǒ de yìsi ma ?
A：你知道我的意思吗？
A: Do you know what I mean?

B: bù zhīdào , nǐ de yìsi shì shénme ?
B：不知道，你的意思是什么？
B: I don’t know, what do you mean?

A: méi yìsi .
A：没意思。
A: It’s boring.

2. 你这是什么意思？(nǐ zhè shì shénme yìsi?)

Next up, the “这 (zhè)” in this sentence brings some focus into the question, as it asks pointedly “What do you mean by THIS?” You might find this expression in the margin comments of a piece of writing that’s been edited, but in spoken Chinese it’s used to ask the person to address the question directly. Depending on your own temperament, you can add an edge, or some aggression, to it (if that’s your thing).

Example:

A: nǐ gěi wǒ zǒu kāi .
A：你给我走开。
A: Go away.

B: nǐ zhè shì shénme yìsi ?
B：你这是什么意思？
B: What do you mean?

A: wǒ xiàn zài bù xiǎng kàn jiàn nǐ 。
A: 我现在不想看见你。
A: I don’t want to see you now.

3. 你什么意思？(nǐ shénme yìsi?)

This is sort of the equivalent of “What do you mean?” Unless you have a neutral facial expression and tone in your voice, this will probably be taken as slightly aggressive. It’s a sharper retort, telling the other person to clarify what they mean (“Like, right now!”).

It’s possible they weren’t clearly expressing themselves, or maybe you want to make sure whether or not they’re insulting you — this meaning will vary slightly depend on the context and content of the conversation.

Example:

A: zhè gè shìqíng nǐ jiù bāng wǒ zuò le ba , jǐnguǎn yǐjīng máfán nǐ wǔ cì le .
A：这个事情你就帮我做了吧，尽管已经麻烦你五次了。
A: Do this for me, even though I have already bothered you five times.

B: shénme yìsi? wǒ méi tīng cuò ba! yòu yào wǒ zuò shénme?
B：什么意思？我没听错吧！又要我做什么？
B: What do you mean? I heard it right! What do you want me to do again?

4. 什么意思？(shénme yìsi?)

An even sharper, more colloquial version of the previous expression. Don’t believe it? Well, note the fact that the “你(nǐ) you” has been dropped. Again, depending on your tone or context, this can show emotions ranging from pure confusion to a more threatening-questioning vibe.
An English translation might be, “What’s that?” with an edge to your voice; on the other end of the spectrum, it can also convey a, “Huh?” feeling, meaning that you totally don’t get what the other person is saying.
Example 1:
wǒ bù míngbái zhè gè dāncí shì shénme yìsi.
我不明白这个单词是什么意思。
I don’t understand what this word means.

Example 2：
A: zúqiú tài wúliáo le , bú yào kàn zhè chǎng bǐsài le .
A： 足球太无聊了，不要看这场比赛了。
A: Football is so boring, don’t watch this game.

nǐ shì shénme yìsi? nǐ dǒng zú qiú ma ?
B： 你是什么意思？你懂足球吗？
B: What do you mean? Do you understand football?

All of these not enough for you? Well, how about you test your knowledge with the quiz below, and keep an eye out for Part 2 of The Different Meanings Behind “What do you mean?” in Chinese!

Make sure to leave you answers and comments below!

What of the expressions you learned today is the most neutral, straightforward way to ask someone what they mean?
A. 你什么意思？
B. 你这是什么意思？
C. 什么意思？
D. 你的意思是什么？

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wǒ yuán yǐ wéi shì gè qīng tóng , méi xiǎng dào shì gè wáng zhě

我原以为是个青铜，没想到是个王者

“I thought it was a bronzer, but I didn’t expect a challenger”

The Bronze and the Challenger are the lowest and highest levels in MOBA games (Multiplayer online battle arena) such as League of Legends, Arena of Alor, etc. When making a comparison between two thins, the phrase is meant to demonstrate the significant difference between what happened before and after, meaning a positive unexpected result.

Using this phrase we can examine 2 grammatical points.

The first being:  “以为（yǐ wéi ）think，consider”

Example phrases using “以为（yǐ wéi ）”:

yǐqián wǒ yǐwéi dúshū méiyòng，xiànzài fāxiàn hěn yǒuyòng。
以前我以为读书没用，现在发现很有用。
Before I thought going to school was useless; now I realize it’s very useful.

bié yǐwéi nǐ bǐ wǒ dà，wǒ jiù pà nǐ。
别以为你比我大，我就怕你。
Don’t mistakenly think that because you’re bigger than me, I’m afraid of you.

tā yǐwéi nǐ hái zài shēngqì，suǒyǐ bùgǎn lái。
他以为你还在生气，所以不敢来。
He thought you were still mad, so didn’t dare come.

There are also statements “I thought it was a challenger, but I didn’t expect a bronzer”, which is used to describe the negative unexpected results while contrasting between a first impression and the real situation performed.

In different discussions, more usages have been derived. There are not only situations that have the opposite meaning, but also to highlight a situation. For example, “I thought it was a bonzer, but didn’t expect an Ironer” 我原以为是个青铜，没想到是个黑铁 (wǒ yuán yǐ wéi shì gè qīng tóng, méi xiǎng dào shì gè hēi tiě). It means we have prepared for the opposite, however, there is a reverse on the former reverse, which means there is no way to prevent something completely.

The second grammatical point is “没想到 (méi xiǎngdào) have not expected or thought of”.

Example phrases using “没想到 (méi xiǎngdào) have not expected or thought of”

wǒ yǐwéi huáxuě hěn róngyì，méixiǎngdào zhème nán。
我以为滑雪很容易，没想到这么难。
I thought skiing was easy. I never realized it was so difficult.

wǒ yǐwéi shì jiǎ de，méixiǎngdào shì zhēn de。
我以为是假的，没想到是真的。
I thought it was fake. I didn’t realize it was real.

méixiǎngdào tā shì ge xiǎorén，wèile zìjǐ de lìyì kěyǐ chūmài péngyou。
没想到他是个小人，为了自己的利益可以出卖朋友。
I never imagined he was a bad person. For his own gain he could betray a friend.

But what separates a challenger player from a bronze player? Turns out a lot. To give the first statement some perspective, when it comes to playing these online games it really depends if you’re Bronze with 15 games or Bronze with 1000+ games. If you’ve been playing for years you might find that your level hasn’t become much higher. How high you can get depends on how much work you put in and how much natural talent you have.

So knowing this gives the statement “我原以为是个青铜，没想到是个王者 (wǒ yuán yǐ wéi shì gè qīng tóng , méi xiǎng dào shì gè wáng zhě) a lot more gravity, don’t you think?

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Both “人家(rénjiā) ” and “别人(biérén) ” can refer to other people besides the speaker and the listener.

Examples:

xiǎo diǎn shēng, búyào yǐngxiǎng rénjiā xiūxi.
小点声，不要影响人家休息。
Keep your voice down, don’t disturb (other) people’s rest.

xiǎo diǎn shēng, búyào yǐngxiǎng biérén xiūxi.
小点声，不要影响别人休息。
Keep your voice down, don’t disturb (other) people’s rest.

“别人(biérén) ” sometimes means other people, i.e. everyone except the speaker and the listener.

Example:

jiā lǐ chúle mǔqīn hé wǒ, méiyǒu biérén le.
家里除了母亲和我，没有别人了。
There is no one else in the house except my mother and me.

One usage of “人家 (rénjiā)” is to mean “him/her” or “them”, referring to specific people or a specific person.

Examples:

Xiǎo Míng de hànyǔ shuō de hěn hǎo! wǒmen yīnggāi xiàng rénjiā xuéxí.
小明的汉语说得很好！我们应该向人家学习。
Xiao Ming speaks Chinese very well! We should learn from him.

In this case “人家(rénjiā)” refers to “Xiǎo Míng”.

Another usage of “人家(rénjiā)” is to refer to the speaker herself – i.e. “me” or “I”. When used in this way, it is more intimate and is more often used by young women.

Example:

nǐ jiào rénjiā guòlái wán, yòu bù lǐ rénjiā, nǐ zhè shì shénme yìsi?
你叫人家过来玩，又不理人家，你这是什么意思？
You ask me to come and play but then you ignore me, what’s up with that?

Please choose the best answer to fill in the blank.

A.人家(rénjiā)
B.别人(biérén)

1.________dōu zǒule, nǐ wèishéme bù zǒu?
________都走了，你为什么不走？

2.nǐ màn yìdiǎn xíng bù xíng,________gēn bù shàng ma!
你慢一点行不行，________跟不上嘛！

3.jiàoshì lǐ chúle wǒ, méi yǒu________le.
教室里除了我，没有________了。

4.Xiǎo Míng fēicháng zìlǜ. wǒmen yīnggāi xiàng________xuéxí.
小明非常自律。我们应该向________学习。

See Answer Analysis

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“愿意(yuànyì)” is used to express how someone feels, particularly a feeling of acceptance or desire to do something without feeling unhappy. It can also be modified by placing adverbs of degree, like “非常(fēicháng)” or “很(hěn)”, in front of it.

Example:

wǒ fēicháng yuànyì bāngzhù nǐ.
我非常愿意帮助你。
I am very willing to help you.

“愿意(yuànyì)” demonstrates a higher level of willingness on the part of the subject than “肯(kěn)”. When using “肯(kěn)”, we don’t really know how willing someone is to do something.

“肯(kěn)” can be used in two situations.

The first is to indicate acceptance of a specific thing at the request of others, and without any adverb of degree in front of it.

Example:

wǒ quàn le hǎojiǔ, tā cái kěn qù cānjiā huódòng.
我劝了好久，他才肯去参加活动。
It took me a long time to persuade him to join in the activity.

The second situation has nothing to do with a specific demand, it’s more a commentary on the person simply being willing to give. In this case, 肯(kěn) is equivalent to “愿意(yuànyì)”, and can be modified by an adverb of degree in front of it.

Example:

tā hěn cōngminɡ, yòu hěn yuànyì/kěn chīkǔ.
他很聪明，又很愿意/肯吃苦。
He is very smart and willing to endure hardship.

Please choose the best answer to fill in the blank.
A.愿意(yuànyì)
B.肯(kěn)

1.tā zài xuéxí shàng zǒng shì bù______xià gōngfū.
他在学习上总是不______下功夫。

2.suīrán zhè jiàn shì hěn máfan, dànshì wǒ fēicháng_______qù zuò.
虽然这件事很麻烦，但是我非常_______去做。

3.shì wǒ zìjǐ _______ de, méiyǒu rén qiǎngpò wǒ.
是我自己_______的，没有人强迫我。

See Answer Analysis

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Recently, a phrase suddenly became popular on the Internet: ”凡尔赛文学(fán’ěrsài wénxué) Versailles Literature”.

Some people say that this expression was inspired by Versailles, the satellite city of Paris, France. The Palace of Versailles has a classic style and a magnificent appearance. It was mainly occupied by nobles, but most people these days would describe it as, “华而不实(huá ér bù shí) flashy” and unsuitable for living. Some people say it comes from the Japanese manga, “The Rose of Versailles”.

华而不实 (huá ér bù shí): “Flowers that bloom beautifully but do not bear fruit.” It refers to something that looks good on the surface, but has no actual substance or is not practical.

华 (huá): adj. flowering (the same as “花(huā)”)

实 (shí): v. to bear fruit

wǒmen zuòshì yào wùshí, bù kě huá ér bù shí.
我们做事要务实，不可华而不实。
We must be pragmatic in doing things, not flashy just for the sake of being flashy.

Huá ér bù shí de dōngxī shì bùkě qǔ de.
华而不实的东西是不可取的。
Superficially flashy things are not desirable.

Regardless of where it comes from, “凡尔赛文学(fáněrsài wénxué) Versailles Literature” describes the words used by those who, “不经意(bùjīngyì) inadvertent(ly)” show off their wealth, humbly show affection, and reveal their superior lifestyle in a calm tone.

不经意 (bùjīngyì): adj. inadvertent

huài xíguàn zǒng shì zài bùjīngyì jiān yǎng chéng de.
坏习惯总是在不经意间养成的。
Bad habits are always formed inadvertently.

shíjiān zǒng zài bùjīngyì jiān liū zǒu.
时间总在不经意间溜走。
Time always slips away inadvertently.

If you want to become well-versed in Versailles literature, you have to keep in mind three elements:

1. Suppress and then uplift, expressly praise and secretly depreciate.
2. Question yourself.
3. Make sure to flexibly employ the third-person perspective.

True “凡尔赛文学(fán’ěrsài wénxué) Versailles Literature” shows off thing the speaker values most by speaking about it as if it means nothing. For example, check out how these celebrities fluently recite their literature:

Tony Leung: “My charm lies in being ordinary.”

Kris Wu: “I don’t think I’m a handsome guy.”

Jack Ma: “I am not interested in money.”

In fact, whether it is the self-deprecation of the “struggling worker” or the revival of the “凡尔赛文学(fán’ěrsài wénxué) Versailles Literature”, at the heart of every item of pop cultural there lies deconstruction and reconstruction of young people’s self-identities. Because of economic growth, expanding resources, and broadened understandings of what is possible young people are increasingly able to find the support they need and live the way they want.

So, have you learned ”凡尔赛文学(fán’ěrsài wénxué) Versailles Literature?” If so, leave us an example of your literature in the comments below!

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斜杠青年 – A Generation of “Slashers”

1.Feature

The most common feature is that the weather has dwindling temperatures, rain, and snow. According to related statistics, the average temperature in North China is ranged between -20 and -5 Celsius degree after strong cold air passed through, while South China faces growing rains and frosts.

Rime/ Hoarfrost

Rime, or hoarfrost, is frost formed on cold objects by the rapid freezing of water vapor in clouds or fog. In general, rime is seen in the northwest and northeast of China, and many regions near the Yangtze River basin from November this year to February next year.

Aesthetically, it is a natural beauty appreciated widely by people, but sometimes it can be a “自然的 (zì rán de) natural” disaster. Excessive rime will weigh down trees and power lines which impacts traffic, power supplies, and telecommunication among other functions that impact daily life.

自然的 (zì rán de): adj. Natural

Example:

tā chēng zhè cì tái fēng wéi duō nián lái zuì yán zhòng de zì rán zāi hài .
他称这次台风为多年来最严重的自然灾害。
He called the typhoon the worst natural disaster in years.

zhè shì yí gè zì rán zī yuán fēng fù de guó jiā .
这是一个自然资源丰富的国家。
This is a country rich in natural resources.

Sleet

Sleet is created when snowflakes that are falling from the upper atmosphere become rain in the middle atmosphere where they finally are supercooled water droplets in the lower atmosphere. The supercooled water freezes immediately and becomes sleet after it touches anything on the ground.

2.Festival Customs

Salted pork

When Great Snow arrives, all families begin to pickle and preserve goods in salt. Chinese people in South China such as Nanjing, Hangzhou, Hefei, Chongqing make sausage, which is an important part of the preparation for the Spring Festival. People would add “盐 (yán) salt, star anise, cinnamon, prickly ash, and sugar in the pan until cooked thoroughly. Once cooled and spread out on the surface of fish and meat it is rubbed repeatedly until the color of meat becomes dark. It is then saved in a vat in a well ventilated and cool place. A half of a month later, it is taken out and hung under the eaves, exposed to the sun. This is in order to welcome the New Year.

盐(yán): n. salt

Example:

gēn jù zì jǐ de kǒu wèi gěi yuán tāng jiā diǎn yán , rán hòu yòng wén huǒ màn dùn .
根据自己的口味给原汤加点盐，然后用文火慢炖。
Salt the stock to your taste and leave it simmering very gently.

zhè cài lǐ nǐ yán gē de tài duō le.
这菜里你盐搁得太多了。
You put too much salt in this dish.

Nourishment

It is a good time to nourish the body in Great Snow. Nourishing tonics in winter boosts the metabolism and immune system, improving the occurrence of chills brought on by the fraught cold.

In addition, it can “ 调节 (tiáo jié) adjust “ the body’s metabolism by enabling energy provided by food to be saved at a maximum which is beneficial to developments of internal “Yang”.

调节 (tiáo jié): v. adjust n. adjustment

Example:

zhèng fǔ kě yǐ tōng guò kòng gòu lái tiáo jié shì chǎng de píng héng .
政府可以通过控购来调节市场的平衡。
The government can adjust the unbalanced market by controlling purchases.

wǒ men bì xū duì huò bì de liú tōng bú duàn jìn xíng tiáo jié.
我们必须对货币的流通不断进行调节。
We must make constant adjustments to the amount of money in circulation.

Around Great Snow, there is a large number of citrus fruits in the market, like orange, pomelo, navel orange, snow orange. Eating these fruits in moderation can prevent rhinitis and coughs from setting in.

3.Poem

There is a poem composed by Juyi Bai featured by realism in the Tang dynasty and is one of the “Three Poets”.
《夜雪》
Snow in the night
yǐ yà qīn zhěn lěng,
已讶衾枕冷，
I’m surprised that the quilt and pillow are already cold,

fù jiàn chuāng hù míng.
复见窗户明。
but I see the brightness outside the window.

yè shēn zhì xuě zhòng,
夜深知雪重，
There is heavy snowfall in the night,

shí wén zhé zhú shēng.
时闻折竹声。
as the sound that the tree’s branches are broken can be heard constantly.

Take the quiz to evaluate your comprehension of today’s topic. Let us know which term has been the most interesting to read about thus far as well. Stay warm!

Choose the best choice to fill the blank.

1.wǒ men xū yào_______ zì jǐ de xīn tài .
我们需要_______自己的心态。

2.zhè chǎng dà yǔ shì _______zhù fú.
这场大雨是_______祝福。

3.wǒ men zuò cài shí , xū yào fàng yì diǎn_______ .
我们做菜时，需要放一点_______。

A.自然的
B.盐
C.调节
D.声音

See Answer Analysis

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If you’re an eChineseLearning student, you know that studying at eChineseLearning is an incredible tool to help you learn to speak, read, write, and understand Chinese. But is it enough? Even your teachers will tell you, “不够了!” It’s not enough!

The truth is, studying Chinese with your teachers… is just the beginning.

So what else is there? PRACTICE! Lots of it. With real people who are not your teachers.

Enter: Break Diving’s Chinese Fluency Project.

What’s that? Glad you asked!

First, Break Diving is an American not-for-profit social media site with one mission: helping people around the world find happiness, success, and friendship. Well, one of the things we do is provide free opportunities to practice Chinese, through our Chinese Fluency Project. You can meet others around the world studying Chinese, practice reading and writing on our message boards, and in our Chinese chat room. You can also have some laughs with other members in our live online video discussions, all in Chinese. Sounds fun, right?

Second, we help you broaden your horizons in other ways too, from helping you to study different languages and helping you with a visa to learning how to code and sharing member photography with you! Break Diving (the art of diving for your own big breaks in life) is a wonderfully friendly, supportive, and motivational community of winners from around the world, and… we’d love you to come to join us too!

So yes, continuing your regular studies at eChineseLearning is important. However, practicing what you learn outside of class is just as important. You can do so at Break Diving’s Chinese Fluency Project. Come apply to Break Diving at www.breakdiving.io. Read more about the Chinese Fluency Project at www.breakdiving.org/lp/chinese_fluency_project. And check out the not-for-profit mission at www.breakdiving.org.

I hope to see you at our Chinese chatroom soon! 我也会说中文！真棒，对不对？

—–
Dr. Monroe Mann, Ph.D. (Attorney, MBA, LLM, ME) is the founder of Break Diving, Inc. & the not-for-profit Chinese Fluency Project. You can read more about the company at www.breakdiving.org, read more about the Chinese Fluency Project at www.breakdiving.org/lp/chinese_fluency_project, and apply to join the community at www.breakdiving.ioMonroe is also a proud eChineseLearning student.

Every fall, the tech community holds its collective breath in anticipation of Apple releasing its new line of products and gadgets. Will smartphones keep getting larger? Is there a new type of wearable device to keep track of your busy life? Will batteries last for longer than 4 hours?

One word that we can use to describe a product launch is 面世(miànshì). “面世(miànshì)” is a verb that means “to come out”, in which 面(miàn) means “to meet” and 世(shì) means “the world” – saying that when something new comes out it “meets the world” is quite poetic, actually!

面世(miànshì): come out

Examples:

píngguǒ xīn chǎnpǐn miànshì le.
苹果新产品面世了。
Apple’s new products have come out.

shīrén de xīnzuò jíjiāng miànshì.
诗人的新作即将面世。
The poet’s new work will be published soon.

2.Advantages and disadvantages of the new products

As with every product launch, fans and detractors alike quickly took to the internet to praise Apple’s devices for their advantages and criticize them for their disadvantages.

Among the advantages were the fact that the new phones will be 5G-enabled (meaning faster download and upload speeds), photography functions (meaning better pictures), and lower-than expected prices (meaning more access).

However, observers were very unhappy to learn that the new models of phones will no longer include headphones and a charger. Many have said that Apple has begun to “搞事情(gǎo shìqíng) do things”.

“搞事情(gǎo shìqing) doing things” is equivalent to, “being provocative”, or, “stirring up trouble”. However, the expression “doing things” has become popular on the Internet, especially in the context of (maybe) jokingly expressing a slight feeling of discomfort.

Examples:

nǐ búyào gěi wǒ gǎo shìqing.
你不要给我搞事情。
Don’t mess with me.

zěnme? xiǎng gǎo shìqing?
怎么？想搞事情？
What’s up? Are you trying to start something?

This way of saying “do” is actually very similar to the English “to do” in terms of its usage, as it can refer to many different verbs and meanings, such as: “fix something”, or, “make something”, whether it means taking small steps or completing a project.

搞定(gǎodìng)

“搞定(gǎodìng)” to accomplish a task or solve a certain issue. It can also mean that you can make someone listen to you.

Examples:

zhè jiàn shìqíng gǎodìng le.
这件事情搞定了。
This thing is done.

xiǎohái tài nán gǎodìng le.
小孩太难搞定了。
Kids are so hard to deal with.

搞小动作(gǎo xiǎo dòngzuò): make small moves

“搞小动作(gǎo xiǎo dòngzuò)” means secretly performing activities that are unfavorable to others, or doing something behind other people’s backs.

Examples:

wǒ hěn tǎoyàn zài bèihòu gǎo xiǎo dòngzuò de rén.
我很讨厌在背后搞小动作的人。
I hate people who do things behind other people’s backs.

zhè háizi shàngkè lǎoshì ài gǎo xiǎo dòngzuò.
这孩子上课老是爱搞小动作。
This kid always plays little tricks in class.

3.When to use 搞事情

The verb 搞(gǎo), meaning, “to do” is itself neutral. However, the expression 搞事情(gǎo shìqíng) is usually negative, but can be used in a wide range of situations ranging from casual joking with friends to more serious condemnations. Just in case, as you get the feel for how to use it, you might want to start by practicing on your friends first!

In which of these situations would using 搞事情(gǎo shìqíng) to describe what is happening be inappropriate?

A. Your friend asks you to help her find attendees for the event she’s organizing.
B. A car manufacturer releases a new model but charges extra for seat belts.
C. You make fun of your brother for his new hairstyle.
D. A father cooks dinner for his family.

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In The Book of Changes, the number 6 belonged to the Yin character while the number 9 was thought to be of the Yang character. So, on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, both day and month are Yang characters. Therefore, the festival was named the Double Ninth Festival. “Nine” is seen as the largest number in numbers that reflect long life and represent wishes for the health and longevity of the elderly.

Customs

During “重阳节 (chóng yáng jié) Double Ninth Festival” people engage in ancestors worship, climbing mountains, and some other activities very similar to those experienced during most of the other Chinese festivals.

Appreciate 菊花 ( jú huā, Chrysanthemum)

It has always been celebrated during the day time, so the Double Ninth day is also called Chrysanthemum Day. The custom of enjoying chrysanthemums originates from the culture where chrysanthemum is deemed as a naturally hardy flower and is praised for its growth even in the frost.

菊花 (jú huā) : n. Chrysanthemum

Example:

jú huā zài qiū jì kāi.
菊花在秋季开。
Chrysanthemums put forth flowers in autumn.

tā ài méi guī hé jú huā.
她爱玫瑰和菊花。
She loves roses and chrysanthemums.

Since the period of three kingdoms and Weijin (from 220 AD to 420AD), drinking and composing poems at a party while appreciating chrysanthemums has become a fashionable custom.

As mentioned earlier, the chrysanthemum symbolizes long life and is the symbol of hearty resolution for poets who compose poems about the topic.

Drink the wine made from chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum contains healthy ingredients and there’s a record from the Jin dynasty (260 AD to 420 AD), that someone lengthened their life by drinking valley water surrounded by chrysanthemums.

The chrysanthemum wine, one essential drinking in ancient, is believed as the “幸运的 (xìng yùn de) lucky” wine dispelling disasters and praying for blessings from the perspective of psychology.
In the aspect of medicine, the wine is a medical liquor tasted with a slight bitterness, assisting you to clear the vision and refresh the mind after drinking.

幸运的( xìng yùn de): adj. Lucky

Example:

yǒu xiē rén sì hū cóng lái dōu shì xìng yùn de.
有些人似乎从来都是幸运的。
Some people seem to always be lucky.

wǒ rèn wéi zì jǐ shì dì qiú shàng zuì xìng yùn de rén.
我认为自己是地球上最幸运的人。
I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth.

Wearing Dogwood

Dogwood, also known as Cornel, is from the dogwood tree that can be made into Chinese medicine which enables people to expel insects and dampness when climbing mountains on this day, thus people would like to wear it on their arms or grind and put it in a sachet to bring with them.

The “芳香（fāng xiāng) fragrance” of cornel is strong in order to clear vision, refresh minds, relieve fever, expel insects, de-humidify, etc. During the Double Ninth Day, people take this opportunity to maintain their health by interacting with cornel.

芳香 (fāng xiāng): n. fragrance

zhè zhǒng féi zào yǒu yì gǔ huā yì bān de fāng xiāng.
这种肥皂有一股花一般的芳香。
This soap has a delicate fragrance like a flower.

yě cǎo sàn fā chū fāng xiāng.
野草散发出芳香。
A sweet fragrance rose from the wild grasses.

There are many poems centered around Double Ninth Day and Cornel such as “九月九日忆山东兄弟 (Jiǔ yuè jiǔ rì yì shāndōng xiōngdì) Remembering my Shandong Brothers”, by the Tang Dynasty poet Wang Wei:

dú zài yì xiāng wéi yì kè,
独在异乡为异客，
I am alone and a stranger in a strange land,

měi féng jiā jié bèi sī qīn.
每逢佳节倍思亲。
twice as homesick during the holiday.

yáo zhī xiōng dì dēng gāo chù,
遥知兄弟登高处，
I am in a remote place but know my brothers are climbing,

biàn chā zhū yú shǎo yì rén.
遍插茱萸少一人。
one less person amiss in those who wear the cornel.

While the Double Ninth festival may have originated as a day to drive away danger, over time it became a day of celebration. In contemporary times it is an occasion for hiking, flying kites, making flower cakes, drinking chrysanthemum tea and chrysanthemum wine while children learn poems about chrysanthemums.

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