Mandarin Essentials
Why Study Chinese? The Real Benefits of Learning Mandarin
Why do people invest years in learning Mandarin? The real benefits of studying Chinese reach far beyond passing a language exam. Fluency in Chinese opens doors to career growth, cross-border business, deeper cultural insight, and measurable cognitive gains. In short, Mandarin connects you to more …
Common Chinese Mistakes
When learning a new language there are literally hundreds of things you can do wrong. With a good teacher you can learn how to overcome your difficulties. Everyone makes many mistakes but some mistakes are more common than others. Here is a list of some …
Idiom Stories: 开天辟地(Kāitiānpìdì) To advance with giant strides
Chuánshuō yuángŭ shíhou, tiān hé dì shì hé zài yìqĭ de, jiù xiàng yí gè jīdàn shì de. 传说 远古 时候， 天 和 地 是 合 在 一起 的，就 像 一 个 鸡蛋 似 的。 Shìjiè de kāichuàng rén Pángŭ jiù shì zài zhège jīdàn …
Idiom Stories：画饼充饥（Huàbĭngchōngjī） To draw a cake to satisfy hunger
Sānguó shídài, wèiguó yŏu gè jiào Lú Yù de rén, 三国 时代，魏国 有 个 叫 卢 毓 的 人，
Hĕn xiăo de shíhou jiù shīqù le fùmŭ hé liăng gè gēge. 很 小 的 时候 就 失去 了 父母 和 两 个 哥哥。
Lú Yù …
Idiom Stories-调虎离山（Diàohŭlíshān） To lure the tiger out of the mountains
Dōnghàn mò nián, jūnfá bìng qĭ, gè bà yì fāng. 东汉 末 年，军阀 并 起，各 霸 一 方。
Sūn Cè nián jĭn shíqī suì, què niánshàoyŏuwéi, shìlì zhújiàn qiángdà. 孙 策 年 仅 十七 岁，却 年少有为， 势力 逐渐 强大。
Gōngyuán 199 nián, Sūn Cè yù …
订票(DìngPiào) Making Reservations for Seats
(Diànhuà lùyīn: (电话 录音： (Recorded Message: Nínhăo,ChángHé jùyuàn. 您 好， 长河 剧 院。 Welcome to the Changhe Theater. Dìngpiào qĭng àn yī, cháxún jiémù qĭng àn èr, réngōng fúwù qĭng àn sān, fănhuí qĭng àn líng.) 订票 请 按 1，查询 节目 请 按 2，人工 服务 …
Exchanging Money
Láojià, wŏ xiăng bă mĕiyuán huàn chéng Rénmínbì. A: 劳驾，我 想 把 美元 换 成 人民币。 Excuse me, I’d like to exchange some US dollars for RMB. Qĭng nín xiān tián yī zhāng duìhuàn dān. B: 请 您 先 填 一 张 兑换 单。 Fill …
Asking the Way
Qĭngwèn, qù tiāntán zĕnme zŏu? A: 请问， 去 天坛 怎么 走？ Excuse me. How can I go to the The Temple of Heaven? Wăng qián zŏu, zài shí zyì lùkŏu xiàng yòu guăi, zài zŏu wŭ fēnzhōng jiù dào le. B: 往 前 走，在 十 …
Ordering Food
Nĭmen zhèér yŏu shénme tèsècài? A: 你们 这儿 有 什么 特色菜？ What are your specialties? Wŏmen de tèsècài shì shuĭzhŭyú. B: 我们 的 特色菜 是 水煮鱼。 The specialty is called Boiled Fish. Tīng qĭlái búcuò. Lái yī fènr. A: 听 起来 不错。来 一 份儿。 It …
Describing a Position
Situational Conversation I
Qiáo! Shuí zuò zài Xiăo Mă yòubian ne? A: 瞧！ 谁 坐 在 小 马 右边 呢？ Look! Who’s sitting on the right of Xiao Ma? shì, LăoLĭ. Kănjiàn wŏ de jiāotōngtú le ma? B: 是，老李。看见 我 的 交通图 了 吗？ It’s …
酒吧 (jiŭbā) In a Bar
酒吧(jiŭbā) In a Bar
Beginner Level/初级 chūjí
A: Nĭ tīngshuō méiyǒu, shì zhōngxīn kāi le yì jiā xīn jiŭbā. 你 听说 没有， 市 中心 开 了 一 家 新 酒吧。 You know that a new bar opened in the city center?
B: Tīngshuō le, hái …
Popular Words: 靠谱 (kàopŭ) Reliable; To Be Trusted
流行词语
(liúxíng cíyŭ) Popular Words
靠谱 (kàopŭ) Reliable; To be trusted
Origin and Meaning
“靠谱 (kàopŭ)” originated from a northern dialect in China, and became quite popular in recent years. The meaning is reliable and to be trusted. When you pronounce it, it’s best to …
Shanghai Disneyland
Events
After a courtship of about 20 years, the Walt Disney Company has won approval from the central government of China to build a Disneyland-style theme park in Shanghai. It happened that Barack Obama, the United States President, paid his first visit to China when …
Huayi Bros. Media Group & the Chinese GEM Stock Market
On October 30, 2009, among the first batch of listed companies on the GEM-Growth Enterprises Market in China, the star-studded Huayi Brothers Media Group was the most 引人注目(yĭnrénzhùmù) eye-catching one. Huayi Brothers Media Group is one of the most famous 娱乐(yúlè) entertainment groups in Mainland …
2009 China Tennis Open – 中国网球公开赛 (Zhōngguó wăngqiú gōngkāisài)
2009 中国网球公开赛(Zhōngguó wăngqiú gōngkāisài) 2009 China Tennis Open
中国网球公开赛(Zhōngguó wăngqiú gōngkāisài) The China Tennis Open Tournament was held on October 2nd, 2009. During the China Open women’s singles tournament going into the quarter finals, a Chinese tennis player, 彭帅(Péng Shuài) Peng Shuai became a 焦点(jiāodiăn) …
中国话 (Zhōngguóhuà) Chinese
中国话(Zhōngguóhuà) Chinese
Biăndan kuān băndèng cháng, biăndan xiăng băng zài băndèng shàng. 扁担 宽 板凳 长， 扁担 想 绑 在 板凳 上。 The shoulder-pole is wide and the bench is long. The shoulder-pole wants to be tied on the bench.
Lúndūn …
建国大业 (Jiànguó Dàyè) The Foundation of a Republic
170 Famous Actors to Star in a New Movie
建国大业(Jiànguó Dàyè) The Foundation of a Republic
To celebrate the founding of People’s Republic of China, 韩三平(Hán Sānpíng) Han Sanping and 黄建新(Huáng Jiànxīn) Huang Jianxin produced a film 建国大业(jiànguó dàyè) The Foundation of a Republic, which …
水调歌头•明月几时有 (shuĭ diào gē tóu • míngyuè jĭshí yŏu) Tune:Prelude to Water Melody
水调歌头•明月几时有(shuĭ diào gē tóu • míngyuè jĭshí yǒu) Tune: “Prelude to Water Melody”
This poem is the most famous Mid-Autumn Festival poem. The author wrote it for his brother, whom he missed dearly after not having seen him for seven years. There are two sentences …
What’s your name?
Listen Online
Learn to introduce yourself.
Dialogue : Qĭng wèn nĭ de míngzi shì … ? 请 问 你 的 名字 是 。 。 。 ？ What’s your name? Wŏ xìng Fisher , míng jiào Peter. 我 姓 Fisher ， 名 叫 Peter 。 My …