1. Pronunciation of Numbers
The dates May 20 and May 21 are homonyms for different ways to express love. Because of the difference between the two numbers, 520 is mainly for women, and 521 is mainly for men, meaning that men choose to express “520″ (I love you) to their wives, girlfriends, or crushes on May 20, and receive their answer on May 21, when the women might reply, “521” (“I like and I love you”). Because of this, May 20 and May 21 every year have become auspicious days for couples to register for marriage and hold grand wedding banquets.

In addition to “520” and “521”, there are other popular homonymic numbers in Chinese:

2. Knowing the Real Numbers
1234… these are the Arabic numerals used around the world. You will see these if you come to China, but there are other ways to write numbers in Chinese—and not just the characters you probably already know!
In order to distinguish numbers used to keep financial records, “壹贰叁肆伍陆柒捌玖拾佰仟万” were born. Believe it or not, adopting these characters has prevented digital tampering and altering of electronic finances.

3.Celebrations Mean Consumerism
With all of the weddings and engagements and gifts being given, online shopping has taken off around this time. Many businesses have group buying, discounts, and other promotional activities, and sales shoot through the roof. Everywhere people look they see advertisements and promotions for 520 and 521, and when they open their WeChat they see “red envelopes” with cash flooding into their inbox. No industry is ignored—even tour agencies offer special travel discounts to other countries during this time!

Example:
宣布vs.宣传
kǎo  shì  zhī  qián ，jiān  kǎo  lǎo  shī  xuān  bù  le  kǎo  shì    jì    lǜ
考   试    之    前，   监    考    老   师   宣    布    了    考   试    纪   律。
Before the exam, the proctor announced the exam discipline.

xiàn  zài  yǒu  xǔ  duō  xū  jiǎ  guǎng  gào ，xuān  chuán  de  tiān  huā  luàn  zhuì ，bú  dé  bú  ràng  rén chǎn  shēng  huái  yí 
现    在   有   许   多   虚    假    广       告，    宣      传      的      天     花      乱     坠，不   得    不     让     人     产     生     怀    疑。
Now there are many fake advertisements, there’s a lot of hyped-up publicity, and people should be cautious.

Example:

公布VS颁布
guǒ  rán ，sān  tiān  hòu   gōng  bù  le  chéng    jì
果     然，  三    天     后     公     布     了     成     绩。
Sure enough, the results were announced three days later.

zhè   tiáo   fǎ   lǜ   shì  shàng   gè   yuè   xīn   bān   bù   de
这     条     法     律    是     上    个   月    新     颁    布     的。
The law was enacted last month.

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“世界地球日 (shì jiè dì qiú rì) Earth Day” is important now more than ever because we are in the middle of the 6th mass extinction and it is increasingly impacted by humans this time around compared to natural causes alone. “濒危物种 (bīn wēi wù zhǒng) endangered species” need our help because of the “污染 (wū  rǎn) pollution” and loss of “臭氧层 (chòu  yǎng  céng) ozone layer” that the pollution has caused.

“濒危物种 (bīn wēi wù  zhǒng) endangered species”

Example sentences:

shí  nián nèi  běi  jí  xióng  jiù  huì  chéng wéi  bīn wēi  wù zhǒng
十    年    内    北  极    熊     就   会     成    为     濒   危   物    种。
Polar bear will become an endangered species within ten years.

cù jìn bīn wēi wù zhǒng  hé  shēng tài  xì  tǒng   de   huī    fù
促  进  濒  危   物    种     和     生     态   系     统    的   恢   复。
Promote the recovery of endangered species and ecosystems.

But what are some of the manageable ways we can improve the situation?
It’s as simple as doing your part to “保护环境 (bǎo  hù  huán  jìng) protect the environment”. It’s easier to protect the environment than you think. Many countries are banning single-use plastics while others are making their cities more bicycle-friendly. If you live in a city with public transportation, taking the bus or subway is an easy alternative to paying for a taxi or driving your own car.

“保护环境 (bǎo  hù  huán  jìng) protect the environment”

Example sentences:

bǎo  hù  huán  jìng : ràng  wǒ  men  gòng  chuàng  měi  hǎo  de  míng  tiān
保      护    环     境：   让    我      们      共        创       美     好    的     明     天。
Protect the environment: let us create a beautiful tomorrow together

huán bǎo  yóu   wǒ   zuò   qǐ,   huán   dì   qiú    yí    gè   jié   jìng   de  jiā
环    保       由      我    做  起，  还    地   球    一     个   洁    净    的   家 。
Environment protection starts from me, give back earth a clean home

bǎo  hù  huán  jìng  shì  měi   yí gè   gōng  mín  de  zé  rèn
保     护     环     境     是   每   一  个    公      民   的   责   任。
Protecting the environment is everyone’s responsibility

wèi  le fáng zhǐ dì  qiú wēn  shì  xiào  yìng  jiā  jù，wǒ men   yīng   gāi   bǎo  hù   hǎo   huán  jìng
为 了   防    止    地  球  温    室    效     应    加  剧，我    们    应    该     保    护     好      环     境。
In order to prevent the greenhouse effect on earth, we should protect the environment.

The beauty of protecting the environment, is that just making one small change in your lifestyle can have a huge impact. Not everyone will choose the same adjustment and that’s okay! We can learn from one another and do our best. Some people choose to use “太阳能 (tài  yáng  néng) solar power” instead of conventional electricity supplied by the city. Other people insist on trying to ”回收 (huí  shōu) recycle” as much as they can. While the last group of people may arguably have the biggest impact, the plant-based eaters who make meals “仅用植物的 (jǐn   yòng  zhí  wù de) using only plants. A percentage is “纯素食者 (chún  sù  shí  zhě) pure vegan” while others will allow for fish or other animal products in their diets to make the transition easier.

Example sentences:

wǒ  bù  chī  ròu，wǒ  chī  sù.
我   不    吃    肉，  我    吃  素。
I don’t eat meat. I am a vegetarian.

měi  guó  zǒng  tǒng  ào bā  mǎ  yāo  qiú   zài   bā   xī   fǎng  wèn  dòu  liú  qī  jiān   tí  gōng quán  sù  shí  shí  pǐn.
美    国      总       统      奥  巴   马    要    求   在  巴   西    访     问     逗     留  期  间   提      供     全    素  食   食    品。
U.S. President Barack Obama asked to be provided all-vegetarian food during his stay in Brazil.

Whatever you choose to change to create a more sustainable future, do it out of the love for our “濒危物种 (bīn wēi wù  zhǒng) endangered species”, do it for your “行星地球 (xíng xīng dì qiú) planet Earth”. What are some ideas you have that we can each do that make a biggest impact? We’d love to hear them!

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The word “dog” is commonly used on the internet to refer to people in a negative way so “double-standard dog” means people who use “双标(shuāng biāo)double-standards”. Be cautious in using the word 双标狗 (shuāng biāo gǒu) though as it can be quite offensive.

Several common examples of how double standards are used

1. Gender double standard

In ancient times, China was influenced by Cheng and Zhu’s neo confucianism of “the starvation is a small matter, but the breach of integrity is a big one,” and vigorously promoted women’s chastity. Women were to maintain the virgin body, but men were able to have three wives and four concubines.

And another example is in love and marriage, both parties want independent freedom and respect, but believe that men should shoulder most of their responsibilities.

2. Facial appearances also have double standards

Now is an era where facial appearances can make a difference in how one is treated. For those who look good, everyone is more tolerant of their behavior. Even if they do something wrong they will not be too harshly punished while those who are less aesthetically pleasing will be more harshly reprimanded in all aspects. In fact, this is also a double standard phenomenon.

3. Double standard from parents

(1)Attitude towards children of their own and others can be the opposite.

Others’ children are seen as really lovely and kind while the parent sees their own children as less virtuous.

Another parenting double standard is when the parents believe that the kids should follow the rules (simply because they’re kids), but the parents don’t have to.

(2) About falling in love

In China you may hear mom say “ during your school days, young love is not allowed, students should concentrate on studying.”

Then once graduated you might hear “Why are you not married yet?!”

Usage of “双标”

双标 (shuāng biāo): n. double standard

双标狗 (shuāng biāo gǒu) : n. double-standard dogs

nǐ zhè bú shì shuāngbiāo ma ?
你这不是双标吗？
Aren’t you practicing a double standard?

Wǒmen yào yuǎnlí shuāng biāo gǒu
我们要远离双标狗。
We have to stay away from double-standard dogs.

Please make an example about “双标” that you encounter in your own life. Which ones are you guilty of or which ones have you experienced?

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General Chinese (Beginner Level) 

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We’ve all had that friend or colleague who just seems to always have everything in order. It’s as if a genie granted each and every wish he or she has commanded. While this is great news for some people, the truth is that it doesn’t come without envious remarks. “Envy” – In China, there is a slang term for that: A new slang term that’s popular, hip, and used to describe people who are arrogant and jealous. The phrase “柠檬精 (Níngméng jīng)” translates literally to “lemon turned genie”. You might be wondering exactly how such simple words could become a popular slang.

“柠檬精 (Níngméng jīng)” is a new and popular internet slang in China, and typically is used to describe a person who enjoys criticizing others who appear to be more successful, and happier than oneself. The internet is filled with media in various kinds of content formats, whether it is a blog and live stream, or prerecorded video. The rise of commentary and opinionated remarks, which are often critiques aimed at content creators, were absolutely bound to give way to slang that describes such behavior.

Let’s take a look at the individual words or phrases that make up the phrase “柠檬精 (níngméng jīng)”. “柠檬 (Níngméng)” means lemon. “精 (Jīng)” is an abbreviation of genie, which means “妖精 (yāojīng)” in Chinese. You might be wondering exactly what a lemon or a genie has to do with jealousy.

These ordinary words, that make up the slang term actually do have a story behind their existence, just as many other slangs or idioms in Chinese. The phrase was first taken from a Chinese legend that says animal or fruit were given magical powers by God. This special treatment, in turn, made an ordinary lemon become a genie, hence “柠檬精 (níngméng jīng)” means lemon turned genie.

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In China, “柠檬 (níngméng) lemon” and “醋 (cù) vinegar” have one same trait —— “酸 (suān) sour”, so “醋 (cù) vinegar” is often attributed to jealousy. Interestingly, they are both used in the same context to describe a jealous person, such as “吃醋 (chīcù)”, it literally means “eating vinegar”. And it was originally used to refer to someone who was jealous of another person’s lover. Check out this article to read more about why “eating vinegar” means “jealous” in China. Keep in mind that “柠檬精 (níngméng jīng)” has the same characteristic of being “酸 (suān) sour”.

Here are some examples of how to use the slang “柠檬精 (níngméng jīng)” in Chinese:

Example 1

Xiǎo Wáng: Wèishénme Xiǎo Lǐ zhè jǐ tiān bù hé wǒ shuōhuà?
小王：为什么小李这几天不和我说话？
Xiao Wang: Why did Xiao Li not talk to me these days?

Xiǎo Míng: Yīnwèi nǐ zhècì kǎo de bǐ tā hǎo.
小明：因为你这次考的比他好。
Xiao Ming: Because you did better than him in this exam.

Xiǎo Wáng: Tā zhēnshì gè níngméng jīng!
小王：他真是个柠檬精！
Xiao Wang: He is a totally jealous person!

Example 2

Níngméng jīng xǐhuān fěngcì guò de bǐ zìjǐ hǎo de rén.
柠檬精喜欢讽刺过得比自己好的人。
Jealous people like to be sarcastic to others who live better than themselves.

“柠檬精 (Níngméng jīng)” — the modern, popular slang term is often used in the internet world due to the envy that some viewers may have towards content creators who portray themselves as having a successful lifestyle. However, it’s worth mentioning that although jealousy is typically a negative trait to have, “柠檬精 (níngméng jīng)” isn’t always used in a negative context. The slang term can actually be used to express jealousy in a self-deprecating way, that may even be comical. The next time you’re commenting on videos and blogs, it would be wise to be careful of words that signify jealousy, because you may just be called a “柠檬精 (níngméng jīng)”, which may be funny and satirical!

1. Which person below could be described as “柠檬精 (níngméng jīng)”?

A: Mike always works hard to get good grades.
B: Lily feel sad when watching sad movies.
C: Lucy is always jealous of people who are better than him.
D: Amy lost the competition, but she hasn’t given up.

See Answer Analysis

General Chinese (Beginner Level) 

General Chinese (Intermediate Level) 

Have you heard of the emerging and trendy internet slang from China called “土味情话 (tǔwèi qínghuà) ”? It can be compared to “cheesy pick-up lines” in English. “土味 (tǔwèi)” usually means outdated or old-school, while “情话 (qínghuà)” refers to the sweet nothings shared between lovers. Thus it’s a funny way to flirt with your partner while expressing your affection as well. These lines can be sounded insincere and excessively sweet, they tend to flatter people or flirt with people too.

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Generally, “情话 (qínghuà)” refers to the words that people love to hear but if someone says something to you that may be excessively sweet or even a little bit disgusting and corny (or cheesy words told to the loved one), you can say what he said is “土味情话 (tǔwèi qínghuà)”.

Here are some conversational examples about how to use the phrase “土味情话 (tǔwèi qínghuà)” in daily Chinese:

Tā zǒngshì ài shuō tǔwèi qínghuà.
他总是爱说土味情话。
He always likes to say cheesy pick-up lines.

Wǒ bù xǐhuān tā de tǔwèi qínghuà.
我不喜欢他的土味情话。
I don’t like his cheesy pick-up lines.

You can even find popular “土味情话 (tǔwèi qínghuà)” on Chinese social media platforms.

Usually, young men will use these sweet and romantic sentences to pursue a girl and try to win her heart.

Lǐ Míng: Wǒ kěyǐ xiàng nǐ wènlù ma?
李明：我可以向你问路吗？
Li Ming: May I ask you the way?

Wáng Hóng: Nǐ yào qù nǎlǐ ？
王红：你要去哪里？
Wang Hong: Which way?

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Lǐ Míng: Qù nǐ xīnlǐ.
李明：去你心里。
Li Ming: The way to your heart.

Not cheesy enough for you? What about this next one?

Xiǎo Wáng: Nǐ yǒu dǎhuǒjī ma?
小王：你有打火机吗？
Xiao Wang: Do you have a lighter?

Xiǎo Hóng: Méiyǒu.
小红：没有。
Xiao Hong: No.

Xiǎo Wáng: Nà nǐ shì zěnme diǎnrán wǒ de xīn de?
小王：那你是怎么点燃我的心的？
Xiao Wang: Then how did you manage to set my heart on fire?

There is one thing to note about this slang expression. You can use the phrase “土味情话 (tǔwèi qínghuà)” to make fun of people who like to say excessively sweet nothing but when someone talks to you sincerely, you’d better avoid using this phrase to describe their efforts because it may break their heart. With that being said, we’d love to hear your best pick-up line. Write it in the comments or send it directly to one of our social media accounts.

1. Please choose the option which makes Zhang Ming’s reply fit the “cheesy pick-up line”.

Zhāng Míng: Nǐ zhīdào wǒ wèishénme gǎnmào le ma?
张明：你知道我为什么感冒了吗?

Lǐ Lì: Wǒ bù zhīdào, wèishénme ne?
李莉：我不知道，为什么呢？

Zhāng Míng: ▁▁▁
张明：▁▁▁

A：因为我昨天淋雨了。(Yīnwèi wǒ zuótiān línyǔ le.)

B：因为我被小红传染了。(Yīnwèi wǒ bèi Xiǎo Hóng chuánrǎn le.)

C：因为我对你完全没有抵抗力。(Yīnwèi wǒ duì nǐ wánquán méiyǒu dǐkàng lì.)

See Answer Analysis
General Chinese (Beginner Level) 

General Chinese (Intermediate Level) 

I’m writing about two simple and useful words in Mandarin Chinese that you can use on a daily basis to describe things that are fast or slow. These terms, “龟速 (guīsù) slow” and “神速 (shénsù) fast”, I learned when reading and discussing Children’s stories in my beginner Mandarin class.

Aesop’s fable of The Tortoise and the Hare is one of the most famous folktales in the world and has been adapted to countless cultures and languages worldwide. The story is a lesson on speed vs. consistency. The hare, or rabbit, represents speed, while the tortoise, or turtle, represents consistency and slowness.

The Tortoise and the Hare was one of the first of many children’s stories that I learned in China while studying Mandarin Chinese. Since I was already familiar with the story in English, I was able to compare the Mandarin version with the English version to better understand the usefulness of the Mandarin Chinese words and the way the two languages can express the same story using completely different methods. Our Mandarin Chinese teacher introduced two antonyms while we discussed the story after reading. These two words have stuck with me from then on. The words were 龟速 (guīsù) and 神速 (shénsù). The origin of the words is simple:

速 (sù) can be used as an adjective meaning “fast” and as a noun meaning “speed.”
龟 (guī) = tortoise or turtle.
When we combine 龟 (guī) and 速 (sù), we get:
龟速 (guīsù) = slow (adjective); slowness (noun).

On the other hand, when we add “神 (shén) god/supernatural being” + “速 (sù) speed” we get 神速 (shénsù), meaning very fast (adjective); quickness (noun).

When using 龟速 (guīsù) and 神速 (shénsù) in a sentence, we can describe how daily conveniences and services may be moving quickly or slowly:

1. 龟速 (guīsù)

Jīntiān de wǎngsù zhēn shì guīsù a!
今天    的   网速     真    是 龟速  啊！
Today the Internet speed is as slow as a turtle.

Jiù nǐ nà guīsù néng gǎn shàng tā?
就 你 那  龟速   能    赶    上   他？
How can you catch up to him at such a slow speed?

2. 神速 (shénsù)

Zhè yào de zhǐtòng xiàoguǒ zhēn shì shénsù.
这    药  的   止痛     效果     真是    神速。
This drug provides rapid relief to the patient.

Zhè cì tánpàn jìnzhǎn shénsù.
这  次   谈判    进展    神速。
The talks went very quickly.

My fellow students and I like to use these to describe situations in our daily lives in China. When we’re shocked at how fast we can have lunch on the street, we say “神速 (shénsù)”! When we’re waiting in an endless line at the train station for a ticket: we can use “龟速 (guīsù)”!

I have found these words to be useful in daily life and also when discussing life in China with my fellow classmates!

Quiz:

When you’re trying to download a movie on the Internet, but it’s taking a long time, you can use which word to describe the connection:

A. 神速 (shénsù)

B. 网速 (wǎngsù)

C. 龟速 (guīsù)

See Answer

Further Reading:
丑小鸭 (Chŏu Xiăo Yā) The Ugly Duckling
Chinese story for kids: Why do cats always want to eat mice?

―Written by Philip Reed―
Philip Reed is a Mandarin Chinese student in Beijing. He has been studying for one year in China
and before that had an interest in Chinese at university in the U.S. He loves Chinese music and culture
and can sing a few Mandarin songs at the KTV when he has free time.

八卦(bāguà) gossip

Origin of the Phrase

Yi Jing, also named The Book of Changes, says: “Yin and Yang form Tai Chi; Tai Chi forms two-stage; two-stage forms four-quadrant and four-quadrant forms Eight Diagrams.” A founder of a gossip magazine in Hong Kong thinks that various gossip in the world are formed from what happened in the world, just like Yin and Yang breed Eight Diagrams. So the gossip magazine is named 八卦(bāguà).

Meaning of the Phrase

In 八卦(bāguà), 八(bā) means the number eight and 卦(guà) refers to divinatory trigram. But now, 八卦(bāguà) is widely used to refer to a kind of attitude or behavior where people are keen on asking, guessing, or gossiping upon others’ private affairs. So the origin meaning of 八卦(bāguà) is used less often.

Usage of the Phrase

八卦(bāguà) can be used as noun, adjective and verb. For example:

(1) n. gossip

八卦新闻(bāguà xīnwén) gossip news

八卦杂志(bāguà zázhì) gossip magazine

八卦媒体(bāguà méitĭ) gossip media

(2) adj. gossipy

Tā shì gè hěn bāguà de rén.
她 是  个  很    八卦 的 人。

She is very gossipy.

Bié nàme bāguà!
别   那么   八卦！

Don’t be so gossipy!

(3) v. gossip∕spread rumors

Tā yòu yào kāishĭ bāguà le.
她  又   要  开始   八卦  了。

She will start to gossip right now.

Zhè rén méi shìér jiù ài bāguà.
这   人   没   事儿 就 爱  八卦。

This person is keen on spreading rumors.

美眉(měiméi) beautiful girl

美眉(měiméi) was first used in an Internet novel which became very popular. Literally speaking, 美眉(měiméi) means pretty eyebrows or beautifying eyebrow because 美(měi) means beautiful and 眉(méi) refers to eyebrows. Now however, 美眉(měiméi) refers to beautiful young girls. Sometimes this phrase is also used in the form of MM.

Chinese Popular Words (Fun Stuff)

General Chinese (Beginner Level)

General Chinese (Intermediate Level)

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1.  看   拼音   写 词语

​bĕi jīng              jī  chăng            xíng  li

(   ) (   )               (   ) (   )                (   ) (   )

hăi guān           péng you             dĭ  dá

(   ) (   )               (   ) (   )                (   ) (   )
shŭ  jià                jì  huà                shōu shi

(   ) (   )               (   ) (   )                (   ) (   )
jī   piào              xìng bié               zhù  zhĭ

(   ) (   )               (   ) (   )                (   ) (   )
chūn jié            hàn yŭ                kăo  shì

(   ) (   )               (   ) (   )                (   ) (   )
chuán tŏng       jié    rì               shēng xiāo

(   )    (   )           (   ) (   )                (   ) (   )
xué  xí               róng yì               fāng biàn

(   ) (   )               (   ) (   )                (   ) (   )

Cícǔ  dāpèi
2.  词组 搭配
A组：
pá        zhào        rènshi          kàn
爬           照           认识            看

B组：
rìchū        péngyou        xiàng          shān
日出           朋友              相               山

Tiányitián,  dúyidú.
3. 填 一 填，读 一 读。
hóng hóng                               wān wān
（               ）的 苹 果                （             ）的 月 亮

lán lán                                     shăn shăn
（             ）的 天 空                （             ）的 星 星

shēngrì                                            kăoyā
（               ） 蛋糕                  北京（             ）

gōngfu                                          sàipăo
中国 （             ）                          龟兔（             ）

Yòng ” pò、tōng、wán、dào ” tiánkòng
4.  用”     破、  通、 完、  到”     填空

Xuănzé héshì de míngcí tiánkòng
5.  选择    合适 的  名词      填空

Qĭng gĕi túpiàn zhōng de chūnlián biāo shàng pīnyīn
6.  请     给   图片    中      的   春联      标      上      拼音

Kàn tú xué hànyǔ
7.  看  图  学  汉语

dă bāo
打 包
To Pack/Unpack

dă zhé
打 折
To Give a Discount

dă di
打 的
To Take a Taxi