Welcome to the Chinese Mini Test for Beginners!
Are you just starting your Mandarin learning journey? This mini-test will help you check your understanding of some of the most common daily phrases in Chinese. By taking this test, you’ll reinforce essential vocabulary, grammar, and sentence …
Quiz: What’s the real purpose of asking “吃了吗?” (Have you eaten?)?
A. Actual meal inquiry
B. Like saying “How are you?”
C. Restaurant promotion
The correct answer is: B. Like saying “How are you?”
In Chinese culture, “吃了吗?” (Have you eaten?) is a common greeting, …
Quiz: In Chinese culture, what does the number “8” symbolize?
A. Xìngyùn hé fánróng (幸运和繁荣) – Luck and prosperity
B. Chángshòu (长寿) – Longevity
C. Sǐwáng (死亡) – Death
D. Àiqíng (爱情) – Love
Answer: A. Xìngyùn hé fánróng (幸运和繁荣) – Luck and prosperity
Explanation: …
Question: Which festival is known as the “Chinese Valentine’s Day”?
A. Spring Festival（春节，Chūnjié）
B. Mid-Autumn Festival（中秋节，Zhōngqiū Jié）
C. Dragon Boat Festival（端午节，Duānwǔ Jié）
D. Qixi Festival（七夕节，Qīxī Jié）
The correct answer to this quiz is D.
Analysis:
Spring Festival (春节, Chūnjié)
Spring Festival, also known …
The correct answer to this quiz is B.
Traditionally in China, people are used to eating with chopsticks. Chinese are very particular about using “筷子 (kuàizi) chopsticks” when having their meals. Starting in the Shang Dynasty, Chinese people began to …
Question:
Do you know which one of the following is the main eating utensil in China? A. 勺子 (sháozi) B. 筷子 (kuàizi) C. 刀叉 (dāochā)
Some students often ask what in the world “花 (huā)” really means! “花 (huā)” is one of those words used in all sorts of different contexts with many different meanings.
Of course, there’s the basic meaning of “一束花 (yí shù huā) a bouquet of flowers.”…
Xiǎo Míng: “Xiǎo Hóng, nà jiā diàn dōngxi zhìliàng zěnmeyàng a?” 小明：“小红，那家店东西质量怎么样啊？” Xiao Ming: “Xiao Hong, how about the quality of goods at that store?”
Xiǎo Hóng: “Xiāngdāng hǎo, wǒ hái xiǎng zài nà jiā diàn mǎi dōngxi ne.” 小红：“相当好，我还想在那家店买东西呢。” Xiao Hong: …
东 (Dōng) east
西 (Xī) west
Since “东 (Dōng) east” and “西 (xī) west” are both direction words. Can you guess what “东西 (dōngxī)” means?
1. Choose the best answer to fill in the blanks. Jīntiān jiàn le xīn péngyǒu Lily, wǒ ____ tā de yìnxiàng _____. 今 天 见 了 新 朋 友 Lily，我 ____ 她 的 印 象 _____。
A. 使 (shǐ)，很好 (hěnhǎo) B. 让 (ràng)，很好 (hěnhǎo) C. …
Answer: C Analysis: Jīntiān jiàn le xīn péngyǒu Lily, wǒ duì tā de yìnxiàng hěn hǎo. 今 天 见 了 新 朋 友 Lily，我 对 她 的 印 象 很好。 I met my new friend Lily today and I was very impressed with her.
“A+ 对+B+印象+好/不好” is a fixed grammar structure in Chinese which means “A …
1. Please choose the correct word to fill in the blank.
Zhèr de bāozi hěn hǎochī, nǐ yào chī _____ gè? A: 这儿 的 包子 很 好吃，你 要 吃 _____ 个？
Wǒ yào chī liù gè. B: 我 要 吃 6 个。
A. 什么 (Shénme)…
Answer: B
Analysis: 什么 (Shénme): what.
几 (Jǐ): a few; several; some. (几个 jǐ gè how many?).
怎么 (Zěnme): how.
几点 (Jǐ diǎn): what time.
Zhèr de bāozi hěn hào chī, nǐ yào chī jǐ gè? A: 这儿 的 包子 很 好吃，你 要 吃 几 个？ The steamed stuffed buns are delicious here. …
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. …
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 …
1. Which of the following is in the correct Chinese word order?
Shùxué duì wǒ bù gǎn xìngqù. A. 数学 对 我 不 感 兴趣。
Wǒ duì shùxué bù gǎn xìngqù. B. 我 对 数学 不 感 兴趣。
Bù gǎn xìngqù shùxué duì wǒ. C. …
Answer: B. Answer analysis: The correct sentence should be:
Wǒ duì shùxué bù gǎn xìngqù. 我 对 数学 不 感 兴趣。 I’m not interested in math.
Pay attention to the word “对 (duì)”. 对 (duì) is used as a preposition here. It means “to” or …
You feel very hungry because you didn’t have breakfast this morning. But the Mandarin class doesn’t end for 20 more minutes. At the moment, you’d probably say “我恨不得现在就下课 (Wǒ hènbude xiànzài jiù xiàkè)!”
Question: What does the word “恨不得 (hènbude)” mean here?
A. hate B. …
Answer: B
Answer analysis: 恨不得 (hènbude): very anxious to; itch to; how one wishes one could. We use it to express that someone is very anxious to do something that can’t be done in reality. Like in the case, the student wants to get out …
Correct Answer
1. C
Translation:
Tom, gàn de búcuò a! Alice: Tom, 干 得不错 啊！ Tom, well done!
Wǒ zhǐshì yì ge càiniǎo, háiyào duōduō xuéxí la. Tom: 我 只是 一 个 菜鸟， 还要 多多 学习 啦。 I’m just a newbie; I need to learn …
