Key Learning Points (Preview):
打架 (dǎjià): n/v. fight/to fight
客人 (kèrén): n. guest
An American “学生 (xuésheng) student” traveled to China and was having dinner with his Chinese friends. His “老师 (lǎoshī) teacher” asked him what he thought of China and the Chinese people. The student said: “I notice that Chinese people fight three times at the ‘餐桌 (cānzhuō) dining table.’…
What Present Would You Select on Chinese Valentine’s Day?
Key Learning Points (Preview):
礼物 (lǐwù): n. present/gift
送 (sòng): v. to give
Chinese Valentine’s Day -七夕 (Qīxī), on July seventh of the Chinese lunar calendar, is coming up. Many people in China are preparing to “送 (sòng) give” their girlfriends or boyfriends “礼物 (lǐwù) gifts.”…
Online Mandarin Chinese: The Eastern Carnival-火把节 (Huǒbǎjié) The Torch Festival Key Learning Points (Preview):
节日(jiérì): n. festival
旅行(lǚxíng): v. to travel
“火把节 (cHuǒbǎ jié) The Torch Festival” is an ancient and important traditional “节日 (jiérì) festival” for various ethnic groups such as “彝、白、纳西 (Yí, Bái, Nàxī) Yi, Bai, Naxi” and so on.…
Single Boys and Girls Welcome “相亲 (xiāngqīn) Blind Date” in China (Advanced)
Key Learning Points (Preview): 相亲 (xiāngqīn): n./v. blind date/to have a blind date
剩男/剩女 (shèngnán/shèngnǚ) n.single boys/single girls
Struggling in the hustle and bustle of city life, many “剩男 (shèngnán) single boys” and “剩女 (shèngnǚ) single girls” find themselves alone as a result of their excessive devotion to work.…
愚人节 (Yúrénjié) April Fool’s Day
Tóngxué men, wǒmen míngtiān kǎoshì. A: 同学 们， 我们 明天 考试。
Boys and girls, there will be an exam tomorrow. Á? Bú shì ba. B: 啊? 不 是 吧？
Ah? No Way? Hāha, jīntiān shì Yúrénjié! Zěnme dōu wàng le? A: 哈哈，今天 是 愚人节！怎么 都 忘 了？
Haha, today is April Fool’s Day!…
兔子为什么在生肖中排第四？ (Tùzi wèishénme zài shēngxiāo zhōng pái dì sì?) Key Learning Points (Preview)
生肖 (shēngxiāo): n. Zodiac
出发 (chūfā): v. to start off
Hěn jiǔ yǐqián, Yùhuángdàdì dǎsuàn zài dòngwù zhōng xuǎn shí’èr gè pái shēngxiāo. 很 久 以前，玉皇大帝 打算 在 动物 中 选 十二 个 排 生肖。 Long ago, the Jade Emperor prepared to select twelve animals to be the zodiac signs.…
Key Learning Points (Preview): 商量 (shāngliang): v. to discuss/talk over
决定 (juédìng): n./v. decision/to decide
A long time ago, there was a monster called “夕 (Xī).” The monster was fond of bullying and eating people, especially beautiful girls. People hated the monster, but had no way to stop it.…
Key Learning Points (Preview):
送行 (sòngxíng): to see sb. off
说……的好话 (shuō…de hǎohuà): to speak well of…
On the Chinese lunar calendar, “小年 (xiǎo nián),” or The Minor New Year, is on Dec. 23rd, which is when Chinese people make sacrificial offerings to “灶神 (zàoshén) the Kitchen God.”…
Santa Claus and its Chinese Counterpart Key Learning Points (Preview):
平安 (píng’ān) n. safety / peace
顾名思义 (gùmíngsīyì) as the name implies
On Christmas Day, it’s Santa Claus who brings us gifts and happiness. But during the Chinese New Year, who is going to bring “平安 (ping’ān) peace” and blessing to us mortals?…
为什么吃醋？(Wèishénme chīcù?) Why do you eat vinegar? (Intermediate)
Why do Chinese lovers “eat vinegar?” This online Chinese lesson will tell you.
Zài Zhōngguó, qínglǚ zhī jiān de jìdù jiào “chīcù.” Wèishénme shì chīcù ér bú shì 在 中国， 情侣 之 间 的 嫉妒 叫“吃醋”。为什么 是 吃醋 而 不 是 bié de dōngxi?…
Key Learning Points (Preview): 称呼 (chēnghū): n./v. form of address/ to call; to address
In China, husbands often call their wives’ father “岳父 (yuèfù).” The meaning of “父 (fù) father” is rather easy to understand, but the Chinese character “岳 (yuè)” can be confusing.…
Key Learning Points (Preview): 起义 (qǐyì): n. revolt/uprising
月饼 (yuèbǐng): n. moon cake
团圆/团聚 (tuányuán/tuánjù): n. reunion
愿望 (yuànwang): n. wish/desire
抗/反抗 (kàng/fǎnkàng): v. to resist/to fight against
Learn Chinese Online：Origin of Moon Cakes
Zhōngqiūjié de chuántǒng shípǐn shì yuèbǐng,
中秋节 的 传统 食品 是 月饼，
yuèbǐng shì yuán xíng de, xiàngzhēng tuányuán,
月饼 是 圆 形 的， 象征 团圆，
fǎnyìngle rénmen duì jiārén tuánjù de měihǎo yuànwang.…
Key Learning Points (Preview):
鹊桥 (què qiáo): n. a bridge made up of magpies
七夕节 (Qīxījié): n. Double Seven Festival
中国情人节 (Zhōngguó Qíngrénjié): n. Chinese Valentine’s Day
The Double Seven Festival or Chinese Valentine’s Day is on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month in the Chinese calendar.…
The fifth of May of lunar calendar is Dragon Boat Festival. There are many legends about this traditional Festival and the most popular one is “屈原 (Qū Yuán) QuYuan,” who was a Chinese scholar and minister to the King of State of Chu during the Warring States period.…
Key Learning Point (Preview):
不到长城非好汉 (bú dào Chángchéng fēi hǎohàn): He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man.
This popular Chinese saying originated from a poem 《清平乐•六盘山》 (Qīngpíngyuè • Liùpánshān) Qingpingyue • Liupanshan (Note: “清平乐 (Qīngpíngyuè) Qingpingyue” is a classical Chinese poem name and “六盘山 (Liùpánshān) Liupanshan” is the name of a mountain).…
农历 (nónglì): n/adj the lunar calendar/lunar
愿望 (yuànwàng): n wish
完美 (wánměi): adj perfect
The Lantern Festival falls on the fifteenth day of the first “农历 (nónglì) lunar” month. In ancient China, people called the first lunar month “宵 (xiāo) night.”…
As one of the biggest and most important festivals in China, the Chinese New Year is also called “春节 (chūnjié) Spring Festival.” This video lesson will teach you words, expressions and grammars related to the Spring Festival. Happy Chinese New Year!
Key Learning Points:
春节 (chūnjié) n Spring Festival “春 (chūn)” means spring and “节 (jié)” means festival.…
中国人的姓名 (zhōngguó rén de xìngmíng) Chinese Surnames and Given Names In Chinese, the surname comes first and then the given name. The full name of a Han Chinese is composed of two parts: the surnames and the given name.
Surnames
A Chinese “姓 (xìng) surname” refers to one of the over seven hundred family names used by Han Chinese and Sinicized Chinese ethnic groups.…
Tiger symbolizes courage, confidence and energy, so this year is supposed to be full of hope and success. Years of Birth for Tigers: 1914 1926 1938 1950 1962 1974 1986 1998 2010 Possessing the strength of king, you are confident, independent, brave and humane.…
Origin of “元旦 (Yuándàn) New Year’s Day” Key Learning Point (Preview): 元旦 (Yuándàn) n. New Year’s Day
“元旦(Yuándàn) New Year’s Day” has a three thousand-year history in China. In ancient times, “元旦 (Yuándàn)” was the “农历 (nónglì) lunar calendar” new year—today’s “春节 (Chūnjié) Spring Festival.” Since the founding of the new China, with the aim of distinguishing the “农历 (nónglì) lunar calendar” and the “阳历 (yánglì) Gregorian calendar,” the lunar new year was renamed as “春节 (Chūnjié) Spring Festival” and Gregorian January 1 was named “元旦 (Yuándàn) New Year’s Day.”…
