大家好！ (Hi, everyone!) This is Mandarin Weekly #95, a free newsletter with links and information for those of us learning Chinese.
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Going to the supermarket
Beginner I love going to the supermarket when I’m visiting China; it’s both similar to my supermarket at home, and yet is so different. Here are some useful tips and vocabulary words to keep in mind when you next shop in China:
https://www.writtenchinese.com/food-vocabulary-and-shopping-in-a-chinese-supermarket/
Twitter: @WrittenChinese
Renting an apartment
Intermediate What questions should you ask before renting an apartment in China? I combination of vocabulary practice and insights into how you would go about renting a place to live:
http://www.echineselearning.com/blog/4-things-you-must-ask-when-renting-an-apartment-in-china
Twitter: @ECLSchool
Implicit and explicit learning
If your Chinese is going to improve, then you’ll have to use a combination of techniques. In this post, Olle Linge suggests what we can concentrate on to accelerate our learning, and how using both explicit and implicit techniques can help:
http://www.hackingchinese.com/learn-chinese-implicitly-exposure-seasoning-explicit-instruction/
Twitter: @HackingChinese
Gotta go
Beginner Three words all describe going somewhere, but mean different things. Here’s an introduction to the differences between 走 (zǒu)，去 (qù) and 到 (dào):
Twitter: @Chelsea_bubbly
Socializing in China
Beginner How do Chinese people socialize? In all of the usual ways you would expect, but also in a few uniquely Chinese ways. Here is a description, plus vocabulary, for describing these Chinese forms of recreation:
http://www.yoyochinese.com/blog/4-Chinese-People-Socialize-Hangout-Friendship
Twitter: @YoYoChinese
More and more
Intermediate The word 越 (yuè) can be used in a few very useful ways, all of which have to do with something increasing over time:
Twitter: @Chelsea_bubbly
Using 把 (bǎ)
Intermediate The 把 construct allows you to change the order, and thus the emphasis, of a sentence. Here’s a guide to using this popular, and hard-to-understand (for many), grammar pattern:
http://www.saporedicina.com/english/ba-chinese-grammar/
Workplace vocabulary
Beginner Ready to work in China? Here are some useful phrases and terms you can use when you’re getting ready to go to the office, or when you’re just setting up there:
https://mandarinhq.com/2016/11/describing-workday-mandarin-chinese/
Twitter: @MandarinHQ
Chinese etiquette
Intermediate China has a long history and tradition of unwritten rules for social interactions. Here’s a guide, along with Chinese vocabulary, describing many of these behaviors, and how you can embrace them:
http://www.saporedicina.com/english/chinese-etiquette-the-complete-guide/
Voting in Chinese
Planning to vote in the US presidential election? Or just to watch the results? Here are some useful election-related terms; whether you’re delighted or horrified by the results, at least you’ll know how to talk about them in Chinese:
http://www.thechairmansbao.com/us-election-chinese-vocabulary/
Twitter: @TheChairmansBao
Using 对 (duì) and 给 (gěi)
Intermediate The words 对 (duì) and 给 (gěi) are used in a variety of ways, including to indicate to whom an action is directed. In this video from HanbridgeMandarin.com, we get a better understanding of how and when to use them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLycU3vrRYA&feature=share
Twitter: @HanbridgeOnline
Nursery rhyme
Intermediate Enjoy this Chinese nursery rhyme, 大 风车 (dà fēngchē), with characters, pinyin, and translation:
http://www.echineselearning.com/blog/chinese-nursery-rhyme-da-fengchethe-big-pinwheel
Twitter: @ECLSchool
How have you been?
Intermediate A love song sung by 周兴哲 (Zhou Xingzhe), with characters, pinyin, and translation:
Twitter: @ChineseToLearn
Breaking up
Intermediate It’s always hard to end a relationship — but thanks to this video from ChineseClass101.com, at least you’ll know how to do so in Chinese:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJzaRT1uuXQ
Twitter: @chineseclass101
Too late!
Intermediate Is it too late to do something? Use the phrase 来不及 (lái bu jí) to indicate that:
http://www.e-putonghua.com/zone/index.php/2016/11/01/grammar-40/
Twitter: @eputonghua
Using 的 (de) with people
Beginner The word 的 is used as a possessive, but when we’re describing people, we don’t always have to use it. When can we ignore it?
http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/21711/using-%e7%9a%84-with-people
Are months 月 (yuè) or 月份 (yuè fèn)?
Advanced Which word should be used when talking about months? The answer, of course, depends:
http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/%E6%9C%88-%E6%9C%88%E4%BB%BD-in-month-names.1410353/
One’s tone
Beginner How does the tone for 一 change, based on the following character’s tone?
http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/pronunciation-%E4%B8%80%E4%B8%AA-%E5%9B%9B%E4%B8%AA.3247682/
Chinese book club
Advanced Want to read and discuss a book in Chinese with other learners? This month’s book 临界·爵迹 by 郭敬民:
Organizational terms
Intermediate Someone asked a question about organizational terms, and the answers provided some insights into when and how to use each of them:
Bots
Advanced Software “bots,” which answer questions and otherwise interact with people and computers automatically, are a growing trend. How do you say “bot” in Chinese?
http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/21756/how-do-you-say-bot-in-chinese
Also published on Medium.