Mandarin Weekly #149

 

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Hi, {{! This is Mandarin Weekly #149, a free newsletter read by more than 20,000 students of Chinese around the world.

Customize Mandarin Weekly, getting only the links that are useful to you! Subscribe to Mandarin Weekly Plus for less than $1/week.

Please take advantage of our list of discounts for students of Chinese.

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Do you sell products or services for students of Chinese? Sponsor an issue, or insert a sponsored link into an upcoming edition. More information is here, on the MandarinWeekly.com “advertising” page.

Quantitative complements Intermediate Grammar

Just as you can have directional complements in Chinese, you can also have quantitative complements. Here is an examplanation, as well as a number of examples:

http://www.saporedicina.com/english/quantitative-complements-chinese/

Associated constructions Intermediate Grammar

There are lots of “associated constructions” in Chinese — words that connect between different ideas, such as “however” and “other than.” Here is an exhaustive list of such constructions, along with examples of how/when to use them:

https://www.digmandarin.com/making-clean-sweep-basic-associated-constructions-chinese.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

Saying “no” Beginner Grammar

We’ve heard that you cannot say “no” in Chinese. But still, how can you indicate the idea of “no,” or of a negative answer?

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/2017/11/20/how-to-say-no-in-chinese/

Twitter: @FluentU

Using chopsticks All Culture Video

How do you use chopsticks? That question might seem elementary to many, but others are undoubtedly happy to learn how to use this crucial Chinese (well, east Asian) tool — including how to use them to eat very non-Chinese food:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyLNPjAKqKs

Twitter: @ChinesePod

Colors Intermediate Expressions Culture Video

Perhaps you know the words for different colors in Chinese, but do you know how the colors are used in cultural contexts and expressions?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35qceH6ZVfs

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Counting one’s chickens Intermediate Story Expressions

If you’re a bit over-eager, we might say that you’re counting your chickens before they’ve hatched. Here’s a story demonstrating the equivalent Chinese expression:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/3003-2017-11-26-06-22-49

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Learning faster with harder material? All Learning

Should you read less harder material that challenges you, or more material that is at your level? The pros and cons of each approach:

http://www.hackingchinese.com/can-you-learn-chinese-faster-by-making-it-harder/

Twitter: @HackingChinese

Learning resources summary All Learning Reviews

Wondering what resources are out there, that you can use to improve your Chinese? Here is a roundup of many different courses, apps, sites, and options:

http://www.mandarinblueprint.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-chinese-onlinelearning-9agff

Twitter: @MandarinBP

Writing characters, part 2 All Characters

Writing characters is a skill that takes time to perfect, but there are tricks that definitely make it easier. Here are some more:

https://www.writtenchinese.com/how-to-handwrite-chinese-characters-with-finesse-part-2/

Twitter: @WrittenChinese

Chinese students talk about Taiwan Intermediate Culture Video

How do (mainland) Chinese students feel about being in Taiwan? Not politically, but culturally, what are the differences? A short and interesting video on the subject:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Yrp4GVjJQk

Hunting Game Advanced Culture

The latest hit TV series in China, Game of Hunting (猎场), is worth a look! Here is some info about it, if you haven’t tried it yet:

http://viewofchina.com/game-of-hunting/

Twitter: @classicchina

Introducing yourself Beginner Story

How do you introduce yourself in Chinese? This short story will demonstrate it to you:

http://mychinesereading.com/introducing-yourself/

Light snow Beginner Culture Vocabulary

Colder weather is coming (to the northern hemisphere, at least), and along with it, we can have some initial snow. Here’s a description of this season in China:

http://teresarainsegna.blogspot.co.il/2017/11/nevicata-leggera-light-snow.html

Yes, Taobao sells everything All Culture

It’s well known that Taobao sells anything and everything in China. Here are some items that you would expect would be too much, even for them:

http://www.theworldofchinese.com/2017/11/eight-products-too-weird-for-taobao-maybe/

Twitter: @WorldOfChinese

How have things been? Beginner Grammar Video

How have things been? That’s a pretty common question/greeting in Chinese, as introduced here (with numerous examples):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMMG36Q5R6Y

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Going to school Intermediate Culture Video

Going to school? Here’s a Chinese children’s song to sign while you’re on your way:

https://www.asianlanguageschool.com/all-time-favourite-chinese-songs-for-kids/

Twitter: @AlsSydney

Tofu metaphors Intermediate Expressions

Tofu isn’t just a food; it also figures in a number of Chinese expressions, as described here:

https://chinachannel.org/2017/11/21/tofu-metaphors/

Twitter: @larbchina

Tumbalalaika Intermediate Culture Video

This was a weird one, but a funny one: The Yiddish folk song, “Tumbalalaika” translated into Chinese? Not what you expect in a Chinese song, but the vocabulary (and beautiful music) are probably worth it:

https://teachmechinese.wordpress.com/2017/11/21/sing-yiddish-song-tumbalalaika-in-chinese/

Lose the accent! All Learning

How can you improve your accent when learning to speak Chinese (or any language, for that matter)? Here are some tips:

http://www.iwillteachyoualanguage.com/better-accent/

Mandarin Weekly #148

 

Image This is Mandarin Weekly #148, a free newsletter read by more than 20,000 students of Chinese around the world.

Customize Mandarin Weekly, getting only the links that are useful to you! Subscribe to Mandarin Weekly Plus for less than $1/week. Subscribe today, and make Mandarin Weekly your own personal learning tool.

Please take advantage of our list of discounts for students of Chinese.

To receive Mandarin Weekly every Monday, sign up MandarinWeekly.com. Every Tuesday, we go up on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly, Medium, at http://medium.com/@mandarinweekly, and Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly.  Please like, share, and retweet us!

Do you sell products or services for students of Chinese? Sponsor an issue, or insert a sponsored link into an upcoming edition. More information is here, on the MandarinWeekly.com “advertising” page.

Of characters and horses All Characters

Are Chinese characters pictorial representations of ideas? Yes, sort of — but they’re also much more than that:

https://chinachannel.org/2017/11/14/horse-horse-course/

Twitter: @larbchina

Using 淘宝 (táo bǎo) Advanced Culture

If you’ve ever been to China, you have probably heard of 淘宝. What’s it like to use, and how does it compare with other marketplaces? Here’s an advanced (native) description that is both good practice and useful to know:

https://medium.com/@charlieliang_18039/%E5%89%81%E6%89%8B%E5%A5%BD%E6%9C%8B%E5%8F%8B-%E6%B7%98%E5%AF%B6-1bac467fc24c

Bon voyage! Intermediate Vocabulary Video

How can you wish someone a pleasant journey? Here’s a useful phrase, and many examples of how to use it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaBugfA8sWs

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Eating exotic Chinese snacks Intermediate Vocabulary Video

When I visit China, I’m always amazed (intrigued? shocked?) by the types of snacks sold and eaten. Here are some examples of Chinese snacks and foods that you might find a bit unusual:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvhVbtoj5lU

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Six Chinese movies Advanced Culture

Want to improve your listening skills, or just be up on some good culture? Here are some movies that you can watch to do both at the same time:

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/2017/11/15/learn-chinese-watching-movies/

Twitter: @FluentU

Hot pot Intermediate Food Story

One of my favorite types of Chinese meals is hot pot; here’s a story that describes an interaction at a hot pot restaurant. Just reading the story makes my mouth water:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/13-2009-12-02-23-35-40/2998-2017-11-18-06-55-33

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Going to the mall Beginner Story

Going to the mall? So are the people in this story, who have multiple transportation options:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/2996-2017-11-17-07-28-05

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Intro to writing Beginner Characters Video

Chinese characters seem impossible to learn, and they’re certainly challenging — but you can learn them, if you learn the patterns. This video introduces some of them, such as important components to notice:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OctDk8ga-qM

Twitter: @chineseclass101

Chinese superfoods Beginner Food

Gujiberries? Green tea? China is the source of many of today’s popular health food trends. Read about their origins, and how to talk about them in Chinese:

https://www.writtenchinese.com/10-chinese-superfoods-that-will-help-balance-your-qi/

Twitter: @WrittenChinese

If time could flow backwards Advanced Story

An autobiographical story about being left behind as a child while the author’s parents worked elsewhere:

http://mychinesereading.com/time-flow-backwards/

Measuring time Intermediate Grammar

And now, measure words having to do with time! If you’re interested in counting seconds, generations, or anything in between, this will be useful:

https://www.digmandarin.com/chinese-measure-words-time-units-measure.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

Complements of degree Intermediate Grammar

In English, we modify verbs using adverbs. Chinese often uses “complements of degree,” in which we modify a verb after the verb itself. It’s often easier to understand than to explain, as you can see here:

http://www.saporedicina.com/english/complements-degree-chinese/

Tasty punishment Intermediate Story

Read (and listen to) a story about reward and punishment:

https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/lulaoshichinese/episodes/2017-11-13T19_47_28-08_00

Chinese songs All Culture

Here are some popular Chinese songs, in characters and with Pinyin — not for the music, but to improve your understanding and vocabulary:

http://www.saporedicina.com/english/songs-in-chinese/

All by yourself All Characters

The character 自 (zì) refers to oneself, and leads to many different useful, common words:

http://www.mandarinblueprint.com/blog/chinese-characters-zi

Twitter: @MandarinBP

Honestly! All Characters

Learn about the character 正 (zhèng) which means “honest” and “upright”:

http://www.mandarinblueprint.com/blog/chinese-characters-zheng

Twitter: @MandarinBP

Thickness vs. capacity Intermediate Grammar

The characters 度 and 量 are both used to describe measurements, but in different ways. Here are some insights of what to use when:

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/27642/when-should-%e5%ba%a6-be-used-when-should-%e9%87%8f-be-used

Planning in advance Beginner Grammar

Can you use 以前 () to talk about things you haven’t yet done?

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/27601/is-it-correct-ot-use-%e4%bb%a5%e5%89%8d-in-sentence-with-meaning-of-future-plans-%e6%88%91%e4%bb%a5%e5%89%8d%e6%89%93%e7%ae%97%e5%8e%bb%e5%8c%97%e4%ba%ac

Multiple verbs, how many 了 ? Advanced Grammar

If you’re describing multiple actions, do you need 了 (le) once per action, or all together?

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/27564/omitted-%e4%ba%86-for-multiple-verbs-in-sequence

Mandarin Weekly #147

 

Image

This is Mandarin Weekly #147, a free newsletter read by more than 20,000 students of Chinese around the world.

Want to personalize Mandarin Weekly for your own level and interests? Subscribe to Mandarin Weekly Plus: For less than $1/week, or 50¢/week for students.  Subscribe today!

Please take advantage of our list of discounts for students of Chinese.

To receive Mandarin Weekly every Monday, sign up MandarinWeekly.com. Every Tuesday, we go up on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly, Medium, at http://medium.com/@mandarinweekly, and Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly.  Please like, share, and retweet us!

Do you sell products or services for students of Chinese? Sponsor an issue, or insert a sponsored link into an upcoming edition. More information is here, on the MandarinWeekly.com “advertising” page.

Ideograms Beginner Characters

Some Chinese characters are hard to learn, remember, and make sense of. But others do try to mimic the idea they represent. Here are a number of these, along with the bigrams (i.e., two-character words) that we can form from them:

https://www.writtenchinese.com/lets-get-abstract-with-chinese-ideograms/

Twitter: @WrittenChinese

Directional complements Intermediate Grammar

In many cases, you can take a Chinese verb and add a directional component to it, altering its meaning. (Think of “throw up” vs. “throw out” vs. “throw at,” and you’ll get the basic idea, although it’s much more extensive and standard in Chinese.) Here is an introduction to this important idea, and some good examples:

http://www.saporedicina.com/english/directional-complements-chinese/

Famous Chinese myths All Culture Story

You’re likely familiar with biblical and Greek myths, and perhaps some from other cultures in the world. But what are Chinese myths, and how do they express themselves in modern Chinese culture?

https://www.tutormandarin.net/en/famous-chinese-myth/

Twitter: @MyTutorMandarin

Using 就 (jiù) Beginner Grammar Video

You can use 就 in a few different ways; this video describes a number of them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rRxupXIY-Q

Twitter: @chineseclass101

Winter is coming Intermediate Culture Vocabulary

Winter is now arriving, and China marks it in various ways. Here are some terms and cultural ideas that have to do with the weather as it gets colder:

http://teresarainsegna.blogspot.co.il/2017/11/inizio-dellinverno-beginning-of-winter.html

Text games for learning Chinese Intermediate Learning

Want to improve your learning through some fun games? Introducing text games for learning Chinese, a new way to improve your fluency and understanding:

http://www.hackingchinese.com/five-text-games-for-chinese-learners/

Twitter: @HackingChinese

The blind men and the elephant Intermediate Story

This classic story is retold here in slow Chinese:

https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/lulaoshichinese/episodes/2017-11-05T14_01_14-08_00

How not to learn Chinese All Learning

Some people try to learn Chinese on their own, and they generally fail. Why? Because they don’t take certain ideas into account:

http://www.mandarinblueprint.com/blog/qqz7uhfuj1ncyuoqhulci3mbxiv24q

Twitter: @MandarinBP

League of Legends Intermediate Vocabulary

League of Legends is a multiplayer video game — and when you play it on Chinese servers, everything is in Chinese! This is great for improving your vocabulary and comprehension, but you might need a boost to get started, which this post provides:

http://mychinesereading.com/league-legends-chinese-vocabulary/

Chinese dialects All Culture

You might have heard that Chinese is a family of languages, with a number of dialects, varieties, or other such terms. What does this mean, and how close are the various languages to one another?

https://medium.com/@LingQ_Central/just-how-many-chinese-dialects-are-there-93f236cba6e0

Singles’ day All Culture

November 11th (11.11) is “Singles’ Day,” which is described as a “holiday,” but which is actually an excuse to do lots of shopping, and especially online shopping. What is it, and how did it start?

https://www.tutormandarin.net/en/singles-day-china/

Twitter: @MyTutorMandarin

Traditional vs. simplified characters All Characters

What are the differences between traditional and simplified characters, and what are the trade-offs?

http://www.theworldofchinese.com/2017/11/character-assassination/

Twitter: @WorldOfChinese

Quick tone practice Beginner Pronunciation Video

Want to improve your tones? Keep track of them with this four-character sentence, explained in a short video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rZv8Masr9Q

Twitter: @YoYoChinese

Visiting 平乐古镇 (píng lè gǔ zhèn) All Travel

The ancient town of Pingle can be an interesting view of ancient Chinese life, and it’s not too far from Chengdu:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/pingle-ancient-town/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

Survival phrases Beginner Vocabulary

Planning to visit China, but you haven’t yet learned much Chinese? Here are some basic phrases you can and should learn before visiting:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/chinese-survival-phrases/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

Buying eyeglasses Beginner Vocabulary Culture

Buying eyeglasses is a standard sort of actiivty, but have you ever done it in Chinese, or even in China? Learn some vocabulary and the way in which an exam is done:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/getting-glasses-in-chinese/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

Promotion Beginner Story

A short story about getting promoted at work:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/2992-2017-11-12-04-43-06

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Yes! Beginner Vocabulary

There isn’t any one word for “yes” in Chinese, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t any way to say “yes.” Instead, there are many ways, as shown here:

https://chinesepod.com/blog/2017/11/10/how-to-say-yes-in-chinese-18-ways-to-express-agreement-in-mandarin/

Twitter: @ChinesePod

More measure words Intermediate Grammar

Here’s another list of mirror words you can use when discussing speech, writing, and machines:

https://www.digmandarin.com/chinese-measure-words-speech-writing-machines-vehicles.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

Listing examples Intermediate Grammar

Where can you use 比如 (bǐ rú) in a list of examples — only at the beginning, or at the end, as well?

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/27491/is-it-possible-to-use-%e6%af%94%e5%a6%82-at-the-end-of-a-list-of-examples

Character simplification Advanced Characters

A mixed simplified-traditional character results in a long and fascinating discussion about the simplification of Chinese characters:

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/27485/why-is-%e5%bc%80-written-within-a-%e9%97%a8-in-this-sign-without-being-written-%e9%96%8b

Mandarin Weekly #146

 

Image

This is Mandarin Weekly #146, a free newsletter read by more than 20,000 students of Chinese around the world.

Want to personalize Mandarin Weekly for your own level and interests? Subscribe to Mandarin Weekly Plus: For less than $1/week, or 50¢/week for students.  Subscribe today!

Please take advantage of our list of discounts for students of Chinese.

To receive Mandarin Weekly every Monday, sign up MandarinWeekly.com. Every Tuesday, we go up on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly, Medium, at http://medium.com/@mandarinweekly, and Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly.  Please like, share, and retweet us!

,b>Do you sell products or services for students of Chinese? Sponsor an issue, or insert a sponsored link into an upcoming edition. More information is here, on the MandarinWeekly.com “advertising” page.

Practicing tones Beginner Pronunciation

How can you recognize and practice tones? Here are some ways to think about them and get yourself to hear and say them:

https://chinese.lingobus.com/2017/11/03/chinese-tones-their-importance-and-creative-ways-to-practice-them/

Twitter: @Lingo_Bus

More measure words Intermediate Grammar

Measure words are an essential part of Chinese grammar. Here are measure words for a variety of categories, including speech, machines, and collections:

https://www.digmandarin.com/chinese-measure-words-speech-writing-machines-vehicles.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

More measure words Intermediate Grammar

Measure words are an essential part of Chinese grammar. Here are measure words for a variety of categories, including speech, machines, and collections:

https://www.digmandarin.com/chinese-measure-words-pairs-groups-collections.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

Steamed buns All Food Culture

Do you like steamed buns, known as 包子 (bāo zi)? If so, then you’ll love this description of the many varities of 包子, from China’s regions as well as newly concocted tastes:

http://www.theworldofchinese.com/2017/11/steam-of-rivals/

Twitter: @WorldOfChinese

Taoist parables Intermediate Story Culture

Taoism has many parables meant to teach us moral lessons. Here is one you can read and learn from, both to improve your Chinese and to (perhaps) have some extra-deep thoughts:

https://www.writtenchinese.com/taoist-parables-chinese-farmer-story/

Twitter: @WrittenChinese

The character 提 (tí) Intermediate Characters

The character 提 is all about rising up, or bringing up. Here is a rundown of the character, along with some words and phrases in which it is used:

http://www.mandarinblueprint.com/blog/chinese-characters-ti-1

Twitter: @MandarinBP

Online resource summary All Learning

Where can you go to learn Chinese online? Here is a roundup of some well known apps, resources, and companies that can help you to improve your Chinese fluency:

https://medium.com/@manblue/the-ultimate-guide-to-chinese-online-learning-f6009a5371de

Whatever! Who cares? Intermediate Grammar Video

How can you say, “Whatever! I don’t care!” It might not be polite, but it’s a useful phrase to know how to say:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNMvBT2F6Nc

Twitter: @ECLSchool

What do you think about… Beginner Grammar Video

What do you think about someone? This video introduces this phrase in Chinese, and demonstrates it in a number of situations:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8DNK46mGRU

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Getting angry, getting in shape Intermediate Story

The story of a man who would run every time he got angry:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/2986-2017-11-02-17-38-25

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Weekend activity Beginner Story

What did you do over the weekend?

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/2984-2017-11-02-17-38-24

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Visiting Dailian All Travel

Dailian is a city in northern China with Russian influence and a lot of sea-related food and things to do. Here’s a guide to getting there, and what you should do once you arrive:

http://www.saporedicina.com/english/travel-to-dalian/

Halloween party Beginner Story

Halloween is increasingly celebrated around the world; here is a short story about a party in China:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/2981-2017-11-01-07-37-35

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Fancy clothes Advanced Story

You think you have some fancy clothes? Read about some very expensive, nice ones that people in China wore long ago:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/13-2009-12-02-23-35-40/2982-2017-11-01-09-16-33

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Different types of Chinese Intermediate Grammar

How do we refer to Chinese citizens living abroad? Or foreigners living in China? Or Chinese citizens living in China?

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/27378/words-that-have-confusing-meanings-in-a-diplomatic-notice

Using 弄 (nòng) Intermediate Grammar

The word 弄 can mean “to make,” but how is that different from other verbs, such as 做 (zuò)? Here are some insights into their respective uses:

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/27403/how-to-use-%e5%bc%84-in-a-sentence

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This is Mandarin Weekly #144, a free newsletter read by more than 20,000 students of Chinese around the world.

Customize Mandarin Weekly for your interests and learning level, and support the creation of each issue, by subscribing to Mandarin Weekly Plus. It costs less than $1/week, and less than 50¢/week for students. Click here to subscribe!

If you enjoy Mandarin Weekly, please share it with others. And don’t forget to take advantage of our list of discounts for students of Chinese.

To receive Mandarin Weekly every Monday, sign up MandarinWeekly.com. Every Tuesday, we go up on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly, Medium, at http://medium.com/@mandarinweekly, and Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly.  Please like, share, and retweet us!

If you offer products or services aimed at students of Chinese, and want to sponsor one or more issues, then please contact Reuven at reuven@lerner.co.il.

Chinese number slang Intermediate Culture

Chinese has many homophones and almost-homophones, which has led to many word games and puns. “Number slang” is a version of this, in which each number can represent one or more characters with similar sounds:

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/2017/10/16/chinese-number-slang/

Twitter: @FluentU

Measure words Intermediate Grammar

Mirror words are an essential part of Chinese grammar. Here are two lists of mirror words that you can incorporate into your speaking and writing:

https://www.digmandarin.com/chinese-measure-words-events-buildings-structures.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

Measure words Intermediate Grammar

Mirror words are an essential part of Chinese grammar. Here are two lists of mirror words that you can incorporate into your speaking and writing:

https://www.digmandarin.com/chinese-measure-words-foods-household-items-clothing.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

WeChat tutorial All Culture

微信 aka WeChat, is enormously popular in China. After installing it, how can you use it? Here’s a full guide. Feel free to add me (“ReuvenLerner” is my username) as a friend!

http://www.saporedicina.com/english/how-to-use-wechat-or-weixin/

Understanding tones Beginner Pronunciation

People unfamiliar with Chinese are sure that tones are difficult to learn. And for sure, when you’re starting, tones can be hard. But here’s an introduction that describes why you shouldn’t fear them too much:

https://chinachannel.org/2017/10/17/what-about-tones/

Twitter: @larbchina

Apps for reading All Reviews

There are numerous apps to help you read Chinese better. Here are some of them, along with a review of their strengths and weaknesses:

https://www.tutormandarin.net/en/6-best-learn-read-chinese-apps/

Twitter: @MyTutorMandarin

Science Fiction — in Chinese Advanced Learning

If you are learning Chinese and enjoy science fiction, then why not read science fiction in Chinese? Here are some recommended books and authors for you to try:

https://chinesepod.com/blog/2017/10/20/read-chinese-science-fiction/

Twitter: @ChinesePod

Online class review Beginner Learning Reviews

A roundup and review of many online (recorded) classes for learning Chinese:

https://www.alllanguageresources.com/online-chinese-courses/

Final A, initial B Beginner Pronunciation Video

Pronunciation is important in Chinese; in this video lesson, we learn about “initials” and “finals,” and how to pronounce some basic sounds:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kRJ8cKrYVk

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Sichuan cuisine — more than just spicy All Food

Sichuanese food is a famous cuisine of China. What can you expect when you eat it, and where can you expect to find or get it?

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/an-intro-to-sichuan-cuisine/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

Beijing Opera All Culture

Beijing Opera is a famous form of music and culture. But what is it, when is it from, and what is it like?

https://www.writtenchinese.com/mei-lan-fang-king-peking-opera/

Twitter: @WrittenChinese

How are you? Beginner Vocabulary Video

If someone asks you how you are doing, how can you answer in Chinese? Here are a few phrases you can learn and then use in your responses:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwbB1Bc0drQ

Twitter: @chineseclass101

Factory tour Beginner Story

This short story talks about visiting a company and getting a factory tour:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/2971-2017-10-20-03-16-26

Twitter: @imandarinpod

The story of Guan Yu Intermediate Story

关羽 (guān yǔ) is a famous figure in Chinese history; learn about him and his times in this story:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/15-2009-12-02-23-37-29/2967-2017-10-15-07-01-30

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Using 之 (zhī) Advanced Grammar

What does the character 之 mean, and how is it used?

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/27101/what-does-%e4%b9%8b-mean-in-this-sentence

Roads and paths Intermediate Grammar

If a road is 路 (lù), then why is the Chinese national highway 国道 (guó dào)?

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/27044/why-is-china-national-highway-called-%E5%9B%BD%E9%81%93-instead-of-%E5%9B%BD%E8%B7%AF

Alcohol to the max Advanced Grammar

What does the term 十分酒 (shí fēn jiǔ) mean, and how does it relate to Chinese poetry?

https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/%E5%8D%81%E5%88%86%E9%85%92.3381177/

Mandarin Weekly #143

ImageThis is Mandarin Weekly #143, a free newsletter read by more than 20,000 students of Chinese around the world.

Customize Mandarin Weekly for your interests and learning level, and support the creation of each issue, by subscribing to Mandarin Weekly Plus. It costs less than $1/week, and less than 50¢/week for students. Click here to subscribe!

If you enjoy Mandarin Weekly, please share it with others. And don’t forget to take advantage of our list of discounts for students of Chinese.

To receive Mandarin Weekly every Monday, sign up MandarinWeekly.com. Every Tuesday, we go up on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly, Medium, at http://medium.com/@mandarinweekly, and Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly.  Please like, share, and retweet us!

If you offer products or services aimed at students of Chinese, and want to sponsor one or more issues, then please contact Reuven at reuven@lerner.co.il.

Expression for bad times Intermediate Story

When things aren’t so good, here’s a story with a useful expression to describe the times:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/2965-2017-10-13-02-12-35

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Funny phrases Intermediate Expressions

Ha, ha! Here are some humorous phrases you can use in Chinese:

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/2017/10/11/funny-chinese-phrases/

Twitter: @FluentU

Daily activities Beginner Vocabulary

Perhaps our daily activities — sleeping, eating, going to work or school, and speaking on the phone — are mundane, but they also come up in daily conversation:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/my-day-in-chinese/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

Apps for speaking Beginner Pronunciation Reviews

There are lots of apps for learning Chinese. But how many of them will help you to speak more accurately? Here is a review of several such apps, which you can install and use on your phone:

https://www.tutormandarin.net/en/5-best-learn-to-speak-chinese-apps/

Twitter: @MyTutorMandarin

How’s the weather? Beginner Grammar Video

How is the weather? This video explores this question and its possible answers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkKZfKb_Bac

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Happy birthday! Beginner Grammar Video

Happy birthday to you, or to someone you know! This video tells you how you can wish others a happy birthday, and tells you about Chinese birthday culture:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EE3whGV3OPU

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Song compilation Beginner Video

Over the last few months, Chinese Buddy has produced a number of music videos to teach simple Chinese words and phrases. Here is a compilation of their composer’s most favorite songs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6AUNVRpGzo

Twitter: @ChineseBuddy

Conversation starters Beginner Learning

So you’ve been learning Chinese, end up in a Chinese-speaking environment, and … what do you talk about? Here are some subjects you can try to use to open up a conversation:

https://www.digmandarin.com/topics-chinese-conversation.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

NBA teams All Vocabulary

Do you follow NBA basketball? Here are all of the team names, as they’re known in Chinese:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/chinese-names-for-all-30-nba-teams/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

Getting fluent All Learning

How can you get fluent with Chinese? Here are some tips, whether you’re living in China or not:

https://medium.com/@wheatpond/its-probably-time-to-learn-chinese-63587376c2d2

Moonlight verse Advanced Story

Mid-Autumn Festival is over, but stories about the moon and its light continue to appear:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/13-2009-12-02-23-35-40/2962-2017-10-11-07-36-47

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Watching Chinese TV Intermediate Learning

A great way to improve your Chinese is by watching TV. Here are some shows you should check out:

https://blog.hutong-school.com/chinese-tv-shows/

Twitter: @hutongschool

Chinese funerals, in movies and real life All Culture

Funerals and death rituals aren’t a fun topic, but it is an important part of understanding Chinese culture. Here is a description of these rituals, along with reviews of several films that depict them:

https://www.tutormandarin.net/en/almost-heaven/

Twitter: @MyTutorMandarin

Agree or disagree Intermediate Expressions

Agree or disagree with someone, you should express your feelings on a subject. Here are some ways to say “I agree” and “I disagree” in Chinese with a bit of flair:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtXuLnmIN0Y

Twitter: @chineseclass101

Review: Chinese for Us Beginner Learning Reviews

A review of “Chinese For Us,” an online to help you learn Chinese:

https://www.alllanguageresources.com/chinese-for-us/

Ask a doctor Beginner Story

If you get hit by a car, maybe you should ask a doctor before proclaiming yourself well, as this story points out:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/2963-2017-10-11-08-00-07

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Classic poems Intermediate Culture

Chinese poetry has been around for many years, and can be challenging for beginners to learn — but also gives you insights and understanding into Chinese history, literature, and language. Here’s an introduction to some classic poetry:

http://www.fluentinmandarin.com/content/learn-chinese-through-famous-classical-poems/

Twitter: @Fluent_Mandarin

ChinesePod questions All Video

The hosts of ChinesePod’s videos get personal with two videos about their own lives and life in Taiwan; there might not be a lot of language learning here, but it’s great fun for all ChinesePod fans:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAAbCJ-ipYk

Twitter: @ChinesePod

ChinesePod questions All Video

The hosts of ChinesePod’s videos get personal with two videos about their own lives and life in Taiwan; there might not be a lot of language learning here, but it’s great fun for all ChinesePod fans:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7U-gEvnWC5Q

Twitter: @ChinesePod

So many ifs! Intermediate Grammar

There are many ways to say “if” in Chinese; what is the difference between them?

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/27033/what-is-the-difference-among-many-if-words

Source of politeness Intermediate Vocabulary

The word 客气 (kè qì) means “polite.” How did the words for “guest” and “air” end up with this meaning?

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/26939/how-does-%e5%ae%a2-k%c3%a8-customer-guest-and-%e6%b0%94-q%c3%ac-gas-anger-combine-to-give-%e5%ae%a2%e6%b0%94

高兴 (gāo xìng) vs. 开心 (kāi xīn) Intermediate Vocabulary

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between these two words? Now you can know:

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/26933/gaoxing-%E9%AB%98%E5%85%B4-vs-kaixin-%E5%BC%80%E5%BF%83

Different types of black Intermediate Grammar

You can say “black” in two ways in Chinese; what is the difference between these words?

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/26899/%E9%BB%91-and-%E4%B9%8C-talking-about-colours

Mandarin Weekly #142

ImageThis is Mandarin Weekly #142, a free newsletter read by more than 20,000 students of Chinese around the world.

 

Subscribe to Mandarin Weekly Plus

Support Mandarin Weekly and customize what you see! Subscribe to Mandarin Weekly Plus, for less than $1/week (or 50¢/week for students).

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To receive Mandarin Weekly every Monday, sign up MandarinWeekly.com. Every Tuesday, we go up on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly, Medium, at http://medium.com/@mandarinweekly, and Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly.  Please like, share, and retweet us!

If you offer products or services aimed at students of Chinese, and want to sponsor one or more issues, then please contact Reuven at reuven@lerner.co.il.

Mid-Autumn Festival vocabulary Beginner Culture Video

What are traditional ways to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival? Watching the moon and eating moon cakes, as described here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HSKgHsCJA4

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Mid-Autumn Festival traditions Beginner Culture Vocabulary

Everyone is talking about the Mid-Autumn Festival; here are some more phrases and traditions to learn:

https://www.tutormandarin.net/en/chinese-mid-autumn-festival/

Twitter: @MyTutorMandarin

A Mid-Autumn story Beginner Story Culture

Read a short story about the origins of Mid-Autumn Festival:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/2960-2017-10-03-11-53-49

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Mid-Autumn dialogues Beginner Culture Vocabulary Video

This introduction to Mid-Autumn Festival goes over vocabulary and traditions includes interviews with native Chinese about how they celebrate the holiday:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH1SG66VU-k

Twitter: @YoYoChinese

National Day All Culture Vocabulary

Residents of China are celebrating two holidays — Mid-Autumn Festival, and also National Day. This article describes both, but has some great tidbits about National Day, including the Chinese anthem:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/national-day-and-mid-autumn-festival/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

Describing textures Intermediate Vocabulary Video

Here’s a fun game: Touch an object, describe it in Chinese, and then guess what it is. Amusing and useful for some additional descriptive words:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW_raRfxpFU

Twitter: @ChinesePod

Drinking alcohol All Culture Vocabulary Video

Want to drink either 白酒 (bái jiǔ) or 黄酒 (huáng jiǔ)? Here is some background on them, as well as vocabulary and cultural information about making and drinking them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du7qliD2lDM

Twitter: @ChinesePod

Chinese vs. Japanese vs. Korean All Learning

Some people want to learn not only Chinese, but also Japanese and Korean. Are these languages similar to one another? And in what order should you pursue studying them?

https://www.digmandarin.com/master-three-languages-chinese-japanese-korean.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

More measure words! Intermediate Grammar

Measure words are an essential part of Chinese grammar. Here are some measure words that you might not know, along with examples of everyday objects that use them:

https://www.digmandarin.com/chinese-measure-words-size-shape-wrapped-items.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

You’re really something Intermediate Grammar Video

Want to indicate amazement at someone’s abilities, or (by contrast) their amazing foolishness? In both cases, you can say 你可以呀 (nĭ kĕyĭ ya):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3znEIXI070

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Pinyin and pronunciation All Pronunciation

An important part of Chinese is correct pronounciation. And for most people learning Chinese, that means knowing how to correctly pronounce each of the Pinyin syllables. Here are some hints for how to learn and improve your pronounciation, starting with Pinyin:

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/2017/10/05/chinese-pinyin-pronunciation/

Twitter: @FluentU

Twitter feeds to follow All Learning

There are lots of great Twitter feeds for people learning Chinese (other than @MandarinWeekly, of course). Here are 10 that you should definitely be watching:

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/2017/10/02/learn-chinese-twitter/

Twitter: @FluentU

Using vocabulary lists All Learning Characters

Are vocabulary lists useful? Perhaps; a previous post talked about that. But if you have a good list, how can you use it most effectively to learn and absorb new vocabulary?

http://www.hackingchinese.com/different-lists-for-learning-chinese/

Twitter: @HackingChinese

Good morning! Intermediate Culture Vocabulary

What do you do each morning? Get up, brush your teeth, wash your face, have breakfast… Do you know how to say each of these in Chinese? This article takes you through a typical morning for many people, and reviews the vocabulary and phrases you’ll need:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/a-good-morning-routine-in-chinese/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

Getting service Beginner Vocabulary

If you’re not sure what (or how) to call the service person where you are, you can use the term 劳驾 (láo jià):

http://www.theworldofchinese.com/2017/10/the-magic-word-for-addressing-strangers/

Twitter: @WorldOfChinese

All about Go Intermediate Vocabulary

The game of Go 围棋 (wéi qí) is ancient and yet remains challenging, and is popular in China. Here are some additional thoughts and vocabulary words about this game:

http://www.theworldofchinese.com/2017/10/on-the-character-%e6%a3%8b/

Twitter: @WorldOfChinese

Tea ceremony Beginner Culture Vocabulary Video

Tea is an iconic drink in China, and serving (and drinking) it includes a ceremony, as describes here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQLJ-w1-oOE

Twitter: @ChinesePod

Teacher’s Day Beginner Vocabulary Culture

You should always show respect to (and appreciation for) your teachers, but here’s information about Teacher’s Day, a holiday in China and Taiwan (albeit on different days):

https://www.tutormandarin.net/en/chinese-teachers-day/

Twitter: @MyTutorMandarin

Idiomatic expressions Intermediate Expressions

Your Chinese will sound more natural and authentic when you use native expressions. Here are some great ones to begin using in your conversations:

http://www.saporedicina.com/english/idiomatic-expressions-chinese/

Pumping gas Intermediate Grammar

How do you say that you want to put gas in your car?

https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/%E6%88%91%E8%A6%81%E7%BB%99%E8%BD%A6%E5%8A%A0%E6%B2%B9.3374100/

Mandarin Weekly #141

Image

This is Mandarin Weekly #141, a free newsletter read by more than 20,000 students of Chinese around the world.

Customize Mandarin Weekly for your interests and learning level, and support the creation of each issue, by subscribing to Mandarin Weekly Plus. It costs less than $1/week, and less than 50¢/week for students. Click here to subscribe!

If you enjoy Mandarin Weekly, please share it with others. And don’t forget to take advantage of our list of discounts for students of Chinese.

To receive Mandarin Weekly every Monday, sign up MandarinWeekly.com. Every Tuesday, we go up on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly, Medium, at http://medium.com/@mandarinweekly, and Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly.  Please like, share, and retweet us!

If you offer products or services aimed at students of Chinese, and want to sponsor one or more issues, then please contact Reuven at reuven@lerner.co.il.

Describing people Beginner Culture Grammar

How do you describe people? You can describe their personality and/or their appearance. Here, we get some basic terms for describing people:

http://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/2017/09/25/chinese-adjectives-to-describe-a-person/

Twitter: @FluentU

Family words Beginner Grammar

Chinese family words are more complex than in many languages, because they take the side (mother vs. father) and age (elder vs. younger) into account. Here are some basic terms to describe family members:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/family-vocabulary-in-chinese/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

Hacking Chinese challenge All Learning

Want to improve your reading? Join the Hacking Chinese reading challenge, and read as much as you can during the month of October:

http://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-reading-challenge-october-2017/

Twitter: @HackingChinese

Basic radicals Beginner Characters

When you first start to learn Chinese, the characters all look the same, A key part in distinguishing them is the “radicals,” which can be used to classify (and then remember) many characters’ meanings. Here are some examples:

https://medium.com/@LingQ_Central/break-it-down-chinese-radicals-for-beginners-28c44c5e4fbb

Mid-Autumn Festival All Culture

What is the mid-Autumn Festival, which begins this week? Here is a description of the history, culture, and celebration:

http://www.saporedicina.com/english/chinese-mid-autumn-festival/

Ancient Chinese history All Culture

Chinese civilization started about 4,000 years ago. But what about before then? Here is a description of ancient Chinese civilization:

https://www.writtenchinese.com/neolithic-china-beginnings-chinese-civilization/

Twitter: @WrittenChinese

Utensils Beginner Culture Vocabulary Video

What utensils are used for eating in China? And what cultural beliefs are associated with them? All is explained in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA7HB6cnG1Y

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Learning challenges (and solutions) Intermediate Learning

What are some problems that people face when learning Chinese? What models for success should we follow?

http://carlgene.com/blog/2017/10/lecture-1-how-to-improve-foreign-language-students-learning-habits-and-methods/

Twitter: @carlfordham

Planning ahead Intermediate Story

In this two-part story, a family learns to plan and take precautions:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/15-2009-12-02-23-37-29/2954-2017-09-27-02-47-22

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Planning ahead Intermediate Story

In this two-part story, a family learns to plan and take precautions:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/15-2009-12-02-23-37-29/2956-2017-09-28-05-27-37

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Quality, not just quantity Intermediate Story

In this story, we learn that it’s not how much you do, but how well you do it:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/2957-2017-09-29-01-25-01

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Mandarin Weekly #139

 

Image

This is Mandarin Weekly #139, a free newsletter read by more than 20,000 students of Chinese around the world.

Customize Mandarin Weekly for your interests and learning level, and support the creation of each issue, by subscribing to Mandarin Weekly Plus. It costs less than $1/week, and less than 50¢/week for students. Click here to subscribe!

If you enjoy Mandarin Weekly, please share it with others. And don’t forget to take advantage of our list of discounts for students of Chinese.

To receive Mandarin Weekly every Monday, sign up MandarinWeekly.com. Every Tuesday, we go up on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly, Medium, at http://medium.com/@mandarinweekly, and Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly.  Please like, share, and retweet us!

If you offer products or services aimed at students of Chinese, and want to sponsor one or more issues, then please contact Reuven at reuven@lerner.co.il.

Step by Step, by MayDay Intermediate Culture Video

May Day is a popular Taiwanese band. Follow and learn one of their most popular songs, to get a better sense of Chinese culture — and of course, to learn some new words and phrases. And if nothing else, the video has some amazing pictures of an elephant:

https://www.tutormandarin.net/en/learn-chinese-song/

Twitter: @MyTutorMandarin

Sad words Beginner Vocabulary Video

Feeling down? Express it in Chinese with the words introduced in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjAQIXh2QV8

Twitter: @chineseclass101

App roundup All Reviews

Which apps should you use to learn Chinese? Here is a list of the best and best-known ones:

https://www.chinasmack.com/5-best-mandarin-chinese-learning-apps

Improve your speech All Reviews

Chinese is hard to pronounce for many foreigners — and yet, pronunciation is key if you’re going to gain fluency. Here is a review of Speechling, which tries to help you improve your pronounciation:

https://www.alllanguageresources.com/speechling-review/

Invented in China All Culture

Lots of everyday objects were invented in China. What things? Here’s a list that is almost guaranteed to surprise you:

https://www.writtenchinese.com/10-things-you-didnt-know-were-invented-in-china/

Twitter: @WrittenChinese

Vocabulary lists All Learning

Many blogs offer long lists of related vocabulary for you to study. Is that a good way to go? Here are some thoughts:

http://www.hackingchinese.com/should-you-learn-chinese-vocabulary-from-lists/

Twitter: @HackingChinese

So sorry! Intermediate Vocabulary Video

Are you sorry about something? You can express your remorse in a few ways, as described in this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR8JUUs3wVM

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Chinese covers Intermediate Culture Video

Have you ever dreamed of listening to Western hits, translated into Chinese, sung by Chinese artists? Of course you have! Here are five Chinese versions of hits you might know, but sounding oh-so-slightly different:

http://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/2017/09/14/learn-chinese-with-music/

Twitter: @FluentU

The “Gao Kao” entrance exam All Culture

Chinese students who want to attend a university take the 高考 (gāo kǎo) exam, which can have a huge affect on their future. Here is a summary of what’s on the exam, how students take it, and how they prepare:

http://www.saporedicina.com/english/school-gao-kao/

Early success Intermediate Vocabulary Learning

How can you learn Chinese successfully? One way is to wake up early. But 早 (zǎo) has multiple meanings, as we see here:

https://themandarincornerblog.com/2017/09/11/is-this-the-key-to-langauge-learning-success/

Buying tickets Beginner Story

Planning to travel? This short story about airline tickets will get you in the mood:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/2943-2017-09-14-06-51-03

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Different kinds of “late” Intermediate Grammar

Both 迟 (chí) and. 晚 (wǎn) can mean “late,” but in different ways:

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/26511/%e9%81%b2-vs-%e6%99%9a-in-mandarin-when-to-use-which-one

Recognizing vs. knowing Intermediate Grammar

The word 认识 (rèn shì) means to recognize, and 知道 (zhī dào) means to know. But are there times when it’s not obvious which to use, or when they have subtly different (but overlapping) meanings?

https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/%E8%AE%A4%E8%AF%86-%E7%9F%A5%E9%81%93.3367207/

Talking vs. reporting Intermediate Grammar

Using 报告 (bào gào) or 演讲 (yǎn jiǎng) to describe a speech:

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/26508/when-should-one-use-%e6%8a%a5%e5%91%8a-b%c3%a0og%c3%a0o-or-%e6%bc%94%e8%ae%b2-y%c7%8enji%c7%8eng-when-saying-to-give-a-talk

Mandarin Weekly #138

Image

This is Mandarin Weekly #138, a free newsletter read by more than 20,000 students of Chinese around the world.

If you enjoy Mandarin Weekly, please share it with others. And don’t forget to take advantage of our list of discounts for students of Chinese.

To receive Mandarin Weekly every Monday, sign up MandarinWeekly.com. Every Tuesday, we go up on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly, Medium, at http://medium.com/@mandarinweekly, and Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly.  Please like, share, and retweet us!

If you offer products or services aimed at students of Chinese, and want to sponsor one or more issues, then please contact Reuven at reuven@lerner.co.il.

Giveaway: Free lessons with LaoShi.co.uk

ImageGet yourself a Fun, Qualified and Hand-Picked online Chinese Teacher with LaoShi.co.uk.
To celebrate the beginning of LaoShi.co.uk we are running a competition with Mandarin Weekly! Yay.
Two lucky folks will win 5 classes each! That is 5 private classes with your very own LaoShi.

Just click here: https://mandarinweekly.com/giveaways/542/ and sign up (for free!) for a chance to win five free Chinese classes.  Share with your friends on social media to get even more chances to win!
Well, we think we are onto something great and we could do with a little support so, the first 5 of you to schedule a class over at LaoShi.co.uk using Coupon Code SMILE will get a free class too. We will contact you after your class to ask a few questions, we hope you don’t mind :).
Want to find out more? take a look at our delicious new site www.LaoShi.co.uk/Welcome


Again, the giveaway is here, at https://mandarinweekly.com/giveaways/542/ !

Read faster All Characters

How can you become a faster, more fluent reader of Chinese? Lots of practice, of course — but here are some more concrete tips regarding how to structure your reading for optimal improvement:

http://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-reading-speed-revisited/

Twitter: @HackingChinese

Intro to Chinese Beginner Learning

Are you completely new to learning Chinese? Then this article, which introduces the language and what you’ll have to learn in a very structured way, should be very useful to you:

http://www.iwillteachyoualanguage.com/learn-chinese/

Learning progression Intermediate Learning

Learning Chinese takes time, effort, and some help. But given limited time (which is always an issue), what are some of the best ways that you can improve your Chinese? This “minimum effort” guide describes some of the things you can do for Chinese fluency to come more easily:

https://www.tutormandarin.net/en/learn-chinese-minimum-effort/

Twitter: @MyTutorMandarin

Time for school Beginner Vocabulary

School is back in season in China, and in many other countries, as well. Here is a list of supplies you (and/or your children) will need, in Chinese:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/chinese-school-vocabulary/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

School subjects Beginner Vocabulary

And if you’re in school, then what are you studying? Here is a list of the different subjects you (or your children) might want to take — or might have to take, even if you don’t want to:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/school-subjects-in-chinese/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

Writing a resume (CV) All Culture

Creating a resume (CV) to apply for jobs in China? Here’s a guide to how to write one like a native, including lots of great job-search-related vocabulary:

https://www.digmandarin.com/chinese-resume-cv-sample-template-download.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

Truth in advertising Beginner Story

It’s not quite a new episode of Mad Men, but this story does talk about advertising:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/2940-2017-09-09-08-54-48

Twitter: @imandarinpod

二 (èr) or 两 (liǎng)? Beginner Grammar Video

There are two ways to say “two” in Chinese, 二 and 两. Why are there two, and when do you use each one?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU5BOCdXbyk

Twitter: @chineseclass101

Missing America Intermediate Vocabulary Video

What do you miss about America when in China? In this video, we’ll learn some useful vocabulary for describing American products:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp1VFu27l8o

Twitter: @ChineseWithEmma

Let’s do it! Beginner Grammar Video

How do you say to your friends, “Let’s do it!” The 吧 (ba) particle is what you need:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2BySQPZPaQ

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Fluenz review Beginner Reviews

Fluenz offers you the chance to learn Chinese. How does it stack up against other Chinese-learning options?

https://www.alllanguageresources.com/fluenz-review/

Have you eaten? Beginner Grammar Video

A common Chinese greeting is “Have you eaten?” How do you respond?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG4Z4BKTvV0

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Traditional music All Culture

Chinese music has a long history, with songs and instruments that are quite foreign to Western eyes and ears. This article introduces many aspects of Chinese music:

https://www.writtenchinese.com/what-need-know-zhong-guo-feng-music/

Twitter: @WrittenChinese

Hey, everybody! Intermediate Grammar

What is the difference between 各位 (gè wèi) and 大家 (dà jiā)?

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/26411/what-distinguishes-%e5%90%84%e4%bd%8d-g%c3%a8w%c3%a8i-from-%e5%a4%a7%e5%ae%b6-d%c3%a0ji%c4%81

Your majesty! Intermediate Vocabulary

There is no longer an emperor, but knowing how to address one (as well as what he is called) can still come in handy:

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/26368/the-difference-between-%e7%9a%87%e5%b8%9d-and-%e7%9a%87%e4%b8%8a