Want to get a free (full, paid) copy of Hanping SoundBox? Just go to to the giveaway page, enter (for free), and then share with your friends. We’ll announce the winner in one week.
Again, the giveaway is at:
Mandarin Weekly #66
大家好！ (Hi, everyone!) Welcome to the latest Mandarin Weekly, with yet more links and information for those of us learning Chinese.
To receive Mandarin Weekly in your e-mail inbox every Monday, just use the subscription box on the left side at MandarinWeekly.com.
This week, we’re having our first Mandarin Weekly giveaway! We’ll be giving out copies of Hanping SoundBox (worth $2.99) to three people.
To enter the giveaway, just click here.
For every friend you get to register, you’ll get an additional three chances to win. The winner will be announced in about a week. We already have some other great giveaways planned, thanks to a number of companies; I’m excited to roll these out over the coming weeks, and hope to provide even more free services to students of Chinese!
In addition: As of this week, we are able to offer a number of discounts on items related to learning Chinese. I hope and expect that this list will grow, and appreciate the generosity of the companies who have provided us with such discounts. Just go to this page on our Web site for a list of the discount codes.
We’re on Twitter (at @MandarinWeekly, and also on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly. Please retweet and share our weekly postings, so that everyone can benefit from them!
No no no
Chinese doesn’t have a literal word for “no,” but that doesn’t mean you can’t say “no” in Chinese. Instead, there are other phrases and constructs you can use:
http://mandarinhq.com/2016/04/say-no-in-mandarin-chinese/
Twitter: @MandarinHQ
Taking a taxi
I’ve taken my share of taxis in China, and knowing what to say (and how to say it) is not only useful, but a great boost to your ego when you get it right! Here are some useful words, phrases, and sentences for your taxi ride:
http://www.duchinese.net/blog/25-taking-a-taxi-in-china
Twitter: @DuChinese
Finding an apartment
Renting an apartment in another country can be dfificult, especially so when you have to learn the langauge as well! Here are some tips for renting an apartment, in China, and in Chinese:
http://www.yoyochinese.com/blog/Learn-Chinese-How-to-Rent-Apartment-China-Hunting
Twitter: @YoYoChinese
Red
The character 红 (hóng) means “red,” but with that color come many connotations and words:
http://www.theworldofchinese.com/2016/04/on-the-character-%E7%BA%A2/
Twitter: @WorldOfChinese
Common conversations
Ordering coffee, watching a movie, or shopping at the supermarket? Here are some useful tips and phrases to keep in mind:
https://www.writtenchinese.com/order-coffee-chinese-dialogues-need-know/
Twitter: @WrittenChinese
I’ll drink to that!
The character 酒 (jiǔ) means “alcohol,” and is thus used in a variety of alcoholic drink names:
http://www.touchchinese.com/chinese-words/about-jiu.html
What do you do?
In this video, we learn a few ways to ask and answer questions about someone’s work:
http://www.fluentinmandarin.com/content/job-survival-chinese-bites/
Twitter: @Fluent_Mandarin
I’ve been better
Does something hurt you? In many cases, you can indicate that something hurts by naming the body part and using the word 痛(tòng):
http://www.touchchinese.com/chinese-words/about-tong.html
Present tense
How can you express the present tense in Chinese? Often, just precede the verb with 在, as demonstrated in this video from LearnChineseNow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agxcvv1uSp8
Twitter: @LearnChineseNow
Dynasties
If you ever read Chinese history, it’ll refer to “the XXX dynasty,” as if you’re supposed to know during what years they ruled, and what they did. Here’s a short history lesson, with Chinese characters, to help you feel less foolish:
https://ninchanese.com/blog/2016/04/14/chinese-dynasties/
How to learn Chinese
Olle, from Hacking Chinese, describes his arrival in Taiwan — and the strategies he used to catch up with his classmates:
http://www.hackingchinese.com/i-learnt-chinese-part-3-first-year-taiwan/
Twitter: @HackingChinese
10 important questions
This list of 10 questions from ChineseClass101.com should provide you with not only good things to ask friends, but potential answers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4O3uuL0zRw
Twitter: @chineseclass101
It’s a mess!
Is your room a mess? Is your life a mess? We can’t help with that, but with the help of this video from LearnChineseNow, we can at least describe it in Chinese:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFb7WcwgXts
Twitter: @LearnChineseNow
Chinese TV
Here are some popular TV shows that you can use to improve your Chinese:
https://ninchanese.com/blog/2016/04/12/chinese-tv-shows/
Good podcasts
What podcasts can help you to improve your listening ability? Here are some useful suggestions, some better known than others:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Chinese/comments/4eopa1/what_are_some_good_podcasts_to_help_learn_chinese/
Placement of 跟
The word 跟 （gēn） can be used to mean “with,” but where does it go in the sentence?
Using 其 (qí)
The character 其 is used in numerous contexts; when should we really be using it, and what does it mean?
https://www.reddit.com/r/ChineseLanguage/comments/4f24zl/use_of_the_word_%E5%85%B6/
Don’t worry
When you say 不愁 (bù chóu), or “don’t worry,” what is the connotation?
Using 与 (yú) and 和 (hé)
Both of these characters can mean “with” or “and,” but in what sense? Can they be used interchangeably?
Not important
How can you say “it’s not important” in Chinese?
http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/%E6%B2%A1%E4%BA%8B-%E5%84%BF.3164323/
Very funny!
In English, we can say that someone “cracked up.” In Chinese, we have a similar expression, as described in this discussion:
http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/%E4%B9%90%E5%9D%8F%E4%BA%86.3164309/
Same old thing
The phrase 炒冷饭 (chǎo lěng fàn) can be used to mean not only the literal “stir leftover rice,” but also to describe a subject that has been talked to death, as this discussion describes:
http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/17697/do-people-still-use-%E7%82%92%E5%86%B7%E9%A5%AD
The 3rd tone
How low and “creaky” should the 3rd tone be? A discussion about how the tone should sound, and how to make it:
Mandarin Weekly #65
大家好！ (Hi, everyone!) Welcome to the latest Mandarin Weekly, with yet more links and information for those of us learning Chinese.
To receive Mandarin Weekly in your e-mail inbox every Monday, just use the subscription box on the left side at MandarinWeekly.com. Or follow us on Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly!
We’re also on Twitter at @MandarinWeekly and Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly. Please retweet and share our weekly postings, so that everyone can benefit from them!
Note: I’m soon going to start running some contents, giving readers of Mandarin Weekly the chance to win books, courses, and other items that can help you to improve your Chinese. If you work for a company that can offer such a product to MW readers as a prize, or have suggestions for what companies I can/should approach, please contact me at reuven@lerner.co.il! I hope to start the contests within another week or two, so keep your eyes peeled!
Tomb-Sweeping Day
Last week was Tomb Sweeping Day, a national holiday in China. What are the origins of this holiday, and how is it celebrated? This video from ChinesePod explains a great deal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0twuz58bD0
Twitter: @ChinesePod
Skritter review
How can you learn to write Chinese characters? One popular app for doing this is Skritter. This post reviews Skritter, and describes how to use it effectively:
http://www.saporedicina.com/english/skritter-review/
Twitter: @SkritterHQ
In the money
How can you describe being rich in Chinese? Here are a number of terms:
http://www.duchinese.net/blog/24-buzzword-about-rich-in-chinese
Twitter: @DuChinese
That tricky 把
The character 把 (bǎ) means “handle,” but it also can be used as a measure word, as well as in some more complex grammatical constructs. Here are some simple uses for 把:
http://www.digmandarin.com/ba-measure-word.html
Twitter: @DigMandarin
Pull that carrot!
A cute children’s song, performed and animated in various styles, with characters, pinyin, and translation:
Twitter: @ChineseToLearn
Getting a Chinese name
Do you have a Chinese name? If not, here are some hints for choosing one:
https://ninchanese.com/blog/2016/04/07/chinese-names/
Hacking Chinese: The Book
Many of us have enjoyed Olle Linge’s many blog posts about learning Chinese on his “Hacking Chinese” blog. Here’s an announcement of a book by the same name:
http://www.hackingchinese.com/hacking-chinese-book-how-to-learn-mandarin/
Twitter: @HackingChinese
Inspirational proverbs
Chinese proverbs are great ways to learn vocabulary and culture, and to make your Chinese sound more natural. Here are some to improve your vocabulary and to also give you a boost in your studies:
https://ninchanese.com/blog/2016/04/05/chinese-proverbs/
What not to ask
What are Chinese people tired of hearing from foreigners? Here is an amusing (and probably accurate) list of phrases that we students should probably avoid:
http://blog.hellochinese.cc/2016/04/04/things-chinese-are-tired-of-hearing/
Twitter: @HelloChineseApp
Reading challenge
Want to improve your Chinese reading? Join the latest Hacking Chinese challenge, in which you try to read as much as possible in the month of April.
http://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-reading-challenge-april-10th-30th/
Twitter: @HackingChinese
Greetings!
Here are some natural Chinese greetings you can use, when 你好 gets a bit old:
https://www.writtenchinese.com/10-chinese-greetings-that-will-make-you-sound-like-a-native/
Twitter: @WrittenChinese
Chinese snacks
Visiting China? Don’t just have your Western cookies and ice cream; try a local Chinese snack food — if you dare!
http://www.yoyochinese.com/blog/Learn-5-Chinese-Funky-Snacks
Twitter: @YoYoChinese
Finding an apartment
Some basic listening practice, from ChineseClass101: Find your friend’s apartment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfdlz9kyMws
Twitter: @chineseclass101
Hunan
Learn all about Hunan Province, in words, pictures, and (of course) Chinese:
http://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/better-know-a-province-hunan/
Twitter: @ChineseLanguage
Which recorded class?
Which online recorded Chinese course should you use? You’ll always get many answers to this question, but this topic had a large number of useful suggestions and comparisons:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ChineseLanguage/comments/4dldvg/pros_and_cons_chinese_pod_vs_yoyo_chinese/
My bad Chinese
How can you tell someone your Chinese isn’t good? Here are some useful phrases and structures to understand:
http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/my-chinese-is-bad.3160814/
That’s great!
What are a few ways to say that something is truly great?
Omitting 的
When must you include 的 (de), and when can you leave it out?
No way!
The phrase 没门儿 (méi mén r) means, “No chance!” Can you write 没门 instead?
http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/%E6%B2%A1%E9%97%A8%E5%84%BF.3163246/
Three-digit dates
Chinese dates are usually YYYY-MM-DD. But what about YYY-MM-DD, with only three digits for the year?
http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/17647/three-digit-year-in-date-on-chinese-document
Buying vs. planning to buy
The word 买 (mǎi) can mean “buy,” but does it also mean “planning to buy?”
http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/17620/when-to-use-of-%E4%B9%B0
http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/17620/when-to-use-of-%E4%B9%B0
Mandarin Weekly #64
大家好！ (Hi, everyone!) Welcome to the latest Mandarin Weekly, with yet more links and information for those of us learning Chinese.
To receive Mandarin Weekly in your e-mail inbox every Monday, just use the subscription box on the left side at MandarinWeekly.com. Or follow us on Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly!
Help to spread the word, by sharing Mandarin Weekly on Twitter.
here!
We’re also on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly. Please retweet and share our weekly postings, so that everyone can benefit from them!
Tomb-Sweeping Day
Some background on Tomb Sweeping Day, which takes place today in China:
http://www.learnchinesechina.com/site-content/40-blog/1701-how-much-do-you-about-qingming-festival
Particles
Particles are characters that change the meaning of a sentence. This week, we learn about a few simple particles that can affect the timing of actions described:
https://www.writtenchinese.com/the-complete-guide-to-chinese-sentence-particles/
Twitter: @WrittenChinese
Dictionary errors
Chinese-English dictionaries often contain mistakes that can point to interesting facets of both Chinese and English:
http://carlgene.com/blog/2016/03/top-12-errors-in-chinese-english-dictionaries/
Twitter: @carlfordham
Bad wedding gifts
Are your friends getting married? Terrific! But if they’re Chinese, then some gifts are probably bad ideas?
http://www.echineselearning.com/blog/four-taboo-chinese-wedding-gift-ideas-intermediate
Twitter: @ECLSchool
Saying “thank you”
How do you say “thank you” in Chinese? Here are a number of expressions you can use, which mean “thank you” in different ways:
https://ninchanese.com/blog/2016/03/31/how-to-say-thank-you-in-chinese/
Saying “goodbye”
What are some ways to say “goodbye” in Mandarin?
http://www.fluentinmandarin.com/content/ways-say-goodbye-chinese/
Twitter: @Fluent_Mandarin
New wedding terms
How do you describe modern Chinese marriage arrangements in Chinese? This list should give you some linguistic and cultural insights:
http://www.digmandarin.com/emerging-marriages-china.html
Twitter: @DigMandarin
Dragons
China is famous for its depiction of dragons. But for mythical creatures, dragons have a fairly complex set of names, behaviors, and relationships! In this article, we learn about those dragons, and the ways in which we can discuss them in Chinese:
https://ninchanese.com/blog/2016/03/29/chinese-dragon/
Blind date
How do you prepare for a blind date in Chinese? Here are some good questions (and answers) to think about in advance:
http://www.getchinesetic.com/2016/03/how-to-prepare-for-chinese-blind-date.html
Spring!
Now that spring has arrived, here is a list of spring-related vocabulary to spice up your conversations:
http://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/chinese-spring-vocabulary/
Twitter: @ChineseLanguage
Tricky words
Having trouble pronouncing some words? Here is a guide, with some example words that are tough even for natives:
http://mandarinhq.com/2016/03/pronouncing-tricky-words-in-mandarin-chinese/
Twitter: @MandarinHQ
Discussing allergies
A short dialog (with characters, pinyin, and translation) about allergies in Chinese:
http://www.chinesetolearn.com/2016-dialogue-5-allergies-%E8%BF%87%E6%95%8F-guo-min-allergy/
Twitter: @ChineseToLearn
Sick of it
How can you use 讨厌 (tǎo yàn) in conversation to indicate you’re sick and tired of something?
http://themandarincornerblog.com/2016/03/28/im-sick-of/
Fortune cookies
Why are fortune cookies not to be found in China? Watch this video from LearnChineseNow, and find out why (or at least put a smile on your face):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_HqgKyfzZ0
Twitter: @LearnChineseNow
Things to burn
On Tomb Sweeping Day, it’s traditional to burn all sorts of things. What can you burn? Here’s a list, along with prices, for those who really want to give their deceased ancestors the best possible afterlife:
https://chinesepod.com/blog/22-things-you-can-burn-for-qing-ming-festival/
Twitter: @ChinesePod
Working in a Chinese office
What’s it like to work in a Chinese office? What sorts of Chinese terms must you learn to say? Here is an amusing article describing some of the pressures, expectations, and vocabulary for someone working there:
http://www.yoyochinese.com/blog/Chinese-Office-Culture-Work-In-China
Twitter: @YoYoChinese
WeChat vocabulary
How do you use WeChat (微信)? And how do you talk about it with your friends,using Chinese? This article will teach you both:
http://www.duchinese.net/blog/23-how-to-chat-with-chinese-using-wechat
Twitter: @DuChinese
Allergies
Do you have allergies?
http://www.chinesetolearn.com/2016-dialogue-5-allergies-%E8%BF%87%E6%95%8F-guo-min-allergy/
Twitter: @ChineseToLearn
How long does it take?
How long does it really take to learn Mandarin? The answser, of course, depends on how you define “learn”:
http://www.saporedicina.com/english/how-long-does-it-take-to-learn-mandarin/
Pronouncing radicals
Should you learn to pronounce the radicals? Should you be learning radicals? Here is a long description of what you can and can’t expect from learning such things?
http://www.hackingchinese.com/learn-pronunciation-of-radicals/
Twitter: @HackingChinese
Visiting the dentist
Can you reschedule a dentist appointment in Chinese? This video, from ChineseClass101.com, can help you to find out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozMg2aonJzY
Twitter: @chineseclass101
Transliteration rules
How can (should) you transliterate foreign names into Chinese?
Introducing yourself
How do you introduce yourself in Chinese? BedroomChinese provides an introduction, using a stuffed animal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=23&v=9F9Jk3VBYFs
Twitter: @Chelseabubbly
Spoken vs. written
What are the differences between spoken and written Mandarin?
可 vs. 可以
可 (kě) and 可以 (kě yǐ) can mean the similar things. When should you use the one-character version, and when should you use the two-character word?
Uninvited guests
What does the term 不请自来 (bù qǐng zì lái) mean, and how is it used?
http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/%E4%B8%8D%E8%AF%B7%E8%87%AA%E6%9D%A5.3158106/
Mandarin Weekly #63
大家好！ (Hi, everyone!) Welcome to the latest Mandarin Weekly, with yet more links and information for those of us learning Chinese.
To receive Mandarin Weekly in your e-mail inbox every Monday, just use the subscription box on the left side at MandarinWeekly.com. Or follow us on Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly!
Help to spread the word, by sharing Mandarin Weekly on Twitter.
here!
We’re also on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly. Please retweet and share our weekly postings, so that everyone can benefit from them!
What time is it?
How can you describe the different parts of the day (morning, afternoon, and night) in Chinese? This introduction from LearnChineseNow provides the answers, also pointing to where English and Chinese have different ways of describing the same time of day:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0cIYgzYbmk
Twitter: @LearnChineseNow
Oh, no!
Your Chinese friend just gave you some bad news. How do you respond? In this video, you’ll hear some of the most common phrases, along with characters and pinyin:
http://mandarinhq.com/2016/03/7-phrases-responding-bad-news-mandarin-chinese-2/
Twitter: @MandarinHQ
OK? OK!
Many languages use “OK” as a generic form of “yes” or “I agree.” How do you express the same ideas in Chinese?
https://ninchanese.com/blog/2016/03/22/say-ok-in-chinese/
Essential phrases
If you’re very new at Chinese, and need the most basic, essential phrases for your first trip to China, here are 20 very useful ones:
https://www.writtenchinese.com/20-essential-chinese-phrases-for-newbies-and-travellers-2/
Twitter: @WrittenChinese
“Ice” radical characters
The character for ice (冰, or bīng) is often used as a radical for characters that mean “cold.” Here is a list of such characters, and examples of when to use them:
http://www.digmandarin.com/learn-ice-radical-related-chinese-characters.html
Twitter: @DigMandarin
Saying “no” without saying “no”
Even English speakers know that it’s often easier to say “no” with a sentence or phrase than to use the word itself — to be polite, or to soften the blow. Here are some phrases that mean “no” in Chinese:
http://www.digmandarin.com/chinese-people-say-no-various-ways.html
Twitter: @DigMandarin
Chinese emoticons
You would think that Chinese, with a set of characters, doesn’t need emoticons. But that’s not the case; they’re used in China as much as in the West. Here are some favorite ones, along with their Chinese names:
http://www.duchinese.net/blog/22-what-emoticons-are-popular-in-china
Twitter: @DuChinese
Casual conversation
What are some basic phrases you can use when starting to speak with others in Chinese?
http://www.fluentu.com/chinese/blog/2016/03/23/basic-chinese-phrases/
Twitter: @FluentU
Oceania in Chinese
Maybe you can say “Australia” or “New Zealand” in Chinese, but what about the smaller nations in that part of the world, as well as the subdivisions of Australia? This list will set you straight:
http://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/oceania-in-chinese/
Twitter: @ChineseLanguage
More Chinglish phrases
You can learn a lot about a language from the mistakes people make when translating it into another language. Here is a list (continuing the list from last week) of such phrases that sound just a little off in English:
http://www.yoyochinese.com/blog/learn-chinese-4-more-chinglish-phrases-really-help-you
Twitter: @YoYoChinese
Playing the lute
A simple story in Chinese, to improve your listening and reading ability:
http://chinese-at-ease.com/learn-chinese-online-play-the-lute-to-a-cow/
Twitter: @ChineseAtEase
Hard-to-pronounce words
Many Chinese words are hard for English speakers to pronounce. Here are 10 of the most commonly mispronounced one, from ChineseClass101; I’m not convinced that these are the hardest to pronounce, but perhaps they are for you:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmKeErMH56k
Twitter: @chineseclass101
Comprehensible input
Listening practice is important for gaining Chinese fluency — but what should you listen to? Should you listen to things you know, or those that push you? This article describes the different approaches, and suggests that at least some of your listening be on your level, aka “comprehensible input”:
http://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-chinese-comprehensible-input/
Twitter: @HackingChinese
Car names
This short video, from LearnChineseNow, will tell you how to describe cars in Chinese — from simple sedans to fancy sports cars:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lutKyBbYFzQ
Twitter: @LearnChineseNow
Emma moves in
Emma, from ChineseWithEmma, has moved into a new apartment. Join her as she describes the kitchen, cleans and unpacks, and also makes some food, all in Chinese:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-gF2o7_hn4
Twitter: @ChineseWithEmma
Pronouncing radicals?
It’s well known that learning radicals is a great way to improve your reading of Chinese characters. But do you need to learn how to pronounce those radicals?
http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/17551/radical-pronunciation-helpful-to-learn
For example
“For example” can be written as either 比如 (bǐ rú) or 例如 (lì rú). What is the difference between them?
Express yourself
A number of different words in Chinese have to do with expressing oneself, or indicating something. This discussion goes into some detail about the differences between them:
Fractions
How would you express a fractional amount of something in a sentence? A long discussion will be useful to math and science nerds learning Chinese:
http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/17530/translation-of-fraction-in-a-sentence
Maestro
The characters 手 (shǒu) and 家 (jiā) can be used to describe a person’s ability or skill level. How are they different?
It’s cold outside
A short discussion about various words (characters) used to discuss things that are cool or cold:
Mandarin Weekly #62
大家好！ (Hi, everyone!) Welcome to the latest Mandarin Weekly, with yet more links and information for those of us learning Chinese.
To receive Mandarin Weekly in your e-mail inbox every Monday, just use the subscription box on the left side at MandarinWeekly.com. Or follow us on Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly!
Help to spread the word, by sharing Mandarin Weekly on Twitter. Tweet about Mandarin Weekly! here!
We’re also on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly. Please retweet and share our weekly postings, so that everyone can benefit from them!
Hanping Chinese SoundBox
This new app (for Android) provides you with a native-recorded female voice for many characters. You can compare your pronunciation with the app, and thus sound better.
http://playboard.me/android/apps/com.embermitre.hanping.app.soundbox
Directional complements
You can often add a directional complement to a Chinese sentence to indicate the direction in which the action should take place. Here are some great examples of where and how to use these:
http://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/chinese-directional-complements-one/
http://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/chinese-directional-complements-part-two/
Twitter: @ChineseLanguage
Being polite
Many of us want to know how to be polite — say “excuse me,” “please,” and “thank you” — in Chinese. How do we do that, above and beyond the basics?
http://www.fluentinmandarin.com/content/how-to-say-please-thank-you-sorry-excuse-me-chinese/
Twitter: @Fluent_Mandarin
Good news!
If you hear good news from a Chinese friend, how can or should you respond? Here are some phrases that can help you to sound more native during good times.
http://mandarinhq.com/2016/03/7-mandarin-chinese-phrases-responding-good-news/
Twitter: @MandarinHQ
Which particle?
In Chinese, we can use a particle at the end of a sentence to indicate an exclamation. Which you should use depends on a number of rules, explained here:
http://howtospeakonline.com/chinese/chinese-grammar-exclamatory-sentence-na-ya-wa-a.html
Useful expressions
Did someone sneeze? Are you about to start eating? Here are some phrases to use in your day-to-day conversations and situations:
https://ninchanese.com/blog/2016/03/15/chinese-expressions-to-fit-in-china/
Asking for permission
How do you ask for permission to do something? Your best bet is often to say 可以 (kě yǐ), as demonstrated here:
http://themandarincornerblog.com/2016/03/14/do-you-ask-for-permission-correctly/
Dying (in a good way)
In English, we can say, “I’m dying to” do something. Well, the same is true in Chinese, as this article with many examples demonstrates:
http://www.chinasimplified.com/2016/03/19/dying-to-sound-more-casually-chinese/
Short story
A short story about Sima Guang — with audio, characters, pinyin, and (if you need it) English translation.
http://chinese-at-ease.com/learn-chinese-online-a-story-of-sima-guang/
Twitter: @ChineseAtEase
Funny Chinese signs
When you make mistakes in Chinese, they often represent the grammar and vocabulary of your native language. These signs in Chinese (with English translation) demonstrate the opposite — features of Chinese grammar that sound funny or strange when translated into English.
http://www.yoyochinese.com/blog/learn-chinese-5-funny-chinglish-phrases-really-help-you
Twitter: @YoYoChinese
Using 那个 (nà ge)
We often learn that 那个 (nà ge) means “that,” but it can be used in many more contexts:
http://www.digmandarin.com/confusing-chinese-n-word.html
Twitter: @DigMandarin
ChinesePod review
Nearly everyone who learns Chinese has heard of ChinesePod, and many of us have used it. ChinesePod has gone through a lot over the years, though; is it still a good resource?
http://www.hackingchinese.com/chinesepod-review/
Twitter: @HackingChinese
Playful characters
Before learning Chinese, I often thought that characters were pictures of what they represented. That’s true in a few cases, but not in most. In this picture, however, AllAboutChinese has created a picture in which many of the elements are along with their characters:
http://allaboutchinese.tumblr.com/post/141098420088/allaboutchinese-how-many-characters-do-you
Twitter: @AllAboutChinese
Not for sale
A Chinese music video, with characters, pinyin, and translation from BedroomChinese.com:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQ39_g3nYWg&feature=share
Twitter: @Chelseabubbly
Indirect objects
You can use 给 (gěi) not only to mean “give,” but also to indicate indirect objects, as demonstrated here:
Responding to yes/no questions
How do you respond to yes/no questions in Chinese?
https://www.reddit.com/r/ChineseLanguage/comments/4a93a2/responding_to_yesno_questions/
The meaning of 经
The 经 (jīng) character is used in many words and phrases. What does it mean, and how does that meaning connect all of those words and phrases?
http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/17502/what-semantic-field-underlies-%E7%B6%93
Posters
The word for “poster” in Chinese is 海报 (hǎi bào). Where did this word come from?
http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/17496/how-does-%E6%B5%B7%E6%8A%A5-became-a-poster
The evolution of 行
How did 行 (háng) come to mean “industry”?
http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/17476/how-does-%E8%A1%8C-evolved-to-mean-industry
I want an answer
What does 回覆 (huí fù) mean, if you see it on a button?
http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/%E5%9B%9E%E8%A6%86.3152839/
It’s windy
What are the different ways to express that there’s a lot of wind?
http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/%E5%88%AE%E9%A3%8E-%E6%9C%89%E9%A3%8E.3150947/
Mandarin Weekly #61
大家好！ (Hi, everyone!) Welcome to the latest Mandarin Weekly, with yet more links and information for those of us learning Chinese.
To receive Mandarin Weekly in your e-mail inbox every Monday, just use the subscription box on the left side at MandarinWeekly.com. Or follow us on Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly!
Help to spread the word, by sharing Mandarin Weekly on Twitter. Tweet about Mandarin Weekly! here!
We’re also on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly. Please retweet and share our weekly postings, so that everyone can benefit from them!
Modal particles
Chinese is full of “particles” — characters that you add to the end of a sentence in order to change the meaning somewhat. This guide describes the particles, how to pronounce them, what they mean, and how to use them:
https://www.writtenchinese.com/complete-guide-chinese-modal-particles/
Twitter: @WrittenChinese
And and and
There are different ways to say “and” in Chinese, and knowing how to choose from among them is a sign of your ability with the language. Here’s an explanation, along with many examples:
http://www.fluentinmandarin.com/content/how-do-you-say-and-in-chinese/
Twitter: @Fluent_Mandarin
Or or or
There are also many ways to say “or” in Chinese, and LearnChineseNow describes them in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0mBD1lD0sk
Twitter: @LearnChineseNow
A great deal
Have you found a great deal on something? You might want to express this with the chengyu (four-character expression) 价廉物美 (jià lián wù měi), as described here:
Bow radical characters
The bow radical (as in, bow-and-arrow) is used in many characters. How many do you already know?
http://www.digmandarin.com/learning-chinese-characters-bow-radical.html
Twitter: @DigMandarin
Idioms you already know
Some idioms in English are quite similar to their Chinese counterparts. Here are a few examples that you can sprinkle into your Chinese conversations:
http://www.digmandarin.com/english-idioms-chinese-origins.html
Twitter: @DigMandarin
Checking in
You arrive at your hotel in China, and want to check in. Can you do that in Chinese? Here are some sentences that you can use to do so. I’m going to be in Beijing in two weeks, and will definitely see how far I can get before they switch to English — and this article will definitely help!
http://www.duchinese.net/blog/21-checking-into-a-hotel
Twitter: @DuChinese
Seasonal foods
In China, certain foods are eaten at particular times of the year. Here is a list of the foods, and when they’re traditionally eaten:
http://blog.hellochinese.cc/2016/03/12/what-do-chinese-people-eat-when-new-seasons-are-coming/
Twitter: @HelloChineseApp
Lots and lots
How well do you know the 多(duō) character, and how to use it? This posting will help you out:
http://www.fluentinmandarin.com/content/chinese-character-bites-52/
Twitter: @Fluent_Mandarin
Vocabulary challenge
How many new vocabulary words can you learn in the next few weeks? Join the vocabulary challenge, run by Hacking Chinese, and see:
http://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-vocabulary-challenge-march-10th-31st/
Twitter: @HackingChinese
Snack foods
What are the most popular snacks eaten in China? This list will introduce them, as well as provide the Chinese words for them:
http://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/real-chinese-food-snacks/
Twitter: @ChineseLanguage
In my dreams
A catchy song from Qu Wanting, with characters and pinyin (and translation), for learning and singing along (when no one is watching, of course):
Women of China
In honor of International Women’s Day, ChinesePod offers a list of six famous women from Chinese history:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K1K3hD5ZoI
Twitter: @ChinesePod
Don’t call me 250!
Did you know that 二百五 (èr bǎi wǔ) is an insult, and means “idiot”? What’s the origin of this term?
Ping pong
The characters for ping pong in Chinese look like a set of paddles. Is this the origin of the word?
Losing someone
The character 丢 (diū) refers to losing something. But if you can’t find your child in the mall, is this the right verb to use?
http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/17438/can-%E4%B8%A2-refer-to-people
Should you or shouldn’t you?
If you want to say that someone shouldn’t do something, can you use either 不该 (bù gāi) or 不应 (bù yìng)? Is there any difference?
Sweet potato
How do you say “sweet potato” in Chinese? The answer, of course, depends on where you’re living:
Mandarin Weekly #60
大家好！ (Hi, everyone!) Welcome to the latest Mandarin Weekly, with yet more links and information for those of us learning Chinese.
To receive Mandarin Weekly in your e-mail inbox every Monday, just use the subscription box on the left side at MandarinWeekly.com. Or follow us on Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly!
Help to spread the word, by sharing Mandarin Weekly on Twitter!
We’re also on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly. Please retweet and share our weekly postings, so that everyone can benefit from them!
Basic phrases
If it’s your first time in China, and you’re still new to Chinese, you’ll want to have at least a few basic phrases under your belt. Here are a few good ones to learn:
https://ninchanese.com/blog/2016/03/04/chinese-phrases-to-survive/
Beyond the basic phrases
This list of Chinese phrases is one of the most practical I’ve seen, ranging from asking waiters when your food will arrive, to complaining that the WiFi isn’t working:
http://www.theworldofchinese.com/2016/03/chinese-i-wish-i-knew-before-arriving/
Twitter: @WorldOfChinese
Formal addressing
How do you address people with particular titles, positions, or jobs?
http://www.fluentinmandarin.com/content/how-to-address-people-politely-in-chinese/
Twitter: @Fluent_Mandarin
Discussing the Oscars
The Oscars have been awarded, with many winning (and even more losing) movies, actors, and directors. How can you discuss the Oscars in Chinese with your friends?
http://www.duchinese.net/blog/20-discussing-the-oscars-in-chinese
Twitter: @DuChinese
Chinese movie names
If we’re already on the subject of movies: Can you name your favorite movies? Perhaps, but can you name your favorite movies in Chinese? This extensive list will provide you with some good vocabulary, as well as conversation starters and some entertainment (when you see how some movie names are translated):
https://www.writtenchinese.com/great-chinese-movie-translations-list/
Twitter: @WrittenChinese
What you won’t learn
So, you’re taking Chinese lessons. Great! But your class won’t teach you everything — which means that for those topics, your own your own. In this article from Olle Linge, we get insights into what we cannot expect from our teachers and courses, and thus will have to work on alone:
http://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-course-will-not-teach/
Twitter: @HackingChinese
Expressing the passive voice
How can we use the character 被 (bèi) to express the passive voice?
http://howtospeakonline.com/chinese/chinese-grammar-use-bei-to-express-passive-voice.html
Kitchen vocabulary
If you like to cook, then you need to know how to describe your tools. Here are some common Chinese words for items you’ll find in a kitchen:
http://www.chinesehskblog.com/2016/03/vocabulary-advanced-kitchen-part-1.html
You’ve got talent
Here are some chengyu (four-character idioms) that have to do with work and talent:
http://www.digmandarin.com/chinese-idioms-collection-about-particular-talent.html
Twitter: @DigMandarin
Flowers of China
China is a huge country, with many types of flowers. However, some have particular significance. Here are 10 of the most signfiicant ones, with explanations of their meanings:
http://www.getchinesetic.com/2016/03/top-10-most-popular-flowers-significant.html
Implicit vs. explicit Chinese
How can (and should) you use Chinese? This two-part series from Olle Linge lays out some theory, and then some strategies, for improving your Chinese:
Authentic Chinese food
“Chinese food” as served in the West, and Chinese food as served in China, are rather different. Here are some authentic Chinese dishes you’re unlikely to see outside of China:
Twitter: @YoYoChinese
Street food
China has a great variety of “street food” — what are they selling, and how do you talk about it in Chinese?
https://ninchanese.com/blog/2016/03/02/chinese-street-food-the-guide/
Ways to talk
Chinese has a huge number of words that involve talking. When should each one be used?
Understanding
What’s the difference between 听不懂 (tīng bù dǒng) and 不明白 (bù míng bái)? Do they mean the same thing in terms of understanding?
Talking about children
Chinese has several ways to talk about children. In which cases should you use each word?
Different types of “if”
只要 (zhǐ yào) and 如果 (rú guǒ) are similar in meaning, both having to do with “if.” How are they different?
Majoring in Chinese
Is it useful to major in Chinese? What sorts of career options does it open up?
http://www.reddit.com/r/ChineseLanguage/comments/4907ou/majoring_in_chinese/
Learning traditional characters
If you have learned simplified characters, how hard is it to learn the traditional ones?
Mandarin Weekly #59
大家好！ (Hi, everyone!) Welcome to the latest Mandarin Weekly, with yet more links and information for those of us learning Chinese.
Please tell your Chinese teachers, fellow students, and others about this free resource.
To receive Mandarin Weekly in your e-mail inbox every Monday, just use the subscription box on the left side at MandarinWeekly.com. Or follow us on Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly!
We’re also on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly. Please retweet and share our weekly postings, so that everyone can benefit from them!
Sentence types
In Chinese, word order is extremely important, determining (in many ways) the meaning of the sentence. Knowing how to structure your sentences can thus help to make your Chinese more fluent and natural:
https://www.writtenchinese.com/simple-guide-chinese-sentences-sentence-types/
Twitter: @WrittenChinese
Quick guide to Chinese grammar
It’s often said that Chinese grammar is simple. However, that doesn’t mean Chinese lacks grammar, or that you can ignore it. On the contrary, the terseness of Chinese means that you need to be careful of what you say, and how you say it. In this video, we get a short (under 10 minute) video guide to Chinese grammar, which should help to improve your sentence structure:
http://www.fluentinmandarin.com/content/basics-chinese-grammar-explained-10-minutes/
Twitter: @Fluent_Mandarin
Learning and reading characters
Can you learn Chinese characters without learning to speak the language? Yes, but you’re making life harder on yourself, since the characters generally offer hints as to their pronunciation. In this past, Olle Linge describes how and why to learn characters while you’re also learning to speak:
http://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-characters-and-their-readings/
Twitter: @HackingChinese
Feeling hot and cold
Traditional Chinese medicine can describe someone as being too hot or too cold. What Chinese words are being used here, what are the traditional remedies, and (most importantly) what can this possibly mean?
Twitter: @YoYoChinese
Just about
There are several different ways to indicate that something is “roughly” or “just about” or “approximately” in Chinese. This post explores several of them, also indicating when each is appropriate:
http://www.digmandarin.com/roughly-speaking-in-chinese.html
Twitter: @DigMandarin
The “walk” radical
The “walk” radical (辶) is used in a large number of characters, generally indicating travel, walking, or distance. This post introduces a number of the more common characters using 辶:
http://www.digmandarin.com/chinese-characters-with-the-walk-radical.html
Twitter: @DigMandarin
It’s a mystery
In this latest description of a Chinese phrase (chengyu), we are introduced to the phrase 莫名其妙 (mò míng qí miào), which means that something is completely baffling or puzzling:
And and and
There is more than one way to say “and” in Chinese, but when do you use each kind? In this short video from LearnChineseNow, you’ll get introduces to each of them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvRsBF-AuaA
Twitter: @LearnChineseNow
Tomato eggs
A common Chinese breakfast dish is stir-fried tomato eggs. This post gives you the recipe, and lots of other useful cooking words, in Chinese characters, pinyin, and English translation, as well as an audio track you can use to test your listening ability:
http://www.duchinese.net/blog/19-little-li-s-recipe-stir-fried-tomato-eggs
Twitter: @DuChinese
Top Chinese music
Here are 10 popular songs (and videos) that can improve not only your Chinese, but your ability to discuss popular culture with your Chinese friends:
https://ninchanese.com/blog/2016/02/25/top-10-2016-chinese-pop-songs/
Vehicle radical
This post collects a number of characters containing the vehicle (车):
I know you’re busy
This post and video introduces a short phrase, 你先忙吧 (nǐ xiān máng ba), which basically means, “I know that you’re busy.” A useful one to use with your hard-working Chinese friends and colleagues:
http://speakupchinese.tumblr.com/post/139934541006/a-useful-phrase-to-use-with-busy-people
Twitter: @SpeakUpChinese
Come over here
A catchy song (对面的女孩看过来, duì miàn de nǚ hái kàn guò lái) from Taiwanese singer Richie Ren, with characters and pinyin. If your grammar and vocabulary are still at a relatively basic level, you might be surprised by how much of this song you can understand on your own:
http://chinese-at-ease.com/learn-chinese-online-girl-from-across-look-over-here/
Twitter: @ChineseAtEase
Wifi passwords
This short video from CrazyFreshChinese is extremely practical — how do you ask for the Wifi password when you’re in a restaurant or café in China?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFG9R_HBh7c
Good flashcards
Many peopl e use flashcards (on paper, or on the computer) to practice their Chinese vocabulary. What is a good strategy for creating, and then using, these flashcards so that you’re most likely to remember them?
https://www.chineseboost.com/blog/optimise-chinese-flashcards/
Twitter: @ChineseBoost
How are you?
When I first started to learn Chinese, I was delighted that I knew how to say 你好吗, or “How are you?” Fortunately, I quickly learned that this phrase is almost never used by people in China, as discussed here:
Word games
Given how many homophones there are in Chinese, we would expect there to be many word games, puns, and language-related jokes in the language. Are there?
http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/17333/homonyms-in-the-context-of-humor-or-satire
Calculators vs. computers
Two words 计算机 (jì suàn jī) and 电脑 (diàn nǎo) can be used to describe a computer. When is each appropriate?
Past tense
Is it possible to use 有 (yǒu) to indicate past tense? If so, when and how do you use it?
Using 了
One of the trickiest things about Chinese is the use of 了. How does it turn a sentence into the past tense, and where should we place it?
https://www.reddit.com/r/ChineseLanguage/comments/47c7k0/question_about_the_use_of_%E4%BA%86/
Going somewhere
Three words — 到 (dào)，出 (chū)，and 去 (qù) — can be used similarly. How do their meaning differ?
Flipped characters
What is the difference between 前面 (qián miàn) and 面前 (qián miàn)? The meanings would seem to be similar, but not identical, when the character order is reversed:
Wanting it all
How are 所有的 (所有 的) and 全 (quán) different, and are they interchangeable?
Dogs
What is the difference between戌, 狗 and 犬 — three different characters for dog?
Mandarin Weekly #58
大家好！ (Hi, everyone!) Welcome to the latest Mandarin Weekly, with yet more links and information for those of us learning Chinese.
Please tell your Chinese teachers, fellow students, and others about this free resource.
To receive Mandarin Weekly in your e-mail inbox every Monday, just use the subscription box on the left side at MandarinWeekly.com. Or follow us on Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly!
We’re also on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly. Please retweet and share our weekly postings, so that everyone can benefit from them!
People characters
A number of characters can be used to indicate people. In this posting, we learn about six such characters, and what sorts of people they can be used to describe:
What are measure words?
One of the biggest surprises I encountered when starting to learn Chinese was “measure words,” the words that we use to count objects. What are these words, how do we use them, and which ones should we know?
http://www.fluentinmandarin.com/content/chinese-measure-words-easy-ultimate-guide/
Twitter: @Fluent_Mandarin
New Year money — for adults
You might have heard of the 红包 (hóng bāo), or red envelope, in which parents give their children money on Chinese New Year. It seems that some workplaces have a similar system for employees:
http://laowaichinese.net/lucky-money-for-big-kids.htm
Buying on Taobao
Taobao is the largest shopping site in China (and probably the world). How can you use it
http://www.duchinese.net/blog/18-buying-things-on-taobao
Twitter: @DuChinese
Journey toward Chinese
Olle Linge is famous for his “Hacking Chinese” site — but even he didn’t grow up speaking Chinese. How did he learn, and what can we learn from his path to fluency?
http://www.hackingchinese.com/how-i-learnt-chinese-part-2-foreign-language-learning-in-sweden/
Twitter: @HackingChinese
Have a good trip!
The chengyu (4-character expression) 一路平安 means, “boy voyage.” How and when can you use it?
One tone change
The number one, 一, is usually a first-tone character. But it can change to be a third or fourth tone in many cases. This video from LearnChineseNow introduces and demonstrates this tone change:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBTGu04yBvw
Twitter: @LearnChineseNow
Visiting family
Emma, from ChineseWithEmma.com, is out with her niece in China. Watch the video, and learn a bunch of Chinese words and expressions:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC_Vl42Wq7I
Twitter: @ChineseWithEmma
Complimenting male friends
If you want to give your male friend a compliment, what can you say? This post contains five suggestions for how to make your male colleagues and friends feel good about themselves:
Baby names
How do Chinese parents pick a name for their child?
http://blog.hellochinese.cc/2016/02/12/chinese-baby-names/
Color of sunlight
Another story (read out loud, with Pinyin and characters, as well as translation) — this time, about the color of sunlight:
http://chinese-at-ease.com/learn-chinese-online-the-color-of-sunlight/
Twitter: @ChineseAtEase
Chinese slang
What are the latest slang terms in Mandarin Chinese? This article introduces some of them — in many cases, words that you might already know, but with a new meaning attached:
http://www.fluentu.com/chinese/blog/2016/02/17/mandarin-slang/
Twitter: @FluentU
Collective nouns
You might have noticed that Chinese has a large number of collective nouns (e.g., “sheep” and “fish”). Why and how is that?
http://www.digmandarin.com/why-does-chinese-have-more-collective-nouns-than-english.html
Twitter: @DigMandarin
New Year guests
You should visit a Chinese family for their New Year celebration! Why, and what you can learn, is listed here:
https://www.writtenchinese.com/6-reasons-spend-new-year-chinese-family/
Twitter: @WrittenChinese
Pronouncing that “e”
English speakers often make the mistake of assuming that the pronunciation of “e” (or other letters) is similar to that of English — but it isn’t, as this discussion points out:
http://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/17266/mandarin-pronunciation-for-hen-and-yuan
Languages vs dialects
We often hear that Mandarin is a “dialect” of Chinese. But what’s the difference between a dialect and a language?
Business origins
Why is the word for business 生意 (shēng yi), wihich includes the character for “life” or “grow”?
The sound of “x”
Pinyin has an “x” character, which sounds to Westerners like “sh,” but isn’t. How should it sound?
Lacking something
When should we use each of the characters help with 不 ,没 ,and 非?
Uses of 可 (kě)
We can use 可 (kě) in a few different ways, including ot express “so very ___” something is:
http://forum.wordreference.com/threads/%E5%8F%AF-%E5%AF%82%E5%AF%9E%E4%BA%86.3138900/
When do we use 的 (de)?
One of the first words you learn in Chinese is 的. But when and how do you use it in a sentence?
https://www.reddit.com/r/ChineseLanguage/comments/45w9lo/when_should_i_use_%E7%9A%84_in_a_sentence/