Mandarin Weekly (每周中文)

Hi! This is Mandarin Weekly #168, a newsletter read by more than 21,000 students of Chinese around the world. Mandarin Weekly is sent to paying subscribers every Monday, and to everyone else every Thursday.

• Please take advantage of our list of discounts for students of Chinese.
• To receive Mandarin Weekly, sign up at MandarinWeekly.com. Our issues are also posted (every Thursday) 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.

Using 倍 (bèi) Intermediate Grammar Video

How do you indicate multiples? With 倍:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3tjYGCsUtU

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Will you marry me? Beginner Grammar Video

Want to get married? Here are 10 ways to ask for his/her hand in Chinese:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7EbEC1kjyA

Twitter: @chineseclass101

Click here to sign up for ChineseClass101

Working with others Beginner Grammar Video

Want to do things with other people? I know, I know — it’s often easier to do things yourself! But if you want to work with others, then you might as well know how to talk about it in Chinese:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_wHr10oPWU

Twitter: @ChinesePod

Click here to sign up for ChinesePod

What a train! Advanced Characters Video

Can you identify the biggest advantage of this new train model? Read the promotional information and see if you can answer the question:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql3a6l5M49o

Twitter: @chineseclass101

Click here to sign up for ChineseClass101

About chopsticks All Culture Food

Even if you’ve never visited China, you probably know that people there use chopsticks (rather than a fork and knife) when eating. Here’s an introduction to the history and culture of chopsticks:

https://www.livethelanguage.cn/why-chinese-eat-with-chopsticks/

Twitter: @Ltlmandarin

Chinese lunar calendar All Culture

The lunar calendar in China

https://chinese.lingobus.com/2018/04/06/why-does-china-use-the-lunar-calendar/

Twitter: @Lingo_Bus

Word order in Chinese Intermediate Grammar

Chinese grammar might be simple, but word order can still be surprisingly tricky for many beginners (and intermediate) learners. Here’s a good introduction to the subject, and how to think about it:

https://blog.glossika.com/how-to-get-chinese-word-order-right/

Celebrating 清明節 ( qīng míng jié) All Culture

Earlier this month was 清明节, a major Chinese holiday. How do people celebrate it? Here are some details about the holiday, its traditions, and its vocabulary:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/tomb-sweeping-festival-vocabulary/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

Social media terms Intermediate Culture

Social media exists in China, and people there have come up with their own terms for important words and phrases:

https://blog.hutong-school.com/social-media-in-chinese-pt-2/

Twitter: @hutongschool

The real meaning Intermediate Expressions

Many simple Chinese expressions and phrases have implied meanings above and beyond the simple and straightforward words. Here are some such phrases; be sure to look at the final definition for each phrase to get the implied meaning:

https://chinachannel.org/2018/04/03/the-said-unsaid/

Twitter: @larbchina

Fly a kite Intermediate Story

Want to fly a kite? Here’s a story about this fun activity:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/13-2009-12-02-23-35-40/3111-2018-04-03-02-43-15

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Public numbers Advanced Story

What’s a public number? And why would you care? Here’s a short story about them:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/16-2009-12-02-23-37-52/3114-2018-04-04-06-58-21

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Online Chinese courses All Learning Reviews

Want to learn Chinese online? Here are some courses you can buy (or watch for free):

https://www.digmandarin.com/the-most-recommended-online-chinese-courses.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

Drip drip drip Beginner Story

How can you deal with a leaky pipe?

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/3116-2018-04-08-03-55-17

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Badminton Beginner Culture

Badminton is a great sport, and is particularly popular in China. Here is some background and vocabulary you can use to describe it:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/talking-about-badminton-in-chinese/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

Hi, {{! This is Mandarin Weekly #167, a newsletter read by more than 21,000 students of Chinese around the world. Mandarin Weekly is sent to paying subscribers every Monday, and to everyone else every Thursday.

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

To receive Mandarin Weekly, sign up at MandarinWeekly.com. Our issues are also posted (every Thursday) on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly, Medium, at http://medium.com/@mandarinweekly, and Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly.  Please like, share, and retweet us!

Old links from previous issues of Mandarin Weekly are sent regularly to our Facebook and Twitter pages. Follow, share, and like these links that’ll boost your Chinese learning even further.

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.

是 (shì) is “is”, but not like English “is” Intermediate Grammar Video

Thinking of asying “X is Y” in Chinese? Depending on what Y is, you might or might not need to use 是:

http://www.fluentinmandarin.com/content/learning-chinese-dont-make-this-mistake-with-shi/

Twitter: @Fluent_Mandarin

As for me Intermediate Grammar Video

How can you say that “as for me, X is Y”? Use the grammar pattern described here, with lots of examples:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV195_f0iQ8

Smartphones can have problems Intermediate Story

We all love our smartphones, but they aren’t without issues, as this story relates:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/16-2009-12-02-23-37-52/3105-2018-03-27-13-11-11

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Visiting Chongqing All Travel

The city of Chongqing is well known for many things, including its spicy food. Here’s an introduction to the city, and why you should go there:

https://www.saporedicina.com/english/traveling-chongqing/

At-home Chinese immersion All Learning

The best way to learn a language is through immersion in a country where it’s used. But what if you can’t? Here are some strategies for Chinese immersion, no matter where you live:

http://www.chinese-breeze.com/immerse-yourself-in-chinese/

April Fools! Beginner Grammar Video

April 1st, or April Fool’s Day, just passed earlier this week. Here are some ways to discuss it in Chinese:

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

Twitter: @ECLSchool

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Bamboo instruments All Culture

Many Chinese musical instruments are made of bamboo. Here are a few of them, along with the appropriate vocabulary:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/chinese-bamboo-instruments/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

Adding some emphasis Intermediate Grammar

The word 可是 (kě shì) means “but” — but you can also use one or both of these characters for emphasis in your speaking:

https://themandarincornerblog.com/2018/03/30/why-speaking-great-chinese-isnt-always-so-great/

Extended family Beginner Vocabulary Video

It’s often hard to keep track of the words for family members in Chinese. Here is a fun song to learn some of them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug8RULhzNMA

Twitter: @ChineseBuddy

No, no, no! Intermediate Grammar

There are three different ways to say “no” in Chinese, as described here:

https://www.writtenchinese.com/3-different-ways-to-say-no-in-chinese/

Twitter: @WrittenChinese

Children learning Chinese All Learning

Many parents want their children to learn Chinese. Here are some resources to help children start on the Chinese-learning path:

https://www.tutormandarin.net/en/5-fun-ways-for-kids-to-learn-chinese/

Twitter: @MyTutorMandarin

Vegetarian Chinese food All Food

So much of Chinese cuisine uses meat, you might think that there aren’t any good vegetarian dishes in China. Not so! Here are some things to look for, and try, when you’re next in China:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/vegetarian-chinese-food/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

Using 才 (cái) with time Beginner Grammar Video

If you want to express the idea of “earlier than expected,” then the character 才 is what you need, as demonstrated here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svtUFmpFhL0

Twitter: @ChinesePod

Click here to sign up for ChinesePod

The many uses of 好 (hǎo) Beginner Grammar

The character 好 is extremely common in Chinese, in part because it is used in so many ways. Here are examples of five ways to use it:

https://www.digmandarin.com/use-hao-in-chinese.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

April challenges All Learning

Hacking Chinese has some more challenges for you. Join the challenge, and push yourself to learn more:

http://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-learning-challenges-april-2018-reading-open/

Twitter: @HackingChinese

Sand in my eye Intermediate Story

What should you do when there’s sand in your eye? Don’t rub it, that’s for sure:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/3109-2018-03-30-05-28-19

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Social vocabulary Intermediate Vocabulary Culture

Social media is all over the world, including in China. Here are some terms you can use to describe it:

https://blog.hutong-school.com/essential-phrases-chinese-social-media/

Twitter: @hutongschool

Going to Hangzhou Beginner Story

Let’s go to Hangzhou this weekend!

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/3108-2018-03-30-05-24-52

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Romantic date ideas Intermediate Culture Video Vocabulary

Want to go on a romantic date? Of course, you do! Here are some ideas for what to do (and also what not to do):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS32lbuiyQ0

I’m so sorry! Intermediate Grammar

The word “sorry” means several different things in English; here is how to use Chinese to express these different ideas:

https://mandarinhq.com/2018/03/say-sorry-in-chinese/

Twitter: @MandarinHQ

Hi, {{! This is Mandarin Weekly #166, a newsletter read by more than 21,000 students of Chinese around the world. Mandarin Weekly is sent to paying subscribers every Monday, and to everyone else every Thursday.

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

To receive Mandarin Weekly, sign up at MandarinWeekly.com. Our issues are also posted (every Thursday) on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly, Medium, at http://medium.com/@mandarinweekly, and Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly.  Please like, share, and retweet us!

Old links from previous issues of Mandarin Weekly are sent regularly to our Facebook and Twitter pages. Follow, share, and like these links that’ll boost your Chinese learning even further.

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.

Sponsor: ExpressVPN

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Work at Concordia Language Villages All Sponsored

森林湖 (Sēn Lín Hú), Concordia Language Villages’ Mandarin language and culture immersion program, is currently accepting employment applications for Summer 2018. To apply, just follow the link:

https://hr.cord.edu/postings/4064

Intro to tones Beginner Pronunciation

Tones are an essential part of speaking (and understanding) Chinese. Here is an intro to this topic that will make a big difference in being understood:

http://www.chinese-breeze.com/chinese_tones/

Extremely important! Beginner Grammar

How can you indicate that something is very, extremely, or especially good/bad/ugly? Use these adverbs:

https://www.decodemandarinchinese.com/list-of-adverbs-of-degree/

Twitter: @DecodeChinese

About this many Intermediate Grammar Video

How can you talk about an approximate number of things, such as “a few skirts” or “several bottles of beer”? Use 几 (jǐ):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_t3hjb3d0s

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Sign up for ECL, and get one free week by mentioning “Reuven Lerner”

Laughing online Beginner Characters Culture

Ever write “ha, ha” in an online forum or chat? Of course you have. How do you do this in Chinese, and what connotations might it have? Here’s an introduction to the subject:

https://chinesepod.com/blog/2018/03/22/laughing-mandarin-get-trouble/

Twitter: @ChinesePod

Click here to get thousands of Chinese lessons from ChinesePod!

Using 甚至 (shèn zhì) Intermediate Grammar Video

Working so hard that you forgot to eat? So tired you didn’t do your homework? You can indicate just how serious something is with this word, as described here:

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

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Enclosure component 囗 (wéi) Intermediate Characters

Many characters sit inside of the “enclosure” component. Here is some background on it, and a list of characters that use it?

https://www.decodemandarinchinese.com/enclosure-%e5%9b%97/

Twitter: @DecodeChinese

Hot pot! All Food

Hot pot is one of the most famous (and, if I may add, most delicious) dishes you can get in China. Here’s a history of hot pot, along with some suggestions for how to eat it:

https://www.livethelanguage.cn/how-to-eat-chinese-hot-pot/

Twitter: @Ltlmandarin

Making suggestions Beginner Grammar Video

How can you turn a statement into a suggestion? The 吧 (ba) character is what you’re looking for, as described here:

http://www.fluentinmandarin.com/content/make-suggestion-chinese-ba/

Twitter: @Fluent_Mandarin

Ten music videos Intermediate Video Culture

It’s always nice to listen to music, and listening to Chinese music is an especially good way to increase your comprehension of both language and culture:

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/2018/03/21/chinese-music-video/

Twitter: @FluentU

Jokes! Intermediate Grammar

Here are some jokes you can tell in Chinese. Or you can just laugh at them yourself; we’re not going to judge:

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/2018/03/19/jokes-in-chinese/

Twitter: @FluentU

Your parents’ favorite phrases Intermediate Expressions

Parents are always telling their children to do things. Here are 10 such phrases, in Chinese, that you have probably heard and/or said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4axKjDCqKA

Twitter: @chineseclass101

Click here to sign up for ChineseClass101

The hardest character All Characters

Think you have learned some hard Chinese characters? Try this one:

https://medium.com/lalingua/hardest-chinese-character-around-d8bc074306f4

Animated films for kids Intermediate Video

Are your children learning Chinese (or are you happy to watch childrens’ TV)? Here are some animated films you can watch, in Chinese, to improve your comprehension:

https://www.misspandachinese.com/chinese-animation-films-for-kids-top-5-chinese-animation-for-children/

Twitter: @MissPandaChines

The cat’s meow All Culture Characters

How do cats meow in Chinese? Just as they do in English, as described here:

https://chinachannel.org/2018/03/20/meowing-in-mandarin/

Twitter: @larbchina

All about tofu All Food

You are probably familiar with tofu, but did you know that it was invented in China and that it is part of many Chinese staple dishes?

https://www.livethelanguage.cn/what-is-tofu/

Twitter: @Ltlmandarin

Chinese poetry Advanced Culture

Here are some famous Chinese poems (with English translation):

https://www.writtenchinese.com/five-examples-of-chinese-poetry-with-english-translations/

Twitter: @WrittenChinese

New glasses Beginner Story

Getting new glasses? Here’s a story of someone doing that in Chinese?

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/3103-2018-03-23-03-25-18

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Farmer’s son Intermediate Story

Here’s a story about a farmer’s son, helping to improve the crop yields:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/15-2009-12-02-23-37-29/3102-2018-03-22-04-51-37

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Purple tea set Advanced Story

Here’s a story about a special tea set, and its origins:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/13-2009-12-02-23-35-40/3099-2018-03-19-03-53-23

Twitter: @imandarinpod

What time is it? Advanced Grammar

Does it matter if you include 了 when you ask the time in Chinese?

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/29145/whats-the-difference-between-%e7%8e%b0%e5%9c%a8%e5%87%a0%e7%82%b9-and-%e7%8e%b0%e5%9c%a8%e5%87%a0%e7%82%b9%e4%ba%86

Hi! This is Mandarin Weekly #165, a newsletter read by more than 21,000 students of Chinese around the world. Mandarin Weekly is sent to paying subscribers every Monday, and to everyone else every Thursday.

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

To receive Mandarin Weekly, sign up at MandarinWeekly.com. Our issues are also posted (every Thursday) on Facebook, at http://facebook.com/MandarinWeekly, Medium, at http://medium.com/@mandarinweekly, and Twitter, at @MandarinWeekly.  Please like, share, and retweet us!

Old links from previous issues of Mandarin Weekly are sent regularly to our Facebook and Twitter pages. Follow, share, and like these links that’ll boost your Chinese learning even further.

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.

Work at Concordia Language Villages All Sponsored

森林湖 (Sēn Lín Hú), Concordia Language Villages’ Mandarin language and culture immersion program, is currently accepting employment applications for Summer 2018. To apply, just follow the link:

https://hr.cord.edu/postings/4064

I’m not sure Intermediate Expressions

How can you say that you’re not sure about something?

https://www.echineselearning.com/blog/chinese-slang-phrases-im-not-sure-if-i-have-a-good-foundation

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Sign up for ECL, and get one free week by mentioning “Reuven Lerner”

Using 并 (bìng) Intermediate Grammar Video

How do you use 并 in Chinese? This lesson explains it all:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX-hUK27C-Y

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Eat your vegetables! Beginner Vocabulary

Ask for vegetables in China, listening to this dialogue. (Free registration required)

https://www.chineseclass101.com/lesson/upper-beginner-17-how-to-get-your-vegetables-in-china/

Twitter: @chineseclass101

Click here to sign up for ChineseClass101

Cheers! Beginner Food Culture

白酒 (bái jiǔ) is a famous (perhaps the most famous) Chinese alcoholic beverage. Learn more about it, and drinking culture in China, here:

https://www.writtenchinese.com/ready-set-baijiu/

Twitter: @WrittenChinese

Which Mandarin? All Learning

While “Mandarin Chinese” sounds like a standard term, there are differences bewteen the versions spoken in mainland China and Taiwan. This article introduces some of them:

https://chinachannel.org/2018/03/13/sober-beer/

Twitter: @larbchina

Home sweet home Beginner Vocabulary

What rooms are in your home? And what things does it contain? Here is a basic set of vocabulary words about homes and rooms:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/rooms-and-furniture-in-chinese/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

About Chinese culture All Culture

Some interesting trivia and facts (choose your definition) about China and Chinese culture:

https://www.tutormandarin.net/en/18-things-you-didnt-know-about-chinese-culture/

Twitter: @MyTutorMandarin

Chinese medicine All Culture

Chinese medicine has long been seen as an alternative set of approaches to Western medicine. Here are some famous people and stories from the annals of Chinese medicine:

http://www.theworldofchinese.com/2018/03/divine-doctors-of-ancient-chinese-medicine/

Twitter: @WorldOfChinese

Intro Chinese characters Beginner Characters

Just starting to read Chinese characters? Here are some of the most common, basic, and essential ones you should know:

https://www.livethelanguage.cn/common-chinese-characters/

Twitter: @Ltlmandarin

Thanks so much! Beginner Expressions

How do you thank someone in Chinese? There are a number of ways, depending on the context:

https://mandarinhq.com/2018/03/say-thank-you-in-chinese/

Twitter: @MandarinHQ

Have any money? Beginner Vocabulary Video

Have any money on you? Here is a song about having (and not having) money:

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

Twitter: @ChineseBuddy

Ha ha! Intermediate Grammar Video

Heard a funny joke? Tell everyone that you laughed so hard, your stomach hurt:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=NPjLhi9ZItU

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Sign up for ECL, and get one free week by mentioning “Reuven Lerner”

Vocabulary challenge All Learning

Join the latest Hacking Chinese challenge, pushing yourself to learn new vocabulary:

http://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-vocabulary-challenge-march-2018/

Twitter: @HackingChinese

Chinese cuisines All Food Culture

People talk about “Chinese food,” but there are many distinct Chinese cuisines, from different regions of China. Here is a description of them:

https://www.saporedicina.com/english/chinese-cuisine-traditions/

Mobile payments Intermediate Story Vocabulary

China is switching to mobile payments at breathtaking speed. Here’s a short story in simple Chinese describing this phenomenon:

https://speakmandarin1.wordpress.com/2018/03/13/%e7%a7%bb%e5%8a%a8%e6%94%af%e4%bb%98-mobile-payment/

Just a bit Intermediate Grammar Video

It’s very common to use the term 一下 (yī xià) after a verb. Why, and what does it mean?

http://www.fluentinmandarin.com/content/one-phrase-spoken-chinese-need-know-yi-xia/

Twitter: @Fluent_Mandarin

Getting better? Intermediate Story

If you’re sick, it’ll take time to get better. How much time? Longer than it did to get sick, that’s for sure — as described in this story, and expression:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/3098-2018-03-17-08-04-22

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Who is a coward? Beginner Story

Who is scared? Find out in this story:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/3097-2018-03-17-06-50-10

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Cash or credit? Beginner Story

How will you pay for your items, with cash or a card?

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/3092-2018-03-12-07-59-15

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Get out of bed! Intermediate Grammar

How do you talk about getting out of bed?

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/29081/is-the-opposite-of-%e4%b8%8a%e5%ba%8a-%e4%b8%8b%e5%ba%8a-or-%e8%b5%b7%e5%ba%8a

Ladies and gentlemen Intermediate Culture Grammar

Is it OK to say 男人 (nán rén) and 女人 (nǚ rén), or is there a more polite way?

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/29115/do-%e7%94%b7%e4%ba%ba-and-%e5%a5%b3%e4%ba%ba-have-an-unfavourable-connotation

Takeoff in three hours Intermediate Grammar

How can you translate the phrase, “We’re taking off in three hours”? You cannot translate Chinese to English word by word, which leads to an interesting discussion:

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/29127/how-to-express-until-in-chinese

This is Mandarin Weekly #164, a newsletter read by more than 21,000 students of Chinese around the world. Mandarin Weekly is sent to paying subscribers every Monday, and to everyone else every Thursday.

• Please take advantage of our list of discounts for students of Chinese.
• To receive Mandarin Weekly, sign up at MandarinWeekly.com. Our issues are also posted (every Thursday) 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.

What’s funny in China? Intermediate Culture Video

Humor is often based in culture, which raises the question of what people in China consider funny. Here are some hints examples of Chinese humor, and ways you can (hopefully) make people laugh:

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/2018/03/07/chinese-humor/

Twitter: @FluentU

Using modal particles Intermediate Grammar

Chinese has many “modal particles,” characters added to what you’re saying that change the meaning or emphasis. Here are a number you can and should incorporate into your speech:

https://blog.glossika.com/how-to-use-modal-particles/

Are you OK? Beginner Expressions Video

Worried about your friend? Here’s a phrase you can use to check on him or her:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdxid-4Tz84

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Sign up for ECL, and get one free week by mentioning “Reuven Lerner”

Originally and originally Advanced Grammar

The words 原来 (yuán lái) and 本来 (běn lái) both mean “originally,” but how are they used?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70c5Hfpn1nI

“Third gender” restrooms All Culture Vocabulary

How is China handling the trend toward restrooms for people who identify as neither male nor female? With some interesting new vocabulary and cultural tension:

http://www.theworldofchinese.com/2018/03/a-restroom-by-any-other-name/

Twitter: @WorldOfChinese

Fundamentally Intermediate Grammar

The word 根本 (gēn běn) has to do with the root cause of something — among other meanings. Here are some more ways you can use this word:

https://www.decodemandarinchinese.com/remember-use-%e6%a0%b9%e6%9c%ac-correctly/

Twitter: @DecodeChinese

Observe carefully Intermediate Vocabulary

The character 观 (guān) is used in a variety of words, as described here:

http://www.theworldofchinese.com/2018/03/on-the-character-%e8%a7%82/

Twitter: @WorldOfChinese

Breakfast food All Food

Chinese breakfast foods are a different from those we’re used to in the West; here are some examples of what you can expect to have in a Chinese morning:

https://www.writtenchinese.com/chinese-snacks-101-a-big-pile-of-steamed-dumplings/

Twitter: @WrittenChinese

Don’t ignore these things Beginner Learning

Here are some hints and ideas of what not to ignore when you’re learning Chinese:

https://medium.com/@samueltersigni/common-chinese-mistakes-d369dc9c7622

Useful expressions Intermediate Expressions

Expressions are always fun to learn, and often to incorporate into your speech. Here are some that you might not use, but which are fun to know:

https://www.digmandarin.com/cracking-wisdom-chinese-idioms.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

Drink too much? Intermediate Expressions

If you drank too much and have a headache in the morning, you might want to learn the word 喝过头 (hē guò tóu):

https://themandarincornerblog.com/2018/03/09/do-you-know-what-past-the-head-means/

Find me a match All Culture

Chinese parents are getting nervous that their children aren’t marrying. What can they do? How about go to the “marriage market” in Shanghai:

https://blog.hutong-school.com/shanghai-marriage-market/

Twitter: @hutongschool

Classic Chinese foods All Food

What foods should you try when visiting China? Here are some ideas and suggestions for what not to miss:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/10-must-try-foods-in-china/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

What’s the difference? Intermediate Grammar

Are 差異 (chā yì) and 差別 (chā bié) the same, or are they used differently?

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/29075/whats-the-difference-between-%e5%b7%ae%e7%95%b0-and-%e5%b7%ae%e5%88%a5

The power of love Intermediate Story

The legend of Mèng jiāng nǚ, who searched for her husband:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/15-2009-12-02-23-37-29/3088-2018-03-07-03-48-15

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Work at Concordia Language Villages All Sponsored

森林湖 (Sēn Lín Hú), Concordia Language Villages’ Mandarin language and culture immersion program, is currently accepting employment applications for Summer 2018. To apply, just follow the link:

https://hr.cord.edu/postings/4064

This is Mandarin Weekly #162, a newsletter read by more than 21,000 students of Chinese around the world. Mandarin Weekly is sent to paying subscribers every Monday, and to everyone else every Thursday.

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Sponsor: 森林湖 (Sēn Lín Hú) is looking for counselors and teachers!

森林湖 (Sēn Lín Hú) is a language and culture immersion program in Minnesota, teaching Chinese to youth for over 30 years. A program of Concordia College, 森林湖 is currently accepting employment applications for Summer 2018. We’re looking for motivated, energetic and proficient Chinese speakers who are interested to work as counselors and teachers. More than half of the staff is from China, so it’s a great way to develop your language skills, get teaching experience, and have an unforgettable summer. To learn more, please visit http://www.concordialanguagevillages.org/youth-languages/chinese-language-village . To apply, please go to  https://hr.cord.edu/postings/4064.

Mind your tones! Beginner Pronunciation

We all know that tones are important in Chinese. Here are some great examples of how things can get difficult or embarrassing if you get them wrong, and why you should be careful:

https://blog.hutong-school.com/chinese-homophones/

Twitter: @hutongschool

Year of the Dog Beginner Story

It’s the Year of the Dog — so here is an appropriate story to start off the year:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/13-2009-12-02-23-35-40/3076-2018-02-18-03-36-14

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Using 而 Intermediate Grammar Video

You can make your Chinese sound far more sophisticated and expressive if you use 而。 Here’s how to do so:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAf9ocrOLyk

Lantern festival All Culture

The Chinese New Year has come and gone, but the Lantern Festival is coming soon. What is it, and how can you celebrate? Here’s some useful information:

https://www.misspandachinese.com/happy-lantern-festival-closing-out-chinese-new-year-celebrations-with-a-lantern/

Twitter: @MissPandaChines

You say it’s your brithday Intermediate Story

Birthdays are happy occasions (for most), but ancient Chinese birthdays weren’t celebrated in the same way at all, as this story relates:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/13-2009-12-02-23-35-40/3077-2018-02-20-07-31-52

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Mastering a language All Learning

Want to learn a language (e.g., Chinese)? Here are some hints for how to do so effectively. It doesn’t mean you’ll have instant success, but it’ll be easier and more satisfying:

https://medium.com/@valeriacalp/10-things-you-need-to-do-if-you-want-to-master-a-foreign-language-f22e33045c7f

Audiobook resources Advanced Reviews

Listening comprehension is important (and hard) when learning Chinese. Here are some resources you can use to improve your understanding of the spoken language:

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/2018/02/21/chinese-audiobooks-2/

Twitter: @FluentU

No tenses? Intermediate Grammar

If Chinese doesn’t have tenses, then how can you express things that happen in the past, present, and future? An explanation of how Chinese express time without tenses:

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/2018/02/21/chinese-audiobooks-2/

Twitter: @FluentU

Chinese picture books Beginner Reviews

Are you helping your children to learn Chinese? Then you might want to look at these picture books:

https://www.digmandarin.com/best-chinese-picture-books-kids.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

Big language learning mistakes All Learning

This article describes the author’s “biggest” mistake he made during 2017, regarding language learning. Learn and avoid it, too:

https://blog.glossika.com/the-biggest-language-learning-mistake-i-made-in-2017/

Guess the Chinese word Beginner Vocabulary

Many words in Chinese are (more or less) descriptions of what they’re describing. Here are a number of such words; see if you can understand the meaning without looking it up:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/guess-the-chinese-word/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

Food and drink Beginner Vocabulary Video

Food and drink are central to Chinese culture — but also to everyday life! Here are some useful words to know about eating and drinking:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldbcp4dbp80

Twitter: @ChineseBuddy

Taxi ride Beginner Story

A simple story about riding in a taxi, and marveling at Beijing’s changes:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/3079-2018-02-22-13-47-40

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Spring festival Beginner Culture Video

Spring Festival (aka Chinese New Year) has come and gone, but if you’re still interested in learning its vocabulary, there’s still time:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXuCobuXN6A

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Sign up for ECL, and get one free week by mentioning “Reuven Lerner”

Helper verbs Intermediate Grammar

You can express sophisticated verbs and ideas with auxiliary verbs, as described here:

http://teresarainsegna.blogspot.co.il/2018/02/verbi-ausiliari-auxiliary-verbs.html

只 (zhǐ) vs. 仅 (jǐn) Advanced Grammar

Both mean “only,” but that doesn’t mean you can use them interchangeably:

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/28878/when-to-use-%e5%8f%aa-or-%e4%bb%85

This is Mandarin Weekly #161, a free newsletter read by more than 21,000 students of Chinese around the world.

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Talking about love All Vocabulary Video

Valentine’s Day was just last week, so what better time to talk about love (in Chinese)? Here’s an extended video on the subject:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbXhkfRv8UY

Twitter: @YoYoChinese

Get 10% off for Yoyo Chinese with coupon code “mweekly”

Forming words with 可 (kě) Beginner Grammar

The character 可 is sort of like the English suffix “able,” and can be used to create many different words:

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

Twitter: @ChinesePod

Click here to sign up for ChinesePod

Why? Because Beginner Grammar

There are a number of ways to say “why? Because” in Chinese. Here is a nice list, summarizing them:

https://www.digmandarin.com/because-and-so-in-chinese.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

New Year traditions Beginner Grammar Video

Fireworks and couplets are two traditions on Chinese New Year. Here is an explanation, and the Chinese you’ll need to know to enjoy them even more:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6H1meIoPbxg

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Sign up for ECL, and get one free week by mentioning “Reuven Lerner”

Introducing yourself Beginner Vocabulary

If you’re interviewing for a new job, then you’ll need to introduce yourself. How can you do that in Chinese? Here are some suggestions:

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/2018/02/12/introduce-yourself-in-chinese-for-interview/

Twitter: @FluentU

Listening challenge All Learning

It’s another Hacking Chinese challenge, this time for listening. It’s not too late to sign up and participate:

http://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-listening-challenge-february-2018/

Twitter: @HackingChinese

10 feared questions for Chinese New Year Intermediate Culture

Chinese New Year is a chance to see friends and family — and to be asked awkward questions. Make them less awkward, perhaps, by knowing how to answer in Chinese:

http://laowaichinese.net/top-10-most-feared-questions-for-chinese-new-year.htm

Internet slang Intermediate Vocabulary

Internet slang is always a fun and interesting aspect of language. Here are some recent additions to Chinese Internet slang. (Free registration required.)

https://www.chineseclass101.com/lesson/mustknow-chinese-slang-words-phrases-17-chinese-slang-expressions-related-to-the-internet/

Twitter: @chineseclass101

Click here to sign up for ChineseClass101

Dog phrases Intermediate Expressions

It’s the Year of the Dog, so you can expect to hear and see lots of discussion of dogs. Here are some common dog-related expressions in Chinese:

https://teachmechinese.wordpress.com/2018/02/10/chinese-idioms-involving-the-dog/

Super-vocabulary! Beginner Vocabulary

Superheroes are bigger than ever, in movies and on TV. Here’s how to say some of your favorite heroes’ names in Chinese:

https://www.livethelanguage.cn/superheroes-in-chinese/

Twitter: @Ltlmandarin

Did you get that? Beginner Grammar

How often have you said something in Chinese, and the other person didn’t quite get what you meant? Or how about the other way around — they spoke, and you didn’t understand? Here are some useful phrases to indicate that you didn’t quite understand:

https://mandarinhq.com/2018/02/check-understanding-chinese/

Twitter: @MandarinHQ

Body parts Beginner Vocabulary Video

Whether something isn’t feeling good, or you just want to know how to say some basic terms, here’s how you can describe body parts in Chinese:

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

Twitter: @Mandarin_Monkey

Hospital vocabulary Intermediate Vocabulary Video

Not feeling well? I can’t help you there. But if you’re not feeling well in Chinese, and need to visit the hospital or doctor, here’s how you can talk to them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ezaqQCyXUM

Twitter: @Mandarin_Monkey

Learn characters? All Characters Learning

Chinese characters take time to learn. Maybe you can and should skip them? I disagree — but if you need a longer answer than that, here’s a fuller argument:

https://www.mandarinblueprint.com/blog/2017/6/14/are-chinese-characters-a-barrier-to-fluency

Twitter: @MandarinBP

Chinese Zodiac All Culture

It’s the Year of the Dog, one of the 12 years of the Chinese Zodiac cycle. Here is an introduction to the Chinese Zodiac, and its animals:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/an-intro-to-the-chinese-zodiac/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

Greetings! Beginner Vocabulary Video

Good morning! Good evening! These (and a few other) basic greetings are useful and important in Chinese. Here’s a cute song to introduce them to you:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9RlouxQ3wg

Twitter: @ChineseBuddy

Happy (Chinese) New Year! Beginner Story

A short story about the two New Year celebrations in China — including Chinese New Year:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/3074-2018-02-14-16-45-34

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Good from bad Intermediate Story Expressions

Can you get ivory from a dog? No way — and in the same way, you cannot expect to get anything good from a scoundrel, as this expression relates:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/3075-2018-02-15-15-50-31

Twitter: @imandarinpod

What’s an elephant? Intermediate Story

An old fable about blind men and an elephant, told in Chinese:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/15-2009-12-02-23-37-29/3071-2018-02-11-02-15-14

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Blackout! Beginner Story

We’ve lost electricity — what now?

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/3069-2018-02-09-13-00-18

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Chickens and dogs Intermediate Expressions

We just ended the Year of the Rooster, and are now entering the Year of the Dog. So here are some expressions that mention both animals:

http://www.theworldofchinese.com/2018/02/even-chickens-and-dogs-go-to-heaven/

Twitter: @WorldOfChinese

Difference between 正在 (zhèng zài) and 在 (zài) Intermediate Grammar

Both of these terms mean that you’re currently doing something. So which is preferred?

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/28798/difference-between-%e6%ad%a3%e5%9c%a8-and-%e5%9c%a8

This is Mandarin Weekly #160, a free newsletter read by more than 21,000 students of Chinese around the world.

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Adverbs with 然 (rán) Intermediate Grammar

The character 然, when connected to another character, provides with a number of adverbs whose meanings are easy to understand, but hard to translate:

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

Twitter: @ChinesePod

Click here to sign up for ChinesePod

Not again! Intermediate Grammar Video

Are you doing something again? Then you can use this useful and common grammar pattern:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2EN5E_fT04

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Sign up for ECL, and get one free week by mentioning “Reuven Lerner”

Why should kids learn Chinese? All Learning

Lots of adults are learning Chinese, but so are many children. Why? And why is that a great thing for them? Here are some reasons:

https://www.writtenchinese.com/6-reason-why-your-kids-should-be-learning-chinese/

Twitter: @WrittenChinese

Language or dialect? All Culture

There are many forms of Chinese, such as Cantonese. But should we consider Cantonese to be an independent (but related) language to Mandarin? Or is it a dialect of Chinese? This article describes some of the considerations, and the ongoing debate:

https://chinachannel.org/2018/02/06/language-or-dialect/

Twitter: @larbchina

Spring Festival vocabulary Intermediate Culture Vocabulary

It’s Chinese New Year, aka the Spring Festival! That means it’s time to dust off your festival vocabulary and use it with your Chinese friends. Here are some terms and customs to get you started:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/chinese-vocabulary-for-spring-festival/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

Improve your vocabulary All Learning

What are some good techniques for improving your Chinese vocabulary?

http://www.chinese-breeze.com/my-personal-method-for-learning-chinese/

Tallying with Chinese Beginner Culture Characters

How do people in China tally things? They use the character 正 (zhèng), which has five strokes, as described here:

https://www.digmandarin.com/chinese-tally-mark.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

Chinese documentaries Advanced Reviews Video

Want to improve your Chinese and your knowledge of China? Here are some documentaries you can watch four double learning:

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/2018/02/05/chinese-language-documentary/

Twitter: @FluentU

Unicycle or anatomy? All Learning

Is learning Chinese closer to learning anatomy, or to riding a unicycle? This post analyzes the different types of learning involved, and compares them with learning Chinese:

http://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-to-unicycle-learning-anatomy-and-learning-chinese/

Twitter: @HackingChinese

What do you know? Intermediate Vocabulary

There are three types of “knowing” in Chinese, and you should, well, know the difference between them:

https://themandarincornerblog.com/2018/02/04/so-you-think-you-know-this-chinese-word/

Don’t plastic me! Advanced Expressions

Young people in Taiwan have recently been using a new expression: Don’t plastic me can mean, “Don’t ignore me,” among other things:

https://medium.com/@twannotation/%E4%B9%9D%E5%B9%B4%E7%B4%9A%E7%94%9F%E7%9A%84%E5%90%B6%E5%96%8A-%E5%88%A5%E5%A1%91%E8%86%A0%E6%88%91-42eed0d9554c

Old phones Beginner Story

Have an old cellphone? Then you’ll sympathize with this story:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/3066-2018-02-06-02-42-02

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Migrant workers Advanced Story

What do you think about migrant workers? Here is a short story and discussion of the topic:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/16-2009-12-02-23-37-52/3068-2018-02-08-10-41-51

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Something familiar Beginner Grammar

Do you know something well, then you should really learn this verb:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/get-familiar-with-the-chinese-verb-%e7%86%9f%e6%82%89/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

Planning ahead Intermediate Vocabulary

Do you plan ahead? If so, then you might want to know the differences between several words that have to with planning and arranging:

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/28740/difference-between-%e6%89%93%e7%ae%97-%e5%ae%89%e6%8e%92-and-%e8%ae%a1%e5%88%92

Changes Intermediate Vocabulary

How can you talk about change in Chinese? The words 变化 (biàn huà) and 改变 (gǎi biàn) aren’t quite the same, are they?

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/28739/as-nouns-is-there-any-difference-between-%e5%8f%98%e5%8c%96-and-%e6%94%b9%e5%8f%98

Parentheses Advanced Grammar

How do you say “parentheses” in Chinese, and why are there multiple terms for them?

https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/%E6%8B%AC%E5%BC%A7-%E6%8B%AC%E5%8F%B7.3422821/