Mandarin Weekly #156

This is Mandarin Weekly #156, a free newsletter read by more than 21,000 students of Chinese around the world.

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Just a bit Intermediate Grammar

Several adverbs allow you to specify that you’re working with small quantities. Here is how to use them:

https://www.saporedicina.com/english/adverbs-zhi-jiu-cai-chinese/

Character stroke order Intermediate Characters

When you write characters, it’s not enough to know what to write. You also need to know how to write, and in which order to draw the strokes, as explained here:

http://teresarainsegna.blogspot.co.il/2018/01/ordine-dei-tratti-nella-scrittura.html

Reading in Chinese on your Kindle All Learning

It’s good to read for better comprehension. But did you know that you can read in Chinese on an Amazon Kindle? Here’s how, and where, to find books:

https://themandarincornerblog.com/2018/01/11/learn-with-a-kindle/

Road rage! Intermediate Culture Video

Do you get angry with other drivers? Of course you do, but how do you express your feelings in Chinese?

https://chinesepod.com/blog/2018/01/13/say-road-rage-mandarin/

Twitter: @ChinesePod

Different types of thinking Intermediate Grammar

In English, we use the verb “to think” to describe a number of different types of activities involving cognition, emotion, and opinion. In Chinese, we can use different verbs to describe these actions:

https://www.digmandarin.com/i-think-in-chinese.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

Chinese compound words Beginner Learning

How can you pick apart, and understand, compound words in Chinese? Here are some ideas and hints to help you:

https://www.digmandarin.com/unlocking-chinese-compound-words.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

Songs to improve your Chinese All Video Vocabulary

A good way to improve not only your vocabulary but your knowledge of Chinese culture is via songs. Here are some good songs (and videos) that you can use to improve and also impress your friends:

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/2018/01/10/learn-chinese-with-songs/

Twitter: @FluentU

Ebooks vs. paper books Beginner Story

A short story about the progress of time, and the growing use of ebook readers:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/3046-2018-01-12-04-02-48

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Can’t sleep Intermediate Story

Can’t sleep? Read this story on that very topic, and maybe you’ll doze off…

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/3042-2018-01-08-05-48-14

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Talking about money Beginner Vocabulary Video

When we discuss money in Chinese, what noun should we use — 元 (yuán) or 块 (kuài)?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5Q_PFYyEUE

Twitter: @chineseclass101

How many characters? Beginner Learning Characters

One of the most common questions I get about learning Chinese is: How many characters do you need to know? This post tries to answer this question:

https://www.mandarinblueprint.com/blog/2017/6/15/how-many-chinese-characters-do-i-need-to-learn

Twitter: @MandarinBP

HelloChinese review All Reviews

HelloChinese is an app that aims to teach you Chinese? How well does it do? Here’s a reivew:

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

Dramas for business Advanced Culture Vocabulary

Want to use Chinese in your work? Watching TV might help, if the show is a Chinese drama about the business world:

https://www.asianlanguageschool.com/6-television-dramas-to-learn-chinese-for-business/

Twitter: @AlsSydney

Country names Beginner Vocabulary Video

Can you say your country’s name in Chinese? How about some of the world’s major countries? Here is a cute song that teaches some basic country names:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCXNiX30H-E

Twitter: @ChineseBuddy

Learning tones Beginner Pronunciation Video

Tones are a crucial part of Chinese pronunciation. Here is a roundup of resources and videos to teach you the tones, and how to pronounce them like a native:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/learn-the-chinese-tones/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage

2018 holidays All Culture

China has lots of holidays. What are they, and when will they take place? Here’s a list of Chinese holidays in 2018, along with dates and some cultural notes:

https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/chinese-holidays-for-2018/

Twitter: @ChineseLanguage