Mandarin Weekly #157

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This is Mandarin Weekly #157, a free newsletter read by more than 21,000 students of Chinese around the world.

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Shanghai used book market All Culture Travel

Want to get some good deals on used books? If you’re in Shanghai, then the used book market is a great place to start:

https://www.saporedicina.com/english/book-market-shanghai/

Working together Beginner Grammar

When you do an activity with someone else, Chinese has specific grammar patterns that let you express it:

https://www.saporedicina.com/english/complements-company-means-tools-topics-directions/

It’s getting cold All Culture Vocabulary

It’s cold outside, which leads us to an explanation of this period in the Chinese calendar, known as 大寒 (dà hán):

http://teresarainsegna.blogspot.com/2018/01/grande-freddo-great-cold.html

How many characters? Beginner Characters Learning

How many characters do you need to know, in order to read Chinese fluently? Here’s an explanation, or multiple explanations:

https://www.writtenchinese.com/how-many-chinese-characters-do-i-need-to-know/

Twitter: @WrittenChinese

Originally… Intermediate Grammar

How can we say “originally” or “obviously” in Chinese? Here are some explanations, especially for those learning for HSK4:

https://medium.com/@alexzitowolf/chinese-hsk4-grammar-points-ca7c51ff35e9

Sending flowers Intermediate Vocabulary Culture

Want to get flowers for someone? If you’re in China, then realize that what and how you give can mean different things:

https://www.digmandarin.com/sending-flowers-china-dos-donts.html

Twitter: @DigMandarin

Work-Chinese balance All Learning

How do you balance learning Chinese with the rest of your life? Here are some thoughts on how to include Chinese with your work and school, from someone who has taught many people:

http://www.sinosplice.com/life/archives/2018/01/17/work-chinese-balance

Year of the Dog All Culture

We’re about to start the Year of the Dog. What does this mean, and how does it describe people born in this year?

http://www.chinasimplified.com/2018/01/20/chinese-new-year-2018-lucky-dogs/

My treat! Beginner Grammar Video

Are things going well? Celebrate with others, by treating them. Here’s how you can talk about being so nice to your friends:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWafCzKiCA4

Twitter: @ECLSchool

Pay on time Intermediate Grammar Video

Don’t forget to pay the credit card bill (and other bills, for that matter) on time. Here’s how you can discuss it in Chinese:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B12f14ttOKg

Twitter: @ECLSchool

The three “de”s in Chiense Beginner Grammar Characters Video

The three characters 的,得 and 地 are all pronounced “de”, and have similar meanings — but they aren’t the same, as described here:

http://www.fluentinmandarin.com/content/difficult-chinese-characters-explained-simply-three-des/

Twitter: @Fluent_Mandarin

Chinese talk shows Advanced Video

You can improve your Chinese by watching talk shows. Where do you start? Here are five good ones:

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/2018/01/18/chinese-talk-show/

Twitter: @FluentU

For the kids Beginner Learning

If your children are learning Chinese, what resources can help them to advance? Here are some suggestions:

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/2018/01/18/learn-chinese-for-kids/

Twitter: @FluentU

Whom do you trust? All Learning

How can you decide whom to trust when it comes to learning Chinese? How can you find a good teacher and other resources? Here are some suggestions:

http://www.hackingchinese.com/whom-should-you-trust-for-advice-about-learning-chinese/

Twitter: @HackingChinese

The mouse and the cat Intermediate Story

Are you really upset, or are you just pretending? Here’s a story describing this sentiment in Chinese:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/14-2009-12-02-23-37-05/3052-2018-01-19-04-06-24

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Wolves and sheep Intermediate Story

Is there really a wolf? This short story will tell you not only that, but how to behave with others:

http://www.imandarinpod.com/hoola/index.php/podcasts/15-2009-12-02-23-37-29/3051-2018-01-19-04-02-39

Twitter: @imandarinpod

Tone helpers All Reviews Pronunciation

How can you improve your tones in Chinese? Here are some resources you can use that are especially helpful:

https://blog.hutong-school.com/chinese-listening-tones/

Twitter: @hutongschool

Saying thanks Beginner Grammar Culture

How can you thank someone for what they’ve said or done? Here are a few ways people in China do it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFi_CNbxj8E

Twitter: @ChinesePod

AM and PM in Chinese Beginner Grammar

How do we describe AM and PM time in Chinese?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hCnI0cBj54

Twitter: @chineseclass101

Using 又 (yòu) with two things Intermediate Grammar

How can we use 又 to describe multiple properties?

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/28488/can-i-use-%e5%8f%88-to-give-more-than-two-properties-of-something

Last year Beginner Grammar

Why don’t we say “last year” in Chinese using the same pattern as “last week” and “last month”?

https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/28476/we-say-%e4%b8%8a%e4%b8%aa%e6%98%9f%e6%9c%9f-%e4%b8%8a%e4%b8%aa%e6%9c%88-and-%e5%8e%bb%e5%b9%b4-why-not-%e4%b8%8a%e4%b8%aa%e5%b9%b4


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