The end of Mandarin Weekly

[I sent this note to all 21,000 subscribers to “Mandarin Weekly” last week, and am posting here on the blog now, as well.]

Hi there. This is a very difficult message for me to write.

More than four years ago, I started to learn Chinese. I travel to China for work several times each year (teaching courses in Python programming and data science to high-tech companies), and I soon realized that being able to communicate with people there, in their native language, made my trips more enjoyable and interesting.  I find the language (and culture) of China to be beautiful and fascinating.  My daily 5 a.m. hour-long lesson helps me to start the day with a smile.  And on each trip to China, I find that I’m able to read, speak, and understand more than before, which only encourages me to continue my studies.  I hope to eventually be able to teach programming classes (my day job) in Chinese; while that day might be in the far-off future, it keeps me motivated and reminds me that long-term goals are achieved via many small steps.

Soon after starting my lessons, I began to learn as much as I could about Chinese — from blogs to books to podcasts.  We’re fortunate to be learning Chinese at a time when such resources are abundant.  But with so much to choose from, how could I know what was good or bad?

I decided that perhaps I could help others to sort through this overwhelming number of resources.  The result was Mandarin Weekly, which has been published nearly every week for several years.

While the newsletter was free for subscribers, the servers and software I used to create it weren’t.  I thus tried to find ways to pay for my expenses.  My aim wasn’t to become rich making Mandarin Weekly, but to cover my monthly costs.

I’m afraid that I haven’t successfully turned Mandarin Weekly into a business.  And so, the time has come to end it.

This isn’t because I don’t enjoy writing it — I do! — but because the time and money involved in producing MW each week are far greater than the income I’ve managed to receive.  Advertising, affiliate links, and MW+ subscriptions together cover less than 10% of my monthly publishing expenses.  When you add my time into the mix, the financial calculation is even less compelling.  Even when, several months ago, I offered lifetime MW+ subscriptions for $15, only a handful of people responded.  I’m not angry or upset, but I also cannot continue to lose money at this rate.

I appreciate the feedback and notes of encouragement that I’ve received over the last few years, from people all over the world.  And I especially appreciate the sponsors, affiliate partners, and MW+ subscribers who helped to offset my costs, as well as offer excellent materials to a community of Chinese learners.  Via MW, I’ve also managed to make friends in China, whom I get to see when I visit Beijing and Shanghai.  That will obviously continue, long beyond the publication of this newsletter.

I should note that I’m offering a full refund to any MW+ subscriber who joined in the last three months. Contact me privately (by replying to this message), and I’ll refund the appropriate amount.

Once again: Thank you for subscribing, for reading, and for the gracious notes you’ve sent to me over the last few years.  Hearing from people around the world is a delight, and knowing that I was able to help people to improve their Chinese, if only a bit, gave me a great feeling of satisfaction.

I wish you the best of luck with your Chinese studies — and even if there’s no longer a Mandarin Weekly, you should always feel free to reach out to me, personally, via e-mail at reuven@lerner.co.il or on WeChat (微信) as “ReuvenLerner”.    And take it from me — it is possible to learn Chinese.  It just takes effort, and a willingness to laugh at and learn from your mistakes.

All the best,

Reuven

Mandarin Weekly #168

 

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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.

Why are you only getting this on Thursdays? Because you haven’t paid for Mandarin Weekly Plus. Get the links that are useful to you, and receive this newsletter before everyone else! Subscribe to Mandarin Weekly Plus for a one-time fee of $15. Subscriptions help to support the servers and software needed to keep Mandarin Weekly running.

Subscribe to Mandarin Weekly Plus!

Using 倍 (bèi) Intermediate Grammar Video

How do you indicate multiples? With 倍:

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

Get 15% off ChineseZeroToHero with the MANDARINWEEKLY15 coupon code

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

Mandarin Weekly #167

 

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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.

Why are you only getting this on Thursdays? Because you haven’t paid for Mandarin Weekly Plus. Get the links that are useful to you, and receive this newsletter before everyone else! Subscribe to Mandarin Weekly Plus for a one-time fee of $15. Subscriptions help to support the servers and software needed to keep Mandarin Weekly running.

Subscribe to Mandarin Weekly Plus!

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

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

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

Mandarin Weekly #166

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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.

Why are you only getting this on Thursdays? Because you haven’t paid for Mandarin Weekly Plus. Get the links that are useful to you, and receive this newsletter before everyone else! Subscribe to Mandarin Weekly Plus for a one-time fee of $15. Subscriptions help to support the servers and software needed to keep Mandarin Weekly running.

Subscribe to Mandarin Weekly Plus!

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

Many people think that a VPN is just for when you go to China. But I use ExpressVPN just about every day, even when I’m in other countries. Whether I’m getting around my clients’ network restrictions or just ensuring my privacy, I have found ExpressVPN to be easy to use. Most recently, I’ve been watching movies on Netflix and Amazon that would otherwise only be visible to US residents — from wherever I happen to be traveling. If you want to ensure access, privacy, and security, I definitely encourage you to try ExpressVPN.Click here to try ExpressVPN for yourself, and find out why I’m delighted to have them sponsoring Mandarin Weekly.

Try ExpressVPN

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

Get 15% off ChineseZeroToHero with the MANDARINWEEKLY15 coupon code

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