It is ‘a piece of apple’, not ‘an apple’.
Of course, I’m talking about speaking the Chinese language.
Unlike English, you often add a classifier, or measure word, when you are describing quantity. It is, therefore,more proper to say ‘a piece of apple’, i.e. yi ge pingguo 一个苹果; rather than ‘an apple’ 一苹果– without the [...]
What was the most read news story of the past decade?
Neither the Iraq War, nor the attacks of Sept 11, 2001, according to an analysis by a US-based media tracking group.
It was the rise of China as an economic superpower.
The Global Language Monitor uses an algorithm to search print and electronic media for trends in [...]
Very soon, we are going to usher in the 2010. Let me wish you Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.
Well, you may want to send the same greetings in Chinese to your friends well. I’ve already shown you how Merry Christmas is said and written in Chinese. Now, let’s [...]
Traditionally, Chinese respect hierarchy.
This is an important point to note, if you want to build a good guanxi (relationship) in China, or speak Chinese well.
This is reflected in the way that siblings in a family are addressed.
When you are talking about your brother, do not be surprised the Chinese to whom [...]
One of the first things that you need to know before learning Chinese is its tones.
If you’re a speaker of non-tonal language like English, it may be difficult for you to comprehend. In Chinese, a slight change of Internation would change the meaning of a syllable altogether. In other words, even if you [...]
I know it is difficult to write ‘Merry Christmas’ Chinese characters. For those who like to receive the greetings in Chinese, however, your effort can be a highly valued gift.
Try writing it by following what I do in the video below. Just in case if you want to see the characters in print, here [...]
Christmas is around the corner!
You may want to say your Merry Christmas greeting in Chinese. How do you do it?
Well, it will take you only a few minute to learn.
In Chinese, ‘Christmas’ is written as 圣诞 and pronounced as shèng dàn.
‘Happy’ is written as 快乐 and pronounced as kuài lè.
‘Wishing you’ is written as [...]
I’m often intrigued by the extraordinary things that modern Chinese would do to put their messages across.
The latest that I have read is about longing for love.
Standing on a busy Shanghai road, a 23-year-old man wearing a cardboard box and handing out his phone number was not looking for a job.
He was looking for true [...]
“Now Chinese is looked at as a key to the future!” says Professor Cornelius C. Kubler of Williams College.
The number of people learning Chinese in the USA has doubled over the last four to five years.
There are currently about 300,000 people learning the language in the country. About 60,000 of them are in colleges and universities: thirty or forty thousand in schools, like high schools, junior high schools and kindergartens; and twenty or [...]