Master the Art of ‘Picking Up’ in Chinese: Translations You Need to Know!
Stop giggling at the back! When you saw the title, did you think we were diving into the world of dating and romance in Chinese class today? Well, instead we’ll…
Tackling the two opposite meanings of 让(ràng)
This article covers the character 让(ràng), a word with two virtually opposite meanings in Mandarin: to permit; to yieldto make someone do/feel something; to have someone do something. Tackling these…
Freezing “to death?” – Adjective/Verb+死+了
It has been very cold in Beijing recently, and out on the streets, you might hear some Chinese people saying: “冷死了(lěng sǐ le, I’m freezing).” "死 (sǐ)" literally means “to…
How to tell 另外(lìng wài) and 另(lìng) apart!
Are you an intermediate Chinese learner struggling with synonyms? Do you find yourself wondering which words to use in certain situations? You're not alone! Many learners have difficulty with this…
The Best Resources to Improve your Chinese Handwriting
Writing anything down helps us to remember it better. A quick web search will yield a plethora of websites, software and mobile applications that all promise to significantly improve your…
Basic Verbs that are Different in Chinese and English Part II
Although I always know Chinese and English were poles apart, I didn't realize how much simple differences between the two languages could create problems for learners until I started developing…
4 Common Chinese Measure Words – 个/只/支/头
Many people have trouble understanding which “measure word” they should use in different situations. If you don’t know what a measure word is – it’s a word that is used…
10 Amazing Places in China Which You Can’t Believe Existed
China is large and is highlighted by the big cities such as Beijing, or Shanghai that demonstrates the development of country. However, does China have unique sites that you don't…
10 ways to use 点 (diǎn)
点 (diǎn) is one of those characters in Mandarin that pops-up all over the place. In the dictionary, there are multiple meanings given, including “dot”, “point”, a “small amount”. In…
When is it time to change your Chinese teacher?
“Teaching should be full of ideas instead of stuffed with facts.” “Ideal teachers are those who use themselves as bridges over which they invite their students to cross.” There are…