Chinese Grammar Fundamentals: Master the Attributive Particle 的
Language is like a puzzle, where words come together to create meaning and share ideas. In the world of the Chinese language, there's a small but powerful puzzle piece called…
A Review of Lang-8 for Chinese Writing
Opening / Introduction With so much innovation taking place in language learning, it can sometimes be difficult to pick the best tools to match your learning level, goals and preferences.…
How to Address Someone Based on Their Status in Chinese
Do people in China still use the term 同志 (tóng zhì) to address each other? Although you may have seen people in communist China calling each other 同志 with enthusiasm…
Culture Wok with Kirsten: The History and Recipe behind Chinese Jiaozi
Crispy, succulent Peking duck（北京烤鸭běi jīng kǎo yā）. Piquant hot and sour soup（酸辣汤suān là tāng）. Orange chicken with a hint of citrusy zest （陈皮鸡chén pí jī）. Chinese cuisine appeals to palates…
Make a Wish upon the Horse – 马上
Make a wish upon a... Horse? Bringing New Year's Tidings on "Horseback". As many of you may know, the Spring Festival began on January 31, marking the beginning of the…
Studying Mandarin Chinese: Flashcards Everywhere!
Flashcards are crucial for learning languages. I would say, for learning Mandarin Chinese, they are tremendously vital. If you want (or need) to memorize hanzi, you should surround yourself with…
108 Chinese New Year Greeting Phrases and Sentences!
Happy Chinese New Year everyone! Today I gather some interesting phrases and sentences that are heard during the Chinese New Year. And of course you can use them to greet…
The Year of Horse & The words of Horse
Do you know the Chinese Zodiac? It is a systematic plan of future action and relates each year to an animal according to a 12-year cycle. There are twelve animals…
Would You Marry Me?
Marriage is one of the most significant things in a person’s life. In Chinese, “婚”(hūn) is the literal meaning of marriage. This Chinese character has two parts, that is to…
Learning Mandarin Online: Teacher Vs. School
Are you learning Mandarin online? Nowadays, there is no need to explain the benefits of studying via Skype. However, “offline vs. online” is not the only alternative to choose from.…