Flowers and trees are closely related to people’s lives. Because of this, for thousands of years, the Chinese people have coined many plant-related words and expressions. For example, Chinese people…
As with all languages, Chinese has an informal set of slang words which can be quite useful to know and can help one communicate better. Chinese slang usually can’t be…
Here are two facts about Chinese idioms: there are lots and lots of them, and for the most part they are not particularly useful. I’ve been a student of Mandarin…
Tally marks are a numerical system used for to make counting easier. As the name suggests, it is a system that helps keep “tally” of things by number. Tally marks…
Now that 2018 is upon us, it is also nearing the time of a new lunar year on the Chinese calendar, and just like in the West, the Chinese also…
The topic of how to send flowers in China came to my mind a short time ago when one of my friends told me of a student who sent her…
Chinese Chengyu (成语, Chéngyǔ) plays an important role in Chinese culture. They are the collected wisdom from ancient Chinese people; and they contain deep insights into human life. Behind the…
It is almost impossible to learn Mandarin without lots of practice with a native Chinese person, but taking that first step to actual have that first conversation can feel like…
In Chinese culture, the seventh month of the Lunar Calendar holds special significance. It is known as “Ghost Month” 鬼月(Guǐ yuè), and hosts the so-called “Ghost Festival” (鬼节, Guǐ jié)…