Chinese Idioms or Chéngyǔ About Animals
What is a Chinese idiom/Chéngyǔ? Briefly speaking, Chengyu (成语, Chéngyǔ) are Chinese idioms that are normally made up of four Chinese characters. Chengyu are usually handed down from way back…
How to Choose Your very Own Chinese Name
One of the first things that might surprise you when you meet a Chinese native speaker for the first time is that the name they use to introduce themselves to…
5 Lucky Things in Chinese Culture
Who doesn’t want to be “lucky”? Every culture, in their search for special “lucky charms”, has their own symbols that they believe will bring them good fortune. There are tons…
14 “Wild Chinese Phrases” You Won’t Find in Your Textbooks
Chances are, students who have been studying Mandarin Chinese will not find the following words/phrases in regular books. You might encounter these words when watching Chinese TV series or the…
8 Tips to Guide You Bargaining in China
One of the many things China is famous for is the many different types of markets all over the country. From gorgeous silk scarves and fashionable clothes, to designer bags…
10 Chinese Travel Superstitions
In the immortal words of Hans Christian Andersen, “to travel is to live.” But the question then becomes, where do you live when you travel? A hotel? A hostel?? A…
China Survival Tips: How to Hail a Shanghai Cab
The subtitle for this article was going to be “why won’t the taxi stop when the light is on and my hand is clearly waving in the air as if…
Snacking in Beijing
So, let’s go ahead and assume you need a snack. Not a meal, just a small snack. We’re also going to assume that you’re in Beijing, which we have previously…
12 Chinese Proverbs About Work
This time, we are going to study 12 Chinese proverbs about Work. The Chinese people have accumulated many vivid proverbs that are thought-provoking and which reflect the attitude and point-of-view…