Want to understand significantly more Mandarin Chinese? With these 121 core Chinese words, you can improve your listening comprehension and speaking skills. Sound too good to be true? Don’t worry, these 121 basic Chinese words make an appearance so often that they make up the majority of what you’ll hear in Chinese. It’s all about […]
MOREThe 15 Most Common Ways to Say Goodbye in Chinese
Maybe you already know how to say “hello” in Chinese but you don’t know how to say “goodbye” in Chinese yet. Or you already know the most common and simple way to say “goodbye” in Mandarin – 再见 (zàijiàn), but you want to learn other ways to say “farewell” in Chinese. Either way, this article […]
MORE55 Chinese Proverbs, Sayings and Quotes
“Chinese proverbs” – 谚语 (yànyǔ) are known to be the ultimate pearls of wisdom. As in any other language, Chinese proverbs are usually very short sayings about the advice and truths of life. Many proverbs have their origins in ancient China, and its philosophers, writers and poets. Even though most of these Chinese sayings have […]
MOREHow to Say “I Love You” in Chinese (Get it Right the First Time!)
Want to know how to say “I love you” in Chinese? I’m going to show you how, in many different ways. But first, here’s something you should know about love in Chinese culture: Chinese culture can be remarkably different from the Western culture. That also applies to dating, showing love, using pet names, and even […]
MORE108 Basic Chinese Words: Essential Chinese Vocab for Beginners
Learning some basic Chinese words is a great way to get started with the language. After all, you can’t have much of a conversation in Chinese unless you can say beginner Chinese words like these: 你好 (nǐ hǎo) – “hello” 你好吗? (nǐ hǎo ma?) – “How are you?” 是 (shì) – “yes” 没有 (méiyǒu) or […]
MOREChinese Numbers – Your Go-to Guide for Counting in Chinese from 0 – 100+
Are you ready to explore Chinese numbers 1-100 and beyond? Read this article, and you’ll have a solid knowledge of counting in Chinese. Today, I’ll teach you all numbers in Chinese, from 1 to 10, 10 to 100, and I’ll also include thousands and millions. And if you’re interested in a little bonus, I’ll […]
MOREHow to Learn and Memorize Simplified Chinese Characters: A Guide for Beginners
Would you like to learn Chinese characters? They’re actually pretty interesting to learn, as well as useful if you want to speak and read Chinese. Chinese characters have been around for over 5,000 years, so we can be sure they’re not going to disappear any time soon. They’ve become an inseparable part of Chinese language […]
MORE110 Useful Chinese Phrases to Have Your First Conversation
Are you ready to learn Chinese? Then these are the Chinese phrases to get started with so you can start speaking today. You’ve probably heard how Chinese is one of the hardest languages for English speakers to learn. And how learning Chinese will take years to master. It makes learning the language seem intimidating! But […]
MORE15 Ways to Wish Someone “Happy New Year” in Chinese
So you’d like to know how to say “Happy New Year” in Chinese? Then this is the article for you! The most common way of saying “Happy New Year” in Chinese is 新年快乐 (xīnnián kuàilè). But there are lots of other phrases you can use to join in the Chinese New Year festivities too. So, […]
MOREHello in Chinese – 25+ Chinese Greetings to Sound Like a Native
So you want to know: “How do you say hello in Chinese?” I’d like to show you how to master Chinese greetings so you’ll know how to say “hello” in Chinese. Saying “hello” is usually the first thing you learn when studying a new language. It’s one of the most basic things to learn and […]
MOREHow to Order Chinese Food in an Authentic Chinese Restaurant: 40+ Chinese Words and Phrases (Plus Eating Etiquette)
If you’ve ever been to a Chinese restaurant, you might think it’s super easy to order. Everything on the menu is in English, there are usually even pictures in the menu list. You just arrive, order, eat, drink and go. If this is the case, then you probably haven’t been to a real Chinese restaurant. […]
MOREChinese Characters: They’re Not as Hard as You Think
Working for a Chinese language school for foreigners, I hear it over and over again: “I’m not going to learn the characters. I’ll just learn spoken Chinese. That’s enough for me.” To put it squarely, trying to learn Chinese without learning the characters is generally not a good idea. The good news is, you have […]
MOREHow to Say “Family” in Chinese: An Ultimate Guide to Family in Chinese Culture
Family in Chinese is 家 (jiā). This can be translated as “family” or “home”. But it’s also much more than that. “Family” is a big concept in Chinese. Let’s take a look at what it means in this ultimate guide to family in Chinese. If you’re interested in learning Chinese, learning about family will give […]
MORELearning Mandarin Chinese as Explained by a Peace Corps Volunteer
A few years ago, I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in China. I joined the Peace Corps with the desire to travel, help the world, and blog about it. Along the way, I learned a ton about Chinese culture, and I traveled a lot. Most of the adventures I’ve had in China wouldn’t have been […]
MOREI Messed Up Learning Spanish… and Now I Speak Chinese
“I’ll never learn Chinese. Spanish was hard enough for me and that’s an easy language. Learning Chinese would be impossible.” I felt defeated by my attempts to learn Spanish. I had just come home to Michigan after three years of living in Latin America. I was preparing to move to China when my brother asked […]
MORE