恭喜发财 (Gōngxǐ fācái — or kung hei fat choi, as commonly known in the Philippines) isn’t the only greeting you can say this Chinese New Year! The phrase 万事如意 wànshì rúyì is one of those usual prints on 红包 hóngbāo/angpao or red envelopes. It means “everything goes well,” an optimistic message this Chinese holiday brings to everyone.
And that shows our Mandarin can go well too — or even better! It’s not too late to step up our Mandarin game (yes, including me because I’m also self-studying the language too).
Just as we are entering the Lunar New Year, let’s greet others with goodwill messages like 万事如意 wànshì rúyì and 出入平安 chūrù píng’ān (safe trip wherever you go). Check out this list where you can learn more phrases to spread your good wishes.
But if you’re still struggling with basic Mandarin expressions, see this starter guide. And remember, make use of your smartphone! After all, if you want to supplement those Chinese language classes, it’s only essential you have learning resources on your devices.
- Improve your Putonghua with these 11 digital tools and 8 learning resources…
- Or access this WeChat account to learn Chinese!
So okay, what will be the use of those links if you won’t try speaking Chinese? Go out and travel, well probably in Binondo or Chinatown (well locals there are probably speaking Cantonese)! If you intend to go to a Mandarin-speaking place, it’s proper to at least know how to speak transport phrases and taxi/Didi rides even if a little.
But if last minute excursions are not your thing, why not try out restaurants and bars and use this guide to make your orders swift and easy!
Remember, speaking is just one part of learning the language. You also need to somehow familiarize with Chinese characters to read and type in pinyin… especially if you’re up to online shopping on Taobao! And if you’re confident enough, why not check how your Mandarin proficiency measures up with these tests? After all, even if Chinese is difficult to learn, knowing and being fluent in it is just rewarding — personally and professionally.
Just remember, 万事如意 wànshì rúyì — everything goes well — so as your Mandarin!
Good luck and 新年快乐 xīnnián kuàilè!
This is an edited version of my article that will be published on beijing-kids.com. More of my stories here. Follow me on Instagram too @coolkidandy.