Last Saturday marked the September (autumn) equinox, which meant we’ll once more get an equal length of day and night. Soon after, nights will become long again. The Chinese call it 秋分 (qiūfēn), the 16th point in the 24 Solar Terms (24 节气 jiéqì), an important part of the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar. The astronomical …
While taxis or Didis may be the most convenient form of transportation to or from Beijing Capital Airport, we can’t deny that taking the subway is still the cheapest way to go. A one-way ride from or to the city terminal Sanyuanqiao (三元桥, Sānyuánqiáo, or “Three yuan” Bridge) subway station on Line 10 costs 25元. …
Read more “Subway Sunday: The Bridge of the "Three Deities"”
The summer heat is just getting unbearable, isn’t it? One great way to cool down is to sip a cold, thirst-quenching beverage. Of course, water is fine, but these sweltering days call for a refreshing taste, courtesy of your local café or milk tea stall.
It’s true that living in a country where English is not the primary language is difficult. But that shouldn’t scare away newcomers in Beijing as staying here can be a learning experience. New expats, and even those who’ve been here for quite a time, mostly find it hard to find common household items in stores …
Read more “Mandarin Monday: Looking for Common Household Items? Here Are Their Chinese Names”
It’s undeniably hot and what better respite is there than to stay under a shade and listen to summer anthems. Of course, life isn’t always like that and we still need to endure the scorching July sun to do our daily activities. Here are some cool words and phrases you can use to beat the heat.
Ask a Chinese guy on the street, “你知道多少汉字?” Nǐ zhīdào duōshǎo hànzì? (How many Chinese characters do you know?) Chances are that person might say around 4,000 characters. That’s a lot! When you’re accustomed to a language that uses the alphabet (in any forms) as a writing system, memorizing and pronouncing words can be simple. Chinese is a logographic language (in …
Read more “Mandarin Monday: Learn the Correct Character Stroke Order Using This App”
When learning a new language, it is important to know basic greetings and words to help you get by. Of course, a wide vocabulary doesn’t come in an instant; it takes countless hours of reading, practicing, and immersing yourself with native speakers to grow. You might have heard that Chinese has thousands of characters … …
Read more “Mandarin Monday: The HSK Cheat Sheet – 300 Words for Levels 1 and 2”
I have a good pictographic memory, and that makes it easier for me to remember Chinese characters. Recognizing them is just one thing; remembering their pinyin equivalents is another. And speaking them is a whole different level. These components of learning Chinese might be the ones that frighten off new learners, but of course there’s …
Read more “Mandarin Monday: Challenge Your Chinese Proficiency with These Game Apps”
“Talk to locals,” “Speak it daily,” “Always practice.” These are my mantras in learning (or rather self-studying) Chinese but usually…
Hello! It’s our #AtoZChallenge again! I can’t believe I’m on my 14th entry… and 12 letters to go! Today’s challenge coincides with my weekly series, Mandarin Mondays, and we discuss the very basic word that you need to know when learning Mandarin — nǐ hǎo (你好).