One of China’s most popular holidays around the world is the Dragon Boat Festival. The Dragon Boat Festival seeks to commemorate the suicide of Qu Yuan, a heroic poet. While a bit dark, the Dragon Boat Festival history is a unique facet of Chinese culture as a whole.
At ChineseClass101.com, we hope to make learning Chinese both fun and informative, especially when it comes to the culture and the history behind it. Any successful language learner can tell you that this is a vital step in mastering a language.
That said, we hope you enjoy learning about the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival with us!
1. What is the Dragon Boat Festival?
The Dragon Boat Festival is a Chinese traditional festival to commemorate a hero named Qu Yuan.
Qu Yuan was a politician and poet who lived two thousand years ago. He had been a court official in the State of Chu. He was very loyal, but the King believed the words of the treacherous instead and exiled him. Feeling humiliated, he jumped into a river on May 5 to end his life. It is said that people missed him greatly after his death. They began boating on the same river and this activity gradually evolved into Dragon Boat racing.
2. When is Dragon Boat Festival?
So, when is the Dragon Boat Festival?
Each year, China celebrates the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. For your convenience, here’s a list of this holiday’s date on the Gregorian calendar for the next ten years.
2019: June 7
2020: June 25
2021: June 14
2022: June 3
2023: June 22
2024: June 10
2025: May 31
2026: June 19
2027: June 9
2028: May 28
3. Reading Practice: Chinese Dragon Boat Festival Traditions
How do the Chinese celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival? Read the Simplified Chinese below to learn about Chinese Dragon Boat Festival traditions (including Dragon Boat Festival food!), and find the English translation directly below it.
The dragon boat race is a very popular tradition. Dragon boats are small boats, and the dragon boat race is a boating race. There are twenty-five members on each boat: one in command, two playing the drums, and the rest making rigorous efforts to be the fastest to reach the finish line. What attracts people most is the atmosphere of the race. On the dragon boat, the drums sound like thunder, and the crew members’ shouts are never-ending. On both sides of the river bank is an endless stream of spectators.
During the Dragon Boat Festival, you must not miss out on eating rice dumplings. Legend says that after Qu Yuan jumped into the river, people didn’t want his body to be eaten by river fish; they made many dumplings with fillings and threw them into the river to feed the fish. This is the origin of the rice dumpling. So, what does a rice dumpling look like? Fillings such as jujube, red bean paste, or others are put inside soaked glutinous rice, and the rice is wrapped in bamboo leaves. After boiling, you can peel off the leaves and dip the rice dumplings in sugar to eat them.
In ancient times, people believed that hanging wormwood leaves on the door of their home could keep evil away. Modern science has found that wormwood leaves can sterilize and prevent plague infection.
4. How Traditions Relate to Qu Yuan
Which customs in the Dragon Boat Festival (China) commemorate Qu Yuan?
The Dragon Boat Festival itself is a festival to commemorate Qu Yuan. The customs related to Qu Yuan include the dragon boat race and eating rice dumplings.
5. Useful Vocabulary for the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival
Here’s some vocabulary you should know for the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival!
To hear each of these vocabulary words pronounced, check out our Chinese Dragon Boat Festival vocabulary list. Here, each word is accompanied by an audio file of its pronunciation.
Conclusion
What do you think of the Dragon Boat Festival in China? Does your country have a similar holiday or festival? Let us know in the comments!
To learn more about the culture in China and the Chinese language, visit us at ChineseClass101.com! It’s our aim to make learning Chinese both fun and informative, and to ensure that every learner can master the language. We offer an array of useful learning tools, from insightful blog posts like this one to free Chinese vocabulary lists. You can also discuss lessons with fellow Chinese learners on our community forum, and upgrade to Premium Plus to take advantage of our MyTeacher program!
We hope you took away something valuable from this lesson, and that you feel more knowledgeable about this facet of Chinese culture. Know that your hard work will pay off, and you’ll be speaking Chinese like a native before you know it!
Movies are one of the most popular and easy-to-get forms of entertainment in our society. Everyone, at some point or another, just craves to sit down and watch their favorite type of movie, and to immerse themselves in the movie-world.
There’s a great variety of Chinese movies. For example, there are Chinese war movies, martial arts movies (which are mostly kung-fu movies), Chinese cooking movies, and the list goes on. If you enjoy watching movies and wish to learn some daily-spoken Chinese language, this way of learning will definitely be an adventure for you!
All the movies listed here offer a glimpse into the very unique Chinese culture. They’re the very best Chinese movies for you as a language learner! By watching them, you’ll improve both your listening and speaking ability immensely. It may even further intrigue your passion for Chinese! We hope you’re able to get some helpful info on learning Chinese from movies on our Chinese movies blog. Here are some tips to improve your pronunciation while watching movies in Chinese.
1. The Top 12 Chinese Movies for Studying the Language
1- You are the Apple of My Eye
Chinese Title: 那些年，我们一起追的女孩
Pinyin:nà xiē nián ，wǒ men yī qǐ zhuī de nǚ hái
English Title: You are the Apple of My Eye
This movie was released in 2011 and aroused memories of many people’s innocent youth. It’s one of the best Chinese romantic movies for students or for people who want to be nostalgic for their past school romances. It contains many easy-to-understand daily speaking Chinese words and phrases, especially for teenagers. The story includes all the innocence, beauty, struggles, romance, and growth that take place during one’s youth. Remember to prepare some tissues when you watch it!
Chinese quote: 青春是一场大雨，即使感冒了，还盼望回头再淋它一次。
Pinyin:Qīng chūn shì yī chǎng dà yǔ, jí shǐ gǎn mào le, hái pàn wàng huí tóu zài lín tā yī cì.
English Meaning: Youth is like a rain. Even though you catch a cold from it, you still wish to relive it again.
2- Lost in Thailand
Chinese Title: 泰囧
Pinyin:tài jiǒng
English Title: Lost in Thailand
This is a Chinese comedy film about an adventure Lang Xu, Bo Gao, and Bao Wang have in Thailand for a competitive business war. Explore their magical trip with them as you watch and learn from the movie! Go ahead and have a good laugh while you’re at it, and learn some funny phrases in Chinese! Maybe you’ll even be able to make classic jokes in Chinese as you progress in your studies.
English Meaning: Your mother slapped you to the ground once you were born! Is that right!
3- Love is not Blind
Chinese Title: 失恋33天
Pinyin:shī liàn sān shí sān tiān
English Title: Love is not Blind
This movie is one of the best Chinese movies for people who long for some comfort from a breakup, and it will teach you a great lesson. Particularly, you can watch this movie for learning standardized Mandarin. The story talks about a girl’s thirty-three-day journey from the loss of love to being herself again, in a humorous way. It was known as the first “healing” love movie customized for the Singles Day (11/11) in mainland China.
English Meaning: Everyone’s story is like someone else’s story or movie. As long as it’s not your business, it will always feel faraway.
4- Let the Bullets Fly
Chinese Title: 让子弹飞
Pinyin: ràng zǐ dàn fēi
English Title: Let the Bullets Fly
This is one of the best Chinese action movies. It talks about the story of a man’s great transformation from a purposeless robber to the responsible governor of Goose City. Soon, an aggressive battle is on with the bully Silang Huang who guards the Goose City. The legend of the hero is always passed down, and at the end of the story, Mazi Zhang finally realizes what he needs to pursue.
English Meaning: If you are alive, you will die sooner or later; if you die, then you will be living forever.
5- Youth
Chinese Title: 芳华
Pinyin: fāng huá
English Title: Youth
This is a modern Chinese historical movie about the lives of the army’s young new recruits during the 1970s. It was a great transformation period for China, and the youth of that generation is worth being recorded.
Chinese quote: 一个始终不被人善待的人, 最能识得善良, 也最能珍视善良。
Pinyin:Yī gè shǐ zhōng bú bèi rén shàn dài de rén, zuì néng shí dé shàn liáng, yě zuì néng zhēn shì shàn liáng.
English Meaning: A person who was never treated kindly, is the most capable of recognizing kindness and as well as cherishing it.
6- Ip Man
Chinese Title: 叶问
Pinyin:yè wèn
English Title: Ip Man
This one is a great hero Chinese movie about a famous Chinese martial artist called Ip Man, who is also the mentor of Bruce Lee. Throughout the movie, Chinese patriotism is passionately present.
Chinese quote: 每个人走的路都是自己选的。
Pinyin:Měi gè rén zǒu de lù dōu shì zì jǐ xuǎn de.
English Meaning: Everyone is the decider for the journey of their life.
7- Rob-B-Hood
Chinese Title: 宝贝计划
Pinyin:bǎo bèi jì huà
English Title: Rob-B-Hood
This movie is a Chinese action comedy film that stars the famous actor Jackie Chan. It tells the story of the journey of two men who, after stealing an infant, start to have a unique and humorous experience.
Chinese quote: 人本来就是很复杂的，三岁定八十，你给他吃什么，教他什么都是不可以马虎的。
Pinyin:
Rén běn lái jiù shì hěn fù zá de, sān suì dìng bā shí, nǐ gěi tā chī shén me, jiāo tā shén me dōu shì bù kě yǐ mǎ hu de.
English Meaning: Humans are complicated. How one is going to be at the age of eighty depends on the age of three. You need to pay attention to what you feed and teach him.
8- Go Away Mr.Tumor
Chinese Title: 滚蛋吧，肿瘤君！
Pinyin:gǔn dàn ba ，zhǒng liú jūn
English Title: Go Away Mr.Tumor!
Whilst battling against a malignant tumor, a woman writes a story that inspires millions of people worldwide. This story makes you reflect upon life and death, and sheds some light on the saying “living in the moment.” A great movie to start for a beginner for learning Chinese.
Chinese quote: 人不能因为害怕失去，就不去拥有。死，只是一个结果，怎么活着才是最重要的。
English Meaning: You cannot refuse to embrace things just because you are afraid of losing them. Death is just a result, and the ways of living is the most important thing.
9- My Memories of Old Beijing
Chinese Title: 城南旧事
Pinyin:chéng nán jiù shì
English Title: My Memories of Old Beijing
This classic old movie is originally from an autobiographical novel by Lin Haiyin, which has become one of the best Chinese movies of all time. The story was told from the perspective of a little girl, Yingzi, who had a memorable childhood in Beijing.
Chinese quote: 无论什么困难的事，只要硬着头皮去做，就闯过去了。
Pinyin:Wú lùn shén me kùn nán de shì, zhǐ yào yìng zhe tóu pí qù zuò, jiù chuǎng guò qù le.
English Meaning: No matter how difficult it is, as long as you just go ahead and do it, you will always overcome the difficulty.
10- So Young
Chinese Title: 致我们终将逝去的青春
Pinyin:zhì wǒ men zhōng jiāng shì qù de qīng chūn
English Title: So Young
This story is about the bittersweet youth of a girl who discovers university life and learns many lessons from it. Later, she also faces the challenges of being in a society full of pressure. This movie is a mirror of reality. Many characters in the movie become the kind of people they used to dislike. We can gain much more than love from this film; we can also gain much wisdom about the journey of growth.
Chinese quote: 再好的过去，回忆的次数多了味道也就淡了。
Pinyin:Zài hǎo de guò qù, huí yì de cì shù duō le wèi dào yě jiù dàn le.
English Meaning: No matter how wonderful the memories were, if you recollect and reminisce too many times, the good in it will eventually go away.
11- Once Upon a Time
Chinese Title: 三生三世十里桃花
Pinyin:sān shēng sān shì shí lǐ táo huā
English Title: Once Upon a Time
This movie, released in 2017, has another beautiful name: Eternal Love. It’s a bittersweet love tragedy featuring Bai Qian, a goddess and monarch from Heavenly Realms, who is sent to the mortal world to undergo a trial to become a High Goddess. She meets Ye Hua there and falls in love with him. This fairy tale will show you the regrets and struggles that come with love and will also introduce a glimpse of Chinese culture regarding the Heavenly Realms.
Chinese quote: 我明白得太迟，而你终究不会在原地等我了。
Pinyin:Wǒ míng bái dé tài chí, ér nǐ zhōng jiū bú huì zài yuán dì děng wǒ le.
English Meaning: It was too late when I realized everything, and now you are not there waiting for me anymore.
12- The Mermaid
Chinese Title: 美人鱼
Pinyin:měi rén yú
English Title: The Mermaid
This film tells the romantic story of the rich man Xuan Liu and the mermaid Shanshan. Xuan Liu’s real estate project threatens Shanshan’s families who live under the sea, and thus Shanshan as a spy was meant to assassinate him in order to save them. Surprisingly, they fall in love. This beautiful fairy tale is starred by the famous actor Stephen Chow and was released in 2016.
Chinese quote: “假如你的生命只剩下一分钟的话你会做些什么？” “看着你。”
Pinyin: “Jiǎ rú nǐ de shēng mìng zhǐ shèng xià yī fēn zhōng de huà nǐ huì zuò xiē shén me？” “Kàn zhe nǐ.”
English Meaning: “What would you do if there is only one minute left in your life?” “Looking at you.”
2. Websites and Places for Watching Good Chinese Movies
Netflix:
There’s a variety of classic Chinese movies on Netflix. Although they might not be the newest ones, many of them are still very entertaining and are a great fit for learning Chinese culture and language. You can find one of the classics we just mentioned here: Ip Man!
YouTube Chinese movie:
YouTube usually has the newest Chinese movies and shows, and most of the movies we mentioned in this article can be found there! A great thing about newly made Chinese movies is that they’re often made with both Chinese and English subtitles. Just research the movie title on YouTube and enjoy!
Chinese Movie Theaters in China:
If you plan to visit China, don’t forget to take a glance at some of the best Chinese movie theaters: Wanda International Cinemas and China Film Stellar Theater Chain. Hope you have a fantastic experience there!
3. How Can Watching Chinese Movies Become a Great Tool for Learning the Language?
By watching movies, you can practice both your listening and speaking skills in the language. As you look at the subtitles, your vocabulary knowledge will boost dramatically as well! They’re not as dull as most language textbooks. Instead, they teach you the most close-to-life Chinese!
ChineseClass101.com will definitely help you learn Chinese more efficiently, providing you with a great source of information on the Chinese language. You can also research some new vocabularies and questions you may have from watching the movies! Soon you’ll be able to watch Chinese movies with absolute confidence in understanding them!
Start with a bonus, and download the Must-Know Beginner Vocabulary PDF for FREE! (Logged-In Member Only)
Who doesn’t love having fun while studying? Now’s the time for Chinese language learners to throw away the textbook for a while and join us in this fun journey! Watching Chinese TV shows properly will not only help you examine the native culture and society in an interesting context, but also help you unconsciously remember more vocabularies and phrases with less effort than if you were plainly trying to memorize them.
As long as you integrate these tips and follow the instructions introduced in this article, you’ll definitely find your way out along with these great ChineseTV shows. Get ready to improve your Chinese skills dramatically and let us guide you through the most popular Chinese TV shows.
If you watch TV shows on a regular daily basis, soon you’ll be able to memorize vocabulary more efficiently by associating them with its context, vivid action, interesting plot, and visual image, which will also help you get a better sense of grammar, accent, and native culture.
Unlike academic textbooks, a well-produced TV show brings you to a whole new world and you’ll easily find yourself becoming motivated to keep watching. Eventually, you’ll become immersed in it.
Now, the question is, although watching TV shows helps and is more entertaining, can you rely on watching shows by itself?
Certainly not. If you truly wish to improve your Chinese skills systematically from all aspects, it requires a little dedication. Now, here are some tips to guide you as you utilize TV shows as a tool to study Chinese:
Find the right one: A show that can trigger your interest of studying is the key. First find a good TV show that matches your particular interests.
Identify which language skill you wish to improve: For example, if you want to increase your storage of vocabulary or grammar usage, you’ll need to pay close attention to the subtitles all the time. On the other hand, if you want to improve your listening skills, then it’ll be best for you not to look at the subtitles too much. (If you’re a beginner, it’s always good to watch Chinese TV shows with English subtitles, though, whether you look at them a lot or not.)
Furthermore, if you wish to practice your Chinese by immersing yourself in the Chinese environment, a show with only Chinese subtitles will be the best fit depending on your level.
Stay observant and take notes: When your main purpose is to study the language, don’t pay too much attention to the show itself. You don’t want to forget your “learner” identity. You’ll need to constantly observe by watching, reading, and listening to see if there’s anything you don’t understand that’s worth looking up.
Stay like a hungry wolf who’s desperate for its food. Always stay alert when something you don’t understand pops up. When it happens, don’t be lazy! Pause it, and take time to take some notes. This will probably be a bit time-consuming, but it’s worth the effort.
For instance, a forty-minute show may take you an hour to watch in this way. Just remember that it means you’re absorbing and learning!
2. Sites Where You Can Watch Popular Chinese Shows
Due to the restriction for copyright, many shows on Chinese websites only allow users who are located in Mainland China to watch. Fortunately, although you don’t live in Mainland China, you’ll still be able to find the most popular Chinese shows with the most recent updates on Youtube and some other channels.
For people who live outside of Mainland China, you can find popular Chinese TV shows on:
YouTube: This is the best channel for people who aren’t located in Mainland China to find the most recent updates without any charge. You can usually find them with both Chinese and English subtitles.
Netflix: This includes a variety of classic Chinese shows, though you’ll need a subscription.
ViKi: This streams free online and provides many recently popular Chinese shows with both Chinese and English subtitles.
AsianCrush: This is where you can enjoy all kinds of Asian shows.
For people who live in Mainland China, here are five Chinese websites that are exclusive to those who are located in Mainland China. If you’re not fluent in Chinese, no worries; just use Google to translate everything.
The best thing about them is that you can find almost every single category of Chinese shows on them, whether it’s a niche market or a popular one, a classic or a recent release. Just enjoy it all. With these sites you can find great Chinese TV shows to watch online:
Here’s our list of popular Chinese TV shows and other recent shows. A lot of these are drama Chinese TV shows, so watching these is a great way to catch up on the latest Chinese dramas. That said, here’s our Chinese TV shows to watch online.
1- Chinese Paladin - 仙剑奇侠传 (xiān jiàn qí xiá zuàn)
Chinese Paladin, based on the popular role-playing game The Legend of Sword and Fairy, was released in 2005 and introduces Chinese Xianxia (仙侠) culture, which often involves appearances of gods, immortals, people, demons, and ghosts. There will also be various magic weapons and fairy instruments utilized by the characters.
There are also lots of romantic phrases waiting for you to learn since a great deal of love stories are involved in this series!
Vocabularies:
理解 (lǐ jiě) — understanding
爱 (ài) — love
心 (xīn) — heart
人 (rén) — person
Classic quotes:
In Chinese: 相爱, 不如相知.
Pinyin: Xiàng ài, bù rú xiàng zhī.
In English: Falling in love is not as powerful as understanding each other in depth.
In Chinese: 她偷走了我的心，却是为了她爱的人。
Pinyin: Tā tōu zǒu le wǒ de xīn, què shì wéi le tā ài de rén.
In English: She stole my heart, and yet it is only for the one she loves.
2- Ipartment - 爱情公寓 (ài qíng gōng yù)
A sitcom produced from Mainland China, the i in the English title is a reference to ài (爱), the Chinese term for “love.” This series talks about a group of friends who live in the same apartment and their hilarious, entertaining, and heartwarming daily life, which will teach you a lot about romance and friendship.
If you ever feel that your life is difficult and needs a little bit of laughter to lighten it up, watch this show!
Vocabularies:
以为 (yǐ wéi) — assume
其实 (qí shí) — actually
成功 (chéng gōng) — success
每当 (měi dāng) — every time
钥匙 (yào shí) — key
Classic quotes:
In Chinese: 别以为世界抛弃了你, 其实世界压根没空搭理你。
Pinyin: Bié yǐ wéi shì jiè pāo qì le nǐ, qí shí shì jiè yà gēn méi kōng dā lǐ nǐ.
In English: Don’t assume the whole world abandoned you, actually this world doesn’t have time to care for you.
In Chinese: 每当我找到成功的钥匙，就有人把锁给换了！
Pinyin: Měi dāng wǒ zhǎo dào chéng gōng de yào shí, jiù yǒu rén bǎ suǒ gěi huàn le!
In English: Every time I find the key to success, there is someone who would change the lock!
3- With You - 最好的我们 (zuì hǎo de wǒ men)
This is a 2016 Chinese web series based on the novel The Best of Us that shows you how memorable and unforgettable Chinese high school love can be. It’s much different from western culture due to Chinese education system and traditions. Remember to prepare tissues for the ending!
Vocabularies:
变化(biàn huà) - change
可能(kě néng) - possibility
唯一 (wéi yī) - the only
最好(zuì hǎo) - best
Classic quotes:
In Chinese: 世界上唯一不变的就是变化，世界上唯一可能的就是不可能。
Pinyin: Shì jiè shàng wéi yī bú biàn de jiù shì biàn huà, shì jiè shàng wéi yī kě néng de jiù shì bù kě néng.
In English: The only invariable is to constantly change in the world, and the only possibility is impossibility.
In Chinese: 当时的他是最好的他，后来的我是最好的我。 可是最好的我们之间，隔了一整个青春。
Pinyin: Dāng shí de tā shì zuì hǎo de tā, hòu lái de wǒ shì zuì hǎo de wǒ. kě shì zuì hǎo de wǒ men zhī jiān, gé le yī zhěng gè qīng chūn.
In English: He was the best of him at the time, I became the best of me later. But between the best form of us, there was a whole youth that crossed by.
4- Ode to Joy - 欢乐颂 (huān lè sòng)
This story revolves around five women living in an apartment, sharing their daily struggles and experiences as independent modern individuals in an urban city, Shanghai. As those women grow a mutual bond together through laughter and tears, you’ll certainly obtain some worthy lessons of a lifetime.
Vocabularies:
问题 (wèn tí) — problem
自己 (zì jǐ) — self
除了 (chú le) — except
Classic quotes:
In Chinese: 一个人不理你，有可能是对方的问题。 但是如果大家都不理你，就要从自身找问题了。
Pinyin: Yī gè rén bù lǐ nǐ, yǒu kě néng shì duì fāng de wèn tí. Dàn shì rú guǒ dà jiā dōu bù lǐ nǐ, jiù yào cóng zì shēn zhǎo wèn tí le.
In English: If someone doesn’t want to talk to you, it might be his problem. But if no one wants to talk to you, then you need to find the problem from yourself.
In Chinese: 除了自己，谁都不能和你过一辈子。
Pinyin: Chú le zì jǐ, shuí dōu bù néng hé nǐ guò yī bèi zǐ.
In English: Except for yourself, there is no one who can spend a whole life with you forever.
5- Nirvana in Fire - 琅琊榜 (láng yá bǎng)
Nirvana in Fire is a 2015 Chinese historical drama based on Hai Yan’s novel, which introduces a spectacular drama in ancient times that entails numerous complex imperial conflictions. If you’re curious about how the culture in ancient China was, this will be one of the best Chinese shows for learning Chinese you’ll never regret watching!
Vocabularies:
公平的 (gōng píng de) — fair
朋友 (péng yǒu) — friends
背叛 (bèi pàn) — betray
世间 (shì jiān) — world
Classic quotes:
In Chinese: 虽然这世间少有公平，但是我希望你可以永远保持这份赤子之心。
Pinyin: Suī rán zhè shì jiān shǎo yǒu gōng píng, dàn shì wǒ xī wàng nǐ kě yǐ yǒng yuǎn bǎo chí zhè fèn chì zǐ zhī xīn.
In English: Although it is hard to be fair in this world, at least I hope you will keep your original pure heart.
In Chinese: 人只会被朋友背叛，敌人是永远都没有‘出卖’和‘背叛’的机会的。
Pinyin: Rén zhī huì bèi péng yǒu bèi pàn, dí rén shì yǒng yuǎn dōu méi yǒu ‘chū mài ’hé ‘bèi pàn ’de jī huì de.
In English: Only friends can betray humans, your enemy can never have the chance to betray.
6- In Time with You - 我可能不会爱你 (wǒ kě néng bú huì ài nǐ)
This show is a 2011 Taiwanese television series that talks about a lifelong romantic relationship that is originated from friendship. As the main characters grow together and realize their romantic feelings towards each other, you can’t help tearing up. This is a heartfelt story that not only teaches you about love but also how to live life.
Vocabularies:
失去 (shī qù) — to lose
眼睛 (yǎn jīng) — eyes
女人 (nǚ rén) — women
昂贵 (áng guì) — expensive
Classic quotes:
In Chinese: 让女人发光的不一定要是昂贵的钻石，还有为爱流过泪的眼睛。
Pinyin: Ràng nǚ rén fā guāng de bù yī dìng yào shì áng guì de zuàn shí, hái yǒu wéi ài liú guò lèi de yǎn jīng.
In English: What makes women shine is not only expensive diamonds, as well as the eyes that you only teared up for love.
In Chinese: 如果我不曾拥有，那也就没有什么好失去的了。
Pinyin: Rú guǒ wǒ bù céng yōng yǒu, nà yě jiù méi yǒu shén me hǎo shī qù de le.
In English: If I have never owned it, then there is nothing to lose for me.
7- The Vigilantes in Masks - 怪侠一枝梅 (guài xiá yī zhī méi)
Taking Place in the Ming Dynasty, The Vigilantes in Masks is a Chinese TV show that’ll teach you not only the language, but important Chinese cultural information. Released in 2010, it covers fun and adventurous stories with a Robin Hood vibe. Through the lens of Chinese history, you’ll see many fantastic Kung Fu moves and ancient Chinese culture in the old society.
Vocabularies:
失望 (shī wàng) — disappointment
希望 (xī wàng) — hope
绝望的 (jué wàng de) — hopeless
支持 (zhī chí) — support
Classic quotes:
In Chinese: 绝望就是在你失望的时候给你希望，在你满怀希望的时候让你彻底失望。
Pinyin: Jué wàng jiù shì zài nǐ shī wàng de shí hòu gěi nǐ xī wàng, zài nǐ mǎn huái xī wàng de shí hòu ràng nǐ chè dǐ shī wàng.
In English: Being hopeless is to give you hope when you are disappointed, and then to make you disappointed again when you are full of hope.
In Chinese: 你做什么我都支持你。
Pinyin: Nǐ zuò shén me wǒ dōu zhī chí nǐ.
In English: I will support you no matter what you do.
This show talks about a couple who originally knew each other from a video game and happen to go to the same college. As they overcome numerous obstacles after falling in love through online gaming, they finally are able to enjoy their life together.
Vocabularies:
一见钟情 (yī jiàn zhōng qíng) — fall in love at first sight
如果 (rú guǒ) — if
喜欢 (xǐ huān) — like
瞬间 (shùn jiān) — moment
Classic quotes:
In Chinese: 如果我知道有一天会这么爱你，我一定对你一见钟情。
Pinyin: Rú guǒ wǒ zhī dào yǒu yī tiān huì zhè me ài nǐ, wǒ yī dìng duì nǐ yī jiàn zhōng qíng.
In English: If only I know someday I will love you this much, I promise to fall in love with you at very first sight.
In Chinese: 原来世界上真有这样的事，只要一瞬间，对一个人的喜欢就能到达顶点。
Pinyin: Yuán lái shì jiè shàng zhēn yǒu zhè yàng de shì, zhī yào yī shùn jiān, duì yī gè rén de xǐ huān jiù néng dào dá dǐng diǎn.
In English: Such thing like this truly exists, it requires only one moment for you to like someone to the maximum.
9- Fleet of Time - 匆匆那年 (cōng cōng nà nián)
This is a Chinese coming-of-age TV show that provides a glimpse of Chinese high school life along with many struggles between friends, classmates, teachers, and parents. You’ll learn many fashionable phrases that teenagers like to use.
Vocabularies:
再见 (zài jiàn) — goodbye
承诺 (chéng nuò) — promise
青春 (qīng chūn) — youth
毕业 (bì yè) — graduation
Classic quotes:
In Chinese: 再见，不是一句道别，而是一个承诺。
Pinyin: Zài jiàn, bú shì yī jù dào bié, ér shì yī gè chéng nuò.
In English: “Good bye” is not for departure, instead it is a promise.
In Chinese: 毕业那天, 你像往常一样跟我道别。多年以后,我才明白：那天与我道别的,是青春
Pinyin: Bì yè nà tiān, nǐ xiàng wǎng cháng yī yàng gēn wǒ dào bié. Duō nián yǐ hòu, wǒ cái míng bái: nà tiān yǔ wǒ dào bié de, shì qīng chūn.
In English: You said goodbye as usual on our graduation day. I only started to understand it many years after: it was youth who said goodbye to me.
10- Scarlet Heart - 步步惊心 (bù bù jīng xīn)
This is a 2011 Chinese television series based on a bittersweet love story of a woman who transported to Qing dynasty and had an unforgettable experience while she gets involved with people in the empire.
Vocabularies:
笑 (xiào) — smile
每天 (měi tiān) — every day
找 (zhǎo) — find
世界 (shì jiè) — world
Classic quotes:
In Chinese: 我以后要你每天都如此笑。
Pinyin: Wǒ yǐ hòu yào nǐ měi tiān dōu rú cǐ xiào.
In English: I want you to smile like this every single day.
In Chinese: 你不来我的世界找我，那我就去你的世界找你。
Pinyin: Nǐ bù lái wǒ de shì jiè zhǎo wǒ, nà wǒ jiù qù nǐ de shì jiè zhǎo nǐ.
In English: If you won’t come to my world to find me, then I will go after you in your world.
4. Conclusion
Of course, In order to learn Chinese more efficiently from TV shows, a number of fundamental vocabularies and basic grammar knowledge can be helpful. We provide professional and entertaining lessons and articles here at ChineseClass101.com.
You’ll find the most effective materials to guide you through everything you need to know to become a great Chinese speaker. So what are you waiting for? One click is all it takes to see for yourself!
The May Fourth Movement in China was one of the most significant events in Chinese history, when university students in 1919 stood up and spoke out about unfair treaties at the Paris Peace Conference. This began anti-imperialism and patriotism in China, and marked the beginning of the New Democratic Revolution in China.
It’s no wonder that China places such value on its youth. They made an important stand in the past, and can do so in the future, thus earning their May 4th holiday. During Golden Week, China makes sure to honor its youth on this day.
At ChineseClass101.com, we hope to make your learning experience both fun and informative as we delve into this defining characteristic of Chinese culture: Youth Day in China during the Chinese Golden Week holiday season.
1. What is Chinese Youth Day?
In China, the Golden Week holiday Youth Day is used to commemorate the May Fourth Movement on May 4, 1919, which raised the flag of anti-imperialism and patriotism in China.
In China’s modern history, the May Fourth Movement has great significance, so Youth Day is accompanied by profound historical influence. On May 1, 1919, students from universities in Beijing organized a massive protest against unequal treaties signed by the government at the Paris Peace Conference. This movement marked the beginning of the New Democratic Revolution in China.
Though almost a century has passed since the May Fourth Movement, its spirit of patriotism, progress, democracy, and science is still advocated in contemporary China. “May Fourth” has become a cultural symbol and “May Fourth Youth” symbolize the patriotic youth.
2. When is Youth Day?
Each year, Chinese Youth Day is celebrated on May 4. Young people in China have a half-day off to celebrate this public holiday.
3. Reading Practice: How is Youth Day Celebrated?
How is Youth Day celebrated in China? Read the simplified Chinese text below to find out (and find the English translation directly below it).
Today, there are various activities of celebration on Youth Day. The Youth Leagues will organize young people to participate in social activities, such as volunteering in nursing homes or helping traffic coordinators maintain traffic order. Many high schools will hold a coming of age ceremony called “Guan Li” for junior students who are graduating shortly after the Youth Day.
In recent years, the Republican style has become prevalent in universities. Many university students wear the student uniforms of those during the time of the Republic of China, as a way of celebration.
4. Additional Information: What is Youth?
So, Youth Day in China sounds like a great holiday. But who are able to participate in the half-day off? What is the legal definition of youth in China?
On Youth Day, China focuses on people between age fourteen and age twenty-eight. More than 300-million young people can have a half-day holiday on May 4.
5. Must-know Vocab
Here’s some vocabulary you should know for Youth Day in China!
To hear each of these words pronounced, check out our Chinese Youth Day vocabulary list, where you’ll find each word accompanied by an audio file of its pronunciation.
Conclusion
What do you think of China’s Youth Day? Does your country hold a celebration dedicated to its youth? Let us know in the comments!
To learn even more about the culture in China and the language, visit us at ChineseClass101.com. From insightful blog posts to free vocabulary lists, and even an online community where you can discuss lessons with fellow students, there’s something here for every Chinese learner! You can also take advantage of our MyTeacher program with a Premium Plus account, to learn Chinese one-on-one with your own personal teacher.
Until next time, best wishes on your Chinese language-learning journey. Your determination, hard work, and practice will pay off, and before you know it, you’ll be speaking like a native! And ChineseClass101.com will be here every step of your way there.
China is a large country with a great variety of demands for its market, and due to the rapidly growing internationality and the increasing economy, the appearance of foreign workers in China is more and more common. It’s not as difficult as you thought to set sail for your career in China. The international job opportunities in China are larger than you can imagine.
Working in China can bring a series of advantages to you considering its skyrocketing economy and the income for inflation getting higher and higher in most international companies. Therefore, foreigners with international experience are able to find a range of foreigners-friendly jobs in China, with an advantage.
Now, if you’re planning to find a job in China and establish your own footing in the society, this article is definitely the treasure you’re looking for!
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Though it’s not required to know the Chinese language in order to work there, according to different needs in different companies, the ability to speak Chinese fluently will bring you more benefits. Generally, jobs that require the ability to speak Chinese offer you a better salary. So far, the top-paying jobs in China are about finance, human resources, computer science, etc…
Generally, most foreigners in China find jobs teaching their first language to begin with. There’s a huge advantage for native English speakers since many Chinese parents wish their children to have perfect English. Therefore, jobs in China for English speakers are in high demand.
If you’re planning to start your career in China as a foreigner, one of the priorities for you to take care of is the work visa for you to work in China. There are pretty specific visa requirements for foreigners to work in China, so we’ll just give you some of the basics. Remember to go to a local embassy or a visa service center to get your application done. Of course, there’s a good selection of different visa types; the best one for you depends on how long you’ll be staying in China. Usually, the best type for a foreigner working in China is a Z-type visa. According to your personal situation, the type of visa you need may vary. For example, if you’re extremely expert in your profession, you’ll be able to apply for an R-type visa.
2. Where to Start Finding Employment in China
Which cities are the best fit for foreigners looking to find jobs in China? Check out the top four cities below.
As the very capital of China, Beijing has certainly been a positive influence in the growing economy in China. When it comes to working and living in China, Beijing isn’t likely to let you down.
2- Shanghai
Shanghai is the center of finance and developed businesses in China. Recently, the first Disneyland in the Chinese mainland opened in Shanghai in 2016.
3- Guangzhou
With a strong cultural background, Guangzhou’s retail sales, household deposits total both takes the first three place in China, and its human development index takes the first position in China so far. It is also known as a popular place for immigrants.
4- Shenzhen
As one of the first cities to go through a revolution in China, Shenzhen has remained friendly and open to other cultures ever since, and its GDP is outstanding.
These four cities should be your absolute first options to go to when you decide to work in China as a foreigner. As four of the most prosperous cities in China, they are also more populous and therefore have a more competitive job market. Fortunately, as a foreigner, your identity may provide you a shortcut in those internationally developed countries that other native Chinese citizens won’t have access to.
3. The Utilization of Networking for Jobs — Chinese Job Sites
Once you’re all settled in China, you might want to download the application and register for a WeChat account immediately. It’s one of the most essential medias for Chinese people and the most common way to communicate via social media, being a significant Chinese job search website. You can even take the posts from your WeChat to use as your “second business card.” If later you’re in contact with people who are related to your work, it’s necessary to post carefully because many individuals think the content of your posts represent who you are.
There’s a word—guanxi—in Chinese, or 关系. Its literal meaning is “relationship,” and further, it talks about your personal connection and class within the business social circle. Nowadays, it’s commonplace to get a job through guanxi for many Chinese citizens; they’re skilled at utilizing the sources they have. Thus, WeChat can be a great tool for you to get updated information on jobs if you’ve already established some guanxi of your own. This will open doors for you to see posts regarding job opportunities.
LinkedIn, as an internationally popular service for employment, now has a partnership with WeChat. You can easily link your LinkedIn to WeChat, making it convenient for other people to review both your professional profile and social media profile. Again, once that’s done, you’ll be responsible for establishing a proper public figure through your posts on WeChat.
Job Lead China is an excellent recruitment service provider and works as a bridge to build a connection between foreigners and the Chinese employment system. All the enterprises there are verified, and the platform provides a series of thorough services including analyzing the needs of the company, conducting profession search and background investigation, performing customer interviews, identifying candidates, and providing follow-up service after the trial stage. This is one of the most popular Chinese job hunting sites for good reason!
JobsiteChina is another platform that focuses on international employment. It provides a wide-range of expert services for job opportunities in China for foreigners, such as a Headhunter service, advertisement, CV downloading, and so on. There, you’ll also find some detailed guides for the procedures related to having a job in China.
51Job is one of the largest platforms for local online lists of jobs in China. The application process is simple and easy; you can just post your resume and search for jobs for free. But keep in mind that this isn’t recommended for foreigners who cannot speak Chinese fluently, since everything is navigated in Chinese. Remember, there are many agents who can be a great help for you to start a job, but sometimes it’s not necessary to go through them. Thus, it’s important to learn to recognize the agents apart from the direct enterprises.
4. Essential Chinese Phrases for Business Occasions and Interviews
Here’s a list of some of the most important phrases to know when it comes time for that big interview or other business occasion, including the most common interview questions in China.
In English: Please briefly introduce yourself for us.
7- When Asked for Work Experience
In Chinese: 能给我们简单介绍一下你之前的工作经历吗？
Pinyin: Néng gěi wǒ men jiǎn dān jiè shào yī xià nǐ zhī qián de gōng zuò jīng lì ma?
In English: Can you please briefly introduce your working experience before?
8- When Asked to Introduce Your Personal Strengths
In Chinese: 能给我们简单介绍一下你的个人优势吗？
Pinyin: Néng gěi wǒ men jiǎn dān jiè shào yī xià nǐ de gè rén yōu shì ma?
In English: Can you please tell us about your personal strength?
5. Some Other Communities Offline to Find Jobs in China
Job Fair
Job fairs are held in populous areas, and you’ll have to pay attention to the advertisement for the off-site job fairs both online and offline. Your network may just be your main source of information about these job fairs, so don’t forget to utilize some of the Chinese job searching sites above and continue to build strong connections!
There are two main websites that update the job fairs for many cities in China. You can find more information about them by clicking the city you are interested in.
Traditionally, Chinese people attach great importance to the trait of being humble. Though during an interview or a business occasion, or in your resume, you’ll have to paint yourself in a presentable and confident image, you should remember not to overdo it so much that people form a bad impression of you as being arrogant. This is certainly one of the most important things to know when it comes to finding a job in China.
You may want to include a good portrait of yourself in your resume, as a nice appearance can instantly leave a positive impression. Make sure you choose a recent photo, which showcases the professional image of yourself.
3- Shake Hands if there’s a Chance
Small details can make a huge difference when landing a job in China. Don’t forget to shake hands when you meet your interviewers as well as when you leave. It shows a great deal of respect for the people who you offer to shake hands with. Remember to offer your hands gently to your interviewers or potential business partners when you have a chance.
4- Organize Your Resume Neatly
The overall visual effect is important for a resume in China as well, despite the content. Keep your resume neat and well-organized to leave a good first impression for the viewers.
5- Try to Show as Many Accomplishments as You Can
Rather than your own evaluation of yourself, Chinese resume evaluators prefer to focus on your personal accomplishments. Personal evaluation can be biased; they would like to recognize your true strengths by the things you’ve accomplished previously.
7. Conclusion
Though it’s possible to find a job in China as a foreigner without speaking good Chinese, the skill of speaking Chinese will give you a much greater advantage when it comes to securing a decent career and helping you communicate to your co-workers more smoothly to establish a harmonious working environment.
ChineseClass101.com, provides a set of systematic and useful resources for studying Chinese. For example, there are professional teachers who can help you improve your Chinese language skills in order to find a job and further prepare for the interview. Don’t hesitate to take hold of this great advantage and learn more about how to find a job in China!
International Women’s Day, as you likely know, is celebrated in numerous countries around the world. China is one of these many countries observing Women’s Day, and in particular women’s rights in China.
Learn more about International Women’s Day in China to get a better understanding of the Chinese culture and history of its women. At ChineseClass101.com, we hope to make learning about Chinese Women’s Day both exciting and insightful. So let’s get started!
1. What is Women’s Day in China?
International Women’s Day in China, also called the “Three Eight Women’s Day,” is a celebration of women’s economic, political, and social achievements. Sometimes it is called “Three Eight” for short. Now, let’s look at China’s Women’s Day!
2. When is International Women’s Day?
The first International Women’s Day was observed in the U.S. In 1911, more than 140 female workers from a textile factory in New York initiated a protest against unequal rights of women workers, but unfortunately died in a fire at the factory thereafter.
To commemorate this protest and protect women’s rights, the United Nations declared March 8 as International Women’s Day. China began its celebration of this day in 1949, and women enjoy a half-day off on March 8.
3. Reading Practice: How is it Celebrated?
Learn how the Chinese celebrate International Women’s Day across the country by reading the Chinese text below. You can find the English translation directly below it.
—–
China is a country with different ethnic groups. Some have their own Women’s Day, of which the dates and customs vary, with unique and interesting characteristics. For example, the Nakhi people in Yunnan celebrate the “Goddess Festival” on the twenty-fifth of the seventh lunar month. Adult men and women dress up in costumes, holding a grand ceremony to worship the goddess. Then, family members sit together to enjoy a picnic. Besides this, young men and women walk around the mountain, dancing, singing, and making friends.
To commemorate a girl named Youma who committed suicide by jumping off a cliff in protest against a marriage arranged by her parents, the Hani people in Yunnan celebrate “Girl’s Day” to show respect for women and the freedom of marriage. The fourth day of the fifth lunar month is “Daughter’s Day” for Tibetans in Gansu. During the day, young girls are accompanied by their brothers, dressing up in colorful costumes and bringing delicious food, picking flowers on the mountain and singing to each other; in the evening, young girls and boys toast each other with blessings of happiness.
4. Additional Information
Beyond a half-day holiday, many companies, particularly state-owned companies, will give various gifts to female employees, such as a bathroom set, beauty kits, portable travel bags, and so on. Some also organize activities like get-togethers for female employees—take for example the women’s march in China.
Further, please note that while the day is called the “Three Eighth,” “Three Eight” is a pejorative term describing women who like to gossip or are stupid. You should be cautious with this word, because it is very offensive.
5. Must-know Vocab
Here’s some vocabulary you should know for International Women’s Day in China!
康乃馨 (kāngnǎixīn) — carnation
女士 (nǚ shì) — lady
国际劳动妇女节 (guójì láodòng fùnǚ jié) — International Women’s Day
巾帼 (jīn guó) — woman
女性权益 (nǚxìng quányì) — women’s rights
男女平等 (nánnǚ píngděng) — the equality of men and women
As you can see, Women’s Day in China is an important holiday for the country. Does your country celebrate International Women’s Day, or another holiday celebrating and respecting women? Let us know in the comments!
To learn more about Chinese culture and the language, visit us at ChineseClass101.com! We offer an array of insightful blog posts, free vocabulary lists, and an online community to discuss lessons with fellow Chinese learners. You can also check out our MyTeacher program if you’re interested in learning Chinese with your own personal teacher.
We hope you enjoyed learning about how China celebrates International Women’s Day. Keep delving into the Chinese culture and continue your hard work—it will pay off!
Do you often feel lonely and sad? Do you long for romance and are willing to do whatever it takes to meet that special person? Speaking another language could revolutionize your love life! So, why wait? Learning how to say ‘love’ in Chinese could be just what you need to find it.
Or perhaps you were lucky, and have found your Chinese partner already. Fantastic! Yet, a cross-cultural relationship comes with unique challenges. Learning how to speak your lover’s language will greatly improve your communication and enhance the relationship. At ChineseClass101, our team will teach you all the words, quotes and phrases you need to woo your Chinese lover with excellence! Our tutors provide personal assistance, with plenty of extra material available to make Chinese dating easy for you.
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1. Common Phrases You’ll Need for a Date
So, you have met your Chinese love interest. Congratulations! Who knows where this could take you…?! However, the two of you have just met and you’re not ready to say the Chinese word for love just yet. Great, it is better to get to know him/her first. Wow your prospective love by using these Chinese date phrases to set up a spectacular first date.
Would you like to go out to dinner with me?
你愿意和我一起出去吃晚饭吗？
Nǐ yuànyì hé wǒ yīqǐ chūqù chī wǎnfàn ma?
The important question! In most cultures, this phrase indicates: ‘I’m romantically interested in you’. Flirting in Chinese is no different, so don’t take your date to Mcdonald’s!
Are you free this weekend?
这个周末你有空吗？
Zhège zhōumò nǐ yǒu kòng ma?
This is a preamble to asking your love interest on a date. If you get an immediate ‘Yes’, that’s good news!
Would you like to hang out with me?
你愿意和我一起出去吗？
Nǐ yuànyì hé wǒ yīqǐ chūqù ma?
You like her/him, but you’re not sure if there’s chemistry. Ask them to hang out first to see if a dinner date is next.
What time shall we meet tomorrow?
我们明天什么时候见面？
Wǒmen míngtiān shénme shíhou jiànmiàn?
Set a time, and be sure to arrive early! Nothing spoils a potential relationship more than a tardy date.
Where shall we meet?
我们在哪见面？
Wǒmen zài nǎ jiànmiàn?
You can ask this, but also suggest a place.
You look great.
你看上去很棒。
Nǐ kàn shàngqù hěn bàng.
A wonderful ice breaker! This phrase will help them relax a bit - they probably took great care to look their best just for you.
You are so cute.
你真可爱。
Nǐ zhēn kě’ài.
If the two of you are getting on really well, this is a fun, flirtatious phrase to use.
What do you think of this place?
你觉得这个地方怎么样？
Nǐ juéde zhège dìfāng zěnme yàng?
This another good conversation starter. Show off your Chinese language skills!
Can I see you again?
我可以再见到你吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ zài jiàndào nǐ ma?
So the date went really well - don’t waste time! Make sure you will see each other again.
Shall we go somewhere else?
我们去别的地方好吗？
Wǒmen qù biédì dìfāng hǎoma?
If the place you meet at is not great, you can suggest going elsewhere. It is also a good question to follow the previous one. Variety is the spice of life!
I know a good place.
我知道一个好地方。
Wǒ zhīdào yīgè hǎo dìfāng.
Use this with the previous question. However, don’t say if you don’t know a good place!
I will drive you home.
我会开车送你回家。
Wǒ huì kāichē sòng nǐ huí jiā.
If your date doesn’t have transport, this is a polite, considerate offer. However, don’t be offended if she/he turns you down on the first date. Especially a woman might not feel comfortable letting you drive her home when the two of you are still basically strangers.
That was a great evening.
那是一个很棒的夜晚。
Nà shì yīgè hěn bàng de yèwǎn.
This is a good phrase to end the evening with.
When can I see you again?
我什么时候能再见到你？
Wǒ shénme shíhou néng zàijiàn dào nǐ?
If he/she replied ‘Yes’ to ‘Can I see you again?’, this is the next important question.
I’ll call you.
我会给你打电话。
Wǒ huì gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà.
Say this only if you really mean to do it. In many cultures, this could imply that you’re keeping the proverbial backdoor open.
You learned all the Chinese phrases to make a date - congratulations! Now you have to decide where to meet, which can be tricky. Discuss these options with your lover to gauge whether you like the same things. Check out romantic date ideas in Chinese below!
museum
博物馆
bówù guǎn
If you’re looking for unique date ideas that are fun but won’t break the bank, museums are the perfect spot! You won’t be running out of things to say in the conversations.
candlelit dinner
烛光晚餐
zhúguāng wǎncān
A candlelit dinner is perhaps best to reserve for when the relationship is getting serious. It’s very intimate, and says: “Romance!” It’s a fantastic choice if you’re sure you and your date are in love with each other!
go to the zoo
去动物园
qù dòngwùyuán
This is a good choice for shy lovers who want to get the conversation going. Just make sure your date likes zoos, as some people dislike them. Maybe not for the first date, but this is also a great choice if your lover has children - you’ll win his/her adoration for inviting them along!
go for a long walk
长时间散步
chángshíjiān sànbù
Need to talk about serious stuff, or just want to relax with your date? Walking together is soothing, and a habit you can keep up together always! Just make sure it’s a beautiful walk that’s not too strenuous.
go to the opera
去看歌剧
qù kàn gējù
This type of date should only be attempted if both of you love the opera. It can be a special treat, followed by a candlelit dinner!
go to the aquarium
去水族馆
qù shuǐzúguǎn
Going to the aquarium is another good idea if you need topics for conversation, or if you need to impress your lover’s kids! Make sure your date doesn’t have a problem with aquariums.
walk on the beach
在海滩上散步
zài hǎitān shàng sànbù
This can be a very romantic stroll, especially at night! The sea is often associated with romance and beauty.
have a picnic
野餐
yě cān
If you and your date need to get more comfortable together, this can be a fantastic date. Spending time in nature is soothing and calms the nerves.
cook a meal together
一起做饭
yīqǐ zuòfàn
If you want to get an idea of your date’s true character in one go, this is an excellent date! You will quickly see if the two of you can work together in a confined space. If it works, it will be fantastic for the relationship and create a sense of intimacy. If not, you will probably part ways!
have dinner and see a movie
吃晚饭，看电影
chī wǎnfàn, kàn diànyǐng
This is traditional date choice works perfectly well. Just make sure you and your date like the same kind of movies!
3. Must-know Valentine’s Day Vocabulary
Expressing your feelings honestly is very important in any relationship all year round. Yet, on Valentine’s Day you really want to shine. Impress your lover this Valentine’s with your excellent vocabulary, and make his/her day! We teach you, in fun, effective ways, the meanings of the words and how to pronounce them. You can also copy the characters and learn how to write ‘I love you’ in Chinese - think how impressed your date will be!
4. Chinese Love Phrases for Valentine’s Day
So, you now have the basic Valentine’s Day vocabulary under your belt. Well done! But, do you know how to say ‘I love you’ in Chinese yet? Or perhaps you are still only friends. So, do you know how to say ‘I like you’ or ‘I have a crush on you’ in Chinese? No? Don’t worry, here are all the love phrases you need to bowl over your Chinese love on this special day!
I love you.
我爱你。
Wǒ ài nǐ.
Saying ‘I love you’ in Chinese carries the same weight as in all languages. Use this only if you’re sure and sincere about your feelings for your partner/friend.
You’re so beautiful.
你真漂亮。
Nǐ zhēn piàoliang.
If you don’t know how to say ‘You’re pretty’ in Chinese, this is a good substitute, gentlemen!
You’re so handsome.
你好帅。
Nǐ hǎo shuài .
Ladies, this phrase lets your Chinese love know how much you appreciate his looks! Don’t be shy to use it; men like compliments too.
I’ve got a crush on you.
我喜欢你。
Wǒ xǐhuān nǐ .
If you like someone, but you’re unsure about starting a relationship, it would be prudent to say this. It simply means that you like someone very, very much and think they’re amazing.
You make me want to be a better man.
你让我想变得更好。
Nǐ ràng wǒ xiǎng biàn de gènghǎo .
Gentlemen, don’t claim this phrase as your own! It hails from the movie ‘As Good as it Gets’, but it is sure to make your Chinese girlfriend feel very special. Let her know that she inspires you!
Let all that you do be done in love.
让所有你做的事都充满爱。
Ràng suǒyǒu nǐ zuò de shì dōu chōngmǎn ài .
We hope.
You are my sunshine, my love.
你是我的阳光，我的爱。
Nǐ shì wǒ de yángguāng, wǒ de ài.
A compliment that lets your lover know they bring a special quality to your life. Really nice!
Words can’t describe my love for you.
无法用言语来形容我对你的爱。
Wúfǎ yòng yányǔ lái xíngróng wǒ duì nǐ de ài.
Better say this when you’re feeling serious about the relationship! It means that your feelings are very intense.
We were meant to be together.
我们是命中注定要在一起。
Wǒmen shì mìngzhōng zhùdìng yào zài yìqǐ .
This is a loving affirmation that shows you see a future together, and that you feel a special bond with your partner.
If you were thinking about someone while reading this, you’re definitely in love.
如果你读这篇文章时想着某个人，你一定是恋爱了。
Rúguǒ nǐ dú zhè piān wénzhāng shí xiǎngzhe mǒu gèrén , nǐ yídìng shì liànài le .
Here’s something fun to tease your lover with. And hope he/she was thinking of you!
Will you be my Valentine?
你愿意与我共度情人节吗？
Nǐ yuànyì yǔ wǒ gòngdù Qíngrénjié ma ?
With these words, you are taking your relationship to the next level! Or, if you have been a couple for a while, it shows that you still feel the romance. So, go for it!
Love is just love. It can never be explained.
爱情就是爱情，常理无法解释。
Àiqíng jiù shì àiqíng , chánglǐ wúfǎ jiěshì .
If you fell in love unexpectedly or inexplicably, this one’s for you.
You mean so much to me.
你对我而言如此重要。
Nǐ duì wǒ éryán rúcǐ zhòngyào .
This is a beautiful expression of gratitude that will enhance any relationship! It makes the receiver feel appreciated and their efforts recognized.
I think of you as more than a friend.
我认为你不仅仅只是一个朋友。
Wǒ rènwéi nǐ bù jǐnjǐn zhǐ shì yí gè péngyǒu.
Say this if you are not yet sure that your romantic feelings are reciprocated. It is also a safe go-to if you’re unsure about the Chinese dating culture.
A hundred hearts would be too few to carry all my love for you.
You romantic you…! When your heart overflows with love, this would be the best phrase to use.
5. Chinese Quotes about Love
You’re a love champ! You and your Chinese lover are getting along fantastically, your dates are awesome, your Valentine’s Day together was spectacular, and you’re very much in love. Good for you! Here are some beautiful phrases of endearment in Chinese that will remind him/her who is in your thoughts all the time.
6. Marriage Proposal Lines
Wow. Your Chinese lover is indeed the love of your life - congratulations! And may only happiness follow the two of you! In most traditions, the man asks the woman to marry; this is also the Chinese custom. Here are a few sincere and romantic lines that will help you to ask your lady-love for her hand in marriage.
7. 15 Most Common Break-Up Lines
Instead of moving towards marriage or a long-term relationship, you find that the spark is not there for you. That is a pity! But even though breaking up is never easy, continuing a bad or unfulfilling relationship would be even harder. Remember to be kind to the person you are going to say goodbye to; respect and sensitivity cost nothing. Here are some phrases to help you break up gently.
We need to talk.
我想和你谈一谈。
Wǒ xiǎng hé nǐ tán yī tán.
This is not really a break-up line, but it is a good conversation opener with a serious tone.
It’s not you. It’s me.
不是你，是我。
bù shì nǐ , shì Wǒ .
As long as you mean it, this can be a kind thing to say. It means that there’s nothing wrong with your Chinese lover as a person, but that you need something different from a relationship.
Things moved a bit fast and got too intense, too soon? Painful as it is, honesty is often the best way to break up with somebody.
Let’s just be friends.
我们只做朋友吧。
Wǒmen zhǐ zuò péngyǒu ba.
If the relationship was very intense, and you have sent many ‘i love u’ texts in Chinese, this would not be a good breakup line. Feelings need to calm down before you can be friends, if ever. If the relationship has not really developed yet, a friendship would be possible.
I think we need a break.
我认为我们需要冷静。
Wǒ rènwéi wǒmen xūyào lěngjìng .
This is again honest, and to the point. No need to play with someone’s emotions by not letting them know how you feel. However, this could imply that you may fall in love with him/her again after a period of time, so use with discretion.
You deserve better.
你应该得到更好的。
Nǐ yīnggāi dédào gèng hǎo de.
Yes, he/she probably deserves a better relationship if your own feelings have cooled down.
We should start seeing other people.
我们应该开始注意其他人。
wǒmen yīnggāi kāishǐ zhùyì qítārén .
This is probably the least gentle break-up phrase, so reserve it for a lover that doesn’t get the message!
I need my space.
我需要自己的空间。
Wǒ xūyào zìjǐ de kōngjiān .
When a person is too clingy or demanding, this would be an suitable break-up phrase. It is another good go-to for that lover who doesn’t get the message!
I think we’re moving too fast.
我认为我们进展得太快了。
Wǒ rènwéi wǒmen jìnzhǎn děi tài kuài le .
Say this if you want to keep the relationship, but need to slow down its progress a bit. It is also good if you feel things are getting too intense for your liking. However, it is not really a break-up line, so be careful not to mislead.
I need to focus on my career.
我需要专注于我的工作。
Wǒ xūyào zhuān zhù yú Wǒ de gōngzuò .
If you feel that you will not be able to give 100% in a relationship due to career demands, this is the phrase to use. It’s also good if you are unwilling to give up your career for a relationship.
I’m not good enough for you.
我配不上你。
Wǒ pèi bù shàng nǐ .
Say this only if you really believe it, or you’ll end up sounding false. Break-ups are usually hard for the receiving party, so don’t insult him/her with an insincere comment.
I just don’t love you anymore.
我只是不再爱你了。
Wǒ zhǐ shì bù zài ài nǐ le .
This harsh line is sometimes the best one to use if you are struggling to get through to a stubborn, clingy lover who won’t accept your break up. Use it as a last resort. Then switch your phone off and block their emails!
We’re just not right for each other.
我们只是不适合对方。
wǒmen zhǐ shì bù shìhé duìfāng .
If this is how you truly feel, you need to say it. Be kind, gentle and polite.
It’s for the best.
这样对我们来说都好。
zhèyàng duì wǒmen láishuō dōuhǎo .
This phrase is called for if circumstances are difficult and the relationship is not progressing well. Love should enhance one’s life, not burden it!
We’ve grown apart.
我们已经分道扬镳。
Wǒmen yǐjīng fēndàoyángbiāo.
Cross-cultural relationships are often long-distance ones, and it is easy to grow apart over time.
8. Will Falling in Love help you Learn Chinese faster?
Most people will agree that the above statement is a no-brainer - of course it will! Your body will be flooded with feel-good hormones, which are superb motivators for anything. ChineseClass101 is one of the best portals to help help make this a reality, so don’t hesitate to enroll now! Let’s quickly look at the reasons why falling in love will speed up your learning of the Chinese language.
Three Reasons Why Having a Lover will Help you Learn Chinese Faster!
1- Being in a love relationship with your Chinese speaking partner will immerse you in the culture
ChineseClass101 uses immersive methods and tools to teach you Chinese, but having a relationship with a native speaker will be a very valuable addition to your learning experience! You will gain exposure to their world, realtime and vividly, which will make the language come alive even more for you. The experience is likely to expand your world-view, which should motivate you to learn Chinese even faster.
2- Having your Chinese romantic partner will mean more opportunity to practice speaking
Nothing beats continuous practice when learning a new language. Your partner will probably be very willing to assist you in this, as your enhanced Chinese language skills will enhance the relationship. Communication is, after all, one of the most important pillars of a good partnership. Also, you will get to impress your lover with the knowledge gained through your studies - a win/win situation!
3- A supportive Chinese lover is likely to make a gentle, patient teacher and study aid!
With his/her heart filled with love and goodwill for you, your Chinese partner is likely to patiently and gently correct your mistakes when you speak. This goes not only for grammar, but also for accent and meaning. With his/her help, you could sound like a native in no time!
Three Reasons Why ChineseClass101 helps you learn Chinese Even Faster when you’re In Love
Start with a bonus, and download the ‘How To be a Good Lover Cheat Sheet’ for FREE! (Logged-In Member Only)
1- All the Resources and Materials Will Help Both of You
Falling in love with a man or woman speaking Chinese is an opportunity for both of you to learn a new language! For this reason, every lesson, transcript, vocabulary list, and resource at ChineseClass101 is translated into both English and Chinese. So, while your partner can help you learn Chinese faster, you can potentially also help him/her learn and master English!
2- Lessons Are Designed to Help You Understand and Engage with Chinese Culture
At ChineseClass101, our focus is to help our students learn practical vocabulary and phrases used by everyday people in China. This means that, from your very first lesson, you can apply what you learn immediately! So, when your Chinese partner wants to go out to a restaurant, play Pokemon Go, or attend just about any social function, you have the vocabulary and phrases necessary to have a great time!
3- Access to Special Resources Dedicated to Romantic Chinese Phrases
You now have access to ChineseClass101’s specially-developed sections and tools to teach you love words, phrases, and cultural insights to help you find and attract your Chinese soul mate. A personal tutor will assist you to master these brilliantly - remember to invite him/her to your wedding!
As opposed to the Gregorian New Year, the Chinese celebrate the Lunar New Year. This involves an array of Chinese New Year celebrations which are unique to the Chinese culture. By learning more about the Chinese New Year, you’re not only giving yourself a foothold in learning the language, but you’re showing respect for the country.
Learn more about Chinese New Year traditions, along with other Chinese New Year facts, with ChineseClass101.com!
1. What is Chinese New Year’s?
The Chinese New Year is considered the most important festival in China. The last night of the lunar year is called 除夕 (chúxī), which means New Year’s Eve, and is usually celebrated within the family. On some occasions you may also hear the phrase 小除夕（xiǎo Chúxī）meaning a “small New Year’s eve,” and it refers to an evening that people usually spend with different family members and friends.
These two eves are celebrated with different family members or friends. The very beginning of the new lunar year is called 大年初一 (Dànián chūyī) which means “the first day of the year.” The first full moon, which takes place during the first month on the fifteenth day, is when the Lantern Festival or 元宵节 (Yuánxiāojié) is held, and between the Spring Festival and the Lantern Festival, every day has different customs and practices.
2. When is the Chinese New Year?
The Gregorian date of this holiday varies each year based on the Chinese lunar calendar. For your convenience, here’s a list of the Chinese New Year’s dates for the next ten years.
2019: February 5
2020: January 25
2021: February 12
2022: February 1
2023: January 22
2024: February 10
2025: January 29
2026: February 17
2027: February 6
2028: January 26
3. How is it Celebrated?
Before New Year’s Eve, many things must be taken care of properly. First and foremost, the whole family should be involved in 扫房 (sǎo fáng), which means “spring cleaning.” The Chinese, as well as many other people, regard the new year as a new beginning. Thus, it’s important to sweep and cleanse the house of everything that happened the past year for a better beginning.
Once the rooms have been cleaned, people attach spring couplets written on red paper to doors and windows to create a fiery sea that’s very joyful. Red is the color Chinese people like to use the most in their big events to wish for good omens.
On New Year’s Eve, many Chinese people will turn on their television set to watch a five-hour-long program that is colloquially called the Spring Night or 春节晚会 (Chūn Jié wǎnhuì). Not only does the Spring Night show have songs, dances, and magic, it also features crosstalk performances, skits, and other typical Chinese performances. Nearly half the people in China usually watch this program.
What children look forward to the most is, of course, receiving New Year’s money, called 红包 (hóngbāo). This literally means “red packets,” because their elders will normally put money into red envelopes and give them out as presents.
However, for young people, the Spring Festival is also a stressful festival. At the dinner table they will often be asked questions by their nosy elders, who ask frustrating questions like “Are you dating someone?”, “Which company do you work at?”, and “How much do you earn in a year?”
4. Additional Information
1- Superstitions about Luck
During the Spring Festival, you are not supposed to say anything unlucky. For example, when a pair of chopsticks drops to the floor while eating Chinese New Year food, you cannot say, 筷子掉了 (kuàizi diàole), which means “oh, they fell.” People have a superstition that saying this phrase may cause the good luck of the new year to also “fall” away.
Instead, you can say 筷落 (kuài luò), which means the same thing but sounds similar to “be happy” in Chinese .
2- Chinese New Year Animals
You may be familiar with the Chinese New Year animals, or the Chinese zodiac. There are twelve animal zodiacs, each one associated with a year as part of a twelve-year cycle. Each new year is the year of one of these animals. For instance, the 2019 Chinese New Year will be the year of the Pig.
By looking at the year you were born, you can determine which Chinese zodiac represents you. This can be a fun activity for learning more about your personality.
5. Must-know Vocab
In order to fully understand the Chinese New Year celebrations, there’s some vocab you should know. Here’s a list of the most important words.
烟花 (yānhuā) — firework
舞狮 (wǔshī) — lion dance
庆祝 (qìngzhù) — celebration
倒计时 (dào jìshí) — countdown
对联 (duìlián) — couplet
花市 (huāshì) — flowermarket
财神 (Cái Shén) — God of Wealth
年宵 (niánxiāo) — Lunar New Year Fair
拜年 (bàinián) — pay someone a visit during the Chinese New Year
红包 (hóngbāo) — the red envelope
团圆饭 (tuányuán fàn) — reunion dinner
年糕 (niángāo) — rice cake
萝卜糕 (luóbo gāo) — turnip cake
春节 (Chūn Jié) — Lunar New Year
If you want to hear these vocabulary words said aloud, be sure to check out our Chinese New Year vocabulary list. Here, you’ll find an audio with each word’s pronunciation.
Conclusion
Well, there you have it! The Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations, traditions, and even its date for the next ten years. We hope you enjoyed learning about this significant Chinese holiday and that you’re to take on Chinese New Year celebrations yourself!
What do you think about the Chinese New Year traditions? How do you celebrate the New Year in your home country? Let us know in the comments!
To learn even more about China’s culture and traditions, visit us at ChineseClass101.com. We offer an array insightful blog posts, vocabulary lists on various topics, and even an online community where you can discuss lessons with fellow Chinese learners. By downloading our MyTeacher app, you can even have access to a personal teacher if you prefer a one-on-one learning experience.
We wish you the best in learning Chinese, and hope you have a happy Chinese New Year!
Most everyone is familiar with this day, as it is celebrated nearly everywhere the world. Yet, when exactly is April Fools’ Day? And where did April Fools come from? April Fools’ Day is observed on April 1st every year. This day of jokes and pranks is believed to have stemmed from the 16th-century calendar change in France, when New Year’s Day was moved from April 1 to January 1. This action was taken due to the adoption of the Gregorian calendar.
However, a few people were resistant to the calendar change, so they continued to observe New Year’s Day on April 1st, rather than the new date. They were referred to as the “April Fools”, and others started playing mocking tricks on them. This custom endured, and is practiced to this day around the world!
1. Top One Million Words You Need to Know for April Fools’ Day
Do you want to know how to say April Fools’ Day in Chinese? Well, there are millions of ways and words, but here are the top one million Chinese words you really need to know! Simply click this link. Here are some of them you will find useful:
funny - 有趣 - yǒuqù
joke - 开玩笑 - kāi wánxiào
sneaky - 鬼鬼祟祟的 - guǐguǐ suìsuì de
prankster - 恶作剧的人 - èzuòjù de rén
prank - 恶作剧 - èzuòjù
play a joke - 开玩笑 - kāi wánxiào
humor - 幽默 - yōumò
fool - 傻瓜 - shǎguā
deceptive - 欺骗性的 - qīpiànxìng de
April 1st - 四月一日 - Sìyuè Yī Rì
lie - 撒谎 - sāhuǎng
surprise - 让人惊讶 - ràng rén jīngyà
2. Chinese Phrases You Can Use on April Fools’ Day
Don’t limit yourself to practical jokes - use these April Fools’ phrases in Chinese to prank your favorite Chinese friend or colleague!
All classes for today got canceled.
今天所有的课都取消了。
Jīntiān suǒyǒu de kè dōu qǔxiāo le .
Someone has just hit your car.
刚才有人撞了你的车。
Gāngcái yǒu rén zhuàng le nǐ de chē .
I’m getting married.
我要结婚了。
Wǒ yào jiéhūn le.
You won a free ticket.
你赢得了一张免费票。
Nǐ yíngdé le yì zhāng miǎnfèi piào .
I’m sorry, but I’ve just broken your favorite pair of glasses.
对不起，我刚刚弄坏了你最喜欢的眼镜。
Duìbùqǐ, wǒ gānggāng nòng huài le nǐ zuì xǐhuān de yǎnjìng .
They’re giving away free gift cards in front of the building.
他们在大楼前赠送免费礼物卡。
Tāmen zài dàlóu qián zèngsòng miǎnfèi lǐwù kǎ.
A beautiful lady asked me to give this phone number to you.
一位美丽的小姐让我把这个电话号码给你。
Yí wèi měilì de xiǎojiě ràng wǒ bǎ zhège diànhuà hàomǎ gěi nǐ .
Can you come downstairs? I have something special for you.
你能到楼下来吗？我给你准备了惊喜。
Nǐ néng dào lóuxià lái ma ? Wǒ gěi nǐ zhǔnbèi le jīngxǐ .
Thank you for your love letter this morning. I never could have guessed your feelings.
谢谢你今天早上的情书。我从不知道你的感情。
Xièxiè nǐ jīntiān zǎoshàng de qíngshū . Wǒ cóngbù zhīdào nǐ de gǎnqíng .
I saw your car being towed.
我看见你的车正被拖走。
Wǒ kànjiàn nǐ de chē zhèng bèi tuōzǒu.
A handsome guy is waiting for you outside.
一个帅哥在外面等你。
Yígè shuàigē zài wàimiàn děng nǐ.
I learned Chinese in 1 month.
我学了一个月的中文。
Wǒ xuéle yīgèyuè de Zhōngwén.
Choose your victims carefully, though; the idea is to get them to laugh with you, not to hurt their feelings or humiliate them in front of others. Be extra careful if you choose to play a prank on your boss - you don’t want to antagonize them with an inappropriate joke.
3. Some of the Coolest April Fools’ Pranks To Play on Anybody
Right, now that you know the top million April Fools’ words in Chinese, let’s look at some super pranks and tricks to play on friends, colleagues and family. Some April Fools ideas never grow old, while new ones are born every year.
Never joke in such a way that it hurts anyone, or humiliates them badly in front of others - the idea is for everybody to laugh and enjoy the fun! Respect is still key, no matter what day of the year it is.
1- Infestation
This trick is so simple, yet so creepy, it’s almost unbelievable. Take black paper, cut out the silhouette of a giant cockroach, a spider or another insect, and stick it inside the lampshade of a table lamp. When the lamp is switched on, it will look like a monstrous insect is sitting inside the lampshade. Or, get a whole lot of realistic-looking plastic insects, and spread them over a colleague’s desk and chair, or, at home, over the kids’ beds etc. Creep-factor: stellar.
2- Which One Doesn’t Fit?
Put the photo of a celebrity or a notorious politician in a frame, and take it to work on April Fools’ Day. Hang the photo on the staff picture wall, and wait. You’ll be surprised how long it can take for people to notice that one picture doesn’t fit.
3- Something Weird in the Restroom
At work, replace the air freshener in the restroom with something noxious like insect killer, oven cleaner or your own odious mixture in a spray bottle. Be sure to cover the bottle’s body so no one suspects a swap.
Or paint a bar of soap with clear nail polish, and leave it at the hand wash basin. It will not lather.
Or, if your workplace’s restroom has partitioned toilets with short doors, arrange jeans or trousers and shoes on all but one of the toilet covers, so it looks like every stall is occupied. Now wait for complaints, and see how long it takes for someone to figure out the April Fools’ Day prank. You’ll probably wish you had a camera inside the restroom. But, unless you don’t mind getting fired, don’t put your own recording device in there!
4- Call Me Funny
Prepare and print out a few posters with the following instructions: Lion Roar Challenge! Call this number - 123-456-7890 - and leave your best lion’s roar as voicemail! Best roarer will be announced April 10 in the cafeteria. Prize: $100. (Lion’s roar is just an example; you can use any animal call, or even a movie character’s unique sound, such as Chewbacca from Star Wars. The weirder, the funnier. Obviously!) Put the posters up in the office where most of the staff is likely to see them. Now wait for the owner of the number to visit you with murderous intent. Have a conciliatory gift ready that’s not a prank.
5- Minty Cookies
This is another simple but hugely effective prank - simply separate iced cookies, scrape off the icing, and replace it with toothpaste. Serve during lunch or tea break at work, or put in your family’s lunch boxes. Be sure to take photos of your victim’s faces when they first bite into your April Fools’ cookies.
6- Wild Shopping
At your local grocer, place a realistic-looking plastic snake or spider among the fresh vegetables. Now wait around the corner for the first yell.
7- The Oldest Trick in the Book
Don’t forget probably the oldest, yet very effective April Fools’ joke in the book - smearing hand cream or Vaseline on a door handle that most staff, family or friends are likely to use. Yuck to the max!
8- Sneeze On Me
Another golden oldie is also gross, yet harmless and utterly satisfying as a prank. Fill a small spray bottle that you can easily conceal with water. Walk past a friend, colleague or one of your kids, and fake a sneeze while simultaneously spraying them with a bit of water. Expect to be called a totally disgusting person. Add a drop of lovely smelling essential oil to the water for extra confusion.
9- Word Play Repairs
Put a fresh leek in the hand wash basin at home or work, and then tell your housemates or colleagues this: “There’s a huge leak in the restroom/bathroom basin, it’s really serious. Please can someone go have a look?!” Expect exasperation and smiles all around. Note that this prank is only likely to work where people understand English well.
10- Scary Face
Print out a very scary face on an A4 sheet of paper, and place it in a colleague’s, or one of your kid’s drawers, so it’s the first thing they see when they open the drawer. You may not be very popular for a while.
11- Wake Up To Madness
Put foamy shaving cream, or real whipped cream on your hand, and wake your kid up by tickling their nose with it. As long as they get the joke, this could be a wonderful and fun way to start April Fools’ Day.
12- Computer Prank
This one’s fabulous, if you have a bit of time to fiddle with a colleague, friend or your kid’s computer. It is most effective on a computer where most of the icons they use are on the desktop background itself (as opposed to on the bottom task bar).
Take and save a screenshot of their desktop with the icons. Set this screenshot as their background image. Now delete all the working icons. When they return to their computer, wait for the curses when no amount of clicking on the icons works.
13- Monster Under the Cup
This one will also work well anywhere people meet. Take a paper cup, and write the following on it in black pen: “Danger! Don’t lift, big spider underneath.” Place it upside-down on prominent flat surface, such as a kitchen counter, a colleague’s desk or a restaurant table. Expect some truly interesting responses.
14- Prank Door
Write in large letters on a large and noticeable piece of paper: PUSH. Tape this notice on a door that should be pulled to open, and watch the hilarious struggle of those clever souls who actually read signs.
4. How Can ChineseClass101 Make Your April Fools’ Day Special?
If you happen to visit China, or if you work for any Chinese company, knowing the above Chinese prankster phrases can really lighten up your day. Showing you have a sense of humor can go a long way to cement good relationships in any situation. These phrases are at your disposal for free, as well as are these 100 core Chinese words, which you will learn how to pronounce perfectly.
Also, don’t stop at learning April Fools’ phrases in Chinese - bone up your Chinese language skills with these FREE key phrases. Yes, ChineseClass101 doesn’t joke when it comes to effective, fun and easy learning.
Now, as a bonus, test our super-learning technology, and learn the Top 1000 most useful phrases in Chinese below! But that’s not all. Read on to learn how you can be eligible for large enrollment discounts at ChineseClass101.
5. Top 1000 Most Useful Phrases in Chinese - testing new technology
Help us by being a language guinea pig! Listen to this video above with embedded cutting-edge, frequency-based learning technology that enables you to learn large amounts of data in record time.
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This article is intended to go over some of the most common mistakes committed by students when trying to learn Chinese. The points listed here are based on my experience as a student and as the manager of a small Chinese Academy.
1. Neglecting to study Chinese characters
One of the most complicated aspects of the Chinese language is without a doubt its writing system. Learning how to read and write characters is a difficult task that can discourage many students.
Many students who are anxious to learn Chinese as quickly as possible decide to put aside studying writing to focus on learning how to speak Chinese through the phonetic system (pinyin).
There is no doubt that learning Chinese exclusively through pinyin is the most common mistake committed by people when starting to learn Chinese. Aware of this, over the past years, many “miraculous” Chinese courses based on this principle have appeared, promoting it as an easy way to learn Chinese in a few months. Nonetheless, in Chinese, just like any other language, there are no shortcuts. It’s true that some ways of learning are more efficient than others, but learning Chinese only through pinyin is certainly not the way to go.
While pinyin is very useful in the beginning, it’s problem resides in the phonetics of mandarin. As opposed to in Western languages, words are fairly short in Chinese (normally 1 or 2 syllables) and there are relatively few possible sounds (somewhat more than 400 syllables). Combine this with the fact that in the beginning, the majority of students have trouble differentiating certain sounds and above all the tones, it’s very common for students to quickly feel like everything sounds the same.
The basic unit of Chinese is the character, which represents meaning and not sound. It’s very common to run into characters with very different meanings with exactly the same sound (or very similar sounds). In addition, the formation of new concepts is carried out by combining characters. In other words, the logic of Chinese is found in characters and not in sound.
As opposed to small children who learn through imitation, we adults mainly learn through association, in other words, by using logic. That means that if you overlook the basic unit of the language (the character), it will be impossible for you to learn through association and you will have to limit yourself to imitation, which is very difficult for adults.
To put things simply, people who decide to not study writing make much faster initial progress by omitting one of the most difficult parts. However, their learning quickly comes to a standstill as learning new vocabulary becomes more difficult every day. Many words appear to be the same and completely meaningless.
On the contrary, for people who include characters in their study program, their initial progress is slow, tedious and at times frustrating. Nonetheless, their learning progressively accelerates and incorporating new vocabulary becomes increasingly simple.
If you truly want to learn Chinese and not a couple of sentences to survive, you have no other choice but to learn its writing as well.
2. Learning the most commonly-used 3,000 characters
One of the most prevalent urban legends surrounding learning Chinese says that by learning the most frequent 3,000 characters, you can read 99% of texts in Chinese.
It’s true that the 3,000 most common characters cover 99% of texts in Chinese. Nonetheless, knowing them is not the same thing as being capable of understanding a text. In modern Chinese, the majority of words are formed of the union of at least two characters. While individual characters have a meaning in themselves, when they are combined to create a word, their meaning, although it tends to be related, is not always easy to guess.
Basically, learning the most common 3,000 characters, despite being an excellent memorization challenge, is probably the most frustrating and inefficient way to learn Chinese, as it won’t let you read or speak.
There are numerous frequency of use lists based on words and not characters (such as the HSK lists) that are definitely more useful.
3. Learning Chinese because it’s the most spoken language in the world
Learning a new language takes a lot of effort and continuous motivation over a long period of time, especially if it’s a language as different as Chinese. Because of this, before starting to learn a language, you have to be clear about the goal that you are pursuing and create a detailed plan of how you are going to reach this goal.
When people come to my academy and ask me about Chinese lessons, the first thing that I tend to ask them is why they want to learn Chinese. An answer that I often receive is: I want to learn Chinese because it’s the most spoken language in the world. When I hear this answer, I usually tell them how much time and effort they will have to dedicate to studying Chinese if they want to be able to effectively communicate. The majority of them never come back.
This student profile is the main target of “miracle courses”, as in my opinion, they don’t have the adequate motivation to learn the language. Their interest is mainly the result of a passing trend that has been brought into the spotlight by China’s economic power. Because of this, the only thing that they are looking for is for someone to tell them that they can learn Chinese without making an effort.
It is essential that before learning Chinese, you ask yourself what you want to do and what you will achieve by doing so. The more specific your objective, the easier it will be to keep up your motivation over time. Below, I give a few examples of concrete goals:
Learning Chinese to be able to communicate with clients or suppliers from the country and by doing so improving your job prospects.
Learning Chinese to go to China to study a master’s degree or an exchange during the following year.
Learning Chinese because you have a spouse or family member from the country and want to demonstrate your interest in their culture and language.
Like these, there are thousands of good reasons to learn Chinese, but studying must be highly motivated and contain a “reward” for the efforts made. If you’re not going to use the language at all, what point is there in learning it?
Learning Chinese is much more than learning a language; it’s a doorway to understanding a thousand-year-old culture and society that at times isn’t as different as we think it is. Making yourself the habit of studying and giving yourself the right motivation will be your best ally in overcoming the numerous obstacles and frustrations that you will encounter.
4. Believing that because you’ve learned other languages, you know how to learn Chinese
Something that I often run into is people who want to study Chinese and the first thing that they say is that they already speak a couple of languages.
People who already master multiple Western languages mistakenly believe that they can apply their experience with these languages when learning Mandarin. While it’s true that they are at an advantage compared to a monolingual person, as they already know the efforts implied by learning a new language, it’s also true that they are more likely to commit mistakes in the learning process.
Despite coming from different linguistic branches, Western languages have common roots and have influenced one another a great deal over history. This makes it so that their logic and above all grammatical structure are very similar. The origins of Chinese and other Asian languages are very distant from that of Western languages, because of which it is a mistake to approach them with the same logic as in studying much more similar languages.
The common problem among students who speak multiple Western languages is that they try to apply their language structure to Chinese, and over time become frustrated. In the end, they end up saying that Chinese is illogical and impossible to learn.
Chinese has its own logic that is simply very different from yours, because of which the best thing to do is to forget everything you think you know and to try to completely immerse yourself in a different way of communicating.
5. Spending too much effort on pronunciation and grammar
Don’t get me wrong: grammar and pronunciation are very important in Chinese, but they aren’t everything.
Tones and pronunciation in Mandarin tend to be a headache for many students. Pronunciation errors can be one of the main barriers to being understood by a native speaker. In addition, for many students, Chinese grammatical structures appear confusing and “unnatural” to them, because they are very different from those of their native language.
Because of this, it’s common for people to end up speaking endlessly in a zealous attempt to pronounce every tone perfectly and to place every word in its correct place. The problem with this attitude is that the person listening ends up not understanding anything.
Chinese is a language in which the context where a word is pronounced is very important for understanding its meaning. When speech isn’t fluid, in addition to becoming tedious for the listener, the context is also lost. The problem is that if the listener loses the context, they won’t understand anything.
Forget about speaking perfectly; as a non-native speaker, you can’t set your sights on impeccable pronunciation and not making grammar mistakes. Improving the fluidity of your speech will certainly give you better results than avoiding a couple of mistakes. Keep in mind that what’s important is communicating.
BIO: Sergi worked in Beijing for five years and China changed his life. Upon returning home, he left his job as a researcher to dedicate his time to sharing what he learned in the Middle Kingdom. He is currently the editor of the website Sapore Di Cina, intended for people who would like to go to China to live or travel, and is the co-founder of EsChina Space, a Chinese language and cuisine academy in Barcelona.
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