Dialogue

Vocabulary

Learn New Words FAST with this Lesson’s Vocab Review List

Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.

Or sign up using Facebook
Already a Member?

Lesson Notes

Unlock In-Depth Explanations & Exclusive Takeaways with Printable Lesson Notes

Unlock Lesson Notes and Transcripts for every single lesson. Sign Up for a Free Lifetime Account and Get 7 Days of Premium Access.

Or sign up using Facebook
Already a Member?

Lesson Transcript

Taiwanese Mandarin Survival Phrases Lesson 6: Where is the Bathroom?
In this lesson, you will learn how to ask where the bathroom is.
In Chinese, “Where is the bathroom?” is 洗手間在哪裡(Xíshǒujiān zài nálǐ)?
Let’s break it down by tone:
First we have 洗(Xǐ).
Next we have 手(shǒu). This is in third tone.
After that we have 間(jiān). This is a flat tone.
Then we have 在(zài). This is in fourth tone.
Next we have 哪(nǎ). This is in third tone.
Last we have 裡(lǐ). This is in the third tone. Sometimes, it may not have a tone, or it has a soft tone.
Usually, 洗 (Xǐ) is in third tone. But because it is followed by another third tone, it becomes second tone.
Next, let’s break it down by meaning:
在(zài), means "at."
哪裡(nǎlǐ) means "where."
洗手間(xí shǒu jiān) literally means “wash hand room.” Together this means “washroom” or “bathroom.”
Literally, the phrase means “Bathroom at where?” In English, this translates to “Where is the bathroom?”
Altogether, we have 洗手間在哪裡(Xǐshǒujiān zài nǎ lǐ)?
Listen again, one more time, slowly:
[Slow] 洗手間在哪裡(Xǐshǒujiān zài nǎ lǐ)?
[Normal] 洗手間在哪裡(Xǐshǒujiān zài nǎ lǐ)?

Comments

Hide