But what exactly is 儿化(érhuà)? Why do certain words undergo this transformation? And when should you use it yourself? Relax, we’re going to walk you through the various uses of the suffix 儿(ér) and peel back the curtain to explore some of the cultural nuances that come with it.

• What are Erhua
• Why do we use Erhua
• When do we use Erhua
• How to learn Erhua

What are Erhua?

儿化词 (érhuà cí) is a phonetic phenomenon that occurs in Mandarin Chinese and certain dialects, such as Beijing Hua. It involves adding the suffix 儿(ér) to a word, combining it with the preceding syllable. This creates a new word known as a 儿化词(érhuà cí). For instance, 花儿 is pronounced /huār/, not /huā’ér/.

Why do we use Erhua？

We use 儿化(ér huà) in situations where its presence or absence can affect the meaning or usage of a word. Let’s explore some examples:

1. Meaning change

• 眼(yǎn) eyes – 眼儿(yǎnr) small hole
• 头(tóu) head – 头儿(tóur) leader
• 信(xìn) letter – 信儿(xìnr) information
• 天(tiān) day – 天儿(tiānr) weather
• 托(tuō) hold in hand – 托儿(tuōr) shill

2. Different part of speech

• 尖(jiān) as an adjective – 尖儿(jiānr) as a noun

这支笔很尖。(Zhè zhī bǐ hěn jiān.) This pen is very sharp.

你看，这支笔的尖儿坏了。(Nǐ kàn, zhè zhī bǐ de jiānr huàile.) Look, the tip of this pen is broken.

• 错(cuò) as an adjective – 错儿(cuòr) as a noun

我的作业有很多错题。(Wǒ de zuòyè yǒu hěnduō cuò tí.) My homework has many incorrect answers.

对不起，这是我的错儿。(Duìbùqǐ, zhè shì wǒ de cuòr.) I’m sorry, it’s my fault.

• 画(huà) as a verb – 画儿(huàr) as a noun

你能画一幅画儿吗？(Nǐ néng huà yī fú huàr ma?) Can you draw a picture?

• 盖(gài) as a verb – 盖儿(gàir) as a noun

请盖上那个大的锅盖儿。(Qǐng gài shàng nàgè dà de guō gàir.) Please cover that big pot lid.

• 乐(lè) as an adjective – 乐儿(lèr) as a noun

快乐 (kuàilè) Happiness

喜剧演员喜欢逗乐儿。(xǐjù yǎnyuán xǐhuān dòu lèr.) Comedians enjoy entertaining and bringing laughter.

3. Affection expression

a) Expressing smallness, lightness, thinness, weakness, or lesser degree:

• 小孩儿(xiǎo hair) kid
• 牙签儿(yá qiānr) toothpick
• 皮筋儿(pí jīnr) rubber band
• 一会儿(yí huìr) a moment/for a while
• 一下儿(yí xiàr) after verb to express times/a short time
• 一块儿(yí kuàir) together
• 一点儿(yì diǎnr) a little
• 玩玩儿(wán wanr) play
• 使劲儿(shǐ jìnr) try hard
• 打盹儿(dǎ dǔnr) nap

b) Expressing feelings of love or endearment:

• 花儿(huār) flower
• 鸟儿(niǎor) bird
• 画儿(huàr) painting
• 好玩儿(hǎo wǎnr) funny

In Chinese culture, people use 儿(ér) to express endearment or cuteness when referring to words related to children.

For example:

• 宝贝儿 (bǎobèir) baby or young children
• 小孩儿 (xiǎo hair) children
• 女孩儿 (nǚ hair) girl
• 男孩儿 (nán hair) boy

Additionally, it is common, especially among older Chinese individuals, to show affection by calling someone using one of their given name’s characters + 儿(ér). For instance, if your name is 李小明 (Lǐ Xiǎomíng), they might call you 明儿 (Míngr). Similarly, if your name is 张芳 (Zhāng Fāng), it can be “芳儿” (Fāngr).

c) Expressing attitude with scorn or mockery:

• 小偷儿(xiǎo tōur) thief
• 撒酒疯儿(sǎ jiǔ fēngr) get drunk and act crazy
• 说瞎话儿(shuō xiā huàr) plain lie

When do we use Erhua?

To be honest, even some native Chinese speakers find it challenging to determine when to use 儿(ér) in words. So, unless you specifically aim to master 儿化词(ér huà cí) or pursue a professional certificate in  Mandarin Chinese, you don’t have to worry too much about it. As mentioned earlier, whether a word has 儿(er) or not often does not impact its meaning. During the initial stages of learning Chinese, feel free to omit 儿(er) from most words unless they are in a fixed expression or have altered meanings. For example, words like 一会儿 (yíhuìr, a moment/for a while), 这儿 (zhèr, here), 那儿 (nàr, there), 哪儿 (nǎr, where), and 盖儿 (gàir, lid) are fixed expressions with 儿(er). On the other hand, words like 头儿 (tour, leader/boss) and 托儿 (tour, shill) have completely different meanings due to the presence of 儿(er).

How to learn Erhua？

If you wish to expand your vocabulary and learn more 儿化词(ér huà cí), consider the following options:

1) Textbooks

Regardless of the textbooks you use, they likely contain examples of 儿化词(ér huà cí). These systematically designed resources expose you to them in different contexts. Try creating a summary of the 儿化词(ér huà cí) you encounter in your textbooks and practice using them appropriately.

2) Dictionaries

Use a reliable Chinese dictionary to accelerate your progress. We recommend two apps:

Pleco

Pleco is a popular Chinese-English dictionary with helpful features like flashcards, tests, word card import/export, and OCR. You can search using pinyin, Chinese characters, or English words. If you’re unsure whether to use 儿(er) or not, simply input the word and let the app check for you.

Hanping Lite

Another Chinese-English dictionary with a range of practical and engaging features. Tags make it easier to locate word clusters. For instance, by selecting the “HSK exam” tag, you can access six levels of vocabulary. It is an excellent app to verify 儿化词(ér huà cí), and you can even import your own vocabulary file to personalize your tags.

3) Video sources

If you prefer visual learning, videos are an excellent option. Many professional Chinese teachers, learners, enthusiasts, and native speakers have created short videos explaining why, how, and when to use 儿化词(ér huà cí), making them accessible and engaging for learners. Check out these videos for more information and insights.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xcZAIGr77s
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4frIxff6j8g
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RWfK6rzlc4
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6qZ6wyiEAs
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4rzW7iRcIs
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FIiWmX5-u4
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SddgBN5Mzew
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0Ze8WfHPSA
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljjCphu5Q2c
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyJq5C6_lMY

Remember, 儿化词(ér huà cí) is not merely a linguistic quirk, but a gateway to cultural connection and eventual fluency. As you continue your Mandarin Chinese journey, embrace the opportunity to encounter and use 儿化词(ér huà cí) in your own conversations.

Through textbooks, dictionaries, and the rich resources available online, continue expanding your repertoire of 儿化词(ér huà cí). Exploring regional variations and unique expressions will help you to get in touch with Chinese culture and form more genuine connections with the native speakers you meet.

As you interact with them, listen attentively to their use of 儿化词(ér huà cí) and embrace their guidance. Let the words flow naturally from your lips, gradually incorporating the charm and authenticity that 儿化词(ér huà cí) brings to the language. Embrace the affectionate nuances, the subtle shifts in meaning, and the cultural echoes embedded within each expression.

Keep exploring, keep learning, and let the discovery of new linguistic tidbits guide you on the path to mastery.

The post Mastering the Suffix 儿: A Guide to “Erhua” in Mandarin Chinese appeared first on .

1. Take Chinese Classes

Never doubt the power of a good teacher and regular Chinese lessons. Having Chinese lessons weekly or even more often will also keep you accountable for studying and practicing your Chinese regularly. As they say, practice really does make perfect.

If your teacher follows the HSK or another curriculum, this will also be a good way to measure your progress. You can use the textbook or mock HSK exams to gauge how your fluency in Chinese is improving.

I highly recommend that you check around for a school or private teacher that meets your needs and style and start studying. You will want to make sure you choose a good Chinese teacher！

2. Get a (one-sided) language partner

Do not fall into the trap of a language exchange. Often, speaking Chinese part of the time and another language for the rest of the time means that neither you nor your language exchange partner will improve very much.

Instead, find someone who is willing to speak only Chinese with you. This will ensure that you will have plenty of opportunities to speak Chinese, make mistakes, and learn from them.

Having a language partner also gives you a safe space in which you can practice new vocabulary and grammar that you learned in your Chinese classes.

3. Immersion!

Yes, you have almost certainly heard the immersion recommendation before. However, I do not mean simply traveling to China. I mean full-on, total immersion. For everything you do, do it in Chinese.

Listening to music? Choose Chinese songs. Want to watch some Netflix? Pick a Chinese series. Reading a book? Pick up a Chinese one for your level. Even try changing your phone settings into Chinese if you are feeling brave enough!

If you are already located in China, avoid going to areas that are popular among foreigners. If you go to spend time where all the foreigners in your city hang out, you will inevitably end up speaking a language other than Chinese, which will certainly not help you achieve your goal of Chinese fluency.  It may be difficult at first to speak to strangers completely in Chinese, but if you try your best, you will find that people are friendly and often very happy to chat with you.

If you see other opportunities in your life where you can use Chinese, go ahead and make the switch. The more you immerse yourself in a Chinese environment, the more your Chinese fluency will increase.

4. Take notes

Remember all the Chinese music, television, books, and friends you will be immersing yourself with? Make sure to keep a notebook and pen on hand to jot down the new information you come across.

Do not trust yourself to remember every new word or phrase you encounter; there will be too many, and you will forget them all very quickly.

This also means it is very important that you learn how to handwrite Chinese characters.

Review your notes at the end of the day or go through them at the end of the week and practice the new Chinese words or grammar structures with your Chinese teacher or language partner for maximum retention.

5. Be consistent

People can often underestimate the power of consistency when it comes to achieving fluency in a language, especially Chinese.

Staying consistent with your studies means that you will constantly be progressing and improving. Some days you might be able to do more, and some days you might do less, but the trick is to keep Chinese fresh in your mind.

Even if you do not have a lot of time in which to learn Chinese, make sure that you are studying and reviewing at least a little bit every day. It is important to keep your brain primed and in learning mode.

If you are struggling to find motivation to study Chinese consistently, you want to consider some more ways in which you can integrate Chinese into your daily life.

6. Don’t give up

Learning a language can be difficult, and Chinese is definitely not a language for the faint of heart!

There will be days when you speak Chinese with little to no difficulty. On those days, you will feel unbeatable! However, there will also be days when you struggle to string a sentence together, even with words you mastered long ago.

This is a natural phenomenon and to be expected during the language-learning process. It will take determination and a stiff upper lip to power through the hard days.

The difficult days may be disappointing, but if you remember that there will be ups and downs along the way, it will help you to push through the tough times. Eventually, the hard days will grow fewer and farther between, and those moments of triumph will happen more and more often as you become more fluent in Chinese.

These are some of the tricks that helped me achieve fluency in Chinese. While there is still a lot that I do not know when it comes to Chinese, I am continuing to use these methods to improve and maintain my Chinese fluency.

If you can take Chinese lessons, get a language partner, immerse yourself completely, and take notes on all you learn, you are certain to see an improvement in your fluency in Chinese. If you can only do one or two of these suggestions, that is also fine.

What is most important is to stay consistent in your studies and never give up! Now get out there and get fluent!

The post Tricks to Speaking Chinese Fluently appeared first on .

First of all, what is the HSKK?

The HSKK stands for “Hànyǔ shuǐpíng kǒuyǔ kǎoshì (汉语水平口语考试)”, which means “Chinese Speaking Test”. This exam is a standardized test that evaluates students’ spoken Chinese abilities. The HSKK is divided into three levels (beginner, intermediate, and advanced).

This is different from the regular HSK exam, which is the “Hànyǔ shuǐpíng kǎoshì (汉语水平考试)”. The regular HSK exam is a written exam divided into six levels, with HSK 1 being the lowest and HSK 6 the highest.

Note: While both exams are organized by the Hanban, the HSKK is a not just the “speaking section” of the HSK. The HSKK is a separate exam, and you will need to register for it separately if you want to take it. You do not need to take the HSK in order to take the HSKK.

Why should I take the HSKK?

If you are applying to a Chinese university or a job that requires you to speak Mandarin often, having an HSKK certificate will set your application apart from the rest. Some universities and workplaces may even require foreign candidates to hold an HSKK certification, in addition to the HSK.

Even if you are not applying for a university or job, you may want to take the HSKK just to measure your progress. Sometimes it is not always easy to see how far your own Chinese has progressed, and the HSKK can be a useful tool to measure how much progress you have made in your studies.

From Jan 2023, if you take the HSK （Chinese Proficiency Test）test in China (including the mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan), the HSKK (Chinese Proficiency Speaking Test) has to be completed at the same time. This new change has revealed that the speaking part in Chinese proficiency tests is now valued more than ever. You can no longer prefer writing and reading over speaking. It will gradually become a must when evaluating your Chinese level.

HSKK Exam Levels and Content

HSKK Beginner

The Beginner HSKK exam is 17 minutes long. There are 27 questions in total, making up three sections of the exam.

Section 1 is four minutes long and comprised of 15 questions, in which you must listen to a recording and repeat the sentence back (听后重复).

Section 2 is three minutes long and comprised of 10 questions, in which you must listen to a question and respond appropriately (听后回答).

Section 3 is three minutes long and consists of two open-ended response questions (回答问题). Students must answer both questions with at least five sentences for each answer.

Chinese characters are not required.

HSKK Intermediate

The Intermediate level is 21 minutes long (this includes 10 minutes of preparation time). There are 14 questions in total, making up three sections of the exam.

Section 1 is three minutes long and comprised of four questions, in which you listen to a recording and repeat it back (听后重复).

Section 2 is four minutes long and comprised of two questions, in which you describe an image (看图说话).

Section 3 is four minutes long and consists of two open-ended response questions (回答问题).

Again, Chinese characters are not required.

HSKK Advanced

The Advanced level takes 24 minutes (this again includes 10 minutes of preparation time) and is broken into three sections.

Section 1 is seven minutes long and consists of three questions in which you listen to a recording and repeat it back (听后重复).

Section 2 is two minutes long and consists of reading a single passage aloud (朗读).

Section 3 is five minutes long and consists of two open-ended response questions (回答问题).

What HSKK level should I take?

According to the Hanban, the Beginner HSKK is suitable for students who know around 200 common words and who can hold basic conversations on a variety of daily topics. This level is suitable for HSK 1 and HSK 2 students.

The Intermediate HSKK is suitable for students who know approximately 900 common words and who can speak quiet fluently on a range of topics. This level is suitable for HSK 3 and HSK 4 students.

Finally, the Advanced HSKK is suitable for students who know over 3000 words and who can express themselves fluently in spoken Chinese on most topics. As part of the Advanced HSKK involves reading a passage aloud, the Hanban suggests that Advanced HSKK students should know about 1000 characters. This level is suitable for HSK 5 and HSK 6 students.

HSKK Test Dates(2024) and Fees

Fees for the HSKK depend on the level you wish to take.

• The Beginner HSKK costs 200RMB.
• The Intermediate HSKK costs 400RMB.
• The Advanced HSKK costs 600RMB.

How to Register for the HSKK

Visit the Hanban website and create an account. Log in and select “HSKK (HSK Speaking Tests)” from the Registration menu.

Select your level, test location, and date from the form. Next, fill out your personal information. You will need to confirm your phone number with a code via text message. Upload a photo of yourself for identification purposes. Then, pay for the exam.

HSKK Passing Score

All HSKK exams are graded out of 100 points, with a passing score of at least 60. Students will receive their HSKK results approximately one month after the exam.

HSKK Exam Results

HSKK results are released one month after your test date. While technically your results never expire, if you are using your HSKK for university admission, your HSKK results are valid for two years after your exam date.

How to prepare for the HSKK

The best way to prepare for the HSKK exam is lots of practice. The more listening practice you can get, the better you will perform on the test. Whether you watch Chinese television, chat with friends, or do mock HSKK exams, the more you listen to Chinese, the easier the HSKK exam will be.

Besides being good for listening practice, mock exams are also a useful tool for familiarizing yourself with the HSKK question formats. The more you know about what type of questions to expect on the HSKK, the easier the test will be. You can access mock exam materials for your level:

• HSKK Beginner (PDF)
• HSKK Intermediate (PDF)
• HSKK Advanced (PDF)

Another measure you can take is to memorize several grammar structures appropriate for your level, such as 因为…所以 (because… so), 首先…其次…最后… (first…next…last), or 只要…就 (as long as…then). This will help you to organize your thoughts in a logical way and express yourself clearly during the exam.

Finally, consider signing up for formal HSKK lessons with a teacher who is familiar with the exam. In formal HSKK prep classes, you will be able to practice mock HSKK exams with your teacher, who can give you feedback on the areas in which you need to improve. This will save you time by allowing you to focus more on the questions or content with which you struggle, while putting less emphasis on the material you have already mastered.

Conclusion

If you decide that taking the HSKK exam is something you want to do, make sure you do it right! First, find the most suitable HSKK level for you, pick a date and register well in advance, and then practice, practice, practice. Now that you know everything there is to know about the HSKK, we wish you the best of luck in your exam. Jiāyóu 加油!

The post The Overall HSKK (Chinese Speaking Test) Guide appeared first on .

However, are you familiar with how and in what situations they’re used? In this article, we’ll have a closer look at 5 common Chinese interjections, and discuss how they are applied.

1. 啊 (a)

Expressing exclamation in statements

• This is placed at the end of statements when one intends to show your exclamation or enthusiasm.

Example:

(Nǐ de jiā zhēn dà a!)
你的家真大啊！
Your home is really big!

(Nǐ bié chídào a!)
你别迟到啊！
Don’t be late!

(Jīntiān de tiānqì duō hǎo a!)
今天的天气多好啊！
Today’s weather is so nice!

Expressing the feeling of surprise in questions

• This is placed at the end of questions when there’s a need to emphasize your being surprised or suddenly curious.

Example:

(Zěnme tā jīntiān méi shàngxué a?)
怎么他今天没上学啊？
How come he didn’t go to school today?

(Zhè ge rén shì shéi a?)
这个人是谁啊？
Who’s this person?

(Wǒmen xiànzài zài nǎli a?)
我们现在在哪里啊？
Where are we now?

2. 吧 (ba)

Soften the tone when giving commands, requests, or suggestions in statements

• This is placed at the end of statements to soften the tone when giving a command, request, or suggestion
• It can also act as ‘let me’ or ‘let’s’

Example:

(Nǐ bāng wǒ ná bēi shuǐ ba!)
你帮我拿杯水吧！
Help me to get a cup of water.

(Nǐ chūqù ba! wǒ bù xiǎng zài gēn nǐ shuō le.)
你出去吧！我不想再跟你说了。
Get out! I don’t want to talk to you anymore.

(Wǒmen yì qǐ qù tī zúqiú ba!)
我们一起去踢足球吧！
Let’s go play football together!

(Wǒ sòng nǐ huíjiā ba!)
我送你回家吧！
Let me send you home.

Seek for confirmation in questions

• This is placed at the end of questions when you’re not 100% sure of your thoughts and are seeking for confirmation
• It is therefore equivalent to ‘right?’ or ‘isn’t it?’

Example:

(Tāmen bú zài jiā ba?)
他们不在家吧？
They aren’t at home, right?

(Tā bú huì gàosu nǐ ba?)
他不会告诉你吧？
He won’t tell you, will he?

(Tā chángcháng kàn zhe nǐ, shì xǐhuān nǐ ba?)
他常常看着你，是喜欢你吧？
He often looks at you, he likes you, right?

3. 呢 (ne)

Produce a casual tone in both statements and questions

• This is placed at the end of both statements and questions, which helps to express a casual, relaxed but friendly tone

Example:

(Nǐ de xīn qúnzi hěn piàoliang ne!)
你的新裙子很漂亮呢！
Your new dress is very pretty!

(Tā huì bú huì wàngjì wǒ de shēngrì ne?)
他会不会忘记我的生日呢？
Will he or or won’t he forget my birthday?

(Wǒmen zěnme qù túshūguǎn ne?)
我们怎么去图书馆呢？
How do you go to the library?

Ask the same question back in return

• This is placed at the end of a subject, to suggest ‘what about that subject?’

Example:

(Wǒ jīntiān wǔ diǎn xiàbān, nǐ ne?)
我今天五点下班，你呢？
I get off work at five today, what about you?

(Wǒ ài pǎobù, tā ne?)
我爱跑步，他呢？
I love running, what about him?

Short version of ‘where?’

• This is placed at the end of an object, to create a short version of ‘where’s that object?’
• This application is often used when you’re in a rush or urgently seeking something

Example:

(Wǒ de qiánbāo ne?)
我的钱包呢？
Where’s my wallet?

(Wǒ de shǒujī ne?)
我的手机呢？
Where’s my mobile phone?

4. 啦 (la)

Replace the ending了(le) in both statements and questions to produce a relaxed tone

• You can substitute 啦(la) at the end of any statement or question that originally ends with了(le), to make the sentence sound relaxed or delightful
• It even has the function of creating a ‘cute’ tone if you extend the vowel

Example:

(Wǒ yǐjīng bānjiā la!)
我已经搬家啦！
I already moved home.

(Wǒ xiànzài lái la!)
我现在来啦！
I’m coming now!

(Nǐ bú yào zài kū la!)
你不要再哭啦！
Don’t cry anymore.

(Nǐ gāngcái mǎi shénme la?)
你刚才买什么啦？
What did you just buy?

(Nǐ jīnnián duō dà la?)
你今年多大啦？
How old are you?

5. 嘛 (ma)

Emphasize an obvious fact in statements

• It can be considered as ‘as you know’, ‘obviously’, ‘as a reminder’
• It also has the function of creating a ‘cute’ tone if you extend the vowel

Example:

(Tā háishì xiǎo háizi, bù dǒngshì ma, bié jièyì.)
他还是小孩子，不懂事嘛，別介意。
He’s still a child, therefore not very sensible. Please don’t mind him.

(Wǒ kàn bu dǒng yīngwén ma!)
我看不懂英文嘛！
(You know,) I can’t read English.

(Tā hěn máng ma, suǒyǐ méiyǒu shíjiān fā nǐ duǎnxìn.)
他很忙嘛，所以没有时间发你短信。
(You know,) he’s very busy, so doesn’t have time to send you texts.

Add ‘cute’ element to state an expectation in statement

• It makes the tone sound more ‘cute’ when specifying your expectation
• It’s close to the meaning ‘you should’
• It’s specifically useful when you want to blame someone, however, with a ‘cute or soft’ tone

Example:

(Nǐ zěnme bù zǎo shuō ma!)
你怎么不早说嘛！
How come you didn’t say so earlier!

(Nǐ zìjǐ zuò ma!)
你自己做嘛！
Do it yourself.

(Nǐ zǒu màn diǎn ma!)
你走慢点嘛！
Walk slower.

(Tā wèishénme yào zhèyàng zuò ma!)
他为什么要这样做嘛！
Why did he have to do this!

As a Topic Marker

• This is placed at the end of a topic – often a subject or object, followed by further information or comment
• It’s similar to the meaning: ‘about the topic’, ‘regarding the topic’
• It serves to give a pause before giving further information or feedback on the topic, hence it’s particularly useful when you’d like to sound patient or gentle

Example:

(Zhè jiàn shìqíng ma, wǒ yě bù qīngchǔ.)
这件事情嘛，我也不清楚。
About this matter, I’m also not sure.

(Nǐ ma, zuò shì zǒngshì bú rènzhēn.)
你嘛，做事总是不认真。
You’re just not serious when doing work all the time.

Interjections are a great way to add flavor and character to your sentences. They make you sound informal, and show that you are becoming more comfortable with the Chinese language. Once you master when and how to use these interjections, it will also make you sound more like a native speaker.

The post 5 Common Chinese Interjections to Add Tonal Color -啊(a) 吧(ba) 呢(ne) 啦(la) 嘛(ma) appeared first on .

Hosting meetings online adds a new layer of complexity. For many learners, it can be embarrassing to revert to English because they don’t know how to say ‘Your video is frozen’ or ‘I can’t hear you clearly.’ That’s why we’ve compiled a list of 32 essential phrases to help you tackle online meetings and take your business Chinese to the next level.

Getting Set Up

Unlike traditional meetings, online meetings require some extra effort to set up properly. Before the actual discussion can begin, everyone must make sure that the other participants can clearly see and hear them.

Here are some handy phrases to get you started:

Fortunately, many of these phrases use the same sentence structures that you’re already familiar with. They simply add some new vocabulary words, such as 摄像头, or camera. Here’s a tip: if you have trouble remembering certain words or short expressions, write them on a post-it note and stick it to your monitor. Then if you find yourself struggling to remember it during a meeting, you can sneakily glance over at your note.

Once you become more comfortable with these new words, you can start to use them in more complex sentence structures. For example, if you want to say 你可以打开摄像头吗？or 请大家打开摄像头, but you want to put more emphasis on the word 摄像头, you can use the 把 sentence structure. So instead, you would say 请把摄像头开设。You can read more about how to use 把 in this article.

These expressions help you start the meeting off on the right foot. They show your colleagues or clients that you are comfortable speaking Chinese and help you come across as both intelligent and confident. In the next section, we’ll talk about maintaining this impression when problems arise.

Technology Problems

The unfortunate reality of hosting digital meetings is that you are bound to run into tech problems sooner or later. This is another scenario where many Chinese leaners end up reverting to English. Being able to handle unexpected problems while still speaking Chinese is a true sign of fluency, and these phrases are an excellent way to prepare for those moments.

When you can’t hear someone on a video call, or they can’t hear you, how can you tell them in Chinese that there is a problem? You can’t write Chinese characters on your screen with a pen, but you CAN type them using your keyboard. If you want to type messages in Chinese, you can use what is called a pinyin input keyboard.

To set up Chinese pinyin input on Windows 10, go to Settings > Time & Language > Language > Add a Language. From there, Select Chinese (Simplified, China) and complete the setup. This will allow you to switch to Chinese mode whenever you need to type messages in Mandarin. You can simply type the pinyin of the character you want and use the number keys to select the character from a list.

To set up Chinese pinyin input on Mac, go to Apple menu  > System Preferences > Keyboard > Input Sources. From there you can click the Add button and select Chinese, Simplified. This will also allow you to type in Chinese using pinyin and selecting the characters you want.

Conducting a Meeting

This next set of phrases can be used both for online and in person meetings. They are all polite expressions that help you run a meeting smoothly.

Pay attention to the use of 您 instead of 你 in the expression 您先说. This emphasizes the respect that you show when you let someone else speak first. In business meetings, it’s a good idea to address others formally, especially if you are in a meeting with more senior colleagues, people you have never met before, or clients.

Saying Goodbye

Now that the main part of the meeting is over, it’s time to end on a positive note. These expressions help you wrap things up:

Once you have answered everyone’s remaining questions, you can quickly say goodbye before hanging up with a simple 再见, or if you will see them again soon, 下次见 or明天见。

Conclusion

Digital meetings have become an essential part of conducting business in the modern world, and that makes having the vocabulary to participate in these meetings an essential part of learning Chinese. The expressions we’ve looked at today will give you a solid foundation for running meetings and dealing with most common problems that arise. Once you become comfortable using these key phrases, you’ll be prepared to handle important meetings with Chinese clients, or you’ll be able to impress your Chinese colleagues with your authentic, modern vocabulary. To help you get started studying these expressions, you can download the full list as a PDF below. From there, you can make flashcards or put post-it notes on your computer screen to help you study as you work. If you have any questions, feel free to leave us a comment down below! We’ll see you soon with more business Chinese essentials.

The post Business Chinese: Essential Mandarin Expressions for Online Meetings appeared first on .

The Singapore PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination) Chinese Oral Examination makes up 25% of the PSLE Chinese Examination score (100%). There are two parts of the Oral Exam: Passage reading and Conversation.

How is the PSLE Oral Examination conducted?

Since 2017, the Singapore PSLE Mother Tongue Examinations use an E-oral exam format.

Before stepping into the examination room, students are given 10 minutes to read the passage and prepare for their conversation, which is based on a 1-minute video, at a preparation station with a laptop. During those 10 minutes, students may pause, fast-forward, or rewind the video.

After 10 minutes, students will then proceed to the examination room. They will read the passage to the examiners first and then watch the video from start to finish once again before doing the conversation portion.

1. Passage reading

Examiners give scores based on “accuracy” and “fluency”. Chinese characters used in the passage are all from Singapore Primary School textbooks.

2. Conversation

Examiners ask questions based on the video topic and the video itself, and students express their views and opinions accordingly. Examiners give scores based on the content. pronunciation, grammar, and fluency.

What questions will the examiners ask (during the conversation)?

To secure a high mark on the oral exam, students need to know what types of questions the examiners would like to ask. With this in the mind, students will be able to use their 10-min preparation time more effectively and then have better conversations with the examiners later.

Type 1: Video-related questions

Most of the time, the examiners ask questions regarding the video first. They would like to know how much of the video you understoond,  including what happened in the video and what you think about it.

For example:

Tell me about an event related to “being friendly” that you saw in the video.

Do you think the boy in the video is doing the right thing, why?

For this type of question, students could use the 5W1H（What, When, Where, Who, Why, How）technique to help them plan what they are going to say.

Example：

Type 2: Personal experience

The examiners also ask students to talk about relevant personal experiences. It’s better if the experience that the student shares is not the same as what was shown in the video. Other than sharing a story, students need to make some comments including what they learned from that experience.

For example:

Have you ever been friendly to someone?

Have you ever encountered someone being very friendly to you?

For this type of question, students can also use the 5W1H technic to help them plan what they are going to say.

Example：

Type 3: Suggestions

Sometimes, the examiners are interested in knowing how you could further expand on the topic/theme of the video by talking about society (school / family / community).

For example:

Is there anything that parents/the school can do to encourage their kids/students to show friendliness to others?

Based on previous exams, examiners ask students to give suggestions from the school’s perspective more often.

Example：

Other tips:

Many students find it difficult to provide rich content while doing their conversations. Using the “ACT” technique might help you:

Know more about the E-oral examination, look at SEAB 1 and SEAB 2. For more professional one-on-one training on Chinese language, you can consult TouchChinese for more information. 

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Of course, this idea isn’t completely unheard of and is actually a relatively common practice amongst many language learners. Coming from someone who enjoyed watching Chinese TV shows in her free time, it isn’t as simple as just watching TV. There is a bit of planning and work that must happen for it to actually improve your Chinese.

It is best to choose the right TV show – one that uses vocabulary that is appropriate for your level – and to use the right method, depending on what you want to achieve. Chinese TV shows can help improve your Chinese listening, speaking, reading and vocabulary if used appropriately.

In this article, we introduce how you can use Chinese TV shows to improve different areas of your Chinese learning.

Listening

Practicing listening can be quite difficult, especially considering the many dialects and accents that you can encounter when talking to native Chinese speaker. When practicing listening with strictly audio-based content, speed, accent, and lack of vocabulary all become obstacles to understanding and render the whole process inefficient and boring. The added visual aspect of TV shows helps to solve this problem.

To practice listening while watching TV shows, there are just a few things that you need to do.

First, I would recommend using a TV show that you have already seen and understood, or at the very least, one that you are familiar with. When you already understand what is happening, it makes it easier to concentrate on what you are hearing and infer what the characters are saying.

Second, I recommend excluding any kind of subtitles from the show when you are watching it. While Chinese subtitles may seem helpful, they become a crutch for practicing your listening. It is important for you to get used to only relying on your ears.

Last, make sure to stay focused. When re-watching a TV show, it can become easy to lose focus and stop paying full attention to the audio. So, make sure to pay consistent attention, even when the characters may be saying things you don’t understand.

The fact that TV shows are an audio-visual resource makes them more conducive to building your auditory capabilities. As humans, we have a natural ability to gain meaning from body movements and facial expressions, so having those added hints while practicing makes for a more natural and enjoyable process.

Speaking and Pronunciation

The optimal way to improve one’s Chinese speaking ability is to speak to a native Chinese speaker, but that does not mean there’s no way for you to practice by yourself. Using TV shows, you can practice your speaking and pronunciation without any added pressure.

To practice speaking, it is very important to use a TV show that contains vocabulary that is at your level. I would also recommend watching with Chinese subtitles on since that would make it easier to be sure of what is being said. 

Practicing speaking and pronunciation with TV shows is very easy. You simply watch the show and when you hear a sentence you understand, repeat that sentence out loud. Be sure to mimic the character’s speech and intonation as best as you can. It may feel silly to do this at first, but as you keep doing it, you will become more familiar with Chinese speech patterns and tones, and they will come out more naturally the next time you actually speak. It goes without saying that this practice should be done in a place where you will not disturb others and will feel comfortable.

Keep in mind that this is not a replacement for your conversation practice, it is simply a way for you to improve your pronunciation and get more familiar with speaking in Chinese.

Reading

Similar to speaking, reading is better practiced with more appropriate resources like books, articles and other such materials. The language that can be read from Chinese TV shows is generally colloquial spoken language, which differs from that used in written resources. However, using TV shows to practice reading can help you get better at recognizing Chinese characters at a faster rate.

To practice reading with Chinese TV shows, you must simply watch a show with Chinese subtitles which shouldn’t be too difficult since practically all Chinese audio-visual media include subtitles. As you are watching, be sure to read the subtitles while paying attention to the audio. This will train your brain to associate the sound and meaning of the characters with their appearance.

Practicing reading with simpler more stimulating material like TV shows allows the transition into reading longer written texts to be much smoother.

Vocabulary

Acting as the building blocks of language, vocabulary can be acquired via practically every language resource. Of course, this also includes TV programs, but I would argue that TV media is one of the best resources to acquire vocabulary from. The audio-visual properties of the medium allow learners to receive visual, auditory and contextual references for every word they encounter.

When watching a TV show in Chinese, you are likely to come across many unknown words. There are a variety of practical ways to deal with such an abundance of vocabulary. I would like to offer a disclaimer that the method written below is one that I personally use and is not the only way to learn vocabulary from Chinese shows.

First, have a pen/pencil and notepad with you as you watch the show. Make sure that you have chosen a show that is appropriate for your level and only contains Chinese subtitles that you have already seen. This allows for maximum clarity with minimal distraction.

Then, enjoy the show while looking out for sentences where you understand all but one or two words. When you encounter such a sentence, write it down and look up the words you don’t understand. Doing it this way ensures that you understand the meaning of the context in and the usage of the new words, and increases the likelihood that you’ll remember them. It also allows you to enjoy the experience more rather than pausing the video at every second to write down words that you don’t know.

By the end of an episode, you’ll surely have a whole list of new words and example sentences noted down. Whether you choose to further study those words is completely up to you, but the process alone is already a good way to expand your vocabulary.

Now, having taken all of this in, I’m sure that your approach to watching Chinese audio-visual media will be at least a little bit different. While Chinese TV shows may be a versatile and practical tool for your Chinese learning journey, it’s important to keep in mind that the key point of using them for language learning is to have fun in the process. The methods listed above should be taken as informative guidelines of how a Chinese show can help you to improve your Chinese skills rather than strict rules to follow whenever you sit down to enjoy your favourite show. Just remember to have fun as you explore Chinese language and culture through television!

For a list of suggestions of Chinese TV shows (click here)

For many other Chinese learning resources (click here)

The post Learning Through the Screen: How Chinese TV can Become Your Chinese Teacher appeared first on .

BEGINNER

Aim: Conduct basic conversations

If you’re a beginner, the short-term goal for you should be being able to conduct basic conversations. Additionally, you can add the ability to describe things and express your thoughts.

Tip 1: Read out loud

To be able to achieve this goal, you have to actually start speaking. Therefore, we suggest that you learn with audio materials that you can speaking along with. It can be textbooks with audio, podcasts, or other similar resources. It’s suggested that you listen a few times, and start speaking with the texts, so that you can imitate the speaker’s tone and pronunciation. At the beginning you can speak at a slower pace, and gradually increase the tempo when repeating the texts. This exercise familiarizes you with speaking the language.

If you’re afraid you might not be pronouncing the words accurately, I found the Edugora App quite useful, as not only most of their courses cater to beginners, but their App has a ‘speaking analysis function, wherein you can repeat their sentences by recording your voice, while a score will be given based on how accurately you speak.

Tip 2: One-on-one speaking practice

Practice makes perfect! Therefore, another tip I have is to practice speaking with a native speaker. It can be your Chinese friend, tutor, or language exchange partner. This can actually put your learning into real practice; the ‘one-on-one’ setting allows you to have less distractions. You can talk about any topic within your capability, for example, the weather, food, transportation, etc.. The purpose of this is to get talking. Meanwhile, your partner must point out any mistakes you made, such as pronunciation, sentence structure, and grammar errors.

It’s easy to look for an online tutor, and Verbalplanet is a popular platform. It’s especially suitable for those who have less budget. If you’re looking for a language exchange partner, wherein you can make online friends while learning from each other, HelloTalk is a free app that has a large user base, so finding the right partner shouldn’t be difficult. Of course, practicing speaking skills with a professional Chinese teacher is the best way to learn and improve. There are plenty of online Chinese schools to choose from, such as TouchChinese, AllMandarin, and etc.

INTERMEDIATE

Aim: Communicate fluently in general situations

As an intermediate learner, you should have adequate vocabulary and knowledge to practice your speaking in wider, day-to-day living situations. Therefore, your target at this stage should be to apply speaking in these situations while attaining a good level of fluency.

Tip 1: Practice with Chinese TV

As your Chinese language skills have improved, it’s the perfect time for you to start watching Chinese TV, as a relatively higher level is required for watching most Chinese TV dramas and movies. However, what I’m suggesting here is not for you to just watch it, but to practice speaking with it. How? First of all, you’re recommended to choose Chinese TV with Chinese subtitles, which could be easily found on Dnvod.TV, Youku, Iqiyi, and more. Then, watch the whole video before picking up the scenes of your choice. You can then listen carefully to how the actor/actress you intend to imitate speaks, in terms of tones, accents, and pronunciation, and you can repeat the lines for yourself. Furthermore, you can even literally imagine yourself being in the scenes, and speaking to your idol. This is an amazing and entertaining way to learn.

Tip 2: Situational speaking practice

Apart from practicing on your own, you might want to go out and talk to someone else. At the intermediate level, you should be able to chat with people on a wider range of topics. Therefore, travelling to China is a good option, as this opportunity allows you to practice speaking in different kinds of situations, such as booking a hotel room, ordering food, eating in restaurants, buying in shops, purchasing train tickets, etc.

If you find it difficult to plan a trip to China, there are other ways to get around this. Try attending Chinese social events at local Chinese clubs, or other similar activities. These events allow you to be involved in a Chinese environment where you can interact with Chinese people, therefore you get the chance to practice speaking in a more natural setting.

ADVANCED

Aim: Speak like a native

When you’ve reached the advanced level, you should be able to speak with native Chinese fluently covering a broad area of subjects. So what more can be improved? How about speak like a native? This would help you to mingle with Chinese more quickly and smoothly, and we have two tips for you to reach this goal.

Tip1: Surrounded by Chinese only environment

As you’re at an advanced level now, it is highly likely you can improve your speaking if you’re immersed in a complete Chinese environment for a period of time. You could apply your knowledge in daily Chinese life. In addition, what you previously learned in materials may not 100% fit in the actual world, as there are always modern and trendy words evolving, such as ‘萌’ as ‘可爱’, and ‘很牛’ instead of ‘太棒了’. These phrases are more likely to be adapted when you’re in a complete Chinese environment.

It’s believed staying in China for a while, ranging from months to years, would best serve this purpose. However, if it’s not possible for you to leave your country for such long time, another alternative is get to know more Chinese friends in your local area, hang out more with them, and copy the way they talk about things. Gradually, you will sound more like a native.

Tip2: Adopt Chinese accent

Students at this stage often can speak very fluently and pronounce words accurately. There’s only one step away from sounding like a native, which is the adoption of a Chinese accent. Why’s that? Because if you sound like a native, there’s a better chance Chinese people perceive you as one of them, and in turn, it will help with building relationships, regardless if it’s for friendship, business, or romance.

To achieve this, find a Chinese language partner who can tell you in what areas you might need to adjust to sound close to a native. Other than that, you can pick a character in a movie or TV show and copy the way he/she speaks. Record your voice and listen back to make further corrections. Finally, keep practicing and practicing, and eventually you will reach your goal.

In the end, it will really benefit you to pay attention to your Chinese-speaking skills. Don’t neglect this skill in favor of your reading, writing, and listening skills. Remember that any language is a means for communicating with others, and a big part of communication is to speak it, not just to read it or write it down. Always remember to develop your speaking skills alongside reading, writing, and listening in Chinese.

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Overview

Pinyin is the system of symbols for the phonetic notation of all Chinese characters. Each Chinese character has its corresponding syllable, and each syllable is composed of three parts which are called the Initial, the Final, and the Tone. In the Chinese Pinyin system, there are 21 initials, 36 finals, 2 semi-vowels, 4 basic tones, and 1 light tone.

21 Pinyin Initials

(You can check the Pinyin Chart for the pronunciation of each initial.)

36 Pinyin Finals

(You can check the Pinyin Chart for the pronunciation of each final.)

There are 6 main finals in the table of finals: a, o, e, i, u, ü.

Others are called compound finals.

It`s said that the Final is the most important part in a pinyin syllable. We can`t compose a syllable without the final part. Sometimes, the final itself can be an independent syllable without the initial.

Rules about spelling:

1. The three compound finals, “uei”, “iou”, and“uen”, are composed of “u+ei”, “i+ou”, “u+en”,   We should compress the syllables as “ui”, “iu”, and“un” in writing.

e.g.

对 right, correct: [duì] √,  [duèi]ⅹ

秋 autumn：[qiū] √,  [qiōu]ⅹ

春 spring：[chūn] √,  [chuēn]ⅹ

2. When the finals “i”, “in”, “ing”, and “u” form pinyin syllables by themselves without any other initials, “y” and “w” should be put before these finals respectively to make it as “yi”, “yin”, “ying”, and “wu”. For example:

一 one：[yī] √,  [ī]ⅹ

音 sound：[yīn] √,  [īn]ⅹ

应 should：[yīng] √,  [īng]ⅹ

五 five：[wǔ] √,  [ǔ]ⅹ

3. The compound finals with “i”or “u”as the beginning and which form syllables by themselves, the “i”and “u”should be changed as “y” and “w”in writing. For example:

爷 grandpa: [yé] √,  [ié]ⅹ

我 I，me：[wǒ] √,  [uǒ]ⅹ

4. Rules about “ü”

• When a final that begins with “ü”meets “y” in one syllable, the two dots of “ü”should be omitted. For example:

鱼 fish: [yú] √,  [yǘ]ⅹ

月 moon, month: [yuè] √,  [yüè]ⅹ

• The final “ü”cannot be spelled with the initial “j”“q” or“x”. Thus, when “ü”, or the finals that begin with “ü”, meets one of the three initials, the two dots above “ü”should be omitted. For example:

举 hold: [jǔ] √,  [jǚ]ⅹ

去 go：[qù] √,  [qǜ]ⅹ

学 study，learn：[xué] √,  [xüé]ⅹ

5. When the second syllable begins with “a”, “o”, or“e”in a word, the two syllables should be separated by the mark (’). For example:

先 first [xiān]  VS 西安 Xi`an [xī’ān]

Tones

Tone is an aspect of learning Chinese which can be difficult for many learners. Many Chinese characters share the same Pinyin syllable but have different tones, and therefore have completely different meanings.

The basic tones:

• The 1st tone: (—)

It`s pronounced very high and level with a natural prolonging. For example:

ā, ō, ē, ī, ū, ǖ

• The 2nd tone: (/)

It`s pronounced as a rising sound, from low to high, which sounds like asking a question. For example:

á, ó, é, í, ú, ǘ

• The 3rd tone: (∨)

When pronouncing this tone, you should first fall down and then go up; it is a relatively long tone. For example:

ǎ, ǒ, ě, ǐ, ǔ, ǚ

• The 4th tone: (\)

This tone is pronounced short and strong, and is a falling tone. For example:

à, ò, è, ì, ù, ǜ

• Neutral tone

Besides the basic tone, there is another special tone which is called the light or neutral tone. It has no tone mark in writing and it`s pronounced very light and short. It`s usually used as the last syllable of a word or a phrase, such as 谢谢 [xiè xie] (thanks), 妈妈[mā ma] (mom).

Note:

The tone mark should be put above the finals. When the final is a compound one, the tone mark is usually put above the main vowel which is based on the following order: “a”-> “o”-> “e”-> “i” -> “u”-> “ü”.

The rules of tone changes

In a word or phrase, when a third tone is followed by another third tone immediately, it should be pronounced as a half rising tone. For example:

体检 physical examination

[tǐ jiǎn] -> [tí jiǎn]

我很好 I`m very good.

[wǒ hěn hǎo] -> [wó hén hǎo]

While a third tone is followed by a first, second, or third tone immediately, the third tone should be pronounced as a half falling tone. For example:

很新 very new:

[hěn xīn] ->[hèn xīn]

很强 very strong:

[hěn qiáng]-> [hèn qiáng]

很旧 very old:

[hěn jiù] -> [hèn jiù]

Note that the tone changes only orally, and the written version will keep the original tone marks.

Practice

After learning the rules of Pinyin above, it`s time to do some practice. Try to pronounce the following syllable:

The post Learn Pinyin: illustration of the Chinese Pinyin system appeared first on .

What are the differences between Chinese, Japanese, and Korean (collectively called CJK, for short)? Are Chinese characters (hànzì) the same as Japanese kanji and Korean hanja?

You are not alone if you are confused. Let’s debunk some of the biggest language myths about CJK.

Myth 1: Japanese and Korean originated from the Chinese language.

No. There is no dispute about their origins; they did not come from the Chinese language. What is a fact is that a large part of their vocabulary consists of borrowed Chinese words, which happened during the countries’ historical interaction with each other. Furthermore, although the Korean language (Altaic) and the Japanese language (Japonic) are highly similar to each other (e.g. similar-sounding words and grammar rules), they are considered to be isolated and different languages too.

Myth 2: Asians who can speak either one of the CJK languages actually understand and/or speak all three of them.

No. A person who knows one CJK language might be able to understand most of the words written on a Chinese/Japanese/Korean newspaper, but not everything. What he/she can do is link enough of the characters together to get a picture of what is probably being written about. As for the spoken word, there may be far too many differences between CJK for one to know what the other person is saying.

What are Chinese characters (hànzì)?

While Chinese characters (hànzì) were developing in China, Japanese kanji and Korean hanja did not exist yet. Eventually,, the Japanese people adopted hànzì to write their own language, which became ‘kanji’. Korean people did the same, and adopted hànzì to write ‘hanja’.

Myth 3: Chinese characters (hànzì) = Japanese kanji = Korean hanja?

No. Chinese hànzì, Japanese kanji,and Korean hanja do not use the same set of traditional Chinese characters.

The characters used in Korean (hanja) and Japanese (kanji) are distinct from those used in China in many respects. First, they look similar (but not necessarily exactly the same) to traditional Chinese characters than simplified Chinese characters. Second, they typically have (but not necessarily) similar meanings, but often quite different pronunciations.

Myth 4:  Chinese hànzì, Japanese kanji, and Korean hanja have the same pronunciations

Chinese hànzì and Japanese kanji/Korean hanja are pronounced differently!

For example:

“剑/劍” (“sword” written in simplified and traditional version respectively) is pronounced “jiàn” in Mandarin Chinese but written as “剣” and read as “けん [ken]” or “つるぎ [tsurugi]” in Japanese. It is written as “劍” and read as “검 [geom]” in Korean.

Let’s look at ten more examples!

*simplified/traditional

**simplified and traditional characters are the same

Did you notice the high similarities between Japanese and Korean pronunciations? Japanese and Korean share a considerable number of lexical similarities than may not be applicable to Chinese.

The modern way to learn Chinese characters
Nowadays, people can easily write in all three languages by using a phone or computer. It’s possible to learn Chinese characters without writing them out by hand. You just need to learn the Pinyin/Zhuyin and select the right characters, in which most of the time the right characters are chosen automatically. Before phones and computers, one had to actually learn to write them with a pen and paper.

Conclusion:

As with other learning other languages, you need to do a lot of reading, listening, and speaking to become fluent. Learning Chinese characters is a major investment of time, but there is one thing for sure: once you get into these languages, you will see the beauty in them, as well as a reflection of the great culture that created them. These languages will enrich your life in a way that you can never imagine, and give you a deeper understanding of the people who speak them.

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