1. Squat toilets

If you haven’t heard about it, one of the first things that foreigners notices as they come to China are the toilets, where you squat instead of sitting on the seat. It is a strange concept for most westerners to see a hole in the floor and do their business squatting since western toilets have seats. It is an adjustment for people visiting since they are not use to squatting but is quick to become use to given the amount of practice you will have while visiting China.

2. Personal space and privacy

Personal space and privacy seem to not exist in China due the large population within the country. So when you are traveling to popular places, you will encounter crowd sizes that you would never expect. You will encounter moments where your personal space doesn’t exist because space is a luxury. You may find yourself standing on the subway right up and personal with person next to you.

3. Umbrella in Sunshine

You may notice people with umbrellas on a beautiful sunny day, and you may ask why. In order to answer your question, we need to understand Chinese standard of beauty where having whiter skins is desired instead of the western idea of tan is generally accepted. So girls will go out of their way to ensure that they avoid the sun with umbrellas.

4. Lining up in a circle

If you have encountered lines in China in certain locations, there may not be as orderly as you thought it should be. You will notice people crowding at the service window at the bus station or a line with people cutting in line. Chinese people have a mentality that they need to be first in line to get what they need due to past experiences. It isn’t true in all places in China, but you may be surprise with this occasion while traveling around China.

5. Restaurant norms

Restaurant norms in China are much different from American and European cultures. Typically, you would expect to eat with a plate with fork and knife in a western restaurant, however in a Chinese restaurant, you will have to chopsticks and spoon instead. If you inexperience with Chinese or most Asian cultures, you will notice that everyone will eat their meals with chopsticks and spoon. It might be hard to get use to, but give it your best effort. Also in most restaurants in the west, the environment is more or less quiet; however China can be noisy and busy where people are drinking and order food when they feel like it. It may feel rude to a foreigner, however it is part of the hustle and bustle of the lifestyle.

6. Babies in split pants

When you arrive in China, you may find the babies really adorable but you will be notice a small difference where the infants will wear pants with split pants. Basically a hole in their pants and it is open for the public their cute bottoms. You may not know, but diapers are rather expensive in China and so Chinese natives will dress their children in these pants in order allow them to use the restroom when they need to. In some places, you may even witness children with a shirt but no bottoms because it may be easier to clean up after their kids do their business.

7. Relationships and Connections

In western culture, you may notice that relationships and connections are simple and small. In Chinese culture, you may hear the word guān xi关系 a lot because in China relationships are complex and interconnected. It is the way you gain friendships, family and business opportunities. It doesn’t matter if you are a related by family or friends, relationships can develop into great friendships and or partnership. Relationships will help you learn Chinese culture but can potentially help you with business opportunities.

8. Time management

In the west, we are used to being on time and calculating the amount of time we have in order to optimize efficiency. In China, sometimes time isn’t the focus. It is quiet common to have a meeting or outing that may last about one to two hours longer than needed. It is common because Chinese natives are more relaxed and like to enjoy time with people whether they are a familiar face or a new relationship.

9. Partying with numbers

In the western parties, people tend to stick to their groups of two to five people, where the Chinese make it a big huge party. Chinese natives have a collective mindset to have a great time with all the people they know. Foreigners are used to having their individual desires and priorities but Chinese think about what is important for the group of people they are with. Whether it is KTV, clubbing or a dinner, Chinese natives love to party in large numbers. Foreigners may encounter this when visiting and living with Chinese friends.

10. Strong Family Connections

If it isn’t already known, Chinese natives have very strong family bonds. There is such a big connection that you will see grandparents taking care of their grandchildren. Grandparents in China love to enjoy their lives by helping raise and teach the next generation of children about the history of their family roots and culture. In western countries, you will see this, however you will see more grandparents retired taking care of their pets or having their hobbies. It is a very loving and family oriented environment in China.

Looking over these 10 cultural shocks that foreigners will encounter, you can see how we can have an eye opening experience coming to China. These cultural shocks do not necessarily reflect China as a whole, however it will give you insight into the culture. We hope you learned something new and entertaining. Make the trip to Middle Kingdom and see it for yourself. Until then, keep learning and see you next time.

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Want vs. Need in Chinese

(Transparent)

As an English teacher, I found myself teaching the difference between “want” and “need” often. I think it is also important to know the differences in Chinese. Let’s look at these differences of want and need in Chinese and how to use them.

Want

There are two words that are commonly used in Chinese to means “want” while the third combines the two.

• 想 － xiǎng
• 要 － yào
• 想要 － xiǎng yào

There is a difference between xiǎng and yào, where xiǎng is used to express the desire to do something in the future; where yào is used to buy something or get something, which is more immediate and direct.

Need

The two common words to use for need are:

• 需要 – xū yào
• 得 – děi

The difference between xū yào and děi is xū yào means “I need…” while děi means “I must/have to…”.

Don’t want, Don’t need

It is also important to know how to say the opposite of want or need so let’s take a look at way you say that.

• don’t want/wouldn’t like (不想 – bù xiǎng)
• don’t want (不要 – bú yào)
• don’t want (不想要 – bù xiǎng yào)
• don’t need (不需要 – bù xū yào)
• don’t have to (不用 – bú yòng)

All you do is add bú to the front to indicate the opposite. However, you will noticed a tone change in bú with不要 and不用 from fourth to second.

Now you know the ways to say want, need and the opposite in Chinese. Try it out and keep learning!

Top 5 Chinese Dictionary Apps

(Tutorming)

When it comes to choosing a Chinese-English app, there are a lot of choices out there. Here at TutorMing, we decided to test-drive the best dictionary app so you don’t have to! Let’s take a look at our findings.

1. Pleco

Pleco is one of the most popular Chinese-English dictionaries in the app store, since it features a clean, fairly intuitive and easy to use design. One of the most useful features is it’s “Clipboard Reader” because you can copy and paste any text then tap on the word you are not sure about to get the translation. It has hand-writing and OCR (optical character recognition features that require you pay for these add ons.

2. Hanping

This app is only available on Android, which offers a free Chinese handwriting recognition tool. It doesn’t offer a sentence translation tool, but it does offer the same OCR as Pleco if you pay for the Pro version.

3. Line dictionary (formly Nciku)

The famous Nciku online dictionary was acquired by Line at the end of 2014. It offers Chinese-English, English-Indonesian and English-Thai dictionaries. A good feature about this app is the “sentence parser”, which is similar to Pleco’s “Clipboard Reader” feature. However it doesn’t give you the meaning of each phrase, but only some of the key words.

4. Youdao Dictionary

Youdao is the Merriam-Websters of Chinese dictionaries. It is difficult to use for beginners and intermediate speakers, it is perfect for advance Chinese learners since it was made for Chinese users. The main function is similar to Google translate, allowing to look up Chinese phrases and their meaning in English. It translates Chinese to English Chinese sentence very well, however it doesn’t do the same for English to Chinese.

5. Google Translate

It is the easiest to find out “how to say ____ in Chinese”. Google Translate is great for phrases and short sentences and offers a free handwriting tool as well. The newer feature of the app is the OCR tool, but it can be little faulty with certain font types. It will only translate and will not really give you examples or in-depth definitions.

We feel that these are the best Chinese-English apps for Chinese learners. Please feel free to use each one and see which one best suits your needs. Best of luck on your Chinese learning!

Do you know the Different Kinds of Wind in Chinese?

(Touch Chinese)

Have you heard wind or “风（fēnɡ）”used in a different situation in Chinese? Gotten confused about the meaning? In Chinese, “风（fēnɡ）” can be used in meaningful idioms which implies some humor and history. Here are some commonly used “风（fēnɡ）” idioms

1. xī běi fēnɡ

西 北 风   (Northwest wind)

The expression 喝西北风(hē xī běi fēng) is used to state the idea to starve and have no food which is a reference to the history about the time of famine. Usually used to as a sarcastic remark in most situations.

2. dōnɡ fēnɡ

东    风   (East wind)

In Chinese, there is a phrase “万事备俱, 只欠东风。 (wàn shì jù bèi, zhǐ qiàn dōnɡ fēnɡ) ”, which means everything is ready except of the east wind literally. A way to say everything is ready except one important condition.

3. ěr pánɡ fēnɡ

耳 旁 风   (The wind around ears)

This saying is similar to an English saying, “going in one hear and out the other.” It is used for someone who doesn’t take other people’s advice, criticism or suggestions.

Now that you understand how to use “风（fēnɡ）”, you can now use it in your own language skills. Before you use it, make sure the situation allows you to make this comment with “风（fēnɡ）”. Continue to listen and practice your Chinese, see you next time!

Secrets of learning a language quickly

Picture this: You want to apply for a dream assignment aboard. There’s just one problem. You need to foreign language skills that you don’t have and time isn’t on your side. It sounds impossible, but you can quickly hone in the phrases and technical language through a few tips. Lets take a look these methods to learn a language quickly.

First, you should compile a script of sorts in order to respond to simple questions from strangers. Here, phrasebooks and online tutorials can prove to be useful at this stage since it provides the vocabulary and confidence to have basic conversations with native speakers.

Secondly, confidence is important at the beginning of learning a language. It requires you not being afraid of risks and making mistakes. It is a process where you will have start with beginner ability in order to get to the advance level.

Thirdly, you need total immersion to master a foreign language quickly. The more you immerse yourself in a foreign language, (reading, listening to people) the more rapid your progress will be. The ability to practice with native speakers will help you check and correct your progression in learning the language. Practice makes perfect, but practice without feedback just makes perfect whatever you are practicing.

If you have specific goals to achieve, that motivation will be what you need to begin to master conversations. Beware of lofty goals because they may not be realistic. Take these tips in your language learning and you will achieve your goals in no time!

8 Awesome Things Found only in China

(Yoyo Chinese)

When you live in China for a long time, you realized how much time you spend hunting down imported things and experiences. But I think it is important to value the amazing things you can only find in China. Let’s take a look my list of favorite things you can generally find only in China.

1. Ridiculously cheap yet decent & functional phones

Most of China has a desire for the iPhone, however the phone market in China is very different from the west. You can get a bare-bones smartphone that runs on shān zhài (山寨) for like 150 RMB or US$25. While they are generally lower quality, you might be lucky and receive a real Samsung or iPhone at huge discount!

2. Authentic food from far-flung regions of China

Most Chinese food in the West is Sichuan or Hunan food adapted for Western palates. However some of the best real Chinese food comes from the country’s west and southwest. Xinjiang cuisine is this mix of Middle Eastern and Chinese food given the population diversity at Xinjiang. Yunnan is also a place that integrates elements of Southwest Asian cuisine featuring cheeses and other dairy goodies.

3. A job pretending to be business/musician/doctor

You may have read about “whiteface” jobs in China where Caucasian foreigners are hired to pose as businessmen or other experts in order to help companies impress clients. Despite China’s diversifying economy and increasing degree of international exposure, “foreigner clout” is still a substantial force. A company can afford hire and do business with foreigners has step up ahead of the competition.

4. A wearable headphone-style air purifier

China’s air pollution problem is no secret and it getting worse. Necessity however is the mother of invention. A Chongqing-based company has developed the world’s first wearable air purifier. It comes to replace the bulky, expensive and not immobile air purifiers. It also replaces the standard facemask that only made for the Chinese.

5. Free, legitimate streaming of popular TV shows

Here in China, piracy of US shows and movies was so rampant that many studies and content creators decided to cut a deal with the sites that were hosting them. Sites like Sohu and YouKu host popular American shows. If you are learning Mandarin, these sites are great tools to watch Chinese shows with subtitles.

6. Beer spelled backwards

Reeb a Shanghai-based brew that is difficult to find these days since 2010. It had a distinct taste to all the beers that tasted the same and known as lì bō (力波), literally “power wave”. If you read close, it is spelled beer backwards and has charmed people with its labeling.

7. US$1 DVDs & video games

Though streaming is the global standard for media consumption, China still has the strong tradition of pirated media, from DVDs to books to video games. DVDs are still popular because the Internet speed is relatively slow and unreliable. But the best part is that they are usually one or two US dollars per discs.

8. An iPhone just for opening an investment account

There aren’t a lot of avenues for investment in China. Banks are trying to remedy the issue by introducing higher-yield wealth management products. One bank, píng ān (平安) is actually giving iPhone 6s to people who invest more than 23,500 RMB with them. It is a way to draw the already reluctant Chinese investors to put their money with these banks.

Now, since you seen my list of items that can be seen in China, keep out for these when you visit the Middle Kingdom. When you come to China be observant and find out what is unique in your adventure in this grant country.

We hope you enjoyed our selection of useful blogs for the month of March. Keep up the learning and remember that DigMandarin is here to help you find all the resources you could possibly need.

The post Monthly Digest of Chinese Learning – March 2015 appeared first on .

Understanding Modern China through Comedic Rap

(PBS)

“Laowai Style” by Jesse Appell is a parody of the sensational hit, “Gangnam Style”. This song is about the life of a foreigner in Beijing. Appell is a Fulbright Scholar in China and stand-up comedian earning a living. He has been making Making Sen$e far-flung Sino-economics correspondent since 2012.

In 2013, he debuted another hit, “Mo Money Mo Fazhan” as parody of “Mo Money Mo Problems”. The more development and consumption in Chinese society results in more ills that afflict it the country, for examples, pollution and economic inequality. Another song that he released explains this tension is “China’s Theme Song: Can I Subsitute GDP for Disposable Diapers?”

Paul Solman caught up with Appeal, his former student, in Boston for the Thursday night segment of Making Sen$e. He explains why money is such a big deal in China – more so than in the United States. “Everyone’s always talking about how am I going to make money? How much did that subway cost to build? How much do I pay to go on the subway? These issues come up in America, but they’re everywhere in China.”

As a result, he continues, “Everybody is street wise economist and everybody is a streetwise finance expert and is trying to figure out how to just get it done.” Take a look at other his other songs that he had done which discuss other problems that China poses on itself.

Read more…

How Chinese People Actually Say “No”

(Yoyo Chinese)

We all know there is not particular word in Chinese that can be translated as just “no”. But did you know that there are all sorts of phrases that could mean “no” even if they mean something else when taken literally? These phrases can be misleading if you come from a culture that values direct communication.

One of the biggest differences between Chinese and Americans is that Americans are more “direct”. This communication difference usually can make Chinese people feel uncomfortable. On the other hand, the “indirect” nature of Chinese interaction can drive an American crazy. They feel they need to guess what a Chinese person meant and have to force people to give a clear yes or no answer.

Westerners may expect people to mean what they say and take their words at face value. We need to take look at how to communicate the possible indications of the Chinese people are saying. Let’s take look at the different phrases and examples how they might be used.

“Don’t Have” – méi yǒu (没有)
If you have ever entered a store where you ask for a particular item, they may tell you “méi yǒu”. Even though you’ve bought it there before, or you know someone bought it there early. It actually means in some cases is that “we don’t have it”, but in other cases it means “I don’t want to/can’t help you.” You will usually hear this from time to time in government services offices or if you catch someone in a bad mood.

“Let me think about it” – xiǎng yī xiǎng ba (想一想吧)
If you ask a coworker if he or she will go to the boss with you to ask if everyone in your department can leave early on Friday, then he or she tells you “xiǎng yī xiǎng ba”. Even though they say they will think about it, it actually means, “I don’t want to, but I don’t want to tell you that” This coworker is making sure your relationship with them remains in good terms however doesn’t want to risk upsetting you with a no so he or she says they will think about it.

“Another day” – gǎi tiān ba (改天吧)
You are at a live music bar with some friends and asked a Chinese friend to join you. He seemed excited to be invited but when it comes time to meet, he says his uncle is in town, so he can’t join you. He says “gǎi tiān ba ”. You tried to reschedule with him but he gives you a vague response. It actually means, “I don’t want to, but I need to find a way to let you down easily”. It is a white lie excuse that helps save face and keep the friendship.

“Next time” – xià cì ba (下次吧)
Heading out after work for dinner with some friends and you ask your coworker to join you. He or she says they are busy so maybe next time. And when you ask her again, he or she says the same thing. It really means “No thanks.” If this is happens to you, save yourself the embarrassment and don’t take it literally, it may only result in the same answer in the future.

“It’s unclear to me” – bú tài qīng chu (不太清楚)
You ask for direction from someone on the street, but before you finish asking your question, the guy shakes his head and says, “I’m not sure”. It actually means, “I don’t want to tell you or I truly have no idea. Please don’t ask me again”. If someone is quick to say this phrase, it is best to just leave it at that. Bú tài qīng chu is a clear sign you better ask someone else.

“In two days” – gùo liǎng tiān ba (过两天吧)
You ask the shop assistant who said “méi yǒu” when the store might more of the item you are looking for in stock. She replies with “gùo liǎng tiān ba” which you understand to be two days time. It actually means “Maybe at some time point in the future. I don’t know when”. This phrase is just a saying that doesn’t literally mean 2 days time, but some time later.

Once you identify the thinly veiled “no” in Chinese, you will be able to save yourself a lot of misunderstanding. But the advantage of learning these phrases was being able to use them for your own purpose. Given it a shot and see how you can build relationships in China.

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Nine Tips about the HSK

(Written Chinese)

Have you been learning Chinese and want to a way to prove it? You can get a certificated for your Mandarin language skills with the HSK.

1. What is the HSK?
HSK stands for:
Hanyu = 汉语 (han4yu3) which means “Chinese language”
Shuiping= 水平 (shui3ping2) which means “level (of achievement etc)”
Kaoshi= 考试 (kao3shi4) which means “exam”
It is a test that measures a person’s proficiency in Mandarin, testing listening comprehension, speaking and writing.

2. Why do I need to take the HSK?
Studying Chinese can be difficult to see improvement and you may feel like you are treading water in the language. Having a goal like the HSK can help give you Chinese studies a purpose. This test will also serve you in your university studies or on your resume. It will ultimately show you where your Chinese level is.

3. How do I know what level of HSK I should be studying for?
You don’t need to take the HSK test in order, but if you have been studying for a while jump to HSK level 3. If you have a Chinese teacher, you can ask him or her to help you determine your HSK level. There is also a self-assessment tool that you can use without a teacher available on the Hanban website. The HSK is divided into 2 sections: The HSK Written Exam and the HSKK Oral Exam. The HSK Written has 6 levels while HSKK Oral Exam has 3 levels. You will receive separate certificates for completing the two different exams.

4. How can I take the HSK?
There are two ways the Written Tests are taken, in person or online in a testing center. There is no difference in your HSK certificate if you taken the paper or online test.

5. When and where can I find out my HSK Test Results?
After 1 month you can login into your account at chinesetest and enter your registration code to access your results. The results are also available within 2 months of taking of the exam at the test center in which you took the exam. You will need your admission slip to receive the results.

6. How can I get my HSK Test certificate?
Your testing center will provide you with all the information you need to know about obtaining your certificate. Often you will mail them to you or you can pick them up once the results are published.

7. For how long is my HSK Certificate valid?
The HSK certificate has no expiration date when applying for jobs! However, when applying with academic purposes, it is valid for 2 years from the date it was taken. This is of course when you are applying for a Chinese university. Note that employers may not be familiar with the HSK exam, so you can list it as an Official Chinese Proficiency Test ranging from level 1-6.

8. What is the “new” HSK test?
The “new” HSK test is Hanban administered test, which is more practical and easier than the old HSK exams. There was a debate between Hanban, and Beijing Language and Culture University of how to administer the HSK exams. Over time, Hanban were more practical and better testing methods.

9. Top Recommended HSK Resources
HSK Flashcards where HSK 1-6 vocabulary can be pre-loaded in the WCC dictionary app or other dictionary apps. HSK Mock Tests and Practice along with HSK Vocabulary list can be helpful in your studies. Some additional HSK Resources are Podcast to listen to in order to prepare for the listening comprehension.

We hoped this has been helpful to you understanding the HSK test and inspired you to give it try. Good luck in your Chinese studies.

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How Learning some Basic Theory can improve your Pronunciation

(Hacking Chinese)

Ideally, all students would acquire perfect pronunciation through listening to and mimicking native Chinese audio. Sadly, this doesn’t work well for adult learners but seems to work well for children. However, age isn’t an excuse for not learning, so it requires times and effort to learn it. Let’s take a look on how to learn proper pronunciation in Chinese.

The best way to learn is to combine a large amount of listening with practice. Having a Chinese teacher will help act as a role model and give you feedback. Also, theory or phonetics is very important in learning to properly pronounce in Chinese.

Phonetics is important because Chinese had a lot of different ways for pronunciation compared to English. By studying phonetics, you will always find new things that will help you pay attention to crucial aspects of the pronunciation. It will also help you notice key aspects of the spoken language around you with native speakers and differences of what they say to what you say.

Some examples of how theory has improved my pronunciation are:
1. Third tone in Chinese is a low tone. All foreigners have struggled with this one and not all teachers have explained it accurately. It is just a low tone in front of the all tones except another third tone with an optional rise when in isolation or at the end of sentences.

2. “j/q/x” aren’t produced with the tip of the tongue and thus aren’t really between “z/c/s” and “zh/ch/sh”. These sounds are instead produced with the tongue tip down. I had a lot of personal practice and experimentation about these sounds. It has helped the pronunciation of my fellow mandarin students in learning this type.

3. No initial in in Mandarin other than “l”, “m”, “n” and “r” are voiced. Its very common to hear people pronounce initials with voicing, but it isn’t right. It sometimes happens with b, d and g, but these initials can be voiced in the middle of words.

You can argue that I could have corrected all these problems with a good enough teacher. But I think the problem is most people don’t have access to one-to-one tutors that are competent enough to correct details with pronunciation.

Listening, practice and adding theory as a combination of learning is best way to learn to Chinese pronunciation. 95% practice and listening with 5% theory will help you improve in this aspect in Chinese. Try out what you learned and good luck on your studies!

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Chinese Spring Festival: Dumplings Filled with Fortune

(TouchChinese)

Traditional Chinese New Year Spring Festival is coming and many kinds of foods will play an important part in the celebration. Dumplings are big part of the celebrations; let’s see why they are so important.

Why do Chinese like Dumplings?
Chinese people find that dumplings are shaped like the gold ingots from ancient Chinese history. With this similarity, Chinese people use dumplings to wish treasure and wealth to friends and family.

What is the meaning for different filling in Dumplings?
All kinds of meats are used as a base especially pork. However many other ingredients are used for special purposes. Sugar as a filling to give each other a blessing for a sweet new year. Peanuts in Chinese means long life and is used to bless people with longevity. Celery in Chinese sounds like word diligent, so people incorporate it to wish people with diligence in their life. Turnips are believed to good for guiding your qi downward and therefore used to bless people with a smooth and successful life.

What is the meaning of the different shapes and colors of dumplings?
You may see dumplings in 5 different colors, which represents five blessings for a household. These five blessing are longevity, wealth, health, virtue and a natural death (living a full life). Also, you may see dumplings in doubles because two is always better than one.

Chinese New Year will have dumplings everywhere and it is exciting to see the different ways in which it is presented. We hope you learned something new and enjoy the dumplings this Chinese New Year.

Read more…

We hope you enjoyed our selection of useful blogs for the month of February. Keep up the learning and remember that DigMandarin is here to help you find all the resources you could possibly need.

The post Monthly Digest of Chinese Learning – Feb 2015 appeared first on .

My Take: Top 5 Best VPNs for China

(Far West China)

Since the Western Internet has been inaccessible here in China since 2009 due to the “Great Firewall”, you might have heard of the usage of a VPN. A VPN is a Virtual Private Network that allows people to use the Internet like you would in the west. I have been using a variety of different VPN services over the past 5 years, and people seem to want to know what recommendations I have for VPN services. So here are 5 top VPN services that I personally know of and recommend based on my experience.

VyprVPN

– I turned to VyprVPN this past year and I have been impressed with their software and their “Chameleon” encryption protocol. Since starting in 2009, it is simple to use and it will give you 3 days to try it out for free. It has one of the best apps for mobile devices with ease of operation.

12VPN

– I have been with 12VPN since 2013 using it on my computer and phone. It is simple and it works every time. The software isn’t flashy and doesn’t have a dedicated iPhone or Android app. However, it is easy to set up in 5 minutes if you want to have it on your mobile device. It also stands out because of the communication from the company to the users because it always is constantly updating the changes or problems.

ExpressVPN

– I spent much of 2014 testing this VPN and it has a great design with their software. I recommend this to any one who doesn’t consider themselves as tech-savvy since it is simply and easy to operate.

Witopia

– It has been the longest-running VPN in China where many people who live in China know or have used it. It is an excellent choice for desktop users but less so if your primary use is mobile. It works but it can be pain to set up on your computer or mobile device. It is still a good option once you get the hard part complete.

PureVPN

– Another popular choice of VPN in China since there is over 1 million users worldwide. I am not a fan of the software because it seems like you are working with something from the 1990s. However, their performance is excellent especially with streaming. I also like how they have options for different types of Internet usages.

I will let you know there are hundreds of VPN options that you can choose from. Here are 5 options to narrow down your choices and reasonable in terms of price and performance.

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Gift Giving in China

(Transparent)

Over the past few weeks, my students have asked me about the culture of gift giving when it comes to Christmas. It made me start thinking about the different gift giving cultures between the Chinese and the West.

In China, there is a long history of gift giving due to the Confucian society. Giving gifts to family, friends, colleagues and etc. has been a way of showing respect and developing relationships. Gifts are usually given on holidays (Spring Festival) and birthdays. At the same time, special events like weddings, important meetings and etc. can be an appropriate time to bring a gift.

Common gifts in China are cigarettes, alcohol, tea, fruits and “hong bao” (红包 – hóng bāo). Each is used in different scenarios but the most common is the hong bao. It is a red envelope stuffed with cash and should be given under the right guidelines. Children only receive hong bao for Chinese New Year and the amount of money depends on the age as well as your relationship. Avoid the number 4 (四 – sì) at all costs, as it sounds like the word for “death” (死 – sǐ). At weddings the amount should be enough to cover the cost incurred for you to be there but it dependent on your relationship.

“Courtesy demands reciprocity” (礼尚往来 – lǐ shàng wǎng lái) is a famous Chinese saying that tells a lot about the gift giving culture of China. Chinese culture keeps track of what has been given and receive by people. You can expect that there will be reciprocity with any gift given to Chinese people whether right then or the future.

If you wrap any kind of gift, try to use red and gold in the colors. Red symbolizes luck and gold symbolizes wealth. Avoid the colors black and white, as they are associated with funerals and death. When you present a gift, use two hands to offer the gift as a show of respect and do not expect them to open It immediately because it is culturally unacceptable to do.

Some gifts to avoid are clocks, pears and a green hat to a man. The phrase “give a clock” (送钟 – sòng zhōng) sounds like a funeral ritual (送终 – sòng zhōng). To say “share a pear” (分梨 – fēn lí) sounds like the word for “separate” (分离 – fēn lí). Lastly, for man “wearing a green hat” (戴绿帽子 – dài lǜ mào zi) means that your girlfriend or wife is unfaithful.

As a foreigner, it is best to offer a gift from your hometown or country. Anything that is different is always interesting to Chinese individuals.

Read more…

How To Choose A Suitable Chinese Book

(Touch Chinese)

So you decide to learn Chinese systematically and you need a textbook. Now the question is “how to choose a suitable Chinese book for me?”. Let me share some tips with you about your options and recommendations.

For Beginners

You may not know a single word or know a few phrases like 你好(nǐ hǎo), you will need a book with a phonetic system and simple topics. Here you will be focused on learning the finals, initials and tones. You should take your time with these fundamentals, as they will help you build on your Chinese. A book I recommend is My Chinese Classroom Volume One because it is has a lot of practical topics for daily situations and does a great job of focusing on the pinyin, tones and rules of the spelling and tones changes.

For Intermediate learners

If you are an intermediate learner, you have a good grasp on the fundamentals and have a larger vocabulary. At this stage, you will be struggling with some grammar in Chinese where you may say things in the wrong way. Here you will need to focus on grammar points that will help you create more advance sentences. I would recommend Chinese Made Easier Volume Three as textbook. This book has clear introductions of new sentence frames with 5 different examples of how to use the new grammar point. It may be difficult to read if you haven’t learned Chinese characters because there is less pinyin and more characters to read.

For Advance Learners

Here, learners are fluent in his or her speaking ability and have gone through many books, but struggle with understanding native expressions. It difficult to understand native Chinese people because what they saying are Chinese idioms. At this level, you should learn the Chinese idioms in order to understand and use them in your speech. I recommend A Course in Chinese Colloquial Idioms to continue your Chinese learning. It teaches commonly used idioms that people know and use daily.

I hope these tips and recommendations were helpful. Take your time and keeping practicing your Chinese. Good luck on your Chinese learning.

Read more…

My Best Advice on Learning Chinese Characters

(hackingchinese)

This month’s challenge is about learning Chinese characters. I will be going in more detail about characters such as how to understand, learn, review and remember them. I will give a brief idea of what the topic is and then provide the link in order to keep it concise.

Understanding Chinese characters

It is important to learn how Chinese characters are constructed and how they work in order to learn them. You will need to understand the basics of character components and radicals in order to learn how to use the building blocks of character. There are four main types of Chinese characters that make of the Chinese language. It is important to know how each type of characters is constructed to learn how to read and understand them. Understanding phonetic components is important because you don’t have access to an incredible useful memory aid for characters and their pronunciation. There are clues in the phonetics, however you just need to know where to look. You should think of characters in terms of functional components. It is essential to understand the function of components in Chinese characters.

How to learn Chinese Characters

Now after some basic understanding of how characters work, it is time to look at how to learn them. As a beginner, you will need to look into the very basics of what you should do and what you should not. You will be able to refine your method of learning after time. Writing characters by hand can improve your memory of characters and your understanding of them.

How to review Chinese characters

In order to be able to use Chinese properly, you need to remember the words you learnt. I would say reviews spread over time are more efficient than when they are massed together. It can help us study the words we about to forget rather than those we don’t’ really need to review. You can use Skritter as a way to learn characters because it gives people spaced repetition and handwriting characters for review. There are 7 ways of learning how to write Chinese characters, whether writing on a screen, or fingertip on your palm. There are a lot of options depending your learning style. After all this talk about review and studying, you should use the words you learned with native speakers. It will help you learn how to use it in a purposeful way.

Remembering Chinese characters

Remembering is important in your Chinese learning. Memory is a skill that you can learn and will help you help in Chinese. Memory aids and mnemonics can enhance your learning. Memorization of characters is essential to you for to learn Chinese.

Read more…

Conclusion
This is a collection of information that I wanted to include in this month’s challenge. I hope it has proven to be helpful to anyone who started this challenge. Good luck in your Chinese learning.

We hope you enjoyed our selection of useful blogs for the month of January. Keep up the learning and remember that DigMandarin is here to help you find all the resources you could possibly need.

The post Monthly Digest of Chinese Learning – Jan 2015 appeared first on .

Christmas In China

(Transparent)

Christmas in China has been a growing presence throughout the years. In Beijing, the Christmas spirit is alive and well with all the Christmas decoration throughout the city. This holiday is celebrated in shopping world but it isn’t understood or known the history and traditions of Christmas.

Santa Claus (shèng dàn lǎo rén  圣诞老人) is widely used in the decorations in most places in China. Children are excited to see the Christmas spirit even with hard to believe stories like Santa coming down the chimney. However people in China love a reason to celebrate and it is good for business.

Christmas has sparked the curiosity of the Chinese people of what the story is behind the holiday. Since Christmas is translated as 圣诞节(shèng dàn jié) which means “holy birth festival”, many people have become curious about the story of Jesus (耶稣 yē sū) and not just the secular traditions of Christmas. Christmas is an important holiday for Christians (圣诞节对基督教徒来说是个重要节日 – shèng dàn jié duì jī dū jiào tú lái shuō shì gè zhòng yào jié rì) and even though it isn’t a national holiday, it is here to stay in China.

5 Tips to Help You Improve Your Chinese Writing Ability

(Hacking Chinese)

This month’s challenge is about translations, which means that at least half the challenge is focused on writing Chinese. Here are some tips and suggestions for how to translate and/or write better content in Chinese and learn more from the process.

Tip #1: Never translate word for word, focus on the meaning

You should never translate to English directly to Chinese. It will result in unreadable or very awkward-sounding statement. You should split the translation into the next two steps that will follow in the next tip.

Tip #2: Translate general meaning first, don’t get stuck on details

It is difficult to write in Chinese. Therefore, you should try to break down the process into two steps. First, make sure you translate the general meaning that you want. At this stage, how it flows in Chinese should not be the biggest focus. Then you should edit the Chinese text you have. This is where you edit to have it flow well in Chinese by with correct grammar.

Tip #3: Use what you know, avoid what you don’t.

Beginners can express much more than they think. Try to use what you know to express your message or meaning. It is about having the positive attitude about getting your message across even if you don’t know the exact words.

Tip #4: Always check context when using a dictionary

In Chinese, you need to be careful when you use a dictionary because you need to pay attention to: meaning (does the mean what you think it does in this context?); usage (how is the word commonly used in sentences?); and collocations (can the word you looked up be used with other words in your sentence?). If you don’t pay attention to these key points, it will create weird sentences and make it hard to comprehend what you are trying to write about.

Tip #5: Don’t make your text more complicated than necessary.

Students think they can write better in Chinese by deliberating trying to use the difficult words, longer sentences and so on. It is best to use what you know and keep it simple. It preferable to read a simple written piece that makes senses than to read a jumble of difficult words that don’t work.

These are tips that I used for myself when I started writing in Chinese and what I tell my students. Take what you can from here and try out it in your own Chinese writing skills. Good luck and enjoy learning.

Small Changes Make a Big Difference

(Skritter)

Some strokes that make Chinese characters are very important. Drawing them just bit too long or just with the wrong angle will change the meaning of the character completely. For example, take a look at these: 己/已/巳, 未/末, and 千/干. They are similar, but have subtle differences which can make learners confused. Learning to separate characters like these will require “horizontal vocabulary learning” which means you can’t just look at the character components or look at what characters and words a character appears in. You need to look similar characters at the same level, which will require focused studying understanding the subtle differences.

A game you can play to learning Chinese characters is call Chinese whispers (with characters). The idea of the game is to show students how quickly they can learn Chinese characters as symbols with a structure that is a part of a larger writing system. The first student will write characters on the paper and send them to the next, who then copies the character on a new piece of paper and send it on.

Remember to observe the small details of every character in order to tell the differences. It will help you distinguish the similar characters and help you in your Chinese study.

Better Non-comprehension: Getting Beyond “ting bu dong”

(Sinosplice)

In a conversation with my friend about the challenges in learning Chinese, he mentioned that whenever he didn’t understand even part of something that was said, the whole conversation would shut down quickly. After some discussion, it became clear that he was using  听不懂 (tīng bù dǒng, “I don’t understand”) exclusively. This is a big problem because it doesn’t help in all situations.

For beginners it is a useful phrase to learn, however as you progress there should be a natural improvement in communicating your non-comprehension. By saying  听不懂 is essentially means, “I don’t understand anything you are saying”, which can be problematic if you are only struggling with part of what was said.

Here’s a solution to this problem, it involves better communication on the part of the listener. When you don’t understand, you can communicate what you don’t understand better. Here are some phrase options that you can learn and use beyond  听不懂.

什么？我没听清楚。 (shén me? wǒ méi tīng qīng chǔ)

What? I didn’t hear clearly.
This is good because it immediately clues the listener into the fact that you may, in fact, know more Chinese than just a handful of phrases from a phrasebook. It also implies if you had heard clearly, you may have understood.

我没明白你的意思。(wǒ méi míng bái nǐ de yì si)

I didn’t understand what you mean.
This is not the same as 听不懂. Native speakers may use it when they understood every word, but the sentence doesn’t make sense to them or the speaker’s meaning is unclear. This will help you in similar situation.

你在说谁？(nǐ zài shuō shuí)

Who are you talking about?
This one only makes sense if you’re reasonably sure the person is talking about somebody, but are unclear of who. It is can be problem if they weren’t talking about a person, but most things people talk about involves some person.

你的意思是…… (nǐ de yì si shì)

So you mean…
Sometimes guessing what the person saying is your best bet. It is a useful strategy because it is a focusing on the context. One of the advantages of guessing is that you’re kind of “showing your cards”. You are giving the person an idea of your vocabulary and listening comprehension level. It helps them modify what they said into a form you can understand.

There are a lot of other phrases you can use and probably all of them are better than  听不懂. You just have to put yourself out there a little.

Uh, Chinese…Um…Filler Words

(Yoyo Chinese)

“Yeah, uh, you know, like, well, I mean, okay” are filler words.

Filler words are definitely worth learning for several reasons. The first reason is because you need them since you need extra time to think before you speak. Secondly, you can avoid sounding silly if you’ve been tempted to slip an “um” or “well” into a Chinese sentence. It also makes your Chinese sound more natural and fluent. Lastly, they are probably words that you already know in Chinese and it’s just learning to use them in a different way.

Here are the commonly used fillers words:

nèi ge (那个)

One of the most common filler word that Chinese people use all the time is nèi ge (那个), which means “that one”. You can place just about anywhere in a sentence similar to an “um” or “uh” in English. You can even string together several nèi ge in a row, which sounds funny but is not unusual to hear.

jiù shì (就是)

Another filler word that Chinese people use all the time is jiù shì (就是). This is also used almost anywhere in a sentence. Sometimes you might hear it used together with nèi ge.

rán hòu (然后)

People use the word rán hòu (然后) all the time. You probably know it means “and then” and is generally used to describe a sequence of events. People often use it as way to buy themselves some time to think about what to say next, similar to how we might say, “and, um…” in English.

ēn (嗯)

The fillers mentioned above are easy enough to include in everyday conversations. Here is an simpler and easier filler word, ēn (嗯). It sounds like the English filler word “uh” but it hints an “n” in there.

Rather than creating an awkward silence as you think, try pulling out one these filler words to help you get some more time to find the right words. It will help you Chinese flow better and make you feel more natural in Chinese. Try it out and happy learning!

We hope you enjoyed our selection of useful blogs for the month of December. Keep up the learning and remember that DigMandarin is here to help you find all the resources you could possibly need.

The post Monthly Digest of Chinese Learning – December 2014 appeared first on .

Here is our selection for best articles in the month of November:

How to Turn Studying Chinese into a Habit

(Chinesepod)

Learning a foreign language requires consistency and Chinese is no exception. The most important piece of advice is finding the right motivation. What if you can’t manage to keep your motivation up? The best way to maintain motivation over time is turn your study of the language into a daily habit since a habit is an action that we carry out in a semiautomatic manner without thinking a lot. Various scientific studies seem to demonstrate that forming a new habit requires 21 days to 8 months. Here are some suggestions of how to transform your study of Chinese into a habit.

Commit Yourself Publicly

You should create a goal and then announce it to the world. Tell your friends, partner, or social media about this goal and make it so your life will be difficult if you fail to reach your objective. The possibility of publicly compromised will help you study every day and maintain motivation.

Take Advantage of Dead Time

If you have dead time like taking a bus for 45 minutes, take advantage of the time to study. There are excellent apps in learning Chinese. A podcast would be the best solution for people who travel constantly, via car, bus, or walking. This type of studying also has the advantage of repetition, which allows you to develop and maintain a habit.

Keep your Interest Alive!

You should start studying things that genuinely interest you. For example, food can be a great way to begin learning the language. It can help you build your vocabulary and practice in daily life situation at a restaurant or market.

Start! It’s as Simple as that

Steven Pressfield explains that often the hard part isn’t completing the action, but rather starting. You can set daily micro-goals in order to get started any your bigger objective. Once you overcome the initial hardship, you will find it becoming easier to do.

Prepare a Detailed Plan

Studying without a specific plan of what you want to do or what goals you seek to reach doesn’t make much sense. Here are steps to get started on your plan.

1. Select a clear objective that is simple and measurable.

2. Decide on a time frame in which you expect to reach it.

3. Evaluate how much time you can dedicate each day to the language studies.

4. Give yourself a realistic goal

5. Prepare a weekly schedule.

Evaluate the Results

Since you are not a robot, it is ok to skip a session. You should find a calendar writing down the days you did do the study and days you didn’t. It will help you see how you are progressing in your goal. Then take a day to evaluate your progress and make adjustments, then keep moving forward.

Reading Chinese Like Reading Your Native Language

(Better Chinese)

Can we use the same reading strategies for any language? The answer is “yes”. The reading strategies we naturally use in our native language can be applied when learning a new language. It requires re-learning or re-teaching ourselves to read with these strategies and here are some key points.

Find the Main Idea

Language learners tend to focus on every single vocabulary word and make direct word-by-word translation when they read. In Chinese, this often happens and learners focus too much on every single Chinese character and lose the big picture completely. Here are ways to learn to predict and scan for main ideas when reading.

1. Be mindful of important elements, like the title and first paragraph which can help to predict the main idea.

2. Complete a few pre-reading exercises and think about what the reading’s main point is.

3. Look at the first two sentences or the concluding sentences of a passage and explain the main idea

4. Practice summarizing each paragraph in one sentence.

Next, Understand the Details

Getting the main idea is usually not sufficient for in-depth comprehension and understanding the details is equally important. Here are some ways to train yourself to understand details.

1. Design or look for exercises that force you to focus on the details.

2. Try to answer highly relevant open-ended questions that make you find related passages. It is important to brainstorm what kind of information in a certain passage could be considered as details.

Last but not Least, Dealing with New Vocabulary

With new vocabulary that you may not know, skip it first. Then you should take a look at how to make inference about new word. It’s important to know the basic Chinese characters and here ways to learn them.

1. Learn how to use radicals to find meaning or make associations for new characters.

2. With known characters guess the meaning of the new word.

3. Practice strategies that help yourself come up with definition of the new words. It will help you understand how to use context to get the new vocabulary.

Learning How to ask for and Receive Directions in Chinese

(Hacking Chinese)

Learning to ask for and receive direction is a very useful skill that is associated with beginner language learning. It is requires you to be able to do so immediately without thinking, which requires practice. Practice is key to becoming fluent in any language. Here are some ways for you to practice getting directions.

Put Away your Smart Phone

Using your smart phone is a convenient way to getting around, but it doesn’t help you learn the language. If you ask Chinese people to help you with directions, it will make you think and figure things out. It will take longer however it will be useful practice for you.

Pretend you’re Lost

Pick a place you know well and then walk a few blocks in one direction and ask someone how to get to this place you just left. Listen to their replies carefully and then ask another stranger the same question. It is good practice for your Chinese listening skills.

Practice with WordSwing

As preparation or as a substitute for the above activities, you can use WordSwing. It is easy to use, where you will be given activities to listen to and match the directions in Chinese.

Navigating Street View

If you want to simulate the feeling of walking through a Chinese city without actually being there, you can use the street view on a map service like Google, I Show China, City8 or Baidu. Naturally, you still need someone to ask or give directions such as language exchange partner or tutor. Ask for the directions and write down the given directions to evaluate your listening skills.

These are great ways to learn to make great use of your practice of Chinese and learn an important skill in a different language.

What You Should Know About Gift Giving in China

(Yoyo Chinese)

Gift giving in China is different from the West in the physical gifts are not usually given on birthdays, weddings or Spring Festival. A common gift is cash which is usually in a red envelope called hòng bāo (红包). These gifts are usually given for birthdays for children or senior citizens. Even though there isn’t a lot of gift giving going on multiple times a year as there are in Western countries, there are penalty of time when gifts are appropriate. Continue reading for an overview of what to do, what to buy and what you should avoid for these gifts.

Gift Giving Dos and Don’ts

You can feel free to leave the price tags and receipts in the bags if it’s an expensive gift.

Don’t worry about including a card. Greeting cards are rarely used in China and hard to come by.

Do hold the gift in both hands when giving it to the recipient. Using both hands to give, and receive gifts is proper and respectful etiquette.

Selecting the right gift

Gifts for Family

When you are meeting your partner’s family, for the first time or during a visit, a gift is expected. Here are some examples for gifts.

Vitamins and supplements – there are great for in-laws or in-laws- to-be as Chinese people are very health-conscious and love all sorts of traditional medicines and remedies. (American ginseng, herbal tea or good quality multivitamin

Food/fruit baskets – packed full of delicious and exotic fruits is a great choice if you don’t know what to give as a gift. If your hometown is known for a special food, buy several to take along as gift.

Clothing – sweatshirts or t-shirt from a university or tourist area near your hometown are great options. These work best for people under 50 because senior citizens tend to have their own dress code.

Barbies, Legos, and Board Games – These are great gifts for kids because they are quite rare in China and expensive when you find them.

Gifts for Friends

Clothing – Sport apparel would be great especially if you know their favorite NBA team.

Perfume and Lotions – Fragrances are catching on in Mainland China. Bath and Body Works is a great place to get gifts because it’s an American company and offer a variety of fragrances.

Other – Pocket knives, appropriate level books in English, wallets, key chains and specialty foods can be great gifts as well.

Business Acquaintances

When you start a business relationship or furthering an existing one, a tasteful gift will go along way in developing and maintaining the relationship.

Engraved pens – Whether it is a nice pen from your company or engraved with the recipient’s name, it is a practical gift that will get used all the time.

Local snacks – Giving a food gift from your area is both a great gift and conversation starter (great first time gift idea)

Cigarettes and alcohol – It is a popular and well received by most businessmen. Foreign wines or liquors go well with close business associates. It also can be re-gift if they do not smoke or drink.

Gifts to Avoid

There are some gifts to should avoided at all cost due to cultural symbolism or the fact that the word shares similar pronunciations to something undesirable.

Clocks – The words in Chinese sòng zhōng （送钟）which means “to give a clock” shares the same pronunciation as sòng zhōng (送终) which means that the family of a decreased has completed all the tasks related to burying their loved one.

Chrysanthemums – These flowers are beautiful and great for tea but usually it is used in funerals.

Umbrella – An umbrella is not appropriate because it’s Chinese word, sǎn (伞) sounds like sàn （散） which means to separate. It would be symbolizing relationship between you and the recipient may soon dissolve.

Shoes – You shouldn’t buy shoes for your Chinese girlfriend because the idea of her using these shoes to run away from you, thus ending the relationship.

Hats – Green hats are to be avoided because of the phrase “to wear a green hat” or dài lǜ màozi（戴绿帽子）is used express a man’s wife is cheating on him.

The Number “4” – When giving cash gifts, avoid amounts with 4 because the pronunciation of 4 sì (四) sounds like the word for death sǐ (死).

Though this is a comprehensive list of all the nuances of gift giving in China, it is a good guide to giving gifts to Chinese people.

All About Chinese Food

(Transparent)

China is famous for many things, the Great wall, giant pandas, Kung Fu and of course the food. Chinese food is popular around the world and for good reason. The Chinese take great pride in their food and enjoy the joy of foreigners raving about their food. Here are some descriptions of posts and videos that you can view and learn more about the Chinese food.

In a Chinese Restaurant

– Here you can learn useful restaurant related language.

20 common Chinese dishes

– Here is list of 20 common dishes with the Chinese character, pinyin, English translation and pictures.

Real Chinese Food

– There is a difference between real Chinese food and Americanized Chinese food, learn more here.

Northern Chinese Cuisine

– Did you know that China actually has Eight Great Culinary Traditions? It can be broken down into four main regions, North, South, East, and West. Here we start with the Northern cuisine.

Western Chinese Cuisine

– Food in Western China is known for its liberal use of mouth-numbing peppercorn so take look at Sichuan food here.

Southern Chinese Cuisine

– The most famous Chinese food around the world is Cantonese food, which can be discussed within the context of southern Chinese food.

Eastern Chinese Cuisine

– The eastern cuisine has a variety of styles however the Shandong cuisine is one of the famous types of food.

Street Food

– Street food is popular in China and big way to knowing what Chinese food is all about.

Beijing Roast Duck

– The one most famous dish in China is Beijing Roast Duck and a must have when you visit the capital.

Chinglish Menu Part 1 & Part 2

– Many restaurants in China want to have English names on their menu, but the online translators tend to come up with some pretty hilarious names. See for yourself.

You can definitely learn a lot from eating at restaurant, where you can strike conversations with fellow diners, or waiters. Chinese people are always excited to see foreigners enjoy their cuisine and try their language.

We hope you enjoyed our selection of useful blogs for the month of November. Keep up the learning and remember that DigMandarin is here to help you find all the resources you could possibly need.

The post Monthly Digest of Chinese Learning appeared first on .

The Radical Truth: The Importance of Learning Radicals

(Written Chinese)

As a Chinese learner you always hear about radicals in Chinese characters. What are radicals and why is it important to learn them? Radicals are commonly used Chinese characters that are used in writing other characters. It is important to learn them because radicals will give you an understanding of to the Chinese characters’ meaning. Let’s take a closer look by examining the following four Chinese characters.

休, 你, 们, 作

Looking at above characters you will notice a common piece in character: 亻. This radical means 人 or person, however as a radical is slightly turned on its side. So these four characters have a meaning that is related to people. For example, 休 (xiū) means to have a rest, where we know radical means person, but 木 means tree. In a picture, what would person be doing in a tree? Having a rest! Here are examples of the other characters that we looked at and their meaning.

你 (nǐ) – You
们 (men) – Plural marker for Pronouns
作 (zuò) – to do

You can make a lot of use of learning the radicals because they will help you understand Chinese character meanings, as well as using the dictionary. It could give you a good indication of what a new character to you means. Try it out yourself and good luck on your Chinese learning!

Learning the Right Chengyu the Right Way

(Hacking Chinese)

As a Chinese learner you have heard that if you learn Chengyu (成语/成語) or Chinese idioms, it will impress native speakers and showcase your knowledge of the language. They are often presented as magic keys to learning the Chinese language and culture. However learning and understanding Chengyu (成语/成語) can be a difficult task because how it is used. Here are 3 tips on how to learn Chengyu:

1. Chengyu have a more limited use than you might think
2. Always learn Chengyu with a sentence
3. You don’t actually need Chengyu

Chengyu have a more limited use than you might think

Chengyu express a specific concept in Chinese culture. Chinese learners may have full grasp of the story and meaning behind the Chengyu but might not use it in the correct way. It might be difficult to know when to use it in our language since it is not a commonly used word that Chinese learners can just experiment with.

Always learn Chengyu with a sentence

If you take the approach of a normal vocabulary word to learning Chengyu, it will be harder to learn it and apply it to your Chinese skills. You should learn it in a specific context and get a example sentence of how it is used.

You don’t actually need Chengyu

You don’t need to learn Chengyu to become better at Chinese. You should understand them, but it is more important that normal vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation are mastered in order to be better at Chinese. When your Chinese is as good as educated native speaker, learning Chengyu will be important.

It is important to take your time with learning Chengyu. It is more valuable to your Chinese learning mastering the fundamentals of the language.

Doing Business the Chinese Way

(BBC News)

In order to understand how to do business in China, you need to understand what type of business culture is in place. If you have every heard the term, “it isn’t what you know, it is who you know”, you can apply this concept in Chinese business. Let’s take a look at example from two members of China Entrepreneur Club (CEC).

When Chinese entrepreneurs Deng Feng and Michael Yu took a BMW out for a test drive together, they managed to get into an accident completely destroy the car. As soon as they stepped out of the wreckage, Mr. Yu told Mr. Deng not to worry, as he would take care of it.

Mr. Deng said “So I know what kind of person he is. Through those kinds of intimate scenarios we can definitely know each other very well” This is a prime example what the Chinese call as good “Guanxi” (关系). It translates to relationships or connections and is an essential part of the Chinese lifestyle.

In order to have good Guanxi, these beneficial relationships that develop outside the formal work setting with evening meals or drinks. In these relationships, the favors are reciprocal which will expect to be repaid at some point in the future. To westerners, this type of conduct is viewed in a negative light and is believe to be linked with corruption.

However, Mr. Deng from the CEC says this view is misplaced and Guanxi is a neutral word. He points out that Chinese are generally less private and socialize more with colleagues than their Western counterparts, which business deals become a natural extension of these activities.

Guanxi has become such a core value, that most business owners say it is impossible to get much done in the China business world. It roots back to history during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s -70s. Trust was rebuilt on Guanxi as the public was encouraged to report on each other for sake of communism. Guanxi also was the way people did business each other as there was no written contract or proper network to ensure the safety of the business partners.

As a businessman who may be looking into getting into the China market, you should take look at the guanxi. It will take your business idea into China, but it will be up to you to see how far it goes.

10 Things I Love About China

(Transparent Language)

Living in China is more than just living in one the fastest developing countries in the world. It has a lot of offer as a country as whole. If you are curious about China and what to expect as you enter the country, take a look at this 10 things I love about China.

Its Natural Beauty

Most people think of China the see mega cities with congested roads, massive crowds of people, factories creating a thick gray sky of smog. It is the media from a Western perspective. If you take the time to travel within China, you will see the beautiful mountains landscapes in Guangxi, the grassland of Inner Mongolia, the beautiful Jiuzhaigou national park in Sichuan and rolling rice fields of Southern Yunnan. There is a lot of natural landscape to see and discover along with mega cities.

Public Transportation

In the Middle Kingdom, you can travel throughout the country by bus or train. Especially with the biggest high-speed train that is nearly 7000 miles. Despite the new train being added, there is still an appeal for the older types of transportation because scenery that you pass by and also the people who ride on these vehicles. You will be exposed to a lot of different Chinese culture as a traveler in China.

Street Food

Street food in China is super popular and especially jian bing (煎饼) or rou jia mo (肉夹馍). It is nothing like coming from a bar and having these delicious street foods available to cap off a good night out. It may somewhat uncomfortable eating unknown meat on a stick in a random dark alley, but it is readily available for in most places in China.

Local Parks

Local parks in China are unique in that it harvests a lot of Chinese culture. You will always see locals gather at the park doing, Tai Chi (太极)， majohng (麻将)，line dancing and other cultural activities common in China. It is something to see with your own eyes because you won’t experience this type of community activities in the Western countries.

Dining out

You will have a new dining experience because of the crowds, different mannerism that is accepted and the family style of eating together. It is especially crowded in China and a lot of people take friends and families out to dinners, so expect a crowd particularly at popular restaurants. In light of different mannerisms in China, there isn’t a big social norm of being polite with table manners. People will be yelling for the waiters and at friends while possibly slurping their soup or noodles, but don’t be alert, enjoy yourself.

Traveling

China is larger than just Beijing, Shanghai and other mega cities. There are great national parks to see, historical sites, remote villages, and seaside hotspots all over the place. Exploring the less known areas can be an great opportunity for you as a traveler to practice your Chinese, eat local foods and learn about different aspects of China.

Music

Traditional Chinese Music is very unique in the instruments used to create the music pieces. With instruments like the pi pa (琵琶), the ge hu (革胡) and the xiao (箫) are capable of creating an amazing sound. Traditional music has been integrated into modern music where some Chinese musicians playing traditional styles along with punk, and rock.

Ethic Minority Cultures

There are 55 ethnic minority groups (少数民族) in China. Each group has their own unique clothing, food, holiday, and culture. Yunnan is a great place to see and learn about 26 groups of minority groups. China is a big place with great diversity in regards to its cultures.

Random Silliness

China can be a silly place because of the good and random things you will see on a day walk around the city. China has funny Chinglish signs, dancing donkey toys and babies running with split pants to name a few. It is never a dull moment as a foreigner in the country.

Learning the Language

Chinese is not an easy language to learn, but it can be rewarding. It opens doors with the local people as they appreciate anyone who is learning their language. The locals also will become friendly and you can create great relationships with some people who are around you.

China is a fascinating country with a lot of diversity, history and culture to explore. It can be very eye opening experience to see the mega cities along with the countryside. I would definitely recommend taking some time to travel through China if you are thinking about it, it will be a great experience.

5 Unusual Chinese Superstitions

(Yoyo Chinese)

Chinese culture is ancient culture that will have some superstitions built in. Even today, these superstitions are still common in modern times. Here are 5 common Chinese superstitions.

Aversion to Used or Second-hand things

If you have ever noticed that Chinese people like new things better than second hand items, there is a reason for it. Chinese culture believe that second hand things can damage one’s public perception and they believe it will lead to inherit whatever bad luck or misfortune the previous owner had. Estate sales that typically occur because of bankruptcies, divorces, or death rarely occur in China. Also, given the country’s ability manufacture at a low price, it is allows low price new items.

Aversion to the Number 4 and Affinity for the Number 8

Numbers are important to Chinese culture. Number 4 (sī 四) is not desired because it sounds like word for death (sǐ 死) and considered unlucky. It so important that some buildings in China lack a 4th floor and people try to avoid the number 4 in license plates, phone numbers and addresses. However, number 8 (bā 八) is considering very lucky because it sounds like fā (发)which is short for fā cái (发财) or to get rich.

White is associate with Death, as Opposed to Black in Western Culture

The Chinese culture associates white with death. There is ancient tradition of wearing white at funerals as the color of mourning and has transcend through to modern times as an accepted norm. Until recently though, it was rare to see a bride to wear white dress because the older believe it to be inappropriate.

Yuè zi – A Month of Post Natal Inactivity

Yuè zi is a month where a mother who just went through childbirth is not to leave the house and prescribe treatment of traditional medicines and diets. Mothers are also discouraged from showering during this month because Chinese culture believes mothers being susceptible to colds and disease at this time. As younger Chinese women are becoming comfortable with modern medicine, the practice of Yuè zi has become less enforced.

Don’t build a House Facing North or Northwest

China is the country that invent fēng shuǐ (风水) which is the art of home design and orientation to optimize flow of qì (气). One of the prominent ideas is to never build a home that faces north because it is believed the north represents darkness, evil and bad luck. It has a strong influence in the Chinese culture that some use this concept to explain the price differences between apartments facing north and those facing the south.

There are more superstitions that are within the Chinese culture, but these are a few commons ones that people get to know. Despite how it may sound, superstitions are part of the culture and it can give you a interesting way of looking at different things.

Final Words:

We hope you enjoyed our selection of useful blogs for the month of October. Keep up the learning and remember that DigMandarin is here to help you find all the resources you could possibly need.

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Here Are The Eleven Crucial Chinese Phrases:

Wèi shēng zhǐ (卫生纸) – Toilet paper

In rural China, there are not many toilet seats and you will be required to squat to use the restroom. It is a good idea to have toilet paper on hand because many restrooms may not have public toilet paper.

Cè suǒ zài nǎ ?(厕所在哪？) – Where is the restroom?

It is important to know how ask where the restroom because the signs may not be obvious or in your language.

Nǐ hěn niú (你很牛) – You are awesome.

This is a compliment that you can give to people when they do something great. It is good to know how to compliment people to build relationships in China.

Nǎ lǐ nǎ lǐ (哪里哪里) – No, no.

This is a way to be polite and humble that Chinese people will appreciate in your travels. Though it means “where, where” it is a good response to a compliment Chinese people give you.

Duō shǎo qián (多少钱) – How much money?

It is important to know how to ask for the price while traveling in China. People in China don’t give anything for free. Everything from bargaining or eating out requires money and you want to know how much you need to pay as a traveler.

Bú yào fàng wèi jīng (不要放味精) – Don’t want MSG

As a foreigner the food in China may not be healthy since MSG is used in many dishes in China. However, you can ask for no MSG in your meal if you do not want it in your meal.

Lǎo wài (老外) – Foreigner

As a foreigner, you may want to know how to say the word foreigner in Chinese so that you know people may be talking about you.

Bù yào jiā là jiāo (不要加辣椒) – Don’t want to add spice

Chinese spices may be more intense that you are used to back home, so you may want to ask for no spicy sauce till you try some.

Wǒ bù yào (我不要) – I don’t want

While traveling in China, “I don’t want” is a great way to get out of any salesmen trying to get you to buy their merchandise.

Tài guì le (太贵了) – Too expensive

Chinese people are known to bargain and you should join the fun. But since you will be a foreigner shopkeepers may believe that you have a lot of money and may over charge you on the price.

Jiào jǐng chá (叫警察) – Call the police

Since China can be dangerous, it is a useful phrase to get yourself some help from the police officers or help someone else with any problems.

With these phrases, the local Chinese people will be impressed by your knowledge and may even want to have a relationship with you. Relationships can be very useful especially traveling throughout China. Remember to practice these Chinese phrases and don’t worry if you don’t get right the first time, it takes practice. When traveling as a foreigner, Chinese people are very helpful when you trying to speak their language. Safe travels and enjoy your trip to China.

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