Simplified vs Traditional Chinese: A Closer Look

When people start to learn Chinese, they will find that there are two types of Chinese in terms of writing—traditional and simplified Chinese. Then the next question is that which one should I learn? In this article, we will discuss some of the background of simplified and traditional Chinese, explore the differences between them. Hope … Read more

Mandarin vs Cantonese Differences

Cantonese and Mandarin are dialects of the Chinese language and are both spoken in China. They are two related languages and share the same base alphabet. But as a spoken language they are distinct and have some major differences that depend on variety of aspects. In today’s post, we are going to take a close … Read more

Celebrate With Wisdom: Chinese New Year Sayings to Learn

Chinese New Year is coming soon! It’s time to learn some Chinese New Year sayings (新年吉祥话, xīn nián jí xiáng huà) and visit your Chinese friends! Here we list several Chinese New Year expressions along with examples. Let’s find out! Three sections has been written below:– 十二生肖 (shí èr shēng xiāo, 12 Symbolic Animals)– Chinese … Read more

The Impact of Chinese Graded Reading Material: An In-depth Analysis

If you have started to learn Chinese and want to improve the reading and writing abilities effectively, it is important to read Chinese stories. However, the problem is that it is not always easy to find suitable reading materials, which can guide you through learning new Chinese words, sentences and grammars etc. step by step. … Read more

Expressions of Affection: Saying ‘I Love You’ in Chinese

For most Chinese learners, you might know “我爱你” (wǒ ài nǐ,I love You). But do you want to know other alternative ways to say I love you in Chinese and surprise your Chinese girlfirend/boyfriend? Here I list several Chinese I love you expressions along with examples. Let’s find out! How to say I love you … Read more

Greetings in Mandarin: Saying ‘Hello’ in Chinese

For most Chinese learners, the first Chinese word that you learned might be “你好” (nǐ hǎo, Hello). But do you know this is a really formal greeting expression, which is weird if you say that to your close friends or your family? You might say “你好” when first meet someone. (Also, it’s better to say … Read more

Gratitude in Mandarin: How to Say ‘Thank You’ in Chinese

No matter what language you learn, how to say “thank you” is a must known if you want to be friendly to others in a polite manner. You might know “thank you” is 谢谢 (xiè xiè) in Chinese. But do you want to know the other ways to say thank you and surprise your Chinese … Read more

Speak Like A Local: Mastering Chinese Pronunciation

There are four key elements of learning a foreign language, they are listening, speaking, reading and writing. Many people who learn Chinese feel that one of the most difficult issues in Chinese is that Chinese characters and pronunciation do not correspond to each other, which is different from English. If you see a word, it … Read more

Cultural Roots: Tracing Common Chinese Surnames

When you meet a new friend, the very first thing might be introducing each other. But when you meet Chinese people, do you feel difficult to memorize Chinese names? Don’t worry. We are here to help you out! The most common Chinese surnames have been listed below. If you would like to know more, the … Read more

Stripping Complexity: An Intro to Chinese Sentence Structure

When you have a conversation with Chinese people, you may find that the structures of the sentences they use are quite flexible. There are many kinds of structural relationships in modern Chinese sentences. A single word can form a sentence, in addition to the sentence composed of a single word, a specific sentence is always … Read more