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Chinese Chengyu – 如魚得水 The chengyu 如鱼得水 (rú yú dé shuǐ) breaks down to like (如rú) fish (鱼yú in (得 dé) water (水shuǐ). This corresponds almost perfectly with the classic English idiom, “like a fish takes to water” but with an emphasis on finding a good environment or natural home. During the[…]
Chinese chengyu – 談虎色變 The chéngyǔ 谈虎色变 (tán hǔ sè biàn) is broken down in into the four words – talk to(谈tán ) tiger (虎hǔ) color (色sè) change (变biàn). This is often translated to “one’s expression changes when ‘tiger’ is mentioned.’’ Once upon a time, there was man talking to his fellow villagers (村民 cūnmín)[…]
Talk about hobbies in Chinese? Having a hobby is very important to leading a well-balanced life. Pursuing a hobby can provide us with a refreshing break from the bustling life. Moreover, having some like-minded friends sharing common hobbies with us is awesome! So, how do you like to spend your spare time? Some people also[…]
Chinese Idioms in English The Chinese idiom in English or Chengyu 笨鸟先飞 (bèn niǎo xiān fēi) breaks down to stupid (笨 – bèn) bird (鸟 – niǎo) first (先 – xiān) flies (飞 – fēi). Simply translated in English: a ‘stupid bird flies first’ or ‘the clumsy bird flies early’. These refers to those that[…]
Like adding wings to a tiger ? What is it? The chengyu 如虎添翼 (rú hǔ tiān yì) breaks down into the words: like (如Rú) tiger (虎hǔ) add (添tiān) wings (翼yì). This translates nicely to “like adding wings to a tiger” in English. Now, what does it mean to add wings to a tiger? As you[…]
How to Bargain in Chinese In China, it is all about “bargaining”! Everything is negotiable! Therefore, besides shopping in supermarkets or malls, you should try to bargain with Chinese vendors in markets. The first price is always too high and especially if a foreigner asks for. Therefore, people should know some basic Chinese phrases to[…]
Chinese Swear Words & Chinese Curse Words Every language, every culture has their own ways to express discontent. So, when learning Chinese it’s necessary to explore this aspect of the language – Chinese swear words. You need to know when others are swearing at you or when you might need to curse right back at[…]
There is a Chinese proverb “吃饭皇帝大” (chī fàn huáng dì dà), which literally means “Food is bigger than the emperor”. It shares a similar meaning with the English slang “someone’s bread and butter”, which is “Nothing is more important than eating”. You can see how essential food is in Chinese life from this notion.[…]
Whether you are making travel arrangements or asking others schedule in Chinese-speaking countries, you have to know how to times, dates, and more in the Chinese language. Learning how to talk and ask about time can help you organize the itinerary, and avoid you from confusion. So, let’s learn “how to ask about time” as[…]
Chinese Chengyu – 招兵买马 – To recruit soldiers and buy horses Chinese chengyu 招兵买马 (zhāo bīng mǎi mǎ) breaks down to into recruit (招zhāo ) soldiers (兵bīng) buy (买mǎi) horses (马 mǎ). This is translated into English as ‘recruit soldiers, buy horses.” You can take this chéngyǔ at face value since the meaning is essential “to raise a[…]
What is a Chengyu? Learning about Chinese Idioms Have you heard the word ‘Chengyu’ before? Do you what is a chengyu? Chinese Chengyu (成语) is a type of traditional Chinese idiomatic expression, or simply ‘Chinese idioms’ in Chinese language learning, typically consisting of four characters. It is widely used in Classical Chinese and are still common in[…]
How to ask about age in Chinese? Height? Weight? “How old are you?’ “How tall are you?” “What’s your weight?” These are not just important questions for doctors — but for you! The everyday person! We’ll teach you these questions and more through a few simple conversations in Chinese language learning. Want to get more[…]