Learn Chinese phrases! Sometimes the best way to learn a language is not just with words, but also the Chinese phrases. Get some of the coolest vocab today from TutorMandarin.
Chinese chengyu – 虎頭蛇尾 Do you know anyone who always starts out big and promising but in the end, it might not be as great as they should be? Perhaps it’s easier to say than done or they just simply lack persistence. The chengyu 虎头蛇尾 (hǔ tóu shé wěi) breaks down tiger (虎 hǔ) head[…]
Within a blink of an eye, the cold winter season is almost gone. As the saying goes, “You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep the Spring from coming.” Now, how many of you are excited about Spring? Well, I am! Today, we’re going to learn 5 phrases about Spring. Don’t know how[…]
Have you ever bumped into someone and not knowing how to say sorry in Mandarin? Or have you ever heard people saying these phrases throughout your travel in China? Certainly, “Please, thank you, and sorry” are the most useful magic phrases in all around the world. Knowing how to apologize is important and a way[…]
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)[…]
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[…]
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 say thank you in Chinese When starting to learn Chinese there are certain necessary phrases you need to learn first. And isn’t it better to start with the polite ones? So we’re going to start with a word second in importance only to ‘Ni Hao!’. A word you will hear frequently throughout your[…]
How to ask name in Mandarin? Getting to know someone else isn’t always that simple — especially when it is in another language. Trying to speak even just a few sentences in the native language of a foreigner you want to get to know, always shows your interest and respect to that person. And as we[…]
Chinese Chengyu – 狼多肉少 – Many Wolves Little Meat Chinese Chengyu 狼多肉少 (láng duō ròu shǎo) literally translates to wolf (狼 láng) many (多 duō) meat (肉 ròu), little (少 shǎo). Or, in more standard English, ‘many wolves, little meat.’ This is one of the more direct chéngyǔ, that doesn’t require a huge background story to[…]
Chinese Chengyu – 狗急跳墙 – A Nervous Dog Jumps Over the Wall The chéngyǔ 狗急跳墙 (gǒu jí tiào qiáng) breaks down to a dog (狗 gǒu) nervous (急 jí) jumps (跳 tiào) wall (墙 qiáng) Or, in more standard English, ‘A nervous dog jumps over the wall.’ While it may make sense on the surface,[…]