Are you a fan of the Marvel Universe? In this article, we’ll look at the first few Chinese characters in Marvel comics. Chinese Characters in Marvel Comics Nowadays, Marvel attracts more and more fans – not without the help of their cinematographic achievements. But some marvel fans started to love these stories long before they...
Chinese learners often struggle with polyphones – characters with two or more pronunciations. In this article, we will look at 5 common Chinese polyphones. Chinese Polyphones: One Character, Two Meanings In simple words, polyphones are Chinese characters which, depending on the context, have two or more pronunciations. Chinese polyphones often make a sentence (or even the...
A few years ago, some social labels in China became so popular, they even made their way into Chinese language textbooks. Almost everyone who studies Chinese came across one or two of them: 白领族 báilǐngzú (white collars), 啃老族 kěnlǎozú (adults still living with and depending on their parents), 蚁族 yǐ zú (“ant tribe”, college graduates who are forced to live in...
Why is it so important to learn Chinese characters when you study Chinese? Some people say it’s not important. For them, being able to hold a decent conversation is more rewarding than writing and memorizing the characters. No doubt, all people have different goals. But this week, we’ve found you 10 reasons to learn Chinese characters – and explain why it...
According to the Chinese calendar, 2019 is going to be the “Year of the Pig”. So today, let’s look at pigs in Chinese culture – and see how these animals have been regarded in China through history. Pigs in Traditional Chinese Culture Since the dawn of time, Chinese people have had a special kind of affection towards...
The word 元旦 yuándàn, which refers to the first day of the New Year in China, has a long history. But which New Year does it refer to – the Lunar or the Gregorian? And what’s the difference difference between 元旦 yuándàn and 春节 chūnjié? Origins of New Year in China The first and earliest mention of 元旦...
What’s the most popular drink in China? Not coffee – at least not yet! It’s 奶茶 ♦ nǎichá, or milk tea, the beloved drink you can buy in China at any corner. Today, let’s look back and trace the history of Chinese milk tea together. Origins of Milk Tea The way of drinking tea by adding dairy to...
This week’s post was produced in collaboration with Hogan Injury – based on their outstanding article about global millennials. Let’s compare Chinese millenials with their global counterparts. Chinese vs. Western Millennials Both Chinese and Western millennials (千禧年一代 qiānxǐnián yīdài) represent the majority of labor force today. And we are not talking about entry-level positions only. Aged...
This week, we are going to look at the Chinese names of popular Western chains, famous among locals and foreigners alike. But first, let’s see what names you already know – or perhaps can guess. Look at the first picture and try to put a name and a label of the chain together: Exercise | Chinese Names...
Less than a month is left until Christmas Day. And some Western coffee shops in China are ready to make us happy with their special drinks! So today, we’re going to discover what Christmas drinks in China Starbucks and Costa Coffee offer during winter time. No doubt that baristas know the names of all the drinks in English, but...
In this post, we look at NetEase Music – the most popular music app in China, and very similar to Spotify. The name of the app in Chinese is 网易云音乐. NetEase Music: The Name First, let’s look at the Chinese name. It will give us a hint about the app: 网 wǎng – net (from 网络 wǎngluò, the Internet)...
Western TV shows are popular all over the world, and China is no exception. People love to spend time watching their favorite TV shows, and we do, too. Once we got curious about what Western TV shows in China are popular, and what their Chinese names are, we discovered that some of them are very different...
Imagine a situation: you are having a great time with your friends at a bar, chatting, giggling, and drinking. Then comes the time to go home, and your friends ask you to pay the bill while they are catching a taxi. You search through the pockets and realize – you don’t have enough cash! And you don’t have...
There are many ways to check local restaurants, shops and buisnesses in China. But if you want to navigate like a local, it’s worth mastering Dazhong Dianping – a tried-and-true review app, where Chinese locals rate local businesses and share their reviews. In this step-by-step, we’ll help you navigate Dazhong Dianping like a pro😎 ...
This article just covered the tip of the iceberg at how dating is done in Ancient and modern China. Learning some basic Chinese phrases could help you score a date too. There is still a lot be learned. Dating is fun and exciting, just be yourself and have fun. Though you might hit or miss...
Here is something about you might not want to hear if you’ve been paying full prices for things you bought in China: you’ve been ripped off! In China, paying full price is almost unheard of. Goods that have no price tags bear an invisible invitation to haggle. And haggling is a habit, a custom, and...
Each kid should be awarded the opportunity to come and learn about a different culture.” In the past few years, there were groups of parents who wanted something different for their children. They wanted to deviate from the usual summer camps in their hometowns or countries. They were looking for new ways for their children...
We have exciting news to share! That’s Mandarin has a brand new location right in the heart of Jing’an district, Shanghai. Let’s take a look at some of the noteworthy features of the Yuyuan Road school. 1. CONVENIENCE We give our new school 10/10 in terms of convenience, with a location literally less than...
Shanghai has long been renowned as one of the must-visit places in the world. With a population of over 24 million residents made up of Chinese nationals and expats, this metropolis has evolved into a sophisticated blend of modern and traditional Chinese cultures. In this big metropolitan city, there is something for everyone. You can...
