(Chinesepod)<\/p>\n
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\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
Commit Yourself Publicly<\/h3>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Take Advantage of Dead Time<\/h3>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Keep your Interest Alive!<\/h3>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Start! It\u2019s as Simple as that<\/h3>\n
Steven Pressfield explains that often the hard part isn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
Prepare a Detailed Plan<\/h3>\n
Studying without a specific plan of what you want to do or what goals you seek to reach doesn\u2019t make much sense. Here are steps to get started on your plan.<\/p>\n
1. Select a clear objective that is simple and measurable.<\/p>\n
2. Decide on a time frame in which you expect to reach it.<\/p>\n
3. Evaluate how much time you can dedicate each day to the language studies.<\/p>\n
4. Give yourself a realistic goal<\/p>\n
5. Prepare a weekly schedule.<\/p>\n
Evaluate the Results<\/h3>\n
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\u2019t. 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.<\/p>\n
Reading Chinese Like Reading Your Native Language<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n(Better Chinese)<\/p>\n
Can we use the same reading strategies for any language? The answer is \u201cyes\u201d. 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.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Find the Main Idea<\/h3>\n
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.<\/p>\n
1. Be mindful of important elements, like the title and first paragraph which can help to predict the main idea.<\/p>\n
2. Complete a few pre-reading exercises and think about what the reading\u2019s main point is.<\/p>\n
3. Look at the first two sentences or the concluding sentences of a passage and explain the main idea<\/p>\n
4. Practice summarizing each paragraph in one sentence.<\/p>\n
Next, Understand the Details<\/h3>\n
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.<\/p>\n
1. Design or look for exercises that force you to focus on the details.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Last but not Least, Dealing with New Vocabulary<\/h3>\n
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\u2019s important to know the basic Chinese characters and here ways to learn them.<\/p>\n
1. Learn how to use radicals to find meaning or make associations for new characters.<\/p>\n
2. With known characters guess the meaning of the new word.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Learning How to ask for and Receive Directions in Chinese<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n(Hacking Chinese)<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Put Away your Smart Phone<\/h3>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Pretend you\u2019re Lost<\/h3>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Practice with WordSwing<\/h3>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Navigating Street View<\/h3>\n
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.<\/p>\n
These are great ways to learn to make great use of your practice of Chinese and learn an important skill in a different language.<\/p>\n
What You Should Know About Gift Giving in China<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n(Yoyo Chinese)<\/p>\n
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 h\u00f2ng b\u0101o (\u7ea2\u5305). These gifts are usually given for birthdays for children or senior citizens. Even though there isn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
Gift Giving Dos and Don\u2019ts<\/h3>\n
You can feel free to leave the price tags and receipts in the bags if it\u2019s an expensive gift.<\/p>\n
Don’t worry about including a card. Greeting cards are rarely used in China and hard to come by.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Selecting the right gift<\/h3>\nGifts for Family<\/h4>\n
When you are meeting your partner\u2019s family, for the first time or during a visit, a gift is expected. Here are some examples for gifts.<\/p>\n
Vitamins and supplements<\/strong> \u2013 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<\/p>\nFood\/fruit basket<\/strong>s \u2013 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.<\/p>\nClothing<\/strong> \u2013 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.<\/p>\nBarbies, Legos, and Board Games<\/strong> \u2013 These are great gifts for kids because they are quite rare in China and expensive when you find them.<\/p>\nGifts for Friends<\/h4>\n
Clothing<\/strong> \u2013 Sport apparel would be great especially if you know their favorite NBA team.<\/p>\nPerfume and Lotions<\/strong> \u2013 Fragrances are catching on in Mainland China. Bath and Body Works is a great place to get gifts because it\u2019s an American company and offer a variety of fragrances.<\/p>\nOther<\/strong> \u2013 Pocket knives, appropriate level books in English, wallets, key chains and specialty foods can be great gifts as well.<\/p>\nBusiness Acquaintances<\/h3>\n
When you start a business relationship or furthering an existing one, a tasteful gift will go along way in developing and maintaining the relationship.<\/p>\n
Engraved pens<\/strong> \u2013 Whether it is a nice pen from your company or engraved with the recipient\u2019s name, it is a practical gift that will get used all the time.<\/p>\nLocal snacks<\/strong> \u2013 Giving a food gift from your area is both a great gift and conversation starter (great first time gift idea)<\/p>\nCigarettes and alcohol<\/strong> \u2013 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.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Gifts to Avoid<\/h3>\n
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.<\/p>\n
![\"better](\"https:\/\/www.digmandarin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/better-chinese.png)
<\/p>\n(Hacking Chinese)<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Put Away your Smart Phone<\/h3>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Pretend you\u2019re Lost<\/h3>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Practice with WordSwing<\/h3>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Navigating Street View<\/h3>\n
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.<\/p>\n
These are great ways to learn to make great use of your practice of Chinese and learn an important skill in a different language.<\/p>\n
What You Should Know About Gift Giving in China<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n(Yoyo Chinese)<\/p>\n
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 h\u00f2ng b\u0101o (\u7ea2\u5305). These gifts are usually given for birthdays for children or senior citizens. Even though there isn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
Gift Giving Dos and Don\u2019ts<\/h3>\n
You can feel free to leave the price tags and receipts in the bags if it\u2019s an expensive gift.<\/p>\n
Don’t worry about including a card. Greeting cards are rarely used in China and hard to come by.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Selecting the right gift<\/h3>\nGifts for Family<\/h4>\n
When you are meeting your partner\u2019s family, for the first time or during a visit, a gift is expected. Here are some examples for gifts.<\/p>\n
Vitamins and supplements<\/strong> \u2013 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<\/p>\nFood\/fruit basket<\/strong>s \u2013 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.<\/p>\nClothing<\/strong> \u2013 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.<\/p>\nBarbies, Legos, and Board Games<\/strong> \u2013 These are great gifts for kids because they are quite rare in China and expensive when you find them.<\/p>\nGifts for Friends<\/h4>\n
Clothing<\/strong> \u2013 Sport apparel would be great especially if you know their favorite NBA team.<\/p>\nPerfume and Lotions<\/strong> \u2013 Fragrances are catching on in Mainland China. Bath and Body Works is a great place to get gifts because it\u2019s an American company and offer a variety of fragrances.<\/p>\nOther<\/strong> \u2013 Pocket knives, appropriate level books in English, wallets, key chains and specialty foods can be great gifts as well.<\/p>\nBusiness Acquaintances<\/h3>\n
When you start a business relationship or furthering an existing one, a tasteful gift will go along way in developing and maintaining the relationship.<\/p>\n
Engraved pens<\/strong> \u2013 Whether it is a nice pen from your company or engraved with the recipient\u2019s name, it is a practical gift that will get used all the time.<\/p>\nLocal snacks<\/strong> \u2013 Giving a food gift from your area is both a great gift and conversation starter (great first time gift idea)<\/p>\nCigarettes and alcohol<\/strong> \u2013 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.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Gifts to Avoid<\/h3>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Gifts for Family<\/h4>\n
Food\/fruit basket<\/strong>s \u2013 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.<\/p>\n Clothing<\/strong> \u2013 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.<\/p>\n Barbies, Legos, and Board Games<\/strong> \u2013 These are great gifts for kids because they are quite rare in China and expensive when you find them.<\/p>\n Clothing<\/strong> \u2013 Sport apparel would be great especially if you know their favorite NBA team.<\/p>\n Perfume and Lotions<\/strong> \u2013 Fragrances are catching on in Mainland China. Bath and Body Works is a great place to get gifts because it\u2019s an American company and offer a variety of fragrances.<\/p>\n Other<\/strong> \u2013 Pocket knives, appropriate level books in English, wallets, key chains and specialty foods can be great gifts as well.<\/p>\n When you start a business relationship or furthering an existing one, a tasteful gift will go along way in developing and maintaining the relationship.<\/p>\n Engraved pens<\/strong> \u2013 Whether it is a nice pen from your company or engraved with the recipient\u2019s name, it is a practical gift that will get used all the time.<\/p>\n Local snacks<\/strong> \u2013 Giving a food gift from your area is both a great gift and conversation starter (great first time gift idea)<\/p>\n Cigarettes and alcohol<\/strong> \u2013 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\nGifts for Friends<\/h4>\n
Business Acquaintances<\/h3>\n
![\"yoyo](\"https:\/\/www.digmandarin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/yoyo-chinese.jpg)
Gifts to Avoid<\/h3>\n