{"id":669,"date":"2013-09-16T07:10:00","date_gmt":"2013-09-16T07:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.digmandarin.com\/?p=669"},"modified":"2025-02-18T04:40:19","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T04:40:19","slug":"20-questions-to-get-you-from-zero-chinese-to-basic-fluency-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.digmandarin.com\/20-questions-to-get-you-from-zero-chinese-to-basic-fluency-part-1.html","title":{"rendered":"20 Questions to Get You from Zero Chinese to Basic Fluency (Part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Part 1: Questions 1 ~ 5<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=index-496.html>Part 2: Questions 6 ~ 10<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=index-497.html>Part 3: Question 11 ~ 15<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=index-498.html>Part 4: Question 16 ~ 20<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In this series, we will take a look at approximately 20 basic, high-frequency questions and answers that will help you with your communication skills in Mandarin Chinese. Please feel free to answer the questions in Mandarin or pinyin in the reply to the best of your ability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are a basic Chinese level, perhaps you would like to answer the questions with a more in-depth response, using more colloquial language, providing some helpful tips and cultural information, or correcting the answers (or questions) for all who are new to Mandarin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are still at the beginning stage, you can always start by going through our <a href=index-21.html>comprehensive guide for Chinese beginners<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Follow me, let&#8217;s learn basic Chinese now:<\/p>\n\n\n<div role=\"navigation\" aria-label=\"Table of Contents\" class=\"simpletoc custom_toc wp-block-simpletoc-toc\"><ul class=\"simpletoc-list\">\n<li><a href=index.html#1-how-to-ask-what-is-your-name-in-chinese\">#1: How to ask What is your name in Chinese<\/a>\n\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=index.html#2-how-to-ask-where-are-you-from-in-chinese\">#2: How to ask Where are you from in Chinese<\/a>\n\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=index.html#3-how-to-ask-what-do-you-do-in-chinese\">#3: How to ask What do you do in Chinese<\/a>\n\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=index.html#4-what-do-you-like-to-do-in-your-free-time-in-chinese\">#4: What do you like to do in your free time in Chinese<\/a>\n\n<\/li>\n<li><a href=index.html#5-how-many-people-are-in-your-family-in-chinese\">#5: How many people are in your family in Chinese<\/a>\n<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-how-to-ask-what-is-your-name-in-chinese\">#1: How to ask What is your name in Chinese<\/h2>\n\n\n<p><strong>Q:\u4f60\u53eb\u4ec0\u4e48\u540d\u5b57\uff1f\uff08N\u01d0 ji\u00e0o sh\u00e9nme m\u00edngz\u00ec?\uff09<br><\/strong>What is your name?<br><strong>A: \u6211\u53eb Matt. \u4f60\u5462\uff1f\uff08W\u01d2 ji\u00e0o Matt. N\u01d0 ne?\uff09<br><\/strong>My name is Matt. And you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: \u4f60\u7684\u4e2d\u6587\u540d\u5b57\u53eb\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f\uff08N\u01d0de zh\u014dngw\u00e9n m\u00edngz\u00ec ji\u00e0o sh\u00e9nme?\uff09<br><\/strong>What is your Chinese name?<br><strong>A: \u6211\u7684\u4e2d\u6587\u540d\u5b57\u53eb\u9a6c\u7279\u3002\uff08W\u01d2de zh\u014dngw\u00e9n m\u00edngz\u00ec ji\u00e0o M\u01ce T\u00e8.\uff09<br><\/strong>My Chinese name is Ma Te.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-how-to-ask-where-are-you-from-in-chinese\">#2: How to ask Where are you from in Chinese<\/h2>\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: \u4f60\u662f\u54ea\u56fd\u4eba\uff1f \uff08N\u01d0 sh\u00ec n\u01ce gu\u00f3 r\u00e9n?\uff09<br><\/strong>Where are you from?<br><strong>A: \u6211\u662f\u7f8e\u56fd\u4eba\u3002\u4f60\u5462\uff1f \uff08W\u01d2 sh\u00ec M\u011bigu\u00f3 r\u00e9n. N\u01d0 ne?\uff09<br><\/strong>I\u2019m American. And you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are other ways to ask &#8220;Where are you from?&#8221; in Chinese depending on what information you are looking for. You may want to ask about what city, what state or what region a person is from. Or you may want to ask about where a person lives instead of asking where the person comes from. If you know how to ask these more specific questions about a person&#8217;s origin or living arrangements, we would love to see them in the reply.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-how-to-ask-what-do-you-do-in-chinese\">#3: How to ask What do you do in Chinese<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>Learning basic Chinese with Matt. Today&#8217;s question is about professions. There are a few different ways to ask about this in Chinese, as well as in English, depending on the information you are looking for. Here is the most general way to ask, &#8220;What do you do?&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: \u4f60\u662f\u505a\u4ec0\u4e48\u7684\uff1f \uff08N\u01d0 sh\u00ec zu\u00f2 sh\u00e9nme de?\uff09<br><\/strong>What do you do?<br><br><strong>A: \u6211\u662f\u8001\u5e08\u3002\uff08W\u01d2 sh\u00ec l\u01ceosh\u012b.\uff09<br><\/strong>I am a teacher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you answer, just add your profession at the end of the sentence. Here are some professions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u5b66\u751f \uff08xu\u00e9sh\u0113ng\uff09 \u2013 student<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u8001\u5e08\uff08l\u01ceosh\u012b\uff09 \u2013 teacher<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u5546\u4eba \uff08sh\u0101ngr\u00e9n\uff09 \u2013 business person<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u79d8\u4e66 \uff08m\u00ecsh\u016b\uff09 \u2013 secretary<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u4f1a\u8ba1 \uff08ku\u00e0ij\u00ec\uff09 \u2013 accounting<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u8bb0\u8005 \uff08j\u00eczh\u011b\uff09 \u2013 journalist<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u53a8\u5e08 \uff08ch\u00fash\u012b\uff09 \u2013 chef<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u79d1\u5b66\u5bb6 \uff08k\u0113xu\u00e9ji\u0101\uff09 \u2013 scientist<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u533b\u751f \uff08y\u012bsh\u0113ng\uff09 \u2013 doctor<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u62a4\u58eb \uff08h\u00f9sh\u00ec\uff09 \u2013 nurse<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u7259\u79d1\u533b\u751f \uff08y\u00e1 k\u0113 y\u012bsh\u0113ng\uff09 \u2013 dentist<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u5de5\u7a0b\u5e08 \uff08g\u014dngch\u00e9ngsh\u012b\uff09 \u2013 engineer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u6280\u672f\u4eba\u5458 \uff08\u00ecsh\u00f9 r\u00e9nyu\u00e1n\uff09 \u2013 tech staff<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u5f8b\u5e08 \uff08l\u01dcsh\u012b\uff09 \u2013 lawyer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u97f3\u4e50\u5bb6 \uff08y\u012bnyu\u00e8 ji\u0101\uff09 \u2013 musician<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u6f14\u5458 \uff08y\u01cenyu\u00e1n\uff09 \u2013 actor\/actress<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u827a\u672f\u5bb6 \uff08y\u00ecsh\u00f9 ji\u0101\uff09 \u2013 artist<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u9000\u4f11 \uff08tu\u00ecxi\u016b\uff09 \u2013 retired <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This answer is a little different. To say you are retired say:<br><strong>\u6211\u9000\u4f11\u4e86\u3002 \uff08W\u01d2 tu\u00ec xi\u016b le.\uff09<br><\/strong>I\u2019m retired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course there are a lot of other jobs out there to talk about. If you&#8217;ve got a question about how to say a profession in Chinese include it in your reply. Below are two other common ways to ask about professions with their answers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: \u4f60\u505a\u4ec0\u4e48\u5de5\u4f5c? \uff08N\u01d0 zu\u00f2 sh\u00e9nme g\u014dngzu\u00f2?\uff09<br><\/strong>What\u2019s your job?<br><strong>A: \u6211\u662f\u8001\u5e08\u3002 \uff08W\u01d2 sh\u00ec l\u01ceosh\u012b.\uff09<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: \u4f60\u5728\u54ea\u513f\u5de5\u4f5c\uff1f (N\u01d0 z\u00e0i n\u01cer g\u014dngzu\u00f2?)<br><\/strong>Where do you work?<br><strong>A: \u6211\u5728\u5b66\u6821\u5de5\u4f5c\u3002(W\u01d2 z\u00e0i xu\u00e9xi\u00e0o g\u014dngzu\u00f2.)<br><\/strong>I work at a school<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4-what-do-you-like-to-do-in-your-free-time-in-chinese\">#4: What do you like to do in your free time in Chinese<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>Today we are learning basic Chinese how to say, \u201cWhat do you like to do in your free time?\u201d in Chinese. Here is the question and answer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: \u4f60\u7a7a\u4f59\u65f6\u95f4\u559c\u6b22\u505a\u4ec0\u4e48\uff1f (N\u01d0 k\u00f2ngy\u00fa sh\u00edji\u0101n x\u01d0huan zu\u00f2 sh\u00e9nme?) <br><\/strong>What do you like to do in your free time?<br><strong>A: \u6211\u559c\u6b22\u5b66\u4e2d\u6587\u3002(W\u01d2 x\u01d0huan xu\u00e9 zh\u014dngw\u00e9n.)<br><\/strong>I like to learn Chinese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just replace the\u2028 \u5b66\u4e2d\u6587 in the answer above to tell about your own personal interests. Here are some pastimes that will work well with this pattern:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u4e66\u6cd5 (sh\u016bf\u01ce) \uff0d calligraphy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u722c\u5c71 (p\u00e1sh\u0101n) \u2013 hiking\/mountain climbing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u7535\u5b50\u6e38\u620f (di\u00e0nz\u01d0 y\u00f3ux\u00ec) \u2013 video games<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u505a\u996d (zu\u00f2 f\u00e0n) \u2013 cooking<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u8df3\u821e (ti\u00e0ow\u01d4) \u2013 dancing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u5531\u6b4c (ch\u00e0ngg\u0113) \u2013 singing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u753b\u753b (hu\u00e0 hu\u00e0) \u2013 drawing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u559d\u9152 (h\u0113 ji\u01d4) \u2013 drinking<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u5403\u996d (ch\u012bf\u00e0n) \u2013 eating<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u770b\u7535\u5f71 (k\u00e0n di\u00e0ny\u01d0ng) \u2013 watching movies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u517b\u82b1 (y\u01ceng hu\u0101) \u2013 gardening<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u542c\u97f3\u4e50 (t\u012bng y\u012bnyu\u00e8) \u2013 listening to music<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u62cd\u7167 (p\u0101izh\u00e0o) \u2013 photography<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u770b\u4e66 (k\u00e0n sh\u016b) \u2013 reading books<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u4f53\u80b2 (t\u01d0y\u00f9) \u2013 sports<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u4e0a\u7f51 (sh\u00e0ngw\u01ceng) \u2013 surfing online<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u804a\u5929 (li\u00e1oti\u0101n) \u2013 chatting<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u65c5\u6e38 (l\u01day\u00f3u) \u2013 travelling<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u6563\u6b65 (s\u00e0nb\u00f9) \u2013 walking<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u770b\u7535\u89c6 (k\u00e0n di\u00e0nsh\u00ec) \u2013 watching TV<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u901b\u5546\u5e97 (gu\u00e0ng sh\u0101ngdi\u00e0n) \u2013 window shopping<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u957f\u8dd1 (ch\u00e1ngp\u01ceo) \u2013 jogging<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u6253\u7bee\u7403 (d\u01ce l\u00e1nqi\u00fa) \u2013 playing basketball<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u6253\u68d2\u7403 (d\u01ce b\u00e0ngqi\u00fa) \u2013 playing basebal l<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u6253\u6a44\u6984\u7403 (d\u01ce g\u01cenl\u01cenqi\u00fa) \u2013 playing football<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u8e22\u8db3\u7403 (t\u012b z\u00faqi\u00fa) \u2013 playing soccer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u6253\u66f2\u68cd\u7403 (d\u01ce q\u016bg\u00f9nqi\u00fa) \u2013 playing hockey<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u6253\u7f51\u7403 (d\u01ce w\u01cengqi\u00fa) \u2013 playing tennis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u6253\u6392\u7403 (d\u01ce p\u00e1iqi\u00fa) \u2013 play volleyball<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u6e38\u6cf3 (y\u00f3uy\u01d2ng) \u2013 swimming<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u7ec3\u529f\u592b (li\u00e0n g\u014dngfu) \u2013 practicing kung fu<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u4e3e\u91cd ( j\u01d4zh\u00f2ng) \u2013 lifting weights<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u9732\u8425 (l\u00f9y\u00edng) \u2013 camping<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u9493\u9c7c (di\u00e0o y\u00fa) \u2013 fishing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u6500\u5ca9 (p\u0101ny\u00e1n) \u2013 rock climbling<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u5212\u8239 (hu\u00e1chu\u00e1n) \u2013 rowing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u6ed1\u96ea (hu\u00e1xu\u011b) \u2013 skiing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u953b\u70bc (du\u00e0nli\u00e0n) \u2013 working out<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u5f39\u5409\u4ed6 (t\u00e1n j\u00edt\u0101) \u2013 playing guitar<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u5f39\u94a2\u7434 (t\u00e1n g\u0101ngq\u00edn) \u2013 playing piano<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"5-how-many-people-are-in-your-family-in-chinese\">#5: How many people are in your family in Chinese<\/h2>\n\n\n<p>Today\u2019s question is, \u201cHow many people are in your family.\u201d Here is today\u2019s question and answer in Chinese:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: \u4f60\u5bb6\u6709\u51e0\u4e2a\u4eba\uff1f\u2028(N\u01d0 ji\u0101 y\u01d2u j\u01d0 g\u00e8 r\u00e9n?)\u2028<br><\/strong>How many people are in your family?<br><strong>A: \u6211\u5bb6\u6709\u56db\u4e2a\u4eba\uff0c \u6211\u592a\u592a\uff0c \u4e24\u4e2a\u513f\u5b50\uff0c \u548c\u6211\u3002 (W\u01d2 ji\u0101 y\u01d2u s\u00ec g\u00e8 r\u00e9n, w\u01d2 t\u00e0itai, li\u01ceng g\u00e8 \u00e9rzi, h\u00e9 w\u01d2.)\u2028<br><\/strong>My family has\u2028 four people, my wife, two sons, and I.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To tell how many people are in your family, simply replace\u2028 \u56db with the appropriate number:\u2028 \u4e24\uff0c \u4e09\uff0c \u56db\uff0c\u4e94\uff0c \u516d\uff0c \u4e03\uff0c \u516b\uff0c \u4e5d\u3002(li\u01ceng, s\u0101n, s\u00ec, w\u01d4, li\u00f9, q\u012b, b\u0101, ji\u01d4.) In some places, \u4e2a (ge) is replaced by \u53e3(K\u01d2u), but the words are interchangeable in this context and do not change the meaning of the sentence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Telling about your family members can be a little more complicated in Chinese than it is in other languages, so we won\u2019t go into a full list of vocabulary here. Below are some common names for family members that should be enough for you to express yourself clearly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u4e08\u592b (zh\u00e0ngfu)\uff0d husband<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u592a\u592a (t\u00e0itai) \uff0d wife<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u7238\u7238 (b\u00e0ba) \uff0d father<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u5988\u5988 (m\u0101ma) \uff0d mother<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u513f\u5b50 (\u00e9rzi) \u2013 son<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u5973\u513f (n\u01da\u2019\u00e9r) \uff0d daughter<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u54e5\u54e5 (g\u0113ge) \uff0d elder brother<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u5f1f\u5f1f (d\u00ecdi) \uff0d younger brother<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u59d0\u59d0 (ji\u011bjie) \u2013 elder sister<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u59b9\u59b9 (m\u00e8imei) \uff0d younger sister<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u7537\u670b\u53cb (n\u00e1n p\u00e9ngyou) \u2013 boyfriend<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u5973\u670b\u53cb (n\u01da p\u00e9ngyou) \u2013 girlfriend<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>What if you don&#8217;t really want to talk about your family, or what if answering with a number of people seems a little awkward? Here are some other ways to answer if you are single, if you are in a relationship or if you&#8217;d just like to gracefully sidestep the question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u6211\u7ed3\u5a5a\u4e86\u3002(W\u01d2 ji\u00e9h\u016bn le.) \u2013 I\u2019m married<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u6211\u79bb\u5a5a\u4e86\u3002(W\u01d2 l\u00edh\u016bn le.) \u2013 I\u2019m divorced.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u6211\u6709\u4f34\u3002(W\u01d2 y\u01d2u b\u00e0n.) \u2013 I\u2019m in a relationship.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u6211\u662f\u5355\u8eab\u3002(W\u01d2 sh\u00ec d\u0101nsh\u0113n.) \u2013 I\u2019m single.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Now it\u2019s your turn. Try to tell me about the topics above and I will launch more topics for learning basic Chinese later.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this series, we will take a look at approximately 20 basic, high-frequency questions and answers that will help you with your communication skills in Mandarin Chinese. Please feel free to answer the questions in Mandarin or pinyin in the reply to the best of your ability. If you are a basic Chinese level, perhaps&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":4302,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[179,1],"tags":[77,80,81,89,84],"post_series":[],"class_list":["post-669","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-expressions","category-learn-mandarin-online","tag-beginner","tag-self-study","tag-speaking","tag-tips-and-suggestions","tag-vocabulary","entry","has-media"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>20 Questions to Get You from Zero to Basic Chinese Fluency - Part 1<\/title>\n
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