The Chinese Way to Use ‘make’
When I learned English, ‘make’ was a verb, which always confused me. For me, there are too many meanings of ‘make’ and some of them are quite different in Chinese…
Monthly Digest of Chinese Learning – March 2015
There is an abundance of wonderful Chinese learning blogs and articles on the Internet. Sometimes it is just impossible to filter through every single one. Don’t you wish you had…
Why Chinese Idioms Are a Waste of Time
A while back, I asked a Chinese teacher for a letter of recommendation, and received this email in response, written in English: I’ll be very glad to write one for…
Basic Verbs that are Different in Chinese and English
When I learned English, I always made some mistakes which known as ‘Chinglish’ where I would use English in a Chinese way. Now as a Chinese teacher, I know the…
Magikid Nian: Guaranteed Spring Festival Fun for kids
Hey everyone! 新春快乐！The Chinese New Year is upon us, bringing in the Year of the Goat and its time to celebrate with other Mandarin learners, including the little ones. Here…
Monthly Digest of Chinese Learning – Feb 2015
There is an abundance of wonderful Chinese learning blogs and articles on the Internet. Sometimes it is just impossible to filter through every single one. Don’t you wish you had…
All about Chinese New Year: taboos, wishes and magic words
Chinese New Year is a little early this year, I just can’t wait for this lovely holiday! If you’re curious what people do for this important festival, I have some…
Useful Phrases for Spring Festival Celebrations
春节 / Chūn jié (Spring Festival / Chinese New Year) is the most colorful, festive holiday on China’s calendar. There’s no sleeping through the thunder of firecrackers on Chinese New…
Preparations for Spring Festival
The Spring Festival is the most important festival for the Chinese people where all family members get together, just like Christmas in the West. All people living away from home…