tiffany，作者 OneDotDot Chinese

“Gradually” in Chinese – jiànjiàn

Posted on January 16, 2024January 16, 2024 by tiffany

Grammar Point:The Chinese word 漸漸渐渐 jiànjiàn means “gradually” or “little by little” in English. It is often used to describe a process or development that happens gradually, step by step, without sudden or abrupt changes. Structure Jiànjiàn + V or Adj 4 月yuè開始kāishǐ天氣tiānqì會huì漸漸jiànjiàn暖和nuǎnhuo起來qǐlái4 月yuè开始kāishǐ天气tiānqì会huì渐渐jiànjiàn暖和nuǎnhuo起来qǐláiThe weather will gradually become warmer starting from April. 孩子háizi們men都dōu漸漸jiànjiàn長大zhǎngdà了le，父母fùmǔ卻què漸漸jiànjiàn老lǎo了le孩子háizi们men都dōu渐渐jiànjiàn长大zhǎngdà了le，父母fùmǔ却què渐渐jiànjiàn老lǎo了leThe…

Using 有 yǒu to express existence

Posted on January 14, 2024March 28, 2025 by tiffany

Structure S + 有 yǒu + O This simple structure can express ownership. As Chinese does not have verb conjugation, it can be translated into English as have, has, or had. 我wǒ以前yǐqián有yǒu一yì隻zhī狗gǒu我wǒ以前yǐqián有yǒu一yì只zhī狗gǒuI had a dog before. 姊姊jiějie有yǒuiPhone 手機shǒujī姐姐jiějie有yǒuiPhone 手机shǒujīMy sister has an iPhone. 你nǐ有yǒu500 塊kuài錢qián嗎ma？你nǐ有yǒu500 块kuài钱qián吗ma？ Do you have $500? 你nǐ有yǒu空kòng嗎ma？你nǐ有yǒu空kòng吗ma？Do you have time?…

“Otherwise” in Chinese – 要不然 yàoburán

Posted on January 11, 2024January 11, 2024 by tiffany

Grammar Point:要不然 yàoburán is a Chinese term used to suggest an alternative or express a conditional scenario. It’s often translated as “otherwise” or “or else” in English. In conversational Chinese, it’s also common to hear native speakers say 不然 bùrán, 那不然 nà bùrán or 啊不然 a bùrán instead. Structure Condition + 要不然 + Result First, state a situation or…

在 zài as location of an Activity

Posted on January 8, 2024April 19, 2025 by tiffany

Grammar Point:Chinese indicates the existence of something in a particular place by adding the verb 在 zài. In this function, 在 zài can be translated as ‘be in’ or ‘be at’ in English. Structure S + 在 zài + location 我wǒ在zài家jiā我wǒ在zài家jiāI am at home. 老師lǎoshī在zài美國měiguó老师lǎoshī在zài美国měiguóThe teacher is in the U.S. 圖書館túshūguǎn在zài學校xuéxiào的de3 樓lóu图书馆túshūguǎn在zài学校xuéxiào的de3 楼lóuThe library is…

在 zài as location maker

Posted on January 5, 2024March 28, 2025 by tiffany

Grammar Point:The way Chinese expresses locations is by adding a preposition 在 zài and a locative word (Fāngwèi cí.) Here are some common locative words. 方位詞/方位词 Fāngwèi cí 上 shàng up, top, above 下 xià down, bottom, under 裡里 lǐ in 外 wài out 前 qián front 後后 hòu back, behind 左 zuǒ left 右…

HSK1 Reading Practice – Hēimāo Mīmī

Posted on January 3, 2024August 13, 2025 by tiffany

HSK1 Reading Practice Remember to use the menu at the top right of the article to switch between Traditional and Simplified Chinese. Vocabulary 貓咪māomī猫咪māomīkitty, cat 我wǒ有yǒu一yì隻zhī可愛kěài的de貓咪māomī我wǒ有yǒu一yì只zhǐ可爱kěài的de猫咪māomīI have a cute kitty. 花園huāyuán花园huāyuángarden 房子fángzi後面hòumiàn有yǒu一個yíge花園huāyuán房子fángzi后面hòumian有yǒu一个yíge花园huāyuánThere is a garden behind the house. 黑色hēisè黑色hēisèblack 他tā喜歡xǐhuān穿chuān黑色hēisè的de衣服yīfú他tā喜欢xǐhuan穿chuān黑色hēisè的de衣服yīfuHe likes to wear black clothes. 樹shù树shùtree 公園gōngyuán裡lǐ有yǒu很hěn多duō樹shù公园gōngyuán里lǐ有yǒu很hěn多duō树shùThere are many trees in the park. 生氣shēngqì生气shēngqìangry 她tā為什麼wèishénme生氣shēngqì她tā为什么wèishénme生气shēngqìWhy…

HSK2 Reading Practice – Who Is He

Posted on January 2, 2024August 26, 2025 by tiffany

HSK2 Reading Practice Remember to use the menu at the top right of the article to switch between Traditional and Simplified Chinese. Vocabulary 玩wán球qiú玩wán球qiúto play ball 他tā每天měitiān都dōu和hé朋友péngyǒu玩wán球qiú他tā每天měitiān都dōu和hé朋友péngyou玩wán球qiúHe plays ball with his friends every day. 滾gǔn滚gǔnto roll 球qiú從cóng地上dìshàng滾gǔn到dào我wǒ的de腳jiǎo邊biān球qiú从cóng地上dìshang滚gǔn到dào我wǒ的de脚jiǎo边bianThe ball rolled to my feet from the ground. 公園gōngyuán公园gōngyuánpark 我wǒ喜歡xǐhuān週末zhōumò去qù公園gōngyuán散步sànbù我wǒ喜欢xǐhuan周末zhōumò去qù公园gōngyuán散步sànbùI like to take a walk in the park…

HSK2 Reading Practice – I Love To Travel

Posted on January 2, 2024August 26, 2025 by tiffany

Reading Practice Remember to use the menu at the top right of the article to switch between Traditional and Simplified Chinese. Vocabulary 旅行lǚxíng旅行lǚxíngtravel 我wǒ想xiǎng去qù中國Zhōngguó旅行lǚxíng我wǒ想xiǎng去qù中国Zhōngguó旅行lǚxíngI want to travel to China. 年輕人niánqīngrén年轻人niánqīngrényoung person 那些nàxiē年輕人niánqīngrén在zài公園gōngyuán裡lǐ唱歌chànggē那些nàxiē年轻人niánqīngrén在zài公园gōngyuán里lǐ唱歌chànggēThose young people are singing in the park. 打算dǎsuàn打算dǎsuànplan, intend 我wǒ打算dǎsuàn明年míngnián學習xuéxí日文rìwén我wǒ打算dǎsuàn明年míngnián学习xuéxí日文rìwénI plan to study Japanese next year. 禮物lǐwù礼物lǐwùgift, present 我wǒ準備zhǔnbèi了le一個yíge禮物lǐwù給gěi你nǐ我wǒ准备zhǔnbèi了le一个yíge礼物lǐwù给gěi你nǐI prepared a gift for…

HSK2 Reading Practice – Let’s go to the Zoo

Posted on January 1, 2024August 19, 2025 by tiffany

HSK2 Reading Practice Remember to use the menu at the top right of the article to switch between Traditional and Simplified Chinese. Vocabulary 動物園dòngwùyuán动物园dòngwùyuánzoo 昨天zuótiān我們wǒmen去qù動物園dòngwùyuán看kàn熊貓xióngmāo昨天zuótiān我们wǒmen去qù动物园dòngwùyuán看kàn熊猫xióngmāoYesterday we went to the zoo to see pandas. 期待qídài期待qīdàito look forward to 他tā很hěn期待qídài明天míngtiān的de生日shēngrì派對pàiduì他tā很hěn期待qīdài明天míngtiān的de生日shēngrì派对pàiduìHe is looking forward to tomorrow’s birthday party. 背包bēibāo背包bēibāobackpack 她tā每天měitiān背bēi著zhe背包bēibāo去qù上學shàngxué她tā每天měitiān背bēi着zhe背包bēibāo去qù上学shàngxuéShe carries a backpack to school every day. 褲子kùzi裤子kùzipants…

In total – 共 gòng

Posted on December 30, 2023January 2, 2024 by tiffany

Grammar Point:The term 共 gòng in Chinese often translates to “altogether” or “in total.” It’s often paired with a numeral or a quantity to represent the entirety of something. Structure 共 gòng + (V) + Numeral or Quantity In daily conversation, it is more common to say 一共 yígòng. 共gòng有yǒu三十sānshí人rén出席chūxí會議huìyì共gòng有yǒu三十sānshí人rén出席chūxí会议huìyìA total of thirty people attended…