Chinese Vocabulary · 中文詞彙中文词汇 Direction Words in Chinese 方向詞彙方向词汇 fāngxiàng cíhuì Before we get into the vocab, here’s a small but useful thing to know: there are two different words people use for “turn.” Southerners in China tend to say 拐 (guǎi), while northerners say 轉转 (zhuǎn). In Taiwan, we also say 轉转 (zhuǎn) —…
Author: tiffany
Synonyms of “Relieved” in Chinese
安心 · 放心 — 近義詞辨析 Similar words 安心 ānxīn · 放心 fàngxīn Two ways to say “at ease” or “relieved” in Mandarin — and the subtle difference in what’s putting your mind at rest. Both 安心 ānxīn and 放心 fàngxīn indicate a sense of peace or ease, but they have slightly different nuances and grammar….
Chinese sentence structure
A field guide for learners Chinese Sentence Structure Chinese has more than one correct way to build a sentence — and knowing which one to reach for often matters more than knowing the grammar rules themselves. The default order The Most Common Sentence Order Time + Subject + How + Direction + Location + Action…
能, 會/会,可以 (néng, huì, kěyǐ)
能 · 會 · 可以 — 近義詞辨析 Similar words 能 néng ·會会 huì ·可以 kěyǐ Three Chinese verbs for one English word — “can.” Here is how to pick the right one every time. In English, “can” covers ability, skills, and permission. In Mandarin, these are split across three distinct verbs: 能 néng for physical…
Location and Appliance Words in Chinese
Chinese Vocabulary · 中文詞彙中文词汇 Location and Appliance Words in Chinese 地點與家電詞彙地点与家电词汇 dìdiǎn yǔ jiādiàn cíhuì Quick stat before we get into the vocab: over 33% of Taiwanese adults over 20 still live with their parents, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Interior — and about a million of those between 35 and 54 are even married…
Synonyms of “Power” in Chinese
力氣 · 力量 · 政權 · 權力 · 勢力 · 動力 · 電力 — 近義詞辨析 Similar words 7 Ways to Say “Power” in Chinese Seven ways to say “power” in Mandarin — from raw physical strength to electricity. 力氣力气 lìqì and 力量 lìliàng can both be translated as “power,” “strength,” “force,” or “energy” — both…
Location Words in Chinese I
Chinese Vocabulary · 中文詞彙中文词汇 Location Words in Chinese I 地點詞彙地点词汇 dìdiǎn cíhuì Before we get into the vocab, a story from my first year of teaching, back when I didn’t know much about how things worked in China. A student asked me, “Tiffany, I’m going to Kenting next month to relax — do you know…
Synonyms of “Strong” in Chinese
強壯 · 強 · 重 · 濃 — 近義詞辨析 Similar words 強壯强壮 qiángzhuàng · 強强 qiáng · 重 zhòng · 濃浓 nóng Four ways to say “strong” in Mandarin — from physical strength to a bold, concentrated taste. 強强 qiáng and 強壯强壮 qiángzhuàng both can be translated as “strong,” and both serve as adjectives. So…
Occupation Words in Chinese
Chinese Vocabulary · 中文詞彙中文词汇 Occupation and Identity Words in Chinese 職業與身份詞彙职业与身份词汇 zhíyè yǔ shēnfèn cíhuì Quick heads-up before we get into the vocab, because this one can actually get you in trouble: in Taiwan, calling a woman you don’t know — or a waitress — “xiǎojiě” is totally normal and polite. Try that in China,…
Synonym of Times in Chinese
次 · 遍 · 場 · 趟 · 頓 · 回 — 近義詞辨析 Similar words 6 Ways to Say “Times” in Chinese English mostly relies on one word, “time(s)” — Mandarin splits the idea across six different measure words. There are several different measure words that can be translated into “time” in Mandarin Chinese: 次…