我wǒ要yào1 碗wǎn______ 我wǒ要yào1 碗wǎn______ I’d like a (bowl of) ____________ Dialogue 服務生fúwùshēng： 歡迎huānyíng光臨guānglín， 請問qǐngwèn幾jǐ位wèi？服务员fúwùyuán： 欢迎huānyíng光临guānglín， 请问qǐngwèn几jǐ位wèi？Waiter: Welcome! How many in your party? 我wǒ： 兩liǎng位wèi我wǒ： 两liǎng位wèiI: Two. 服務生fúwùshēng： 來lái， 這邊zhèbiān請qǐng服务员fúwùyuán： 来lái， 这边zhèbiān请qǐngWaiter: This way, please! ___________________________ 服務生fúwùshēng： 準備zhǔnbèi好hǎo要yào點餐diǎncān了le嗎ma？服务员fúwùyuán： 两liǎng位wèi想xiǎng吃chī点儿diǎnr什么shénme？Waiter: Are you ready to order? 我wǒ： 我wǒ要yào兩碗liǎngwǎn紅燒hóngshāo牛肉麵niúròumiàn我wǒ： 我wǒ要yào两碗liǎngwǎn红烧hóngshāo牛肉面niúròumiànI: I’d like two braised beef noodle, please. 服務生fúwùshēng： 好的hǎode， 還hái需要xūyào什麼shénme嗎ma？服务员fúwùyuán： 好的hǎode， 还hái要yào别的biéde吗ma？Waiter: Sure! Anything else? 我wǒ： 不用búyòng了le， 謝謝xièxie！我wǒ： 不用búyòng了le， 谢谢xièxie！I: No, thanks. Simplified (China) Traditional (Taiwan)…
Category: HSK 2
Location Words in Chinese
Chinese Vocabulary · 中文詞彙中文词汇 Location Words in Chinese 地點詞彙地点词汇 dìdiǎn cíhuì Before we get into the vocab, two words are worth explaining first. 公寓 (gōngyù) in Chinese usually means a low-rise building without an elevator — it gets translated as “apartment,” but the two aren’t really the same thing. The other word is 鄉下乡下 (xiāngxia):…
Nature and Animal Words in Chinese
Chinese Vocabulary · 中文詞彙中文词汇 Nature and Animal Words in Chinese 自然與動物詞彙自然与动物词汇 zìrán yǔ dòngwù cíhuì Before we get into the vocab, a fun fact: in Taiwan, if you see “yáng” on a restaurant menu, it usually means goat, not sheep. I’m not really a goat or lamb person myself, but there’s one dish I make…
20 Essential Chinese Word for Business
職职 OneDotDot Chinese · Vocabulary 20 Essential Chinese Words for Business 職場zhíchǎng中文zhōngwén詞彙cíhuì职场zhíchǎng中文zhōngwén词汇cíhuì A working vocabulary for the Chinese-speaking office: the basics of clocking in and out, running meetings, giving reports, office titles, and taking leave. Where Taiwan and mainland China genuinely use different words — not just different characters — both versions are given. Tap…
Food and Color Words in Chinese
Chinese Vocabulary · 中文詞彙中文词汇 Food and Color Words in Chinese 食物與顏色詞彙食物与颜色词汇 shíwù yǔ yánsè cíhuì Before we get into the vocab, one word is worth explaining first: 餅乾饼干 (bǐnggān). It gets translated as “cookie,” “biscuit,” “cracker,” “wafer” — basically any small, dry, flour-based snack falls under this one word. 餅饼 (bǐng) means something shaped like…
Direction Words in Chinese
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) —…
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…
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…
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,…