Category: Vocabulary

背影殺手

Rear View Assassin – Fun Chinese Slang

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I thought for ages before deciding on a title for this post, no matter what I came up with they all seemed, well, wrong. This just seems to be one of those phrases that is difficult to express succinctly in … Continue reading

How to say Super in Chinese - and when hen3 just won't cut it

How to say Super in Chinese – and when hen3 just won’t cut it

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The first time I heard 超(chāo)”super” used to emphasise a statement I was in a curry house in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, when one of the delivery people came back into the restaurant from outside and said 外面超冷(wài miàn chāo lěng), which … Continue reading

Examples of mouth/entrance in Chinese

Find your way around Entrances and Exits in Chinese

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When you think of the Chinese character 口(kǒu)you’ll no doubt think of “mouth”, though 口 is also used as a general word to represent openings. The image below shows three examples of how 口 can be used to represent an … Continue reading

Taiwanese Postboxes

How to say “Mailbox” and Related Vocabulary in Chinese

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Depending on where you are in the (English speaking) world, the box outside your house or apartment for receiving letters might be known as a mailbox or letterbox, and the Chinese equivalent is just as simple: 信箱 Pinyin: xìn xiāng … Continue reading

漏馬腳

To expose a horse’s leg – Fun Chinese Sayings

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This has to be up there with some of the most fun Chinese sayings – it stands out in a sentence, and will cause some puzzled reactions if you use it among people who’ve never heard it. 露出馬腳(露出马脚) Pinyin: lòu … Continue reading

烏鴉嘴

Shut Your Crow’s Beak – Essential Chinese Vocabulary

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Here’s an interesting phrase that I came across the other day while talking with a friend. I had mentioned that the transfer time for their flight might not be enough, and if there were to be a delay they would … Continue reading

但...卻...

But 但 and but 卻 – Essential Chinese Vocabulary

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When learning new words it’s often good to compare them to other similar words in order to extract the subtle meanings of each and the ways in which they can be used. As your Chinese improves, using the right word … Continue reading

I can't move, let alone play ball!

Let Alone… Essential Chinese Vocabulary

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Here’s an extremely useful, yet extremely easy saying to understand. This is perfect for when you want to emphasise that something is impossible by comparing it to something that is easier, yet equally impossible. It is exactly the same as … Continue reading

Subway Cookies

Choosing a cookie at Subway or “How to select items from a grid”

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The following is a guest post by reader Dave Vallance, ‘Software QM by day, Chinese student, amateur musician and closet Baileys drinker by night.‘ As good as the food in Asia can be, there are just those times when you … Continue reading

The five ways to say "no" in Chinese

The Five Ways To Say “No” in Chinese

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Yes, you read the title of this post correctly. There are no less than five ways to say “no” in Mandarin. Though naturally the meanings all vary slightly, as does the situations and places you might use or see each … Continue reading