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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Here’s a fun saying that you can learn to help you tell people to “leave you alone”, well, more like “get lost!”. You wouldn’t want to say it a friend, unless you were using it jokingly, but once you’ve learnt … Continue reading
This is a really fun Chinese saying that also has an interesting back story to go with it. Read on to find out how on earth ‘fried squid’ came to represent being fired or sacked from a job in Chinese. … Continue reading
You may have noticed that in Chinese there are two ways to describe wearing or putting on clothes or accessories. At first it might be confusing which word should be used at which time, but there’s actually a very easy … Continue reading
