A lot of people will be familiar with the number 8 being a lucky number for Chinese. 8 is pronounced bā which sounds similar to the word fā as in fā cái or emit wealth. And people are really serious about using the number 8. For example, the Beijing Olympics started on august 8th 2008 at […]
If you have ever been to a Chinese restaurant, you will know they normally serve tea with the meal, and Chinese people have a special way of thanking the waiter for tea, placing two fingers on the table. Here is the story behind this tradition…. Emperor Qianlong from the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911) loved […]
A young man from the southern city of Shenzhen in China, has spent 1 million Chinese yuan on plastic surgery to make himself look like Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba group – kind of like the Chinese Amazon dot com. The strange thing about it is that Jack Ma is not exactly known […]
Everyone loves Chinese dumplings, but did you know there are several different ways to cook them? You can steam them or boil them for that classic soft feel or pan sauté them for a more crispy outer shell. See the video for an explanation of the different cooking methods, and here is the vocabulary in […]
Now in Chinese you can basically take any character you like, perhaps combine it with another character and make a name. But some Chinese people don’t realise that in English, there are names and then there are words, and those words can’t really become names just because you say so. This guy from Taiwan certainly […]
The term “Chinglish” has come to be associated with the grammatically incorrect English spoken or written by many Chinese people. There was even a Broadway show by the same name focusing on the interaction between Chinese and English speakers. These mistakes sometimes produce hilarious results. Some of the funniest ones are signs that have been […]
n this video Ben, a white guy speaking Chinese, introduces an internet craze that swept across China in late 2012. Inspired by Gangnam style, plus the first successful landing on China’s new aircraft carrier, Chinese netizens created Hangmu style AKA Aircraft Carrier Style. This was originally recorded for New Tang Dynasty Television’s new year’s eve […]
In this episode Ben takes you through the essential Mandarin Chinese vocabulary for the end of the world, which according to the Mayan prophecy will happen on Dec 21st, 2012! More on Switzerland’s Nuclear bunkers: http://www.thecasualtruth.com/story/s…
In this episode Ben is joined by Cici Li, host of Food Paradise, to go over some essential Mandarin Chinese vocabulary for ordering food in Chinese restaurants. Ben and Cici order Kung Pao Chicken and Mapo Toufu, two classic Chinese dishes from Sichuan province. Be sure to check out Cici’s channel on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/foodparad… Learn […]
Chinese state run media are tricked by The Onion into thinking North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was named the sexiest man alive. Onion article: http://e.ntd.tv/TloKwF China Daily Article (may get removed): http://e.ntd.tv/SoXAbt Learn Chinese on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LearnChineseNow Script 誰是世界上最性感男人？ Who is the sexiest man in the world? Well, there are a few contenders. But, […]
In this video we teach you how tell people you can speak some Chinese, and how to ask if people speak English. Here is the vocabulary: 你會說中文嗎？ Nǐ huì shuō zhōngwén ma? Can you speak Chinese/ 會 huì can 我會說一點 Wǒ huì shuō yīdiǎn I can speak a little 你會說英文嗎？ Nǐ huì shuō yīngwén ma? […]
In this video we show you how to use your Mandarin Chinese to order drinks at a bar in China. New Vocabulary: 酒吧 Jiǔbā – a Bar 你要喝甚麼？ － Nǐ yào hē shénme? – What do you want to drink? 一杯 － Yībēi – One cup (of)… 兩杯 – Liǎngbēi – Two cups (of)… 三杯 […]
In this episode we learn how to ask “What sports do you like?” and how to reply, in Mandarin Chinese. Vocabulary 你喜歡甚麼運動？ Nǐ xǐhuān shénme yùndòng? What sports do you like? 我喜歡… Wǒ xǐhuān… I like… 籃球 Lán qíu Basketball 足球 Zú qíu Soccer/football 網球 Wǎng qíu Tennis 乒乓球 Pīngpāng qíu Ping Pong 橄欖球 Gǎnlǎn […]
In this episode Ben introduces the 4-character saying Ye Gong Hao Long or Lord Ye Fond of Dragons. This ancient saying dates beck to China’s Spring and Autumn Period over 2000 years ago, yet can be used in modern situations when speaking Mandarin Chinese.
