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Taiwanese Mandarin Starter Kit
Taiwanese Mandarin (台灣國語, Táiwān Guóyǔ) is a fascinating mélange of many disparate elements from Hokkien to Haka, Japanese to English, and Standard Mandarin to ancient Austronesian languages. On my...
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Learn Chinese With Classic China Crosstalk
Ever thought comedy could hone your language skills? If not, then think again. One of our editors here at TWOC was once involved in the expat comedy scene: “I’d say half the Chinese people who show up...
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Tianjinhua
Much maligned and often thought of as a bit 土, or “rustic”, compared to its neighbor Beijing, the city of Tianjin is nonetheless one of China’s most important cities. Along with Shanghai, Chongqing,...
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Chinese People Share Embarrassing Stories of Foreigners Who Understand Chinese
Expats may enjoy each day in China as an "adventure" waiting to happen, but have you considered that Chinese have stories of their own about their "adventures" with foreigners? Guangzhou Daily shares...
View ArticleTop 10 Chinese Vocabulary Words for the Ghost Month
10 useful vocabulary words related to the Chinese traditional holiday 鬼月(guĭ yuè), the ghost month, more »Languageghost monthholidaychinese festivals
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Dead and alive: metaphors for (dis)obeying the law
Language Log takes an in depth look at the McDonald's expired meat scandal. "The rules are dead, and people are alive, that's simple," one meat plant worker said. "Dead rules and alive people" is...
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20 Most Awkward Chinese-English Translation Fails
China is developing rapidly; it seems that everyone wants to say: I am proud of it! 10 years ago when a foreigner walks on the street, pedestrians would rush to ask for a photo with him/her, but now f...
View Article15 Useful Chinese Travel Phrases Every Traveler Should Learn
Are you traveling to China? Here are 15 useful Chinese travel phrases you should know! more »Languagetravel phraseschinese languagetravel vocabulary
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American Ebola doctor's first public statement translated into Chinese
Chinese translation of the statement written from an Emory isolation ward by missionary doctor and Ebola patient Kent Brantly. Plus Ebola-related links (Chinese and English). more »Languagelearning...
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The "Ghost" in Chinese Language
In light of Halloween, we want to introduce you to some fun vocabulary containing the character 鬼 (guǐ, ”ghost”). The word “ghost” in English mainly refers to the apparition of a dead person, or is...
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Duck! A Story of Broken Hearts and Broken Bowls
“Hao! Excellent!” Ling Menchu’s friends exclaimed when they finished his book. The stories were so good that the readers slapped their palms against the table in excitement. Thus, this book and another...
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Decoding the toughest Chinese characters
Chinese is an ancient language. Rare and variant characters have survived in obscurity for hundreds of years, even as the language evolved around them. Today we’ll take a look at one of the strangest...
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How to choose a Chinese Name
Foreigners using Chinese names is a custom dating back to the Tang Dynasty. We do it for the same reasons some Chinese use English names overseas - they're easier for locals to pronounce and facilitate...
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4 Direct Approaches to Jump Start Your Mandarin
Why do things the hard way if you don't need to? Learning a language is not a one size fits all endeavor. For this reason, we suggest selecting a study method and focusing your energy towards your...
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Ten suprisingly simple weird characters
Last week we brought you some of the most obscure, complex characters in Chinese. This week we’re taking things in a different direction, and showing some of the most unusual simple characters. Some of...
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Mastering the Fine Art of Compliment Dodging
No matter your Mandarin speaking level - beginner, expert or somewhere in between - be prepared to be over-praised. As you progress with your language studies, you're going to face an inordinate number...
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Diplomat Dialect
In a press conference in 1963, Western journalists asked what weapon hit a U-2 reconnaissance aircraft from Taiwan, and Chen Yi, the then foreign minister, replied, “We poked at it with bamboo sticks.”...
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Xie Hou Yu - A Chinese "Game of Riddles"
Xiē hòu yǔ 歇后语 is a two-part enigmatic folk simile, that starts off with a basic statement and finishes with a twist. They are humorous and witty sayings from a variety of sources: Chinese mythologies,...
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Five tips to improve your Chinese handwriting
Hand-writing characters is often considered one of the most difficult parts of learning Chinese, even to native speakers. While many lament the slow death of calligraphy at the hands of pinyin input...
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Challenge Yourself With This Lively Chinese Language Tongue Twister
Some of our linguistically inclined Cantonese friends wouldn’t let us publish China Simplified: Language Gymnastics without including this beloved Cantonese tongue twister. The Cantonese recording...
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