ni hao = hello

静夜思 - 李白 (701—762年)

2009-12-13T03:50:00.000-08:00

chuáng qián míng yuè guāng
床前明月光，

yí shì dì shang shuāng
疑是地上霜。

jŭ tóu wàng míng yuè

举头望明月，

dī tóu sī gù xiāng

低头思故乡。

Jingle Bells in Chinese 铃儿响叮当

2009-12-10T03:34:00.000-08:00

铃儿响叮当

一鸟在手胜过双鸟在林。 A bird in the hand is worth than two in the bush.

2009-12-09T03:28:00.000-08:00

These slides are for upper intermediate level. The first part is an example of the lesson about the words that can possibly be formed from the basic word 'bird' 鸟. The second part is about the proverb 一鸟在手胜过双鸟在林 which means 'A bird in the hand is worth than two in the bush.' in English :)

一鸟在手胜过双鸟在林。
A bird in the hand is worth than two in the bush means it is better to have a small actual advantage than the chance of a greater one.

Beginner Online Chinese, SKYPE

2009-12-08T02:39:00.000-08:00

Beginner Lesson This sample lesson is about the character 'Small'. Besides allowing beginners to learn chinese visually. yet when the lesson slides are combined with SKYPE, our tutor can show you the correct pronunciation and the common usage of this word. Learning the chinese strokes, pin yin, Radicals (Bushou=部首), variants and number of strokes.

dumplings

2009-12-07T14:56:00.001-08:00

How to make Chinese Dumplings (Video)

2009-12-07T14:33:00.001-08:00

鼎泰豐鮮蝦蒸餃 (juicy steamed shrimp dumpling)
Photo credit: i'm Jac

Filling:
1 cup ground pork or beef
1 TB soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1 TB Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, or to taste
3 TB sesame oil
1/2 green onion, finely minced
1 1/2 cups finely shredded Napa cabbage
4 tablespoons shredded bamboo shoots
2 slices fresh ginger, finely minced
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced

囍 Double Happiness shuāngxǐ 囍

2009-12-06T07:39:00.000-08:00

囍
shuāngxǐ
This character composed of two Chinese characters 喜 xǐ which means 'joy' in English. The shuāngxǐ often appears on decorative items associated with Chinese New Year celebrations and weddings. All over the wedding ceremony, as well as on gift items given to the bride and groom. The color of the character is usually red.

Christmas

2009-12-05T06:38:00.000-08:00

朝三暮四 Three at Dawn and Four at Dusk

2009-12-04T05:28:00.000-08:00

朝三暮四
zhāo sān mù sì

Three at Dawn and Four at Dusk
In the state of Song there was a man who kept monkeys. He was very fond of monkeys and kept a large number of them. He could understand the monkeys and they could also understand him. He reduced the amount of food for his own family in order to satisfy the monkey's demands. After a while his family did not have enough to eat, so he wanted to limit he food for the monkeys. But he was afraid that the monkeys would not submit to him. Before doing that he first played a trick on them, "If I give you three chestnuts in the morning and four in the evening, would that be enough?" he asked the monkeys. All the monkeys rose up in a fury. After a short time he said, "If I give you four chestnuts in the morning and three in the evening, would that be enough?" All the monkeys lay on the floor, very happy with this proposal.

Here's another about 朝三暮四 This is the fable tells us that it should be good to see through the essence of the phenomenon, because no matter how many kinds of forms, in essence, there is only one. After "朝三暮四" has become an idiom, it metaphor the vagaries of human behavior.

Spring Festival 春节 - Chinese New Year 农历新年

2009-12-03T05:06:00.000-08:00

The Chinese believe the heart of the family resides in the kitchen. So certain food are eaten during this special time of celebration. It is a time for feasting, family reunions and fun!

Each year, Asians throughout the world spend weeks preparing for the 15-days of celebration, officially called the Spring Festival. Chinese New Year (CNY) is a time for families. Before this day, weeks will be spent on cleaning the house in order to usher in the new year. Activities from painting of the interiors, doors, throwing away spoilt or broken or old stuffs.

Eating of special foods prepared or cooked before this day follows. The celebration lasted for a full 15 days. They eat food of symbolic significance and such festive foods range from mandarin oranges, harmony trays filled with lychee and nuts and other snacks to symbolize good fortune. Fish is the other 'lucky food' which is enjoyed the night before Chinese New Year.

In 2010, the CNY will be celebrated on the 14th February 2010. This day marks the first day of the first Chinese lunar month. Coincidentally, the western valentines' day is also on this day!

10 Special CNY Food and its symbolism:
1. Serve the chicken whole = Family togetherness.
A proper beginning and end to the year and a wholeness of life on earth

2. Serve Noodles = A long life (it's bad luck to cut them)

3. Lettuce = Rising Fortune
The Cantonese word for lettuce sounds like rising fortune,(Cantonese word for lettuce saang choi, sounds like plentiful wealth). Hence, it is good to serve a lettuce wrap filled with other lucky food.

4. Serve Clams and Oysters = Wealth
The opening of the shell represents a fresh beginning for the new year. It resembles bouillon, the ancient coins

5. Mushrooms = Prosperity
They grow quickly.

6. Shrimp = Happiness
The Cantonese word for shrimp is "ha," which sounds like the word for laughter, so it represents happiness.

7. Serve Spring Rolls = Wealth
They resembles Gold Bars

8. Luck, Wealth, Abundance
Tangerines = LUCK
Oranges = WEALTH
Pomelos (Grapefruit)
The Chinese word for Pomelo = 'to have' which makes this fruit signifies ABUNDANCE

9. Fish = Wish & Abundance
The word for fish, "Yu," sounds like the words both for wish and abundance.
On New Year's Eve it is customary to serve a fish at the end of the evening meal, symbolizing a wish for abundance in the coming year. For added symbolism, the fish is served whole, with head and tail attached, symbolizing a good beginning and ending for the coming year.

10. Sweet, steamed cakes, Sticky Rice Cake = Rich, Sweet Life, Rising Abundance
Sweetness symbolizes a rich, sweet life, while the layers symbolize rising abundance for the coming year.
The round shape signifies family reunion.

How the food sounds matters :)
Foods that are avoided:
Melon — The word for melon is "gua," which sounds like death (in cantonese)
Tofu — The "fu" rhymes with negativity.

礼多人不怪 lǐ duō rén bù guài

2009-12-03T03:43:00.000-08:00

礼多人不怪
lǐ duō rén bù guài

对人多行礼仪，人不会怪罪。
Courtesy costs nothing.
All doors are open to courtesy.

Yue Fei - 岳飞 Mǎn Jīang Hóng, 满江红

2009-12-02T03:03:00.000-08:00

Yue Fei (March 24, 1103 – January 27, 1142) was a famous Chinese patriot and military general who fought for the Southern Song Dynasty against the Jurchen armies of the Jin Dynasty. Since his death, Yue Fei has evolved into the standard model of loyalty in the culture of China.

Mǎn Jīang Hóng, 满江红

怒发冲冠，
凭栏处、
潇潇雨歇。
抬望眼，
仰天长啸，
壮怀激烈。
三十功名尘与土，
八千里路云和月。
莫等闲、
白了少年头，
空悲切。

靖康耻，
犹未雪；
臣子恨、
何时灭?
驾长车、
踏破贺兰山缺。
壮士饥餐胡虏肉，
笑谈渴饮匈奴血。
待从头、
收拾旧山河，
朝天阙。

The pinyin for 满江红:-

nù fā chōng guān píng lán chŭ

xiāo xiāo yŭ xiē。

tái wàng yăn

yăng tiān cháng xiào

zhuàng huái jī liè。

sān shí gōng míng chén yú tŭ

bā qiān lĭ lù Yún hé yuè。

Mò dĕng xián

bái le shào nián tóu

kōng bēi qiè。

jìng kāng chĭ

yóu wèi xuĕ

chén zĭ hèn

hé shí miè

jià cháng chē

tà pò Hè lán shān quē

zhuàng shì jī cān hú lŭ ròu

xiào tán kĕ yĭn Xiōng nú xuè。

dāi cóng tóu

shōu shi jiù shān hé

Cháo tiān quē。

二胡 èrhú

2009-12-01T15:26:00.000-08:00

The erhu (二胡; èrhú), also called nanhu (南胡, "southern fiddle"), or "Chinese two-string fiddle," is a two-stringed bowed musical instrument, used as a solo instrument as well as in small ensembles and large orchestras. It is the most popular instrument in the huqin (胡琴) family of Chinese bowed string instruments, together with the zhonghu (中胡), gaohu (高胡), banhu (板胡), jinghu (京胡), sihu (四胡).

Here's how it sounds like:

LADY GENERAL HUA MULAN 花木兰 (1964)

2009-12-01T02:57:00.000-08:00

Hua Mulan is a heroine who joined an all-male army, described in a famous Chinese poem known as the Ballad of Mulan. The poem was first written in the Musical Records of Old and New from the 6th century, the century before the founding of the Tang Dynasty.

This is an opera musical version with English subtitles.

Interesting Blogs about China

2009-11-28T15:07:00.000-08:00

1. Beijing Notebook is by a German living in Beijing

2. Chinafinds was created by a married couple, who has lived in multiple locations around the world including Asia/China, Europe and the US. They share some of their experiences and advice about traveling and living abroad.

3. my nanning guangxi china journal is an ANECDOTES, EXPERIENCES, THOUGHTS & GRIPES FROM A NEAR 60 YEAR OLD BRITISH EX-PAT LIVING IN NANNING CHINA.

Chinese Lessons for Children

2009-11-28T10:41:00.000-08:00

Spurred by the economy of China, the Chinese language is becoming an increasingly popular language to be learned by many around the world. The developing and influential market economy has dubbed Chinese language as 'the language of the future'.

China is the third largest economy in the world after the U.S. and Japan with a nominal GDP of US$4.4 trillion (2008) when measured in exchange-rate terms. It is the second largest in the world after that of the United States with a GDP of $7.8 trillion (2008) when measured on a purchasing power parity (PPP) basis. China has had the fastest-growing major economy for the past 30 years with an average annual GDP growth rate above 10%.

For parents, one of your best investment in securing your children's future is providing them with an opportunity to learn the Chinese language at an early age. Not only does it help to lay a foundation, our chinese program for children develop their communicative competence while they are having fun in the process.

Travelling to China - Visa matters

2009-11-26T14:47:00.000-08:00

In order to travel to China, you need to file a type "L" visa application at the Chinese embassy in your country of origin. You can request an “L” visa to visit your family or your friends, for tourism or other private purpose in China.

To apply for a tourist visa, the required documents checklist includes: a passport valid 6 months after return date, a visa application form duly completed, a passport-sized photo, a letter of invitation from your family or friends in China and your return plane ticket. Fees apply.

Useful link to Visa application: http://www.bjgaj.gov.cn/eng

Promotion - NihaoHello KickSTART Course

2009-11-24T04:43:00.000-08:00

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Learning Mandarin Chinese can be fun! Contact us

Simply Select Online Payment for Program (in EUROs)

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You can learn what is most important to you. We'll put together a program that meets your requirements.
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You can ask for custom-made learning plans, which are not always available for bigger groups.
Before committing to any agreement, we'll help you with advice and a free placement evaluation to make the best choice.

《长恨歌》白居易

2009-11-21T05:36:00.000-08:00

四大美人- 杨玉环，杨贵妃，Four Beauties

2009-11-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

杨玉环＝杨贵妃

Consort Yang was known for being slightly overweight, which was a much sought-after quality at the time. Misinterpretation of quotes describing this in the West has often led to her being described as "obese".

The term "obese", when used to describe Yang Guifei, must not be viewed in its modern context of someone who is extremely overweight. She was often compared and contrasted with Empress Zhao Feiyan, the beautiful wife of Emperor Cheng of Han, because Consort Yang was known for her full build while Empress Zhao was known for her slender build. This led to the Four-character idiom， 燕瘦环肥; pinyin: yàn shòu huán féi， describing the range of the types of beauties.

Lychee was a favorite fruit for Yang, and the emperor had the fruit, which was only grown in southern China, delivered by the imperial messenger service's fast horses, whose riders would take shifts day and night in a Pony Express-like manner, to the capital. (Most historians believe the fruits were delivered from modern Guangdong, but some believe they came from modern Sichuan.)
Consort Yang was also granted use of the Huaqing Pool which had been the exclusive private pool of previous Tang Emperors.

In the following generation, a long poem, "Song of the Everlasting Sorrow" (长恨歌), was written by the poet Bai Juyi describing the Emperor's love for her and perpetual grief at her loss. It became an instant classic, known to and memorized by Chinese schoolchildren far into posterity. The story of Yang Guifei and the poem also became highly popular in Japan and served as sources of inspiration for the classical novel "The Tale of Genji" which begins with the doomed love between an emperor and a consort, Kiritsubo, who is likened to Consort Yang.

A Japanese rumour grew up, telling that Lady Yang had been rescued, escaped to Japan and lived her remaining life there. In Japanese, she is known as Yōkihi.

汉皇重色思倾国，御宇多年求不得。
杨家有女初长成，养在深闺人未识。
天生丽质难自弃，一朝选在君王侧。
回眸一笑百媚生，六宫粉黛无颜色。
春寒赐浴华清池，温泉水滑洗凝脂。
侍儿扶起娇无力，始是新承恩泽时。
云鬓花颜金步摇，芙蓉帐暖度春宵。
春宵苦短日高起，从此君王不早朝。
承欢侍宴无闲暇，春从春游夜专夜。
后宫佳丽三千人，三千宠爱在一身。
金屋妆成娇侍夜，玉楼宴罢醉和春。
姊妹弟兄皆列土，可怜光彩生门户。
遂令天下父母心，不重生男重生女。
骊宫高处入青云，仙乐风飘处处闻。
缓歌慢舞凝丝竹，尽日君王看不足。
渔阳鼙鼓动地来，惊破霓裳羽衣曲。
九重城阙烟尘生，千乘万骑西南行。
翠华摇摇行复止，西出都门百余里。
六军不发无奈何，宛转蛾眉马前死。
花钿委地无人收，翠翘金雀玉搔头。
君王掩面救不得，回看血泪相和流。
黄埃散漫风萧索，云栈萦纡登剑阁。
峨嵋山下少人行，旌旗无光日色薄。
蜀江水碧蜀山青，圣主朝朝暮暮情。
行宫见月伤心色，夜雨闻铃肠断声。
天旋日转回龙驭，到此踌躇不能去。
马嵬坡下泥土中，不见玉颜空死处。
君臣相顾尽霑衣，东望都门信马归。
归来池苑皆依旧，太液芙蓉未央柳。
芙蓉如面柳如眉，对此如何不泪垂。
春风桃李花开夜，秋雨梧桐叶落时。
西宫南苑多秋草，宫叶满阶红不扫。
梨园弟子白发新，椒房阿监青娥老。
夕殿萤飞思悄然，孤灯挑尽未成眠。
迟迟钟鼓初长夜，耿耿星河欲曙天。
鸳鸯瓦冷霜华重，翡翠衾寒谁与共。
悠悠生死别经年，魂魄不曾来入梦。
临邛道士鸿都客，能以精诚致魂魄。
为感君王辗转思，遂教方士殷勤觅。
排空驭气奔如电，升天入地求之遍。
上穷碧落下黄泉，两处茫茫皆不见。
忽闻海上有仙山，山在虚无缥缈间。
楼阁玲珑五云起，其中绰约多仙子。
中有一人字太真，雪肤花貌参差是。
金阙西厢叩玉扃，转教小玉报双成。
闻道汉家天子使，九华帐里梦魂惊。
揽衣推枕起裴回，珠箔银屏逦迤开。
云鬓半偏新睡觉，花冠不整下堂来。
风吹仙袂飘飖举，犹似霓裳羽衣舞。
玉容寂寞泪阑干，梨花一枝春带雨。
含情凝睇谢君王，一别音容两渺茫。
昭阳殿里恩爱绝，蓬莱宫中日月长。
回头下望人寰处，不见长安见尘雾。
唯将旧物表深情，钿合金钗寄将去。
钗留一股合一扇，钗擘黄金合分钿。
但教心似金钿坚，天上人间会相见。
临别殷勤重寄词，词中有誓两心知。
七月七日长生殿，夜半无人私语时。
在天愿作比翼鸟，在地愿为连理枝。
天长地久有时尽，此恨绵绵无绝期。

长恨歌 作者：白居易

四大美人-貂蝉 Four Beauties

2009-11-19T04:51:00.000-08:00

貂蝉

According to the novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Diao Chan assisted the official Wang Yun in a plot to persuade the warrior Lü Bu to kill his adopted father, the tyrannical warlord Dong Zhuo. She did this by becoming Dong Zhuo's concubine but also Lü Bu's betrothed, then manipulating the two through their jealousy and her charm. Dong Zhuo's tactician, Li Ru, saw that the dancing girl was driving both the lord and the warrior mad, so he proposed that Dong Zhuo give Diao Chan to Lü Bu instead of fighting over her. Upon hearing this he threatened Li Ru with death and stated that no warrior was worth what Diao Chan was to him. Diao Chan had Lü Bu wrapped around her finger.

She told him that being with Dong Zhuo made her unhappy and wished to only be with him. Lü Bu was outraged and went to Wang Yun to plot Dong Zhuo's death. Lü Bu had to escape shortly after killing Dong Zhuo and he lost a battle to Dong Zhuo's generals. He did, however, meet up with Diao Chan once more. Diao Chan followed Lü Bu during his time as a rogue leader until he took Cao Cao's castle of Puyang. Together they were married and traveled the land until Lü Bu was later killed when Cao Cao's forces overran his base at Xiapi. There is no mention of Diao Chan in the novel after this.

Chinese Inventions Part 5

2009-11-18T04:49:00.000-08:00

Chinese Inventions Part 4

2009-11-17T04:48:00.000-08:00

Chinese Inventions Part 3

2009-11-16T04:47:00.000-08:00

写写写！

2009-11-15T09:44:00.000-08:00

Free 1000 Chinese Characters Practice
Now you can download it and practice writing chinese...