learnmandarinchi's Blog

Once the radical is identified and found, then the dictionary user needs to count the number of strokes in the remainder of the Chinese character to find the page number where all the relevant entries beginning with the Chinese character will be listed. Usually, the PinYin is given so that the user can then look up the character and find its meaning by using the PinYin sound system of the Chinese language.

According to mythology, the founder of Chinese music is Ling Lun, a man who created a set of bamboo pipes using the sounds birds made. Chinese music first appeared in the early Chinese culture, but the first recorded use of music comes from the Zhou dynasty, which existed between 1122 and 256 BC. Over the centuries, many different traditional types of music were created, and today, these types of music are still played alongside more modern styles like rock and jazz. Music in central China is often more traditional, while Hong Kong and Taiwan music tends to be more commercial and modern. Despite this, musicians were originally seen as one of the lowest classes, placed lower than painters. However, music was seen as being important to harmony and to the state. Nearly every emperor was a patron of music, and most worked to collect popular folk songs and preserve them. The Shi Jing, one of the four Confucian Classics, contains a number of folk songs that were popular between 800 and 300 BC. During the Ming dynasty, the European Jesuit Matteo Ricci introduced the harpsichord to China. This was the first European instrument to be played in China (instruments from Japan, Korea, and other Asian countries had found their way to China via traders and trading vessels).

Legalism was founded by Shang Yang in order to reform Qin into a powerful country. His reform philosophy worked, and Qin eventually conquered its six rival states and unified China. Legalism advocated equality for all, punishments for those who broke the law, and general order over the chaos that was present before. Legalism was one of the main schools of philosophy founded in China. It has its beginnings in the Spring and Autumn period and in the Warring States period (770 to 221 BC). During this time, China made great leaps in culture and intellectual thought; so many, in fact, that they collectively became known as the Hundred Schools of Thought. Other philosophies that developed around this time include Mohism, Daoism, and Confucianism. Legalism reached its height under Emperor Li Si, who made China a Legalist state.

A little history can go a long way in helping you understand Chinese culture! For more insight, see Learn to Speak Chinese II that will give you an excellent introduction to the Chinese culture. For those interested in learning Chinese phrases, watch by video hello in Chinese, yes in Chinese, and no in Chinese to get started!

I don't know any young children who study Chinese grammar rules specifically (or who enjoy doing so) whether they are native speakers or non-native speakers. In fact, I don't know any young children who "study" Chinese at all. Children communicate and children play. Their number one focus is always to have fun! There is one key secret - and it is, perhaps, the most important secret of children: Connect & Have Fun!

While some classify modern Chinese as monosyllabic, that is not the case. Many words in the language are disyllabic, especially in Mandarin. Generally, each morpheme, or idea, corresponds to a single syllable and character, which makes many thing the language is monosyllabic. Many new words, however, are formed by linking two or more characters together, creating di-, tri-, and even tetra-syllabic words.

A Chinese idiom, which is the equivalent of the English expression of "when in Rome ," plainly suggests to "follow local customs when in another village" or "Ru xiang sui su" ( ). This is the wisdom that Chinese emigrant families subscribe to wherever they end up. In America this wisdom translated into the assimilation of McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut and other fast foods into their diet. Burgers, French fries and pizzas become the food of choice for the second generation.

Video is the best way to have fun in Chinese, so discover important words and phrases, such as hello in Chinese, yes in Chinese, and no in Chinese.

Chinese has a relatively uncomplicated grammar. Unlike French, German or English, Chinese has no verb conjugation (no need to memorize verb tenses!) and no noun declension (e.g., gender and number distinctions). For example, while someone learning English has to learn different verb forms like "see/saw/seen," all you need to do in Chinese is just to remember one word: kan. While in English you have to distinguish between "cat" and "cats," in Chinese there is only one form: mao. (Chinese conveys these distinctions of tense and number in other ways, of course.)

Most characters are built of components which represent physical things or abstract concepts. Learn what each of the components represents and try building up mental images featuring the components for each character. Include in your mental images the meanings of the characters and the pronunciation. On the Internet, there are a number of Chinese word lists you can easily access. These contain anywhere from 3,000 to 138,614 words. These are of interests to scholars mostly.

There are two different styles of types of Cantonese operas. The first is Mou, which focused on martial arts and acrobatics. Most of these operas are about wars, generals, and action. The Man operas, on the other hand, were more focused on scholars, slow, elegant actions, and on characters rather than action. While there are many similarities between Cantonese opera and traditional Chinese theatre, there are some differences, such as the higher focus on martial arts and acrobatics. Many of the plot lines of Cantonese operas are based on historical events, myths, and the classical Chinese stories. Performers are trained in what are called the four skills and the five methods of acting and singing in Cantonese opera, each of which teaches the performers different ways of using their bodies and voices to create a character.

Now that you've been introduced to a little about Chinese culture, are you ready to take the next step and learn a few phrases in the language? By video, you can easily learn essential phrases such as hello in Chinese, yes in Chinese, and no in Chinese all without ever leaving the comfort of your laptop or hand-held device! See, learning Chinese really can be easy!

What happens when the cooking of China collides with that of Burma, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam? The result is a fresh cuisine full of bold and explosive flavors. This is precisely what you'll find in the cooking of Yunnan province of southwestern China. To get a better understanding of the region's foodways, you should definitely visit to enjoy this fine cuisine.

Unfortunately, many adults seem to have trouble with this. Most adults are depressingly serious all the time. They are constantly worrying. They are constantly stressed. They are constantly measuring their own progress. They almost never seem to laugh or play or enjoy the process of learning. No wonder adults are such slow learners! With my own language learning, I have often become too serious. I stressed. I became worried about my progress. As a result, I linked negative emotions to language learning and destroyed my own motivation. So its time for all of us adults to lighten up--laugh, play, and have some fun with Chinese!

Chinese and English are totally different, no matter the mode of thinking, or word order. It is helpful for learning Chinese to know this difference! So, basically most sentences that one would think of in English must be reordered into Chinese. Also, for Chinese speakers, sentences must be reordered into the English word order. This task can be extremely difficult on both sides, but over time, you become accustomed to the new word order and are able to rework sentences much more quickly until you very rarely need even to think about it!

Speaking Chinese becomes so much easier when you don't worry about it and find a way to make it fun! That's why learning by video is a great solution, especially when you can learn essential phrases such as hello in Chinese, thank you in Chinese, and good bye in Chinese!

Driving in China is a dangerous art. There is a reason why countries of the free world do not recognize a Chinese driver's license for car rentals or for any other function. It is very simple .they can't drive. Oh, they sure try hard enough. In the first six months of 2008, they've managed to kill over 100,000 in traffic fatalities alone trying to drive. You can't fault the Chinese for not trying. So what is the deal anyway? I've realized it is two basic genetic things going on that will naturally put the Chinese behind the eight ball with driving. First is the inability for them to process incoming data fast enough to react to it. Really, as smart as the Chinese are, they are still so incredibly cautious about driving that they seem to move in slow mode. So fast moving objects, or situations, will have already happened before they realize a problem even exists. This makes crash avoidance impossible. The second missing piece of genetics is "depth perception". I don't think there is even a Chinese word in for it! In any case, they don't have it. They do not have any idea about the space they occupy and how it relates to others. They will see a bicycle rider on the curb of the road. As they approach in their car, they will move all the way into the next lane, while braking, thinking they are about to hit it. This type of caution actually causes a problem for other drivers! There is the complete and utter disregard for traffic lights, signs, laws, right of ways, people, whatever. They really believe that the entire road system was built solely for their own private use. There is never a fleeting thought to using indicators to change lanes or make a turn. No, the only time you see an indicator light is when they are passing another car on the highway. NOT changing lanes, just passing a car. Then they turn on the left indicator as they approach to make a pass. Doesn't matter that he is going to change into the right lane after passing, he still uses the left turn indicator. They are taught to always turn on the signal while passing a car. It has nothing to do about lane change. Ah yes, and how about those horns. Noise is in their blood. I think they buy a car just because it has a horn. No need to light firecrackers when you got an electronic horn! I don't even pay attention to horns anymore. It is no different to engine and road noise. Horns never stop. Every car is honking, moving or not. It doesn't matter what the reason. They got one and by damn they will use it! I actually read that there is a traffic law that states, if you honk your horn before an accident, then it is not your fault. So they drive down the street always honking at nothing. This type of caution is actually hailed or valued as a great and virtuous characteristic of the safe driver, so be prepared for the noise! You probably already know you need to have a valid passport for visiting China. But you also need an appropriate visa. Visas are issued by the Chinese embassy or consulate general serving your area. You can deal in person with the embassy or consulate, or you can ask your travel agent to manage the process for you. Special visa agents can also arrange your visa for you (for agents, google search "get china visa") but these services will cost extra on top of the $50 visa itself.

Creating the right input environment for learning Chinese has never been easier! With Kindle and Nook Books, creating the right environment truly has become a convenient and effective way to learning Chinese. It's amazing how easy it is! How can you help to create this environment if you have no Chinese community anywhere in your area? The wonderful and amazing fact is that you really have the world right at your fingertips every time you go online. If you are really focused on speaking well, do more listening. Check out some of the amazing audio recordings that are available! Some are free, which is great,but you might find it difficult to follow the system of teaching. At other times, it is difficult to find audio that is free. But, for those who are truly serious about learning Chinese, you can find some great audio books at Amazon or Barnes and Noble that have a great system for learning Chinese. Reading will also help your speaking ability, so it's also worthwhile to consider a complementary text. Of course, most people do not need to improve so quickly. For most people, two hours a day of listening and reading is enough. But if you need or want to improve very quickly, follow a more rigorous plan.

Think in Mandarin as often as you can. Your "internal monologue," with some effort, can use your foreign language. It may seem limited and slow, but reviewing your Chinese in your head will strengthen the neural connections related to Mandarin and therefore increase your grasp of the language.

The right environment is easily created, of course, by visiting China. Still, you can create your own virtual environment fairly easily! Between eReaders, audio players, and video, you're pretty much set! To get started with essential phrases by video, watch hello in Chinese, yes in Chinese, and no in Chinese!

There was a dark side to Legalism. While the people at first embraced it for its order, they soon came to realize that Legalism brought great punishments to those who did not obey the laws, no matter how small the infraction. This reached its height during the Qin dynasty when people were encouraged to report one another for even the most minor deeds. Under Legalism, the laws are to support the state, but they are also meant to reform any state that has become weak. Because the punishments under legalism are fairly harsh, Legalists believe that no one, no matter how powerful, would be above the state's control. The laws also function to limit the aristocracy by awarding those who work hard and follow the laws.

The Mid-Autumn Festival, also called the Moon Festival, is a celebration that is held on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. To celebrate, people eat mooncakes and hold a family meal.

Since 1912, many different types of modern music have appeared in China. These exist alongside traditional music, and, unlike in other parts of the world, traditional music is just as well-known and enjoyed today as it was when it was first played. The government has relaxed many of its standards regarding music to the point that festivals like the annual Midi Modern Music Festival are not only held but thrive. Thousands of Chinese and international guests attend these events, many of which even feature Western musicians or music inspired by the West. These types of festivals have helped Chinese rock gain more popularity, although it is not quite mainstream.

Holidays and music in China are some of the most enjoyable aspects of Chinese culture! Be sure to enjoy these fully by understanding a little of the Chinese language through videos such as hello in Chinese, thank you in Chinese, and you're welcome in Chinese!

Recent research has provided both the production and perceptual accounts for tonal variations in spoken Chinese, where the articulation constraint on the perception processing has been quantified.

The Five Chinese Grains, also called the five sacred grains, are the five main staples of ancient China. The five grains included in the group vary. Some lists include rice, wheat, soybeans, proso millet, and foxtail millet. Other lists, such as the one in the Classic of Rites, replaces rice with hemp. The five grains were first mentioned in the Fah Shen-chih Shu, a farming text that dates back to 2800 BC. Because of their importance in Chinese cuisine and in history, the cultivation and use of the five grains were even said to have been supervised by Houji, a member of the Chinese panthenon.

Make your reasons bigger! Bigger reasons = Bigger Passion. Bigger Passion = Bigger Success. To create passion, you need very compelling reasons to learn Chinese. Just doing well on a test is not a strong enough reason. Just getting a new job is not a strong enough reason. You need HUGE reasons for doing this. Imagine all the incredible benefits you will have as a fluent Chinese speaker. Imagine how your life will change 5 years from now, 10 years from now, or 20 years from now. You can also exaggerate the terrible things that will happen if you fail to speak Chinese fluently. Imagine all the jobs you will miss. Imagine all the people you will never meet. Imagine how bad your life will be because you can't speak Chinese.

With an introduction to the sounds and smells of China, you're ready to discover your passion for learning the Chinese language. Once you do, getting started is as simple as watching a few videos on the essential phrases, such as hello in Chinese, thank you in Chinese, and good bye in Chinese.

In the raft style, the bonsai is crafted to resemble a tree that has fallen on its side. The branches grow as if they're a group of trunks, making it look almost like the pot has several bonsai growing in it. The broom style of bonsai features branches that stick out in all directions, making the tree look like a broom that has been flattened on the ground. Contrarily, the literati style of bonsai is simply a bare trunk with very few branches on it. In the slant style, the trunk grows at a slant from the soil, placing the top point of the bonsai off to one side of the root base. Then there's the cascade style of bonsai. This style mimics the way trees grow over water or on mountain sides. Often, the top of the tree actually extends beneath the bonsai pot.

Unlike some philosophies, Legalism does not try to find answers to the reason of life or address complex subjects. Instead, it is focused on following the laws and upholding justice. Han Fei, one of the most well-known Legalists, summed up Legalism in three ideas: Fa, Shu, Shi.

The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, or Xinjiang, is populated mainly by the Turkic Uyghurs. They are best known for the On Ikki Muqam, a very complex type of music that features twelve sections. These symphonies can vary widely but are usually based on a seven-note scale. They are played on the dap (drum), fiddle, lute, and dulcimer. One interesting feature of this music is that there is often room for performers to improvise, especially the percussion players.

Knowing a little about Chinese culture will get you started in the right direction for learning the Chinese language. For those who'd like to learn a few essential phrases by video, watch hello in Chinese, thank you in Chinese, and good bye in Chinese.

One fifth of the planet speaks Chinese. Mandarin Chinese is the mother tongue of over 873 million people, making it the most widely spoken first language in the world. In addition to the People's Republic of China and Taiwan, Mandarin Chinese is also spoken in the important and influential Chinese communities of Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines, and Mongolia. The Chinese language spoken by more people than any other language in the world is the official language of the People's Republic of China, and is one of the four official languages of Singapore.

While some classify modern Chinese as monosyllabic, that is not the case. Many words in the language are disyllabic, especially in Mandarin. Generally, each morpheme, or idea, corresponds to a single syllable and character, which makes many thing the language is monosyllabic. Many new words, however, are formed by linking two or more characters together, creating di-, tri-, and even tetra-syllabic words.

The last day of the lunar calendar is set aside for the Chinese New Year's Eve. During this time, people clean their house, place new images of the door gods on their front door, and then set off many fireworks to scare away evil spirits. They also eat a traditional ten course meal featuring fish. The fish course is never fully eaten to leave some of the fish is to invite abundance and prosperity into the new year. For the Shanghai Festival, which is the third day of the third lunar month, this holiday is set aside for International Women's Day. Female employees get the day off of work.

With an understanding of words in Chinese and how important this language will be in the future, you're probably considering learning Chinese--or at least finding out if it's doable or not! For those curious, watch by video some important phrases like hello in Chinese, thank you in Chinese, and good bye in Chinese.

Dog was never a famine food consumed only by the poor, or by others in times of desperation. Dog meat was enjoyed, and considered a 'warming,' strengthening food, and according to lore, stimulates the sexual appetite. Dog meat is considered man food.

Heaven, hell, and earth are all under the control of the Jade Emperor, one of the most powerful Chinese gods. He has a host of heavenly assistants and ministers to help him in his endeavors. He also rewards the just and punishes the wicked. With the introduction of Buddhism, the Jade Emperor was made to be less powerful than Buddha (as show in Journey to the West, when the Jade Emperor must call on Buddha to restrain Wukong the Monkey King).

The folk religion of China goes back thousands of years and includes the worship of many different gods and the veneration of the spirits of the ancestors. Many different aspects of Chinese mythology are included in this folk religion. While there is no organized group surrounding folk religion, it has been roughly estimated that there are at least 800 million followers of Chinese folk religions around the world.

Interesting aspects of Chinese culture give you insight into this unique culture. For those interested in learning more about the Chinese language, watch by video hello in Chinese, thank you in Chinese, and good bye in Chinese.