Vocabulary by Post Topic
1. pants/trousers - kù 裤
2. problem - wèntí 问题
3. she - tā 她
I've Got a Feeling: 12 Chinese Emotion Words - Feb 14th, 2011
1. gāoxìng - 高兴 happy
2. bēishāng - 悲伤 sad
3. hàipà - 害怕 scared
4. yúchǔn - 愚蠢 silly
5. gǎndào chījīng - 感到吃惊 surprised
6. hútu - 糊涂 confused
7. shēngqì - 生气 angry
8. jiāoào - 骄傲 proud
9. xīngfèn - 兴奋 excited
10. huáiyí - 怀疑 suspicious
11. dānxīn - 担心 anxious
Hearing and Understanding: Big Bird and Little Bird
1. xiǎo ("shee-ahw") 小 small
2. dà ("dah") 大 large/big
3. hěn ("huhn") 很 very
4. niǎo ("nee-ahw") 鸟 bird
5. chángjǐnglù ("chahng-jihng-loo") 长颈鹿 giraffe
6. huā ("hwah") 花 flower
7. fēicháng ("fay-chahng") 非常 extremely
8. máochóng ("maow-chohng") 毛虫 caterpillar
9. dàxiàng )"dah-shee-ahng") 大象 elephant
10. guǒshù ("gwoh-shoo") 果树 fruit tree
11. tài (like Eng. "tie") 太 too
12. fēi ("fay") 飞 fly
Things Get Iffy: 4 Ways to Say "If" in Chinese
1. rúguǒ 如果 if (on condition that)
If X is done, then Y will happen.
X will happen if condition Y is met.
If (rúguǒ) you shave your beard, I'll go on a date with you.
2. jiǎrú 假如 if (supposing that)
Imagining/Theoretical; supposing X, Y would happen
If X (which isn't true) were true, then Y.
If (jiǎrú/yàoshì) ponies were hairless, would they still be cute?
3. yàoshì 要是 if (supposing that/in case that)
AND
4. shìfǒu 是否 if (whether)
Chinese for Helicopter Parents
3. sǐ ("sih") 死 dead
4. chī ("chih") 吃 to eat
8. suì ("sway") 岁 ageWhen you're my age (suì) , petrifying is an improvement.
If (jiǎrú/yàoshì) ponies were hairless, would they still be cute?
3. yàoshì 要是 if (supposing that/in case that)
Imagining/Theoretical; supposing X, Y would happen
If X (which isn't true) were true, then Y.
If (jiǎrú/yàoshì) ponies were hairless, would they still be cute?AND
X if situation Y (which is beyond our control) arises
If (yàoshì) the monkeys revolt, we'll stay indoors.4. shìfǒu 是否 if (whether)
X whether or not (if) Y happens
Do you know if (shìfǒu) John is planning to wear his chicken costume?
Simple Household Items Part One: Livingroom
1. (yìfú) huà ("ee foo hwah") 一幅画 (a) picture (painting or drawing)
2. (yígè) shāfā ("ee guh shah-fah") 一个沙发 (a) sofa
3. (yìzhǎn) dēng ("ee john duhng") 一盏灯 (a) lamp
4. (yíge) dēngzhào ("dung jaow") 灯罩 (a) lampshade
5. (yìzhāng) zhuōzi ("ee jahng jwoh-dzuh") 一张桌子 (a) table
6. (yìbǎ) yǐzi ("ee bah yee-dzuh") 一把椅子 (a) chair
7. (yìtái) diànshì ("ee tie dyan-shih") 一台电视 (a) television
8. (yíkuài) xiǎo dìtǎn ("ee kwhy shaow dee-tahn") 一块小地毯 (a) rug*
Chinese for Helicopter Parents
1. jiāndū ("jyehn-doo") 监督 supervision; to supervise
Billy wasn't allowed to use the scissors without adult supervision (jiāndū).
2. bāngzhù ("bahng-joo") 帮助 help; to help
Children whose parents are the most helpful usually need the most help (bāngzhù).
3. zhíshēngjī ("juh-shung-jee") 直升机 helicopter
The helicopter hovered (zhíshēngjī) over the lake - it hovered (zhíshēngjī) and hovered (zhíshēngjī) and hovered (zhíshēngjī) and hovered (zhíshēngjī)...
4. fùmǔ ("foo-moo") 父母 parent
The job of every parent (fùmǔ) is to make sure that their child never has to go through the horrifying trauma of making a mistake.
5. jīhuì ("jih-hway") 机会 opportunity
Little Frankie finally had the opportunity (jīhuì) to eat a meal alone.
6. wánměi de ("wahn-may duh") 完美的 perfect
Isn't this a perfect (wánměi de) day for hovering?
7. zhàngài ("john-guy") 障碍 obstacle
Every obstacle (zhàngài) can be overcome - unless your mommy isn't there to help!
8. xīnlǐ yīshēng ("shin-lee yee-shung") 心理医生 psychologist
A good psychologist (xīnlǐ yīshēng) is worth his weight in straight jackets. 1. suì cuī ("sway tsooey") 碎催 errand boy
The errand boy (suì cuī) has finally had enough.
2. fāfēng ("fah-fung") 发疯 crazy
His boss is a crazy (fāfēng) loon.
3. zāogāo ("tzau-gau") 糟糕 terrible
The bosses secretary is just as terrible (zāogāo) as he is.
4. nǐ ("nee") 你 you
If you (nǐ) can't beat 'em, get rich, buy the company and fire them.
5. ěxīn ("uh-sheen") 恶心 sick; nauseated; nausea
He felt nauseated (ěxīn) when he saw the stack of papers he needed to file.
6. shì ("shih") 是 to be; is; are, am
The other errand boy is (shì) a kiss-up.
7. ā mù lín ("ah-moo-leen") 阿木林 half-wit
If he wasn't such a half-wit (ā mù lín), he might get promoted.
8. zhēn ("jehn") 真 real; true; genuine; really
I really (zhēn) hope my boss doesn't speak Chinese.
9. ràng ("wrong") 让 to let; to make
If he ever let (ràng) me go home early, I'd think he was drunk. 1. huīchén ("hway-chen") 灰尘 dust
Dust (huīchén) allergies can kill if you live in a tomb.
2. Āijí ("eye-jee") 埃及 Egypt
Egypt (Āijí) isn't the only country that boasts a collection of mummies, but the ones in China don't have pyramids to brag about.
3. sǐ ("sih") 死 dead
When a person has been dead (sǐ) as long as you, there's sure to be an odor.
4. chī ("chih") 吃 to eat
I prefer not to eat (chī) anything that has been entombed, but thank you for the offer.
5. qìguān ("chee-gwahn") 器官 organs
I seem to have misplaced my organs (qìguān). Have you excavated them?
6. jīnzìtǎ ("jeen-zee-tah") 金字塔 pyramid
This pyramid (jīnzìtǎ) represents the blood and sweat of a whole mess of slaves that I smacked around for a couple decades.
7. liǎng qiān ("lee-ong cheeyen") 两千 two thousand
Two thousand (liǎng qiān) years ago, writing the year took less time.
8. suì ("sway") 岁 age
1. zuò xià ("zwoh see ah") 坐下 sit; sit down
"Sit down (zuò xià)!" the mother told her son as he jumped up and down on the couch wearing his cap and gown.
1. xiǎogǒu ("she aw go") 小狗 puppy
The villainous puppy (xiǎogǒu) escaped once again.
2. xiǎomāo ("she aw mahw") 小猫 kitten
The kitten (xiǎomāo) was given her kitty chow and promptly returned the favor.
3. shuì ("schway") 税 taxes, tax
The taxes (shuì) on some new cars could buy a small farm.
4. wén ("when") 闻 to smell (i.e. experience a scent)
"I smell (wén) something fishy" thought Red Riding Hood as she approached Grandma's cottage.
5. xiāofáng duìyuán ("sh aah oo fong dway yoo en") 消防 队员 fireman
The fireman (xiāofáng duìyuán) was forced to break down the door, but he saved the kitten.
6. lǎohuà ("laoh hwah") 老化 aging
Aging (lǎohuà) and taxes are both unavoidable.
1. zuǒ ("dzwoah") 左 left
On the left (zuǒ) you'll find a painting of dogs playing monopoly.
2. yòu ("yoh") 右 right
On the right (yòu) you'll find a painting of cats winning the lotto.
3. kuài ("kwai") 快 fast
He was so fast (kuài) he got there before he left.
4. màn ("mahn") 慢 slow
He was slow (màn), like like a turtle out for a leisurely stroll.
5. tài (like "tie") 太 too
The toast was too (tài) burned to eat, so we used it to insulate the garage.
6. hàipà ("high-pah") 害 怕 scared
I'm so scared (hàipà) that my goose bumps are shaking. 1. shēngbìng ("shung-bihng") 生病 生病 sick
A person as sick (shēngbìng) as I am should certainly not be required to take this mid-term.
2. sǎngzi ("sahng-zuh") 嗓子 throat
My throat (sǎngzi) feels like sandpaper, should I swallow some two by fours?
3. téng ("tuhng") 疼 hurt(s), ache(s), to be painful
My food hurts (téng). Can I go to the nurse?
4. tóu ("tow") 头 head
His head (tóu) is full of dancing clowns.
Useful Related Words
dùzi ("doo-dzuh") 肚子 tummy
yǎnjīng ("yan-jihng") 眼睛 eyes
tuǐ ("tway") 腿 leg
shēntǐ ("shun-tee") 身体 body
ěrduo ("rr - dwoh") 耳朵 ear
bízi ("bee-dzuh") 鼻子 nose
beì ("bay") 背 back
bózi ("boh-dzuh") 脖子 neck Self Loathing Broke My Think Box: How Self Esteem Affects Second Language Learning
1. kěyǐ 可以 can
I can (kěyǐ) learn almost anything, if I put my mind to it.
2. xué 学 learn, study
If I study (xué) enough, my think box might fall out, but I WILL learn (xué) Chinese.
3. zhōngwén 中文 Chinese
Once I learn enough Chinese (zhōngwén) I'll then have the ability to embarrass myself in not one, but TWO languages. This will be my crowning achievement.
Featured Words
1. wǒ (我) I, me
I (wǒ) hope your friend likes tofu.
2. tā (她) she, her
I'm going to ask the waiter to bring her (tā) some.
3. tā (他) he, him
He (tā) might not charge you for it - if you're nice.
4. yào (要) want
I want (yào) lunch now. Perhaps I (wǒ) should have eaten before writing this blog.
5. zhège (这个) this
What is the meaning of this (zhège)? This (zhège) isn't what I ordered!
6. niúròu (牛肉) beef
Are you sure this is beef (niúròu)? It looks more like cat...
7. jīròu (鸡肉) chicken
If I asked you to take this back and bring me chicken (jīròu) instead, would you promise not to spit in it?
Useful Related Words
yìbǎ chāzi (一把叉子) fork
kuàizi (筷子) chopsticks
yífèn càidān (一份菜单) menu
yú (鱼) fish
zhūròu (猪肉) pork
mǐfàn (米饭) rice
shuǐ (水) water
niúnǎi (牛奶) milk
chá (茶) tea
kāfēi (咖啡) coffee
Dusting Off The Old Chinese Books
Featured Words
1. yīnggāi (应该) should, ought to
Should (yīnggāi) I have learned the four tones before trying to talk about your mother? You bet.
2. mǎ (马) horse
No, your mother does NOT look like a horse (mǎ). My mistake.
3. mā (妈) mother
Your mother (mā) is actually quite beautiful now that her plastic surgery is complete.
4. mà (骂) to curse, swear, or scold
I'm really didn't intend to curse (mà) your mother. How can I make it up to you? Do you take debit?
