Of China’s three ghost-related festivals, the Hungry Ghost Festival is the most important. The Hungry Ghost Festival, Chinese culture dictates, is when people worship and show great respect to the dead. The Chinese believe that on this day, the gates of hell are open, allowing the spirits of dead ancestors to roam the earth until the gates shut again. Learn about the Chinese Ghost Festival with ChineseClass101.com and gain a greater understanding of Chinese culture as a whole. Immersing yourself in a country’s culture is the most effective way of mastering its language, and we hope to make it both fun and informative! 1. What is the Ghost Festival in China The Chinese Ghost Festival, like its Qingming (or Tomb Sweeping Day)... Show more

Do you have a social media account? Do you want to trigger an interesting conversation with friends online? As the Internet has become an essential part of human life in modern society, I believe most of you will say yes. Chinese people are one of the most active groups on social media, and it requires some skills to talk to them online. For example, what’s "lol" in Chinese? Being able to properly use 网络流行语 (wǎng luò liú xíng yǔ), or popular Internet slangs in Chinese, can be entertaining and can help to build a closer relationship between individuals online. Chinese people also like to use many stickers and GIFs, which are known as 表情包 (biǎo qíng bāo), to show their emotions in a vivid way. Further, they’re passionate about... Show more

Have you ever had an expression in your language that you couldn’t find an accurate translation for in another language? Don’t worry, as this is common for every language learner. The art of a language is way beyond words, as it’s also based on the culture and history of a country. Each well-developed language has its own essence that cannot be fully integrated into another language. Chinese is no exception. There are many Chinese words with no English equivalent, words you may never know exist though they’re spoken daily in China. There are many Chinese words with no English equivalent waiting for you to explore! If you want to sound like a native, be sure to grasp these words and try to integrate these untranslatable Chinese... Show more

With two important festivals celebrated on the same day, no wonder this day bustles with colored flags fluttering and is full of excitement! What are the activities involved in this celebration, and who was Mao Zedong? Let's take a look at these two festivals to help you better understand the Chinese culture as a whole. After all, sound cultural knowledge is one of the most important steps in mastering a language. And at ChineseClass101.com, we hope to make this learning journey both fun and informative! 1. What are CPC Founding Day & Hong Kong’s Return Anniversary? July 1 is the anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China. In July, 1921,... Show more

We live in a world where we constantly need to be building connections with new people, whether it’s for a business occasion, an interview, a new working place, or a new school...and we certainly like to leave a positive mark on the very first impression. An appropriate self-introduction is one of the first steps for people to get to know you and it represents the gist of you. As a beginner in Chinese, the first thing you’ll probably want to master is the right way to introduce yourself, in order to make a decent impression. China is a country that has been cultivated for thousands of years with a strong cultural background of its own. Undoubtedly, there are sets of rules for how to phrase things during a self-introduction in the... Show more

One of China’s most popular holidays around the world is the Dragon Boat Festival. The Dragon Boat Festival seeks to commemorate the suicide of Qu Yuan, a heroic poet. While a bit dark, the Dragon Boat Festival history is a unique facet of Chinese culture as a whole. At ChineseClass101.com, we hope to make learning Chinese both fun and informative, especially when it comes to the culture and the history behind it. Any successful language learner can tell you that this is a vital step in mastering a language. That said, we hope you enjoy learning about the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival with us! 1. What is the Dragon Boat Festival? The Dragon Boat Festival is a Chinese traditional festival to commemorate a hero named Qu Yuan.... Show more

Movies are one of the most popular and easy-to-get forms of entertainment in our society. Everyone, at some point or another, just craves to sit down and watch their favorite type of movie, and to immerse themselves in the movie-world. There’s a great variety of Chinese movies. For example, there are Chinese war movies, martial arts movies (which are mostly kung-fu movies), Chinese cooking movies, and the list goes on. If you enjoy watching movies and wish to learn some daily-spoken Chinese language, this way of learning will definitely be an adventure for you! All the movies listed here offer a glimpse into the very unique Chinese culture. They’re the very best Chinese movies for you as a language learner! By watching them, you’ll... Show more

Who doesn’t love having fun while studying? Now’s the time for Chinese language learners to throw away the textbook for a while and join us in this fun journey! Watching Chinese TV shows properly will not only help you examine the native culture and society in an interesting context, but also help you unconsciously remember more vocabularies and phrases with less effort than if you were plainly trying to memorize them. As long as you integrate these tips and follow the instructions introduced in this article, you’ll definitely find your way out along with these great Chinese TV shows. Get ready to improve your Chinese skills dramatically and let us guide you through the most popular Chinese TV shows. Table of Contents Watch... Show more

Why is it important to celebrate Youth Day? The May Fourth Movement in China was one of the most significant events in Chinese history, when university students in 1919 stood up and spoke out about unfair treaties at the Paris Peace Conference. This began anti-imperialism and patriotism in China, and marked the beginning of the New Democratic Revolution in China. It’s no wonder that China places such value on its youth. They made an important stand in the past, and can do so in the future, thus earning their May 4th holiday. During Golden Week, China makes sure to honor its youth on this day. At ChineseClass101.com, we hope to make your learning experience both fun and informative as we delve into this defining characteristic of... Show more

China is a large country with a great variety of demands for its market, and due to the rapidly growing internationality and the increasing economy, the appearance of foreign workers in China is more and more common. It’s not as difficult as you thought to set sail for your career in China. The international job opportunities in China are larger than you can imagine. Working in China can bring a series of advantages to you considering its skyrocketing economy and the income for inflation getting higher and higher in most international companies. Therefore, foreigners with international experience are able to find a range of foreigners-friendly jobs in China, with an advantage. Now, if you’re planning to find a job in China and... Show more