ChineseClass101.com Blog

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 words into your daily conversation! Knowing how to use these Chinese words with no translation will surely give you an advantage when communicating in Chinese!

Table of Contents

1. 热闹 (rè nao)
2. 撒娇 (sā jiāo)
3. 加油 (jiā yóu)
4. 缘分 (yuán ​fèn)
5. 冤枉 (yuān wǎng)
6. 孝顺 (xiào​ shùn)
7. 辛苦 (xīn kǔ)
8. 见外 (jiàn wài)
9. 失恋 (shī liàn)
10. 追… (zhuī)
11. 下台阶 (xià táijiē)
12. Conclusion

Start with a bonus, and download the Must-Know Beginner Vocabulary PDF for FREE! (Logged-In Member Only)

1. 热闹 (rè nao)

Look at how full of people this place is! This exactly describes the word we’re going to introduce.

• Literal translation: Bustling
• Meaning: Fun and lively
• Example situation: If there’s a place that has a lot of people, a lively vibe, and you like it, that place is 热闹 (rè nao).
• Usage in a sentence:
  In Chinese: 这条街真是热闹，人山人海的。
  Pinyin: Zhè tiáo jiē zhēn shì rè nào, rén shān rén hǎi de.
  In English: This street is so fun and lively, it’s full of people.
• Additional notes: 热闹 is a very common descriptive word for an atmosphere that makes people feel fun and lively due to the large amount of people involved, and often gives people an urge to get involved in the atmosphere with others.

A fun fact is that the word 人山人海 is a form of a Chinese idiom called 成语 (chéng yǔ). Here, its literal translation is “people mountain people ocean,” which means “people are like mountain and ocean,” which utilizes exaggeration to make the image more vivid and accurate. You’ll learn a lot more 成语 like this along the way as you climb the ladder higher and higher in studying Chinese.

2. 撒娇 (sā jiāo)

Has your girlfriend ever acted cute in a childish way? This is the right word for that moment!

• Literal translation: Showcase cuteness
• Meaning: Act like a spoiled child
• Example situation: If your girlfriend is doing something adorable and childish to get your attention, (for example, being pouty) she is 撒娇 to you.
• Usage in a sentence:
  In Chinese: 我的女友正撅着嘴用她水汪汪的大眼睛看着我，正在冲我撒娇。
  Pinyin: Wǒ de nǚ yǒu zhèng juē zhe zuǐ yòng tā shuǐ wāng wāng de dà yǎn jīng kàn zhe wǒ, zhèng zài chòng wǒ sā jiāo.
  In English: My girlfriend is being pouty and looking at me with her watery eyes, she is acting like a child to me.
• Additional notes:
  This is a very common word in Chinese that people use to describe the special type of childlike cuteness that’s usually done to get attention, typically used for children, girlfriends, pets, etc.

3. 加油 (jiā yóu)

What should you do when your friend needs to be encouraged? Just give them a thumbs-up and say this to them. It’ll certainly give them some energy!

• Literal translation: Add gas
• Meaning: Go for it
• Example situation: If your friend needs to be encouraged before giving her presentation, you
  can say 加油 to her.
• Usage in a sentence:
  In Chinese: 待会的比赛加油哦，我支持你。
  Pinyin: Dài huì de bǐ sài jiā yóu o, wǒ zhī chí nǐ.
  In English: Just go for the competition later, you have my full support.

4. 缘分 (yuán ​fèn)

• Literal translation: Fate
• Meaning: Somehow, a force drives things or people together in a desired and meaningful way
• Example situation: If your teacher from elementary school happens to become your mother-in-law in the future, there is a 缘分 between you guys.
• Usage in a sentence:
  In Chinese: 没想到这么多年之后我又遇见你了，咱们真是有缘分。
  Pinyin: Méi xiǎng dào zhè me duō nián zhī hòu wǒ yòu yù jiàn nǐ le, zán men zhēn shì yǒu yuán fèn.
  In English: I can’t believe I met you again after all those years, this is such a fate between us.

5. 冤枉 (yuān wǎng)

Have you ever felt extremely upset like the man in this photo because of being wrongly accused of something? Don’t worry, as the word we’re about to show you can help you point out your sorrowful feelings in a moment like this!

• Literal translation: To wrongly accuse
• Meaning: Unjustly judged
• Example situation: If you accused your little brother of eating your snacks because they’re gone, and later found out you put them somewhere else, you 冤枉 your brother.
• Usage in a sentence:
  In Chinese: 你冤枉他了，他没有拿你的橡皮，是我刚才临时借用了你的橡皮。
  Pinyin: Nǐ yuān wǎng tā le, tā méi yǒu ná nǐ de xiàng pí, shì wǒ gāng cái lín shí jiè yòng le nǐ de xiàng pí.
  In English: You unjustly judged him, he didn’t take your eraser, it was me who just borrowed it.

6. 孝顺 (xiào​ shùn)

Look at how close this family is, and guess what the key is for such a great relationship between Chinese parents and children. You’ll see soon.

• Literal translation: Filial
• Meaning: Obedient, respectful, loyal, and responsible to their parents and elder families
• Example situation: If a person listens to his parents about everything and spends as much time with them as he can, he is very 孝顺.
• Usage in a sentence:
  In Chinese: 他为了陪在自己父母身边放弃了留学的机会，真是个孝顺的儿子。
  Pinyin: Tā wéi le péi zài zì jǐ fù mǔ shēn biān fàng qì le liú xué de jī huì, zhēn shì gè xiào shùn de ér zǐ.
  In English: In order to stay by his parents’ side, he gave up on the opportunity to study abroad, he is such a responsible and great son.
• Additional notes: 孝顺 is a trait that Chinese attach great value to. China is a country that holds the bond between children and parents very dearly from tradition.

7. 辛苦 (xīn kǔ)

• Literal meaning: Laborious
• Meaning: To have worked hard or done a lot for something
• Example situation: If your friend has spent a long time proofreading your essay for you, you should tell them that you are so 辛苦 and show your gratitude.
• Usage in a sentence:
  In Chinese: 这么远赶过来给我过生日，真是辛苦你了。
  Pinyin: Zhè me yuǎn gǎn guò lái gěi wǒ guò shēng rì, zhēn shì xīn kǔ nǐ le.
  In English: You have come so far to celebrate my birthday with me, thank you for your effort.

8. 见外 (jiàn wài)

When your friends are being too polite and refuse your courtesy like this, they are being 见外.

• Literal translation: To look outside
• Meaning: Being too polite just like an outsider would be
• Example situation: If your best friend keeps saying “thank you” and wants to treat you with something big for a small favor you did for them, they are being 见外.
• Usage in a sentence:
  In Chinese: 咱们这么好的朋友，不用跟我见外。
  Pinyin: Zán men zhè me hǎo de péng yǒu, bú yòng gēn wǒ jiàn wài.
  In English: We are such close friends, don’t be so polite to me like you’re a stranger.
• Additional notes: Although Chinese people attach great importance to manners, they usually don’t say “thank you” to their very close friends or family for small favors, because doing so is viewed as 见外.

9. 失恋 (shī liàn)

Do you know what’s likely to happen when a relationship seems to be broken like this? Well, they might both 失恋 soon!

• Literal translation: To lose love
• Meaning: Just broke up and felt disappointed in love
• Example situation: If your friend just got dumped and felt heartbroken, he just 失恋.
• Usage in a sentence:
  In Chinese: 他最近心情一直很低落，因为他失恋了。
  Pinyin: Tā zuì jìn xīn qíng yī zhí hěn dī luò, yīn wéi tā shī liàn le.
  In English: He has been very frustrated lately, because he just broke up.

10. 追… (zhuī)

• Literal translation: To chase after someone
• Meaning: The progress toward winning someone’s heart by a series of actions
• Example situation: If a guy is giving flowers to a girl he likes, he is chasing after that girl.
• Usage in a sentence:
  In Chinese: 自从他对那个女孩一见钟情之后，就一直在追她。
  Pinyin: Zì cóng tā duì nà gè nǚ hái yī jiàn zhōng qíng zhī hòu, jiù yī zhí zài zhuī tā.
  In English: Ever since he fell in love with the girl at first sight, he has been chasing after her.
• Additional notes: This is an interesting expression unique to Chinese culture that focuses on the actions of how an individual wins the heart of another individual. That’s why you’ll often hear people ask a couple questions such as: “Who chased after whom?” or “How long did you chase after him/her for?” This may be one of the most beautiful untranslatable Chinese words.

11. 下台阶 (xià táijiē)

• Literal translation: To go down a step
• Meaning: To give someone a chance to save face so as not to be embarrassed
• Example situation: If someone’s embarrassed because of a conversation and you said something to change the topic, the person is able to 下台阶.
• Usage in a sentence:
  In Chinese: 刚才他们聊的话题实在是太让我尴尬了，还好我朋友转移话题我才能下台阶。
  Pinyin: Gāng cái tā men liáo de huà tí shí zài shì tài ràng wǒ gān gà le, hái hǎo wǒ péng yǒu zhuǎn yí huà tí wǒ cái néng xià tái jiē.
  In English: What they were talking about made me extremely awkward, thanks to my friend who changed the subject I was able to be saved from the embarrassment.
• Additional notes: If you’re familiar with Chinese culture, you’ll know that there’s another popular term called 脸面 (liǎn miàn) meaning face, which indicates one’s need to maintain honor for their public image, so 下台阶 can be seen as a course of action to save someone’s face.

12. Conclusion

Now do you have a deeper understanding of the Chinese language by learning all these interesting and unique Chinese untranslatable words? By integrating these words into your daily conversations, you’ll be able to get a better glimpse at how Chinese culture works.

Still feel desperate to learn more? Continue your journey in studying professional Chinese today at ChineseClass101.com. Here we offer a great source of Chinese lessons that’s both fun and entertaining! From blog posts, to helpful vocabulary lists, and online forums, there’s something here just for you!

Start with a bonus, and download the Must-Know Beginner Vocabulary PDF for FREE! (Logged-In Member Only)

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, communist organizations from different areas of China sent their representatives to Shanghai to hold the First Congress of the Chinese Communist Party and declared the establishment of the CCP. Mao Zedong, the founder of Communist Party of China, suggested setting July 1 as the anniversary of the CCP’s “birthday,” which is usually called the “Party’s Birthday.”

Also, July 1 is the anniversary of the Return of Hong Kong, commonly known as the “Ninety Seven Return,” (or “the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong,” or “Hong Kong handover“), and mainland China refers to this day as Hong Kong returning to its motherland.

These all refer to the historical event when the United Kingdom handed the sovereignty of Hong Kong back to the People’s Republic of China. This Hong Kong return to China is one of the most significant aspects of China’s history.

What was the Cultural Revolution in China?

The Cultural Revolution in China largely had to do with promoting Maoism and finding ways to preserve Chinese communism. So, when was the Cultural Revolution in China?

Beginning in 1966, the end of the Cultural Revolution in China was in 1976. In 1976, Deng Xiaoping worked with reformers to undue much of the Maoist policies within the Party.

2. CPC Founding Day & Hong Kong Return Anniversary Date

Each year, the Chinese observe CPC Founding Day and Anniversary of the Return of Hong Kong on July 1.

3. Reading Practice: How is CPC Day Celebrated?

How does China celebrate these two events? Read the Simplified Chinese text below to find out, and find the English translation directly below it.

—

这一节日虽然政治气氛浓厚，由于举国上下共同庆祝的气氛的烘托，也成为中国节日文化的一部分。这一天，电视台会播放大型庆祝晚会。也会有许多回顾建党历史的纪录片、电视剧等影视作品接连上映，带领人们重温历史，展望未来。

“一国两制”是一个在中国的电视新闻上出现频率颇高的词汇，即”一个国家，两种制度”。意思是在一个中国的前提下，香港、澳门作为特别行政区保持原有的制度和生活方式长期不变。”一国两制”是前中国领导人邓小平为了实现中国统一的目标而创造、提出的方针。

—

Although July 1 originated from political events, the celebrations across the whole country have made it part of China’s holiday culture. On July 1, a celebratory evening party is broadcast on TV. Documentaries, films, and TV series regarding the CCP will also be on show to tell people about the past and to draw pictures of the future.

Yi Guo Liang Zhi is a phrase that frequently appears in TV news, and it means “one country, two political systems.” Hong Kong and Macao are special administrative regions where their established system can be retained under a high degree of autonomy for a certain period. It is a principle originally proposed by China’s former leader Deng Xiaoping for the unification of China.

4. How Long is the Holiday?

How long is the holiday for these two events?

Despite being of great significance, July 1 is not a public holiday with days off. CCP members even need to attend meetings on July 1 and report their ideological work.

5. Useful Vocabulary for these Two Chinese Holidays

Here’s some vocabulary you should know for CPC Founding Day in China!

• 政党 (zhèngdǎng) — political party
• 毛泽东 (Máo Zédōng) — Mao Zedong
• 邓小平 (Dèng Xiǎopíng) — Deng Xiaoping
• 文化大革命 (Wénhuà Dà Gémìng) — Cultural Revolution
• 纪念 (jìniàn) — commemoration
• 共产主义 (gòngchǎn zhǔyì) — communism
• 共产党 (Gòngchǎn Dǎng) — Communist Party of China
• 马列主义 (Mǎ Liè Zhǔyì) — Marxism-Leninism
• 社会主义 (Shèhuì Zhǔyì) — Socialism
• 解放 (jiěfàng) — liberate
• 建党节 (jiàndǎng jié) — CPC Founding Day

To hear each vocabulary word pronounced, check out our CPC Founding Day vocabulary list.

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed learning about CPC Founding Day and the Anniversary of the Return of Hong Kong with us! Did you learn anything new? Let us know in the comments!

To continue learning about Chinese culture and the language, visit us at ChineseClass101.com and create a free account! We provide fun and effective learning tools for every learner, including free Chinese vocabulary lists and more insightful blog posts like this one. You can also begin using our online community forums, and with a Premium Plus account, you can start learning Chinese one-on-one with your own personal teacher using our MyTeacher program!

Know that your hard work will soon reap benefits, and you’ll be speaking, reading, and writing Chinese like a native before you know it!

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 Chinese language. “Introduction” in Chinese is 介绍 (jiè shào), and this article has incorporated the most quintessent and useful Chinese phrases for a decent 介绍. Now is the opportune time for you to study them!

Without further ado, let’s take a look at various greetings in Chinese along with situational Chinese phrases that are sure to help you as you navigate this interesting culture! Here are our suggestions and tips on introducing yourself in Chinese.

Table of Contents

1. Introducing Basic Information and Identifying Yourself
2. Placing Yourself in Society
3. Personal Details
4. Formal Phrases for Certain Occasions when You First Meet People
5. Additional Tips for Introducing Yourself in China
6. Bonus Questions
7. Conclusion

1. Introducing Basic Information and Identifying Yourself

1- Name

Formal:

• In Chinese: 我姓……
• Pinyin: Wǒ xìng…
• In English: “My last name is…”

In Chinese culture, when people first get to know you, they may not directly ask your name; instead, inquiring for your last name is more common. Interestingly, in order to pay you some respect, they may ask you: 您贵姓？(nín guì xìng?), which literally means: “What is your noble last name?”. In this situation, you reply: 免贵姓王 (miǎn guì xìng wáng), which means: “To drop the noble, it is Wang.” In this example, we used 王 which is one of the most common Chinese last names. You can simply replace it with your own last name to reply. Please remember, it’s very important in Chinese culture to stay humble and use the phrase “to drop the noble.” Otherwise, they may form a negative impression of you.

Less formal:

• In Chinese: 我叫……
• Pinyin: Wǒ jiào …
• In English: “I am called…”
• In Chinese: 我是……
• Pinyin: Wǒ shì…
• In English: “I am…”
• In Chinese: 我的(中文)名字是……
• Pinyin: Wǒ de (zhōng wén) míng zi shì…
• In English: “My (Chinese) name is…”

To introduce yourself in Chinese is really straightforward. Simply say “hello” in Chinese, use any sentence pattern above, and add your name where the ellipsis is.

If you also have a name in Chinese, don’t forget to use these expressions to let your Chinese friends know! Talking about your name in Chinese is a vital and interesting part of the culture.

Don’t know how to write your name in Chinese? Ask our teachers on this page. You can also learn more about Chinese names and surnames there!

Informal:

• In Chinese: 叫我丽丽吧。
• Pinyin: Jiào wǒ lì lì ba.
• In English: “Just call me Lili.”

2- Nationality and Hometown

• In Chinese: 我来自美国。
• Pinyin: Wǒ lái zì měi guó.
• In English: “I come from the United States.”
• In Chinese: 我是一名日本人。
• Pinyin: Wǒ shì yī míng rì běn rén.
• In English: “I am a Japanese.”

名 is a classifier in Chinese for a certain identity. There are many other classifiers in Chinese and you’ll be able to learn more as you study the Chinese language in more depth. You can try to make another sentence for your own identity, as it’s not limited to nationality. 我是一名学生 (wǒ shì yī míng xué shēng) is another example, meaning “I am a student.”

• In Chinese: 我的家乡在四川。
• Pinyin: Wǒ de jiā xiāng zài sì chuān.
• In English: “My hometown is in Sichuan.”

Since Chinese people have a strong sense of belonging for identification for their hometowns, when you introduce yourself, 家乡 meaning hometown, may be a common question to be asked.

3- Age

Here’s some information on talking about your age in Chinese.

• In Chinese: 我今年二十岁。
• Pinyin: Wǒ jīn nián èr shí suì.
• In English: “I am twenty years old this year.”

This is a formal expression for adults, plain and simple. You can also omit 岁 meaning “years old” for short, just like how we say in English “I am twenty”.

• In Chinese: 我今年有五岁啦!
• Pinyin: Wǒ jīn nián yǒu wǔ suì la!
• In English: “I am five years old this year!”

This is often said by a kid in a very childlike tone. If you’re a child, you may tell people your age in this manner innocently and with confidence. People will probably be amazed by how adorable and natural the way you say it is, especially if you’re a foreign child!

4- Where you Live

• In Chinese: 我住在北京。
• Pinyin: Wǒ zhù zài běi jīng.
• In English: “I live in Beijing.”
• In Chinese: 我家在北京。
• Pinyin: Wǒ jiā zài běi jīng.
• In English: “My house is in Beijing.”

在 means to be located in Chinese, while introducing locations, you can just simply put the subject before it and the location you wish introduce right after 在.

2. Placing Yourself in Society

1- Major and Profession

• In Chinese: 我的专业是会计。
• Pinyin: Wǒ de zhuān yè shì kuài ji.
• In English: “My major is accounting.”
• In Chinese: 我是一名律师。
• Pinyin: Wǒ shì yī míng lǜ shī.
• In English: “I am a lawyer.”

This is the same expression as we mentioned before. 一名 can also be utilized for introducing your identity in terms of your career. Keep this in mind when talking about your job or profession in Chinese.

2- Where you Work or Study

• In Chinese: 我在北京工作。
• Pinyin: Wǒ zài běi jīng gōng zuò.
• In English: “I work in Beijing.”
• In Chinese: 我在美国上学。
• Pinyin: Wǒ zài měi guó shàng xué.
• In English: “I study in the United States.”

3- Information about Family

• In Chinese: 我家里有四口人。
• Pinyin: Wǒ jiā lǐ yǒu sì kǒu rén.
• In English: “There are four people in my family.”
• In Chinese: 我家里有个妹妹/姐姐。
• Pinyin: Wǒ jiā lǐ yǒu gè mèi mèi /jiě jiě.
• In English: “I have a younger/older sister.”

In Chinese, a younger sister and an older sister are defined in specifically different forms. Definitely keep this in mind when talking about your family in Chinese—it’s important!

3. Personal Details

1- Describe Your Personality with a Few Words

• In Chinese: 我的性格……
• Pinyin: Wǒ de xìng gé…
• In English: “My personality is…”

There are many different words you can use when talking about your personality in Chinese, but for now we’re going to introduce only the most common ones:

• 活泼 (huó pō) meaning “bright”
• 开朗 (kāi lǎng) meaning “outgoing”
• 内向 (nèi xiàng) meaning “introvert”
• 外向 (wài xiàng) meaning “extrovert”
• 乐观 (lè guān) meaning “optimistic”

2- Hobbies

Here’s some information on talking about your hobbies in Chinese—this has the potential to be one of the best parts of your introductory conversation!

Formal

• In Chinese: 我的爱好是听音乐。
• Pinyin: Wǒ de ài hào shì tīng yīn yuè.
• In English: “My hobby is listening to music.”

Informal

• In Chinese: 我喜欢跳舞。
• Pinyin: Wǒ xǐ huān tiào wǔ.
• In English: “I like dancing.”

3- Pets

During more casual greetings in Chinese, you may find that pets come into the conversation (who doesn’t love to boast about their furry companion to friends?). Here’s a sample sentence you may find helpful to get you started.

• In Chinese: 我家有一只小狗/小猫。
• Pinyin: Wǒ jiā yǒu yī zhī xiǎo gǒu/xiǎo māo.
• In English: “I have a dog / cat at home.”

4- Future Plan

• In Chinese: 我打算以后……
• Pinyin: Wǒ dǎ suàn yǐ hòu…
• In English: “Later I am planning to…”

You can use this sentence to introduce many different things for your future, such as what job you want to have, where you plan on living, when you want to marry, etc.

5- How Long You’ve been Studying Chinese

While introducing yourself in Chinese, it may come as no surprise that someone will want to know how long you’ve been at this whole studying thing. Here’s an example of how you can answer.

• In Chinese: 我学习中文有两年了。
• Pinyin: Wǒ xué xí zhōng wén yǒu liǎng nián le.
• In English: “It has been two years since I started to study Chinese.”

4. Formal Phrases for Certain Occasions when You First Meet People

1- Business Occasions

• In Chinese: 跟高兴认识您/你。
• Pinyin: Hěn gāo xìng rèn shí nín /nǐ.
• In English: “I am glad to meet you.”
• In Chinese: 希望我们合作愉快。
• Pinyin: Xī wàng wǒ men hé zuò yú kuài.
• In English: “Hopefully we will pleasantly work together.”

It’s a good courtesy to offer to shake hands, or nod and bow a little at the same time, while saying both of the formal Chinese phrases above as a show of respect.

2- Introduce Yourself to Everyone in a New Working Place

• In Chinese: 大家好，我是一名新人，以后请大家多多指教。
• Pinyin: Dà jiā hǎo, wǒ shì yī míng xīn rén, yǐ hòu qǐng dà jiā duō duō zhǐ jiào.
• In English: “Hello everyone, I am new here, please guide and teach me in the future.”

“Please guide and teach me in the future” is a very common saying in Chinese for people who are new to a place and still need to learn and gain more experience. This phrase is often said to people who have more experience than they do in a certain field (though it can also be said as a show of humility). Instead of 大家, you can also use a special Chinese term 前辈 (qián bèi) meaning “people who have more experience than you,” to show how respectful you are.

5. Additional Tips for Introducing Yourself in China

1- Stay Humble

If you ever talk to a native Chinese person, you’ll find out something interesting about them: They won’t directly take a compliment from people the way that western people do. In western culture, people will probably say “thank you” and naturally take the compliment as though they deserve it. Formal greetings in Chinese, especially, require a level of humility. So if you’re receiving a compliment from Chinese people during an introduction, there are two common ways you may reply to be seen as humble:

• In Chinese: 不敢当。
• Pinyin: Bú gǎn dāng.
• In English: “I can’t take that.”

It’ll sound even more humble in Chinese if you say this two times in a row, for example: 不敢当不敢当。

• In Chinese: 您过奖了。
• Pinyin: Nín guò jiǎng le.
• In English: “You are flattering me.”

您 means “you” in a respectful form. If the other person is almost the same age as you, you may remove it from the sentence or replace it with 你, meaning “you” without the respectful form.

2- Private Inquiries that should be Avoided (Income; Age for Mid-aged People)

There are some questions that should be avoided during a Chinese introduction, mainly subjects like income and age. Especially people who appear to be mid-aged, asking about age may be viewed as disrespectful towards them, which may cause some discomfort; Chinese people see getting old in a negative light.

6. Bonus Questions

Here are a couple of questions you may want to discuss while introducing yourself in Chinese with local Chinese people, These Chinese introductory phrases/questions may help you to get better acquainted during your meeting.

• In Chinese: 我的名字用中文怎么说呢？
• Pinyin: Wǒ de míng zì yòng zhōng wén zěn me shuō ne?
• In English: “How do you say my name in Chinese?”
• In Chinese: 你能用中文把我的名字写下来吗？
• In Pinyin: Nǐ néng yòng zhōng wén bǎ wǒ de míng zi xiě xià lái ma?
• In English: “Can you write my name in Chinese?”

7. Conclusion

Now you must have absorbed a great deal of knowledge regarding how to introduce yourself in Chinese. The Chinese introductory phrases that were incorporated in this article are just a basic guide for beginners, and if you wish to explore more Chinese culture and learn Chinese in more depth, be sure to check out our website at ChineseClass101.com. You’ll certainly harvest much more fruit in studying Chinese from our Wonderland!

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.

Qu Yuan was a politician and poet who lived two thousand years ago. He had been a court official in the State of Chu. He was very loyal, but the King believed the words of the treacherous instead and exiled him. Feeling humiliated, he jumped into a river on May 5 to end his life. It is said that people missed him greatly after his death. They began boating on the same river and this activity gradually evolved into Dragon Boat racing.

2. When is Dragon Boat Festival?

So, when is the Dragon Boat Festival?

Each year, China celebrates the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar. For your convenience, here’s a list of this holiday’s date on the Gregorian calendar for the next ten years.

• 2019: June 7
• 2020: June 25
• 2021: June 14
• 2022: June 3
• 2023: June 22
• 2024: June 10
• 2025: May 31
• 2026: June 19
• 2027: June 9
• 2028: May 28

3. Reading Practice: Chinese Dragon Boat Festival Traditions

How do the Chinese celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival? Read the Simplified Chinese below to learn about Chinese Dragon Boat Festival traditions (including Dragon Boat Festival food!), and find the English translation directly below it.

—

说到赛龙舟，这是一项非常受欢迎的传统竞技。龙舟就是小船，赛龙舟就是划船比赛。比赛的时候，每个穿上安排25名船员，由其中一人指挥，2人敲鼓，其他人齐心协力，力争最快划到终点。赛龙舟最吸引人的是它热闹的气氛，龙舟上鼓声震天，喊声不绝；两岸围观的观众也络绎不绝。

而在端午节一定要吃的食物当然是粽子了。传说屈原跳江后，人们不忍心他的躯体被江河里的鱼虾吃掉，便做了很多带馅儿的团子撒到水里喂鱼——这就是粽子的由来。那么粽子是什么样的呢？最里面是枣、豆沙等做成的馅儿，由浸泡好的糯米包裹，最外面再包上粽子叶。煮好以后剥掉粽子叶，蘸白糖吃。

古时候人们认为端午节这天在家门口悬挂艾叶能避邪气。现代科学发现，艾叶的确能起到杀菌消毒、预防瘟疫流行的作用。

—

The dragon boat race is a very popular tradition. Dragon boats are small boats, and the dragon boat race is a boating race. There are twenty-five members on each boat: one in command, two playing the drums, and the rest making rigorous efforts to be the fastest to reach the finish line. What attracts people most is the atmosphere of the race. On the dragon boat, the drums sound like thunder, and the crew members’ shouts are never-ending. On both sides of the river bank is an endless stream of spectators.

During the Dragon Boat Festival, you must not miss out on eating rice dumplings. Legend says that after Qu Yuan jumped into the river, people didn’t want his body to be eaten by river fish; they made many dumplings with fillings and threw them into the river to feed the fish. This is the origin of the rice dumpling. So, what does a rice dumpling look like? Fillings such as jujube, red bean paste, or others are put inside soaked glutinous rice, and the rice is wrapped in bamboo leaves. After boiling, you can peel off the leaves and dip the rice dumplings in sugar to eat them.

In ancient times, people believed that hanging wormwood leaves on the door of their home could keep evil away. Modern science has found that wormwood leaves can sterilize and prevent plague infection.

4. How Traditions Relate to Qu Yuan

Which customs in the Dragon Boat Festival (China) commemorate Qu Yuan?

The Dragon Boat Festival itself is a festival to commemorate Qu Yuan. The customs related to Qu Yuan include the dragon boat race and eating rice dumplings.

5. Useful Vocabulary for the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival

Here’s some vocabulary you should know for the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival!

• 端午节 (Duānwǔ Jié) — Dragon Boat Festival
• 屈原 (Qū Yuán) — Qu Yuan
• 龙舟赛 (lóngzhōu sài) — dragon boat race
• 龙舟 (lóngzhōu) — dragon boat
• 糯米 (nuòmǐ) — glutinous rice
• 锣鼓 (luó gǔ) — gongs and drums
• 雄黄酒 (xiónghuáng jiǔ) — realgar wine
• 粽 (zòng) — rice dumpling stuffed with meat
• 划龙舟 (huá lóngzhōu) — row a dragon boat
• 甜粽 (tiánzòng) — sweet rice dumpling

To hear each of these vocabulary words pronounced, check out our Chinese Dragon Boat Festival vocabulary list. Here, each word is accompanied by an audio file of its pronunciation.

Conclusion

What do you think of the Dragon Boat Festival in China? Does your country have a similar holiday or festival? Let us know in the comments!

To learn more about the culture in China and the Chinese language, visit us at ChineseClass101.com! It’s our aim to make learning Chinese both fun and informative, and to ensure that every learner can master the language. We offer an array of useful learning tools, from insightful blog posts like this one to free Chinese vocabulary lists. You can also discuss lessons with fellow Chinese learners on our community forum, and upgrade to Premium Plus to take advantage of our MyTeacher program!

We hope you took away something valuable from this lesson, and that you feel more knowledgeable about this facet of Chinese culture. Know that your hard work will pay off, and you’ll be speaking Chinese like a native before you know it!

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 improve both your listening and speaking ability immensely. It may even further intrigue your passion for Chinese! We hope you’re able to get some helpful info on learning Chinese from movies on our Chinese movies blog. Here are some tips to improve your pronunciation while watching movies in Chinese.

Table of Contents

1. The Top 12 Chinese Movies for Studying the Language
2. Websites and Places for Watching Good Chinese Movies
3. How Can Watching Chinese Movies Become a Great Tool for Learning the Language?

1. The Top 12 Chinese Movies for Studying the Language

1- You are the Apple of My Eye

• Chinese Title: 那些年，我们一起追的女孩
• Pinyin: nà xiē nián ，wǒ men yī qǐ zhuī de nǚ hái
• English Title: You are the Apple of My Eye

This movie was released in 2011 and aroused memories of many people’s innocent youth. It’s one of the best Chinese romantic movies for students or for people who want to be nostalgic for their past school romances. It contains many easy-to-understand daily speaking Chinese words and phrases, especially for teenagers. The story includes all the innocence, beauty, struggles, romance, and growth that take place during one’s youth. Remember to prepare some tissues when you watch it!

• Chinese quote: 青春是一场大雨，即使感冒了，还盼望回头再淋它一次。
• Pinyin: Qīng chūn shì yī chǎng dà yǔ, jí shǐ gǎn mào le, hái pàn wàng huí tóu zài lín tā yī cì.
• English Meaning: Youth is like a rain. Even though you catch a cold from it, you still wish to relive it again.

2- Lost in Thailand

• Chinese Title: 泰囧
• Pinyin: tài jiǒng
• English Title: Lost in Thailand

This is a Chinese comedy film about an adventure Lang Xu, Bo Gao, and Bao Wang have in Thailand for a competitive business war. Explore their magical trip with them as you watch and learn from the movie! Go ahead and have a good laugh while you’re at it, and learn some funny phrases in Chinese! Maybe you’ll even be able to make classic jokes in Chinese as you progress in your studies.

• Chinese quote: 你是不是一生下来你妈就把你扇到地上来着！
• Pinyin: Nǐ shì bú shì yī shēng xià lái nǐ mā jiù bǎ nǐ shān dào dì shàng lái zhe!
• English Meaning: Your mother slapped you to the ground once you were born! Is that right!

3- Love is not Blind

• Chinese Title: 失恋33天
• Pinyin: shī liàn sān shí sān tiān
• English Title: Love is not Blind

This movie is one of the best Chinese movies for people who long for some comfort from a breakup, and it will teach you a great lesson. Particularly, you can watch this movie for learning standardized Mandarin. The story talks about a girl’s thirty-three-day journey from the loss of love to being herself again, in a humorous way. It was known as the first “healing” love movie customized for the Singles Day (11/11) in mainland China.

• Chinese quote: 每个人的故事，就像别人的小说或电影，只要事不关己，永远遥不可及。
• Pinyin: Měi gè rén de gù shì, dōu xiàng bié rén de xiǎo shuō huò diàn yǐng, zhī yào shì bù guān jǐ, yǒng yuǎn yáo bù kě jí.
• English Meaning: Everyone’s story is like someone else’s story or movie. As long as it’s not your business, it will always feel faraway.

4- Let the Bullets Fly

• Chinese Title: 让子弹飞
• Pinyin: ràng zǐ dàn fēi
• English Title: Let the Bullets Fly

This is one of the best Chinese action movies. It talks about the story of a man’s great transformation from a purposeless robber to the responsible governor of Goose City. Soon, an aggressive battle is on with the bully Silang Huang who guards the Goose City. The legend of the hero is always passed down, and at the end of the story, Mazi Zhang finally realizes what he needs to pursue.

• Chinese quote: 如果你活着，早晚都会死；如果你死了，你就永远活着。
• Pinyin: Rú guǒ nǐ huó zhe, zǎo wǎn dōu huì sǐ; rú guǒ nǐ sǐ le, nǐ jiù yǒng yuǎn huó zhe.
• English Meaning: If you are alive, you will die sooner or later; if you die, then you will be living forever.

5- Youth

• Chinese Title: 芳华
• Pinyin: fāng huá
• English Title: Youth

This is a modern Chinese historical movie about the lives of the army’s young new recruits during the 1970s. It was a great transformation period for China, and the youth of that generation is worth being recorded.

• Chinese quote: 一个始终不被人善待的人, 最能识得善良, 也最能珍视善良。
• Pinyin: Yī gè shǐ zhōng bú bèi rén shàn dài de rén, zuì néng shí dé shàn liáng, yě zuì néng zhēn shì shàn liáng.
• English Meaning: A person who was never treated kindly, is the most capable of recognizing kindness and as well as cherishing it.

6- Ip Man

• Chinese Title: 叶问
• Pinyin: yè wèn
• English Title: Ip Man

This one is a great hero Chinese movie about a famous Chinese martial artist called Ip Man, who is also the mentor of Bruce Lee. Throughout the movie, Chinese patriotism is passionately present.

• Chinese quote: 每个人走的路都是自己选的。
• Pinyin: Měi gè rén zǒu de lù dōu shì zì jǐ xuǎn de.
• English Meaning: Everyone is the decider for the journey of their life.

7- Rob-B-Hood

• Chinese Title: 宝贝计划
• Pinyin: bǎo bèi jì huà
• English Title: Rob-B-Hood

This movie is a Chinese action comedy film that stars the famous actor Jackie Chan. It tells the story of the journey of two men who, after stealing an infant, start to have a unique and humorous experience.

• Chinese quote: 人本来就是很复杂的，三岁定八十，你给他吃什么，教他什么都是不可以马虎的。
• Pinyin:
• Rén běn lái jiù shì hěn fù zá de, sān suì dìng bā shí, nǐ gěi tā chī shén me, jiāo tā shén me dōu shì bù kě yǐ mǎ hu de.
• English Meaning: Humans are complicated. How one is going to be at the age of eighty depends on the age of three. You need to pay attention to what you feed and teach him.

8- Go Away Mr.Tumor

• Chinese Title: 滚蛋吧，肿瘤君！
• Pinyin: gǔn dàn ba ，zhǒng liú jūn
• English Title: Go Away Mr.Tumor!

Whilst battling against a malignant tumor, a woman writes a story that inspires millions of people worldwide. This story makes you reflect upon life and death, and sheds some light on the saying “living in the moment.” A great movie to start for a beginner for learning Chinese.

• Chinese quote: 人不能因为害怕失去，就不去拥有。死，只是一个结果，怎么活着才是最重要的。
• Pinyin: Rén bù néng yīn wèi hài pà shī qù, jiù bú qù yōng yǒu. Sǐ, zhǐ shì yī gè jié guǒ, zěn me huó zhe cái shì zuì zhòng yào de.
• English Meaning: You cannot refuse to embrace things just because you are afraid of losing them. Death is just a result, and the ways of living is the most important thing.

9- My Memories of Old Beijing

• Chinese Title: 城南旧事
• Pinyin: chéng nán jiù shì
• English Title: My Memories of Old Beijing

This classic old movie is originally from an autobiographical novel by Lin Haiyin, which has become one of the best Chinese movies of all time. The story was told from the perspective of a little girl, Yingzi, who had a memorable childhood in Beijing.

• Chinese quote: 无论什么困难的事，只要硬着头皮去做，就闯过去了。
• Pinyin: Wú lùn shén me kùn nán de shì, zhǐ yào yìng zhe tóu pí qù zuò, jiù chuǎng guò qù le.
• English Meaning: No matter how difficult it is, as long as you just go ahead and do it, you will always overcome the difficulty.

10- So Young

• Chinese Title: 致我们终将逝去的青春
• Pinyin: zhì wǒ men zhōng jiāng shì qù de qīng chūn
• English Title: So Young

This story is about the bittersweet youth of a girl who discovers university life and learns many lessons from it. Later, she also faces the challenges of being in a society full of pressure. This movie is a mirror of reality. Many characters in the movie become the kind of people they used to dislike. We can gain much more than love from this film; we can also gain much wisdom about the journey of growth.

• Chinese quote: 再好的过去，回忆的次数多了味道也就淡了。
• Pinyin: Zài hǎo de guò qù, huí yì de cì shù duō le wèi dào yě jiù dàn le.
• English Meaning: No matter how wonderful the memories were, if you recollect and reminisce too many times, the good in it will eventually go away.

11- Once Upon a Time

• Chinese Title: 三生三世十里桃花
• Pinyin: sān shēng sān shì shí lǐ táo huā
• English Title: Once Upon a Time

This movie, released in 2017, has another beautiful name: Eternal Love. It’s a bittersweet love tragedy featuring Bai Qian, a goddess and monarch from Heavenly Realms, who is sent to the mortal world to undergo a trial to become a High Goddess. She meets Ye Hua there and falls in love with him. This fairy tale will show you the regrets and struggles that come with love and will also introduce a glimpse of Chinese culture regarding the Heavenly Realms.

• Chinese quote: 我明白得太迟，而你终究不会在原地等我了。
• Pinyin: Wǒ míng bái dé tài chí, ér nǐ zhōng jiū bú huì zài yuán dì děng wǒ le.
• English Meaning: It was too late when I realized everything, and now you are not there waiting for me anymore.

12- The Mermaid

• Chinese Title: 美人鱼
• Pinyin: měi rén yú
• English Title: The Mermaid

This film tells the romantic story of the rich man Xuan Liu and the mermaid Shanshan. Xuan Liu’s real estate project threatens Shanshan’s families who live under the sea, and thus Shanshan as a spy was meant to assassinate him in order to save them. Surprisingly, they fall in love. This beautiful fairy tale is starred by the famous actor Stephen Chow and was released in 2016.

Chinese quote: “假如你的生命只剩下一分钟的话你会做些什么？” “看着你。”
Pinyin: “Jiǎ rú nǐ de shēng mìng zhǐ shèng xià yī fēn zhōng de huà nǐ huì zuò xiē shén me？” “Kàn zhe nǐ.”
English Meaning: “What would you do if there is only one minute left in your life?” “Looking at you.”

2. Websites and Places for Watching Good Chinese Movies

Netflix:

There’s a variety of classic Chinese movies on Netflix. Although they might not be the newest ones, many of them are still very entertaining and are a great fit for learning Chinese culture and language. You can find one of the classics we just mentioned here: Ip Man!

YouTube Chinese movie:

YouTube usually has the newest Chinese movies and shows, and most of the movies we mentioned in this article can be found there! A great thing about newly made Chinese movies is that they’re often made with both Chinese and English subtitles. Just research the movie title on YouTube and enjoy!

Chinese Movie Theaters in China:

If you plan to visit China, don’t forget to take a glance at some of the best Chinese movie theaters: Wanda International Cinemas and China Film Stellar Theater Chain. Hope you have a fantastic experience there!

3. How Can Watching Chinese Movies Become a Great Tool for Learning the Language?

By watching movies, you can practice both your listening and speaking skills in the language. As you look at the subtitles, your vocabulary knowledge will boost dramatically as well! They’re not as dull as most language textbooks. Instead, they teach you the most close-to-life Chinese!

ChineseClass101.com will definitely help you learn Chinese more efficiently, providing you with a great source of information on the Chinese language. You can also research some new vocabularies and questions you may have from watching the movies! Soon you’ll be able to watch Chinese movies with absolute confidence in understanding them!

Start with a bonus, and download the Must-Know Beginner Vocabulary PDF for FREE! (Logged-In Member Only)

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

1. Watch the Shows in the Right Way
2. Sites Where You Can Watch Popular Chinese Shows
3. Ten Classic Must-watch Chinese Shows
4. Conclusion

1. Watch the Shows in the Right Way

If you watch TV shows on a regular daily basis, soon you’ll be able to memorize vocabulary more efficiently by associating them with its context, vivid action, interesting plot, and visual image, which will also help you get a better sense of grammar, accent, and native culture.

Unlike academic textbooks, a well-produced TV show brings you to a whole new world and you’ll easily find yourself becoming motivated to keep watching. Eventually, you’ll become immersed in it.

Now, the question is, although watching TV shows helps and is more entertaining, can you rely on watching shows by itself?

Certainly not. If you truly wish to improve your Chinese skills systematically from all aspects, it requires a little dedication. Now, here are some tips to guide you as you utilize TV shows as a tool to study Chinese:

• Find the right one: A show that can trigger your interest of studying is the key. First find a good TV show that matches your particular interests.
• Identify which language skill you wish to improve: For example, if you want to increase your storage of vocabulary or grammar usage, you’ll need to pay close attention to the subtitles all the time. On the other hand, if you want to improve your listening skills, then it’ll be best for you not to look at the subtitles too much. (If you’re a beginner, it’s always good to watch Chinese TV shows with English subtitles, though, whether you look at them a lot or not.)

Furthermore, if you wish to practice your Chinese by immersing yourself in the Chinese environment, a show with only Chinese subtitles will be the best fit depending on your level.

• Stay observant and take notes: When your main purpose is to study the language, don’t pay too much attention to the show itself. You don’t want to forget your “learner” identity. You’ll need to constantly observe by watching, reading, and listening to see if there’s anything you don’t understand that’s worth looking up.

  Stay like a hungry wolf who’s desperate for its food. Always stay alert when something you don’t understand pops up. When it happens, don’t be lazy! Pause it, and take time to take some notes. This will probably be a bit time-consuming, but it’s worth the effort.

  For instance, a forty-minute show may take you an hour to watch in this way. Just remember that it means you’re absorbing and learning!

2. Sites Where You Can Watch Popular Chinese Shows

Due to the restriction for copyright, many shows on Chinese websites only allow users who are located in Mainland China to watch. Fortunately, although you don’t live in Mainland China, you’ll still be able to find the most popular Chinese shows with the most recent updates on Youtube and some other channels.

For people who live outside of Mainland China, you can find popular Chinese TV shows on:

• YouTube: This is the best channel for people who aren’t located in Mainland China to find the most recent updates without any charge. You can usually find them with both Chinese and English subtitles.
• Netflix: This includes a variety of classic Chinese shows, though you’ll need a subscription.
• ViKi: This streams free online and provides many recently popular Chinese shows with both Chinese and English subtitles.
• AsianCrush: This is where you can enjoy all kinds of Asian shows.

For people who live in Mainland China, here are five Chinese websites that are exclusive to those who are located in Mainland China. If you’re not fluent in Chinese, no worries; just use Google to translate everything.

The best thing about them is that you can find almost every single category of Chinese shows on them, whether it’s a niche market or a popular one, a classic or a recent release. Just enjoy it all. With these sites you can find great Chinese TV shows to watch online:

• Youku
• Iqiyi
• Mango TV
• QQ TV
• Sohu TV

3. Ten Classic Must-watch Chinese Shows

Here’s our list of popular Chinese TV shows and other recent shows. A lot of these are drama Chinese TV shows, so watching these is a great way to catch up on the latest Chinese dramas. That said, here’s our Chinese TV shows to watch online.

1- Chinese Paladin – 仙剑奇侠传 (xiān jiàn qí xiá zuàn)

Chinese Paladin, based on the popular role-playing game The Legend of Sword and Fairy, was released in 2005 and introduces Chinese Xianxia (仙侠) culture, which often involves appearances of gods, immortals, people, demons, and ghosts. There will also be various magic weapons and fairy instruments utilized by the characters.

There are also lots of romantic phrases waiting for you to learn since a great deal of love stories are involved in this series!

Vocabularies:

• 理解 (lǐ jiě) — understanding
• 爱 (ài) — love
• 心 (xīn) — heart
• 人 (rén) — person

Classic quotes:

• In Chinese: 相爱, 不如相知.
  Pinyin: Xiàng ài, bù rú xiàng zhī.
  In English: Falling in love is not as powerful as understanding each other in depth.
• In Chinese: 她偷走了我的心，却是为了她爱的人。
  Pinyin: Tā tōu zǒu le wǒ de xīn, què shì wéi le tā ài de rén.
  In English: She stole my heart, and yet it is only for the one she loves.

2- Ipartment – 爱情公寓 (ài qíng gōng yù)

A sitcom produced from Mainland China, the i in the English title is a reference to ài (爱), the Chinese term for “love.” This series talks about a group of friends who live in the same apartment and their hilarious, entertaining, and heartwarming daily life, which will teach you a lot about romance and friendship.

If you ever feel that your life is difficult and needs a little bit of laughter to lighten it up, watch this show!

Vocabularies:

• 以为 (yǐ wéi) — assume
• 其实 (qí shí) — actually
• 成功 (chéng gōng) — success
• 每当 (měi dāng) — every time
• 钥匙 (yào shí) — key

Classic quotes:

• In Chinese: 别以为世界抛弃了你, 其实世界压根没空搭理你。
  Pinyin: Bié yǐ wéi shì jiè pāo qì le nǐ, qí shí shì jiè yà gēn méi kōng dā lǐ nǐ.
  In English: Don’t assume the whole world abandoned you, actually this world doesn’t have time to care for you.
• In Chinese: 每当我找到成功的钥匙，就有人把锁给换了！
  Pinyin: Měi dāng wǒ zhǎo dào chéng gōng de yào shí, jiù yǒu rén bǎ suǒ gěi huàn le!
  In English: Every time I find the key to success, there is someone who would change the lock!

3- With You – 最好的我们 (zuì hǎo de wǒ men)

This is a 2016 Chinese web series based on the novel The Best of Us that shows you how memorable and unforgettable Chinese high school love can be. It’s much different from western culture due to Chinese education system and traditions. Remember to prepare tissues for the ending!

Vocabularies:

• 变化(biàn huà) – change
• 可能(kě néng) – possibility
• 唯一 (wéi yī) – the only
• 最好(zuì hǎo) – best

Classic quotes:

• In Chinese: 世界上唯一不变的就是变化，世界上唯一可能的就是不可能。
  Pinyin: Shì jiè shàng wéi yī bú biàn de jiù shì biàn huà, shì jiè shàng wéi yī kě néng de jiù shì bù kě néng.
  In English: The only invariable is to constantly change in the world, and the only possibility is impossibility.
• In Chinese: 当时的他是最好的他，后来的我是最好的我。 可是最好的我们之间，隔了一整个青春。
  Pinyin: Dāng shí de tā shì zuì hǎo de tā, hòu lái de wǒ shì zuì hǎo de wǒ. kě shì zuì hǎo de wǒ men zhī jiān, gé le yī zhěng gè qīng chūn.
  In English: He was the best of him at the time, I became the best of me later. But between the best form of us, there was a whole youth that crossed by.

4- Ode to Joy – 欢乐颂 (huān lè sòng)
This story revolves around five women living in an apartment, sharing their daily struggles and experiences as independent modern individuals in an urban city, Shanghai. As those women grow a mutual bond together through laughter and tears, you’ll certainly obtain some worthy lessons of a lifetime.

Vocabularies:

• 问题 (wèn tí) — problem
• 自己 (zì jǐ) — self
• 除了 (chú le) — except

Classic quotes:

• In Chinese: 一个人不理你，有可能是对方的问题。 但是如果大家都不理你，就要从自身找问题了。
  Pinyin: Yī gè rén bù lǐ nǐ, yǒu kě néng shì duì fāng de wèn tí. Dàn shì rú guǒ dà jiā dōu bù lǐ nǐ, jiù yào cóng zì shēn zhǎo wèn tí le.
  In English: If someone doesn’t want to talk to you, it might be his problem. But if no one wants to talk to you, then you need to find the problem from yourself.
• In Chinese: 除了自己，谁都不能和你过一辈子。
  Pinyin: Chú le zì jǐ, shuí dōu bù néng hé nǐ guò yī bèi zǐ.
  In English: Except for yourself, there is no one who can spend a whole life with you forever.

5- Nirvana in Fire – 琅琊榜 (láng yá bǎng)

Nirvana in Fire is a 2015 Chinese historical drama based on Hai Yan’s novel, which introduces a spectacular drama in ancient times that entails numerous complex imperial conflictions. If you’re curious about how the culture in ancient China was, this will be one of the best Chinese shows for learning Chinese you’ll never regret watching!

Vocabularies:

• 公平的 (gōng píng de) — fair
• 朋友 (péng yǒu) — friends
• 背叛 (bèi pàn) — betray
• 世间 (shì jiān) — world

Classic quotes:

• In Chinese: 虽然这世间少有公平，但是我希望你可以永远保持这份赤子之心。
  Pinyin: Suī rán zhè shì jiān shǎo yǒu gōng píng, dàn shì wǒ xī wàng nǐ kě yǐ yǒng yuǎn bǎo chí zhè fèn chì zǐ zhī xīn.
  In English: Although it is hard to be fair in this world, at least I hope you will keep your original pure heart.
• In Chinese: 人只会被朋友背叛，敌人是永远都没有‘出卖’和‘背叛’的机会的。
  Pinyin: Rén zhī huì bèi péng yǒu bèi pàn, dí rén shì yǒng yuǎn dōu méi yǒu ‘chū mài ’hé ‘bèi pàn ’de jī huì de.
  In English: Only friends can betray humans, your enemy can never have the chance to betray.

6- In Time with You – 我可能不会爱你 (wǒ kě néng bú huì ài nǐ)

This show is a 2011 Taiwanese television series that talks about a lifelong romantic relationship that is originated from friendship. As the main characters grow together and realize their romantic feelings towards each other, you can’t help tearing up. This is a heartfelt story that not only teaches you about love but also how to live life.

Vocabularies:

• 失去 (shī qù) — to lose
• 眼睛 (yǎn jīng) — eyes
• 女人 (nǚ rén) — women
• 昂贵 (áng guì) — expensive

Classic quotes:

• In Chinese: 让女人发光的不一定要是昂贵的钻石，还有为爱流过泪的眼睛。
  Pinyin: Ràng nǚ rén fā guāng de bù yī dìng yào shì áng guì de zuàn shí, hái yǒu wéi ài liú guò lèi de yǎn jīng.
  In English: What makes women shine is not only expensive diamonds, as well as the eyes that you only teared up for love.
• In Chinese: 如果我不曾拥有，那也就没有什么好失去的了。
  Pinyin: Rú guǒ wǒ bù céng yōng yǒu, nà yě jiù méi yǒu shén me hǎo shī qù de le.
  In English: If I have never owned it, then there is nothing to lose for me.

7- The Vigilantes in Masks – 怪侠一枝梅 (guài xiá yī zhī méi)

Taking Place in the Ming Dynasty, The Vigilantes in Masks is a Chinese TV show that’ll teach you not only the language, but important Chinese cultural information. Released in 2010, it covers fun and adventurous stories with a Robin Hood vibe. Through the lens of Chinese history, you’ll see many fantastic Kung Fu moves and ancient Chinese culture in the old society.

Vocabularies:

• 失望 (shī wàng) — disappointment
• 希望 (xī wàng) — hope
• 绝望的 (jué wàng de) — hopeless
• 支持 (zhī chí) — support

Classic quotes:

• In Chinese: 绝望就是在你失望的时候给你希望，在你满怀希望的时候让你彻底失望。
  Pinyin: Jué wàng jiù shì zài nǐ shī wàng de shí hòu gěi nǐ xī wàng, zài nǐ mǎn huái xī wàng de shí hòu ràng nǐ chè dǐ shī wàng.
  In English: Being hopeless is to give you hope when you are disappointed, and then to make you disappointed again when you are full of hope.
• In Chinese: 你做什么我都支持你。
  Pinyin: Nǐ zuò shén me wǒ dōu zhī chí nǐ.
  In English: I will support you no matter what you do.

8- Love O2O – 微微一笑很倾城 (wēi wēi yī xiào hěn qīng chéng)

This show talks about a couple who originally knew each other from a video game and happen to go to the same college. As they overcome numerous obstacles after falling in love through online gaming, they finally are able to enjoy their life together.

Vocabularies:

• 一见钟情 (yī jiàn zhōng qíng) — fall in love at first sight
• 如果 (rú guǒ) — if
• 喜欢 (xǐ huān) — like
• 瞬间 (shùn jiān) — moment

Classic quotes:

• In Chinese: 如果我知道有一天会这么爱你，我一定对你一见钟情。
  Pinyin: Rú guǒ wǒ zhī dào yǒu yī tiān huì zhè me ài nǐ, wǒ yī dìng duì nǐ yī jiàn zhōng qíng.
  In English: If only I know someday I will love you this much, I promise to fall in love with you at very first sight.
• In Chinese: 原来世界上真有这样的事，只要一瞬间，对一个人的喜欢就能到达顶点。
  Pinyin: Yuán lái shì jiè shàng zhēn yǒu zhè yàng de shì, zhī yào yī shùn jiān, duì yī gè rén de xǐ huān jiù néng dào dá dǐng diǎn.
  In English: Such thing like this truly exists, it requires only one moment for you to like someone to the maximum.

9- Fleet of Time – 匆匆那年 (cōng cōng nà nián)

This is a Chinese coming-of-age TV show that provides a glimpse of Chinese high school life along with many struggles between friends, classmates, teachers, and parents. You’ll learn many fashionable phrases that teenagers like to use.

Vocabularies:

• 再见 (zài jiàn) — goodbye
• 承诺 (chéng nuò) — promise
• 青春 (qīng chūn) — youth
• 毕业 (bì yè) — graduation

Classic quotes:

• In Chinese: 再见，不是一句道别，而是一个承诺。
  Pinyin: Zài jiàn, bú shì yī jù dào bié, ér shì yī gè chéng nuò.
  In English: “Good bye” is not for departure, instead it is a promise.
• In Chinese: 毕业那天, 你像往常一样跟我道别。多年以后,我才明白：那天与我道别的,是青春
  Pinyin: Bì yè nà tiān, nǐ xiàng wǎng cháng yī yàng gēn wǒ dào bié. Duō nián yǐ hòu, wǒ cái míng bái: nà tiān yǔ wǒ dào bié de, shì qīng chūn.
  In English: You said goodbye as usual on our graduation day. I only started to understand it many years after: it was youth who said goodbye to me.

10- Scarlet Heart – 步步惊心 (bù bù jīng xīn)

This is a 2011 Chinese television series based on a bittersweet love story of a woman who transported to Qing dynasty and had an unforgettable experience while she gets involved with people in the empire.

Vocabularies:

• 笑 (xiào) — smile
• 每天 (měi tiān) — every day
• 找 (zhǎo) — find
• 世界 (shì jiè) — world

Classic quotes:

• In Chinese: 我以后要你每天都如此笑。
  Pinyin: Wǒ yǐ hòu yào nǐ měi tiān dōu rú cǐ xiào.
  In English: I want you to smile like this every single day.
• In Chinese: 你不来我的世界找我，那我就去你的世界找你。
  Pinyin: Nǐ bù lái wǒ de shì jiè zhǎo wǒ, nà wǒ jiù qù nǐ de shì jiè zhǎo nǐ.
  In English: If you won’t come to my world to find me, then I will go after you in your world.

4. Conclusion

Of course, In order to learn Chinese more efficiently from TV shows, a number of fundamental vocabularies and basic grammar knowledge can be helpful. We provide professional and entertaining lessons and articles here at ChineseClass101.com.

You’ll find the most effective materials to guide you through everything you need to know to become a great Chinese speaker. So what are you waiting for? One click is all it takes to see for yourself!

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 Chinese culture: Youth Day in China during the Chinese Golden Week holiday season.

1. What is Chinese Youth Day?

In China, the Golden Week holiday Youth Day is used to commemorate the May Fourth Movement on May 4, 1919, which raised the flag of anti-imperialism and patriotism in China.

In China’s modern history, the May Fourth Movement has great significance, so Youth Day is accompanied by profound historical influence. On May 1, 1919, students from universities in Beijing organized a massive protest against unequal treaties signed by the government at the Paris Peace Conference. This movement marked the beginning of the New Democratic Revolution in China.

Though almost a century has passed since the May Fourth Movement, its spirit of patriotism, progress, democracy, and science is still advocated in contemporary China. “May Fourth” has become a cultural symbol and “May Fourth Youth” symbolize the patriotic youth.

2. When is Youth Day?

Each year, Chinese Youth Day is celebrated on May 4. Young people in China have a half-day off to celebrate this public holiday.

3. Reading Practice: How is Youth Day Celebrated?

How is Youth Day celebrated in China? Read the simplified Chinese text below to find out (and find the English translation directly below it).

—

如今在五四青年节期间，中国各地都会举行丰富多采的纪念活动，学校和单位里的”共青团”会组织青年们集中进行社会志愿和社会实践活动，比如去敬老院服务一天，十字路口帮助交通协管员维护交通秩序之类的。还有许多高中在青年节期间为即将毕业的高三生举行成人仪式，也叫作”成人冠礼”。

近年各大高校校园内刮起一股”民国风”，许多大学生在五四这一天身穿当年流行的民国学生制服

—

Today, there are various activities of celebration on Youth Day. The Youth Leagues will organize young people to participate in social activities, such as volunteering in nursing homes or helping traffic coordinators maintain traffic order. Many high schools will hold a coming of age ceremony called “Guan Li” for junior students who are graduating shortly after the Youth Day.

In recent years, the Republican style has become prevalent in universities. Many university students wear the student uniforms of those during the time of the Republic of China, as a way of celebration.

4. Additional Information: What is Youth?

So, Youth Day in China sounds like a great holiday. But who are able to participate in the half-day off? What is the legal definition of youth in China?

On Youth Day, China focuses on people between age fourteen and age twenty-eight. More than 300-million young people can have a half-day holiday on May 4.

5. Must-know Vocab

Here’s some vocabulary you should know for Youth Day in China!

• 鲁迅 (Lǔ Xùn) — Lu Xun
• 五四运动 (Wǔsì Yùndòng) — May Fourth Movement
• 革命 (gémìng) — revolution
• 纪念 (jìniàn) — commemoration
• 爱国主义 (àiguó zhǔyì) — patriotism
• 五四青年节 (Wǔsìqīngniánjié) — Youth Day
• 成人仪式 (chéngrén yíshì) — come of age ceremony
• 五一长假 (Wǔyī chángjià) — Golden Week
• 传统 (chuántǒng) — tradition
• 游行 (yóuxíng) — demonstration

To hear each of these words pronounced, check out our Chinese Youth Day vocabulary list, where you’ll find each word accompanied by an audio file of its pronunciation.

Conclusion

What do you think of China’s Youth Day? Does your country hold a celebration dedicated to its youth? Let us know in the comments!

To learn even more about the culture in China and the language, visit us at ChineseClass101.com. From insightful blog posts to free vocabulary lists, and even an online community where you can discuss lessons with fellow students, there’s something here for every Chinese learner! You can also take advantage of our MyTeacher program with a Premium Plus account, to learn Chinese one-on-one with your own personal teacher.

Until next time, best wishes on your Chinese language-learning journey. Your determination, hard work, and practice will pay off, and before you know it, you’ll be speaking like a native! And ChineseClass101.com will be here every step of your way there.

The Chinese Qingming Festival is one of the most significant, culturally rich holidays in the country. Essentially, this day is reserved for honoring one’s filial piety by paying respect to deceased family and ancestors. As the holiday’s other name—Tomb Sweeping Day—indicates, people visit the graves of their ancestors to clean them and burn incense as a show of respect.

By learning about the Tomb Sweeping holiday China celebrates each year, you’re opening up your eyes to Chinese culture and providing yourself a firmer foundation for your language-learning. At ChineseClass101.com, we hope to make this learning experience both fun and insightful! Learn more about the Qingming Festival in China with us!

1. What is the Qingming Festival?

Tomb Sweeping Day is a day for worshipping ancestors. This is an important aspect of Chinese culture, and the China Tomb Sweeping Day holiday is reserved just for this. Chinese people travel (sometimes long distances) to clean the graves of their ancestors, as well as burn incense and special joss paper. This early spring holiday is a strong representation of the Chinese value of filial piety.

Learn more Qingming Festival facts below!

2. When is the Chinese Qingming Festival?

Each year, the Qingming Festival is typically celebrated on April 4 or 5, though sometimes it takes place on April 6. Though the date doesn’t vary too much from year to year, we’ll still provide you with an outline of this holiday’s date for the next ten years:

• 2019: April 5
• 2020: April 4
• 2021: April 4
• 2022: April 5
• 2023: April 5
• 2024: April 4
• 2025: April 4
• 2026: April 6
• 2027: April 5
• 2028: April 4

3. Reading Practice: How is the Qingming Festival Celebrated?

How is the Qingming Festival celebrated? Read the Chinese text below to find out (you can find the English translation directly below it).

—
富裕的家庭会在祖先的墓碑前 上香，但你也会看到许多人在街边烧纸钱。 纸钱 是烧给逝者的一些仿造的纸币，人们相信辞世的祖先在阴间也需要花钱。近年来，商家的想象力也变得 格外 丰富。你会看到各式各样的新式”纸钱”:有纸张做的美女、别墅、甚至麻将之类的东西，随着iPhone的流行，最近竟然还有纸质的iPhone 贩卖。
中国素有红白喜事，”红”指结婚，而”白”就是指亲人的离世了。人的生死是大事，尤其在重视家庭传统的中国。销售花圈、寿衣以及扫墓相关商品的”殡葬业”，这几年频频被媒体指摘为暴利行业。

踏青也是清明节的一项传统。踏青，又叫春游。四月份春回大地，到处呈现一派生机勃勃的景象，正是郊游的好时光。而放风筝也是清明时节人们所喜爱的活动。人们不仅白天放，夜间也放。这个节日中既有思念逝去亲人的悲伤，又有踏青游玩的欢笑声，是一个非常独特的节日。现在越来越多的人选择骨灰处理的方式，买。。。。

—

Wealthy families will burn incense in front of their ancestors’ tombs. Also you can see many people burning joss paper along the streets. Joss paper is a kind of fake money made to be burned for the deceased, as people believe that their deceased ancestors need money in the underworld. In recent years, the market for joss paper has become particularly creative. You can see various new shapes of joss paper such as paper beauties, paper houses, even paper Mahjong pieces. Joss paper versions of iPhones are also being sold these days because iPhones are so popular.
In China, there is a well-known saying: “wear red or white.” “Red” refers to getting married and “white” means the passing away of relatives. Birth and death are important events in peoples’ lives, especially in China, where family is greatly valued. In recent years, the “funeral industry” that sells wreaths, grave shrouds, and other related goods for sweeping tombs, has been frequently criticized as engaging in profiteering by the mass media.
Going out during the Tomb Sweeping Festival is also a tradition. It is also called the Spring Outing. In April, with the return of spring, lively and vibrant scenes are everywhere, making it a great time for an outing. Flying kites is a popular activity for the Tomb Sweeping Festival. People fly kites both at night and during the day. The sorrow of missing loved ones who have passed and happiness from the outing combines in this festival, making it very special.

4. Additional Information

There are many traditional taboos for the Tomb Sweeping Festival. For example, people should avoid fire, using needles, and washing clothes on that day; in most regions, women should avoid walking. However, people rarely observe these traditions in modern times.

Also note that people can take three days off for the Tomb Sweeping Festival. Unless it’s Spring Festival, National Day, or Labor Day, people can only take one day off for all the other national holidays in China. From this, you can see the importance of the Tomb Sweeping Festival.

One of the most common Qingming Festival foods is sweet green rice balls, a favorite for this holiday. These are prepared in advance, to free up the actual holiday for the traditional activities.

5. Must-know Vocab

Here’s some vocabulary you should know for the Qingming Festival in China!

• 重要性 (zhòngyàoxìng) — importance
• 国庆节 (Guóqìng jié) — national day
• 劳动节 (láodòng jié) — labor day
• 贩卖 (fànmài) — to sell
• 行路 (xínglù) — walking on the road
• 刻意 (kèyì) — deliberately
• 红白喜事 (hóngbái xǐshì) — weddings and funerals
• 格外 (géwài) — extraordinary
• 忌 (jì) — to avoid
• 上香 (shàngxiāng) — to burn incense
• 祭祖 (jìzǔ) — to worship ancestors
• 烧香 (shāoxiāng) — burning incense
• 纸钱 (zhǐqián) — paper money
• 踏青 (tàqīng) — outing
• 清明节 (qīngmíng jié) — Qingming festival
• 扫墓 (sǎomù) — grave-sweeping
• 殡葬业 (bìnzàng yè) — funeral industry
• 暴利 (bàolì) — excessive profit
• 指摘 (zhǐzhāi) — accusation
• 生机勃勃 (shēngjībóbó) — vibrant

You can check out this lesson on the Tomb Sweeping Festival to hear each word pronounced. Here, you’ll find each word accompanied by an audio of its pronunciation.

Conclusion

What do you think about the Qingming Festival in China? Is there a similar holiday in your own country? Let us know in the comments!

We hope you enjoyed learning about China’s Tomb Sweeping Day with us. If so, you can visit us at ChineseClass101.com for more information on Chinese culture and the Chinese language. We offer an array of insightful blog posts, free vocabulary lists, and on online community to discuss lessons with fellow Chinese learners. You can also upgrade to Premium Plus to take advantage of a one-on-one learning experience with our MyTeacher program!

Know that your hard will pay off, and with enough practice and determination, you’ll be speaking Chinese like a native before you know it! We wish you the best in your language-learning journey.

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 establish your own footing in the society, this article is definitely the treasure you’re looking for!

Start with a bonus, and download the Business Words & Phrases PDF for FREE! (Logged-In Member Only)

Table of Contents

1. The Special Requirements to Work in China
2. Where to Start Finding Employment in China
3. The Utilization of Networking for Jobs — Chinese Job Sites
4. Essential Chinese Phrases for Business Occasions and Interviews
5. Some Other Communities Offline to Find Jobs in China
6. Chinese CV, Interview, and Resume Tips
7. Conclusion

1. The Special Requirements to Work in China

Though it’s not required to know the Chinese language in order to work there, according to different needs in different companies, the ability to speak Chinese fluently will bring you more benefits. Generally, jobs that require the ability to speak Chinese offer you a better salary. So far, the top-paying jobs in China are about finance, human resources, computer science, etc…

Generally, most foreigners in China find jobs teaching their first language to begin with. There’s a huge advantage for native English speakers since many Chinese parents wish their children to have perfect English. Therefore, jobs in China for English speakers are in high demand.

If you’re planning to start your career in China as a foreigner, one of the priorities for you to take care of is the work visa for you to work in China. There are pretty specific visa requirements for foreigners to work in China, so we’ll just give you some of the basics. Remember to go to a local embassy or a visa service center to get your application done. Of course, there’s a good selection of different visa types; the best one for you depends on how long you’ll be staying in China. Usually, the best type for a foreigner working in China is a Z-type visa. According to your personal situation, the type of visa you need may vary. For example, if you’re extremely expert in your profession, you’ll be able to apply for an R-type visa.

2. Where to Start Finding Employment in China

Which cities are the best fit for foreigners looking to find jobs in China? Check out the top four cities below.

1- Beijing

As the very capital of China, Beijing has certainly been a positive influence in the growing economy in China. When it comes to working and living in China, Beijing isn’t likely to let you down.

2- Shanghai

Shanghai is the center of finance and developed businesses in China. Recently, the first Disneyland in the Chinese mainland opened in Shanghai in 2016.

3- Guangzhou

With a strong cultural background, Guangzhou’s retail sales, household deposits total both takes the first three place in China, and its human development index takes the first position in China so far. It is also known as a popular place for immigrants.

4- Shenzhen

As one of the first cities to go through a revolution in China, Shenzhen has remained friendly and open to other cultures ever since, and its GDP is outstanding.

These four cities should be your absolute first options to go to when you decide to work in China as a foreigner. As four of the most prosperous cities in China, they are also more populous and therefore have a more competitive job market. Fortunately, as a foreigner, your identity may provide you a shortcut in those internationally developed countries that other native Chinese citizens won’t have access to.

3. The Utilization of Networking for Jobs — Chinese Job Sites

1- WeChat

https://web.wechat.com/

Once you’re all settled in China, you might want to download the application and register for a WeChat account immediately. It’s one of the most essential medias for Chinese people and the most common way to communicate via social media, being a significant Chinese job search website. You can even take the posts from your WeChat to use as your “second business card.” If later you’re in contact with people who are related to your work, it’s necessary to post carefully because many individuals think the content of your posts represent who you are.

There’s a word—guanxi—in Chinese, or 关系. Its literal meaning is “relationship,” and further, it talks about your personal connection and class within the business social circle. Nowadays, it’s commonplace to get a job through guanxi for many Chinese citizens; they’re skilled at utilizing the sources they have. Thus, WeChat can be a great tool for you to get updated information on jobs if you’ve already established some guanxi of your own. This will open doors for you to see posts regarding job opportunities.

2- LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/

LinkedIn, as an internationally popular service for employment, now has a partnership with WeChat. You can easily link your LinkedIn to WeChat, making it convenient for other people to review both your professional profile and social media profile. Again, once that’s done, you’ll be responsible for establishing a proper public figure through your posts on WeChat.

3- Job Lead China

https://www.jobleadchina.com/job

Job Lead China is an excellent recruitment service provider and works as a bridge to build a connection between foreigners and the Chinese employment system. All the enterprises there are verified, and the platform provides a series of thorough services including analyzing the needs of the company, conducting profession search and background investigation, performing customer interviews, identifying candidates, and providing follow-up service after the trial stage. This is one of the most popular Chinese job hunting sites for good reason!

4- JobsiteChina

https://www.jobsitechina.com/Index_en.aspx

JobsiteChina is another platform that focuses on international employment. It provides a wide-range of expert services for job opportunities in China for foreigners, such as a Headhunter service, advertisement, CV downloading, and so on. There, you’ll also find some detailed guides for the procedures related to having a job in China.

5- 51Job

https://www.51job.com/

51Job is one of the largest platforms for local online lists of jobs in China. The application process is simple and easy; you can just post your resume and search for jobs for free. But keep in mind that this isn’t recommended for foreigners who cannot speak Chinese fluently, since everything is navigated in Chinese. Remember, there are many agents who can be a great help for you to start a job, but sometimes it’s not necessary to go through them. Thus, it’s important to learn to recognize the agents apart from the direct enterprises.

4. Essential Chinese Phrases for Business Occasions and Interviews

Here’s a list of some of the most important phrases to know when it comes time for that big interview or other business occasion, including the most common interview questions in China.

1- Business Card Exchange

• In Chinese: 请问能和您交换一下名片吗？
• Pinyin: Qǐng wèn néng hé nín jiāo huàn yī xià míng piàn ma？
• In English: Can we please exchange the business cards?

2- Thanking for the Interview

• In Chinese: 感谢您能给我这次参加面试的机会。
• Pinyin: Gǎn xiè nín néng gěi wǒ zhè cì cān jiā miàn shì de jī huì.
• In English: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to go to this interview.

3- Asking When to Expect Notice

• In Chinese: 请问您什么时候能通知我录取结果呢？
• Pinyin: Qǐng wèn nín shén me shí hòu néng tōng zhī wǒ gù yòng jié guǒ ne？
• In English: Can I know when I will get the notice?

4- Greet All the Interviewers

• In Chinese: 大家好。
• Pinyin: Dà jiā hǎo.
• In English: Hello, everyone.

5- When Asked if You Have Questions After Interview

• In Chinese: 针对我们公司，您还有什么想问的吗？
• Pinyin: Zhēn duì wǒ men gōng sī, nín hái yǒu shén me xiǎng wèn de ma?
• In English: Is there any other question you have for our company?

6- When Asked to Introduce Yourself

• In Chinese: 请给我们简单介绍一下你自己。
• Pinyin: Qǐng gěi wǒ men jiǎn dān jiè shào yī xià nǐ zì jǐ.
• In English: Please briefly introduce yourself for us.

7- When Asked for Work Experience

• In Chinese: 能给我们简单介绍一下你之前的工作经历吗？
• Pinyin: Néng gěi wǒ men jiǎn dān jiè shào yī xià nǐ zhī qián de gōng zuò jīng lì ma?
• In English: Can you please briefly introduce your working experience before?

8- When Asked to Introduce Your Personal Strengths

• In Chinese: 能给我们简单介绍一下你的个人优势吗？
• Pinyin: Néng gěi wǒ men jiǎn dān jiè shào yī xià nǐ de gè rén yōu shì ma?
• In English: Can you please tell us about your personal strength?

5. Some Other Communities Offline to Find Jobs in China

Job Fair

Job fairs are held in populous areas, and you’ll have to pay attention to the advertisement for the off-site job fairs both online and offline. Your network may just be your main source of information about these job fairs, so don’t forget to utilize some of the Chinese job searching sites above and continue to build strong connections!

There are two main websites that update the job fairs for many cities in China. You can find more information about them by clicking the city you are interested in.

• https://www.zph.com.cn/
• https://www.zhaopinhui.org/

6. Chinese CV, Interview, and Resume Tips

1- Stay Humble

Traditionally, Chinese people attach great importance to the trait of being humble. Though during an interview or a business occasion, or in your resume, you’ll have to paint yourself in a presentable and confident image, you should remember not to overdo it so much that people form a bad impression of you as being arrogant. This is certainly one of the most important things to know when it comes to finding a job in China.

2- Nice Resume Photo

You may want to include a good portrait of yourself in your resume, as a nice appearance can instantly leave a positive impression. Make sure you choose a recent photo, which showcases the professional image of yourself.

3- Shake Hands if there’s a Chance

Small details can make a huge difference when landing a job in China. Don’t forget to shake hands when you meet your interviewers as well as when you leave. It shows a great deal of respect for the people who you offer to shake hands with. Remember to offer your hands gently to your interviewers or potential business partners when you have a chance.

4- Organize Your Resume Neatly

The overall visual effect is important for a resume in China as well, despite the content. Keep your resume neat and well-organized to leave a good first impression for the viewers.

5- Try to Show as Many Accomplishments as You Can

Rather than your own evaluation of yourself, Chinese resume evaluators prefer to focus on your personal accomplishments. Personal evaluation can be biased; they would like to recognize your true strengths by the things you’ve accomplished previously.

7. Conclusion

Though it’s possible to find a job in China as a foreigner without speaking good Chinese, the skill of speaking Chinese will give you a much greater advantage when it comes to securing a decent career and helping you communicate to your co-workers more smoothly to establish a harmonious working environment.

ChineseClass101.com, provides a set of systematic and useful resources for studying Chinese. For example, there are professional teachers who can help you improve your Chinese language skills in order to find a job and further prepare for the interview. Don’t hesitate to take hold of this great advantage and learn more about how to find a job in China!

International Women’s Day, as you likely know, is celebrated in numerous countries around the world. China is one of these many countries observing Women’s Day, and in particular women’s rights in China.

Learn more about International Women’s Day in China to get a better understanding of the Chinese culture and history of its women. At ChineseClass101.com, we hope to make learning about Chinese Women’s Day both exciting and insightful. So let’s get started!

1. What is Women’s Day in China?

International Women’s Day in China, also called the “Three Eight Women’s Day,” is a celebration of women’s economic, political, and social achievements. Sometimes it is called “Three Eight” for short. Now, let’s look at China’s Women’s Day!

2. When is International Women’s Day?

The first International Women’s Day was observed in the U.S. In 1911, more than 140 female workers from a textile factory in New York initiated a protest against unequal rights of women workers, but unfortunately died in a fire at the factory thereafter.

To commemorate this protest and protect women’s rights, the United Nations declared March 8 as International Women’s Day. China began its celebration of this day in 1949, and women enjoy a half-day off on March 8.

3. Reading Practice: How is it Celebrated?

Learn how the Chinese celebrate International Women’s Day across the country by reading the Chinese text below. You can find the English translation directly below it.

—–

中国是个多民族的国家，一些少数民族也有自己的妇女节，其日期、风俗活动各不相同，十分独特有趣。比如，云南的纳西族，把农历七月二十五定为”女神节”。这天，成年男女都穿着节日盛装，举行隆重的祭祀女神仪式，然后阖家团坐，享受丰盛的野餐。青年男女还要绕山走一圈，载歌载舞，结交知心朋友。
而云南的哈尼族人则庆祝”姑娘节” ，这一天主要是纪念古时为反对父母包办婚姻而跳崖自尽的姑娘悠玛，以示尊重妇女和婚姻自由。此外，农历五月初四是甘肃藏族的”女儿节”。这天，姑娘们由自己的亲兄弟陪同，穿上艳丽的节日服装，带上美味食品，白天上山采花对歌，晚上同小伙子互相敬酒，祝福幸福和吉祥。

—–
China is a country with different ethnic groups. Some have their own Women’s Day, of which the dates and customs vary, with unique and interesting characteristics. For example, the Nakhi people in Yunnan celebrate the “Goddess Festival” on the twenty-fifth of the seventh lunar month. Adult men and women dress up in costumes, holding a grand ceremony to worship the goddess. Then, family members sit together to enjoy a picnic. Besides this, young men and women walk around the mountain, dancing, singing, and making friends.

To commemorate a girl named Youma who committed suicide by jumping off a cliff in protest against a marriage arranged by her parents, the Hani people in Yunnan celebrate “Girl’s Day” to show respect for women and the freedom of marriage. The fourth day of the fifth lunar month is “Daughter’s Day” for Tibetans in Gansu. During the day, young girls are accompanied by their brothers, dressing up in colorful costumes and bringing delicious food, picking flowers on the mountain and singing to each other; in the evening, young girls and boys toast each other with blessings of happiness.

4. Additional Information

Beyond a half-day holiday, many companies, particularly state-owned companies, will give various gifts to female employees, such as a bathroom set, beauty kits, portable travel bags, and so on. Some also organize activities like get-togethers for female employees—take for example the women’s march in China.

Further, please note that while the day is called the “Three Eighth,” “Three Eight” is a pejorative term describing women who like to gossip or are stupid. You should be cautious with this word, because it is very offensive.

5. Must-know Vocab

Here’s some vocabulary you should know for International Women’s Day in China!

• 康乃馨 (kāngnǎixīn) — carnation
• 女士 (nǚ shì) — lady
• 国际劳动妇女节 (guójì láodòng fùnǚ jié) — International Women’s Day
• 巾帼 (jīn guó) — woman
• 女性权益 (nǚxìng quányì) — women’s rights
• 男女平等 (nánnǚ píngděng) — the equality of men and women
• 时尚 (shí shàng) — fashion
• 妩媚 (wǔ mèi) — charming
• 养颜 (yǎng yán) — beauty
• 美容 (měi róng) — cosmetology
• 永葆青春 (Yǒng bǎo qīngchūn) — eternal youth

If you want to hear each vocabulary word pronounced, visit our Chinese International Women’s Day vocabulary list. Here you’ll find each word accompanied with an audio of its pronunciation.

Conclusion

As you can see, Women’s Day in China is an important holiday for the country. Does your country celebrate International Women’s Day, or another holiday celebrating and respecting women? Let us know in the comments!

To learn more about Chinese culture and the language, visit us at ChineseClass101.com! We offer an array of insightful blog posts, free vocabulary lists, and an online community to discuss lessons with fellow Chinese learners. You can also check out our MyTeacher program if you’re interested in learning Chinese with your own personal teacher.

We hope you enjoyed learning about how China celebrates International Women’s Day. Keep delving into the Chinese culture and continue your hard work—it will pay off!