ChineseClass101.com Blog

Do you often feel lonely and sad? Do you long for romance and are willing to do whatever it takes to meet that special person? Speaking another language could revolutionize your love life! So, why wait? Learning how to say ‘love’ in Chinese could be just what you need to find it.

Or perhaps you were lucky, and have found your Chinese partner already. Fantastic! Yet, a cross-cultural relationship comes with unique challenges. Learning how to speak your lover’s language will greatly improve your communication and enhance the relationship. At ChineseClass101, our team will teach you all the words, quotes and phrases you need to woo your Chinese lover with excellence! Our tutors provide personal assistance, with plenty of extra material available to make Chinese dating easy for you.

Table of Contents

1. Common Phrases You’ll Need for a Date
2. The Most Romantic Ideas for a Date
3. Must-know Valentine’s Day Vocabulary
4. Chinese Love Phrases for Valentine’s Day
5. Chinese Quotes about Love
6. Marriage Proposal Lines
7. 15 Most Common Break-Up Lines
8. Will Falling in Love Help You Learn Chinese Faster?

Start with a bonus, and download the ‘How To be a Good Lover Cheat Sheet’ for FREE! (Logged-In Member Only)

1. Common Phrases You’ll Need for a Date

So, you have met your Chinese love interest. Congratulations! Who knows where this could take you…?! However, the two of you have just met and you’re not ready to say the Chinese word for love just yet. Great, it is better to get to know him/her first. Wow your prospective love by using these Chinese date phrases to set up a spectacular first date.

Would you like to go out to dinner with me?

• 你愿意和我一起出去吃晚饭吗？
• Nǐ yuànyì hé wǒ yīqǐ chūqù chī wǎnfàn ma?

The important question! In most cultures, this phrase indicates: ‘I’m romantically interested in you’. Flirting in Chinese is no different, so don’t take your date to Mcdonald’s!

Are you free this weekend?

• 这个周末你有空吗？
• Zhège zhōumò nǐ yǒu kòng ma?

This is a preamble to asking your love interest on a date. If you get an immediate ‘Yes’, that’s good news!

Would you like to hang out with me?

• 你愿意和我一起出去吗？
• Nǐ yuànyì hé wǒ yīqǐ chūqù ma?

You like her/him, but you’re not sure if there’s chemistry. Ask them to hang out first to see if a dinner date is next.

What time shall we meet tomorrow?

• 我们明天什么时候见面？
• Wǒmen míngtiān shénme shíhou jiànmiàn?

Set a time, and be sure to arrive early! Nothing spoils a potential relationship more than a tardy date.

Where shall we meet?

• 我们在哪见面？
• Wǒmen zài nǎ jiànmiàn?

You can ask this, but also suggest a place.

You look great.

• 你看上去很棒。
• Nǐ kàn shàngqù hěn bàng.

A wonderful ice breaker! This phrase will help them relax a bit – they probably took great care to look their best just for you.

You are so cute.

• 你真可爱。
• Nǐ zhēn kě’ài.

If the two of you are getting on really well, this is a fun, flirtatious phrase to use.

What do you think of this place?

• 你觉得这个地方怎么样？
• Nǐ juéde zhège dìfāng zěnme yàng?

This another good conversation starter. Show off your Chinese language skills!

Can I see you again?

• 我可以再见到你吗？
• Wǒ kěyǐ zài jiàndào nǐ ma?

So the date went really well – don’t waste time! Make sure you will see each other again.

Shall we go somewhere else?

• 我们去别的地方好吗？
• Wǒmen qù biédì dìfāng hǎoma?

If the place you meet at is not great, you can suggest going elsewhere. It is also a good question to follow the previous one. Variety is the spice of life!

I know a good place.

• 我知道一个好地方。
• Wǒ zhīdào yīgè hǎo dìfāng.

Use this with the previous question. However, don’t say if you don’t know a good place!

I will drive you home.

• 我会开车送你回家。
• Wǒ huì kāichē sòng nǐ huí jiā.

If your date doesn’t have transport, this is a polite, considerate offer. However, don’t be offended if she/he turns you down on the first date. Especially a woman might not feel comfortable letting you drive her home when the two of you are still basically strangers.

That was a great evening.

• 那是一个很棒的夜晚。
• Nà shì yīgè hěn bàng de yèwǎn.

This is a good phrase to end the evening with.

When can I see you again?

• 我什么时候能再见到你？
• Wǒ shénme shíhou néng zàijiàn dào nǐ?

If he/she replied ‘Yes’ to ‘Can I see you again?’, this is the next important question.

I’ll call you.

• 我会给你打电话。
• Wǒ huì gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà.

Say this only if you really mean to do it. In many cultures, this could imply that you’re keeping the proverbial backdoor open.

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2. The Most Romantic Ideas for a Date

You learned all the Chinese phrases to make a date – congratulations! Now you have to decide where to meet, which can be tricky. Discuss these options with your lover to gauge whether you like the same things. Check out romantic date ideas in Chinese below!

museum

• 博物馆
• bówù guǎn

If you’re looking for unique date ideas that are fun but won’t break the bank, museums are the perfect spot! You won’t be running out of things to say in the conversations.

candlelit dinner

• 烛光晚餐
• zhúguāng wǎncān

A candlelit dinner is perhaps best to reserve for when the relationship is getting serious. It’s very intimate, and says: “Romance!” It’s a fantastic choice if you’re sure you and your date are in love with each other!

go to the zoo

• 去动物园
• qù dòngwùyuán

This is a good choice for shy lovers who want to get the conversation going. Just make sure your date likes zoos, as some people dislike them. Maybe not for the first date, but this is also a great choice if your lover has children – you’ll win his/her adoration for inviting them along!

go for a long walk

• 长时间散步
• chángshíjiān sànbù

Need to talk about serious stuff, or just want to relax with your date? Walking together is soothing, and a habit you can keep up together always! Just make sure it’s a beautiful walk that’s not too strenuous.

go to the opera

• 去看歌剧
• qù kàn gējù

This type of date should only be attempted if both of you love the opera. It can be a special treat, followed by a candlelit dinner!

go to the aquarium

• 去水族馆
• qù shuǐzúguǎn

Going to the aquarium is another good idea if you need topics for conversation, or if you need to impress your lover’s kids! Make sure your date doesn’t have a problem with aquariums.

walk on the beach

• 在海滩上散步
• zài hǎitān shàng sànbù

This can be a very romantic stroll, especially at night! The sea is often associated with romance and beauty.

have a picnic

• 野餐
• yě cān

If you and your date need to get more comfortable together, this can be a fantastic date. Spending time in nature is soothing and calms the nerves.

cook a meal together

• 一起做饭
• yīqǐ zuòfàn

If you want to get an idea of your date’s true character in one go, this is an excellent date! You will quickly see if the two of you can work together in a confined space. If it works, it will be fantastic for the relationship and create a sense of intimacy. If not, you will probably part ways!

have dinner and see a movie

• 吃晚饭，看电影
• chī wǎnfàn, kàn diànyǐng

This is traditional date choice works perfectly well. Just make sure you and your date like the same kind of movies!

3. Must-know Valentine’s Day Vocabulary

Expressing your feelings honestly is very important in any relationship all year round. Yet, on Valentine’s Day you really want to shine. Impress your lover this Valentine’s with your excellent vocabulary, and make his/her day! We teach you, in fun, effective ways, the meanings of the words and how to pronounce them. You can also copy the characters and learn how to write ‘I love you’ in Chinese – think how impressed your date will be!

4. Chinese Love Phrases for Valentine’s Day

So, you now have the basic Valentine’s Day vocabulary under your belt. Well done! But, do you know how to say ‘I love you’ in Chinese yet? Or perhaps you are still only friends. So, do you know how to say ‘I like you’ or ‘I have a crush on you’ in Chinese? No? Don’t worry, here are all the love phrases you need to bowl over your Chinese love on this special day!

I love you.

• 我爱你。
• Wǒ ài nǐ.

Saying ‘I love you’ in Chinese carries the same weight as in all languages. Use this only if you’re sure and sincere about your feelings for your partner/friend.

You’re so beautiful.

• 你真漂亮。
• Nǐ zhēn piàoliang.

If you don’t know how to say ‘You’re pretty’ in Chinese, this is a good substitute, gentlemen!

You’re so handsome.

• 你好帅。
• Nǐ hǎo shuài .

Ladies, this phrase lets your Chinese love know how much you appreciate his looks! Don’t be shy to use it; men like compliments too.

I’ve got a crush on you.

• 我喜欢你。
• Wǒ xǐhuān nǐ .

If you like someone, but you’re unsure about starting a relationship, it would be prudent to say this. It simply means that you like someone very, very much and think they’re amazing.

You make me want to be a better man.

• 你让我想变得更好。
• Nǐ ràng wǒ xiǎng biàn de gènghǎo .

Gentlemen, don’t claim this phrase as your own! It hails from the movie ‘As Good as it Gets’, but it is sure to make your Chinese girlfriend feel very special. Let her know that she inspires you!

Let all that you do be done in love.

• 让所有你做的事都充满爱。
• Ràng suǒyǒu nǐ zuò de shì dōu chōngmǎn ài .

We hope.

You are my sunshine, my love.

• 你是我的阳光，我的爱。
• Nǐ shì wǒ de yángguāng, wǒ de ài.

A compliment that lets your lover know they bring a special quality to your life. Really nice!

Words can’t describe my love for you.

• 无法用言语来形容我对你的爱。
• Wúfǎ yòng yányǔ lái xíngróng wǒ duì nǐ de ài.

Better say this when you’re feeling serious about the relationship! It means that your feelings are very intense.

We were meant to be together.

• 我们是命中注定要在一起。
• Wǒmen shì mìngzhōng zhùdìng yào zài yìqǐ .

This is a loving affirmation that shows you see a future together, and that you feel a special bond with your partner.

If you were thinking about someone while reading this, you’re definitely in love.

• 如果你读这篇文章时想着某个人，你一定是恋爱了。
• Rúguǒ nǐ dú zhè piān wénzhāng shí xiǎngzhe mǒu gèrén , nǐ yídìng shì liànài le .

Here’s something fun to tease your lover with. And hope he/she was thinking of you!

Will you be my Valentine?

• 你愿意与我共度情人节吗？
• Nǐ yuànyì yǔ wǒ gòngdù Qíngrénjié ma ?

With these words, you are taking your relationship to the next level! Or, if you have been a couple for a while, it shows that you still feel the romance. So, go for it!

Love is just love. It can never be explained.

• 爱情就是爱情，常理无法解释。
• Àiqíng jiù shì àiqíng , chánglǐ wúfǎ jiěshì .

If you fell in love unexpectedly or inexplicably, this one’s for you.

You mean so much to me.

• 你对我而言如此重要。
• Nǐ duì wǒ éryán rúcǐ zhòngyào .

This is a beautiful expression of gratitude that will enhance any relationship! It makes the receiver feel appreciated and their efforts recognized.

I think of you as more than a friend.

• 我认为你不仅仅只是一个朋友。
• Wǒ rènwéi nǐ bù jǐnjǐn zhǐ shì yí gè péngyǒu.

Say this if you are not yet sure that your romantic feelings are reciprocated. It is also a safe go-to if you’re unsure about the Chinese dating culture.

A hundred hearts would be too few to carry all my love for you.

• 一百颗心也不足以承载我对你的爱。
• Yìbǎi kē xīn yě bù zúyǐ chéngzài wǒ duì nǐ de ài .

You romantic you…! When your heart overflows with love, this would be the best phrase to use.

5. Chinese Quotes about Love

You’re a love champ! You and your Chinese lover are getting along fantastically, your dates are awesome, your Valentine’s Day together was spectacular, and you’re very much in love. Good for you! Here are some beautiful phrases of endearment in Chinese that will remind him/her who is in your thoughts all the time.

6. Marriage Proposal Lines

Wow. Your Chinese lover is indeed the love of your life – congratulations! And may only happiness follow the two of you! In most traditions, the man asks the woman to marry; this is also the Chinese custom. Here are a few sincere and romantic lines that will help you to ask your lady-love for her hand in marriage.

7. 15 Most Common Break-Up Lines

Instead of moving towards marriage or a long-term relationship, you find that the spark is not there for you. That is a pity! But even though breaking up is never easy, continuing a bad or unfulfilling relationship would be even harder. Remember to be kind to the person you are going to say goodbye to; respect and sensitivity cost nothing. Here are some phrases to help you break up gently.

8. Will Falling in Love help you Learn Chinese faster?

Most people will agree that the above statement is a no-brainer – of course it will! Your body will be flooded with feel-good hormones, which are superb motivators for anything. ChineseClass101 is one of the best portals to help help make this a reality, so don’t hesitate to enroll now! Let’s quickly look at the reasons why falling in love will speed up your learning of the Chinese language.

Three Reasons Why Having a Lover will Help you Learn Chinese Faster!

1- Being in a love relationship with your Chinese speaking partner will immerse you in the culture
ChineseClass101 uses immersive methods and tools to teach you Chinese, but having a relationship with a native speaker will be a very valuable addition to your learning experience! You will gain exposure to their world, realtime and vividly, which will make the language come alive even more for you. The experience is likely to expand your world-view, which should motivate you to learn Chinese even faster.

2- Having your Chinese romantic partner will mean more opportunity to practice speaking
Nothing beats continuous practice when learning a new language. Your partner will probably be very willing to assist you in this, as your enhanced Chinese language skills will enhance the relationship. Communication is, after all, one of the most important pillars of a good partnership. Also, you will get to impress your lover with the knowledge gained through your studies – a win/win situation!

3- A supportive Chinese lover is likely to make a gentle, patient teacher and study aid!
With his/her heart filled with love and goodwill for you, your Chinese partner is likely to patiently and gently correct your mistakes when you speak. This goes not only for grammar, but also for accent and meaning. With his/her help, you could sound like a native in no time!

Three Reasons Why ChineseClass101 helps you learn Chinese Even Faster when you’re In Love

Start with a bonus, and download the ‘How To be a Good Lover Cheat Sheet’ for FREE! (Logged-In Member Only)

1- All the Resources and Materials Will Help Both of You
Falling in love with a man or woman speaking Chinese is an opportunity for both of you to learn a new language! For this reason, every lesson, transcript, vocabulary list, and resource at ChineseClass101 is translated into both English and Chinese. So, while your partner can help you learn Chinese faster, you can potentially also help him/her learn and master English!

2- Lessons Are Designed to Help You Understand and Engage with Chinese Culture
At ChineseClass101, our focus is to help our students learn practical vocabulary and phrases used by everyday people in China. This means that, from your very first lesson, you can apply what you learn immediately! So, when your Chinese partner wants to go out to a restaurant, play Pokemon Go, or attend just about any social function, you have the vocabulary and phrases necessary to have a great time!

3- Access to Special Resources Dedicated to Romantic Chinese Phrases
You now have access to ChineseClass101’s specially-developed sections and tools to teach you love words, phrases, and cultural insights to help you find and attract your Chinese soul mate. A personal tutor will assist you to master these brilliantly – remember to invite him/her to your wedding!

Can You Really Learn Chinese Alone?

Learning a language on your own or without traditional classroom instruction may seem quite daunting at first. What if you run into questions? How do you stay motivated and on track to achieving goals?

Don’t worry, not only is it possible to learn Chinese or any language without traditional classroom instruction: ChineseClass101 has created the world’s most advanced and extensive online language learning system. Not only is ChineseClass101 specifically designed to help you with learning a language on your own, it’s actually faster, more convenient, and less expensive than traditional classroom options!

Let’s look at some of the benefits of learning Chinese or any language alone.

Also, don’t forget to download your free cheat sheet – How to Improve Your Language Skills too!

3 Reasons to Learn a Language Alone

1. Learn at Your Own Pace and On Your Schedule

In today’s fast-paced world, there just isn’t time for traditional classroom instruction. Between getting to class and studying on some professor or teacher’s schedule, traditional classroom learning is simply impossible to fit in. But when you learn Chinese alone, you can study in bed if you like and whenever suits your schedule best, making it far easier to actually reach your goal of learning and mastering the language.

2. Learning a Language on Your Own Reduces Stress and Anxiety

Speaking in front of a class, pop quizzes, and tests are just a few of the stressors you will encounter when you learn a language in a traditional classroom setting. Specifically, these are external stressors that often derail most people’s dream of learning a new language. But when you learn Chinese alone, there are no external stressors. Without the external stress and anxiety, it becomes much easier and more exciting to study Chinese and reach your very own goals—all on your own!

3. Learning Chinese Alone Helps Improve Cognitive Function and Overall Success

Learning a language on your own is indeed more challenging in some ways than being taught in a traditional classroom setting. In fact, while classroom instruction requires more rote memorization and following instructions, studying a language on your own requires more problem-solving and higher cognitive function to self-teach lessons and hit goals. So while it’s more challenging and requires higher levels of cognition, teaching yourself a language pays dividends throughout life by better preparing you for social/work opportunities that arise.

How to Learn a Language on Your Own with ChineseClass101

1. Access to the World’s Largest Collection of Chinese Audio & Video Lessons

The best way to learn a language on your own is to study from native speaking instructors. Ideally, you want audio and/or video lessons that teach vocabulary, grammar, and provide actual Chinese conversations and dialogue to help you with pronunciation. ChineseClass101 has hundreds of hours of HD audio and video lessons created by real Chinese instructors and every lesson is presented by professional Chinese actors for perfect pronunciation. Plus, all lessons can be accessed 24/7 via any mobile device with Internet access. And, if you download the PDF versions of each lesson, you can even study without Internet access once the lesson is stored on your device!

2. “Learning Paths” with Chinese Courses Based Upon Your Exact Needs & Goals

Although ChineseClass101 has more than thousands of video and audio lessons, you need not review each and every one to learn the language. In fact, ChineseClass101 has developed a feature called “Learning Paths”. You simply tell us your goals and we will identify the best courses and study plan to help you reach them in the shortest time possible. So even though you are technically learning a language on your own, our team is always here to help and make sure you reach your goals FAST!

3. Advanced Learning Tools Reduce Learning Time and Boost Retention

When you have the right tools and Chinese learning resources, it’s actually easy to teach yourself a language! In the past 10+ years, ChineseClass101 has developed, tested, and refined more than 20 advanced learning tools to boost retention and reduce learning time, including:

• Spaced Repetition Flashcards
• Line-by-Line Dialogue Breakdown
• Review Quizzes
• Voice Recording Tools to Help Perfect Pronunciation
• Teacher Feedback and Comments for Each Lesson
• Chinese Dictionary with Pronunciation
• Free PDF Cheat Sheets
• And Much More!

Armed with our growing collection of advanced learning tools, it’s truly a breeze to learn Chinese alone and reach your goals!

Conclusion

Learning a language on your own is not only possible, it’s actually easier and more beneficial for you than traditional classroom instruction. In fact, when you learn Chinese on your own you can study at your own pace, eliminate stress, and actually increase cognitive function.

ChineseClass101 is the world’s most advanced online language learning system and a great resource to help you teach yourself a new language. With the world’s largest collection of HD audio and video lessons, more than 20 advanced learning tools, and customized “Learning Paths”, ChineseClass101 makes learning a new language easier, more convenient, and less expensive than traditional classroom instruction.

And the best part is: With ChineseClass101, you can study in bed, your car, or wherever you have a few spare minutes of time. Create your Free Lifetime Account now and get a FREE ebook to help “kickstart” your dream of learning a language on your own below!

As opposed to the Gregorian New Year, the Chinese celebrate the Lunar New Year. This involves an array of Chinese New Year celebrations which are unique to the Chinese culture. By learning more about the Chinese New Year, you’re not only giving yourself a foothold in learning the language, but you’re showing respect for the country.

Learn more about Chinese New Year traditions, along with other Chinese New Year facts, with ChineseClass101.com!

1. What is Chinese New Year’s?

The Chinese New Year is considered the most important festival in China. The last night of the lunar year is called 除夕 (chúxī), which means New Year’s Eve, and is usually celebrated within the family. On some occasions you may also hear the phrase 小除夕（xiǎo Chúxī）meaning a “small New Year’s eve,” and it refers to an evening that people usually spend with different family members and friends.

These two eves are celebrated with different family members or friends. The very beginning of the new lunar year is called 大年初一 (Dànián chūyī) which means “the first day of the year.” The first full moon, which takes place during the first month on the fifteenth day, is when the Lantern Festival or 元宵节 (Yuánxiāojié) is held, and between the Spring Festival and the Lantern Festival, every day has different customs and practices.

2. When is the Chinese New Year?

The Gregorian date of this holiday varies each year based on the Chinese lunar calendar. For your convenience, here’s a list of the Chinese New Year’s dates for the next ten years.

• 2019: February 5
• 2020: January 25
• 2021: February 12
• 2022: February 1
• 2023: January 22
• 2024: February 10
• 2025: January 29
• 2026: February 17
• 2027: February 6
• 2028: January 26

3. How is it Celebrated?

Before New Year’s Eve, many things must be taken care of properly. First and foremost, the whole family should be involved in 扫房 (sǎo fáng), which means “spring cleaning.” The Chinese, as well as many other people, regard the new year as a new beginning. Thus, it’s important to sweep and cleanse the house of everything that happened the past year for a better beginning.

Once the rooms have been cleaned, people attach spring couplets written on red paper to doors and windows to create a fiery sea that’s very joyful. Red is the color Chinese people like to use the most in their big events to wish for good omens.

On New Year’s Eve, many Chinese people will turn on their television set to watch a five-hour-long program that is colloquially called the Spring Night or 春节晚会 (Chūn Jié wǎnhuì). Not only does the Spring Night show have songs, dances, and magic, it also features crosstalk performances, skits, and other typical Chinese performances. Nearly half the people in China usually watch this program.

What children look forward to the most is, of course, receiving New Year’s money, called 红包 (hóngbāo). This literally means “red packets,” because their elders will normally put money into red envelopes and give them out as presents.

However, for young people, the Spring Festival is also a stressful festival. At the dinner table they will often be asked questions by their nosy elders, who ask frustrating questions like “Are you dating someone?”, “Which company do you work at?”, and “How much do you earn in a year?”

4. Additional Information

1- Superstitions about Luck

During the Spring Festival, you are not supposed to say anything unlucky. For example, when a pair of chopsticks drops to the floor while eating Chinese New Year food, you cannot say, 筷子掉了 (kuàizi diàole), which means “oh, they fell.” People have a superstition that saying this phrase may cause the good luck of the new year to also “fall” away.

Instead, you can say 筷落 (kuài luò), which means the same thing but sounds similar to “be happy” in Chinese .

2- Chinese New Year Animals

You may be familiar with the Chinese New Year animals, or the Chinese zodiac. There are twelve animal zodiacs, each one associated with a year as part of a twelve-year cycle. Each new year is the year of one of these animals. For instance, the 2019 Chinese New Year will be the year of the Pig.

By looking at the year you were born, you can determine which Chinese zodiac represents you. This can be a fun activity for learning more about your personality.

5. Must-know Vocab

In order to fully understand the Chinese New Year celebrations, there’s some vocab you should know. Here’s a list of the most important words.

• 烟花 (yānhuā) — firework
• 舞狮 (wǔshī) — lion dance
• 庆祝 (qìngzhù) — celebration
• 倒计时 (dào jìshí) — countdown
• 对联 (duìlián) — couplet
• 花市 (huāshì) — flowermarket
• 财神 (Cái Shén) — God of Wealth
• 年宵 (niánxiāo) — Lunar New Year Fair
• 拜年 (bàinián) — pay someone a visit during the Chinese New Year
• 红包 (hóngbāo) — the red envelope
• 团圆饭 (tuányuán fàn) — reunion dinner
• 年糕 (niángāo) — rice cake
• 萝卜糕 (luóbo gāo) — turnip cake
• 春节 (Chūn Jié) — Lunar New Year

If you want to hear these vocabulary words said aloud, be sure to check out our Chinese New Year vocabulary list. Here, you’ll find an audio with each word’s pronunciation.

Conclusion

Well, there you have it! The Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations, traditions, and even its date for the next ten years. We hope you enjoyed learning about this significant Chinese holiday and that you’re to take on Chinese New Year celebrations yourself!

What do you think about the Chinese New Year traditions? How do you celebrate the New Year in your home country? Let us know in the comments!

To learn even more about China’s culture and traditions, visit us at ChineseClass101.com. We offer an array insightful blog posts, vocabulary lists on various topics, and even an online community where you can discuss lessons with fellow Chinese learners. By downloading our MyTeacher app, you can even have access to a personal teacher if you prefer a one-on-one learning experience.

We wish you the best in learning Chinese, and hope you have a happy Chinese New Year!

Yes, even beginners can quickly learn conversational Chinese well enough to carry on real conversations with native speakers. Of course, beginners won’t be able to carry a conversation the same way they could in their native language. But, just knowing a few tips like which questions to ask to keep a conversation going are all you need to speak and interact with real native speakers! But before we get to specific suggestions, let’s first take a closer look at how having real Chinese conversations is so vital to your mastery of the language.

Learning to Carry a Conversation is Vital to Mastery of Any Language

Communicating with other people is the very point of language and conversation is almost second nature in our native tongue. For beginners or anyone learning a new language, conversations aren’t easy at all and even simple Chinese greetings can be intimidating and awkward.

However, there are 3 vital reasons why you should learn conversational Chinese as quickly as possible:

• Avoid Awkward Silences: Nothing kills a conversation faster than long periods of awkward silence, so you need practice and specific strategies to avoid them.
• Improve the Flow of Conversation to Make a Better Impression: When you know what to say to keep a conversation going, communication becomes much easier and you make a better impression on your listener.
• Master the Language Faster: Nothing will help you learn to speak Chinese faster and truly master the language than having real conversations with native speakers. Conversations quickly expose you to slang, cultural expressions, and vocabulary that force you to absorb and assimilate information faster than any educational setting—and that’s a great thing!

But how can you possibly have real conversations with real Chinese people if you are just starting out?

3 Conversation Strategies for Beginners

1. Ask Questions to Keep a Conversation Going

For beginners and even more advanced speakers, the key is to learn to ask questions to keep a conversation going. Of course, they can’t be just random questions or else you may confuse the listener. But, by memorizing a few key questions and the appropriate time to use them, you can easily carry a conversation with minimal vocabulary or experience. And remember, the more Chinese conversations you have, the quicker you will learn and master the language!

2. Learn Core Vocabulary Terms as Quickly as Possible

You don’t need to memorize 10,000’s of words to learn conversational Chinese. In fact, with just a couple hundred Chinese words you could have a very basic Chinese conversation. And by learning maybe 1,000-2,000 words, you could carry a conversation with a native speaker about current events, ordering in restaurants, and even getting directions.

3. Study Videos or Audio Lessons that You Can Play and Replay Again and Again

If you want to know how to carry a conversation in Chinese, then you need exposure to native speakers—and the more the better. Ideally, studying video or audio lessons is ideal because they provide contextualized learning in your native language and you can play them again and again until mastery.

ChineseClass101 Makes it Easier and More Convenient Than Ever to Learn Conversational Chinese

For more than 10 years, ChineseClass101 has been helping students learn to speak Chinese by creating the world’s most advanced online language learning system. Here are just a few of the specific features that will help you learn conversational Chinese fast using our proven system:

• The Largest Collection of HD Video & Audio Lessons from Real Chinese Instructors: ChineseClass101 instructors have created hundreds of video and audio lessons that you can play again and again. And the best part is: They don’t just teach you Chinese vocabulary and grammar, they are designed to help you learn to speak Chinese and teach you practical everyday topics like shopping, ordering, etc!
• Pronunciation Tools: Use this feature to record and compare yourself with native speakers to quickly improve your pronunciation and fluency!
• 2000 Common Chinese Words: Also known as our Core List, these 2,000 words are all you need to learn to speak fluently and carry a conversation with a native speaker!

In all, more than 20 advanced learning tools help you quickly build vocabulary and learn how to carry a conversation with native speakers—starting with your very first lesson.

Conclusion

Although it may seem intimidating for a beginner, the truth is that it is very easy to learn conversational Chinese. By learning a few core vocabulary terms and which questions to ask to keep a conversation going, just a little practice and exposure to real Chinese conversations or lessons is all it really takes. ChineseClass101 has created the world’s largest online collection of video and audio lessons by real instructors plus loads of advanced tools to help you learn to speak Chinese and carry a conversation quickly.

Act now and we’ll also include a list of the most commonly used questions to keep a conversation going so you can literally get started immediately!

Today, classrooms are no longer the only or even best place to learn a new language like Chinese. More and more people are finding that they can easily learn a language just about anywhere they have a few minutes of spare time, including their daily commute to work. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average American spends over 50 minutes a day commuting to and from work, or over 300 hours a year.

Rethinking Your Daily Commute to Work

But rather than simply sitting in traffic and wasting the time, you can instead use your daily commute to literally learn Chinese in just a few short months! ChineseClass101 has developed specialized learning tools that you can use on your commute to work (and home again) to master the language in your spare time. Keep reading to learn how to get your free audiobook to use on your next commute so you can see for yourself how easy it is to transform “dead time” into realizing your dream of learning a new language!

But before we look at how to transform your commute home into a mini-classroom, let’s take a closer look at 4 reasons why traditional classroom settings just aren’t the best option for most people in today’s fast-paced world.

• Difficulty Getting to and From Class
• Learning on Someone Else’s Schedule
• Very Expensive and May Cost $1,000’s to Complete
• Can Take Years to Finally Complete Classes and Learn the Language

The simple truth is that traditional classroom instruction is simply not a viable option for most people in today’s very fast-paced, time-starved world. Now let’s examine how you can learn a language faster, more easily, and at far less expense than traditional classes—all during your commute to work and back home again!

3 Reasons Your Daily Commute Can Help You Master a Language

1. The Average Commute Time is More than 300 Hours Per Year

Between the commute to work and getting back home again, over 6 hours a week is completely wasted and not helping you reach any goals or objectives. But thanks to online language learning platforms with audiobooks and other resources that you can access during your commute, you can easily transform wasted time into tangible progress towards learning a new language. With over 300 hours available annually, your daily commute could provide you with enough time to literally master a new language each and every year!

2. Increase Your Earning Potential While Commuting to Work

How would you like to transform all those spare commuting hours each week into more money for a new car, house, or even a dream vacation? According to research, someone making $30,000 per year can boost their annual income by $600 or more per year by learning a second language. Added up over the course of a lifetime, you can boost your total earnings by $70,000 or more while achieving your dream of learning a new language during your daily commute!

How? From work-at-home translation jobs to working overseas, there are many ways to leverage your second language into more money in your bank account! So instead of wasting your precious time, you can make your commute more productive and profitable and the more languages you learn, the higher your income potential.

3. Repetition is Key to Mastering a New Language

Not sure if it’s practical to learn another language while commuting to and from work each day? Well not only is it possible—learning in your car on the way to and from work each day can actually help you learn and master Chinese or any language much faster! The simple truth is that repetition is absolutely vital to truly internalizing and mastering any language. So, if you listen to audiobooks or even audio lessons on your commute to work and then repeat the same lesson on your commute home, the information is more likely to be “locked-in” to your long-term memory!

5 Ways ChineseClass101 Makes It Easy to Learn a Language On Your Commute

ChineseClass101 has been helping people just like yourself learn and master Chinese in the comfort of their home, during their daily commute, or any place they have a few minutes of spare time. Here are five features provided by ChineseClass101 that make it easy to learn a new language while commuting to and from work:

1. The Largest Collection of Audio Lessons on Planet by Native Speaking Instructors
Every single week, ChineseClass101 creates new audio lessons by native speaking instructors. All lessons are short, to the point, and guaranteed to improve your mastery of Chinese.

2. Word of the Day
Simply exposing yourself to new information and vocabulary terms helps increase your fluency and mastery of Chinese. So every single day, ChineseClass101 adds a new Word of the Day for you to learn and memorize during your commute.

3. Daily Dose Mini-Lessons
Have a short commute to work but still want to make progress towards learning and mastering Chinese? Not a problem! Our Daily Dose Mini-Lessons are 1-minute or less and designed to improve your grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.

4. All Content Available on a Convenient Mobile App
You don’t need a PC or tablet to learn Chinese during your daily commute. At ChineseClass101, all of our lessons, tools, and resources are available 24/7 via our Mobile App. That means you can access all of our audio lessons and other tools during your commute to work or any time you have a few spare moments!

5. Audiobooks and Other Supplemental Resources
In addition to the world’s largest online collection of HD audio lessons, ChineseClass101 has also created several audiobooks to enhance your understanding and make it more convenient than ever to learn a language during your commute!

Conclusion

The average commute time of most Americans is over 300 hours each year and it’s the perfect opportunity to learn and master a new language. In fact, you can use the “dead time” during your daily commute to learn a new language and potentially boost your lifetime earnings by up to $70,000 or more! Whatever your motivation, ChineseClass101 has the tools and resources necessary to help you learn a new language each year during your commute to and from work. Act now and we’ll even provide you with a free audiobook to try out on your next commute!

China has always been known for its long-cultivated history and culture. It’s an old country that has built its own characteristics over time. Just like every other country, Chinese etiquette has absorbed the very heart of Chinese culture. By learning how to greet people in Chinese, you’ll be getting a good start in your study of the Chinese language while also becoming a bit more familiar with Chinese culture!

Greetings are always one of the first things someone learns when studying a new language. They’re the key to ensuring the people you talk to have a good impression of you right from the beginning. A proper Chinese greeting can really open up the gate to a fuller, desired conversation.

If you’re a beginner in learning Chinese, the very first question for you to ask is “How do you say ‘hello’ in Chinese?” There are different Chinese greetings for a number of occasions, so now let’s help you grasp the gist of greeting in the Chinese language like a native! You’ll know all about Chinese greetings in no time!

1. Greetings for Different Times of Day

Like nearly all cultures do, the Chinese language uses different greetings, determined by the different times of day. The Chinese greetings here focus on this.

1- Good morning

If you’ve ever wondered, “How do you say ‘good morning’ in Chinese?” you should know that there are three ways to say good morning in Chinese.

• 早上好。（Zǎo shàng hǎo.）
• 早安。（Zǎo ān.）
• 早。（Zǎo.）

Though they all mean “good morning” as a greeting in the morning, there is a slight difference between them. 早 means “morning,” which is the simplest way to wish someone a good morning.

2- Good noon

• 中午好。（Zhōng wǔ hǎo.）

Not many Chinese people greet like this, and this is rarely spoken in Chinese culture. We’ll discuss how we greet for noontime in Chinese language natively.

3- Good afternoon & Good evening

• Good afternoon. 下午好 。（Xià wǔ hǎo.）
• Good evening. 晚上好。（Wǎn shàng hǎo.）

As we mentioned before, this isn’t a usual way to greet natively in China either. When you say these Chinese greeting phrases out loud, they sound too formal and rigid.

4- Good night

• Good night. 晚安。（Wǎn ān.）
• Sweet dreams. 好梦。（Hǎo mèng.）

“Good night” is a very nice thing to say for Chinese people, especially for teenagers. An interesting fact about its pinyin: If you take all the capitals of those letters, they represent: 我爱你，爱你（wǒ ài nǐ，ài nǐ , which means “I love you, love you.” Thus it has become an important thing for young Chinese couples to say to each other. You can also say this to your Chinese friends to show your care for them.

2. How to Say Hello in Chinese

Your Chinese greeting vocabulary won’t be complete until you know how to say “hello” in Chinese, so here’s a few phrases to keep in mind.

1- The most plain and simple way to say “Hello”:

• Hello. 你好。（nǐ hǎo）
• Hello (polite form). 您好。（nín hǎo）
• Hello, everyone. 大家好。（dà jiā hǎo ）

您 is a polite way to say “you,” usually to people who are older or are in a senior position. When Chinese people are greeting like this, they will usually shake hands with you; when you do, remember to lower your head a little and nod your head slightly to show respect. Remember that Chinese etiquette and body language are just as important as the words you use.

2- Introducing your name:

• My name is… 我的名字是… (wǒ de míng zì shì)

3- How to say “Hi” in Chinese in different forms:

• Hi. 嗨。(hai)
• Hello. 哈喽。（hā lo）
• Hey. 嘿。（hēi）

These Chinese sayings are often used between young people. The Chinese words here are only translated in Chinese from English based on their pronunciations, thus they’re not a formal way to greet. Don’t worry to much about this! All you have to say is the same thing back at the person!

4- How to Say Hello on the Phone

• 喂？(wéi)

This is a special Chinese word for the first greeting people make on the phone. 喂 by itself would sound too indifferent, so you might want to add 您好 as well to greet the caller as we mentioned above. If you don’t know who’s calling, you can also make further inquiries such as 请问您是哪位? (qǐng wèn nín shì nǎ wèi?) meaning “Can I please know who this is?”

3. Unique Ways of Saying Hello from Chinese Culture

• Did you eat? 吃了吗?（chī le ma）
• Where are you going? 这是要去哪啊？（zhè shì yào qù nǎ a）

These ways of greeting can make Chinese people feel warmth and friendliness from you since they’re very native ways to greet. Some people may feel bewildered at the thought of why Chinese people would greet by asking if they’ve eaten. This is common due to Chinese culture from a long time ago.

In ancient times, many laborers in China had a very hard time fending for themselves. At that time, people often thought about whether they would have enough food or not, and thus the thing people cared most about was if one was able to get food. As time went on, the habit of asking “Did you eat?” became a common way to greet and has been passed on to many generations till now. With the continuous development of China’s modern culture, this habit is gradually being replaced by some universal polite expressions.

If you ate already, you can answer 吃了，你呢？（chī le, nǐ ne）meaning “I did, how about you?” If you haven’t eaten yet, you can simply respond 还没 (hái méi) meaning “not yet.”

4. Greet People that you Haven’t Seen in a While and More

When learning Chinese greetings and introductions, it’s important to know how to appropriately greet someone you haven’t seen in a while—even friends are sometimes apart for days or longer, after all! Learn more about the best Chinese etiquette about how the Chinese greet people they’re meeting after being apart for some time.

1- How have you been recently? 最近怎么样啊？（Zuì jìn zěn me yàng a?）

Usually, you want to answer 挺好的 (tǐng hǎo de) meaning “pretty good.” Even if you’re not feeling good—if you don’t want to get yourself into a conversation where you’ll have to explain all that—you should still say you’re doing well just to greet back. If the person is a close friend of yours and you’re willing to explain the situation, you can anwer 不怎么样，因为…… (bú zěn me yàng, yīn wéi…) meaning “Not very good, because…”.

2- Long time no see. 好久不见。（Hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn.）

This English saying—which is not grammatically correct—actually comes from the Chinese language. You can say 好久不见 as either a formal or informal way to greet someone in Chinese if you haven’t seen them in a long time. Usually an answer to this would be 是啊 （shì a), and they may next say 我上次见你还是在……的时候 (wǒ shàng cì jiàn nǐ hái shì zài …de shí hòu) meaning “the last time I saw you is when…”.

3- What are you doing? 干嘛呢？（Gàn má ne）

This is another typical way to start a conversation. People who ask this may not really expect an answer, and instead are most likely just trying to warm up the conversation before delving into it.

4- How are you? 你好吗？ （Nǐ hǎo ma）

This is almost the same as 最近怎么样啊？（Zuì jìn zěn me yàng a), and a proper answer to this is also 挺好的 （tǐng hǎo de).

5- What’s up? 最近有什么新鲜事吗？(Zuì jìn yǒu shén me xīn xiān shì ma?)

This Chinese greeting isn’t asked very often either, just like how in English when people ask it, they’re not actually looking for answer, rather just a way to greet. You’ll want to answer 没什么啦 （méi shén me la), meaning “nothing much,” unless you really want to talk about something new.

啦 is one of the most often-used final particles in Chinese, so remember to add it in this phrase in order to make it sound more natural and friendly—otherwise, it may sound cold to the listener. You can learn more about Chinese final particles later as they are extremely helpful and can change the tone of a sentence dramatically.

6- “Have a good day! ” 祝你度过美好的一天！(Zhù nǐ dù guò měi hǎo de yī tiān!)

The Chinese version of this greeting phrase is similar to saying “Have fun today!” However, it would be too raw to speak the literal meaning in Chinese, as native Chinese don’t usually greet like this.

To answer, you can simply reply 好的（hǎo de） meaning “okay” in English. Of course, when you can further grasp the gist of some final particles, you can use them at the end of the sentence to make it sound more casual and friendly.

5. How to Say “Bye” in Chinese

• Good-bye. 再见。（zài jiàn）
• Bye-bye. 拜拜。（bái bái）
• See you later. 待会见。（dāi huì jiàn)

再见 is the most common way to say good-bye, though its literal meaning is “meeting again.” It can be used for all occasions, such as leaving a party, hanging up the phone, and so on. You can also use 拜拜, which is formed based on the sound of “bye-bye” in English.
待会见 means “see you later,” and should be used if you know that you’re going to meet the other person again very soon, usually within a day. Remember to wave your hands in order to appear more friendly and warm the atmosphere.

6. How can ChineseClass101 Help You Learn More Native Phrases?

Did you have a good time learning all the basic Chinese greeting phrases? If you didn’t get enough, ChineseClass101 will be your paradise for learning more advanced phrases in the Chinese language! It provides a variety of resources that can be easily understood. If you’re ready for more fun Chinese lessons, embark on your journey there soon!

In the meantime, feel free to apply all the Chinese greetings you learned today in our Chinese greetings guide. Good luck!

Learning about Chinese holidays is one of the best ways to really dig into the country’s culture, which is necessary for optimal language learning. Today we’ll be looking at one of the more traditional Chinese holidays, the Laba Festival (also called the Chinese Laba Rice Porridge Festival).

We’ll be going over what makes the Laba Festival special, including the Chinese porridge they call Laba porridge (or Laba congee) and the celebration’s history. Find out all you need to know about The Laba Rice Porridge Festival on ChineseClass101.com, from its significance to vocabulary you should know!

1. Why Should You Know About The Laba Rice Porridge Festival?

The Laba Rice Porridge Festival (or simply the Laba Festival) in China, though not actually a Chinese national holiday, is a fascinating occasion rooted in Buddhism, one of China’s most popular religions. By learning about the origins and customs of this day, you’ll also be gaining much insight into the heart of China’s people and the significance of its history.

Essentially, this holiday is the remembrance of when the Buddha first became Enlightened, a moment in the history of Buddhism that is, of course, of great importance. Learn more about the Laba Festival and its place as one of the most popular Chinese holidays and celebrations.

2. What is The Laba Rice Porridge Festival?

The Laba Festival is an important day for the Chinese people, and its name stems from the day on which it takes place—the eighth day of the twelfth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or Là bā in Chinese.

This traditional Chinese holiday is largely held in commemoration of when Sakyamuni became the Buddha after his Enlightenment. As Buddhism has a fairly strong presence in China today, this is a significant moment in history for Chinese Buddhists.

Like most ancient Chinese holidays and celebrations, this is a day of tradition mixed with more modern interpretation. Even though this isn’t a Chinese national holiday, the tradition of making laba rice porridge and offering it to ancestors remains strong. We’ll talk more about this traditional Chinese dish below.

3. When is it?

The Laba Rice Porridge Festival takes place on the eighth day of the twelfth month on the Chinese lunar calendar. It’s from this that the holiday gets its name, as the day is translated Là bā in the Chinese language. On the Gregorian calendar, this typically takes place sometime in January, though sometimes it takes place in December (as it will in 2023).

For your convenience, here’s a quick list of the approximate date of this holiday for the next ten years:

• 2019: January 13
• 2020: January 2
• 2021: January 20
• 2022: January 8
• 2023: December 30
• 2024: January 18
• 2025: January 7
• 2026: January 26
• 2027: January 15
• 2028: January 4

4. How is it celebrated?

Eating is one of the most important (and most looked forward to!) parts of any holiday, no matter where you are.

As the name suggests, during The Laba Porridge Festival, people make a special porridge called 腊八粥 (làbāzhōu) or Laba congee. This dish takes a long time to make, and preparation for it begins the night before the holiday; cooking starts at midnight, and it’s not ready until that morning.

This is an elaborate porridge, containing a variety of grain, fruit, and vegetable (eight types to be exact, which is why some people also call it “eight treasure congee”). Common ingredients are various types of nuts, prunes, and a Southeast Asian fruit called 桂圆 (guìyuán), or longan. This dish is known to promote good health, due to its fantastic nutritional value.

Not only do the Chinese people eat this porridge themselves, but they first offer it as a sacrifice to their ancestors. In fact, Beijing Laba Congee is an even more elaborate dish, containing twenty ingredients—each one specially picked to ensure high quality so as to please the ancestors it will be offered to.

In the past, it was also custom for those of higher status to offer this porridge to the poor and to monks.

1- Fun Fact

It’s considered 好兆头 (hǎo zhàotou), or a good sign, for there to be Laba porridge left over. This signifies that there will be prosperity among the family who has the leftover porridge. Some people even put this porridge on trees to ensure a plentiful harvest.

5. Must-Know Vocab for The Laba Rice Porridge Festival

Now that you know more about this interesting Chinese holiday, let’s look at some important vocabulary to help you better understand and celebrate it!

• 佛教 (Fó Jiào) — Buddhism
• 桂圆 (guìyuán) — Longan (a fruit found in Southeast Asia)
• 腊月 (làyuè) — Month 12 of the Chinese lunar calendar
• 腊八 (Là bā) — Day 8 of the Chinese lunar calendar’s twelfth month
• 粥 (zhōu) — Porridge
• 岳飞 (Yuè Fēi) — Yue Fei (an ancient Chinese military general)
• 蒜 (suàn) — Garlic
• 好兆头 (hǎo zhàotou) — Good sign
• 白米 (báimǐ) — White rice
• 红枣 (hóng zǎo) — Dried red jujube
• 莲子 (liánzǐ) — Lotus seed

To hear the pronunciations of these words, check out our Chinese Laba Rice Festival word list where you can hear audio recordings of each one.

Conclusion

We hope that this article provided you with all the info you need to celebrate the Laba Porridge Festival in China. What do you think is the most interesting part of this holiday? Is there a similar holiday in your home country?

If you want to learn even more about Chinese culture, be sure to visit us on ChineseClass101.com. We provide language learners with a wide array of helpful tools, from vocabulary lists to insightful blog posts. And if you want to get one-on-one training as you master Chinese, be sure to check out our MyTeacher app!

Have fun celebrating The Laba Porridge Festival, and be sure to stay tuned for more articles on Chinese holidays so that you can enjoy all of the traditional Chinese holidays!

We wish you success in your language-learning journey, and meaningful fun during your visit to China.

Different people have different goals for learning Mandarin. Some may do it to connect with distant relatives or their family heritage. Some do it to pickup up the language for an added edge in the business world. Still others learn the language because they’re naturally drawn to Chinese culture and history. By far one of the most common reasons for learning Mandarin is the desire to travel and use the language in China.

There’s something exhilarating about the idea of wandering abroad and interacting with people in a foreign tongue. It’s certainly a noble and motivating goal, but there is a common misconception about traveling abroad to learn or use a foreign language…

People all too often assume that travel is the language learning cure-all. Somehow once you step off a plane into a foreign country, you magically enter the ideal language learning environment. While traveling to a foreign speaking country certainly isn’t a bad idea, it’s usually not the magic bullet of language learning many assume it to be, especially if you are a beginner.

The challenges of learning Chinese while traveling in China

If you’re a native English speaker and are traveling in a foreign country, the first and foremost obstacle you’re likely to face is that the foreigners you encounter will speak to you in English. English is quickly becoming the lingua franca of the tourist world. Unless you happen to look or dress like the locals, just about everyone in airports, hotels, and popular tourist spots will expect you to speak English. Your fumbly Mandarin will likely be met with a polite nod and patronizing smile, while the conversation reverts back to English.

Unless you’re highly proficient in the language, the locals you encounter will prefer to defer to English. You’re desire to learn Mandarin will be overshadowed by their lack of patience for your meger speaking skills.

This unfortunate truth also carries over into the area of friend-making. A common dream of language learners is to be able to go abroad and make friends with locals using only a foreign language. It isn’t until you actually work up the courage travel to China and make friends that you begin to realize just how hard this really is for beginner and even intermediate students.

Some learners are mistaken enough to think that just being in China will help them pick up the language. It’s easy to forget that Mandarin is considered by many to be one of the more difficult languages for native English speakers to learn.

Once you’re in China you will likely gravitate toward people who you can easily communicate with in your native English. People are naturally attracted to people they can communicate with. To really practice your Mandarin you will have to fight this urge and work against the grain to find and connect with people who only speak a language you’ve just started to learn. This can be done, but it is difficult.

If by some stroke of luck you are able to engage in a Mandarin exchange, the conversation is likely to be limited to simple and predictable conversations, like ordering food or perhaps purchasing a bus ticket. This is a great way to start using the language. However if it’s the only dialogue you engage in, don’t expect any leaps or bounds in your conversational ability.

Advantages of learning a language at home

One huge advantage of learning a language at home is that it is much easier to maintain a regular study schedule. Traveling to a foreign country is likely to bring a whirlwind of experiences, but that whirlwind is not conducive to the discipline necessary to learn and master Mandarin. Odds are if you’re in Beijing or Shanghai for the first time, the temptation to see the sights will be greater than the urge to practice Mandarin. Learning a language at home affords you the marvelous opportunity of making language learning a part of your everyday life.

Learning Mandarin at home also allows you to create an immersive environment at your own pace. While it is true that immersion is one of the best ways to learn a foreign language, a full on immersion experience in China can be overwhelming to a beginner. At home you can gradually ease yourself into the “Mandarin swimming pool” step by step. As a new learner you can start by listening to a Mandarin learning podcast. Later on you can begin to enjoy Chinese music, film, TV, and other media.

Also just because you’re not in China doesn’t mean you can’t connect with native Chinese speakers. If you live in or around a large metropolitan area, you’re likely to find a few Mandarin speakers. Look for a local language exchange or meetup group. Because Mandarin is such a widely spoken language, you’re likely to find whole communities of native speakers in some areas. Keep an eye out for Chinese language church services, cultural festivals, and local grocery stores. These are all good indicators that there are more than a few native speakers around.

If you’re unable to connect with one locally there are plenty to connect with on the internet. Try using a free online language exchange to find Mandarin speakers who are learning English. That way you can assist them with English while they in turn help you with your Mandarin.

Final thoughts

I’m not at all suggesting that you shouldn’t travel to China if you are learning Mandarin. If you have the means and ability to go, then by all means do it! Just don’t expect your trip to be a panacea for your language learning ills. If Mandarin is difficult to learn at home it will be just as difficult, if not more, when you’re abroad.

Unless you’re an advance student, studying the language at home holds a slew of surprising advantages. In the end this is great news. It means that every student of Mandarin, regardless of whether or not they can travel to china, has ample opportunity to learn this exquisite and exciting language!

Most everyone is familiar with this day, as it is celebrated nearly everywhere the world. Yet, when exactly is April Fools’ Day? And where did April Fools come from? April Fools’ Day is observed on April 1st every year. This day of jokes and pranks is believed to have stemmed from the 16th-century calendar change in France, when New Year’s Day was moved from April 1 to January 1. This action was taken due to the adoption of the Gregorian calendar.

However, a few people were resistant to the calendar change, so they continued to observe New Year’s Day on April 1st, rather than the new date. They were referred to as the “April Fools”, and others started playing mocking tricks on them. This custom endured, and is practiced to this day around the world!

Table of Contents

1. Top One Million Words You Need to Know for April Fools’ Day
2. Chinese Phrases You Can Use on April Fools’ Day
3. Some of the Coolest April Fools’ Pranks To Play on Anybody
4. How Can ChineseClass101 Make Your April Fools’ Day Special?
5. Top 1000 Most Useful Phrases in Chinese – Testing New Technology

1. Top One Million Words You Need to Know for April Fools’ Day

Do you want to know how to say April Fools’ Day in Chinese? Well, there are millions of ways and words, but here are the top one million Chinese words you really need to know! Simply click this link. Here are some of them you will find useful:

1. funny – 有趣 – yǒuqù
2. joke – 开玩笑 – kāi wánxiào
3. sneaky – 鬼鬼祟祟的 – guǐguǐ suìsuì de
4. prankster – 恶作剧的人 – èzuòjù de rén
5. prank – 恶作剧 – èzuòjù
6. play a joke – 开玩笑 – kāi wánxiào
7. humor – 幽默 – yōumò
8. fool – 傻瓜 – shǎguā
9. deceptive – 欺骗性的 – qīpiànxìng de
10. April 1st – 四月一日 – Sìyuè Yī Rì
11. lie – 撒谎 – sāhuǎng
12. surprise – 让人惊讶 – ràng rén jīngyà

2. Chinese Phrases You Can Use on April Fools’ Day

Don’t limit yourself to practical jokes – use these April Fools’ phrases in Chinese to prank your favorite Chinese friend or colleague!

1. All classes for today got canceled.
   • 今天所有的课都取消了。
   • Jīntiān suǒyǒu de kè dōu qǔxiāo le .
2. Someone has just hit your car.
   • 刚才有人撞了你的车。
   • Gāngcái yǒu rén zhuàng le nǐ de chē .
3. I’m getting married.
   • 我要结婚了。
   • Wǒ yào jiéhūn le.
4. You won a free ticket.
   • 你赢得了一张免费票。
   • Nǐ yíngdé le yì zhāng miǎnfèi piào .
5. I’m sorry, but I’ve just broken your favorite pair of glasses.
   • 对不起，我刚刚弄坏了你最喜欢的眼镜。
   • Duìbùqǐ, wǒ gānggāng nòng huài le nǐ zuì xǐhuān de yǎnjìng .
6. They’re giving away free gift cards in front of the building.
   • 他们在大楼前赠送免费礼物卡。
   • Tāmen zài dàlóu qián zèngsòng miǎnfèi lǐwù kǎ.
7. A beautiful lady asked me to give this phone number to you.
   • 一位美丽的小姐让我把这个电话号码给你。
   • Yí wèi měilì de xiǎojiě ràng wǒ bǎ zhège diànhuà hàomǎ gěi nǐ .
8. Can you come downstairs? I have something special for you.
   • 你能到楼下来吗？我给你准备了惊喜。
   • Nǐ néng dào lóuxià lái ma ? Wǒ gěi nǐ zhǔnbèi le jīngxǐ .
9. Thank you for your love letter this morning. I never could have guessed your feelings.
   • 谢谢你今天早上的情书。我从不知道你的感情。
   • Xièxiè nǐ jīntiān zǎoshàng de qíngshū . Wǒ cóngbù zhīdào nǐ de gǎnqíng .
10. I saw your car being towed.
    • 我看见你的车正被拖走。
    • Wǒ kànjiàn nǐ de chē zhèng bèi tuōzǒu.
11. A handsome guy is waiting for you outside.
    • 一个帅哥在外面等你。
    • Yígè shuàigē zài wàimiàn děng nǐ.
12. I learned Chinese in 1 month.
    • 我学了一个月的中文。
    • Wǒ xuéle yīgèyuè de Zhōngwén.

Choose your victims carefully, though; the idea is to get them to laugh with you, not to hurt their feelings or humiliate them in front of others. Be extra careful if you choose to play a prank on your boss – you don’t want to antagonize them with an inappropriate joke.

3. Some of the Coolest April Fools’ Pranks To Play on Anybody

Right, now that you know the top million April Fools’ words in Chinese, let’s look at some super pranks and tricks to play on friends, colleagues and family. Some April Fools ideas never grow old, while new ones are born every year.

Never joke in such a way that it hurts anyone, or humiliates them badly in front of others – the idea is for everybody to laugh and enjoy the fun! Respect is still key, no matter what day of the year it is.

1- Infestation

This trick is so simple, yet so creepy, it’s almost unbelievable. Take black paper, cut out the silhouette of a giant cockroach, a spider or another insect, and stick it inside the lampshade of a table lamp. When the lamp is switched on, it will look like a monstrous insect is sitting inside the lampshade. Or, get a whole lot of realistic-looking plastic insects, and spread them over a colleague’s desk and chair, or, at home, over the kids’ beds etc. Creep-factor: stellar.

2- Which One Doesn’t Fit?

Put the photo of a celebrity or a notorious politician in a frame, and take it to work on April Fools’ Day. Hang the photo on the staff picture wall, and wait. You’ll be surprised how long it can take for people to notice that one picture doesn’t fit.

3- Something Weird in the Restroom

At work, replace the air freshener in the restroom with something noxious like insect killer, oven cleaner or your own odious mixture in a spray bottle. Be sure to cover the bottle’s body so no one suspects a swap.

Or paint a bar of soap with clear nail polish, and leave it at the hand wash basin. It will not lather.

Or, if your workplace’s restroom has partitioned toilets with short doors, arrange jeans or trousers and shoes on all but one of the toilet covers, so it looks like every stall is occupied. Now wait for complaints, and see how long it takes for someone to figure out the April Fools’ Day prank. You’ll probably wish you had a camera inside the restroom. But, unless you don’t mind getting fired, don’t put your own recording device in there!

4- Call Me Funny

Prepare and print out a few posters with the following instructions: Lion Roar Challenge! Call this number – 123-456-7890 – and leave your best lion’s roar as voicemail! Best roarer will be announced April 10 in the cafeteria. Prize: $100. (Lion’s roar is just an example; you can use any animal call, or even a movie character’s unique sound, such as Chewbacca from Star Wars. The weirder, the funnier. Obviously!) Put the posters up in the office where most of the staff is likely to see them. Now wait for the owner of the number to visit you with murderous intent. Have a conciliatory gift ready that’s not a prank.

5- Minty Cookies

This is another simple but hugely effective prank – simply separate iced cookies, scrape off the icing, and replace it with toothpaste. Serve during lunch or tea break at work, or put in your family’s lunch boxes. Be sure to take photos of your victim’s faces when they first bite into your April Fools’ cookies.

6- Wild Shopping

At your local grocer, place a realistic-looking plastic snake or spider among the fresh vegetables. Now wait around the corner for the first yell.

7- The Oldest Trick in the Book

Don’t forget probably the oldest, yet very effective April Fools’ joke in the book – smearing hand cream or Vaseline on a door handle that most staff, family or friends are likely to use. Yuck to the max!

8- Sneeze On Me

Another golden oldie is also gross, yet harmless and utterly satisfying as a prank. Fill a small spray bottle that you can easily conceal with water. Walk past a friend, colleague or one of your kids, and fake a sneeze while simultaneously spraying them with a bit of water. Expect to be called a totally disgusting person. Add a drop of lovely smelling essential oil to the water for extra confusion.

9- Word Play Repairs

Put a fresh leek in the hand wash basin at home or work, and then tell your housemates or colleagues this: “There’s a huge leak in the restroom/bathroom basin, it’s really serious. Please can someone go have a look?!” Expect exasperation and smiles all around. Note that this prank is only likely to work where people understand English well.

10- Scary Face

Print out a very scary face on an A4 sheet of paper, and place it in a colleague’s, or one of your kid’s drawers, so it’s the first thing they see when they open the drawer. You may not be very popular for a while.

11- Wake Up To Madness

Put foamy shaving cream, or real whipped cream on your hand, and wake your kid up by tickling their nose with it. As long as they get the joke, this could be a wonderful and fun way to start April Fools’ Day.

12- Computer Prank

This one’s fabulous, if you have a bit of time to fiddle with a colleague, friend or your kid’s computer. It is most effective on a computer where most of the icons they use are on the desktop background itself (as opposed to on the bottom task bar).

Take and save a screenshot of their desktop with the icons. Set this screenshot as their background image. Now delete all the working icons. When they return to their computer, wait for the curses when no amount of clicking on the icons works.

13- Monster Under the Cup

This one will also work well anywhere people meet. Take a paper cup, and write the following on it in black pen: “Danger! Don’t lift, big spider underneath.” Place it upside-down on prominent flat surface, such as a kitchen counter, a colleague’s desk or a restaurant table. Expect some truly interesting responses.

14- Prank Door

Write in large letters on a large and noticeable piece of paper: PUSH. Tape this notice on a door that should be pulled to open, and watch the hilarious struggle of those clever souls who actually read signs.

4. How Can ChineseClass101 Make Your April Fools’ Day Special?

If you happen to visit China, or if you work for any Chinese company, knowing the above Chinese prankster phrases can really lighten up your day. Showing you have a sense of humor can go a long way to cement good relationships in any situation. These phrases are at your disposal for free, as well as are these 100 core Chinese words, which you will learn how to pronounce perfectly.

Also, don’t stop at learning April Fools’ phrases in Chinese – bone up your Chinese language skills with these FREE key phrases. Yes, ChineseClass101 doesn’t joke when it comes to effective, fun and easy learning.

Now, as a bonus, test our super-learning technology, and learn the Top 1000 most useful phrases in Chinese below! But that’s not all. Read on to learn how you can be eligible for large enrollment discounts at ChineseClass101.

5. Top 1000 Most Useful Phrases in Chinese – testing new technology

Help us by being a language guinea pig! Listen to this video above with embedded cutting-edge, frequency-based learning technology that enables you to learn large amounts of data in record time.

• Note: This technology is in beta-phase of development, and we invite your input for fine-tuning.
• To participate: Watch the video for instructions, and leave a comment to rate it. Your comment will make you eligible for large enrollment-fee discounts. To watch the video, please click the play button.

Thank you for helping ChineseClass101! We’re serious about making learning Chinese fun.

This article is intended to go over some of the most common mistakes committed by students when trying to learn Chinese. The points listed here are based on my experience as a student and as the manager of a small Chinese Academy.

1. Neglecting to study Chinese characters

One of the most complicated aspects of the Chinese language is without a doubt its writing system. Learning how to read and write characters is a difficult task that can discourage many students.

Many students who are anxious to learn Chinese as quickly as possible decide to put aside studying writing to focus on learning how to speak Chinese through the phonetic system (pinyin).

There is no doubt that learning Chinese exclusively through pinyin is the most common mistake committed by people when starting to learn Chinese. Aware of this, over the past years, many “miraculous” Chinese courses based on this principle have appeared, promoting it as an easy way to learn Chinese in a few months. Nonetheless, in Chinese, just like any other language, there are no shortcuts. It’s true that some ways of learning are more efficient than others, but learning Chinese only through pinyin is certainly not the way to go.

While pinyin is very useful in the beginning, it’s problem resides in the phonetics of mandarin. As opposed to in Western languages, words are fairly short in Chinese (normally 1 or 2 syllables) and there are relatively few possible sounds (somewhat more than 400 syllables). Combine this with the fact that in the beginning, the majority of students have trouble differentiating certain sounds and above all the tones, it’s very common for students to quickly feel like everything sounds the same.

The basic unit of Chinese is the character, which represents meaning and not sound. It’s very common to run into characters with very different meanings with exactly the same sound (or very similar sounds). In addition, the formation of new concepts is carried out by combining characters. In other words, the logic of Chinese is found in characters and not in sound.

As opposed to small children who learn through imitation, we adults mainly learn through association, in other words, by using logic. That means that if you overlook the basic unit of the language (the character), it will be impossible for you to learn through association and you will have to limit yourself to imitation, which is very difficult for adults.

To put things simply, people who decide to not study writing make much faster initial progress by omitting one of the most difficult parts. However, their learning quickly comes to a standstill as learning new vocabulary becomes more difficult every day. Many words appear to be the same and completely meaningless.

On the contrary, for people who include characters in their study program, their initial progress is slow, tedious and at times frustrating. Nonetheless, their learning progressively accelerates and incorporating new vocabulary becomes increasingly simple.

If you truly want to learn Chinese and not a couple of sentences to survive, you have no other choice but to learn its writing as well.

2. Learning the most commonly-used 3,000 characters

One of the most prevalent urban legends surrounding learning Chinese says that by learning the most frequent 3,000 characters, you can read 99% of texts in Chinese.

It’s true that the 3,000 most common characters cover 99% of texts in Chinese. Nonetheless, knowing them is not the same thing as being capable of understanding a text. In modern Chinese, the majority of words are formed of the union of at least two characters. While individual characters have a meaning in themselves, when they are combined to create a word, their meaning, although it tends to be related, is not always easy to guess.

Basically, learning the most common 3,000 characters, despite being an excellent memorization challenge, is probably the most frustrating and inefficient way to learn Chinese, as it won’t let you read or speak.

There are numerous frequency of use lists based on words and not characters (such as the HSK lists) that are definitely more useful.

3. Learning Chinese because it’s the most spoken language in the world

Learning a new language takes a lot of effort and continuous motivation over a long period of time, especially if it’s a language as different as Chinese. Because of this, before starting to learn a language, you have to be clear about the goal that you are pursuing and create a detailed plan of how you are going to reach this goal.

When people come to my academy and ask me about Chinese lessons, the first thing that I tend to ask them is why they want to learn Chinese. An answer that I often receive is: I want to learn Chinese because it’s the most spoken language in the world. When I hear this answer, I usually tell them how much time and effort they will have to dedicate to studying Chinese if they want to be able to effectively communicate. The majority of them never come back.

This student profile is the main target of “miracle courses”, as in my opinion, they don’t have the adequate motivation to learn the language. Their interest is mainly the result of a passing trend that has been brought into the spotlight by China’s economic power. Because of this, the only thing that they are looking for is for someone to tell them that they can learn Chinese without making an effort.

It is essential that before learning Chinese, you ask yourself what you want to do and what you will achieve by doing so. The more specific your objective, the easier it will be to keep up your motivation over time. Below, I give a few examples of concrete goals:

1. Learning Chinese to be able to communicate with clients or suppliers from the country and by doing so improving your job prospects.
2. Learning Chinese to go to China to study a master’s degree or an exchange during the following year.
3. Learning Chinese because you have a spouse or family member from the country and want to demonstrate your interest in their culture and language.

Like these, there are thousands of good reasons to learn Chinese, but studying must be highly motivated and contain a “reward” for the efforts made. If you’re not going to use the language at all, what point is there in learning it?

Learning Chinese is much more than learning a language; it’s a doorway to understanding a thousand-year-old culture and society that at times isn’t as different as we think it is. Making yourself the habit of studying and giving yourself the right motivation will be your best ally in overcoming the numerous obstacles and frustrations that you will encounter.

4. Believing that because you’ve learned other languages, you know how to learn Chinese

Something that I often run into is people who want to study Chinese and the first thing that they say is that they already speak a couple of languages.

People who already master multiple Western languages mistakenly believe that they can apply their experience with these languages when learning Mandarin. While it’s true that they are at an advantage compared to a monolingual person, as they already know the efforts implied by learning a new language, it’s also true that they are more likely to commit mistakes in the learning process.

Despite coming from different linguistic branches, Western languages have common roots and have influenced one another a great deal over history. This makes it so that their logic and above all grammatical structure are very similar. The origins of Chinese and other Asian languages are very distant from that of Western languages, because of which it is a mistake to approach them with the same logic as in studying much more similar languages.

The common problem among students who speak multiple Western languages is that they try to apply their language structure to Chinese, and over time become frustrated. In the end, they end up saying that Chinese is illogical and impossible to learn.

Chinese has its own logic that is simply very different from yours, because of which the best thing to do is to forget everything you think you know and to try to completely immerse yourself in a different way of communicating.

5. Spending too much effort on pronunciation and grammar

Don’t get me wrong: grammar and pronunciation are very important in Chinese, but they aren’t everything.

Tones and pronunciation in Mandarin tend to be a headache for many students. Pronunciation errors can be one of the main barriers to being understood by a native speaker. In addition, for many students, Chinese grammatical structures appear confusing and “unnatural” to them, because they are very different from those of their native language.

Because of this, it’s common for people to end up speaking endlessly in a zealous attempt to pronounce every tone perfectly and to place every word in its correct place. The problem with this attitude is that the person listening ends up not understanding anything.

Chinese is a language in which the context where a word is pronounced is very important for understanding its meaning. When speech isn’t fluid, in addition to becoming tedious for the listener, the context is also lost. The problem is that if the listener loses the context, they won’t understand anything.

Forget about speaking perfectly; as a non-native speaker, you can’t set your sights on impeccable pronunciation and not making grammar mistakes. Improving the fluidity of your speech will certainly give you better results than avoiding a couple of mistakes. Keep in mind that what’s important is communicating.

BIO: Sergi worked in Beijing for five years and China changed his life. Upon returning home, he left his job as a researcher to dedicate his time to sharing what he learned in the Middle Kingdom. He is currently the editor of the website Sapore Di Cina, intended for people who would like to go to China to live or travel, and is the co-founder of EsChina Space, a Chinese language and cuisine academy in Barcelona.