Speaking Chinese, speaking popular Chinese!

I have a confession to make, I surf the internet really a lot. Every day I don’t sleep until I finish checking my blog, my Wechat and Qzone. I chat with friends in language which people speaking Chinese but 10 years elder than me cannot understand, so do most of young people in China. “么么哒”(me1me1da1), “造吗”(zao4ma5) and so on are words you cannot find in any books, but if you want to learn to speak Chinese, you need at least know what Chinese young people are talking about.

Firstly, “么么哒” is quite normal in conversations. “me1” sounds like the voice of a big kiss, so at first we say “me1me1da1” to someone when we want to show we like them and want to kiss them. Then this word got more and more popular and the meaning generalized. Now people use this word to show fondness, appreciation, or happiness. For example, “我想你，么么哒”(wo3 xiang3 ni3, me1me1da1 – I miss you), “明天见，么么哒”(Ming2tinan1 jian4 - see you) I think it is a little like the phrase “XOXO”, and by the way girls say this more than boys.

Secondly, “造吗”(zao4 ma5) refers to “知道吗”(zhi1dao4 ma5 – Do you know?). When someone says “zhi1dao4 ma5”really fast, he may pronounce it unclearly and sounds like “zao4 ma5”. Young people think that is funny and tend to say “造吗”? Now you can have a try and see if you would pronounce “zhi1dao4 ma5” as “zao4 ma5”.

Thirdly, “心塞”(xin1se4) is the abbreviation of “心肌梗塞”(xin1ji1geng3se4 - myocardial infarction). Of course it doesn’t mean you are as painful as you have a myocardial infarction. It generally means someone feels uncomfortable, it can be unhappy, stressed and so on. “我好心塞”(wo3 hao3 xin1se4 ) means I am really unhappy, upset, sad, it also can express that I am really regretful about something stupid I did.

Now, since you have known some of the popular words, when you speak Chinese with Chinese young people you can use them and they would be surprised!   

Want to learn to speak mandarin? Just visit my blog!
Source: http://happbucket.jigsy.com/entries/chinese-class/speaking-chinese-speaking-popular-chinese!

Learning Chinese language—abundant meanings of “yi4si1”

In general, when you hear of “yi4si1”, you’ll think about its common meaning---“implication or meaning”. For example, “qing3 ni3 jie3shi4 yi2xia4 zhe4ge4 ju4zi3 de1 yi4si1” (please explain the meaning of this sentence.) or “zhe4pian1 wen2zhang1 de3 yi4si1 ni3 nong4dong3 le1 mei2you3?” (Do you figure out the implication of this article?). This meaning of “yi4si1” is the same at many countries. However, in China, you’ll see meanings of “yi4si1” are much more than that. Then, let’s start learning Chinese language—abundant meanings of “yi4si1” in China.

---A: zhe4jian4shi4 ni3wen4guo4 ta1 le3 ma1? ta1 shi4 shen3me0 yi4si1?  (Have you asked him about this? What’s his idea?)

---B: wo3wen4guo4le1. Ta1de3 yi4si1 shi4 ta1 bu4 tong2yi4 zhe4me1 zuo4.  (Yes. He disagreed to do so.)

We can see “yi4si1” in that dialogue means” wish or idea”. Another example, “wo3men0 gen1ta1 you3 he2zuo4 de3 yi4si1”  “yi4si1” in that sentence is also means idea.

The second meaning is temperament or interest. For instance, “zhe4ge4 gu4shi4 hen3 you3 yi4si1” (This book is very interesting.)

It also can express a kind of feeling or a trend. “wo3 kan4 Tom you3dian3 xi3huan1 ta1” (In my perspective, Tom kind of likes her.)

There is another meaning when “yi4si1” is combined with the form of ABAB—like yi4si1yi4si1. For example, “zhe4shi4 wo3de1 yi4dian3 xiao3 li3wu4, yi4si1yi4si1, qing3 shou1xia4 ba0” (This is my little gift for you, please receive it.) “yi4si1” contains the meaning that gift represent my mind in that sentence. It’s widely used in Chinese daily life.

Here comes the last meaning---shows a person’s unhappy or dissatisfied emotion. You can say “ni3 zhe4shi4 shen3me0 yi4si1?” to present your angry.  It is a tone of questioning. Have you dizzied by these meanings? Just a word can present six meanings, which is a universal phenomenon when you learn Chinese language.

So, how to recognize different meanings in sentences?  You need to relate the word with context or tone to help you understand the meaning. You may have to practice Chinese listening to be familiar with these words. Also, you can do some online Chinese learning and search more words like “yi4si1”.

Source:  http://amusingbucket.tumblr.com/post/101743621671/learning-chinese-language-abundant-meanings-of-yi4si1

How to let a person who just learns Chinese words be a real native speaker immediately?

You must have already watch or at least heard of the movie---‘Titanic’. Do you remember a plot which Caledon (Rose’s fiancé) invited Jack to have dinner in the grand banquet in order to make a fool of himself? Jack - a poor boy that never seen such a magnificent scene, not only coped with it successfully, but also deeply impressed everyone at present. This is a kind of wisdom in social intercourse. You may don’t need to say or do too much. It will make you polite and friendly that you just fit in the group of people and do what they usually do. Also, you can learn Chinese language in that way. There are many common sayings in China. They are always very easy and brief. So studying Chinese common sayings is a perfect way to learning Chinese language for beginners.

 A foreigner just need to learn Chinese words can speak many common sayings fluently, which can make you feel like a native speaker. What’s more, it will give you a big sense of achievement. For example, Chinese people are thought to be say “ni3 hao3” when they meet. Actually, that is a very official way that we only use in the formal occasion. We usually greet our friends with a question “ni3 chi1 fan4 le3 ma1”, which means “have you had meal?” We often say “yi2 lu4 zou3 hao3” when we leave our friends.

 You can search a lot of common sayings likewise. It’s a funny way to learn Chinese language online. After searching them, please remember to practice them often. Speaking more and it will be your own words.
Source: http://amusingbucket.tumblr.com/post/101320872711/how-to-let-a-person-who-just-learns-chinese-words-be-a 

Tips for people who learn Chinese language in China

Wherever you go in China, you will find people of openness, generosity, and warm hospitality. Due to the cultural difference, you may make some little mistakes inevitably in the process of learning Chinese language. But it’s ok. Chinese people will not blame you for the first time. However, there are some mistakes you’d better not make. The consequences differ from man to man. You may get punishment though you are out of kindness. For example, you can’t greet someone, especially the opposite sex, with the way of kissing. It can express your enthusiasm in your country but is unacceptable here. Chinese people are little conservative, which is partly related to the age of revolution. So you just need to learn Chinese phrases “ni3hao3” or “hen3gao1xing4 ren4shi2 ni3”.

The second tip for you is more walking, less riding. And you’ll fit in China sooner. Not because you may have less chance to chat with people by bus. When you walk down the street, you can have more time to browse the living houses and Chinese people’s living condition at close range. This is the realest portrayal of Chinese culture. Don’t worry about getting lost. You can turn to anyone to ask the way, they’ll be pleased to help you. Or you can seek online Chinese tutors to give you the right direction.

If you are invited to have meals at someone’s home, congratulations, that illustrates he regard you as his friend. In China, inviting somebody to dinner is pretty common. If it is an ordinary friend, people tend to choose a porterhouse. Only good friends are invited to home. Home is very private in China. Children are always told not to bring friends to home at will. The Dai nationality, one of the minorities, has an interesting custom. Guests are not allowed to visit their bedrooms. If you break the rule, you have to stay here doing hard work for two years and be a member of the family forever. So don’t just learn Chinese language, sometimes you have to focus on the customs to avoid blunders.

Source: http://amusingbucket.tumblr.com/post/101241041506/tips-for-people-who-learn-chinese-language-in-china

Chinese studies----how to start?

Things will be easy no matter how difficult they are when beginning with the basics. So do languages learning. Many foreigners complain about the difficulties of Chinese studies. Actually, they regard the most attractive part--- learning Chinese words as a large mountain unable to climb. Chinese words are the basic of learning Chinese, which sometimes contain history or fables. You will find you can study Chinese characters while learning Chinese culture. There always are connections between different characters, so you will feel much easier when you get a certain degree.

Intonation is the key to learn Chinese language. Learning mandarin for kids is a good chance to have a perfect pronunciation. In fact, intonation is the biggest challenge that needs to practice again and again. I still remember that a foreign friend of mine once went to the park repeating “ni3 hao3” for a whole morning just in order to get the right pronunciation. Now, he can pretend as a Chinese to call any Chinese people without being recognized. And he is very proud of it.

Do you remember how you learn the mother tongue? Most people can speak the first word at the age of 1 or 2. That’s amazing! We can say words without knowing its meaning! So, languages have a common point: listening and speaking is premier than reading and writing. Chinese is not an exception. Chinese listening and speaking can be really hard at first because there are often several meanings in a same word. However, you can try to sing Chinese songs or watch Chinese TV program, even to find a Chinese friend to talk to.