Archive for August, 2016
Stay Active Indoors in Beijing Posted by sasha on Aug 31, 2016
Anyone who’s ever been to Beijing knows that the air pollution there can get really, really bad. When you can’t see the apartment building next to yours out the window, it’s really hard to motivate yourself to go outside to get to work or do the shopping, let alone do something active. Thankfully, there are…
Yes/No Questions in Chinese Posted by sasha on Aug 24, 2016
There are no words in Chinese that directly translate as “yes” or “no.” So, how does one go about asking a yes/no question without either of those words? There are two different ways to ask these kinds of questions in Chinese. Learn them with a few examples as well as how to answer them in…
Temple Hopping in Beijing Posted by sasha on Aug 24, 2016
Beijing (北京 – běi jīng) is one of the most popular cities in China to visit, and for good reason. There’s enough to see and do to keep visitors busy for weeks on end. The city is home to some of the most famous sights in the country – the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and…
A Beginner’s Guide to WeChat Posted by sasha on Aug 22, 2016
If you’ve ever been to China, you may have noticed that just about everyone is constantly staring at their cell phone (手机 – shǒu jī). There are around 700 million unique mobile subscribers in the Middle Kingdom with 1.3 billion mobile connections. As of early last year, around 70% of those connections were through smartphones, with…
How to Make a Phone Call in Chinese Posted by sasha on Aug 18, 2016
A great way to practice your Chinese skills is to make phone calls. This utilizes both your listening and speaking skills, and it’s good for improving your fluency. After all, if you can smoothly make a phone call – even one that’s just a minute long – you’ve come a long way in your quest…
Beijing Day Trip – Green Dragon Gorge Posted by sasha on Aug 17, 2016
Getting stuck in the concrete jungle during the hot summer months is no fun. Thankfully, there are countless day trips from Beijing that will bring you out to beautiful scenic areas in just a few hours. One such place is the Green Dragon Gorge (青龙峡 – qīng lóng xiá), where you can have fun on the…
Chinese Vocabulary – Summer Olympics Posted by sasha on Aug 15, 2016
Every four years, the eyes of the world are on the Summer Olympics (夏季奥运会 – xià jì ào yùn huì). This year, the games are taking place in Rio de Janeiro (里约热内卢 – lǐ yuē rè nèi lú), the first time the games have been held in South America. The slogan for the 2016 Olympics is…