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Chinese Love – Part Three Posted by sasha on Oct 18, 2011
As I mentioned in my last post, attitudes toward sex in China have changed drastically over the past few decades. And, as Steve discussed in his post, the ratio of men to women has increased steadily over the same amount of time. So, what is the result for modern China? Well, for many Chinese men…
Chinese Love – Part Two Posted by sasha on Oct 11, 2011
Dating (约会 – yuē huì) in China is much different than it is in Western countries. Having grown up in the US and having spent the better part of the last 3 years living in China, I’ve noticed that these differences are vast. Whereas college students in America date casually, and will probably meet someone…
Chinese Love – Part One Posted by sasha on Oct 7, 2011
Throughout my time living in China, one question has managed to come up multiple times from friends and family back at home – “Is there a Chinese word for love?” While it is certainly true that Chinese people express the most complicated human emotion in different ways than Westerners, that doesn’t mean there is no…
National Day (国庆节) Posted by sasha on Oct 2, 2011
Another Chinese National Day (国庆节 – guó qìng jié) has come and gone, as yesterday marked the 62nd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (中华人民共和国 – zhōng huá rén mín gòng hé guó). On October 1, 1949, Mao Zedong (毛泽东 – Máo Zé Dōng) declared the founding of a new nation in…
Counting from 0-100 in Chinese (Video) Posted by sasha on Sep 30, 2011
If you’re going to learn a language, at some point you are going to have to learn how to count. Whether you’re bargaining in a market, giving someone your phone number, or paying your bill in a restaurant, this is a critical skill that you have to get down early in your studies. Learn how…
Yangshuo (阳朔) – Part One – Impression Liu San Jie (印象刘三姐) Posted by sasha on Sep 29, 2011
Located in Southern China’s Guanxi Province (广西省), Yangshuo is a beautiful town that attracts millions of tourists every year. Despite this huge tourism boom, Yangshuo remains a picturesque place, with amazing scenery provided by the Li River and limestone mountains. Every night, an incredible performance of song and lights takes place on the river, called…
Yes/No Questions Video Posted by sasha on Sep 20, 2011
The Chinese language lacks a direct translation of the words “yes” and “no.” This causes a lot of confusion amongst foreigners studying the language. It’s also the source of a lot of cultural misunderstandings for people traveling or living in the country. In a follow up to Steve’s written post, this short video tries to…