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A Guide to Buying Clothes in Chinese Posted by sasha on Aug 8, 2017
Shopping for anything can be difficult in a foreign language. This is especially true when visiting giant clothing markets in China. Everyone is competing for your attention (and your RMB), you have to bargain hard, and you’d better do so in Chinese! Once you get your language skills up to a decent enough level, shopping…
At the Beach in Chinese Posted by sasha on Aug 3, 2017
We’re in the dog days of summer at the moment. It’s so hot outside you could even fry an egg on the sidewalk. What better way to beat the heat than a trip to the beach (沙滩 – shā tān)? Let’s learn some beach related vocabulary and take a look at a few popular destinations…
15 Chinese Words Using Lao Posted by sasha on Aug 1, 2017
There are thousands upon thousands of Chinese characters. While it’s certainly a Herculean task to learn them all, there are a few hundred you can focus your energy on that are very common and important. One such character is 老 (lǎo). Not only does this mean “old” or “elderly,” but it also refers to being “skilled”…
Huanghuacheng Great Wall Posted by sasha on Jul 31, 2017
A great day trip out of Beijing is a visit to Huanghuacheng Great Wall (黄花城 – huáng huā chéng) – the “Yellow Flower Wall.” The name for this section of the Great Wall comes from the wild flowers that bloom here in the summer. It’s also known as the “Water Great Wall” (水长城 – shuǐ…
A Short Trip to Chengde (Video) Posted by sasha on Jul 26, 2017
What can you do with a short trip to Chengde? With just a day or two there, you can do a bit of temple hopping, see the famous Summer Mountain Resort, and dig in to a sizzling plate of the local specialty – venison. Check out some highlights of a short visit to this historical…
A Short Visit to Chengde Posted by sasha on Jul 24, 2017
You’re probably familiar with the Summer Palace in Beijing, but did you know that the real summer palace is actually in a city called Chengde (承德 – chéng dé)? While Chinese emperors and their families definitely spent some time at the sprawling complex in the capital, the heat got so intense there during the summer…
Best Places to Visit in China in the Summer Posted by sasha on Jul 19, 2017
Summer is here, and it’s a great time to travel in China. Sure, it’s a busy time of year, but that’s always the case in the world’s most populous country. In my 5+ years of living in China, I ended up doing most of my traveling during the summer months. Here are a few of…