A national flag (国旗 guó qí) is an important symbol of a country (国家 guó jiā), serving as an international representative.

• 国旗是国家的象征。

Guó qí shì guó jiā de xiàng zhēng.

The national flag is a symbol of the country.

The national flag of China is a five starred red flag (五星红旗 wǔ xīng hóng qí). The flag itself is red (红色 hóng sè), and on its upper left side there are five yellow stars (五颗黄色星 wǔ kē huáng sè xīng). The red color background symbolizes the communist revolution. The five stars and their relationship represents the unity of the Chinese people. The big star (大星 dà xīng) symbolizes the Communist Party of China, while the four smaller stars (小星 xiǎo xīng) surrounding it symbolize the four social classes – the working class, the peasantry, the urban petite bourgeoisie, and the national bourgeoisie – mentioned in Mao’s speech from 1949.

According to the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the National Flag schools shall display the National Flag daily. And indeed, Chinese schools throughout the country hold raising the flag ceremonies (升旗仪式 shēng qí yí shì) every morning. All the students gather, a lucky student that has being chosen to be the flag raiser (升旗手 shēng qí shǒu) hoists the flag while the national anthem (国歌 guó gē) plays.

• 学校举行新年升旗仪式。

Xué xiào jǔ xíng xīn nián shēng qí yí shì.

The school held a new year flag-raising ceremony.

The law also states that the National Flag shall be displayed daily in Tiananmen Square. The flag-raising time of Tian’anmen Square is synchronized with the sunrise (日出 rì chū) on that day, so check up the timetable before heading to the square. Although it performed very early – before 5 AM during June! – it attracts large crowds and is well worth the early rise. The first flag-raising ceremony of 2019 in Tian’anmen Square was broadcast world-wide:

• 天安门广场的升旗时间是与当天的日出同步的。

Tiān’ānmén guǎn gchǎng de shēng qí shí jiān shì yǔ dàng tiān de rì chū tóng bù de.

The flag-raising time of Tiananmen Square is synchronized with the sunrise of the day.

Particularly moving ceremonies take place during National Day, International Labor Day, New Year’s Day, and Spring Festival. Tens of thousands of spectators visit Tian’anmen Square on National Day to watch the patriotic ceremony.

• 我喜欢看国旗迎风飘舞。

Wǒ xǐ huān kàn guó qí yíng fēng piāo wǔ.

I like to watch the flag waving in the wind.

 

Text vocabulary

国旗 guó qí = national flag

国家 guó jiā = country

象征 xiàng zhēng = symbol

五星红旗 wǔ xīng hóng qí = five starred red flag

红色 hóng sè = red

星 xīng = star

黄色 huáng sè = yellow

颗 kē = measure word for small spheres, bean, star, bullet, pearl, teeth, hearts.

大 dà = big

小 xiǎo = small

升旗仪式 shēng qí yí shì = raising the flag ceremony

升旗手 shēng qí shǒu = flag raiser

国歌 guó gē = national anthem

日出 rì chū = sunrise

好好学习，天天向上！

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