How likely is Mandarin to surpass English as the global lingua franca?
There are many reasons why English is the lingua franca today. It’s widespread around the world. The British Empire was pretty effective at spreading it …
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Why do brides in China wear red instead of white for the wedding dress?
Modern day brides in China make use of red as well as white depending on the ethnicity of the Chinese group. A hundred couples from …
What are Mandarin Chinese radicals?
The radicals 部首 are not just Mandarin Chinese, they are for all Chinese characters. They are the bases of the characters. Take, for example, the …
What color is offensive to the Chinese?
It depends. If you wear white on festive days, like the Chinese Spring Festival and a wedding, you will offend all the Chinese people. Well, …
What is the introductory challenge in learning Chinese?
It depends on what your native language is. People who speak Indo-European languages find the vocabulary alien and especially people from structured languages like German …
Why do Chinese people use the symbol “~” in their writing?
Although I’m a science guy, I’ve always been fascinated by language and writing. The symbol “~” is called a “波浪号” (bōlàng hào) in Chinese, which …
How do people in China calculate the date of the Lunar New Year and its beginning and ending?
On the first day of the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar, the moon is a crescent, and on the fifteenth day, it is a full moon. …
Did simplified Chinese raise the literacy rate in China?
I do not see strong-enough evidence that it was the contributor, or even the dominant contributor. Supporters of the “character simplification raised literacy rates” theory usually point …
What do you like and admire about the culture of China?
The culture of China that I like and admire the most is “Action speaks louder than words” Chinese people love a cheery talk but when …
How does China celebrate Halloween?
Halloween is not an official holiday in China, but it is quickly gaining popularity among the younger generations. We celebrate it more or less the …