Why is there no “V” in Chinese?
There is a V sound in some Chinese dialects, such as Hakka. If you listen to northern Chinese speak, sometimes they use a V sound. …
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Why does it seem that Mandarin Chinese grammar isn’t well-researched?
Grammar is useful for Greek, Latin, Sanskrit, and other highly structured languages, but isn’t really that necessary for Chinese. There are no verb conjugations. A …
Why do ancient Chinese 1-yuan bills have “壹” and not ”一”?
The character “壹” is how the number 1 is written in financial numerals. The financial numerals are still being used today in both China and …
What is the meaning of “傻逼” in Mandarin Chinese?
傻逼 contains two Chinese characters, 傻（Sha）: stupid 逼（Bi）: an insulting word ，that contains female genitalia and the meaning of bastard Exact Translation: stupid bastard. This …
Why did China switch from traditional to simplified characters?
You have to know a little known history. Today’s China was established in 1949, and its founders were Mao Zedong and the Communist Party of …
I wish to be fluent enough in Chinese to be able to speak in professional gatherings. Where do I start and how?
Live in a coercive language environment where only standard putonghua or Mandarin is spoken. You will need at least 2 years to get up to …
Is 慧莲 a bad Chinese name?
No, it’s not a bad name. However, in my humble opinion, when people look at this name Huilian, or 慧莲 in Chinese, they would associate …
Is Chinese writing in China inferior to English since English is easier to read and write?
Both languages have their benefits and drawbacks. English is a phonographic language, more or less. Each letter represents a distinct sound, and words are made …
What other meaning does the word “embellish（润）” have in Mandarin?
This Chinese character 润, whose Pinyin version is rùn, has multiple meanings in Mandarin. As you mentioned, 润 could mean embellish. So, 润色, which literally …
What is “heaven” that ancient Chinese worshiped?
The word “worship” is very misleading here because it has religious connotations. The Chinese don’t “worship” their ancestors; they have ceremonies where they pay respect …