From what groups are the Han Chinese descended from?
The Han Chinese are a mix of many groups over time, and here are some of the likely groups: A proto-Chinese group in southern China, …
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What are some words in Cantonese that I should know?
Well, I’ll assume that you want to remember more than some cringe tourist level phrases to just get by. Usually, Cantonese is a spoken language …
What is the Longyou Caves in China and what is the mystery surrounding their construction and purpose?
Back in 1992, a group of villagers in Longyou county, China stumbled upon an astonishing discovery. The area near the village of Shiyan Beicun was …
Do Mandarin and Cantonese incorporate (untranslated) English words or phrases in their language every day?
Well, I am a Mandarin speaker, so I just offer my view about this topic with regard to Mandarin. Words or phrases in English are …
Did the Chinese Communists introduce simplified Chinese characters as a way to eradicate traditional Chinese culture and make it impossible to read older literature?
You may wish to ask if Korean wish to remove Chinese characters and make it impossible for the main public to read older Korean literature …
Why do the Chinese people use the characters system of writing instead of alphabets?
Characters travel better than sounds. An undubbed Hollywood movie requires at least 20 sets of subtitle to sell in Europe, even though many European scripts …
Is Chinese the oldest written language currently being used?
Well, in my humble opinion, I would say that the Chinese language is one of old written languages currently being used. I mean, Vedic Sanskrit, …
How difficult is for a regular Mainland Chinese to read a text in Classical Chinese?
Well, it depends on situations. I mean, there are varieties of contents written in Classical Chinese, for instance, essays, philosophical tracts, biographies, history books, poems, …
Is referring to women as 美女 (mei nü) or “Pretty Girl” in Mandarin sexist?
No, not at all. Referring to a woman as 美女 (mei nü, Mei Nv) is a normal in China. It’s certainly not sexist. However, you …
In Chinese culture, what does the dragon and tiger represent?
They could refer to Green Dragon of the East, or 东方青龙 in Chinese, and White Tiger of the West, or 西方白虎 in Chinese, two of …