Why do the Chinese bow instead of shake hands?
Shaking hands comes from Europe, the days of knights (isn’t English strange? the days of knights, not the days of nights). Knights disdained the left …
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What are some examples of the worst translations?
Once upon a time, a Chinese girl learned Japanese language for 3 years in college. On summer vacation, she decided to do some part time …
What is the difference between Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese? Why did they develop differently if they are both close relatives of each other?
Because China’s terrain is hilly, especially in South China, the transportation in ancient times was very inconvenient, and it was also inconvenient to communicate in …
Are the Chinese names for certain countries meant to be complimented?
Actualy, NO. Or more accurately: not intentionally to be complimentary at all. For example, USA is not intentionally meant to be called “beautiful”. We will …
Could Tian (天), Tengri, and Tanrı all be related?
They are same word, same concept. Old Chinese pronounce it as Teni, directly means the Great Sky. This is Chinese Tian Altar in forbidden city. Emperor pray to Tian every year. We …
What would my Chinese name be if my name is Mary?
Mary is usually written as 玛丽 in Chinese. Sometimes, it could be written as 玛莉 in Chinese. There are well-known people who share this name …
Does Mandarin pronounce its ‘R’s the same as English?
They are very similar and sometimes overlap. The most common pronunciation of English /r/ is as a labialized postalveolar approximant, [ɹ̠ʷ]. Some North American, Irish, …
What does “对牛弹琴” mean?
Dui Niu Tan Qin (对牛弹琴) is a well-known Chinese idiom/Chengyu. The idiom is very easy to understand, provided you know the corresponding 4 simple Chinese …
Is Chinese arguably the toughest language in the world for a westerner to master?
Is Chinese arguably the toughest language in the world for a westerner to master? To speak, read & write in it as good as a …
Why is “Nintendo” in Chinese called “任天堂“ (Ren tian tang) and not “宁天多” (Ning tian duo)?
In Chinese language, if Japanese have original name or brand written in kanji/Chinese characters, usually Chinese no need to change their name based on Chinese …