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 …
Why most of African living in China can speak Chinese very well?
Technically speaking, most real African people come from Africa came to China to live in the real life here. By real African people I mean …
Why did “Virgin Mary”（圣母）become a derogatory term in slang Chinese, meaning “a hypocrite who urges others to have empathy but doesn’t act with it”?
This is a misunderstanding. 圣母 in Chinese internet slang means “A person with the purest virtues and highest sense of honor, a paragon of mankind”, …