What is it like to learn Mandarin Chinese as a nonnative speaker?
For me, there are two big things about Chinese: It is, as my Classical Chinese teacher called it, “the language of the Fool’s Paradise.” Whenever—and …
Since yellow is a Chinese word, what else is?
Since yellow is a Chinese word, “Yellow” isn’t a Chinese word. It’s English. It isn’t even derived from Chinese. If we look at the etymology, …
How can I say “I can’t live without you” in Chinese?
I’ve always liked an ancient poem: 上邪 上邪，我欲与君相知，长命无绝衰。 山无陵，江水为竭。冬雷震震，夏雨雪。 天地合，乃敢与君绝。 I’ ts means that ： A Pledge By heaven, I shall love you To the …
So if Chinese written language is picture characters, how do they write complicated words like “methyl hydroxy acetate”?
So if Chinese written language is picture characters, how do they write complicated words like “methyl hydroxy acetate”? “Methyl hydroxyacetate” is 羟基乙酸甲酯. While English uses …
Why the distinction between 粤 and 越? why two hanzi?
Why the distinction between 粤 and 越？ I’ve read that Han dynasty conquered the Baiyue, and Yue Chinese evolved over time instead. The name seems …
Is it true that the Chinese character for “thunderstorm” has 51 strokes and is pronounced “ping”?
You are off by one stroke – the actual number is 52. And it’s peng, not ping. 🙂 No, I am not being cheeky. This …
Do the people in China text in English or Chinese characters?
Do the French text in English or French? Do the Japanese text in English or Japanese? Of course most people in China text in their …
How many Chinese characters can a foreign-language student expect to learn in one year?
First some fun facts: I can read Chinese perfectly, but writing is difficult, I don’t remember the details of many characters, especially the low frequency …
薯 is a Chinese character related to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Can you find the connection?
薯 is a Chinese character that appeared some time around the 6th century CE. By that time, the Roman emperor Theodosius I had closed all …