Chinese tips by FluentFlix, a fun way to learn Chinese through the web's best Chinese videos.
Nowadays, it can seem like many of us spend more time living on planes rather than on the ground. We can say such jetsetters 四海为家 (sìhǎiwéijiā). 四海为家 (sìhǎiwéijiā) basically means that the whole world (literally, the four seas) is your home. It’s often used in the context of someone who wants to go out and see [...]
Learning Chinese is a lot like starting a business or a blog. You have to take ups and downs in stride and be prepared for the long haul. You can’t 急于求成 (jíyúqiúchéng). 急于求成 (jíyúqiúchéng) means that you are anxious for success, overly so and to your own detriment. It implies a rushed pursuit of short term results [...]
As part of our mission to help you express your feelings clearly like a real human being, today we cover 2 words that you may have thought both meant “lonely”: 孤单 (gūdān) and 寂寞 (jìmò). They’re similar but that’s not quite right. 孤单 (gūdān) is like “alone” while 寂寞 is like “lonely” (jìmò). Someone who is 孤单 [...]
You’ve probably come across tabloid headlines slamming celebrities as 傻子 (shǎzi) or 呆子 (dāizi), but have you noticed the context in which each expression is used? Both 傻子(shǎzi) and 呆子 (dāizi) describe people who aren’t smart/intelligent and can be translated as “fool,” but they highlight different attributes. 傻 (shǎ) stresses stupidity and muddle-headedness. Therefore, 傻子 (shǎzi) is [...]
One of the hardest things to do in Chinese is to argue and debate. If you’re arguing with someone and you want to call them out for not making any sense, try this one: 强词夺理 (qiǎng cí duó lǐ). 强词夺理 (qiǎng cí duó lǐ) means that the person is using weak arguments and arguing illogically. Literally, it means [...]
Today in Chinese Slang 101 we cover a word you can use next time you have a rough week at work, in the stock market, or with your significant other: 伤不起 (shāngbùqǐ). 伤不起 (shāngbùqǐ) basically means that that you feel beaten and battered and can’t take it anymore – literally, it means that your body has [...]
Nowadays, arguably we’re better informed than ever because of social media like Weibo (China’s Twitter). As an advanced Chinese learner, do you know the word for “well-informed”? If not, we have a Chinese expression for you: 消息灵通 (xiāoxi língtōng). 消息灵通 (xiāoxi língtōng) basically means well-informed. The first part, 消息 (xiāoxi), means news, while the second part, 灵通 (língtōng – [...]
If you’ve lived in China before, you know that many Chinese people are shrewd bargainers. They also do their homework on discounts and have some of the highest savings rates in the world. How would you describe this behavior? Maybe you could use 精打细算. 精打细算 means to plan and budget meticulously and it has a [...]
What Chinese words would you use to describe a Macbook Air? 很酷 (hěn kù – cool)？很薄 (hěn báo – thin)？How about 精益求情 (jīngyìqiújīng) 的做工(zuògōng – workmanship)？ 精益求精精 (jīngyìqiújīng) basically means to be constantly striving for perfection. Literally, it means striving for excellence on top of something that is already something that is excellent. It’s a very [...]
Debating and persuading are some of the hardest things to do in Chinese. You probably find yourself saying a lot of 有道理 (yǒu dàolǐ – that makes sense) or 对 (duì – right)！ Here’s another word to help bring other people to your side: 合情合理 (héqínghélǐ). 合情合理 (héqínghélǐ) basically means to be fair and equitable, [...]
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