How to Use This Site

For Chinese-learning newbies, this site shows Chinese characters (Hanzi) and their alphabet-based pronunciation (Pinyin). Use the Blog Archive (on the left sidebar) to navigate to the different lessons. Note: Your first lesson in speaking Chinese should be Tones (click here). Also remember: the letter "q" is pronounced as "ch" and the letter "x" is pronounced as "sh" while the letter "c" sounds like "ts." The pronunciation for the letter "e" sounds like "uh" while the letter "o" sounds more like "wuh" --- Crazy, eh? :-)

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Office Supplies (Part 1)

中文

Pinyin

English

笔筒

Bǐ tǒng

Pencil vase

资料册

zī liào cè

Clear book

标签贴纸

Biaō qiān tiē zhǐ

Label sticker

文档夹

Wén dàng jiā

2-lever file

自动铅笔笔芯

Zì dòng qiān bǐ bǐ xīn

Mechanical pencil leads

铅笔

Qiān bǐ

Pencil

黑水笔

Heī shuǐ bǐ

Black gel link pen

红水笔

Hóng shuǐ bǐ

Red gel link pen

转笔刀

Zhuàn bǐ daō

Pencil sharpener

笔记本

Bǐ jì beň

Note book

便签纸

Biàn qiān zhǐ

Sticky note

透明胶

Toù míng daì

Transparent tape

修正带

Xiū zhèng daì

Correction tape

剪刀

Jiǎn daō

Scissors

订书机

Dìng shū jī

Stapler

订书钉

Diǹg shū dīng

Staple

胶水

Jiaō shuǐ

Glue

键盘清洁膏

Jiàn pán qīng jié gaō

Keyboard cleaning cream

长尾夹

Cháng weǐ jiā

Binder clip

曲别针

Qū bié zhēn

Gem clip

30厘米尺

30 lí mǐ chǐ

Ruler(30cm)

乒乓球

Pīng pāng qiú

Table tennis ball

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Feelings - Postive (Part 1)

我很激动.
Wǒ hěn dào jī dòng.
I'm very excited.

我相信你.
Wǒ xiāng xìn nǐ.
I trust (believe in) you.

我感觉好点了.
Wǒ gǎn jué hǎo diǎn le.
I feel better. (I feel comfortable.).

我为你感到骄傲.
Wǒ weì nǐ gǎn daò jiāo aò.
I'm proud of you.

我很羡慕你.
Wǒ hěn xiàn mù nǐ.
I admire you.

我很高兴有你这样的朋友.
Wǒ hěn gaō xìng yǒu nǐ zhè yàng de péng you.
I'm so glad to have a friend like you. (I'm happy to have you.)

我很喜欢我的工作.
Wǒ hěn xǐ huan wǒ de gōng zuò.
I like my work.

我倍受鼓舞.
Wǒ beì shoù gǔ wǔ.
I feel motivated.

Feelings - Negative (Part 1)

我不高兴.
Wǒ bù gaō xìng.
I'm unhappy.

我很失望.
Wǒ hěn shī wàng.
I'm very disappointed.

我好象生病了.
Wǒ hǎo xiàng shēng bìng le.
I feel sick.

我对这件事情感到失望
Wǒ duì zhè jiàn shì qing gǎn daò shī wàng.
I feel disappointed about this matter.

不太舒服.
Bù taì shū fu.
Not too comfortable.

我不喜欢这里.
Wǒ bù xǐ huan zhè lǐ.
I don't like it here.

这里让我感到不舒服.
Zhè lǐ ràng wǒ gǎn daò bù shū fu.
This place makes me uncomfortable.

我很害怕.
Wǒ hěn haì pà.
I'm very scared.

我感到紧张.
Wǒ gǎn daò jǐn zhāng.
I feel nervous.

我感到害怕.
Wǒ gǎn daò haì pà.
I feel scared.

我很伤心.
Wǒ hěn shāng xīn.
I feel hurt (emotionally).

我头痛
Wǒ toú tòng.
My head hurts.

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

Casual Talk (Part 1)

Just between friends...

你怎么样?
Nǐ zěn me yàng?
How are you? (informal)


你好吗?
Nǐ haǒ ma?
How are you?

我想念你.
Wǒ xiǎng niàn nǐ.
I miss you.


好久不见。你好吗?
Hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn. Nǐ hǎo ma?
Long time no see. How are you?

你身体好吗?
Nǐ shēn tǐ hǎo ma?
How's your health?


要注意身体啊。
Yào zhù yì shēn tǐ ā.
Take care of yourself.

你家人好吗?
Nǐ jiā rén hǎo ma?
How's your family?


我只想问好.
Wǒ zhǐ xiǎng wèn hǎo.
I just want to say hello.

如果你忙,我不会麻烦你了.
Rú guǒ nǐ máng, wǒ bù huì má fan nǐ le.
If you're busy, I will not bother you.


再见,有空联系。
Zài jiàn. Yǒu kòng lián xì.
Bye. Contact me when you are free.

Friday, March 2, 2007

Frequently Asked Questions (Part 1)

你哪里人?
Ni3 na3 li ren2?
What (nationality) are you?

你在中国生活了多久?
Ni3 zai4 Zhong1 guo4 sheng1 huo2 le duo1 jiu3?
How long have you lived in China?

你在中国逗留多久?
Ni3 zai4 Zhong1 guo2 dou4 liu2 duo1 jiu3?
How long will you stay in China?

你多大了?
Ni3 duo1 da4 le?
How old are you?

你有什么工作?
Ni3 you3 shen2 me gong1 zuo4?
What is your work?

你住那里?
Ni3 zhu4 na4 li?
Where do you live?

Introducing Myself (Part 2)

(Note about Pinyin: Wo3 is Wo in the 3rd tone; ming2 is ming in 2nd tone, etc.)

在美国我住了二十五年.
Zai4 Mei3 guo2 wo3 zhu4 le er4 shi2 wu3 nian2.
I lived in America for 25 years.

我出生在菲律宾.
Wo3 chu1 sheng1 zai4 fei1 lu4 bin1.
I was born in the Philippines.

我毕业于加州大学.
Wo3 bi4 ye4 yu2 jia1 zhou1 da4 xue2.
I graduated from the University of California.

我有硕士学位.
Wo3 you3 shuo4 shi4 xue2 wei4.
I have a Master's Degree.

我主要是电脑科学.
Wo3 zhu3 yao4 shi4 dian4 nao3 ke1 xue2.
My specialty (or major) is Computer Science.

我公司是美国软件公司.
Wo3 gong1 si1 shi4 Mei3 guo2 ruan3 jian4 gong1 si1.
I work for an American software company.

公司总经理.
Wo3 gong1 si1 zong3 jing1 li3.
I am the director (or general manager).

我的办公室设在天津.
Wo3 de ban4 gong1 shi4 she4 zai4 Tian1 jin1.
My office is located in Tianjin.

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Introducing Myself (Part 1)

(Note about Pinyin: Wo3 is Wo in the 3rd tone; ming2 is ming in 2nd tone, etc.)

我的名字叫文森.

Wo3 de ming2 zi jiao4 Wen2 Sen1.

My name is Vincent.

我来自美国.
Wo3 lai2 zi4 Mei3 guo2.
I am from America.

我是一个软件工程师.
Wo3 shi4 yi1 ge4 ruan3 jian4 gong1 cheng2 shi1.
I am a software engineer.

我住在北京.
Wo3 zhu4 zai4 Bei3 jing1.
I live in Beijing.

我在天津工作.
Wo3 zai4 Tian1 jin1 gong1 zuo4.
I work in Tianjin.

我一直在中国两年.
Wo3 yi4 zhi2 zai4 Zhong1 guo2 liang3 nian2.
I have been in China for two years.

我非常喜欢中国.
Wo3 fei1 chang2 xi3 huan Zhong1 guo2.
I like China very much.

我可以讲一点点中文.
Wo3 ke3 yi3 jiang3 yi1 dian3 dian3 Zhong1 wen2.
I can speak a little bit Chinese.

我想学习汉语.
Wo3 xiang3 xue2 xi2 Han4 yu3.
I want to study Chinese language.

你可以教我吗?
Ni3 ke3 yi3 jiao4 wo3 ma?
Can you teach me?

Ni hao! 你好!

你好 ! Ni hao ! Hello!
That's my first post and our first lesson! Hi, I'm Vincent and I've been living and working in China for almost 2 years now. Unfortunately, I haven't been too diligent with my Chinese lessons so I'm still pretty inadequate at it. I work for an American software company's engineering office here and English is still the standard language at work. I hang out with expatriates and English-speaking locals so that doesn't help either.

Recently, I've decided to get really serious at learning the language because I've decided to stay in China for a long, long time! Lots of challenges, lots of entrepreneurial opportunities and lots of new things to learn out here. First step, if you want to settle down here for quite some time, is to learn the language.

That's what this blog is for: my online notebook for learning Chinese and journaling my lessons. So come learn with me or share your knowledge with me! It's Mandarin time!!

欢迎 ! Huan ying ! Welcome!