Do you know what an "almost counting word" is? Do you realize how much everyone uses them in everyday conversation? We all use such words that approximate or hint at counting, but these words are not Continue Reading
Figure It Out 算出來,想出來 … in Chinese
The English phrase figure it out means to solve, to understand, to reason out This is consistent with the definitions of the word figure, which have to do with both to form or shape and Continue Reading
The Ups and Downs of 一 Yī in Chinese
The Chinese word and character 一 (yī) is one of the first that people learn, and for good reason. My dictionary devotes about 6 pages of words made with it. It not only means “one,” but is used as Continue Reading
The Many Faces of Chinese Names
Why do Chinese people choose English names? Every Chinese person I have met has had an English name. Whether they were living in Taiwan, living in the United States, or on a cruise ship, each one Continue Reading
Chinese Lesson Blurb: One Handed Counting Idioms
Idioms in any language are phrases that are not well explained by literal translation. I have been introduced to some counting idioms as my Chinese tutor and I work on translating my (English version) Continue Reading
得 is a pò yīn zì 是一個破音字
破音字 ㄆㄛˋ ㄧㄣ ㄗˋ are kind of like Chinese homonyms. In English, homonyms are words that sound the same, but are spelled differently (look different) and have different meanings. Examples: here and Continue Reading