In Chinese, both and convey a sense of prohibition or restriction, but they are used in slightly different contexts. In summary, while both and convey the idea of not being allowed to do something, is generally used in more informal settings, while is often used in a more formal or authoritative context. However, the distinction […]
The difference between 不可以 (bù kěyǐ) and 不准 (bù zhǔn) Read More »
Title: Exploring the Various Chinese Units of Weight Introduction In this post we will look at common Chinese units of weight. Gram (克 Kè) The gram is one of the most commonly used weight units in Mandarin Chinese. Jin (斤 Jīn) The Jin is a weight unit that has been in use in China for
Chinese Units of Weight Read More »
Here’s a short dialogue in Mandarin Chinese about buying fruit at a fruit shop with sentence breakdowns: Good morning! Would you like to buy some fruit? good morning (do) you want (to) buy somehere means “buy”, while the addition of means “some”, or “a little bit”. whatHere, is used to ask about the specific type
Buying fruit in Mandarin Chinese Read More »
In mainland China, a Jin is 500 grams, or half a kilogram (1.1lbs) of weight. A is also known as a , or “market jin”, where means “market”. Note that a or “common jin” is 1 kilogram (2.2lbs), where means “common”. It is worth noting that Jin is used in other parts of Asia, with
What is a Chinese Jin? Read More »
In Mandarin Chinese, both and are adverbs that express the frequency of an action or event. However, there are some subtle differences in their usage: Overall, the difference between and is somewhat subtle, and they can often be used interchangeably depending on the context. Here are some additional examples to illustrate their usage:
The difference between 经常 (jīngcháng) and 常常 (chángcháng) in Chinese Read More »
In this post we look at the three different ways of saying “can” in Chinese: , and . Let’s look at the difference: means “to be able to” and emphasises the ability or possibility of doing an action. means “to know how to” and emphasises something you have learned to do. means “to have permission
How to say can in Chinese: 能 (néng), 会 (huì), 可以 (kěyǐ) Read More »
In this post we’ll look at different ways to say “good” and “bad” in Chinese with varying degrees of strength. At a basic level, every Chinese learner should first learn that means “good”, and means “not good”. List of ways to say good and bad in Chinese Below is a list of vocabulary for expressing
How to say good and bad in Chinese Read More »
In Chinese literally means “not bad”, however it has a more positive meaning than “not bad” in English and is closer in meaning “good”. Consider if someone were to ask you about a movie you watched, in English you might ask how was the movie? not bad Depending on your tone, responding with “not bad”
What does 不错 (bùcuò) mean in Chinese? Read More »
In this post we’ll look at how to structure a time phrase in Chinese. Simple Time Phrases in Chinese The basic structure of a time phrase in Chinese is: subject + time + verb phrase Example Chinese time phrase sentences Here are some examples of time phrases following the subject + time + verb phrase
How to use time phrases in Chinese Read More »
How to say “before” in Chinese – 以前 (yǐqián) The Chinese word for “before” is , and is used slightly differently to English in that it does not come at the beginning of a sentence. In Chinese “before” comes at the end of the clause, while in English “before” can be used before or after
Before and After in Chinese: 以前 (yǐqián) and 以后 (yǐhòu) Read More »
