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HIPPOCRENE BEGINNER'S SERIES

BEGINNER'S

CHINESE
Yong Ho
HIPPl|GREIIE BEGIttIITER'$ $ERIEs

BEGINNER'S
CHINESE
Yong Ho

Hippocrene Bools
NewYork
 Acknowledgments

The pinyin portion of this bookwas prepared using Pintone Plus 6, an easy-ro-use
software program dweloped by Professor Gng shou Hsin of National Taiwan Normal
Universiry. I would like to thank him for his unfailing supporr and assistance with my
use of the program. It is true as one of my colleagues commenred that we as reachers of
Chinese dl depend on his utiliry ro survive.
I owe special debt to Mr. Jorge A Esuella, whose readiness to help and masterly
trouble-shooting computer skills have made easier my PC life in general and the
preparation of this manuscript in particular. 'Whenever I run into problems, I can
alwaln count on him for help.
Thanks are also due to my daughter Mele, who helped rype portions of the
manuscript and set rhe pinyin marla. Just as I benefited from her valuable service, she
found it a learning and rewarding experience.

Copyright@ 1997 Yong Ho.

Seuenth printing, 2004.
All rights reserved
Cover photograph@ Jiaxuan Zhang

For information, address:

HIPPOCRINE BOOKS, INC.
l7lMadison Avenue
New York, NY 10016

Library of Congrus Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ho, Yong.
Beginnerk Chinese / Yong Ho.
P. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 0-7818-0566-X
l. Chinese language-Textbooks for foreign speakers-English.
PLrr29.E5H6 1997
495.r'8242r-dc2r 97-40139
CIP

Printed in the United States of America.

 Contents

Inhoduction I
Chinese Language: Its Prominent Features ii
Chinese Phonetics vli
Written Chinese xi
Grammatical Terms Explained xiv

Lesson L Greeting I
Lesson 2. Names t2
Lesson 3. Places 23
Lesson 4. Family 34
Lesson 5, Time 49
Lesson 6. Nationalities and Language 59
Lesson 7. Money and Shopping 7l
Lesson 8. Food and Eating 87
Lesson 9 Travel 100
Lesson 10. Weather ll4
Glossary r28
Key to the Exercises 140
Pmyin Practice l5l
Pinyin-Wade-Giles Cross-referencing l6l
Pinyin to Wade-Giles l6l
Wade-Giles to Pinyin 163
Resources for Students of Chinese 165
Bibliographic Resources 165
Intemet Resources t67
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 If the I lh century belonged to Britain, and the 2dh century to the (Jnited States,
then the 2l't century will surely belong to China. My advice: Make sure your kids
learn Chinese.

- Jim Rogers, ll/orth Magazine

Introduction

Congratulations on the two right choices you have made. You decided to study Chinese
and you picked the right book.

The decision to study Chinese is a good one because it is a language oftwenty-first

century as Jim Rogers observed above. Believe it or not, there are more people in the world
speaking Chinese than English or any other language. Chinese is one ofthe six official
languageq for the United Nations. Above all, the ability to speak and write Chinese goes a long
way to the understanding of 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, the exchanging of ideas with
its people, and the conducting ofbusiness in or with China.

The selection ofthis book for your study ofChinese is a good one because it is unique and
a void. This book has been written for the adult leamer who has no background in
it fills
Chinese, and for travelers who want to take a quick course on Chinese. The majority of
courses offered to these students in the United States (variously called elementary, beginning
or level 1 Chinese) consists often to twelve sessions, yet most textbooks used for such courses
contain thirty to forty lessons. It would take at least three or four levels or semesters to finish
such a book. Obviously by the time the students reach the end ofthe book, they are no longer
beginners. For beginning students ofChinese, such textbooks are unwieldy and intimidating.
Beginner's Chinese consists often lessons. Each lesson is comprised ofthe following
components: basic sentence pattems, a series of conversations that illustrate the
communicative use of these patterns, words and expressions, supplementary words and
expressions, language points, exercises, and cultural insights about the topic ofthe lesson. The
book has been written in such a way that it is teachable and leamable during one academic
semester for adult students. By the time students finish this book, they will have leamed about
ninety basic sentence pattems, three hundred characters, basic grammar, and basic
communicative skills.

This book is based on the premise that less is more. When presented with only the basic
and most crucial words and pattems, students will be able to start talking and communicating
immediately without being concerned about the intricacies of grammar and vocabulary. For
this reason, Beginner's Chinese is truly a beginner's guide.
 Chinese Language: Its Prominent Features

Students come to my Chinese classes for different reasons. Some are looking for a tool to
gain an in-depth understanding ofChinese culture and society. Others, primarily those ofChinese
descent, try to connect with their roots and cultural heritage. Still others want to leam the
language to communicate with their Chinese friends, parents oftheir spouses, and business
partners. These are all valid reasons. Interestingly, there are also students who come to study
Chinese just for the thrill oftaking up an academic challenge by learning a language drastically
different from English.

Iflearning a drastically different language is the sole purpose, the choice ofChinese is
definitely a right one. Although similarities do exist between the two languages, Chinese differs
from English sigrrificantly in sounds, grammar, and writing. I should hasten to add that these
differences are not insurmountable hurdles. With enough practice and exposure, they will
ultimately prove to be aids in gaining access to the perceptions and conceptions ofthe people
whose language they are learning. Didn't some philosopher once say that to know a second
language is to gain a second soul?

Chinese is the language spoken by more people in the world than any other language, yet
in the West it is often categorized as a less commonly taught language. Poor knowledge and
misinformation have produced an abundance ofmyths and misconceptions about the language.
Hopefully, the following discussion will help dispel some of the mysteries that shroud Chinese.

You are about to study the Chinese language and you should know the word for Chinese
languageinChinese. Insteadofone,therearetwoterms: HanyundZhongwen.ThetermHanyu,
which is widely used in China to refer to the Chinese language and is adopted as the title for most
Chinese language textbooks, literally means "the language of the Han." If you have some
familiarity with Chinese history, you will know that Han was the second imperial dynasty of China
(the first imperial dynasty was Qin, formerly Chin fromwhtchChirn derives). Due to its
importance in history, thenane Han came to be used to refer to ethnic Chinese. It is not difficult
to wthat Hanyu is not a politically conect term to use, because Chinese is also spoken by most
ofthe minority groups in China as the second language and some ofthem as the first language.
For this reasoq Zhongwen, meaning the language of the Chinese people, would be a better term.

As one of the seven major dialect groups in China, Mandarin is spoken by over 900 million
or 70/o ofthe Chinese people in northem and parts ofsouthem China and is understood by 94%
ofthe population. Mandarin is not a language, but is a vocal representation ofChinese. The
dialect, which is refened to in China as beifanghua (northem speech), has its own subvarieties of
northern Mandarir4 northwest MandarilL southern Mandarin and southwest Mandarin. The
standard Mandariq calld guoyu or putonghua, is based on, but not equivalent to, the Beijing
dialect. The tefin guoyu, which means "national language," is used in Taiwar\ Hong Kong, and
overseas Chinese communities; thetemlntonghu+ which means "common speec[" is used in
mainland China. This standard form has become an administrative and official medium. It is used
 Beginner's Chinese

on television, in radio broadcasts, and in movies. More importantly, it has been promoted to the
language of instruction in primary and secondary schools. Gaoyulputonghua has been chosen as
the standard dialect because of the sheer number of speakers. With a multitude of mutually
unintelligible dialects, there is a need for a lingua franca ttrough which speakers ofvarious
dialects can communicate. Ifyou speak Mandarirl chances are you may not understand people
who speak a different dialect, but they may understand you. Besides those in China Mandarin is
also spoken by more than one million people in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei,
Mongoli4 Thailand, and Philippines.

People outside China are often under the impression that there are two languages in
China: Mandarin and Cantonese, but this is not the case. Cantonese or Guangdanglwa, which is
spoken by only 5% ofthe population in China, is popular in the United States and elsewhere
primarily due to the fact that early immigrants to the United States were mostly from Canton, a
coastal province where residents have easy access to the sea. However since theq more people
from the Mandarin-speaking areas in China have been finding new homes in this and other
countries.

Chinese belongs to the family of Sino-Tibetan languages. As the world's second largest
language family (next only to the Indo-European family), the Sino-Tibetan family is comprised of
more than 300 languages that are spoken over a vast geographic area extending from
Northeastern India to Southeast, Soutb and East Asia. Other members of the family include
Tibetan, Burmese, and a number oflesser known languages. These languages share a number of
common features including among others, monosyllabisrg tonality, and the use of classifiers. Let
us now take a look at monosyllabism and the use of classifiers. (Tonality will be discussed in the
next chapter on Chinese phonetics.)

Monosyllabism refers to a language phenomenon where each morpheme is represented by

a syllable. While the syllable may be easy to understand, the morpheme may not be. The
morpheme has been traditionally regarded as the smallest unit of meaning, although contemporary
linguists have distinguished finer units. tn languages like Englistr, a morpheme can consist of one
or more syllables such as hnd (one syllable, one morpheme) and monosyllable (five syllables and
two morpheme -mono and syllable) nd can even be realized by a consonant, such as -s in cats.
Morphemes in English are often bound, meaning that individual morphemes cannot stand alone
but have to be strung together to form a word. In a monosyllabic language, syllables are
coterminous with morphemes. In other words, a syllable is a morpheme. In this sense, Chinese is
truly monosyllabic, because each morpheme is indeed represented by a syllable and most
morphemes in the language are free rather than bound (they can stand alone as independent
words). However, it would be wrong to assume the reverse: a word always consists of a
morpheme and thus a syllable. The majority of words used in contemporary Chinese are disyllabic
or polysyllabic, consisting of two or more morphemeVsyllables. What is noteworthy in this
regard is that most ofthese disyllabic and polysyllabic words are formed by freestanding rather
than bound morphemes. Juxtaposing two freestanding morphemeVwords doesn't mean that the
meaning ofthe new word is the sum total ofthe meanings ofthe component words. They can be
very different.
 Chinese Langnge: Its Prominent Featurcs

The use ofclassifiers is another feature that characterizes Chinese and most other
Sino-Tibetan and Southeast Asian languages. Basically, a classifier is a word that comes between
a number or a demonstrative pronoun (e.g., this, tlwt) and a noun. Classifiers are also referred to
as measure words. They are occasionally used in English (a piece of pqer, a school offish, two
heads of cauliflower),but in Chinese the use ofclassifiers is the rule rather than the exception.
Classifiers help disambiguate homophones and supply additional semantic rather than quantitative
information about the nouns they are used with. For this reason, it is inappropriate to refer to
them as measure words. Refer to Lesson Four for a detailed discussion ofclassifiers.

Although Chinese shares these characteristics with other Sino-Tibetan languages, there are
other features that are unique to Chinese. These include morphological simplicity, syntactic
economy, meaning taking precedence over the fornr, and the topic-comment sentence structure.

Morphological simplicity. As compared with English and other Indo-European languages,

Chinese gruilnar is very simple. It is considered by some people to be so simple that they say
Chinese does not have grammar. These people would be right if grammar were equated with
inflection, but unfortunately it is not. Grammar is a system of rules which govem the us€ of
language, so every language has grammar. Chinese is for the most part not inflectional-words
are invariable, unaltered and allow no internal changes; affixes signaling lexical or grammatical
meaning do not figure very large; syntactic and lexical meanings are not indicated through the
manipulation of word forms, but through word order, specific particles and vocabulary items.

Syntactic economy. Many syntactic distinctions made in English are not made in Chinese.
These include the distinctions between singular and plural (bo<tk vs. Dools), nominative case and
objective case (1 vs. rze), first/second person and third person (I speak vs. he speaks), active voice
and passive voice (cal/ vs. be called), the positive degree and comparative degree Qtretty vs.
prettier'1, past time and present time (I was a leacher vs. I am a teacher). Tense is another
example. For nonnative speakers, verbs are usually the most difficult part of an inflectional
language. The concept of tense has two components: time md apect. Since time is conceived of
differently in diferent languages, let's confine ourselves to Englistr, where time can be divided into
past, present, future and future in the past (e.g., when you reflect on a comment about a future
event that you made on a past occasion). Aspect refers to the rnanner in which an action takes
place. The distinction ofaspects made in English are indefinite, continuouV progressive, perfect,
and perfect continuouVprogressive. These four times and four aspects form a matrix which
generates a total of sbceen diflerent verb forms: I write a letter, I wrote a letter, I will write a
letter,(Isaid)lwouldwritealetter, Iamwritingaletter, Iwaswritingaletter, Iwillbewriting
a letter, (I said) I would be writing a letter, I have written a letteL ( thought) I had writlen a
letter, I will hove v'ritten a letter, ( wid) I would have written a letter, I luve been writing a
letter,Qthought)llndbeenwritingaletter, Iwillhavebeenwritingaletter,Qvid)Iwould
have been writing a letter. Notwithstanding the controversies that abound as to whether some of
thes€ structures are really tenses, the number and complexity of these verb forms seems daunting.
Fortunately for students of Chinese, verbs do not present a major problem because time is
expressed lexically and aspect markers are few and far between. There are only two aspects
distinguished in Chinese: complete and continuous. The gender distinction ofnouns is also absent.
Fuwuyuor can be both waiter and waitress, and yanyuan can be both actor and actress. (Many of

lv
 Beginner's Chinese

the problems that beset English and other languages in relation to gender simply do not exist in
Chinese. I once gave a talk on the relationship between language and thought. The original title
was Linguistic Slnping of Thought: Man at the Mercy of His Language. you may quickly
notice, as I did at the time, that this is not a politically corect title . It didn't seem to sound right
either if I changed it to Linguistic Shaping of Ihought: Person/People at the Mercy of
His/Her/Their I'anguage. Fortunately, my chinese came to the quick rescue. The final title
became Language and Tfunght: Ren at the Mercy of Tade Language..Ren (person or people)
and tade (his or her) did their job and no one was offended.)

Syntactic economy is prominently manifested in what I would call a single-sigral system.

chinese allows only one signal for one meaning. In the English sentence I have *vo bulc,the
plural meaning of the word 6oolr is indicated by two signals: two and the suffix -s. ln Chinese
people would simply say (equivalent toEng)tsh) I have two book. The negative of the sentence po
baba qu le Zhongguo (my father has gone to China) iswo baba meiyou qu Zhongguo, where the
aspect marker /e has to be dropped because the negative word meiyou already signals a completed
action. -Men is one ofthe few sufExes used in Chinese. It is used after personal pronouns and
human nouns to indicate plurality such as nesrengmen dou hen hao (the students are all good).
However, when there is another signal present in the sentence indicating plurality, -men is
dropped. We cannot say wo yox s(m ge Zhongwen laoshimen (I have three Chinese teachers), we
rnstead *y wo you san ge Zhongven laoshi, since vn ge (three) already signals plurality.
Similarly we cannot say tamen shi laoshimen (they are teachers), because tamen (they) already
makes the number clear. Yes/no questions are another case in point. They are formed in Chinese
by either using the sentence final particle ma or by repeating the verb using its negative form such
es ni shi Zhongguoren ma (ue you a Chinese) or ni shi bu shi Zhongguoren In the second form
nra is not used because the verb plus its negative form is only used in Chinese to indicate a yes/no
question.

Meaning takes precedence over form. Since morphological changes are nonextant and
conjunctions are sparingly used, word order becomes paramountly important in indicating
meaning. In stringing s€ntence constituents together, Chinese is characterized by parataxis
whereby grammatical elements such as phrases or clauses are coordinated without the use of
conjunctions. This is different from Englis[ which relies on hypotaxis whereby grammatical
elements are joined with connectives. Sentences in paratactic languages such as Chinese are
necessarily simpler and less embedded than those in hypotactic languages such as English. The
most noticeable feature of word order in Chinese is the natural iconicity between syntactic
structure and temporal sequence or chronological succession of events-what happens earlier in
time and what exists earlier in concept comes earlier in the sentence. Expressions of time and
place precede the verb in Chinese because they provide the scene and setting for the action.
146difiers, adjectives, adverbs, phrases or clauses, always come before modified, nouns or verbs.
Lacking an article systeng Chinese resorts to word order to indicate definiteness or indefiniteness.
Generally, nouns with definite or specific reference are placed at the beginning ofthe sentence,
whereas those with indefinite or unspecified reference are placed towards the end ofthe sentence.
Renowned linguist Yuen Ren Chao once said that all Chinese grammar is syntax, all Chinese
synta:< is word order, and therefore all Chinese grammar is word order.
 Chinese Innguage: Its Prominent Features

Topic-comment sentence. About 50% ofsentences in Chinese contain a binary division of

two parts between topic and commenl. The topic is what the speaker takes as hiVher point of
departure and the comment is a statement on that topic. This structure is considered by some as a
substandard way ofexpressioq but in languages such as Chinese, it is quite normal and standard.
Examples of topic-comment sentences (topic and comment are separate by l) include: wo I duzi e
/e (I'm hungry, hterally I stomach hurgry\, ta mama I shenti hen hao (her mother enjoys good
health, literally her mother health good), Yingn I wo hui niili (l wrll work hard on my Englisll
literally, English I will work hard on).

A particular linguistic structure reflects a particular cognitive process. The Chinese

topic-comment structure characterizes a type of thinking wherein the speaker, in communicating
an idea, would first decide upon a topic without considering the syntactic representation ofthe
assertion. This is made possible by the freedom from abiding by the subject-verb agreement. If
you are interested in the corollary ofthis two-step cognitive organization, refer to my other book,
Aspects of Discourse Structure in Mandarin Chinese.

As a final note, Chinese is not a phonetic language and the characters do not bear any
resernblance to actual pronunciatiorq therefore a system oftranscribing Chinese phonetics was
needed to assist people learning to read words in Chinese. There are two systems currently in use
One is the Wade-Giles system and the other is the pinyin system. The Wade-Giles system was
developed by Sir Thomas Francis Wade in the mid-nineteenth century and modified by the
Cambridge professor Herbert Allen Giles at the beginning of this century. This system makes it
easier, particularly fior English speakers, to pronounce Chinese sounds, but is not an accurate
representation of the sounds. For example, the Wade-Giles system often uses one symbol to
represent ditrerent sounds and different symbols to represent the same sound. In mainland Chin4
the Wade-Gifes system has been replaced by the pinyin (which literally means putting sounds
together) system which was developed in 1958 with the purpose of introducing standard
pronunciation of Mandarin to school children. This system has been adopted worldwide since the
late 1970s and is used in this book. A cross-reference between the Wade-Giles system and the
pinyin system is given in the back of the book.
 Chinese Phonetics

There are six vowels and twenty-one consonants in Mandarin Chinese. As we discussed in
the previous chapter, the majority of Chinese morphemes are monosyllabic. The syllabic structure
in Chinese is such that a syllable always consists of a vowel (V) or a consonant with a vowel
(CV), such as ba, fo, ne. Consonant clusters-two or more consonants used in succession-are
not permitted in Chinese. Syllabic combinations common in English such as VC (up, at), CVC
(big, pat, map), CCVC (bred, dread, stone), CVCC (mask, best, sand), CCV (fly, blue, grow),
CCCV (screw, spray, stray), VCC (old, and, ink), VCCC (Olds, ants, amps), CCVCC (brand,
trains, swings), CVCCC (tests, tenths, lunged), CVCCCC (thirsts, texts, worlds), CCVCCC
(slurps, prints, flirts), CCCVC (street, squat, strut), CCCVCC (struts, squats, sprained), and
CCCVCCC (scrimps, sprints, squelched) are not possible in Chinese. CVC, on the other hand, is
possible in Chinese, but the final C can only be the nasal sounds -n and -ng and the retroflex -r,
such asjrzg, rnn, yong and er. Consonants are often called initials because they invariably appear
initially in a word with the exception of the final -n, -ng or r, which can appear finally. Vowels
are also called finals because they appear medially or finally in a word. Vowels can stand by
themselves when no initial consonant is present.

The 6 vowels are'. a, o, e, i, u, i, which should be learned in this sequence for two
important reasons. First, this sequence shows a pattem or regularity of articulation. When you
pronounce d, the mouth is open the widest, and the tongue is the lowest. As you move down the
list, the mouth gradually closes and the tongue gradually rises. By the time you pronounce t, the
mouth is almost closed and the tongue reaches the highest point. Second, the tone mark used in
pinyin always falls on the vowel, but two or three vowels can be combined to form a compound
vowel, such as'. ao, ai, ou, ei, ia, iao, ie, iu, ua, uo, ue, ui, uai.Whenthis happens, the tone mark
will fall on the vowel that comes earlier in the sequence (with the exception of ia and zi, where
the tone mark always falls on the second sound):

eo, ai, ou, ei, ie, ieo, i€, iri, ui, uo, u€, ui, uii

The 21 consonants are: b, p, n,

"f,
d, t, n, l, C, k, h, j, q, x, z, c, s, zh, ch, sh, r
A question that I like to ask students in my introductory class is: what kind ofproblem can
you envision for a language that has only 6 vowels, 2l consonants and is of the CV (with limited
CVC possibilities) syllabic structure? It doesn't take them very long to come up with the answer:
the lack of sound combinations to express all the meanings and ideas. Simple math will tell us that
there are only about 400 possible sound combinations in Chinese. By introducing four toneg the
total number ofpossible sound combinations increases to about 1600. In contrast, according to
the Danish grammarian Jesperserq there are 158,000 possible sound combinations in English.

Although the severely restricted number ofpossible sound combinations poses a hindrance
to effective communicatioq the student of Chinese don't have to learn too manv sound

vll
 Chinese Phonefics

combinations. To help you practice Chinese phonetics, a list of all possible sound combinations in
Mandarin is provided in the back of the book with the four tones indicated.

Tones
As mentioned above, tones are an effective means ofreducing homophones (and
consequently ambiguity). Tones are variations ofpitch contours. Such variations also occur in
English, but are only phonetic, not phonemic in that they may change the pragmatic meaning ofa
word, but they do not change its lexical meaning. For example, there may be a variety of ways to
say the word yes in English, but yes will never become desk or horse. In Mandarin however pitch
change is not only phonetic, but also phonemic in that tones distinguish meaning. By varying the
pitch of a sound combination, you get a totally different word. Here are some examples:

mi (mother), m6 (hemp), md (horse), mi (scold)

yi (one), yi (move), yi (chair), yi (hundred million)
wn (house), wfr (none), wn (five), wu (fog)

In Mandarin Chinese. there are four tones, which are referred to as the fust tone, the
second tone, the third tone and the fourth tone and are indicated by the tone graphs respectively
trs -, ,, rr, r . The workings of these four tones are demonstrated by the following chart:

The first tone is called high level tone. As the name suggests, it should be higlL almost at
the upper limit of your pitch range, and level, without any fluctuation. A common mistake
observed among the students is that it is not high enough. The key to getting this tone right is that
ifyou feel there is still room at the top ofyour pitch range, you should go for it.

The second tone is called rising tone. It starts from the middle ofyour pitch range and
rises. This is usually not a difficult tone.

The third tone is called falling-rising tone. As suclq it has two parts: first falling, then
rising. Although this tone is repres€nted by the graph v, the two sides ofthe v are not ofequal
size. A better representation would be a check mark.rl. It moves down from the lower half of the
pitch range and moves up to a point near the top. A common mistake is that students often start
too high. It is only too natural that if you start too hig[ it would be very difficult to maneuver the
bend at the bottom of the valley when you need to rise. What you should do is to try to start low.
In fact, it doesn't matter very much how low you start. Start as low as you can. Ifyou still have

vlil
 Beginner's Chinese

trouble, try to lower your chin as you produce the tone (but try not to get into an irreversible
habit).

The fourth tone is called falling tone. It falls precipitously from the top ofthe pitch level.
Itis interesting to observe that although we use this tone from time to time in English, particularly
when we put our foot down by saying Yesl or Not , when it comes to pronouncing the fourth tone
in Mandarin, a lot of students suddenly become indecisive and ineffectual. The key to getting this
tone right is to be resolute.

In addition to these four tones, Mandarin Chinese has a "fifth" tone, which is actually a
toneless tone. As such it is usually called neutral tone. Its pronunciation is soft and quick. The
neutral tone is not diacritically marked. It occurs either on grammatical particles or the second
character of some words that do not receive stress. For example:

Grammatical Particles:

Ni hio ma? (How are you?)

Ni ne? (How about you?)
W6de shn (my book)
Tn qn b xuExiio (He has gone to the school.)

Second character ofsome words:

xiexie (thank you), mdma (mother), bnba (father), ldoshi (teacher)

Tone Change

The juxtaposition of two tones may sometimes result in a tone change known as toze
sondhi. Ttns happens when

l. A third tone becomes a second tone when immediatelv followed bv another third tone-
e.g.:

Ni hio -+ Ni hno (Hello)!

W6 hEn h.io -+ W6 h€n hio (I'm fine).

2. When a thLd tone is followed by the first tone, the second tone, the fourth tone and the
most neutral tones. it becomes a half third tone. A half third tone is a modified third
tone that falls but not rise, e.g.:

w6 mima (my mother), Ni m6ng ma? (Are you busy?)

 Ilritten Chinese

It is clear from the above that the third is seldom used in full in Chinese unless it falls on a
word in isolation or is followed by a long pause. Although the third tone undergoes changes in
connection with other tones, by convention it is still given the original tone mark in print.

There are a number ofother conventions and rules that should be noted:

l. i is written as y when it occurs at the beginning of a syllable, e.g., ie -+ ye, ian -+ yan. i is

written as yi when it forms a syllable by itself, e.g., i -+ yi.

2. u is written as w when it occurs at the beginning of a syllable, e.9., uo -+ wo, uan -+ wan.
u is written as wu when it forms a syllable by itself, e.9., u -+ wu.

3. ii is written as yu when it occurs at the beginning of a syllable or forms a syllable by itself,

e.9., Oe + yUe, rian -+ yuan, ti -+ yu.
4. i does not have any phonetic value when it follows z, c, s, zh, ch, sh and r. It is placed

there to fulfill the syllabic requirement. That is, there must be a vowel in every syllable.

5. When preceded by a consonant, uei and uen become ui and un.

6. i.i is written as u after j, q, x and y.

7. When a syllable beginning with a" o, and e is juxtaposed with another syllable, the mark (')

is often used to demarcate the boundary between two syllables, e.g., nt'er (daughter) and

pdi'6 (quota).

8. In Mandarin, an extra syllable is often attached to another syllable to make it retroflexed.

This extra syllable is phonetically transcribed as "r" instead of "er", e.g., yidiinr (a little
bit), xitohiir (child), and should not be pronounced separately.
 Written Chinese
Of all the major writing systems in the world, Chinese is the only one that did not develop
a phonetic alphabet. Itswriting system is neither alphabetic or phonetic, because it does not use
romanization and its form does not bear any resemblance to the actual sound. The
Chinese writine
system uses a logographic script in the form ofcharacters.

Mention was made in a previous chapter that most of the major dialect groups in China
are not mutually intelligible, but the written form is the same. people in china who cannor
communicate through speech can communicate through the written language. A commonly heard
expression in China is "Qing xiE xid l6i (please write it down)." This linkage can even facilitate
to
some extent communication between chinese, Japanese, and Koreans, who use chinese
characters extensively. It may be reasonable to assume that this unified writing system has helped
preclude China from disintegration through the last two millennia. lf anything, tlie writing
sysiem
is definitely a link for the Chinese to connect to their literary tradition and cJtural past. There
have been debates about whether Chinese should abandon its characters and adopt romanization
as its writing system. These discussions are fruitless and serve no purpose. If you
followed our
discussion in the previous chapter on Chinese phonetics, you would have noticed the limited
number ofpossible sound combinations and the abundance ofhomophones in Chinese. Although
the use of tones and classifiers, and dissyllabizing words can help alleviate the situation to some
extent, characters are the ultimate and the only way to distinguish words. Ten words may be
pronounced exactly the same, but they will all be written differently. There is simply
no way that
characters can give way to romanization in Chinese.

Chinese characters are often thought ofas pictures representing objects and concepts. This
may be true of the earliest Chinese writing traceable to the fourteenth century Bc when it
was
largely pictographic in nature, but pictograms were soon found inadequate to represent
everything, especially abstract ideas. Ideograms were then introduced as graphic representations
ofabstract and symbolic ideas. For those pictographic characters, centuriis ofrefining and
styliring resulted in the almost total loss of images and graphic quality.

Seventy-five percent ofchinese characters are composed oftwo parts, a left part and a
right part or a top part and a bottom part. In either formation, one part, called the radical, usually
appears on the left or the top. Radicals are category labels or specifiers that provide clues to
the
senurntic classification of the word such as person, food, metal, plant, animai, water, gendeg
feeling, and language. Ifyou know the radical ofa character, but do not know the character
itse[ you can get a general idea ofits meaning. For example, atl ofthe following characters share
the "water" radical, because all ofthem have to do with water:
 Ilritten Chinese

')r
tf t& f'l itf tft, iT 'l& rE
yang hii he hir xi hin chi jin
ocean sea river lake wash sweal pond soak

There are 214 such radicals in Chinese, which are also used in Chinese dictionaries to
index words. The other component ofthe character, usually appearing on the right or the bottonr,
provides phonetic clues. For example:

+f+r+
yang yang y6ng
trfltr',tr
yang ying yi,ng yill.g
sheep shape ocean .feign orygen itch melt
The phonetic clue is only a rough one and becomes useful only when you already know a
substantial number ofcharacters to make a prediction. In addition, tones may be very different.

Students ofChinese often wonder how many characters they need to learn in order to
have a reading knowledge of Chinese materials other than classical literature. Various estimates
have been giveq ranging from 3,000 to 5,000. Statistics shows that the majority ofthe
50,000-60,000 existing characters are not in cornmon use. Those that appear with 99.15o/o
frequency amount to about 3,000, which is the vocabulary ofthe average high school student in
China. That is to say, the endeavor to learn the additional 50,000 or so characters can only
increase your inventory ofcommonly used characters by less than lolo. For this reason, knowledge
of2,000 to 2,500 characters is adequate to tackle reading contingencies that are nonacademic and
nontechnical. This would probably be equivalent to the vocabulary ofthe average junior high
school graduate in China. Remember that the majority of words used in conternporary Chinese are
disyllabic or polysyllabic. The actual number ofwords you leam from these 2,000 to 2,500
characters is enormous.

Since characters are not phonetic and the emphasis ofthis or any other beginning course
for adult learners is on speaking or communicating, character learning and writing are not given
priority. To spend too much time on character writing at this stage would consume too much time
that should be spent building a solid foundation in pronunciation and the basic sentence patterns
used for various communicative functions. It is advisable that serious study ofcharacters for adult
students should follow a comfortable command of pronunciation, basic vocabulary, and basic
sentence patterns. In spite ofall this, you may find it very hard to resist leaming some characters
when you study the language. Feel free to pursue ifyou have the urge as long as you do not lose
sight ofthe main goal at this stage.

In writing a character, it is not only important to get the end product right, but also to
follow the proper stroke order. Failure to follow proper sequence is the first sign ofilliteracy.
That is why teachers and parents in China keep a very close look at how children write and take
pains to correct them when they make a wrong move. To that end, I would strongly suggest that
students take advantage of the multitude of software programs that teach the writing of
characters. You will find a list of character tutoring programs in the resource section of this book.
Most of these programs will take you by the hand, animating the basic strokes and stroke order.

xii
 Beginner's Chinese

In addition, they usually come with quizzes, on-screen flashcards, and a bi-directional dictionary.
Some of the programs even have the ability to display pinyin for any character by clicking on it.

Characters are also referred to as square characters, because each one is shaped like a
square. Irrespective ofthe complexity ofstrokes and structures, each character occupies the same
amount ofspace as the next one. To help with balancing and orienting strokes, it is a good idea
that you practice writing characters using an exercise book with grid pages.

Complex characters are formed by components. These components are either independent
characters when used alone or blocks that recur in many other characters. Try to memorize these
components rather than individual strokes. It is easier to build a house using prefabricated
materials than individual bricks and loose sands.

A cursory look at any older Chinese dictionary will reveal that many ofthe characters are
very complex in structure, consisting of up to twenty strokes. They are complicated to write and
difficult to remember. This also explains why illiteracy had been widespread in China up to the
mid-twentieth century. In response to the pressing need to simpliS the writing systenl the
Chinese government has introduced a total of 2,515 simplified characters since 1956. The most
common form of simplification is the reduction of strokes in certain characters and assignment of
a component to replace the whole. Contrary to the thinking of many people outside China that the
simplification was imposed by the Chinese government on its people, the government
standardized the simplified forms that had already been in wide use for hundreds ofyears.
Simplification is a boon for millions of people, particularly for those who are struggling to shake
offilliteracy. This process has gone a long way towards helping alleviate illiteracy. Studies have
found that the literacy rate in China has risen from 20-30% in the early l95os to 80-90p/o in the
1990s. Although favorably received, simplification ofcharacters also created new problems. Since
the decision to simplifu characters was unilaterally made by the chinese government, people in
Taiwag Hong Kong, and overseas Chinese communities are experiencing tremendous difficulty
reading materials from mainland China and children in mainland are also having trouble reading
classical materials. But with the reunification of Hong Kong with Chin4 it won't be very far
before simplification find its way there.

Beginning students often struggle with the decision whether to study the simplified
characters or traditional characters. Unfornrnately, there is no easy solution as there is no
consensus among teachers of Chinese about which form to teach. Although I've used simplified
characters in this boolc, I suggest making the decision based on your purpose. Study simplified
characters ifyou need to read literature from mainland China and study traditional characters if
you plan to read materials from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and overseas Chinese communities. There
are teachers ofChinese who suggest that students learn to read both forms, but write in the
simplified form only. The above-mentioned software proglams and all the Chinese
word-processing programs listed in the r€source section ofthe book can be great aids in
cross-referencing between traditional and simplified characters. With a click of a buttoq most of
these programs will convert the simplified characters to traditional characters or vice versa.

xlll
 Grammatical Terms Explained

Adverbial
A word, phrase or clause that functions to modify a verb, an adjective or another adverb,
providing such information as time, place, manner, reason, and condition.

Aspect
The manner in which an action takes place. English distinguishes four aspects: indefinite,
continuous, perfect and perfect continuous, whereas Chinese distinguishes only two: continuous
and perfect.

Classifier
A word used between a numeral and a noun to show the sub-class to which the noun
belongs.

Object
A noun, pronourL phrase, or clause that is used after, and affected in some way by, a
transitive verb. Ifit is affected in a direct way, it is called the direct object. Ifit is affected in an
indirect way, it is called the indirect object. In the sentence he gave me a book, a book is the
direct object andme is the indirect object.

Particle
A word that has only grammatical meaning, but no lexical meaning, such as rza, ne and ba
in Chinese.

Predicate
The part ofa sentence that states or asserts something about the subject. This role is only
assumed by the verb in English, but can also be assumed by the adjective in Chinese.

Predicative adjective
An adjective used after the verb to be in English as in the book is interesling, which is
opposed to an attributive adjective used before a noun as in this is an interesting book.
Predicative adjectives in Chinese are used without the verb to be.

Subject
Something about which a statement or assertion is made in the sentence.

Transitive and infiansitive verbs

A transitive verb is one that needs to take an object such aswe study Chinese. An
intransitive verb is one that does not take an object such as vdlf, run, and, go.
 t tssoN

I
GREE'IINIGS

SENTENCE PATTERNS

W*TI Hello!
Ni hrno!

189t wt How are you?

Ni hdo ma?

t8w How about you?

Ni ne?

a Eryt+."
Zhd shi WSng Xnnsheng.
This is Mr. Wang.

IEE 2#2 How is everything with you?

Ni zEnmeylng?

*, Elptr. I'm fine, too.

W6 y€ h€n hio.

i^iR tE, fi 4R E X. It's a pleasure to know you.

ROnshi ni, w6 h6n gioxing.
 Lesson One

CONVERSATIONS

A:6*T ! Hellol
Ni htro!
B. l/SfT I Hello!
Ni hno!

A: lt1 W s12 How are you?

Ni hio ma?
B:ft {E *T. {16sft2 I'mfine. Andyou?
W6 hEn hio. Ni ne?
t: fr, &,1V. *" I'm fine, too.
W6 yE hdn hio.

A: {6 € 6 W W2 How is your father?

Ni biba hio ma?
B.lb, 18. *t. He is fine'
Ta hEn hio.
A: U\ E E flFy.1 And your mother?
Ni mima ne?
B: lE & '18 fT. She is also fine.
Td y6 hEn hao.

A: I tt +., $f *t W1 How are you, Mr. Wang.

W6ng Xdnsheng, ni hio ma?
B: 99 R, R " i16tft, lK zJ' lE ? So-so. How about you, Miss Zhang?
Mimahnhu. Ni ne, Zhing Xnojie?
A: *t & 4 4 R, R,. I'm so-so, too.
W6 yE mdmahuhu.

A: lE E /z ff'l How's everything with you?

Ni zEnmeying?
B: T ffi" lBWz Not bad. And you?
Bir cud. Ni ne?
t fr &,4 #. Not bad, either.
W6 yE br1 cud.

A: jt E 9K 4'iB. :t € E ft +." This is Miss Zhang. This is Mr. Wang.

Zhi shi Zhang Xdojie. ZhE shi W5ng Xdnsheng.
B: il. iF {fi fi {F E ){. It's a pleasure to know you.
Rdnshi ni, w6 h6n gioxing.
 Beginner's Chinese

A: i/,. iA lrr.#, fi,4R E X. It's a pleasure to know you too

Rdnshi ni, w6 yE h€n gdoxing.

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Pronouns
!<, w6 I
tk\
|,'| ni you
tt te he
iu ta she
lx zhe this

Nouns
*2
Bg biba father
mama mother
ft+ xiansheng Mr., husband
rjr lH xidojie Mss

Verbs
.EL
,E shi be
i/.i.4 r0nshi know

Adjectives
*T hio good
Ei cud wrong, bad
4 4r R,ffi, mdmahlhu so-so
r\/
-lEl Zs geoxing happv

Adverbs
4E hEn very
t yE also
6 bn not

Grammatical oarticles
nq ma
\fr, ne

Expressions
RA# zEnmeying how is ...?
 Lesson One

SUPPLEMENTARY WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Nouns
ZTfr lioshi teacher
E9*:11
--t- xu6sheng student
ss
##
gege
didi
older brother
younger brother
,ETE ji6jie older sister
frFW mdimei younger sister
6.'+- yisheng doctor
EI)F lishi lawyer
+El Zhonggu6 China
+tr M6igu6 United States
E+ RibEn Japan

Pronouns
L ta it

Verbs
*+ l6i come
z< qn go
z^ xihuan like

Adjectives
R lei tired
,tr ming busy

LANGUAGE POINTS

r. ltf fr (ni hto)

(S*l (ni hio) is the most corrmon form of greaing in Chinese. It can be used at any
time during the day and on any occasion. lE fr (ni hno), equivalent lo Hello or Hi in Englistr,
does not require any specific answer except 16 *T (ni hio) in retum.

2. E Ghi)
Although Chinese has a verb to be inthe form of E (shi), it is not used the same way
ils verb to De in English.E (stri) is used only when the subject and predicative have the same
referent or refer to the same person or object such as:
 Beginner's Chinese

+\ftzyF" I am a teacher.
W6 shi ldoshi.

tfi,ft+ +.. He is a student.

Td shi xuCsheng.

On the other hand, when the predicative is an adjective or prepositional phrase, E (shi) is not
used at all in Chinese. Adjectives and prepositional phLrases thus used are conditions, locations or
descriptions ofthe subject. For example, sentences such as .I am happy, the brnk is on the table
and she is there and they are home would be rendered into Chinese without E (shi) . It is evident
that a Chinese sentence can consist ofa subject and an adjective or prepositional phrase only. In
such a case, adjectives function as quasi-verbs.

3 lFt+ 14 (ni hio ma)?

l fr tq (ni hio
ma) is used when you really want to know how things are with the
other person. The expression literally means are you god? and requires either a positive or
negative answer. Responses to this greeting usually include #,iLfr
(w6 hEn hno), fr 6
ffi (w6
bir cud),nd 4 4 E ffi (mnma huhu). While #,18 fr (w6 hEn hdo) is probably the most
frequently heard, keep in mind that {R (hEn) in the expression is indispensable because it fulfills a
prosodic or rhythmic requirement. People simply do not respond by sayng fr ff
(w6 hio).

4. The pronunciation of {
ftn)
The dictionary form of 6
is the fourth tone @n), but it becomes the second tone when
it precedes a fourth tone word. Compare:

6X not come 6* notgo

bn hi biqn
4*T not good 6i(iA notknow
bi hdo b(r rinshi

5. YeVno questions
YeVno questions are questions that require either a yes answer or a no answer- As
suclt, they are also called polar questions. YeVno questions are formed in English by either
reversing the subject and the verb in the case ofverb /o be or one ofthose modal verbs hke can
and may, or by using a dummy word such as do before the subject in the case of a regular verb. In
Chinese however, we do not switch around sentence constituents to form a yeVno question. Such
a question is rather indicated by adding the sentence final particle n4 (ma) to an affirmative
sentence. For example:

ltrf.T ryz How are you?

Ni hdo ma?

lts&6'V q4? Is your father busy?

Ni bnba ming ma?

5
 Lesson One

l8 Wfs*ry2 Isyourmothercominfl
Ni mdma l6i ma?

It may come as a surprise to you that in Chinese there is no equivalent to yes or no rn

English. In other words, there is not a single specific word that we can use all the time to respond
to various yeVno questions. Equivalents to yes and no are act.rally the verbs or predicative
adjectives in the questions. For this reasor! they vary from sentence to sentence. To give positive
and negative answers to the following questions in English:

l. Do you speak Chinese?

2. Do you like Japanese food?
3. Are you a doctor?
4. Can you cook?

All you need to do is to answer by using the verb or the verbJike adjective. Positive and negative
answers to the above questions would be:

I SpeaVnot speak.
2 Likdnot like.
3. Am/am not.
4. Can/not can.

Now, let's look at some real Chinese yevno questions and answers:

i6*E? Are you coming?

Ni l6i ma?
x. Yes, I am.
L6i.
4. )l(" No, I am not.
Bn l6i.

lBftztlfrF+2 fue you a teacher?

Ni shi lioshi ma?
E. Yes, I am.
shi.
4'ft, No, I am not.
Bi shi.

ltr&,&,f: E? Is your father busy?

Ni bnba m6ng ma?
{R ,tr. Yes, he is.
HEn ming.
6tr. No, he is not.
Bi m6ng.
 Beginner's Chinese

You may have already noticed that in answering a yeVno question in Chinese, you can
practically drop everything in the sentence including the subject except the verb or the verblike
adjective.

6. !E, (ne)
As a sentence final particle, 9E (ne) is used to avoid repeating a question previously
asked. It basically meanswhat about ...? or how about ...? For example:

{6Strft++. 14? Is your older brother a student?

Ni gcge shi xu6sheng ma?
E. Yes, he is.
she.
wtE"tLsft,2 What about your older sister?
Ni ji€jie ne?
68. No, she is not.
B[ shi.

Without using this short-hand device, you would have to repeat the whole question. In
this instance, you would have to say ,{6 tE tE E & [q' (Ni jiEjie shi xu6sheng ma)?
+
7.8 2 ffi (z6nmeyeng)
E, A # (zEnmeying) is a colloquial expression of greeting, meanng hau is it going
or how are things.lt is used between people who know each other very well. It requires tlt-e same
answers as (S *T [4 (ni hio ma).

8. Sibling terms
There are a number of principles people in different cultures use to call their siblings
and relatives. These principles include linearity (direct line ofdescent or collateral extension),
collaterality (father's side or mother's side), generatioq sex and seniority. Dstinctions made in one
culture are very often not made in another culture. Kinship terms often provide clues to how
relatives are perceived and treated in various cultures. Cultures that make more distinctions have
more terms for their kin than those that make fewer distinctions. Since Chinese is one of those
languages that recognize all the above distinctiong it is to be expectd that the system ofkinship
terminology in the language is very complicated. There are two major differences between English
and Chinese in this regard. First, the English system does not distinguish relatives on the father,s
side and relatives on the mother's side, while the Chinese system does. Second, English does not
recognize seniority among siblingg while the distinction is important in Chinese. Thus older
brother and younger brothers are called by different terms and so are older sisters and younger
sisters. There is no way in chinese to ask, "Do you have a brother/sister?" you must ipecify
whether he or she is an older one or a younger one.

9. Address forms
fr & (Xanstreng Mr),kt Oaitai Mrs.) andd'f€. (Xeojie Mtrs) had been used
in China as polite forms of address prior to 1949 when they were replaced bV IEI #
(T6ngzhi
comrde\, which was considered revolutionary. However, with the opening of the country to the
 Lesson One

outside world that began in the late 70s, fr t

& (Xanstreng), A (Taitai) and rJrffi (Xeojie)
have reemerged as the popular address forms. Keep in mind when using these address forms
together with the family name, the rule is: the name precedes the title, instead of following it as in
English. Examples are]flE & (wang Xdnsheng) and $ zJr {E (Li Xnojie). at Geitai) is
not used very often to address people simply because it is difficult to determine if the addressee is
married or not and even ifthe addressee is married, she may stilt prefer to be addressed as zJr lg
(X6ojie). Another reason that ft t
Geitai) is not often used as an address form is that women in
contemporary China do not take their husbands'family name after their marriage. To use t t
Gaitai) after a woman's own name is therefore not appropriate.

lo. t, (y€)
English uses two different adverbs, too and either,lo indicate that one situation also
applies to another. Ioo is used in the afErmative sentence, wlnle either is used in the negative
sentence. Chinese, however, uses only one word S, fuE) in both afrrmative sentences and
negative sentenc€s. This is very similar to a/so in English. As an adverb, S, (yE) is always placed
before the verb or the quasi-verb (adjective).

EXERCISES

I. Respond to the following

r.lF*tl
Ni hno!
2 1/rf.T ry2
Ni h{o ma?
3 tE E.^tr?
Ni z6nmeying?
4.18€,8,*t W2
Ni bnba hdo ma?
5.IEEW W
Ni mdma ne?
6. tr ft+ +. ngr
Ni shi xu6sheng ma?
7. t6aE E+ Nry2
Ni bnba shi lioshi ma?
8.ifiEtg EE*. 812
Ni mima shi yrsheng ma?
e ili.A {6.fi {R HX.
REnshi ni, w6 hEn gioxing
r0 tfiiliF,fr iglg[g?
Ni rBnshi w6 mima ma?
 Beginner's Chinese

II. Translate the following dialogs into Chinese:

l.
A: Hi, Mr. Zhao!
B: Hi, Miss Huang!
A: Are you busy?
B: I'm not. How about you?
A: Iamverybusy.

2.
A: Is your father going to China?
B: Yes, he is.
A: What about your mother?
B: She is going, too.

t
J.
A: Is your older brother a teacher?
B: Yes, he is.
A: Is your younger sister also a teacher?
B: No, she is not. She is a student.

4.
A: This is Mr. Hua. This is Miss Wang.
B: It's a pleasure to know you.
C: It's a pleasure to know you, too.

III. Translate the following into Chinese:

l. Are you tired?

2. Mr. Hu is not a doctor. He is a lawyer.
3. My father is very busy, but my mother is not (you do not need to translate "but" in
Chinese).
4. I don't know her.
5. His younger brother is very happy.
6. This is my father.
7. My mother is not going to China. She is going to Japan.
8. Mr. Li is a lawyer. Mrs. Li is also a lawyer.
9. Her father and mother are coming to the United States.
10. Does your older brother like my younger sister?

IV. Change the following into yeVno questions and give both affirmative and negative answers:

t.#, wffi *+E{.

W6 miimei l5i MEigu6.
 Lesson One

2'(t, ft*[fr"
4,bF,
ShEn Xnojie shi lioshi.
3 {&i[iA +t€€.
Ta rdnshi w6 biba.
4 ft, \4tEfr,FE+.
W6 mdma yE shi ylshcng.
5 {tff4tR Exi +tr"
Td gege hEn xihuan Zh6nggu6
6 ifi,ft a lt +"
Ti shi W5ng Xansheng
l.lK A'lE 'tV EX.
Zhang Xiojie hEn gioxing
8 {u lE tEE + +."
Teji€jie shixu6sheng.
e#,6,€i4t4{R E.
W6 bdba mdma hEn m6ng.
10 Vs4E t"
Ni hEn ldi.

CULTURAL INSIGHTS

To many Westemers, the Chinese present a perennial enigma. Their puzzlement and
frustration are often heightened when they are involved in a speech situation with the Chinese,
who seem to employ a totally different speech stfe. This unique style is described by various
observers as possessing the following characteristics: 1) lack of a clearly-stated topical statement,
which is often buried in a mass of information, 2) approach by indirectness and implicitness
whereby ideas are developed in a widening circle without dealing with the subject directly and the
definition ofthings in terms ofwhat they are not, rather than in terms ofwhat they are, and 3)
fondness of concrete, nonabstractive and nongeneralizing particulars. Many travelers to China
have reported the experience that when asked a question, the Chinese tend to give them
item-by-item justifications and rationales with a lot of minute details thrown in before giving the
most important information being sought In evolving a particular idea" they often link a single
exampleto multiple examples and take into account facts that are at variance with or contradict it.
Such an evasive speech style has given rise to the use ofthe word "inscrutable" to describe
Chinese verbal behavior.

Speech styles are necessarily the result ofparticular thought patterns, which in turn are
often governed or conditioned by the language structure ofa given culture. Although there may
have been a philosophical source emphasizing indirectness and rectitude that has helped shape the
mode of thought of the Chinese, language structure plays a no less important role. One of the
major correlations between language structure and thinking pattem/speech style that distinguishes
English from Chinese concerns the relative positions of modifiers and modified in the sentence. In
 Begtnner's Chinese

English, modifiers above the word level, namely adjective phrases, adverbial phrases,
prepositional ph,rases and various kinds ofsubordinate clauses, are generally postposed, i.e.
placed after the words (nouns or verbs) that they modifu. In Chinese on the other hand, all the
modifiers, be they words, phrases or clauses, are as a rule preposed, i.e. appearing before the
words that they modify. Thus, the equivalent ofthe English relative clause, the least moveable
sentence element, occurs before nouns. The English sentence this is the book I bought yesterdry
is expressed in Chinese in such order as jtr E +t PF x fi,
X 6t literally this is I yesterdoy buy
Doolr. Notice that the adverbial oftimeQtesterdoy) is placed before the verb (buy) that it modifies.

The relative positioning of modified and modifier presupposes the pattem of thinking to a
large extent. Take for example a complex sentence, one that consists ofa principal clause and one
subordinate clause. ln English, the most important information (action, result, effect, etc.) is
contained in the principal clause, which is placed generally before the subordinate clause, where
less important information (time, place, manner, reason, condition, concessio4 etc.) is contained.
In Chinese, however, the principal clause invariably appears for the most part after the
subordinate clause. This feature ofordering leaves the Chinese with no choice but to pres€nt the
setting and justifications before dwelling on the main point.

It is interesting however, to note that there are opposite trends inEnglish and Chinese. In
Englis[ there has been a tendency offront-shifting, that is, modifiers that are generally postposed,
usually those of the attributive functioq are shifted to the front of the element they modify such as
the following examples: he has been living a deadlinediven life, UPS strike johs l-want-it-now
temperament. Conversely in Chinese, it is found that modifiers, usually those of the adverbial
function follow the words they modi$. But these are too casual to be representative and they are
all used in more or less marked cases. In English, heavy front-shifting are restricted only in
journalism or forjocular purposes and in Chinese the postposed modifiers are restricted in
sophisticated literary writings or as an after-thought in spontaneous speech. Contrary to Chinese
grammatical usage, this practice is often thought of as Westernism or Europeanized sentence
making
 Ltssonl

,)
-
NIAMES

SENTENCE PATTERNS

What is your familY name?

ffifr,w2
Nin gui xing?

fr, w. E. My family name is Wang.

W6 xing W6ng.

trw lta'- What is your familY name?

Ni xing sh€nme?

tFtLl lt^ &+2 What is your name?

Ni jino sh6nme mnga?

fr ELl ,h,8, My name is Tom.

W6 jiio Tangm[.

fs€ X nE'- r4? Do you have a boYfriend?

Ni y6u n5n P6ngYou ma?

tx E. No, I don't.
M€iydu.

t2
 Beginner's Chinese

CONVERSATIONS

^:ffi.
ft f*? What is your family name?
Nin gui xing?
B:ft yt E. $r Vi,z My family name is Wang. And yours?
W6 xing W6ng. Ni ne?
A: li {t 9K. My family name is Zhang.
W6 xing Zhdng

18 fr*. IfAz What is your family name?

^: Ni xing sh6nme?
B:{t l*. 4" $rW My family name is Li. And yours?
W6 xing Li. Ni ne?
A:ft fit f;. My family name is Huang.
W6 xing Hudng.

A: lt7,w1 '1124 E7't What is your name?

Ni jiio sh€nme llllurszt?
B'.#, ELI 'trl8." llfW My name is Tom. And yours?
Wd jino Tnngmi. Ni ne?
A: *tn4 *[ F" My name is Lisa.
W6 jino Lisa.
B: iAiA {8 ?R HX" It's a pleasure to know you.
Rdnshi ni h6n gdoxing.
A:r,\iA (i#. &,{R H){. It's a pleasure to know you, too.
Rinshi ni w6 yd hEn geoxing.

(,iH X HHA- q?
A: Do you have a boyfriend?
Ni y6u nin
pEngyou ma?
B:&€. vrd k n[a, [g? No, do you have a girlfriend?
M6iydu. Ni y6u nri p6ngyou ma?
A:fr, H" Yes, I do.
Wd y6u.
B:itu n4 |tA E?z
jido shEnme nnngn?
What is her name?
Ta
A:i& rtl 4fi[. Her name is Anna.
Ta jiao Anna.

n:lBfr€ iU6! &+q2 Do you know her name?

Ni zhidao tnde mingzi ma?

IJ
 Lesson Two

e:6 *[ E. l/rlJd,l No, I don't. And you?

Bi zhidao. Ni ne?
A: ft S, Z< f[ iE" I don't, either.
W6 yE bi zhidao.

t: $s ftYE n4z Are you a student?

Ni shi xuEsheng ma?
B:T E,+t E I . No, I'm a worker.
Bfi shi, wd shi gongr6n.

t {fiillftl A"J Etl l+A ETt What is the name of your comPany?
Nimende gongsi jiio sh6nme mlngz:t?
s:+till*! AA sq E,
Jt. Our company is called Hong Guang
W6mende gongsi jino H6ng Gudng.
A:i4frfr. Thank you.
Xdxie.
n:4 Ft. You are welcome.
Bn kdqi.
A: E,[,. Good-bye.
Zeijidn.
s:F,ry-. Good-bye.
Znijian.

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Nouns
w xing family name
'.&+ mingzi name
NE'- p6ngyou friend
f't gongr6n factory worker
ta gongsi company

Verbs
rq jino cdl
F ydu have
itrltr xi€xie thank (you)
F-'[, znijian good-bye
E<. k€qi polite, formal
fi€ zhidao know

t4
 Beginner's Chinese

Pronouns
tr nin you (polite form)

Adiectives
f gui distinguished, expensive
E n6n male
X
L
nu female

Adverbs
K m6i not

Interrogatives
4t2 shEnme what

Particles
{ll men plural suffix
F! de possesive marker

Conjunctions
{E E dinshi but

SUPPLEMENTARY WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Nouns
ffiTt yinh6ng bank
+& xu€xiio school
€tB cinguin restaurant
r6n person, people
lEl+ t6ngshi colleague
Effi. hobtrn boss
fi K shizhing mayor
&K xiiozhing principal, president (ofa school)
%.W jingli manager
)L+ erze son
k)L ni'6r daughter
lE tr wOnti question
+I Zh6ngw€n Chineselanguage
fi shu book
fr * miinti6o noodle

l5
 Lesson Two

Verbs
E kin read, see
v, cnl eat

Adverbs
fl d6u botb all

LANGUAGE POINTS

t.,6 (nin)
fr lnin; is a polite form of {fi (ni), similar to vozs in French and ustedin Spanish. It is
used primarily in the northem part of China by a younger person to an older person or between
strangers irrespective ofage. Ifthe use offf
(nin) turns out to be too complicated resulting from
the consideration ofage, rank and status ofthe person spoken to, you mayjust stick to {6 (ni) on
all the occasions. People won't get oflended being addressed {fi (ni) instead offf
(nin) by
foreigners. Although you may not want to use ff
(nin) to address people, you yourselfmay hear
people address you as ff
(nin).

2. ffifrt+ (nin gui xind, lE Ylt/^ (ni xing sh6nme) and l6rLlItA4$ (ni jiao sh6nme mingz)
trftfr. (nin gui xing) is a formula question about someone's family name. It is usually the
first question asked when people inquire about each other's names. In this polite and formal
expressiorl F Gui) is an honorific, meaning hornrable or respectable. The whole question
literally manswhol is your respectable family nonte? Sometimes, the subject ff lnin; can be left
out. Refer to the Cultural Insights at the end of this lesson for more information on this subject.

llf@lt2 (ni xing sh6nme), literally meanrngyou are lasl-nomedwhat,is an informal

question about someone's family name, where ft
(xing) is a verb. This expression is used between
people who don't want to stand on ceremony or by an adult to a child.

h lt1a4tlA$f lniliao sh6nme mingi),the exact meaning of E+(mingz) depends

on the context or listener's interpretation or preference. E7
(minga) can be the full name or the
given name alone, similar to turme'tnwhat's your nome in English. This question form is most
useful because it can be used not only to ask people's names, but also to ask the names ofplaces
and things. It is advisable therefore for foreign students to stick to this expression whenever they
want to ask people's names.

3. Wh-question forms
Thelermwh-quesrroz is borrowed from English grammar to refer to those questions that
require specific, rather than yeVno answers. Wh-questions incli.tde who, whose, wlnt, which,
when,where,why and how. Contrary to English where these interrogative words are placed at the
beginning of the questions, Chinese keeps them where they belong grammatically and logically in

l6
 Beginner's Chinese

the sentence, thus what rs rljs in English would be this is what in Chinese, andwhat do you like to
eat in English would beyoa like to eat whot in Chinese. The status of the sentence as a question is
indicated not by placing the question word at the beginning ofthe sentence, but simply by the
presence ofthis intenogative word. This syntactic feature actually makes it easier for nonnative
speakers of chinese. when asked a wh-question, you just need to address the question word,
while keeping everything else intact. There is no need to move sentence constituents around:

Its E !I4 What are you reading?

Ni kdn sh6nme?
lb
tx, tr
-€, +i
fr, I'm reading a book.
W6 kin shri

(6E/r h 1l /22 What do you like to eat?

Ni xihuan chi
sh6nme?
+\ ExRV,ffi*" I like to eat noodles.
W6 xihuan chi midntirio.

a. fi(y6u)
In many languages, the verb to have is peculiar in some way. There is usualiy a separare
chapter in English grammar books on to have, because conventional rules do not apply. This is
also true of fi-(y6u) in chinese, although to a much lesser extent. In chinese
fi
gou; is not
negated bv 6 Ot), but rather by p (m6i), which is only used wirh
6 g6u). In other words, 6
(bt) is used with all the verbs and adjectives except one. The one exception is E (vou) compare:

fr &€ {EHX.. I dont have a girlfriend.

W6 m6iy6u nfi p6ngyou.

fu6E#,ffrf.nnn_" She is not my girlfriard.

Ta b[ shi w6de ni p6ngyou.

5 ffiE (zhidao) and i/,.iA (rinshi)

*tl€ (zhidao) andjAiA (rdnshi), which both appear in this lessorq are both translated as
to lcttow in English, but they are used quite diferently in Chinese. Generally f,{hE (zhidao) is
followed by things, while i/,.iA (rdnshi) is followed by people. Examples are:

+t 7Fil.ix fu I don't know him.

Wd bi rBnshi ta

+t 5 fi€ lb#t tr+ I dont know his name.

Wd bt zhidao tdde mingzi

Sometimes however, ftliE (zhidao) can be followed by people and iliF (rdnshi) can be
followed by things. When this happens, f[€
(zhidao) means to knov of or be aware of, and
i[iA (renshi) mea:ns to recognize or to acquire the bowledge through learning, e.g.

l7
 Lesson Two

+t fi€ lfi,,ltrE +t Z< tliA fU I know of hirq but I dont know him
W6 zhidao ta. dinshi w6 bfr rinshi t6.

lb,^i^iF, w He does not know the way.

Ti bir rdnshi li.

{6iliA ts +?R4? Do you know this character?

Ni rtnshi zhi: ge zi mdl

6 iffiff (xiexie)
iffi!il (xiene) is not used as much or as excessively in Chinese as tlunk you in English. It
is unimaginable to a Chinese that husband and wife, and parents and children say thank you to
each other. To the Chinese, to say thank you between husband and wife, between parents and
children and between close friends is to treat them as strangers. The use of#fff
(xiexie) is often
taken as being polite and formal. Thus the response to 4fff(xiexie) in Chinese is usually
@fr keqi) o. fff O[ xie). T&a"@[ keqi) means don't stand on ceremony, and 6ffi Qir xie) is
^E<
simply do not have to wy thank You.

7. ifl (men)
(men) is a suffix used after personal pronouns and human nouns to form plurals. For
{ll
example: ill (w6men we), Vtr {fl (nimen you), +E {ll (tamen they), Z lIF iil (lroshimen
ft
teachers),+ h
{l) (xu6shengmen students). In keeping with the single-sigrral feature ofChinese
(refer to the chapter on the Chinese language), ill (men) cannot be used when there is a number
preceding the noun or when the subject is already plural such as:

=+ +Ifi not = +zffr lt1

sdn ge lioshi sin ge lioshimen

fE {ll E+ &" not fui|] tr ++{lt1.

Timen shi xu6sheng. Timen shi xu6shengmen

s. 6! (de)
So far you might have been under the impression that the personal pronouns also double
+t 6 € (w6 bnba ny father), Uf W t4 (ni mama
as possessive pronouns in Chinese, as seen in
your mother) and t& lE lE (tajiEjie her older sister), but it is not the case. Chinese does have
possessive pronouns formed by personal pronouns with the possessive marker 6! (de). For
example:

fi f!(wode my), VS F! (nide your), +E 6! (taae aD, iU Ft (tade her), fr. lt1 ffi
(wdmende oui, V\ {il 6! (nimende your), and {U {ll 6! (tdmende thei)

It is interesting to note that when talking about family members, we generally drop F!
(de), as in fr €€
1wo baba myfather) nd UTf€ {$ 1ni mama your mother). By dropping 69
(de), we make the family relationship wen closer. This is an illustration of isomorphism between
language and real life. It is not grammatically wrong nevertheless to include 6! (de) with family
l8
 Beginner's Chinese

members, but the use of fr! (de) would imply a contrast or strong sense of possession. Thus, if
you want to sound possessive (the pun is intended), you could say iU E +t 6! t jt
(ta shi wode
taitai sre is MY wife), which implies a contrast: she is not yOURwife.

With relationships outside the family, 6! (ae) is optional, depending on the closeness of
the relationship. 6t (de) is used when the relationship is distant or aloofand is dropped when the
relationship is close.

When what is possessed is a place, 6! (ae) is optional, but its presence or absence has an
implied meaning. The absence of E! (de) implies that the subject is either a member of, or is
identified with the place, whereas the presence of H! (de) simply indicates a possessive
relationship. For example, jI ft I
E {ll + .6, (zhe shi w6men Zhdngw6n xi) not only means
that this is oar chinese Deprtment,it also suggests that the speaker is a member of the
department. rI fr I
E {ll F! + A (zhe shi wdmende Zhongw6n xi) does not have the
suggestion that the previous sentence does. The sentenc€ could be said by anyone at the university
to a visitor. This also explains why we never use F! (de) when we ny my home or yoar home.. fi
7 (w6 jiil arrd 16 X (ni jia) unless we want to emphasize the possessive relationship or show
contrast.

With objects, the use of 6! (de) is uzually obligatory such as ft 6! fl (w6'de shu zry
book),IE {ll F! it
$ (tremende qichE their cm).
Apart from being used with personal pronouns to form possessive pronouns, $! (de) is
also used as a possessive similar to aposrophe s in English. While English has two possessive
forms: apostrophe s and the o;fgenitive, chinese has only one form. F! (de) is used after both
animate nouns and inanimate nouns to show possessive relationships. For example:

+& #rZYF school's teacher(s)

xu6xiio de ldoshi
zlfr #rfi teacher(s)'s book(s)
l{oshl de sht
#ra+ name ofthe company
^a
g6ngsi de mingzi

EXERCISES

Answer the following questions:

r. tEtr t+a?
Ni xing str6nme?
2. t8 q ff^ &7t
Ni jiio sh6nme nnngdl
l9
 Lesson Two

3 {6ffl6! +I Z[fr pLl ltz E?z

Nimende Zhongw6n lioshi jino sh6nme mingi?
4.tri^iv,tr'ft1 fI +t)fr *\ Atpqz ,hr,rl l+a E?t
lioshi de tAitai ma? Ta jiio sh6nme mingzi?
Ni rOnshi nimen Zhongw6n
s $rw +&.t L\a Eq ft^ 47t
Nide xuExino/gongsi jiio sh6nme mingzi?
6.ltr€ {E {E 14? ttu n4 It 2 E+?
Ni y6u ji€jie ma? Te jiao sh6nme mngzi?
7.1tsH +E nflts- W2 tb,/rbJ+fi,illrtl 'f+2 tr+2
Ni y6u Zh6nggu6 p6ngyou mdl Ta/ta/tamen jiio sh6nme mlngzi?
8 {6F! +I rrl ,ft z E+?
fi jiio
Nide Zhongw6n shn nnngzi?
sh€nme
e.{fif!trt zt)Ftt rg?
Nide Zhongw€n ldoshi mdng ma?
r0. lB ffift jiio lt 2 tr +1
tu1 EL1
Nide yinhrlng sh€nme rllllngzi?

lI. Translate the following conversations into Chinese:

l. Do you know his girlfriend's name?

No. I don't.
2. Do you know my Chinese teacher?
Yes, I do.
3. Is your family name Wang?
No. My family name is Zhang.
4. Do you know him?
I heard of hirn but I don't know him.
5. Are you Mr. Zhao's wife?
Yes, I am.
It's a pleasure to know you.
It's a pleasure to know you, too.

III. Translate the following sentences into Chinese:

l. What is this?
2. She is my older brother's girlfriend.
3. I know ofheq but I don't know her.
4. My wife's name is Lily.
5. His daughter doesn't have any Chinese friends.

IV. Change the following into negative sentences:

r tfi,H n nEF."
Ti y6u n6n p6ngyou.
 Beginner's Chinese

2. +k rrl t r"
W6 jino Diwdi.
3 +t{il6! +I +tlF t+ r.
W6mende Zhongw6n l{oshi xing W6ng.
4.#, f4 f4{R EX.
W6 mama h6n gdoxing.
s.tfr,H )L+"
Ta y6u €rzi.
6 {utt€. 4tr.
Ta tnitai y6u g€ge.
7 fr, i^iRtfi,ft+..
W6 r€nshi td xiinsheng.
8{&flla *E En'."
Tdmen y6u Meigu6 pengyou.
e.#, 6€{R tl"
W6 bnba hEn m6ng.
ro.fr{t't *+El.
W6men qi Zhonggu6.

V. Translate the following into English:

r. +t € trS, t H ,HtE" ffff 14 d'. +, lEiH rrl d\ E"

W6 y6u g€ge, yE y6u ji6jie. Gege jino Xdo Hu5, jidjie jiio Xio Jun.
2 #, i^iR $rtEE {R E)<.
W6 rdnshi ni mdma h6n gnoxing.
3ffiffJB NHF TFAW. EAI"
Tide n6n p€ngyou bir shi Tangmn, shi Diwdi.
4 ififrl trEt HEE F4 ftA tr?t
Nide Zhonggu6 p6ngyou jiio sh6nme ningzi?
5 +t €€IlW ffi W. f;.
W6 bnba mema dou xing Hu6ng.

CULTURAL INSIGHTS

Like English names, Chinese names also consists of two parts-a given name and a family
name. In Chinese however, the family name precedes, instead of following, the given name.
Traditionally, the given name consists oftwo charasters, one ofwhich is the generation name and
the other one is what may be called the distinguishing given name. The generation name is shared
by all the siblings in the family and all the people in the lineage who belong to the sarne
generation. For example, in a Kong family with four children named Kong Ling Qi, Kong Ling
Hua, Kong Ling Fei and Kong Ling Tao, Kong is the family name, Ling is the generation name
that identifies where the siblings belong on the genealogical ladder and Qi, Hua, Fei and Tao are
2l
 Lesson Two

that part ofthe given name that distinguishes the siblings one from another. In addition, all the
cousins of the children on the father's side will have Ling as part of their given name. Their names
will also begin with Kong Ling. In contemporary China and particularly in the urban iue4 more
and more parents are breaking away from the tradition by leaving out the generation name. It has
almost become a trendy thing for parents to give their children a one-character given name. Ifyou
recall the syllabic structure and limited possibility of sound combinations in Chinese discussed in
the chapter on Chinese phonetics, it is not difficult to imagine that there are numerous namesakes
in China. United Press Intemational (UPI) recently reported that a survey conducted by the
Chinese Character Reform Committee revealed the severity of the problems: 4,800 people named
*WV (LiAng ShrD Zhen) shared the exact same characters in the city of Shenyang alone. If there
are so many namesakes with a two-character given name, the situation with a one-character given
name is even worse. Now the Chinese goverrrment is calling on parents to give a two-character
given name to their children to cut down the number of namesakes. Whan choosing a
two-character given name, parents, particularly those in the urban area again, are no longer bound
by the generation names that their ancestors or lineage elders prescribed for their children. They
are free to pick any name to their liking.

Unlike people in the West, Chinese people are not very comfortable calling each other by
their first or given names. First names are reserved only for family members and a selected number
ofreally close friends. Professional colleagues are seldom "on the first-name basis," even though
they may be very close. Intimacy between them is not indicated by the use ofthe first name, but
by other means. One of these means is to prefix the word t (eo old) or d\ (xiio young) to the
family name such as * I @eo W6ng) and zJr $ (Xno lll|) + (lio) is generally used for
middle-aged or old people, while zJr (xino) is used for young people. Since Chinese people are not
used to addressing people other than their family members or very close friends by their given
names, they are usually content with knowing the family name of the people they meet for the first
time. Very often they do not even bother to ask their given name after they asked 'ff F fr' (nin
gui xing) or 'l W. tt A' 1ni xing sh6nme). What's the use of knowing somebody's first name if
you are never going to use it?

22
 ttssohl

3
?!.ACAS

SENTENCE PATTERNS

HIE, Z May I please ask, ...?

Qingwdq...?

FE ffi.ft ftW)L? Where is the Bank of China?

Zhonggu6 Yinhnng aii ndr?

IA&W )LIIF? Where do you work?

Ni zii nlr gongzud?

I8WtlEXW2 Is your mother home?

Ni mdma zni jia ma?

trEIfi a.fE
Zhonggu6ch6ng y6u Zhonggu6 cingudn
€G. There are Chinese restaurants in Chinatown.

W )LA N Ffr? Where can I find a restroom?

Nnr y6u cdsu6?

xjla +tr &ffi E? Is there a Chinese restaurant here?

Zh€r y6u cinguinma?
Zbdnggu6

lF*w )L2 Where are you going?

Ni qi ndr?

z5
 Lesson Three

CONVERSATIONS

A:iE l{, ltt'Lff 14? May I please ask, do you work?

QingwdrL ni gongzud ma?
B I,IF. Yes, I do.
Gdngzud.
r{fitu'l+{t &BFJL? Where is your workplace?
Nide dinwdi zii nir?
e:fr6! +{n & ltF" My workplace is in Beijing.
WSde danwdi zii BEijing.

,{ {filg t4 &xr42 Is your mother home?

Ni mima ziiiid ma?
e:f.E, No, she is not.
Bir zdi.
wF )L? Where is she?
^.ttu8
Ti zii nir?
s:tUE*&. She is at school.
Td zii xu6xiAo.

A:i€ f4, + tr ffi11 &WF )L2 Excuse me, where is the Bank of China?
zii nir?
Qingwdn, Zhonggu5 Yinh5ng
B: FEI ffi.Tt A+Efi" The Bank of China is in Chinatown.
Zhonggu6 Yinh6ng zai Zhonggu6ch6ng
A:#El!fi E rg? Is Chinatown far?
Zhonggu6ch€ng yuin ma?
B:6,k:zq" Not too far.
Bir tai yuen.

A: i€ ItJ, ltr&W$ )L LtF2 Excuse me, where do you work?

Qingwdq ni zai nir gongzu6?
Btu &^dr(F" I work in a company.

W6 zii gongsi gongzud.

ltsa 4t a ta rlF2 What company do you work for?
^ Ni zii gongsi gongzu6?
sh6nme
B tu & €ifr a\a rff" I work for the telephone comPany.
Wd zii diinhui gdngsi gongzud.

A: ffi l{, it$&WF )L E2 Excuse me, where do you live?

ni zii nir zhn?
B.li & qHu
Qingwdn,
1r" I live in Manhattan.
W6 zni Mdnhedin zhi

24
 Beginner's Chinese

A: E pA SF
&.WF )L? Where is Manhattan?
Mdnhedin zitindr?
B: E nAtF EtXn. It is in New York.
Mnnhadtn zii Nii Yue.

FX LB? Do you study Chinese?

^:16*
Ni xu6 Zhdngw6n ma?
B:?. Yes, I do.
Xu6.
+ F t?
IEteHI JL Where do you study Chinese?
^: Ni zii nir xu6 Zh6ngw6n?
B:4\ 8 t\.9\ t++ +t. I study Chinese at New York University.
Wd zdi Nii Yue Ddxu6 xu6 Zh6ncw6n.
*{fiA0FX Ztfifttrtr/\ [g? Is your Chinese teacher Chinese?
Nide Zhongw6n lioshi shi Zhonggu6r6n ma?
B:€. Yes.
shi.
A:fEn4
jiio
llA E+l What is his name?
Tn sh6nme mingzi?
B: lbs4 44" His name is Li Hua.
Ta jino Li Hu6.

A:ff lEl, )t )LE N Ffrry2 Excuse me, is there a restroom here?

Qingwdr! zhdr y6u cisu6 ma?
B:H. E flB )L" Yes, it's over there.
Y6u, zii nir.
A:4fdf" Thank you.
Xdxie.
B:6 6t. You are welcome.
B[ kdqi.

A:fft4, AJL €- +Et €-tE ngr Excuse me, is there a Chinese restaurant
Qingwdn, zhEr ydu Zhonggu6 cinguin ma? here?
e:&€.. No, there is not.
M€iy6u.
A:SFJLA + E trt92 Where can I find a Chinese restaurant?
Nlr y6uZhonggu6cnnguin?
B: FElfi A-+El €tH" There are Chinese restaurants in Chinatown
Zhonggu6ch6ng y6u Zh6nggu6 cringuin.
A: FElfi H E+€tH n9? Are there Japanese restaurants in
Zhonggu6ch6ng y6u Rib€n cingutrn ma? Chinatovm?
B:&E. No, there are not.
MEi y6u.

25
 Lesson Three

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Nouns
+,fn denwEi workplace
x jia home, family
€if;
+',+
dinnhud telephone
/\-
i
dixu6 university
person, people
r€n
WFfi cEsu6 restroom
fr ch6ng town, city
8[Affi Mnnhadnn Manhattan
nrA Ni[ Yue New York

Verbs
-f /,8
rtr gongzud work
t:r zhi live
-f xu6 study

Adjectives
E yudn far

Prepositions
4L zdi ir\ at

Adverbs
BJL zhir here
NB )L nir there
-+- tai too

lnterrogatives
WF JL nat what place

Expressions
HIE qingwBn May I ask ...

SUPPLEMENTARY WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

ffiIE shingditn store

EVffi dinnyingyunn movie theater

26
 Beginner's Chinese

6. Prl yiyudn hospital

fiFE y6ujir post office
AE gong1ru5n park
EI{tH ttshriguin library
h,t 4 bingongshi office
{AxE gong'enjf police station
E+,J TE b6wlguin museum
#H jidotSng church
tr+is qichezhin bus stop
X+efi hu6ch€zhin train station
\till"th Gijichnng airport
IE )E fbndiin hotel

1rE BEijing Beijing

Shenghni Shanghai
HH N6njing Nanjing
lHAilr Jinjinshan San Francisco
lEfi$lL Ludshnnji Los Angeles
tn,)ll Jinzhou Califomia

LANGUAGE POINTS

l. iFlE (qinewen)
fflEl (qingwen) is a polite attention-getter. It literally ma ns may I please as&. However
confusion may arise due to its frequent translation into excasene in English. To translate the
expression into excase me is fine in this context, but to apply it to situations where you caused
somebody inconvenience such as stepping on his toes is totally wrong. In other words,
EIE
(qingwEn) is only equivalent to one of the meanings of excuse me in English. It is generally used
when you would like to ask somebody his or her name, direction or a question.

2. tr El ffift E W JL (zhonggu6 Yinhsng zii nir)

The paftern used to ask where something or some place is "_&W )L eaindr)?,' In
l_hs-!a{el! 4 (zni) is a prepositioq meaning in or at,and H[ .JL
lneg rneans tnlar ploce F E
ffi."i1 &BF JL (zhongguo Yffi5ng zni nnr) fiterally means "the Bank of China is in what place".
It would be wrong to add E (shi) in the s€ntence (+ El # 'fr ft&.WF )L Znangg6yffiing
shi z,ii nir), although you may be tempted to do so as an English speaker. If you recall, we only
use E (shi) when the words at either side ofit are both nouns and have the same referent.

Note also that the noun placed at the beginning ofthe pattern is specific and definite. This
is the most important way in chinese to indicate specificity and definiteness. Thus in
 Lesson Three

fr EW )L2 Where is the book?

Shn zdi nir?

E +E &W )L2 Where is the restaurant?

Cingunn ziinir?

N tfr &W )L2 Where is the restroom?

Cdsu6 zii nir?

S (stru brnk), E fB (canguen restcurant) nd W Ffi (cEw6 restroom) refer to a specific book,
restaurant and restroom instead ofunspecified, general or indefinite ones.

3 . $S H[ J t
E I
lF (n zdt nir gongzud)
This sentence consists ofthree parts: subject $1(ni you), adverbial phrase ft WF JL (zai
ntu vhere) and verb I
fF (gongzuO work). The only difference between English and Chinese in
this sentence is that the adverbial ofplace precedes the verb in Chinese instead offollowing it as
in English.

4. 6& tt 2 A lrc(Ni
zii sh6nme g6ngsi gongzu6)?
This sentence may be translated idiomatically into English aswlat company do you work
^
for,but the preposition actually used is & (zni), which means in or a/. To the Chinese, you
always work IN a company, nor FOR a company. If you really want to vy for a company,you'll
have to use another preposition h
GEi), but that is not as common as 4
(tei), which is
what most people would use.

sf El fr"d +
@ ffift
(Zh6nggu6ch6ng y6u Zhonggu6 Yinh6ng)
This is a so-called existential sentence similar to the "there iVare" structure in English. The
pattern for existential sentences in Chinese is Adverbial ofplace + fi. (y6u, there is/are) +
Subject. Again the adverbial ofplace precedes, instead offollows, the verb fi. 00u) There is a
Both of Chiru in Chinatovvn is thus expressed in Chinese as Elf fi A +
B ffi.Tl
(Zhonggu6ch6ng y6u Zhonggu6 Y'tnh6ng).

Please note that whenever E (zilr') appears at the beginning ofan existential sentence, it is
usually dropped. The result ofthe deletion in the following sentences is:

() ,I )LH H + E tE. There is a Japanese restaurant here.

(ZA) zher y6u RibEn cdngudn.

(&)flF )LH f N ffr. There is a lady's room there.

(Zni) nar y6u ni cdsu6.

(tr) + & 6 + +-" There are students in the school.

(Zni) xu6nno y6u xu6sheng.

28
 Beginner's Chinese

_ Ifwe compare this pattern with the pattem in ffil1 E HF i L lyintrang zlindr),we'll find
that the noun phrase in the former is not specified or definite, whereas the noun phrase in the
latter is definite and specified, as discussed earlier on. This word order feature conforms to the
tendency ofhuman languages to place definite or specified items at or towards the beginning of
the sentence, and indefinite or unspecified items at or towards the end ofthe sentence. It appears
abrupt, bearing no cohesive tie with the previous discourse and leaving little room for the lisiener
to make necessary connections and respond. The awkwardness immediately disappears as soon as
we push the indefinite item towards the end ofthe sentence by adding there is before it. The
following are perfect English existential sentences:

There is a book on the desk.

Compare: Abook is onthe desk.

There are many universities in Beijing.

Compare: Many universities are in Beijing.

This principal is even more strictly adhered to in Chinese because it does not have the
flexibility ofan article system to indicate definteness except by word order whereby a definite item
is placed first in the sentence, and an indefinite item is placed later in the sentence.

6 W )L € + El ffi {a (nir ydu Zh6nggu6 yinh6ng)

If you have read the last point, it won't be difficulty to understand the question "W )LE
+ E ffi'4f (ner you Zhonggu6 Yinh6ng)". The pattern explained in 2 is used when we need to
know where something or some place is, whereas the pattern illustrated in this question is used
when we want to get confirmation whether there is something or some place in iome particular
place. Sometimes, however, we simply want to know where (i.e. in any place) we can fnd a
certain object or place. In this case, we are actually questioning the first part ofthe pattern:
location + fi' (y6u) + object'. Since we are questioning a locatiorq the interrogative word that we
useisnaturallyHFJL(m.).Thuswehave4[ )LH+8ffi'r-(ndry6uzhingga6yinh6ng).To
respond to the questioq all we need to do is to supply the answer where the intenogative word is
in the question such as f fi +
E A- Fl ffi 'q1 ghanggobh6ng y6u Zhonggu6 yinh6ng).
Again, keep in mind that E @nD, which would otherwise precede HF JL (ur), is dropped
because it would appear at the beginning ofan existential sentence.

EXERCISES

I. Answer the following questions:

r.|EEW )LIE2
Ni zii nir zhn?

29
 Lesson Three

2. ltr LtF p4r?

IBEWVLItF?
Ni gongzud ma? Ni zai ner gongzud?
3.lFtul+M ELI 4t A tr+2
Nide denwdi jido sh6nme mngzi?
4 {fiffi+,fn E q?
Nide ddnwdi yuin ma?
s lrr|eB[JL+ +I?
Ni zii nir xu6 Zhongw6n?
6!x.n a +Efi n42
Nii Yue y5u Zhonggu6ch6ng ma?
7 w)tH H+fr2
Nir y6u RibEnch6ng?
8 € re'tI EW )L?
Minhadtn zAindr?
e.lt!t4tlE EW LtF rg?
Ni mama zii yryuin gongzud ma?
ro. $sil!+ &. A- + El Z [fr sg2
Nide xu6xiio y6u Zhonggu6 lioshi ma?

II Fill in the blanks with appropriate words:

| $rx _ wF )L?
Ni jie_ ndr?
2.-H EFF'2
y6u yr-yuin?
3BjL-trX +& P4t
Zhdr Zhonsw6n xu€xiio ma?
q wd--
Ni zii
+ Fxr
'-- xu6 Zhongw6n?
5 F + €fH.
Nir
'FJL_ ydu Ribdn canguin.
6K NFfi
Ni_ cisu6 nir.
E nE'-
7 tuk\ -H AtE
W6de n6n p6ngyou zai Shenghni
8 -flF)L.
EW$ )L?
zii nilr?
9 BF JL ffi.'ii2
NIr yinh6ng?
l0 tE* ?
,|
Ni qn

m Translate the following into Chinese:

l. Excuse me, where is the men's room?

30
 Beginner's Chinese

2. Excuse me, is there an American town in Beijing?

3. My wife works in a school.
4. His girlftend studies at Nanjing University.
5. There is no Chinese restaurant here.
6. My mother is not a doctor. She is a teacher.
7. Our Chinese teacher lives in San Francisco.
8. My mother is not home.
9. Are your parents going to the restaurant?
10. The hospital is not there.

IV. Translate the following into English:

I JIH &A IE ffift"

BEijing m6iy6u MEigu6 yinh6ng.
2 #, &.+& LtF. #, ttd,4+& rlF"
W6 zii xu6xiio gongzud. W6 taitai y€ zii xu6xiio g6ngzud
3 tnq WH B +fi. l*fiW H"
Nii Yu€ m€iy6u Rib€nch€ng. Ludshanji y6u.
4 H IE, A+NE tr.WF )L?
Qingwdn, hu6ch€zhin ziti nir?
5ffiIq, W$)LE ffiE?
Qing wdn, ndr y6u shangdien?
6. $s1116! + &s4 lf /a E+l
Nimende xu6xiio jino sh6nme nnnga?
Ttan ffi+F{fi a F+€B',E?
Nii Yue de Zhonggu6ch€ng y6u RibEn cinguin ma?
8 fr 6fi€ E{Ffrtrryf'.,l1" f&fi€"
W6 bi zhidao cdsu6 zii nir. Ta zhidao.
e. $\*WF )L? #, *](U|rrr.
Ni qn nnr? W6 qn fEijiching.
r0.fi €€,ttJt$E,lnN It.
W6 bdba mama zii Jiezhou zhn.

V. Write a paragraph introducing yourself (who you are, what your name is, where you work or
study, etc.).

CULTURAL INSIGHTS

It won't take observant travelers to China very long to find the attention given by the
Chinese to damvei. When you make a phone call to a business, a hospital, a factory, a school, or
a government office, chances are that you will be asked to identify yourself first. When you do
this, what the party at the other end ofthe line expects to hear is what danwei you work for. If

3l
 Lesson Three

you need to visit some drmver for business purposes, you would be asked to produce an
introduction letter from your dam,ei, without which nobody would even talk to you. Until a few
years ago, wch a domvei introduction letter was indispensable whenever you wanted to check
into a hotel or buy a soft seat train ticket or a plane ticket.

The Chinese are obsessed tith damtei for a simple reason. It is an inescapable part of
their life. To be exact, the dnwei holds the reins of their life. As a basic organizational unit in the
urban sector, the damvei is not only the place where people report to work, but also the focal
point in their domestic and social life Many of the functions that are deemed social, individual,
domestic and govemmental in other societies are assumed by the damuei.

In most cases, the danwei provides housing for its employees, often on its premises.
Unless you are very wealthy, which most Chinese are not, and can afford to buy a private
apartment that has become available in recent years, you are at the mercy of your fumtei. Many
young people have to shelve their plans for marriage simply because they have not been assigned
an apartment due to their lack of seniority . Sinc,e the dawei is the ultimate owner of the
residential units, it collects rents and utility payments from its employees, often by deducting them
from the employees' salary.

The damyei is the primary enforcer of the govemment's public policies. Take for example
the family planning prograrn, particularly the single-birth policy. The dam,er gives rewards to
those who comply and metes out punishment to those who dont. The danwei very often makes
sure that newlyweds time their childbearing schedule so that it won't exceed the quota allocated
thern for the number of births in a given period . It is also the responsibility of the danwei to
distribute and monitor the use ofcontraceptive devices

The damyei is also bound up with just about any other aspect of employees' domestic life.
It runs nurseries, day care centers, and even schools. The damuei has to give its stamp of
approval before one registers with the govemment for a marriage certificate. When there is a
domestic dispute, the damvei often serves as the mediator or arbitrator. More importantly, the
damtei is the one that pays your medical bills, partially or fully depending on the nature of its
ownership.

Since the decollectivization and privatization in the rural areas that started towards the end
ofthe 70s, prices of staple food and meat have shot up. The increase brought about a chain
reaction in the increase ofthe cost ofconsumer products and services. As a result, the
govemment has been subsidizing the urban residents. Various types of subsidies for grain, oil,
porlg transportatioq traveling and even personal hygienic activities such as haircut are
administered and dispensed through the dam+ei.

Deregulation and privatization in recent years {ue creating a polarity of wealth in the
population. Many people, especially those who are in "nonprofit" damveis, such as schools, and
government departments are increasingly feeling uneasy as their friends and relatives in other
"profrt" danweis or the private sector are getting rich. These non-profit domveis have been under
tremendous pressure to improve the life of their employees by putting more money into their
 Beginner's Chinese

pocket in the form ofbonuses on a regular basis. The additional money is usually generated by
operating some sideline businesses. It is commonplace nowadays to see schools running stores
and govemment services running shops.

It is evident thatthe damvei is a self-contained or even self-sufficient community in the

true sense of the word. As suc[ it has become an effective means of social control by the state to
limit the mobility and maintain social stability in the urban sector. You depend on your damtei not
just for a living, you depend on your donwei when you need to get married, when you are ready
to have a child, when you are sick and when you need to receive government benefits. You even
depend on your damtei when you want to resign yourjob and take up another one at a different
domtei. This is because ifyour current damvei does not grant you an approval by releasing your
personnel dossier that it keeps for each ofits ernployees, you are not going anywhere even though
there is an enticing offer from another dawei.

JJ
 [ESSOhl

4
TA}AITY

SENTENCE PATTERNS

ltr7H tL tr /\? How many people are there in your family?

Ni jie y6u ji k6u r6n?

{t {ll E iE? Who are they?

Timen shi shui?

tBa,EtF |t2 t
tF2 What work does your father do?
Ni biba zud sh6nme gongzud?

IAH JLA +I fi? How many Chinese books do you have?

Ni y6uji bEnZhongw€n shn?

na6 *,)' * 4t How many students does she have?

Td y6u duoshao xu6sheng?

tfi,aw++& rtF? Which school does he work in?

Td zii nd ge xu6xiio gongzud?

ltsk)LE6EN++.2 Is your daughter a college student?

Ni nu'6r shi bu shi dixuEsheng?

ltr€ 19.6 U+2 Do you have any children?

Ni y6u m6iy6u hiizi?

34
 Begtnner's Chinese

CONVERSATIONS

A: lE*H IL s How many people are there in your family?

ji k5u r6n?
Ni jie y6u ^?
B: #, XtE T- a "
There are five people in my family.
W6 jia ydu w[ k6u r6n.
A:{t fll ErE: Who are they?
Timen shi shui?
B: {E {ll E fr € &.e, t1t4, They are my father, my motheq my older
Ti men shi w6 bib4 w6 mimq sister, my younger brother and myself
ftiBtE.#,frnffi#,.
wd ji6jie, w6 didi h6 w6.

A: a ,,\?
IBXH IL How many people are there in your family?
Nijiay6uji
k6trr€n?
B:fi XH V! tr . There are four people in my family.
W6 jie y6u si k6u r6n.
A fU, {ll E rfiz Who are they?
Timen shi shui?
B:{U fll They are my wife, my daughter, my son and
Tdmen shi w6 tiitai, w6 ntr'6r, myself..
fr JL+fl fi.
w6 6rzi h€ w6
6ftfr++.2 Is your daughter a college student?
^:l$kJLE
Ni nii'6r shi bu shi dixu6sheng?
B:6.E. tuE+++.. No, she is not. She is a middle school
Bir shi. Ta shi zhongxu6sheng. student.
l8 )LaWz What about your son?
^: Ni 6rzi ne?
B: {U, E zJ'Y 4. He is an elementary school student.
Ti shi xiioxu€sheng.

A:ltrH WA U,+2 Do you have any children?

Ni y6u m6iyou h6izi?
B:H. Yes, I do.
Y6u
A: $sH JL+U,+? How many children do you have?
Niyduji ge h6izi?
B:fi AW +e+. -+HV' I have two, one boy and one girl.
W6 y6u lidng ge h6izi. Yi ge ninh6i,
-+ku.
yi ge nuh6i.

35
 Lesson Four

A: {6 t
)KElt A S'fn
IIF? Where does your wife work?
Ni teitai zii sh6nme danwdi gongzud?
B:iE 4*& IlF. She works in a school.
Td zdi xu6xiio gongzud.
It/z LtFl What work does she do?
^:fb,tF
Td zud sh6nme gongzud?
B:trb, ftt[fr. She is a teacher.
Td shi lioshi.
A:tU tt 6tf? Is she busy?
Ti m6ng bu m6ng?
B: t0 4E tf" Yes, she is.
Ti h€n m6ng.
A: frb,H 4 ,)- + +.2 How many students does she have?
Ti y6u duoshao ru6sheng?
s:ffi,E T-++++.. She has fifty students.
Td y6u w[shi ge xu€sheng.

A:l$H ff4R4? Do you have older brothers?

Ni y6u g€ge ma?
B:8. Yes, I do.
Y6u.
A:66 tL+Sff? How many older brothers do you have?
Niy6uji ge gege?
B:ft € yi-ttrtr. I have one older brother.
W6 y6u ge gege
A: {fifffrrtF E? Does your older brother work?
Nigege g6ngzudma?
B: I&4 I lF, ft + +.. ift, No, he is a student.
Te bi gongzud, td shi xuEsheng.
A:fEEEFf+& +42 Which school does he study in?
Ta zai ni ge xu6xiio xu6xi?
B: (b,E !fl. 94 X+ + 4. He studies at New York University.
Ta zni Nin Yue Dixu6 xu6xi.
lb? ll At What does he study?
^: Td xu6 sh6nme?
s:fifr, # E 9-. He studies history.
Te xu6 lishi.
Af&,sfiffi9.W? Does he like history?
Ti xihuan lishi ma?
B:18 E^" Very much.
HEn xihuan.

36
 Beginner's Chinese

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Nouns
rE* lishi history
frv, n6nh5i boy
kw nih6i grl
x++ dixu6sheng university/college student
+++ zhongxu6sheng secondary school student
zJ'# 4. xiioxu6sheng elementary school studenl

Verbs
TF zud do
+4 xu6xi study

Interrogatives
,L ji question word about numbers
4,)- duoshao question word about numbers
shui who
'E
B[ ni which

Numerals

I ling
yt
0r
zeto
one
two
- sin thIee
E si four
T. w[ five
hn six
t, qi seven
ba eiCht
-fl jin nine
+ shi ten

Conjunctions
ffi h6 and

Classifiers
f ge
+ bEn
tr k6u

37
 Lesson Four

SUPPLEMENTARY WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Nouns
fr+ yeye paternal grandfather
w ttt niinai paternal grandmother
,t^ wdigong maternal grandfather
*w wnipo maternal grandmother

Numerals
tr bei hundred
T qian thousand
T win ten thousand

LANGUAGE POINTS

l. How to read numbers in Chinese

Numbers from 0 to l0 are given in Words ard Expressiorr. To read the numbers beyond
l0,just insert the place name after each number such as # + place name + # + place number + # +
place name, etc. The place names for tens, hundreds and thousands are: f 6
(shi), (bdi), andf
(qian). Please note that there is an important diference between English and Chinese in expressing
10,000. English doesn't have a place name for it, using a composite number instead. Chinese, on
the other hand, does have a place for 10,000 called E (win). Thus, a number like 12,345 should
be read as
- fr - + = tr' El
+ I (yi wnn dr qidn sdn bni si shi w[).

When zero appears, the place name is not read since it does not have a value. For example
103, 4,056, and 70,809 should be read as
- tr- € = (yi bni ling san), [! + + fi + x Gi
qian ling wn shi [n) and -t T € z\ tr- € /L (qi win ling ba bni hng jin).

Place names in Chinese beyond 10,000 are very different from EnglistL please refer to the
Cultural Insighl section of Lesson 8 for more information.

2. Classifiers
Mention was made in the introductory chapter on Chinese that whenever we use a number
in chinese to quantiry a noun such as a wrson, twenty brnks and three hun&ed ctrs, we must
use a classifier between the number and the nouq somewhat similar to a piece of pper, two
heads of lenuce and three caps of cofiee in English. This similarity, however, is very limited in
that these "classifiers" are only used occasionally in Englisll but are always present in Chinese
whenever a number and I noun come together. Another major difference between the two
languages is that if the "classifiers" are used in Englisb they are actually measure words, but for
the most part in Chinese, they do not indicate any measure. They serve a special function in the
38
 Begrnner's Chinese

language by classifying particular nouns into semantic groups. For this reason, they should be
called "classifiers" rather than "measure words" as in many other textbooks. Please note that it is
not true that for every noun in the language there is a specific classifier. A particular classifier is
often shared by a number ofnouns having the same underlying s€mantic feature. The most
commonly used classifiers in Chinese amount to probably less than twenty. When you reach the
end ofthis book, you may only come across seven or eight ofthem at the most. It may be a good
exercise to ask a native speaker to give you a classifier and a number ofnouns that use the
classifier to see ifyou can find the underlying semantic feature. You may be surprised to find that
most native speakers do not know the answers unless they are linguistically trained simply because
they have been brought up speaking the language, not questioning about the language. Although
classifiers seem to impose an extra burden on your memory, they do add precision to the language
and reveal how certain things are perceived by the native speakers. Two examples would suffice.
The following words use the classifier { (bEn): book, dictionary, photo album, magazine, and
atlas. What is it that they have in common? They are all bound, printed, or book-like materials.
The following words use the classifier {4 (ian): shirt, bloase (in fact there is only one word in
Chineseforbothshirtandblouse), sweater,blazer,jacketandcoat.lfyouthinkthattheclassifier
is usedfor clothing, you are very close, but not exactly right, because it is not used for pants, skirt
and shorts. with this clue, you may finally come to the conctusion that {4 Cian) is used for
clothing that you wear on the upper part ofyour body.

What happens ifyou do not use a classifier between a number and a noun? In most cases,
native speakers simply do not understand you. This is because they are linguistically programmed
to expect to hear something (a classifier) in that syntactic slot. what happens if you did use a
classifier but it was a wrong one? In most cases, native speakers will understand you, but they will
lauglt, sometimes hysterically. This is because classifiers group nouns together according to
certain underlying semantic features. As such they are usually associated with certain images.
Some classifiers are used for animals, others indicate appearances and shapes. Ifyou use the
wrong classifier, you will conjure up wrong images that will make people laugh. In fact, the
deliberate misuse of classifiers is a great source of humor in Chinese. Children make mistakes
using classifiers all the time. What do you do if you want the native speakers to understand, but
you dont want them to laugh when you use a wrong classifier? Forhrnately, there is a way.
whenever you are stuck with any classifier, use f Ge; instead. This is because f @e) is the
most frequently used classifier in Chinese. It is used for people and most objects. Chances are the
classifier that you are stuck for isf Ge) anyway. second, the word t Ge), fiterally meaning
piece or entity, is not associated with any particular image. when there is no image, people have
no reason to latgh. In addition, native speakers often use f @e) for nouns that should be used
with some other specific classifiers. Please also note that f is usually pronounced in the neutral
tone.

3. l8 XH IL a u\ (ni jia y6u ji k6u r6n)

In most cases, the classifier f (ge) is used for people (e.g. olderbrother, teacher, student,
doctor, and lawyer) when they are preceded by a number suchas three people,four teachers, and
two lw*ed studentg However when we talk about the number of people in our family, we
always use the classifiertr (k6u) instead. For example: #,XE tr tr u\ (w6 jia y6u w[ k6u

39
 Lesson Four

r6n). Theword E (kdu)meansmouthinliterary Chinese. Whenusedforthenumberofpeoplein

the family, it actually implies that there are a certain number of mouths to feed in the family.

4. The pronunciation ofthe number one

Number one is pronounced in the first tone (yi) when used as a pure number as in
telephone numbers, ID numbers, zip codes, etc. When used in conjunction with a classifier and
consequently a noun to indicate its quantity, it is pronounced in the second tone (l)
when
followed by a fourth tone word, and in the fourth tone (yi) when followed by a first, second, third
or neutral tone. Compare:

-+ 4tr
yi ge gege
one brother
-+fi
yi bEn shri
one book

5. The pronunciation ofthe number two

Number two can be pronounced in two ways in Chinese and each one of them is written
differently: er (1) and finng (E) Generally, two is pronounced as 0r when it is used as a
meaningless number such as in a telephone number, zip code, social security number or an ID
number. two is meaningless in that it does not stand for a quantitative value, but rather a
differentiating sigr. Thus, a zip code with a higher number is not better than or superior to one
with a lower number. two is pronounced lnng when it is meaningful. This happens when two is
used to indicate a quantitative value ofa noun such as two students and two books. Please note
that when we use a number with a noun, we must use a classifier. Two stufunts and two btnks in
Chinese are actually ffi ++& (nang ge xu6sheng) and ffi 4 fi
flinng bEn shu)- ln other
words, two is always pronounced lidng whelrtever a classifier is used after it.

6. tL (iD and 4 D (duoshao)

To ask questions about numbers, Chinese uses,[L (1i) nd *
4- (duoshao). Although
these two expressions are often translated into how many or how much in English, they are also
used to ask questions about things that involve numbers such as telephone numbers, social
security numbers, zip codes and so on. These are usually asked in English usingwhat: what is
your lelephone mrmber, zip code and so on.

,lL (iD ana 4 D @uoshao) differ from each other in the following important ways.

First ofall, there is some kind ofassumption or expectation on the part ofthe questioner
in using tL (jD that the answer will be a small number, usually not exceeding ten, or the answer is
a number from a range ofgiven choices. Such assumptions or expectations are not suggested by
4 4
D (arsstno), which is open or neutral. D (dtoshao) can be used to ask about a large
number as well as a small number. So if you assume or expect the answ€rs to the following
questions will be small, you can safely ask using ,fL (i):

($XH tLtr ? How many people are there in your family?

Ni jia y6u ji k6u r6n?

40
 Beginner's Chinese

wE
Ni yduji
rL+trt
bdn Zhongw6n shu?
fiz How many Chinese books do you have?

tr Fl fi E IL + B ,F € fH? How many Japanese restaurants are rhere in

Zhonggu6ch6ng y6uji ge RibEn cdnguan? Chinatown?

However, if the number is large or if you are not sure, it would be better to uw /t (du6shao)*
to avoid awkwardness or even offense. lt may be all right for someone to ask you lFH ,L+ +
fl
X (ni y6u ji b6n Zhongw6n shri Ilow many chinese buks do you have),iaowrngthat you
may not have many chinese books, but it is inappropriate, even insulting, to ask a chinese
professor $f H IL + + t fl
(ni y6u ji bEn Zh6ngw6n shn Hw many Chines books do you
have),becau* you are suggesting he does not have many chinese books. For this reason,
whenever you know the answer wont be a small number such as students in a school or books in
a library, or when you are not sure about the possible answer such as the number of employees in
a company, it is better to use 4 ,)- (du6shao) instead of ,fL (i).

There is an added advantage ofusing ,)'(fuashao). That is, whenyouu*

4 D *
(duoshao) in the questiorq the classifier, whatever it is, can be left out. This option does not exist
for JL (iD. Compare the following:

i6{n+& fi!EtfiH a How many Chinese books does your

Nimen xu€xiio de tfrshugurin y6u library have?
9,'' + X flr
duoshao Zhongw6n shu?

ItrH tL+
Ni y6u jl
trI Sz How many Chinese books do you have?
bEn Zh6ngw6n shu?

rslll *,,'- u\? How many people does your company have?
^Fld
Nimen gongsi y6u duoshao ren?

{fi{n Aaa. jiJL+^2 How many people does your company have?
Nimen gongsi y6u ge ren?

Keep in mind that the classifier is optional after * lf'(duoshao), but obligatory after /L 0i).

There are occasions, however, when ody rL (i) can be used. This happens when we ask
time (since we are only dealing with twelve numbers), days of the week (sinci we are only dealing
with seveq or six to be exact, numbers) and the dates (again we are only dealing with a handful o1
given numbers).

7. 6k )L ft 4 E X + S 1ni nu'6r shi b[ shi dixu6sheng)

YeVno questions in Chinese can be formed in two ways. In addition to the use of the
sentence-final puticle ma, yeVno questions can also be indicated by repeating the verb/adjective
using its negative form. Compare:

4l
 Lesson Four

tST.tF 14? Do you work?

Ni gongzud
ma?
IIr LTF T'LIFI Do you work?
Ni gongzud bu gongzud?

ltr'lt. q? Are you busy?

Ni m6ng ma?
{fi ,tr
6'fr? Are you busy?
Ni mdng bu m6ng?

{u €+E rg? Is he Chinese?

TA shi Zh6nggu6r€n ma?
fu E6E+tr/\? Is he Chinese?
Td shi bu shi Zhonggu6r6nt

As compared with ma, the affirmative and negative form of the verb/adjective is more
favored not only because it is more colloquial and informal, but also because it unequivocally tells
the listener up front that "this is a question, be prepared to give an answer." This is particularly so
with a long sentence. With ma, the listener has to wait until the end to know if the speaker is
asking a question or is simply making a statement. By the time the end of the sentence is reached,
the listener already may have forgoften already what was asked at the beginning. An added
advantage ofusing the affirmative and negative form ofthe verb/adjective is that the questioner
clearly states the wording of the yeVno drswer. For example:

ltr+ 6+ +X.2 Do you study Chinese?

Ni xu€ bu xu€ Zhongw6n?

The listener just has to answer # (xue) or T+ Qn xu6).

Please note the following:

A. The negative word for € (y6u) is & (m6i), not 6 (bi), e.g

IIIH W.H E NEF-? Do you have a boyfiend?

Ni y6u m6iy6u n6n p6ngyou?

)Z )LA WH EW2 Is there a hospital here?

Zh€r y6u m6iy6u yyuin?

B. When the affrmative and negative form of the verb/adjective is used, ma curlol be used any
more. This is because both of these two forms serve the same function of indicating the question
status. To use both forms would be redundant and violate the single-sipal principle.

C. The afhrmative and negative form ofthe verb/adjective cannot be used when the verb or the
adjective has a modifier. For example, it is not correct to say:
42
 Beginner's Chinese

ltsfgtlfi.*4' * + EI? Is your mother also going to China?

Ni mdma yE qri bu qn Zhonggu6?

We have to say:

t tln4u*+tr n4? Is your mother also going to China?

Ni mama yE qi Zhonggu6 ma?

8. fifi,&W$ ++ &. +4 (ra zai ne ge xuxiio xu6d)

Besides number, a number ofother words also require the presence ofclassifiers when
they are used with nouns. These include the demonstrative pronouns jI
("he this),flF @d tlut\,
the interrogative word HF (nd na) and the pronoun €
(mei each). The*words require the use
of classifiers because they are ultimatety veiled forms of numbers. when we use these words,
don't we really mean this one,lhat one,which one and each one? Let's now look at the followine
examples in which these words are used with classifiers.

B +ffi'E ttl lt A E+2 What'sthenameofthisstore?

Zhd ge shangdiin jiio shEnme turyi?
+t 6i iArF+/\.
W6 bil rEnshi ni ge r6n.
I don't know that man.

ry[ 4fift1/rffr2 Which book is yours?

Ni bEn sh0 shi nide?

9.+4(xu6xi)and*(*ue)
? I lxue*1 and # (xu6) bothman study. Although they can be used interchangeably
from time to time, there are two differences between them. while # (xu6) is always a verb, # I
(xu6xi) can be used both as a verb and as a noun. For example:

{u+z+t. He studies Chinese.

Td xu€xi Zhongw6n.

(fi,fr! + 4'tP *" His study is very good.

Tide xu€xi hEnhdo

When both ?I (ruex0 and *

(xu6) are used as verbs, #
(xu6) is a transitive verb (one
that takes an object) nd Y4
(xu6xi) can be used both transitively or intransitively (i.e. taking
no object). Compare:

ft trff +(u)trt. My older brother studies Chinese.

W6 gege xu€ (xi) Zhongwln

lb&tx t\ )K+ +4" He studies at New York Universiw

Te zai Nin Yuc Dixu€ xu6xi.
 Lesson Four

In the second sentence, it is not grammatical to use # (xu6) for # 4 (xu6xi).

10. t + (dexu6), f #
Y (zhongxu6) and zJr (xinoxue)
The diferentiation ofplaces oflearning into universities, secondary schools and
elementary schools is indicated in Chinese through the use of such adjectives as (aa bid, t F
(iltong zhong) a1d (xiio small) vith Y (xu6), which is short for
"Jr
?
& (xu6xieo school)
While t #
Y (daxu6) and zJ. (xinoxu6) are universities and elementary schools, f #
(zhongxu6) comprises both junior highs and high schools. Students in these schools are called t
* 4. (daxueshens), + 4' (zhongruesheng) and rJ'# *. (xiioxu6sheng) respectively.
+

EXERCISES

I. Answer the following questions:

r.lFxH ILtl
Ni jia y6u ji k6u ^1.
r6n?
2 lfi,ll1 E rE?
Timen shi shui?
3 tFaEatF [g? fu &w$ )LrtF2
Ni bnba gong,zud ma? Td zii nlr gongzu6?
4.ltsf4n+T.ff 14? lU EW$ )LL|F7
Ni m6ma gongzud ma? Ta zdi nir gongzu6?
sr,sft++. w2 $rary,F++e. +42
Ni shi xu6sheng ma? Ni zii ni ge xu6xiio xu6xi?
6 $rE.+Er Y ftAt
Ni zii xu6xiAo xu6 sh6nme?
7. l6a 4 ff q? 6E tL,f 4 S?
Niy6ugege ma?Niy6uji ge gege?
8.IEH fi?
Ni y6u 'L++I
ji Zhongw€n
bEn shu?
eifi{fl+& H &,)' ++.2
Nimen xu6xiio y6u duoshao xu€sheng?
ro{6{ll+& € +Et ++. F12E 4,, +El ++2
Nimen xu6xiio y6u Zhonggu6 xu6sheng ma? Y6u dudshao Zhonggu6 xu6sheng?

II. Write the following numbers in pinyin:

32
854
3,020
5.600
4.798
44
 Begirmer's Chinese

98-'765
10.304

trI. See if you can figure out the underlying semantic feature for the following classifiers in
Chinese from the nouns given that use these classifiers:

9K (zhang) stamp, picture, desk, table, bed, map, paper, ticket

fr (ti6o) river, pants, street, tie, scarf, road, fist4 bench
4 (kuaD soap, cake, watch, brick, candy, loafofbread
& (zhi) pencil, pen, chopstick, cigarette, flower
.q, (zhi) cat, puppy, chicken, mouse, duck, tiger

IV. Rewrite the following yeVno questions using the affirmative and negative form of the
verb/adjective:

I ltsft +EI/\ E?
Ni shi Zhonggu6r6n ma?
2.ffiH U.Tpq2
Ta y6u hiizi ma?
3 w6,6[1t1 *ffi11 [g?
Ni bnba mima qi yinhing ma?
4.iIJLH NFT F+2
Zhdr y6u cdcu6 ma?
s l8r+ r [g?
Ni xing W6ng ma?
6.1'b,&. xF12
Ta zii jia ma?
7..fu{[ ++X F4?
Timen xu€ Zhongw6n ma?
8{66!+x +Wft+Et/\ E?
Nide Zhongw6n l5oshi shi Zhonggu6r6n ma?
e E Fttw ll [q?
Zhd shi nide shu ma?
IO.IE'Ef{EE N+ + [4?
Ni jiEjie shi ddru6sheng ma?

lV. Translate the following into Chinese:

l. There are four people in my family. They are my wife, my son, my daughter and myself
2. How many Chinese books does your Chinese teacher have?
3. How many people are there in Shanghai?
4. My wife does not work at a company. She is a school teacher.
5 I dont know that person. Do you know him?
6. My older sister is not a high school student. She is a college student.
7. What does your older sister study at college?
8. Which company do you work for?

45
 I*sson Futr

9. There are 1,500 students in our school.

10. Does your younger sister have a boyfriend?

V. Translate the following into English:

1ti,&ltH t++z*F{ nq"

W6 zdi B6ijing Dixu€ xu6xi MEigu6 lishi.
2 tb.fi1 +& H ffi t+Fl z[fr"
Tamen xu6xiio y6u lidng ge Zhonggu6 lioshi.
3.{till A"-l {F X.H - + f ,,\'
Tdmen gongsl dd, y6u yi qiin ge r6n.
hEn
4 lhi+i ,L f tr El nn&2
Ni y6u ji ge Zhonggu6 p6ngyou?
s +\tuln nEE T'Elh + F x, lfi,Eth
td
+ n 9-.
xihuan xu6 lishi.
Wdde n6n p6ngyou bri xihuan xu6 Zhongw6n,
6 +\t414 E xr"|F.
Wd mAma zni jia gongzud.
7 ttr''n€ t-_tr +{ ?,, f+p9?
Ni zhidao Shanghii y6u duoshao dixu6 ma?
8 ilFt /.6!4SE+tiilffi FI +[F"
Ni ge r6n de g€ge shi w6mende Zhongw6n lioshi.
e *. X€ /\ H lr7tltz
W6 jia ^"
y6u bn k6u r6n. Ni jie ne?
ro {t Elnlrl
Td shi Jiazhou
t+ tur++.
Dixu6 de xu6sheng.

VI. Write about yourself and your family. Include such information as the number of people in
your family, who they are, what they do, where they work, where they live. You can substitute
English for occupation or place names in Chinese that you don't know.

CULTURAL INSIGHTS

Family has been the cornerstone ofthe Chinese society, both in the past and at present. To
understand Chinese society, one has to understand the Chinese family. The family and the broader
kinship organization play an extraordinarily important part in Chinese life. Family is held so
important to the Chinese that it is considered inseparable from the state even in the literal sense of
the word. The word for state in Chinese-gaojia-is composed ofgno (state) andjta (family).
This is not just a linguistic coincidence. In traditional China, the state and the society were
basically modeled on the domestic organization in terms ofthe hierarchy and overreaching
relationships. The type ofthe relationship ofsubordination between the father and the son was
also expected between the emperor and his subjects.
 Beginner's Chinese

Family has always been the center of loyalty for individuals in China. Children are taught
from the very beginning to have filial piety towards their parents and respect towards other senior
members in the extended family. Such education and socialization prepare them from an early age
in such a way that they would become, outside their family, loyal subjects to the ruler and good
citizens in society. Members of a family in traditional China were even responsible for each other's
behaviors. Infraction of law by one member would bring punishment to all the other members.
Such severity ofpunishment served as a major deterrent for the recurrence ofthe infraction by the
member. If the crime warranted the death penalty, a whole family could be exterminated. Faced
with such severe consequence, the family would impose strict internal discipline on its members, a
move certainly welcomed by the ruler.

Families in China differ from those in the West in an important way, In Chin4 the ultimate
goal of an individual is to perpetuate his family, whereas in the West, families exist to support the
individuals. For this reason, in China family interests come before the individuals'interest. Where
family interests are at stake, individual interests must be suppressed or compromised. This
explains the prevalent practice ofananged marriage and child betrothal in traditional China. Since
the purpose ofmarriage was to procreate, not to love, romance and affection became irrelevant
and divorces were few and far between.

Family in China funaions as a collective security system, which provides help to the sick,
disabled, and unemployed. It is also a cornerstone of social policy in the country. Only those that
have no families to turn to for support can count on the assistance fiom the state, unlike many
countries in the world, particularly in the West where the obligation between parents and children
is uni-directional. Parents are responsible for bringing up their children, but children are not
obligated to support their parents later on. In China however, the obligation is mutual. Parents are
responsible for the upbringing oftheir children and the children are obligated to take care oftheir
parents in their old age. This is not just a moral issue. It is required by law as it is clearly
stipulated in the Chinese constitution. It is inconceivable and incomprehensible to the Chinese to
see how people in the west, particularly those well-to-do, put their aged parents in nursing
homes. To thern, it is simply an unforgivable sin.

The Chinese family is very often thought ofas being large, consisting ofseveral
generations living under the same roof This is nothing more than a pure myth. Chinese families
have always been small, containing less then ten people in most cases. Part ofthe reason for this
pervading myth stems from the literary portrayal of prominent families. In traditional Chin4 the
large hmily was the ideal, but few people except those that possess€d ample wealth could attain
it. Those who could afford to support a large farnily were usually landlords and wealthy
businessmeq gentry.and high ranking officials. Landless peasants could not even afford to marry
and start a family, t6 say nothing of maintaining a large family. In contemporary china urban
families are usually ofthe nuclear type, consisting ofparents and their children only. In rural
China, both traditionally and at present, families go through a developmental cycle that consists of
the following stages: nuclear (parents with their unmarried children), stem (parents with one of
their married sons) and joint (parents with more than one married son). The cycle is propelled and
maintained by the inevitable family division that takes places when the family reaches the joint
stage.

47
 Lesson Four

Marriage in China has always been patrilocal, meaning that daughters leave their parental
home upon marriage and sons bring their wives into the family. This is because sons bear the
ultimate responsibility oftaking care ofthe aged parents and continuing the family line. For this
reason, sons are preferred to daughters. For the same reasor; relatives by marriage are not of
equal status either. Those on the husband's side enjoy higher status and more privileges than the
ones on the wife's side. In the urban area, the economics ofhousing is beginning to affect
post-maritd residence. Due to the shortage ofhousing, couples are now willing and ready to
move in with the wife's parents if they have space to spare.

Although tremendous changes have taken place since China entered its modern period in
terms ofthe elimination ofarranged marriage, child betrothal and concubinage, the liberalization
ofthe divorce law, and the recent institution ofthe single birth progranr, basic characteristics of
the family still remain. These include the emphasis on filial piety, preference of sons to daughters,
and patrilocal marriage. tn the countryside, where most Chinese live, family retains the traditiond
corporate quality and remains an economic unit. It was true in the collective period that ended in
the late 1970s, and it is still true today. In the collective period, farmers'income was computd
and distributed on the basis of the work performed by the whole family. Following the reform,
land has been contracted to the household rather than individuals. Outside the family, individuals
simply do not have a viable place.

48
 LESsoN

F
O
'f
lMt
SENTENCE PATTERNS

qtr /1,fir What time is it?

Xanzni ji dinn?

xf71iE. Sorry
Duibuqi.

& *4. That's all right.

M6i guenxi.

ifi €t rL ,F. .LW? What time do you go to work every day?

Ni mEi tian ji diin shingban?
{6€ X tta nt f4 FrE? What time do you get offwork every day?
Ni mEi tian sh6nme shijian xinban?

+t 6B{ T ,fi TW, HEI Sometimes I get offwork at 5, sometimes at

W6 y6ushi w[ dinn xiibin, y6ushi 5:30.
fi,fi +T4.
wi diin bdn xidbin

}X Effi IL,I What day is today?

Jintian xingqiji?

49
 Lesson Five

WEffiILH +y i.RZ WhatdaydoyouhaveyourChineseclass?

ji y6u Zhongw6n kd?
Ni xingqi

+X L+? What'sthedatetoday?
Jintianji hio?

llf lt 2 F{ {F lf {f, + H iE? When are you starting to learn Japanese?

Ni sh6nme shihou knishi xu6 Riw?

CONVERSATIONS

A: ldJ, f],8 IL R2
iF Excuse me, what time is it?
ji dinn?
Qingwdn, xinnzai
B:fl,E t,F, = t h. ItisT:30.
Xidnzni qi diin sanshi IEn.
t iff ff" Thank you.
Xi€xie.
B.T 81". Youarewelcome.
Bir keqi.

n: i€lol, f,AE ,L F.? Excuse me, what time is it?

ji dinn?
Qingwdn, xianzni
B:X.1 68,+t iqH t, fin fi€. Sorry,Idon'thaveawatch.Idontknow.
Duibuqi, w6 m6iydu biio, w6 bi zhidao.
A: & J€ 6" That's all right.
M6i guanxi.

A: {fi E X tL ,F, S:tfr2 what time do you go to work every day?

Ni m€i tian ji diin shingben?
s: ft € X z\ ,fi i 9I. I go to work at 8 every dav.
W6 mEitien be diin shingban.
e: {6 € X I+ 2 F-J [n] T 4l What time do you get of work every day?
Ni m€i tiin sh6nme shijian xiiben?
B: *t € B-J T. ,F. T fi, €- Ff Isometimes get offwork at 5, sometimes at
W6 y6ushi w[ diin xiiben, y6ushi 5:30.
E ,H + TH.
wn didn bin xinban.

50
 Beginner's Chinese

A:lfil7.t+ lFttAz What are you going to do this morning?

Ni jintian shingwi zud sh6nme?
B:fr }ltt+ &.XE fr. I'm going to read at home.
W6 jintien shengwri zai jia kin shu.
A:T A W? How about this aftemoon?
Xiiwl ne?
B:TaF ft *+&. I'm going to school this afternoon.
Xiiwl wd qr) xu6dio.

A:{fiPFX Wt EZr-&Xz Were you home last night?

Ni zu6tinn winshang zdi bu znijid?
B:6 &. No, I was not.
Bit zdi.
)Lt Where were you?
^:{tfi,&W$
Ni zii nir?
B:&, & KfitH. I was in the library.
W6 zii t0shuguin.

A:)ft EtrtL? What day is today?

Jintian xrngqiji?
B:AX ESI =" Today is Wednesday.
Jintidn xrngqi sdn.
A.5 X ILE? What is the date today?
J-rntidn ji hio?
B:f tr :tz\€. Today is the 28th.
Jintiin €rshi be hno.
A:{fih!&B ftlLE IL+? When is your birthday?
Nide shengrishi ji yueji hao?
B:ft6t &E ft.+-E -+zq€. My birthday is December 24.
drshisi hio.
W6de sh€ngri shi shidr yud

A:lttrEH ,LA trI i*? What day do you have your Chinese class?
Nixingqi ji y6uZhongw6nke?
B:fi Effi-,-... EA +t t+. I have my Chinese class on Monday,
W6 xingqi yi, saq w[ y6u Zhongw6n kd. Wednesday and Friday
t: l84t A E{14 f lA+ E L-? When are you starting to learn Japanese?
Ni sh6nme shihou kiishi xue RiW?
B: BE S. Next year.
It[ingni6n.

5l
 Lesson Five

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Nouns
ft,& xienzei now
,^
E diin o'clock
fEn minute
je half
-r- bin
+x jintien today
BE- mingtiin tomorrow
FFA zu6tian yesterday
:tr tiin day
Bt t4 shijian time
Hf ,fF shihou time
EH xingqi week
5 hio number
F yud month
w+ mingni6n next year
&F shengri birthday
Fr )fi Riyu Japanese
i.* kc class, lesson

Verbs
l:W shingbin go to work
TW xiibin get offwork
fiffi kaishi begin

Adiectives
€ mEi every, each

Expressions
€. H{...€. F{ y6ushi ... y6ushi sometimes ... sometimes
x']6 € duibuqi sorry
w.xR m6i gudnxi that's all right

SUPPLEMENTARY WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Nouns
+*
HL
rFI
sh6ubiio
zdoshang
watch
early morning
 Beginner's Chinese

_L -r shnngwl moming
F+ zhongwn noon
T+ xiewir aftemoon
ffi. t: winshang evening
&e ycli night
+w zdofhn breakfast
+w zhongfin lunch
WTF winftn dinner
A. ''r
-7 IE jinnirin this year
trF qnni6n last year
r{4 zhoumd weekend

Verbs
Effi qi chu6ng get up
ffiH
€+\
shuijiio sleep
E -tt kinshti read
#fr ji6shn end

Pronouns
NF ni that

Adverbs
-f,r yiban generally, usually

LANGUAGE POINTS

I /L (jD
Remember JL (ii) is the interrogative word used to ask questions about numbers. JL 0i) is
therefore used to ask about time, days ofthe week and dates since they are all expressed in
numbers.

2. To tell the time

To tell the time, we use (diln o'clock) and (frn mirrute). For example, the following times
should be read as:

7:00 t ,f; (qi dian)

8: l5 /\ ,{ + fr(h) @a dinn shiwl Gn)
9:40 /L ,* El + (rl) Cin dinn sishi Gn)
10:05 + ,fi + fr (tl) (shi dinn hng wr Gn)
1l:30 + - ,{ = + (tl) (shiyi dinn senshi Gn)

53
 Lesson I'-ive

In all these expressions, /i (trn ninute) can be left out. Also, I I :30 can also be read as t - ,fi
* (striyi diin bin half past I I).

3. X'J and & X 4 (mci Cuerxi)

4i E (duibuqi)
X'J 6E
(duibuqi) is the most cornmon expression of apology that can be used on all the
occasions when an apology is called for. The most common response is & € JQ ff (m€iy6u
guanxi) and the verb fi^ (y6u) is often left out. X 6 (guanxi) in this expression means
signifcance.lk X4(m€i guanxi) means therefore that there is no significance. If there is no
significance, it doesn't matter.

4. Word order involving several temporal units

Temporal units in Chinese indicating the time, the day, the week, the month and so on
invariably follow each other according to their temporal scope. The general rule is that the unit
that commands a larger scope precedes the one that commands a smaller scope. Thus, the proper
temporal sequence in Chinese is year-month4ay-part of the day (such as morning or aftemoon)
lime. This is exactly the reverse of English, where the smaller unit precedes the larger unit with
the only exception of the relative positioning of month and day, which is the same as Chinese. In
i6 €x tL ,fi t
9Ir Ni mEitien ji diin shingban Wat time do you go to work every day?),
E (meitian ever day) commands a larger scope than /L ,f
(ii diin what tirze), which is part
of €x (mEitian every doy). It is therefore placed before rL,fi (ii dian).

Word order involving several spatial units parallels that with several temporal units, where
larger places precede smaller places. To indicate a complete address, Chinese would start with the
country followed by province, city, district, street, building number and finally the apartment
number. This again is the reverse ofthe order in English.

5. Word order involving adverbials

One of the cardinal principles that govern word order in Chinese is that the modifier
precedes the modified. For example, attributes, be they individual words, phrases or clauses,
always come before nouns, and adverbs always come before adjectives, verbs, and other adverbs.
Many of the adverbials that we are going to encounter in this book have to do with time or place.
They are usually placed immediately before the verb as in:

{ti${ rLfr Eftt What time do you get up every day?

Ni mEitian ji diin qi chu6ng?
+t4trtr + trx.
W6 zdi Zhonggu6 xu6 Zhongw6n.
I study Chinese in China.

This is one of the major difficulties for beginning students of Chinese in speaking, if not in
writing, because adverbials of time and place usually follow, instead of preceding, verbs in
English. Try to get used to this usage.

6. Davs of the week and names of months

54
 Beginner's Chinese

Days of the week in Chinese are easy to leam, as they are numbered except Sunday. The
week in Chinese begins with Monday rather than Sunday as it does English (doesn't the Bible say
that Sunday is the seventh day ofthe week?). Thus we have E $l
- (xingqi yD, E ffi -
(xingqi 0r), 8 $l - (xingqi sdn), tr ffi 81 (xingqi si), E H I (xingqi wn), p $1 fr (xingqi
lin), and tr H x (xingqi tian). The word f, S (xingqi) meansweek, so don't mistake the above
as week one. two and so on.

Like days of the week, months in Chinese are also numbered. But unlike those, numbers
are placed before, rather than after, the word E (VuC month):
- -
E (Vl yud January), E (er
pd February),-E (sanyui: March),EE (siyuE April),fiE (w[yue Mqy),AE0in
yud June), t E(qi yudJuly),/\ E (be yud August), /L E (iin yud September) I E, (sni
yuE October), +
- E (shiyi yud November) and f - fi (shi'dr yu€ December).
7. Asking dates
To ask a particular date in Chinese is literally asking what is the month and what is the
number of the day in the month. We are again dealing with numbers. So we need to use the
interrogative word .[L (i) as in + X tL F IL El (Jintian ji yud ji hno What is the date lor
ldty?) In addition, we usually know what month we are in before we ask the question. For this
reasoq people usually leave out tL E (i yue) in the question. But we must include,fL E 0i yue)
when we ask when is someone's birthday, since we have no idea what month his or her birthday is
in.

8.lt /z El liiJ (shenme shijien) and l+ AEt,fF (shenme shihou)

It AEt fnl (sh6nme shdian), like JL ,H (ji dinn), is similar to what time in Engtish. It is
used to ask a specific time. The answer must be lt
clock time, such as 7 o'clock or 8:30.
a Agt
'fF lsnenme shihou) is similar to when in English in that the answer can be a clock time, or a
general time such as tomorrow, next week, or even next yeca fhus ,ft 2 W lR (sh6nme shihou)
can often be used in place of lt lz Hf lhl (sh6nme shijian), but the reverse is not true when the
expected answer is a general time.

EXERCISES

I. Answer the following questions:

r.1],& tL,*?
Xinnzniji didn?
2.+x Effi IL?
Jintien xrngqi ji?
3. + x. JL+2
Jintian ji hno?
4. {lFffi +. E fr E
IL IL+?
Nide shcngrishi ji yudji hno?

55
 Lesson Five

5l,rt4l46!4F FttE lL+?

Ni mima de sh6ngri shi ji yud ji heo?
6.+x. EEH i rq?
Jrntidn shi nngqi ti6n ma?
7 frl1x wt tF 1t22
Ni mingtidn winshang zud sh6nme?
B ltrB$ AT+ trWF)L2
Ni xingqi lit xinwu ziinlr?
e.lts EH )LH + X i*?
Ni xingqi ji y6u Zhongw6n kd?
r0. E t Effi T- ft.tL+2
Zhd gexingqiw[ shiji hno?

II. Say the following times in Chinese:

7:05 l23O 4:15 9:43 10:59

3:28 6:32 l:30 8:04 I l:16

III. Ask questions about the underlined parts in the following sentences:

r.+x E ff zq.
Jintiin xingqi si.
2.WX E E T.q.
Zu6tiin si yud w[ hio.
3. {0, BE d *.
Ta mingtian lei.
4 ft6! *El EHts- i4 trE *ltF--..
W6de MEigu6 p6ngyou jinni6n ba yud qt BEijing.
5.+x E: E -+=q. Eff E.
fintinn shi dr yu€ drshi sdn hio, xingqi si.

IV. Translate the following into Chinese:

l. Where were you last night?

2. Sorry. I don't have a watch. I don't know what time it is now.
3. On what days ofthe week do you have your Chinese class?
4. What time do you get of work this aftemoon?
5. I usually eat dinner at a restaurant Saturday evening.
6. My father gets up at six every day.
7. I don't eat brealdast
8. It is not good not to eat breakfast.
9. What are you going to do tomorrow aftemoon?
l0 When are you going to go to China? - June next year.

56
 Beginner's Chinese

V. Translate the following into English:

+r -ffiZi $+ffi.
r +t i9t4
W6 mdma zdoshang yiban bn chi zdofln.
2rb++ €Bf a^dw,w.Hw &xw,w"
Ta zhongwl y6ushi zii gongsi chifdn, y6ushi zei jia chifan.
3 T EH = Efi AAFTB H"
Xi xingqi s6n shi w6 tnitai de shengri.
4 +\ sfrX t+ )L,R *e'fi.
W6 mingtian shnngwir jindinn qi yinhSng.
5. ltrfr, ffi.'fj & W$ )L2
Nide lnhang zdi ndr?

VI. State the birthdays of your family members in complete sentences.

VII. Write your daily schedule such as when you get up, eat breakfa$t, go to work, have luncll
get offwork, go home, have dinner and go to bed. You may also indicate things (e.g. having
breakfast) that you dont do.

CULTURAL INSIGHTS

People ofdifferent cultures have different perceptions and categorizations oftime. As a

result, the way they use time may also be different.

Time is very often expressed in spatial terms. When asked to vizuelize the movement of
time from past to present and then to future, most American students would say time moves
horizontally from left to right, with left being the past, the midpoint that meets the eye the present
and the right being the future. tn Chinese however, time is perceived of as moving vertically from
top to bottom, with the top being the past, the midpoint at the level of the eye the pres€nt and the
bottom being the future. This explains the logic ofthese Chinese temporary expressions t 4F
(shnngwl morning), t.f EH(stranggexrngqi lastweek),andtt E Gheng geyud last
month),wheret(sheng)means "up," and T+
(nawn aftemnn), f +
E ffi lxiage
xingqi next week), and T f
E (xin ge yud next month), where T (xin) means "down."
For the English word "morning" there are two equivalents in Chinese: F t'
(zeoshang;
and t zF (shan$rn). The difference between these two terms is that
i
S (znoshang) is the
early part of the morning that usually lasts until one goes to work. Whe'n people meet each other
during this part ofthe day, they often greet each other by sayng {6 $
(ni zdo God morning) or
simply S (z5o Morning), which literally means "You are early." t f
GhanSw[) is that part of
the day that extends to lunch time. In the West, noon is a point of time such that as soon as the
clock strikes 12, it is afternoon. That's why we don't often hear expressions like this noon,
yesterdalt's noon and so on. On the contrary, noon is a period of time in China that can ortend

57
 Lesson Five

two or three hours covering the time when people stop morning work, go home, prepare lunctl
eat luncl\ take a nap and head back to aftemoon work. With the exception of stores, essential
services and factory operations that cannot stop, government offices, schools and companies
would come to a halt during this time so that people could go home to eat lunch (the most
important meal ofthe day for most people), and take a nap. A few years ago, the Chinese
government imposed a ban on this midday break by limiting the lunch time allocation and thus
eliminating the indispensable nap. This measure caused havoc in the population and created a
major culturally conditioned physiological breakdown. The midday break is so culturally ingrained
and biologically programmed that people simply could not do without it. When forced to abandon
this time-honored indulgence, people would either fall asleep or doze offon the job. Heated
debates arose and various theories were advanced. One argument for the midday break was that
the Chinese diet, which is made oflow calorie foods such as pork and vegetables, is not as
sustaining as the Westem diet, which is rich in beefand dairy products. Another theory along the
same line was that Chinese people spent more time shopping for and preparing food. This
time-consuming endeavor was compounded by the lack ofconvenient household appliances such
as the refrigerator and the microwave. By the time people finished their lunclq they were
exhausted and desperately needed a nap to recoup their energy. Although no consensus ofopinion
was reached, the government gave up and people went back to their nap. Interestingly enough,
with the recent economic boom and increasing privatization in China more and more people are
voluntarily giving up their nap and making use of the precious midday time. It s€ems that
economic incentives are the only force that could thwart any customary or even biological
practice.

Throughout China, there is only one time zone. The standard time is called Jt H Ef lE
(BEijing Sh4ian Beiiing Time\. With only one time zone in zuch a vast country people adapt
themselves by adjusting their work schedule constantly. Thus, they may have a diferent schedule
depending on the time ofthe year.

The sight of people armed with and driven by an appointment book common in the West
is rare in China. People there are more relaxed and generous with time. They usually plan their
activities as they go. Seldom do people plan something down to the minute several weeks or
months ahead. Although things are beginning to change due to the increase oftelephones, people
still visit each other without giving notice. When this happens, you are not supposed to turn away
the unexpected guest or guests even though the visit may come at an awkward or inconvenient
time. To do so would usually generate hard feelings and offend people. On the other hand,
unexpected visitors would often find an empty house after they traveled from one end ofthe town
to the other to see a friend.

58
 [ESSOf.l

t
o
NIA'noNlAu'flts &
TANIGUAGTS

SENTENCE PATTERNS

ltrftEllEl ,,\? Where are you fromAilhat is your

Ni shi nd gu6 r6n? nationality?

lrrftWUL )',2 Where are you from/Where is your

Ni shi ndr r6n? hometown?

+,\+iH, +
Ni hui
r q?
shuo Zhongw€n ma?
Do you speak Chinese?

* -,* JL. A little.

Hui yidiinr.

"Mandarin"H +X EAit| How do you say "Mandadn" in Chinese?

"Mandarin" ydng Zhongw6n zdnme shuo?

"N5njing hui" E lt A tr. E2 What does 'N6nj-rng hua" mean?

'Nanjinghut' shi sh€nme yisi?

fi 7FE tfiFli6. I dont understand what you say.

W6 bn d6ng nide huA.

ffi E -,fiJlii,. Please speak a little slowly.

Qing min yidiinr shu6.
59
 Lesson Six

CONVERSATIONS

A:6'ft+E,A. 14? Are you Chinese?

Ni shi Zhonggu6r6n ma?
s:F. 6t E tr EI rq? Yes, are you also Chinese?
Shi. Ni yd shi Zh6nggu6r6n ma?
A:fi 68,ft EF+,,\. No, I am not. I am Japanese.
W5 bn shi- w6 shi RibEnr6n.

A:18ft. ffi 8 ? Where are you from/What is your

Ni shi nri gu6 r6n? nationality?
B:fr E+Fl,^.. I am Chinese.
W6 shi Zhonggu6r6n.
A:{fitA9Er What about your wife?
1.{i tiitai ne?
B:ffi €i€ E ,,\. She is English.
Ti shi Yinggu6r6n.

t w)L*?
^ Ni c6ng nir lii?
Where did you come from?

B:fr^!\ E Et *. I came from France.

W6 c5ng Fdgu6 l6i.
A:{68 *EI E? Are you French?
Ni shi Fdgu6r6n ma?
B:6 E. fi EffiEl/.. No, I am not. I am German.
B(r shi. W6 shi D6gu6r6n.
A:xf6€. I'm sorry.
Duibuqi.
B:& *^. That's all right.
M6i ganxi.

A: ffiB. ffiJL ? Where are you from/Where is your

Ni shi nir r6n? hometown?
B:ft Ef€A" I am from Shanghai.
W6 shi Shinghiir6n.
a:{6AA&EtE,,\ 14? Is your wife also from Shanghai?
Ni taitai y€ shi Shnnghiir6n ma?
B:6 E" ro EJ" fi . No, she is from Guangzhou.
' Bir shi. Tn shi Guingzhour6n.
t: 18* iH. f ifr n4? Do you speak Cantonese?
Ni hui ^
shu6 Guingdong hud ma?

60
 Beginner's Chinese

B:ft'H f^ ifi, {EE I understand Cantonese, but I don't speak it

Wd d6ng Guingddng hud, dan shi
T*in"
bi hui shuo.
A:{6tt*ii, tE ifrq? Does your wife speak Shanghai dialect?
Ni teitai hui shud Shnnghni hui ma?
B:l& A" Yes, she does.
Ta hui.

A:6&4,+ in +iE rg? Does your father speak English?

Ni biba hui shuo Yingyu ma?
e: A. Yes, he does.
Hui.
A.ltsi4l4r)tz What about your mother?
Ni mima ne?
B:1fu,6*. No, she doesn't.
Ti bl1 hui
A:'fhAtWt What about your wife?
Ni tiitai ne?
*
B: i& -,F, Jt. She speaks a little.
Ta hui yidirinr.

t:lts *it, L# rFF? How many languages do you speak?

Ni hui shuo ji zh5ng yuy6n?
s:fr *if Etr i*E. I speak four languages.
Wd hui shuo si zh6ng y[y6n.
A:BF E9ff? Which four?
Ni si zh6ng?
B: English, French, Spanish and a little Chinese.
Yingyn, Fiyu, Xibeny6yu hE

-,fi.,1+ t"
yididnr Zhongw€n.

A: H 14, "Mandarin"ffi +t Excuse me, how do you say "Manda61" in

QingwCn, "Mandarin" ydng Zhongw6n Chinese?
tF /z iil'l
)g\ A Y)U .

zEnme shuo?
B:"Mandarin"H
uMandarinu ydng
FX iX, ft "Mandarin" in Chinese is "pitonghuA."
Zhongw6n shuo shi
3f. :;E
IE}E".)+-
pitonghui

A:"ffiH ffi. ftl+A H,B.? What is the meaning of "Nanjing hua?"

'N6njing hui* shi sh€nme yisi?
 Lesson Six

.
B: "ffi H if; H! H E, E "Nanjing hua" means'Nanjing dialect."
"Nanjing hui" de yisi shi
"Nanjing dialect".
"Nanjing dialect".
n: iff iff. Thank you.
Xdxie.
B: 6 E ft" You're welcome.
Bi kdqi.

t iH l-"1, + El ffi.Tt Excuse me, where is the Bank of China?

Qingwdn, Zhonggu6 yinh6ng
&. wF )L;
ztr nir?
B:ff68,ft 6'E {'8fu1ffi, Sorry.Idon'tunderstandwhatyousay.
Duibuqi, w6 bi d6ng nidehud, Could you please say it again?
ffi Eii, -8"
qing zai shuo yibiin.
A: lB *t € + El eft Do you know where the Bank of China is?
Ni zhidao Zhonggu6 yinh6ng
&. ry,vLw;
zii nir ma?
B: f[ €. + E ffi'fi E Yes, the Bank of China is in Chinatown.
Ztndao. Zhonggu6 yinhring zni
+tr
Zhonggu6ch6ng.
fr"
A: iff rlf" Thank you.
Xdxie.
B: 6 r$f" Don't mention it.
Bn xie.

t f4, E n\ Ffr &.WF )L2

ffi Excuse me, where is the men's room?
Qingw€n, n5n cEsud zdi ndl?
B: fk E f fi F! tr iE I am Cantonese. My Mandarin is not very
^ ^,
W6 shi Guingdongr6n. Wdde gu6yu good Please speak a little slowly.
4..fr" ffi lf'lp. -,fi.J1ii,.
bn hio. Qing ni min yidiinr shuo.
A: Xf 6 €, E E[ Ffr EWF )L? Sorry. Where is the men's room?
Duibuqi, n6n cdsu6 ziinir?
B: E E &" On the fifth floor.
Zni w[ l6u.
A: iff tff" Thank you
Xidxie.
s: 6 F L. You're welcome.
Bn keqi
 Begumer's Chinese

What dialect do people in Hong Kong

Xing Gringr6n shuo shEnme hui? speak?
People in Hong Kong speak Cantonese.
Xieng Gingr6n shuo Gudngdong hud.
A l8* 6* in rfi ffit Do you speak Cantonese?
Ni hui bu hui
shuo Guingdong hui?
B:ft 'E f R ffi, 1E8 fr,4 I understand Cantonese, but I don't speak it
Wd d6ng Gudngdong hui, dinshi w5 b(r
+ ix,.
hui shuo.

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Nouns
EI guo country
xtE Yingyu English language
4tr Yinggu5 England
*El F:igu6 France
ffitr
.)L,'.5'
D€gu6 Germany
U\ tA Fnyu French language
WWt r"r' Xibany6yu Spanish language
r f{
r" t:
Guringzh6u Canton (the city)
I aJ\ Guingdong Canton (the province)
6)& Xang GIng Hong Kong
}FE yuyin language
*iEifi pttonghue Mandarin
t=l;t
H}E gu6yu Mandarin
rE' rg\ yrsi meaning
ffi hui speech, dialect
sk
't< l5u floor, building

Verbs
.1\
T hui know how to, to be able to
\v
rtil shuo speak, say
FH
m ydng use
d6ng understand

Adverbs
+E
r man slowly
d
ff ziti again
tl hi only

63
 Lesson Six

- tlt yibidn once

tr! il. yidinnr a little
-

Prepositions
r.l c5ng from

Classifiers
*b
1l zh6ng kind, type

Interrogatives
Elt how

SUPPLEMENTARY WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Nouns
fl.tr wiigu6 foreigr country
fl.Et/. wiigu6r6n foreigner
4.iF wniyu foreigrr language
=r A Chinese character
E JII Sichuin Sichuan (Sezchuan)
ft#, bdozhi newspaper
x ,u\ z6^i rnagazine
# tEl xInw6n news
€i4, diinshi television
:E .+
,fi ), kdw6n text
+ffi huihui conversation
4ifl
,'5 i:L.
shengci new word
,E 1A yufd grammar
EJ+ juzi sentence
%4
+\ -*
liinxi exercise
-tr tK shufl calligraphy
i"l 4 cididn dictionary

Verbs
# jiao teach
E xiE write
W ting listen
ffii+ finyt translate
E6 huid5 answer

64
 Beginner's Chinese

LANGUAGE POINTS

1. Nationality terms
It is easy to form nationality terms in Chinese. All you need to do is to add the word A
(r6n) after the name ofthe country, such as:

* El (Ueiguo America) * Fl (MEigu6r6n American)

f Fl (Ztroneeu6 China) tr El (Zhonggu6r6n Chinese)
El (anggu6 England) t€ El l (Yinggu6r6n Englkh)
E El Gngu6 France) E El (Figu6r6n French\
ffi El @6gu6 Germany) ffi El @6gu6r6n German)

El (guo) in all these expressions simply means country.

If the name of a country consists of more than one syllable, the word tr (guO) is usually
not used. For example:

m +t (Jia'nfdn Canada) Xt9ft,,\ (Jia'nadaren Candiot)

F +(Rib€n "/dpdr?) F +I(RibEnr6n Japonese)
H t fl (Yidali lrar!) H t ftj z\ (vidanren ltalian)
ffiHguenan Vietnarrr\ ruH (Yuin5nr6n Viefiwnese)
Efrt (Xibenya Spain) 8frT,,\lxtbanyaren Spanish)

The word A (r6n) can also be used after a specific location within a country to mean a native of
that place. For example:

Jt H @ErjrnS Beijing) Jt H ;\ @Eijingren Beijing rutive)

t i& (Strangtrdi Shanglni) -L' i& 7\ (Shnnghnir€n Shanghai native)
,X 9! (Ni[ YuE New York) tLrfJ (Ni[ Yu€r6n New Yorkcr)
f, E (Xang Gdng Hong Kong) 6 E 7\
^ (Xang Glngr6n Hong Kong native)
6 iS (faiwan Taiwan) 6 B 7\ (Tiiwenr6n Taiwanese)
To ask where someone is from, we use {6 E W El y'. (ni shi ni gu6 r6n), which litoally
manswhich country person are yoil. The interrogative word ffi (nLwhich) is used because we
are asking the other person to choose from a range ofpossible answers.

+
It is to be noted that to the Chinese, El u\ (Zhonggu6ren), tE EI u\ (Yinggu6ren), Fl
4 z\(RibEnren) and so on refer to a person's ethnic background, having nothing to do with his
or her own citizenship. Thus a person of Chinese descent is always Elf (Zhonggu6r6n), wen
though he or she may have been born in a foreign country or become a citizen ofa foreign
country through immigration.
 Lesson Six

2. lt:r' E
BF JL u\ (ni shi nir r6n)?
This expression, meaning literally you are what place person, is used when you know a
person's nationality and you want to know where in that country the person is from. The response
takes such forms: *li fttnn fr
A 1wo shi Nii Yuer6n I'm a New Yorker), E iU ,lt'l A (w6 shi
Jiizhour6n I am a Califomian), f\ fi
E ')fl A 1wo shi H6ngzhour6n I amfrom Hangzhou).
2 16 + I
+ ri4 1ni hul shuo Zh6ngw6n ma)?
iH,
f
(hui) is not necessary in English when you ask somebody ifhe can speak a certain
fanguage, but it is usually used in Chinese. It means know how /o and is used for things and skills
that are acquired through leaming such as language, driving, swimming, and cooking.

3. Mandarin H tr I
E, A in (Mandarin ydng Zhongw6n zEnme shuo)?
This is a useful expression used when you want to ask someone how to say something in
Chinese. In the expressioq the verb ii, (struo) is modified by two adverbials H F i (ydng
Zhongw6n using Chinese) and E A (zEnme haw). As sucll they are placed before the verb. rE
(ydng) in H tr t
(ydng Zhongw6n) means to use. Yon may want to take the phrase to mean
using Chinese or in Chinese. The item of interest - Mandarin - is placed first as is often in
Chinese, although it is the object ofthe verb ifi, (struo). The subject is not present in the sentence
because it is generic. It would be you, I or one. The response pattern for this question is Mandarin
*
ffi + ifi, E jE if; (Mandarin ydng Zhongw6n shuo shi pitong hun)
t
4. N6njing hua E Z H ,E (NSnjing hui shi sh6nme yisi)?
{t
This is the flip side ofthe above questiorL used when you heard a Chinese expressiorg but
did not know what it meant. The answer to this question is N6njing hua ffi ff,S ft
N6njing dialect (N6njing hui de yisi shi Nanjing dialect). Literally itis Nanjing hua's meoing is
Nanjing dialect.

EXERCISES

I. Answer the following questions:

1. llrfttsF tr ',\?
Ni shi nd gu6 r6n?
2.ltrF q[JL ?
Ni shi niir r6n?
3 Vr*in ftA ffiA?
Ni hui shuo sh6nme yuy6n?
4 TB*iN ETftT]F-|q2
Ni hui shuo Xrtany5yu ma?
s l6t4t4* in rLffi iFH?
Ni mdma hui shuo ji zh6ng yuydn?

66
 Beginner's Chinese

6{6tu!+I +tn+ifr.4i* rq?

Nide Zhongw6n lioshi hui shuo Yingyri ma?
7.ffiElz\ii, 4t2 l*E?
D6gu6r6n shuo sh6nme y[y6n?
866/\ in ft^ ifr?
Xdng Gingr6n shuo sh6nme hui?
9."Doctor"fF +t E2in2
"Doctor" ydng Zhongw6n zEnme shuo?
10. "Canguin" ftlt 2H ,E ?
"Cingurin" shi sh6nme yisi?

il. ffi + X E Aifr, (ydng Zhongwen zEnme shuo):

bank friend house bathroom noon

birthday lunch college high school student doctor

m.E ill F lt AH ,E' (tamen shi shenme yisi)?

XibanySyu gu6yu pitonghua Yizhou Feizhour6n

shdngdiin N6njinghun h6n shio d6ng Fdgu6 cinguin

IV. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words:

t.lfi+ in EIF_?
Ni hui shu6 flyit ?
2 (rtqtE * in tL_iFF?
NijiEjie hui shuoji_ yuy6n?
3 {6illn[ts-- sll)L*2
Nide _
pEngyou nir lai?
4 tfi,+ if _ EwtiT.
5xf6E,fr-6€_ {fiffi "
Td hui shuo Xibanyiyu.

Duibuqi, w6 bi d6ng nide _.

6ffi E_ iH.
Qing min _ shuo.
7tu,. ii&_. ffiErE/\.
Ta c6ng Shanghdi _. Te shi Shingh6ir6n
8ffiH/\ if_ ffi?
N6njingr6n shud _ hui?
e {6 E 6_ft 6! ifi?
_
Ni d6ng bn w6de hud?
ro.16t1tr-in EiFr4?
Ni mdma shu6 Fiy[ ma?

67
 Lesson Six

V. Translate the following into Chinese:

l. Excuse me, do you know how to say "speak slowly" in Chinese?

2. Excuse me, what does "qiche" mean?
3. "Qich€" means "cat".
4. My Chinese teacher doesn't speak English.
5. He came from Germany, but he doesn't speak German.
6. She speaks a little Spanish.
7. People in Hong Kong speak Cantonese.
8. Who speaks French?
9. He is from Shanghai, but he doesn't speak Shanghai dialect.
10. How do you write this character?

VI. Translate the following into English:

r fr EFtr/L ft tAEiXEi\.
W6 shi Yinggu6r€n, w6 tiitai shi Figu6r6n.
2 tE/\ 6E rF, ffi.
Shnnghnir6n bn ddng Guringdong hui.
3 #,fi! E EEts- + in Eqff i€;, +t R+ in i€i#"
W6de n6n p6ngyou hui shuo si zh6ng yuy6r1 w6 zhi hui shuo Yingyu
4 l6in ft22 +\ ZKffi. ffi Eii, -E.
Nishuo sh6nme? Wd bn d6ng. zni shuo yi biin.
Qing
5 +t E 6i€ if;,48r+i[,
W6 d6ng Tdiwdn hun, k6shi b[
hui shuo.
6 tb,ffi r fr ffi 4p *T, IEE El iE tr-xfr"
Tade Guingd6ng hui hEn hao, dinshi gu6yu b[ tai hno.
7. iF tE, tE + in t€ rF?
Qingwdn, shui hui shuo Yingyfi?
s lE+E€ 6fi iE "A El" ftl+ 2 tr.,8'?
Ni zhidao bu zhidao "g6ng1nr6n" shi sh6nme yisi?
e iu 6! ifr. ft R E -,F. Jt.
Tade hui, w6 zhi d6ng yidinnr
r0 r'f E.#, 4 * iil, Sq ifi"
^
Duibuqi, w6 bri hui shu6 Sichuin hui.'rl
VII. Each sentence below contains a mistake. Find and correct it:
l.tr$H tL +t fl?
Niy6uji Zhongw€nsho?
2.Vri^iF;F iIiY.flFW.+2
Ni rdnshi bu rdnshi ni yrsheng?
€^ t rfr & z\,fi.
3. {&
Te mEitian shingbren zai ba dinn.
4lEE^.E++ rq?
Ni shi bu shi xu6sheng ma?
68
 Beginner's Chinese

s tfi,H iEtH,Z.€. 44.

Ta y6uji€jie, bt y6u gege.
6.fr, H -f trEt EEts*
W6 y6u dr ge Zhonggu6 p6ngyou.
7ffitbr, +tr fi EryFJL?
Qingwdn, Zhdnggu6 ch6ng shi nlr?
S {u,TTF E ETE.
Ta gongzud zdi cdngurin.
er tt6*e'fr +x.
W6ng Tnitai bn qn yinhang jintien.
r0{6i|] +& ffKfltB E jitL+fr2
Nimen xu6xido de t6shngudn (library) y6u bEn shu?

CULTURAL INSIGHTS

As with any other language, Chinese is an abstract amalgam. It is realized in a variety of

representations calledfang,utt (regional speech or dialect). Unlike many other languages, dialects
of Chinese can be so drastically diferent that they are not mutually intelligible. There are places in
China where people do not understand each other even though they only live a few miles apart.
Since association and banding had never been encouraged in traditional China because they
tended to breed the seeds ofdiscontent or rebellioq the diffculty with which people had in
communicating with each other had been a godsend opportunity for emperors to exercise effective
social control over the populatioq much like the "confusion oftongues" described in the biblical
story of the Tower of Babel. Due to the mutual intelligibility, diferent dialect groups in China are
often conceived by scholars outside China as being different languages, but Chinese scholars have
been vehemently denying this claim.

There are seven major dialect groups in China, which are distributed over different
geographic areas ofthe country. Each ofthese dialect groups has its own variations and local
subdialects. The most widely used dialect of Chinese is Mandarin. It is spoken by 7U/o of the
population in northern and parts ofsouthern China that account for three quarters ofthe country.
Mandarin itself has a number of subvarieties. The standard form of Mandarin is based on the
northem Mandarin with the Beijing phonological system as its norm. This standard form is used
on televisioq radio and other official and administrative oocasions. It is the dialest that children
throughout the country go to school learning. As such it is understood by 94o/o ofthe population.
Other dialects tnclude Wu (spoken by 8%o of the population), Gan (2Yo), HakJa (4%), Xiang
(5%o), Min/Fukienese (4%o) and Yue/Catonese (5o/o). Of these seven major dialects, only
Mandarin is indigenous and homogenous, i.e. it evolved locally in northern China over tlousands.
ofyears. The other six dialects are spoken primuily in central and southeastern China. They are
the result of southward migration of population since the very begrnning of chinese history.

69
 Lesson Six

The mutual unintelligibility of dialects had much to do with the segregation of the
population in traditional China. Due to an elaborate system ofadministration, local governors and
generals were often given unbridled power, which enabled them to exercise tight control ofthe
people in theirjurisdiction. Such tight control resulted in a practical segregation: there was little
mobility and interaction between people who belonged to different political and administrative
entities. As a result, the differences in their speech became more and more divergent.

Another reason that contributed to the divergance ofdialects has to do with the preference
ofagriculture and suppression oftrade and commerce by the government in traditional China.
Under such a government policy, people were tied down to their land and dreaded venturing out
unless there was a war or some other natural cdamiff.

Natural barriers such as rivers and mountains further restricted the interaction between
people. These boundaries often mark the boundaries ofdialect groups, particularly when they
coincide with the boundaries of the units of political administration.

Although Mandarin has become the official dialect, the use of local dialects is not totally
discouraged by the government. In fact, with its countenanc€, dialects in some places are actually
thriving. Shanghai is a typical example. It is one ofthe few places that still maintains radio and
television progr.rms in the local didect. The prestige ofthe dialect is closely related to the sense of
superiority felt by Shanghai natives to people elsewhere. It used to be the case that ifyou didn't
speak Shanghai dialect, you would get indifferent services while visiting there. To overcome this,
outsiders had to learn Shanghai dialect, at least a few phrases for the occasion before they
ventured into the city. Mobility has vastly increased following the reform efforts in recent years in
Shangbai and other places. A recent survey showed that currently there is an annual influx of3
million migrant workers in Shanghai seeking short-term work and taking up temporary residence.
To accommodate such a large population and serve as the major center oftrade and finance,
Mandarin has inevitably onerged as the lingua franca.

70
 [essoN

MONIEY & S|IO??INIC

SENTENCE PATTERNS

lE9- * tt tzt What do you want to buy?

Ni yio mii sh6nme?

a {+ e nft.4,t ffi? How much is this piece of clothing?

Zhdjinnyifu duoshao qi6n?

{fi{fl & 6& +)t2 Do you accept U.S. dollars?

Nimen shdu bu shou MEiyurin?

a {+€&.82W? What do you think of this sweater?

Zhe jinn m6oyr zlnmeying?

#, fr,1+48ft. I think it's very good.

W6 ju6de hEn hio.

ffi-trtr frw & *. The First Department store has the most
Diyi ^f,w
b{ihudgongsi de ddngxi zui du6. stuff

lFtrE Efrfr, & W )LtrE & Can you tell me where I can change U.S.
Ni n6ng glosr w6zii ndr n6ng huin dollars?
+n 14?
MEiyurin ma?

-*.tt & 4''- ,,\Rffi? How much Renminbi does one U.S. dollar
Yi M6iyunn hudn duoshao R6nmtnbi? convert to?

71
 Lesson Seven

16 + -TJL. Just a minute.

Qing dEng yixinr.

ft, trc EE [g? Canltakealook?

W6 n€ng kinkan ma?

L H7 It's too expensive.

,A\ ]F. J
Tni gui le

W in t i& *1 RW 4P ft" I heard that things in Shanghai:re very

Tingshuo Shdnghni de dongxi h€n gui. expensive.

4 E l+ 2 IE. It depends on what store.

Yio kin shEnme diin.

E ffi E fr.,H ffi E 6tr Some stores are expensive, some stores are
Y6ude ^ffi gui, y6ude didn ddngxi
diin dongxi very cheap.
4W {F,H"
h€n pi6nyi

4D ffi, - lK2 How much is a Piece?

Duoshao qi6n yi zhdng?

CONVERSATIONS

A: 'ffi * BF JL t Where are You going?

Ni qD nir?
B: *t * i( 6 Ei. I'm going shoPPing.
W6 qn mii d6ngxi
A:$S*WFJL* fi6? Whereareyougoingshopping?
nir
Ni qr) mdi dongxi?
B: ft *trfr 68. I'mgoingshoppingatthethedepartment
W6 qi ^dXmii
biihudgongsi dongxi. store.
,q.: {fi 4 X lt Az What do you want to buy?
Ni yio mii sh6nme?
B +k * X & [8. fll fr tr WF + I'm going to buv clothes- Do vou know
Wd yno mni yrfu. Ni zhidao nd ge which department store has the most stufl
tr tr t aJ tulf,ffi &. 4;
bdihudgongsi de dongxi zui duo?
A:ffi -tr fr
fuI il frW &.4' TheFirstDepartmentstorehasthemost
^
Di yi bdihuogongsi de dongxi zui duo. stuf

't2
 Beginner's Chinese

A:i6i[ rlt 6& t)t? Do you accept US dollars?

Nimen shou bu sh6u MEiyudn?
B:xf 68, +t {ll 6 & *)8. Sorry, we don't accept U.S. dollars.
Duibuqi, w6men bi shou MEiyu6n. We only accept Renminbi.
fr{l] R & Rffi
W6men zhi shou R6nminbi.
A: l6ffE Eiii#, E WF )LtrE & Can you tell me where I can change U.S.
Ni n6ng giosu w6 zAi nir n6ng huin dollars?
*)r rg?
M€iyu6n ma?
B: {ft sJ Iil tr ffi.T: &,
fi, El t^ E You can change them at the bank or at the
Ni kEyi ziriytrhilng hunn, yE kEyi zAi hotel.
tnm &.
fdndiin huin.
A: iff #" Thank you.
XExie.
s:6 E<* You are welcome.
Bfr kdqi.

A:E JL 6E & #n rq? Can I exchange U.S. dollars here?

Zhir n6ng huin M6iyu6n ma?
B:fiE. ltrF- & 4,'-? Yes, how much do you want to exchange?
N6ng. Ni yio huin duoshao?
t-*.n +Xtre, & *,)' How much Renminbi does one U.S. dollar
Yi MEiyu6n jintian n6ng huin duoshao convert to today?
Rffi?
R6nminbi?
B:-*tc +X dC & /\4 One U.S. dollar converts to 8 luai Renminbi
Yi MEiyuSn jintiin n6ng hudn ba kuni
ARffi.
R6nminbi.
A:ft & =E *.)t" I want to change $300.
W6 huin san bdi MEiyu6n.
B:fT, E + -Tj1. A Effi + OK. Just a minute. Thtsis24OO fuai
H6o, qing d6ngyixinr. Zhd shi lidng qian
Eltr 4 /\Rffi.
si bii kuni R6nminbi.
A: iff frf. Thank you.
X€xie.

lB* lt At What do you want to buy?

^: Ni mii sh6nme?
e:il ff Xe?,, ffi? How much is this coat?
Zhdjinn dnyi duoshao qi6n?

I'
 Lesson Seven

A:ffi tr.A+4. 2s0kuai

Liing bii wirshi kuii
B: ft 6€ 4 ffi E Ez Can I take a look?
Wd n6ng bu n6ng kinkan?
A: { *R HI D). Sure.
Dangrdn kEyi.
B: fk €E ifr ifr 14 ? Can I try it on?
W6 n6ng shishi ma?
A: &laj tr. No problem.
Mei wenti.

A: i6 lnl, flF X & + * ,)' *] Excuse me, how much is that pair of pants?
Qingw€n, nd ti6o lcuzi duoshao qi6n?
B: - tr'ft" 100 kuai.
Yi bni kuii.
t t F T " H IkH IFH -,*JL 6'!? Too expensive. Doyou have anything
Tni gui le. Y6u m6iydu pi6nyi yidinnr de? cheaper?
S:H, IBEE iZ *" Yes,takealookatthispair
Y6u. ni kinkan zh€ ti6o.
A: ffi iff" Thank you.
Xdxie.

A Wiil, -Lt& fu1^E 4E fr." IheardthatthingsinShanghaiarevery

gui.
Tingshuo Shnnghdi de dongxi h€n expensive.
B6 - E, * E 1t 2 fE" E f1 Not necessarily. It depends on the store
Bn yiding, yio kin sh€nme diin. Y6ude Some stores are expensive, some are very
E 6tr fi,€6!E fiE1R cheap'
diAn dongxi gui, y6ude dinn dongxi hEn
ffi-F
pi6nyr
A: lt 2 E ft, lt 2 E Which stores are expensive and which stores
Sh€nme dien dongxi ^E gui, sh6nme didn are cheap?
[F_H.1.
^E pi6nyi.
dongxi
B: t IE F! 6 tr fr, uJ. IE fr,E V,1 Big stores are expensive, small ones are not.
De dien de dongxi gui, xiio dinn de dongxi
6tft"
bfi tei gui

A: ifi ill * 6 * fiF F? Do you sell stamps?

Nmen mii bu mni y6upido?
B: *. {6 ry IL1f.2 Yes How many do you want?
Mni. Ni yao ji zhanfl
 Reginner's Chinese

A. ?')- +*, -5K? How much is one?

Duoshao qi6n yi zhdng?
B: I4 + ^- CK" 20 cents each.
Liing m6o yi zhang.
A:ft 4 +]LtK. -+ &,t- ffi? I want 15. How much altogether?
Wd yio shiwl zh6ng. Yigdng duoshao qi6n?
B:-* - *" 3 kuai altogether.
Yigdng sdn kudi.

A:E {$ +,&. E 2f+? What do you think of this sweater?

Zhe jien mSoyi zEnmeying?
B:{F *T E. Looks very good.
H€n hio kin.
A:K 6 K? ls it long?
Ch6ng bu chdng?
B:t\ ffif+6K" I don't think it's long.
W6 ju6de bi ching.
A:ffi.& E2#2 What do you think of its color?
Y6nsd zEnmeying?
B:ffiE fi,ZKffi. 3,'- ffi? The color is also good. How much is it?
Y6nsd yE bir cud. Duoshao qi6n?
A:-E t*:
Yi bni -f
120 kuai.
drshi kuii.
B:ft H€4t ft.Vr€ 8ft.2 I don't think it's expensive. What do you
W6 ju6de b[ tni gui, ni kin ne? think?
A:fi € fr,18fr" I also think it's good.
W6 kdn yE hEn hio.

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Nouns
w qiSn money
dongxi things, stuff
EfrA\A
^w biihudgongsi department store
&nR vitu clothes, clothing
+& mSoyi sweater
tt dayt coat
ffi+ ldzi pants
ffitr y6ns€ color
fiFH y6upiio stamps
*.)E MEiyuin U.S. dollars

75
 Lesson Seven

ARffi R6nminbi Renminbi

* kuei monetary unit
-E m6o monetary unit
A Gn monetary unit

Verts
it mdi buy
* mni sell
F yao want
K shdu acc€pt
HE n€ng can
Ev) k€yi may
* huan change, exchange
1A shi Iry
#iF giosu tell
+ dEng wait
fr,4+ ju6de feel, think

Adiectives
4 duo many, much
fr gui expensive
fFH
la
pi6ny cheap
L\ ch6ng long

Adverbs
ft zlJr most

-+ yigdng altogether

Numbers
&
n ordinal number indicator

Classifiers
iK zhang
* tiSo
jian
t+

Expressions
gf dengrin ofcourse
win tingshuo it is said
H *1......d frtr y6ude ... y6ude some ... others ..
*F yioktn Itdepends.
6-E bt lding not necessarily

76
 Beginner's Chinese

SUPPLEMENTARY WORDS AND EXPRESSTONS

Nouns
EtrR shduhudyudn sales clerk
En& Soke customer
fr ttl shiching market
#+ xjezl shoes
0t+ miozi hat
i*T wdzi socks
+tv chdnshin shirt, blouse
mqF ka€i coffee
[R*IE ftzhuingdidn clothing store
ffiE xi6dinn shoe store
flIfi
,f A. E]
shUdinn bookstore
tLJ /d' trtl jiniinpin souvenir
-L ZFa gongyipin handicraft product
utffi jieg6 price
HH_F xinydngki credit card
+E
xx zhipiio check

Verbs
,frJ
fti pay
* chu6n wear, put on
+lt kdi m€n open (for business)
J€ I-1 guin m6n close (for business)

Adjectives
ai6 h6shi suitable
E dudn short
flE fri loose
,E shdu tiSht
,)' shio few or liule

Classifiers
tn shuiLng pair
t bei cup
 Lesson Seven

LANGUAGE POINTS

l. 6 E(dongxi)
fi tr (aongxl), a combination of two opposite words fi (dong) and E (xi) is used in the
sense ofthings or stufl It always refers to physical and tangible objects, often used after certain
verbs to avoid making specific references. Here are some examples:

*fi6 buythings *68 sellthings

mnidongxi mni dongxi
tzfrE eat something BAfitr drink something
dongxi
chi he dongxi
q do some writing W frtr listen to something
xiEdongxi
^E tingd6ngxi
\ft,fiW do some washing E read something
xi dongxi ^E
knn dongxi

2.{ $ao)
Used in conjunction with another verl, 4(yeo) functions as a modal verb with the
meaning of to be going lo, wtnld lilre, or want . For example:

{t E H 5. 4 * + tr. He is going to China on Friday

Ti xingqi wn yno qn Zhonggu6.

IEW X lt 22 Whatdoyouwanttobuy?
Ni ydo mii sh6nme?

llf g & 4 D &2 How much money do you want to change?

Ni yio huAn duoshao qiSn?

3. H - tr tr t -I,l (di yr biihu6gongsi)

As compared with English, ordinal numbers (such as first, second, and third) ilre much
easier to form from cardinal numbers (such as one, two, and ttnee). We simply prefix the wordffi
(di) before the cardinal number. Keep in mind that like cardinal numbers, ordinal numbers also
require the presence ofclassifiers when used with nouns. See for example:

H-t thefirstperson
di yt ge r6n
H T^+ fi the fifth book
di wi bEn shn

ffi+ {+ Ne thetenthcoat
di shi jian dayi
78
 Beginner's Chinese

4. ffi -tr fr dl fu! RW & * (di yi bnihudgongsi de dongxi zui duo)

*Guo^many or much) and 4- (shio few or tittte) used as predicatives in
English. That's why we don't often hear people ny my money "re."ldo.
is linle and his money is much or
people in tlut city are many and people in this cily are
few. The more frequent forms in English
ue I have little money, he lws a lol of money, there are many people in tlwt city, and, there are
few people in this city.

In chinese, however, it is commonplace to use * Guq and /)' (shio) as predicatives

such as:

#,#J W, 4E ,)-, fu,ffJ ffi, 4E &. I have little money, she has a tot of money.
Wdde qi6n h6n shtro, tide qi6n h6n duo.

E + +& #J + +- 4E *, There are many students in this school, but

Zhd gc xu6xiio de xu6sheng h€n duo, very few students in that school.

flF++&. ffJ++ iF ,'-.

ni ge xu6xiio de xu6sheng h€n shrio.

5. Formation of superlatives
It is very simple to form superlative adjectives in Chinese: prefix the word & (zui) to the
adjectives. Here are some more examples:

&fr best frEX happiest

zui hdo zui gdoxing
Ftt busiest &F most tired
zui ming zui ldi
&. t'- least r,tF slowest
zui sMo zui man

6. ffi
(n6ng) and EI U (k€yi)
ffi (n6ng) and Ef U ft6yi) are modal ve6s in Chinese similar to cot and may in English.
They. should be used in conjunction with another verb. 6E (ngng) is usually used in questions
and
4 U 6eyil in answers. For example:
A:6ffi, 6iFfi EW)LtrE & Can you tell me where I can change U.S.
Nin6nggiozuw6ziindr n6nghuin dollars?
*.n rg?
M€iyu6n ma?
B: 64 U&ffift &, fi, E U4. You can change them at the bank or at the
Nik€yi zaiyinhSnghutu! y€ k6yi zai hotel.
wEe.
fdndiin huin.

79
 Lesson Seven

t:t\ trt Z.-frE EE2 Canltakealook?

W6 n6ng bu n6ng kinkan?
B: {
Dengr6n kEyi.

7. Monetary units in Chinese

There are three monetary units in the Chinese currency R ffi (r6nminbi): 77'(yen) I
ftGuaD, fr $6o)l{ (m6o) anO (en). j}
The difflerence between zc (vuin) and 4
Guni), and
berween fr (ino) and €
(m6o) is that (yu6n) and fr (iao) are formal and written expressions,
fr
whereas 4GueD and (m6o) are spoken and everyday forms. One 17' (pen\l
€ (kuiD 4
consists of l0 fr {1id,o)/ 4, (m6o) and one fr (liao)/ (m6o) consists of lO /z} (Gn) in turn.
{,
Comparison should be made with the U.S. monetary system where there are only two formal
units: dollar and cents. We may say 99 cents in Englistr, but we can never say 99 A (En) in
Chinese simply because there is an additional unit for l0 cents in Chinese. The conect form of99
c€nts in Chinese is 9 € (m6o) 9 tl (En)

8. {f 0ian) and 4 (ti6o)

It was mentioned in Lesson 4 that {t Cian) and A (tieo) are classifiers for clothing. The
interesting difference between them is that (inn) is {f
used for clothing that we wear on the upper
part of our body such as shirt, bltntse, cmt and jacket and fr
(ti6o) is used for clothing that we
weaf on the lower part of our body such as par?rs, shorts, skirt, and undenvear. Besides clothing,
*$iaqisalsousedforthingsthatarenarrowandlongsuchasriver, belt,scarf,tie,street,
banner andfish.

e.+-f JL(d€ngyixier)
- T L (yixie.) in $ - f L (aengvi xiir) indicates that the action expressed by the
J
verb is informal. brief or tentative. For example:
.J

{fi*-TJL. Come over for a minute

Ni hi fixinr.

+t €- T.,1. Let me take a look.

W6 kdn yi xinr.

lF S -TJL. Please have a seat.

zud yi xiAr.
Qing

The same idea can be expressed by the following two alternative pattems: l) duplication
of the verb, and 2) duplication of the verb while inserting (yi) in between. Compare:
-
fr. E
W6 kan yixinr.
-T )1. Let me take a look.

80
 Begtnner's Chinese

fi eE
'r.'< Et €, Let me take a look
W6 kinkan.

fr. E-8" Let me take a look

W6 kdn yi kin

Motion verbs such as * (ai) and * (qn) usually can only use the form with
- T JL
$ixier).

10. iI flV.*
{+ f /}'ffi,(
e jtdnyitu duoshao qiin)?
This sentence illustrates the standard form ofasking price, where the item ofinterest
(clothing or anything else) is placed first followed bV * *
D (duoshao qi6n). If the item of
interest is not defined by a demonstrative pronoun such as fi
(zhe) or flF (na), a number with a
classifier can be attached at the end ofthe question to indicate the unit. For example:

w+ 4,)- *, -x\? How much is a pair of shoes?

X€zi duoshao qi5n yi shunng?

v\nqF4',,. W. -ffi2 How much is a cup ofcoffee?

KdfEi dudshao qiSn yi bei?

fiFH &,'- W, -EK? How much is a stamp?

Y5upiio duoshao qi6n yi zhang?

I l. lt F
J(tai gui le)
Particle 7 (le) is often used in conjunction with i\ (tai) after an adjective to soften the
tone ifthe adjeaive conveys a negative meaning such as fr (gui). In addition, loo, which is the
seeming equivalent of t (teD in Chinese, uzually carries a negative tone, meaning excessively
such as /oo goad (o be true) and too fast (to be vfe), whereas t (tei) in Chinese is not always
so. See for example:

x +tT. It's great.

Tii hdo le.

fr tE)< 7. I'm elated.

W6 tni gaoxing le.

n. Ffi int i& 6!

4E fr
(tingshuo Shenghni de dongxi hEn gui)
ii, ^E
(tingshuo) is equivalent to I heard, I learned, it is said or they
E[ wy in English. If the
subject is the first person pronoun fr (w6), it is often left out:

win ft,*ix, trI. I heard that he can speak Chinese.

fingshuo td hui shuo Zhongw6n.
 Lesson Seven

Wifr, l[,8 tXt\ 'ff. IheardthathelivesinNewYork.

fingshuo td zii Nii Yu€ zhi.

W rn 6 i:6 ffi 6 E 1E They say things in Hong Kong are very

T-rngshuo Xang Ging de dongxi h6n cheap.
,I-F
H.
piriny.

B. * E lt L E fuio kin sh6nme diin)

"F€Oaokan)..."isusedinthesenseof itdependson...Thesubjectisusuallyabsent.
See for example:

n: tr * 6 * t E2
{fi EE Are you going to the park tomorrow?
Ni mingtinn q[ bu qt gongyu6n?
B,*EXa"ELtr. Itdependsontheweather
Yio kin tiinqi zEnmeydng.

A, i6 S 1^ 4 E *^ E E mz Do vou lke to watch rv?

Ni xihuan bu xihuan knn diinshi?
B: 4 E ft lt 2 #,il,. It depends on what is on TV.
Yio kin shi sh€nme diinshi.

14 E + +& E /z# (zle jien m6oyi z€nmeying)?

"Somahing E 2# (zEnmeydng)" is a very useful expression used to solicit opinions or
suggestions, meaning "How is ...?" or "What do you think of ...?" It is always placed at the end of
a s€ntence such as:

{ F! + ;[ + tlfr E /z'"tr2 How is your Chinese teacher?

Nide Zhongw6n lioshi zdnmeying?

BF X
#J H, E W 2#2 How was the movie yesterday?
Zu6ti?n de diAnying zEnmeying?

fiill * FEI fi, EA#? Lrt'sgotoChinatow4shallwe?

W6men qi Zhonggu6ch6ng, zEnmeying?

. . . E 4 ffi (zEnmeynng) is very often used interchangeably with the expression fr 6 fr

Gno bu hno).

82
 Beginner's Chinese

EXERCISES

I. Answer the following questions:

r {fif!trI fr *,}' ffi2

Nide Zhongw6n
duoshao qiin? shu
2.ltrE +E W, 14?
Ni y6u Zhonggu6 qi6n ma?
3.lFfn€ *78 HC & 4,)' Rffi rg?
-yi MEiyu6n
Ni zhidao n6ng huin du6shao R6nminbi ma?
4.E*El flc H HruW?
Zni MEigu6 ndng ydng Riyuin ma?
5*Et/. H t+a Hi?
Yinggu6r6n ydng sh6nme qi6n?
6. lH A ilt (SanFrancisco) ff fi tr
F 6 fi?
Jinjinshen de ddngxi gui bu gui?
'7.tfl,t\
wf tr.fr^iJ &.)t2
Nii Yue ni ge bdihudgdngsi zui di?
B. l8+ X*T *tr tr d? ltr* * ft At
Ni jintian qi bu qi ^
biihudgongsi? Ni qi mii sh6nme?
e t8, -w.&w JLx &[R?
Ni yiban zei nnr mni yrfu?
r0{6{llflF)L6 eA +t firE?
Nimen nir y6u m6iy6u Ztrngwiln shUdinn?

II. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words:

I il- +&.*''' W2
Zhe m5oyi duoshao qiSn?
2 Isr1- a it
_Ay6u + ^w
Nimen _ bu sh6u Riyu6n?
t. E ffi.'r12
_ MEigu6 ylnh6ng?
4E +r5 H!fitrTF,{n
Zhd ge diin de dongxi bfr gui, h€n
s.l6F- &_ *.nt
Ni yio huin _ MEiyurnn?

Itr. How do you say the following sums in Chinese using the three monetary units:

+10 +1.20 +5.& +7.08 +33.94

+5E0 +99.99 +6.832.81 lF,10.60 +2,080.01
 Lesson Seven

IV. Translate the following into Chinese:

1. Please come (here) for a minute.

2. How much is this dictionary?
3. Sorry. We only accept U.S. dollars. We don't accept Renminbi.
4 Could you tell me where I can find a shoe store?
5. Some stores accept credit cards and others don't.
6. Which department store is the largest in Beijing?
7. It depends on the price
8. You can't change money in the stores.
9 Can I try on this pair of shoes for a minute?
10 I heard that things in Chinatown are very cheap.

V. Translate the following into English:

r#,WH +n, +kRA H)r,.

W5 m€i y6u M€iyu5n, wd zhi ydu Riyu6n.
z.WX -+)L ffi, & /\t{ ;\Rffi'
Zu6tian yi MEiyu6n huin ba kuii R6nminbi.
n6ng
3 rF +fliE F!#ffi fi &4"
Ni ge shudiin de Yingyl shu zui duo.
4'48 4^EBk*Lw *fitr.
HEn duo r6n xihuan qn Shenghni mii d6ngxi.
5+El frtffiE *1p4FE tu14 '.
M6igu6 de shangdiin mdi duo Zhonggu6 de dongxi.
hEn
6)t * l#+tK 7.H t*.H E -,fiJLH!?
Zhd ti6o l<uzi tei ching le, y6u m6iydu dunn yidinnr de?
7 f,rfr\Xe4 D ffi?
Nide ddyr duoshao qi6n?
8.ffiix, E-+Rtr {F fi.
Tingshuo RibEn d6ngxi hEn gui.
effi, ZKffi, *+Et 4 A fr,d tFH ffi*
N€ng bu n6ng qi Zhonggu6 yio kin w6 y6u m6iydu qi6n.
r0 ,l-F
H tutr 4- re.W"
^tr
Piinyide dongxi bn yiding hdo

CULTURAL INSIGHTS

The debate about the causal relationship between language and thought has been of
perennial interest among linguists, anthropologists, psychologists and philosophers. No consensus
has been reached due to the circular nature ofevidencing. Thought is not empirically observable
except though language and the effect of language is manifested again in language. However the

84
 Beginner's Chinese

correlation between aspects oflanguage and thought is indisputable. The absence ofa linguistic
mechanism is often accompanied by an absence ofa conceptual scheme. Comparison between
English and Chinese in terms of the way in which questions about ordinal numbers are formed
illustrate a good case in point.

Unlike English where ordinal numbers can be morphologically very different from cardinal
numbers, ordinal numbers in Chinese bear close formal resemblance to cardinal numbers in a
consistent way. They are formed by prefixing the word di before the cardinal numbers such as di
yi (first), di er (second), di son (ttnrd\, etc. Di serves a function similar to -fi at the end of
cardinal numbers in English. However, the similarity quickly ends when we ask quesions about
ordinal numbers in Chinese and English.

It is extremely difficult in English to form a question that elicits an unambiguous answer in

the form of an ordinal number. Try to formulate a natural question to the following sentence that
elicit the answer "the 40th":

Ronald Reagan was the 40th President ofthe United States.

Native speakers of English would find the task impossible to accomplish other than to express it
in a two-step process stch as George Washington was the first President of the IJnited States,
whot about Reagan? Some of the attempts resulted in awkward questions llke llhich Presidcnt
was Reagan? (the answer is not necessarily the 40th, it could very well be he was the one with an
actor's background).

Questions about ordinal numbers, however, do not present any problem in Chinese. To
ask a question about an ordinal number in Chinese, all you need to do is to use/i, the question
ji
word about numbers, after the ordinal number indicator di $rch as di ji ge ren and, di ben shu
(No translation is attempted since it is impossible to translate).

What should interest us is not why it is difficult in English to ask questions about ordinal
numbers, but rather why it is that it never bothers English speakers to ask such questions. Does it
mean that order and sequence are important to the Chinese, but not to the speakers ofEnglish? It
is true that order and sequence in the form ofseniority, seating arrangement and so on are of
consequence to the Chinese who are a number-conscious people, but no one would accept the
claim that they are not important to speakas ofEnglish. The reason that English speakers never
agonize about how to ask such questions is simply that it never occurs to them to ask such
questions. Language is the tool through which thinking is conducted. A linguistic gap necessarily
creates a conceptual gap. To explore gaps such as this in linguistic mechanism in relation to
conceptual schemes in various language would be a worthwhile pursuit.

Language is often thought ofas being a mirror that reflects the external reality. Nothing; in
fact, could be further from the truth. Language is a mirroq but it is a "fun house" minor distorting
our perception ofthe external reality. The external reality is cut up and classified differently in
different languages. The classic example is the color system. While some languages have up to 20

85
 Lesson Seven

terms for primary colors, others have only two. Units of numbe .s in Chinese, as compared with
those in English provide another examplg where thry often do not corr€$pond to each other:

The above number is read in Chines,e as nm qiot liang bai yi shi jiu yi ba qian qi bai liu shi wu
wan si qian sn bai er shi yi.

86
 [ESSOhl

I
tooD a tAflNlc
SENTENCE PATTERNS

E B frX 75ffi. The Moon Palace seems very good.

Yut Gong htroxiing bf cud.

E H ffiI+A*dtr2 What are the specialty dishes at the Moon

Yul y6uming?
G6ng de sh6nme cAi Palace?

{6i[ g xw6.fr4 ffix? Do you want rice or noodle?

Nimen yio mifin h6ishi yio miintiio?

ft fl6s. I want neither.

W6 d6u bft yio.

IAW il. IIH €Hq? Have you ever had Beijing Duck?
Ni chi guo BEijing kioya ma?

VsH W.E ES ff,S n4E? Have you ever had Qingdao beer?
Ni y6u m6iy6u hc guo qr-ngdAo ptji[?

CONVERSATIONS

n: {fi {fl ffi,6 W,? Are you hungry?

Nlmen i bu l?
87
 Lesson Eighl

B: fi € ,F. Jt tfi. I'm a little hungry.

W6 ydudidnr d.
C #,4V ffi* I'm very hungry
W6 hEn €.
A:fr{ll *6 trE *.F-{a#2 Shall we go and have Chinese food?
W6men qri chi Zhonggu6 cii, zEnmeydng?
g: * Great idea. Where shall we go?
Ddngrin hio. W6men qr) ndr chi?
I* Elfi, *t
tr Let's go to Chinatown, shall we?
hio bu
Qn Zhonggu6ch6ng, hio?
^.w2
B:fT. ltr ffiE- tr El fi WX Do you know which restaurant in Chinatown
Hdo. Ni zhidao Zhonggu6ch6ng ndjia is good?
Effi frW2
cinguin htro ma?
A: F H fT^ 6.ffi. The Moon Palace seems very good.
Yui Gong hioxiing bir cud.
B:E H frl|lrA *HE2 What are the specialty dishes at the Moon
Yud Gong de sh€nme cii y6uming? Palace?
A:E g' tu1reryqrffiWfi+ E E" The roast duck and seafood there are
Yud Gong de kdoy6 h6 hiixien yduming. famous.

A: ILfii-2 How many people?

Ji wdi?
B: = 'b.. Three.
Snn wdi.
rH i3JLS. it E*4. Please sit here. This is the menu.
Qing zhdr zud. Zhi: shi cdiddn.
e: Uf lff. Thank you.
Xdxie.

t{fi{il F.lf /z X? What dish do you want to order?

Nimen yio sh6nme cii?
B:fi fll W -+W #'th, * + We want a sweet and sour sovp, amuru
W6men yio I ge suen le tang, yi ge (mushu) pork, a roast duck and a vegetable.
*tfr n. -+re Fgfi-+#*"
mixf rdu, yi ge kdoyi h€ yi ge sncni.
r{6{il q E,F. )LltAt What would you like to drink?
Nimen yio h€ diinr sh6nme?
s: {ll H lt At
'fh What do you have?
Nimen y6u sh6nme?
A:fr{ll H AW.4-W ffiv$'M. We have liquor, wine, and beer.
W6men y6u baijin, h6ngiin he pijin.
8:{6{ll €-e€'F,ft r4m? Do you have Qingdao beer?
Niman y6u m6iy6u Q{ngdno pijin?

88
 Beginner's Chinese

A:H, 4 JLffi.2 Yes, how many bottles?

Y6u, ynoji ping?
B:ttill 4 fi ffi" We want five bottles.
W6men yio wt ping.
a: {fi{ll * *ffi. trEq F*? Doyouwantriceornoodles?
Nimen yio mifhn h6ishi yio miintiSo?
B:I\ 4 *tfr* I want rice.
W6 ydo mifdn.
c:t\ 4 ffi*. I want noodles.
W6 yno miinti6o.
ft A$ T'9." trC TAE h#, ffi E2
D: Iwantneither.Canyougivemebread?
W6 dou bfr yio. N6ng bu n6ng gEi w6 miinbno?
A*fR ED). Ofcourse.
Dangr6n k6yi.

A:i|Fffa ;f.trC, rEE? Can you drink?

Ni n6ng bu n6ng he jin?
B:48 I+ A W" It depends on what drink.
Yiokdn sh6nme jir1.
A:18ff8 PAftL rui? What can you drink?
Ni n6ng he sh6nme jin?
B: ft fiE sE r4'8. I can drink beer.
Wd n6ng hc pijin.
t: lEffE rB *,t @rui? How much beer can you drink?
Ni n6ng he duoshao pdiri?
B:ft trE 44ffi Ifi. I can drink two bottles.
W6 n6ng he litrng ping.

il ltH ftWW?
A:18'v"z Have you had Beijing Duck before?
Ni chi guo BEijing kdoyi ma?
B: & €" )t ftffi No, this is the first time.
-tR"
M6iy6u. ZhE shi di yi ci.
A:DF€ 82tr? How does it taste?
Wdidno z€nmeying?
B:ffi€ fT &T" It is simply great.
W€idno hio iile.
A'. l H lX.E W d F 'S 4 E? Have you had Qingdao Beer before?
Ni y6u m6iy6u hC guo QingdSo piji[?
B: E it. Yes.
H€ guo.
A:UIfrE E Ltr? What do you think of it?
Ni
ju6de z6nmeying?
B:F,fr p.fE{R fr sB. Qingdao Beer tastes very good.
Qingdno pijin hEn hdo he.

89
 Lesson Eight

A:{6FExiE+El ffil+L *? What Chinese dish do you like to eat the

Ni zui xihuan chi Zhonggu6 de sh6nme cii? most?
I like to eat the Sichuan (Sezchuan) dish the
W6 zui xihuan chi Sichu6n cii. most.
A:WilX, Eq.,rl *IP *" I heard that the Sichuan (Sezchuan) dish is
fingshuo Sichu6n cii hEn li. very spiry.
B:x'J, 'fE ftl1.*T W,. Right, but it is delicious.
Dui, dinshi h€n hio chi.

A:fi{lltut *EA#2 How is our food?

W6mende cli z€nmeying?
B:{F fT W. Delicious.
HEn hio chi.
A: ill ffi" iI E $K +. Thank you. Here is the check.
Xdxie. Zhd shi zhingd6n.
B: lf 4')-
-Ytgdng W1 How much altogether?
duoshao qi6n?
A:-Jt :16.4" 25 dollars altogether.
Yigdng drshiwl kuni.
B:E E:+n4. ts 84.fr. This is 25 dollars. This is the tip.
Zhd shi irshiwl kuai. Zhe shi xi6ofEi.
riffifr. fiil E*. Thank you. Come again.
Xidxie. Huanyi ng zAi l6i.
B: -8.
Yiding.
Absolutely.

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Nouns
xffi. mifin cooked rice
ME miinbdo bread
* cai dishes
rew kdoyn roast duck
t&w hnixian seafood
*+
,h
caiden
tang
menu
soup
*rn mixu muxu (mushu)
F* sicii vegetable dish
Etr b6ijin liquor
tLw h6ngiin wine
qE pijin beer

90
 Beginner's Chinese

fa ping bottle
FI rdu meat
0K+ zhdngdnn check, bill
4'fr xiiofEi tip
Itf rtr wdidAo taste
JE ci time (occurance)

Verbs
tr*
B6
hioxiing seem
he drink
llt zud sit
b/\
c6i glve
huinying welcome
^fl.
Adjectives
HE yduming famous
w. suin sour
x IA spicy
xf dui right, correct

Adverbs
&T jile extremely
lts yrding certainly, definitely

Classifiers
& wel
x Jla

Particles
8uo

Expressions
a,{ _,1 y6udidnr a little

SUPPLEMENTARY WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Nouns
+fr niirdu beef
ffiN zhirou pork
+Ft yingrdu lamb
xg Jr chicken

91
 Lesson Eight

EL yu fish
EW diinying movie
* ch6 tea
4E jidnn egg
+w niirnii milk
Ht :l jinozi dumpling
@,+ baon steamed stuffed bun
7K#- shuigu6 fruit
ffi win bowl
ft+ pAtvt plate
&+ kueizi chopsticks
knife
)J dio
X chd fork
€ rlr cinjin napkin
H t5ng sugar
*h y6n salt

FE Yud Gong Moon Palace

€& Qingdio Qingdao

Verbs
'tD chio fry
rF zhe deep fry
lfrW. zudhn cook
ffi.. w.tn qing... chifln invite sb. to dinner

Adjectives
YT h6ng red
,& ri green
rd( xi6n salty
f;H ti6n sweet

LANGUAGE POINTS

r.xQi^)
X
Cia),as a classifier, is used with such words as hospital, bank, company,
factory, movie
theater. store and restaurant. What is common among these words is that they are all home-like
(the original meaning of Xjia) buildings and structures.

92
 Beginner's Chinese

2. IL li. (i wei)?
IL &
(ii w0i) is an abbreviated form for {6 ill E IL lnF A (nimen shi ji wdi kdr6n). {i
(wdi) is a polite classifier for people, usually used for words like guest, teacher, castomer,
frierd,
gentleman, nd lady.In informal and familiar speech, f
(gi) is used instead.

3. {fi {ll 4q ,fi )L It 2

(nimen yio h€ didff sh6nme)?
,€ -JL (AUnr) is short for
-,f; .JL (yidinnr). When the number is one, we often leave it
out. For example:

+t € +tEtr. I have a question.

W6 y6u ge wdnti.

tuFX {+)<e. She wants to buy a coat

Te ydo mni jinn dnyi

+t €-,fi JLffi. I'm a little hungry.

W6 y6udiinr d.

4. $i ltl9- *
tE tr 4 ft
E ffi (nimen ydo mifrn hdishi yno miantido)?
This is an altemative question involving a choice. The question is indicated bV 6E
(h6ishi), which is placed between the two choices. Please note that j5 E (haishi) used in the
sense ofor is an interrogative expression. As suc[ it can only be used in questions. In other
words, IE (h6ishi) can never be used in affirmative sentences in the sense of or. The Chinese
word for or in affirmative sentences ltke he is coming either tday or tomornm is (huo) or4 4
# (hud zhE).

There are three possible answers to an altemative question: l) making one choice, 2)
accepting both choices, and 3) rejecting both choices. See the following illustrations:

ltr**'eqfi,W trE*Et EW?

Ni xihuan Fdgu6 diinying h6ishi MEigu6 dinnying?
Do you like French movies or American movies?

+t git +Et E* r fr, EthF^E Hw"

W6 xihuan MEigu6 didnying. W6 xihuan Fngu6 dinnying.
I like American movies. / I like French movies.

fr fl sn. I like both.

W6 ddu xihuan.

fr, ffi ZK81h. I like neither

W6 dou bi xihuan,

93
 Lesson Eight

In the second and third answers, {F (aou) is used to indicate inclusiveness, positive or
negative. This is different from EnglislL where both is used in affirmative responses whereas
neither is used in negative responses.

s llf hil jt H W WPq (ni chi guo BEijing ksoye ma)?

The grammatical particle ri
(guo) is used after a verb to indicate an action that took place
at an unspecified tirne in the past. The emphasis is on the experience rather than the result or
completion ofthe action. It can often be translated into the perfect tense (such as,f have done '..
before, he l1d's been to ...before, and they h,ave seen ...before). See the following examples:

*,66*dltH" My father has been to Beijing.

W6 beba qn guo BEijing.

{uE u *E *. He has had French food.

Tn chi guo Figu6 cdi.

fu{il + d +I" They have studied Chinese.

Timen xu6 gtto Zhongw€n.

The negative of the sentence is indicated by W.H (m6iy6u), where € (y6u) is sometimes
left out, instead of 6 On), e.g.

fr. E E,W.H .*.U lL ri" My father has never been to Beijing

Wd bnba m6iy6u qi guo B6ijing.

fbtkF, pzil *El *. He has never had French food.

Ti m6iy6u ctri guo Figu6 cni.

{ufi ea. + il +x. They have never studied Chinese.

Timen m6iy6u xu6 guo Zh6ngw6n.

Like sentences with a present or fufure reference, there are two yevno forms for sentences
pB (ma) at the end ofthe sentence or using
using [| (guo) to indicate past experience: attaching
6'W.H (y6u m6iy6u) before the verb. See for example:

ltr@@,*il Jttr n4? lti€€,E WE *dJttr?

Ni beba qn guo BEij-rng ma? Ni baba y6u m€iy6u qn guo B€ijing?
Has your father been to Beijing?

fu Fad E El * 14? +b,H IX,H vz fr- fA El *?

Ti chi guo Figu6 cii ma? Ti y6u m6iy6u chi guo Fngu6 cni?
Has he ever had Frenchfod?

94
 Beginner's Chinese

{ti[ + ji trt pq? tb,filF' tF.H +;t f I?

Timen xu6 guo Zh6ngw€n ma? Timen y6u m6iy6u xu6 guo Zhongw6n?
Have they ever studied Chinese2

To give a yes answer to the above questions, simply take the verb together with it (guo)
To give a no answer, use & € (m6iy6u) before the verb and it (guo). The following are yeyno
answers to the above questions:

* l!7'e€- *,V
qn guo/m6iy6u qi guo

w $.ttkE $ fi.
chi guo/m6iy6u chi guo

+ )!./t96 + [
xu€ guoim6iy6u xu6 guo

6.18 fr rZ (hEn hnochi)

ff (hdo) is often used with a verb to form an adjective, meanng god to... For example:
*T sA good to drink
hio h€
WW good to listen (used to describe music, song, voice, etc.)
hdo ting
*tE pretty, interesting (used to describe people, books, movies, etc.)
hio kdn
*T fr. furq interesting (used to describe places, toys, etc.)
hlo w6n

EXERCISES

Answer the following questions:

{6Sfr16+Ft *trEE+*?
r
Ni xihuan chi Zh6nggu6 cai h6ishi Rib€n
cni?
2 l 'sad F& 4B{14?
Ni he guo Qingdio pdin ma?
3 lts$W ry2 tE Eth Wft A frt
Ni r6u ma? Ni xihuan chi sh6nme rdu?
chr-
4.lF*d +Et nq?
Ni qi guo Zhonggu6 ma?
 Lesson Eight

s l8+4 *l& *? lls *l& lt L *?

Ni hui bu hui zud cni? Ni hui zud sh6nme cii?
6 tFxfr t& w.2
Ni jia shui zud fln?
7.qtn €t, 4'frc WW? $s trt sB l+ L
W? ltrfrt' rB+ D2
Ni n6ng bu n6ng he jin? M n6ng h€ sh6nme jirl? Ni n6ng h€ du6shao?
8.ea t\ trttz &HE?
Nii Yue de sh6nme zui y6uming?
e+ Fl #, fr sa 6fr nw l6Flh 4X 6.ft 'L&X2
hSishi lich6?
Zhonggu6 ch5 hdo h€ bu hio h€? Ni xihuan h6ngchS
ro.tFE +&. TtF frft&ta
zii
rtF;
gongsi gdngzud?
Ni zdi xuExiio gongzud h6ishi

II. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words:

r {fiE +E,,\ + El/\?

Ni shi Zhdnggu6r6n M6igu6r6n?
2 lr€.lk _ E lt ix El *?
Ni xihuan xihuan Fdgu6 cii?
3 fu&6 *_iEE.
Ta m6iy6u qn _ - Yinggu6.
4 H+EE 4p *t_"
Ribin yinyud
- hEn hrio
5ft {4tr6_lr,Hrevg"
W6 mdma chi B€ijing kIoYa
6tF_tp.H E itE+ {?
Ni _ m6iy6u kdn guo zhi bEn shu?
7 +E{ &tE2
_ y6u Zhonggu6 cdnguin?
-
8.-+ ffi2
Yigdng _ qi6n?
9fi-
-€- €H ffi*4FHtr"
Zhe _cingudn de cAi h€n Yduming.
ro.E E+\ffi- 06€,ft p4E"
Zhd shi w6 di dr h€ Qingdeo pijin

First change the following sentences into yeVno questions and then change them into negative
sentences:

r#,E jji€Fl Ew.

W6 kin guo Y-rnggu6 didnying.
2 FEtulZW+ d ffiiF"
Tide lioshi guo D€yu.
xu6'
3tE*il6i6.
Td qi guo Xang Ging.
96
 Beginner's Chinese

4 +t Ft F El nEF- *fi. +\ x"

WSde Zhonggu6 p6ngyou l6i guo w6 jia.
5.{&irl E f, EEI +"
Timen chl guo Figu6 cni.
6 frtuwry d E +E *.
flEE sf
Tdde n6n p6ngyou ting guo Rib6n yinyu€.
7*,6€AtrE ffiTs ItF 11.
Wd baba zii Zhonggu6 yrnhnng gongzud guo.
srtutsJEa+E & iJ#.,"
Td mima zdiZhonggu6 hudn guo qi6n.
e.E +[FEflF+ffiIE *]368"
W6ng Lioshi zii ni ge shdngdiin mdi guo dongxi
ro *, ffi*E,Xti{|t {t d.
Wd didi zdi Jiizhou zht guo.

fV. Translate the following into Chinese:

1. I'm not too hungry.

2. Pekirg Duck is very famous.
3. Is the men's room on the second floor or third floor?
4. Do you want coffee or tea?
5. This restaurant's dishes are delicious.
6. Have you been to the Chinatown in New York?
7. You look very tired
8. This was my first time eating Japanese food. I found the taste was very good.
9. Restaurants in China don't accept tips.
10. What do you think if we go to see a movie?

V. Translate the following into English.

r.ltr@68 )<+ LtF trE&++ IIF2

Ni bnba zdi daxu6 gongzud h6ishi zii zhongxu6 gongzud?
2 t&x Tfr sa,#, Efi trx.
Lich6 bn hio hc, w6 xihuan h6ngch6.
3ltlkn\n E+El,,\ trE+ElA?
Nide nri p6ngyou shi Zhonggu6r6n h6ishi MEigu6r6n?
4 ft, ,.+ wH E ]j +Et HW.
W6 xiansheng m6iy6u kin guo Zhonggu6 diinying.
5rfi wtta *HEz
Guingzhou de sh6nme cdi y6uming?
6+\ tLtL^ffi, tr F E. 69 sE -,{ )LtrW.
ji€jie br) n6ng hc beiji[, n6ng he yidiinr h6ngjiri.
W6
7.*tfr.ffiffi+^ #,4F T4.+k4 ffi€.,"
Mihn h6 midntiio w6 dou bir yio, w6 yio mianbao.
 Lesson Eight

t ffi tF, jiaxa w w.

8 tb,x.ft a +F,
Ta jia ta teitai
fln, fln.
e f,n+X W j: &X Wtn tr-F-& trtE V,
w6
zud wd zud
tfr.2
Nijintinn wdnshang zdijia chi lln h6ishi zii cdngudn chi fen?
ro.+El 6Fj RE W,Ttz*, *Fl',\ HEt RW#-, 6fz W"
Zhonggu6r6n y6ushi zhi chi fln, bi chi cii, M€igu6r6n y6ushi zhi chi cii, bi chi fan.

VI. Write five things that you have done before.

CULTURAL INSICHTS

Few people in the world have never had some culinary experience with Chinese food. To
many people, the very term China or Chinese conjures up images ofsavory cuisine. It is
indisputable that the Chinese people attach great importance to the preparation oftheir food,
which can reach incredible levels of sophistication, elaboration and variety. Dishes not only have
to taste good, but also have to be aesthetically appealing. Ifyou are invited by your friends in
China to a meal, you can expect to see a lavish spread of food, which is the best way in Chinese
culture to show hospitality to friends, particularly those coming from afar.

Meals are calledfan in Chinese. A typical Chinese meal consists of two parts:/ar? and cai.
Fan is grain or starch-based staple, which includes rice, noodle, steamed bread, steamed buns,
dumplings and so on. It comes in a bowl, which is served individually. Cai refers to dishes, which
consists oftwo types-sucai and huncai. Sucai are vegetable dishes and huncai are dishes with
meat or fish. Dishes are usually served on a plate, which is shared. Of particular mention are the
terms for the meat of various animals. In English, the term for the meat served on the table is
often different from that used for the animal in the pen or the stable, a result ofthe Norman
Conquest. In Chinese however, the terms for the meat of various animals are simply the
combination of the word for the animal plus the word rou (meat) such as zhu rou (pig meat, thus
pork\, niu rou (cow meat, thus beef) and yang roa (sheep meat, thus lamb). They may not sound
as elegant as those Norman-French terms, but they are logical and easy to remember.

You may have already noticed that the staple food and the meal, of which the staple food
is a part, are both calledfan. This is for a good reason. There is a rhetorical device in language
called Wecdocie whereby the part can be used to refer to the whole such as roo/for the house
and waves for the ocean . Fan is a good case in point . Traditionally and to a large extent still true
today, fan is held more important than cai to the Chinese, providing about 75 percent of caloric
intake for the population. For this reason,fmt is often called zlra sil (main food) in Chinese. Fan
is considered so important chiefly for an economic reason. It is easier to a.ffordlrr than cai.lnthe
West,fan only serves as side food and may be dispensed with altogether, whereas in China
sometimes people only eatlrn without cai. SnceJan was taken so seriously, it came to be used
to refer to the whole meal that includes cai as well. Let's uselfan the meal andfan the stryle to
distinguish them. This explains why the Chinese do not think you have eaten even if you are full,
 Beginner's Chinese

eating a lot ofdishes, but no rice or bread, because you have not eatenfan, a play upon words
that can be interpreted asfan the staple.

Iang (soup) is part ofcal, which can be ofmany varieties. Different from the practice in
the West, /azg is served either with the meal or at the end of the meal, but never before the meal.
On formal occasions, people do drink. The word used by the Chinese for drink is a generic one-
jiu, which simply means alcoholic beverage, covering liquor, wine, and beer. At the meal, chinese
people like to urge their guests to drink more on the beliefthat ifthey do not let their guests drink
to their hearts'content, they are mistreating them. Mistreatment of guests is definitely a sin. For
this reasorL the hosts will go out of their way to make their guests drink more by finding all sorts
ofjustifications. It is customary in China for a guest to.tell the host that he can only drink 30
percent when he can actually drink I 00 percent just to leave enough room to maneuver with the
host. Failing to do so, you may become the object of repeated toasts in a shower of hospitality.

Tea is an everyday drink for which there is a national taste. This native product is served
on all occasions. Visitors to someone's house will be served tea without asking. Chinese teas fall
into the following general types: green tea, black tea (which is actually called red tea in China),
jasmine tea, and wulong te4 each of which can be further divided. The classification is often based
on the manner in which a particular kind of tea is produced. Green tea is unfermented, black tea is
fermented, wulong tea is semi-fermented, and jasmine tea is made from a combination of black
tea, green tea, wulong tea and some fragrant flowers- Although the taste for tea varies from
individual to individual, generally people in southern China prefer green tea, whereas those in
northern China prefer jasmine tea. Wulong tea is the favorite in areas of Guangdong and Fujian.
This geographical preference may have to do with the climatic conditions. Green tea is popular in
the warm south because it is soothing and jasmine tea is favored in the cold north because it adds
heat to the body temperature.

99
 !.E5SOhl

.f
RAVEI

SENTENCE PATTERNS

ltstrX. E2*tffi? How do you go to work every day?

Ni mEitiin zdnme qi shingbdn?

fr, trX. 4. fr'#.* t:rfr. I go to work by subway every day.

W6 mEitien zu6 diti€ qi shingbin.

,1. H H E6 4A !U #.fil How long does it take to go from Nanjing

C6ng N6njing Ln zud ditiE dio '<+nfr
hudchezhin Road to the train station by subway?
E *,' Ff t4?
yio duoshao shijian?

,{fiil] *+Hun ff +L2 Why are you going to Washington?

Nimen qi Hudshdngdin zud sh6nme?

+t ill *tt. We are going there for pleasure.

W6men qi wfn.

|SXH+ &. )E 6)ti? Is your home far from the school?

Ni jie li xu6xiio yuin bu yuin?

+t €Bf wa'fi+ * t.+, Sometimes I go to school by bike, sometimes

W6 y6ushi qi zixingche qi shdng xu6, I go there on foot.
€Bf
y6ushi zdr.r qi shing xu6.
 Beginner's Chinese

I/r++ ieWF)L,V Efi6it? Where are you going to spend your

Nijinni5n zii ndr gud Shdngdnnji€? Christmas this year?

+t H 4-KilL*. I'd like to go by plane.

W6 xiing zud Giji qn.

Vs *l& {t6lt. lt
WF )L2 Where are you going to stay in Los Angeles?
Ni qn Ludshanji zht ndr?

ffi.tE fT ZF.ft +\2 Is it easy to find a hotel?

Ligunn hdo bu hdo zhdo?

ltr- fr- * *fr,fr*

Ni yiding yio qi w6nwan.
You must go there for a visit.

{6*rU +EIL1R2 How many times have you been to China?

Ni qi guo Zhonggu6ji ci?

if * + EI i! l+ 2 f,)f ? where in china have you been to?

Ni qri guo Zhdnggu6 de sh€nme difang?

CONVERSATIONS

A:
Ni zii nir g6ngzud?
s:ft & tr FI ffi.fi J-tF" IworkattheBankofChina.
W6 zdi Zhonggu6 yinhSng gongzud.
e: {fi E X E 2 * Lrfr? How do you get to work every day?
Ni mEitian zEnme qri shing ban?
B: {t 6 t *. ye,#. * t W" I get to work by subway every day.
W6 mEitidn zud diti€ qri shingbnn.
A: {fi t lt € X &, 4- fu *. * Does you wife also get to work by subway
Ni taitai mditian yE zud diti6 qn every day?
t Tfrry?
shingbin ma?
B: tE 6 *. fu,#., tU 4. it +. She does not take the subway. She takes the
Ta bir zud ditiE, ti zud qich€. bus.

A:t' i& E fuffi.W? Are there subways in Shanghai?

Shnnghni y6u ditiE ma?
B:H. Yes.
Y6u.
l0l
 Lesson Nine

A: z!I. ffi H FF *. fu ffi.1J ,< + -vfi How long does it take to go from Nanjing
C6ng N6njing Ln zud diti6 dno hu6chezhin Road to the train station by subway?
g 4D s-ffsl?
yio dudshao shijian?
B: Jt 8[ T-h W. About five minutes.
Dngni w[ fEnzhong.
A: t.E fuffi2
E ILW Howmanysubwaylinesaretherein
Shinehfiy6ujilnditi6? Shanghai?
B: -L E R A - W fr,ffi. There is only one subway line in Shanghai.
Shenghdi zhi y6u yi ln ditiE.

t jt f H X l * WF )L? Where are you going to go this weekend?

Zhdgezhoumdni qnnnr?
B:fi f[ft trt*+*tl. MywifeandlaregoingtoWashington.
W6 h6 w6 teitai qi Hu6shdngdnn.
r 6 {ll * + ffiffi tF 4t 22 Why are you going there?
Nimen qi Hu6shlngdin zud sh6nme?
s: fi ill * fr, We are going there for pleasure.
W6men qi win.
t 'f6 iil
EA *2 How are you going to go?
Nimen zEnme qi?
B: fi {ll fr + *. We are driving there.
W6men kai che qn.
A: />\. tt ttJ )T + f\ + ffiffi How long does it take to drive fromNew
C6ng Nin Yue kdi ch€ dio Hu6sh€ngdin York to Washington?
F JLf 4. F.Jr
ynoji ge xiioshl?
B' t ffi F E t 4. E'J. It takes about four hours-
DngAi yno si ge xiioshi.

A:VFXE+& rE 6)a? Isyourhomefarfromtheschool?

Nijie li xuExiio yuinbu yuin?
B: 6 A . 4 it + F4 + ly W" Not too far. It only takes about ten minutes
Bn tni yunn. Zud qiche zhiyio shifEnzhong. by bus.
t ifi €X E, A * L+2 How do you go to school every day?
Ni mEiti6n zEnme qi shingru6?
s:*. Hr't ffi H TtF *, Ar.J ft *. Sometimeslgotherebybike,sometimeson
W6 ySushi qi zixingch€ qt, y6ushi z6u qi foot.
t {fi $f A 'fr + 4 I ,}- F-f l4 ? How long does it take you to go by bike?
N qi zidngche yio duoshao shijien?
B: 96 El '4t + +4 fr tl ffi" It takes about 15 minutes to go by bike.
Qi zidngche yno shiwri Gnzhong.
L: ftW1 What about walking?
Zdi.tne?
r02
 Beginner's Chinese

B:ft 4 =+ ?"ffi" It takes about 30 minutes.

Z6u yio sdnshi Gnzhong.

EWJLTV +ruii?
^:(F4+
Nijinni6n zii ndr gud Shengddnji6?
Where are you going to spend your
Christmas this year?
B:ft * fi lt'|. I'm going to California.
W6 qn Jiazhou.
A: {,I * fi tll tur lt A fr,frl Where in California are you going?
Ni qi JiSzhou de sh6nme difans?
B:ft *l&fzEIL. I'm going to Los Angeles.
W6 qn Ludshanji.
6,€,4 *? How are you going?
^: Ni z6nme qi?
B:ft H E (Ut*, FJEafrLH I'd like to go by plane, but I may take the
W6 xiin
nd €ij! q\ kEshi Fiji pino the traiq because the plane ticket is very
18fr.#.nlfft *. k+ k.' expensive.
f."n.gui, w6 kEn6ng zud hu6che qn.
l8*l& tst6tL
^: Ni qn Ludshenji
lr W )L? Where are you going to stay in Los Angeles?
zhr) nir?
s:ft {t ffiH. I'm going to stay in a hotel.
W6 zhn Egunn.
A: ffitH *T +\ f.fT +1,2 Is it easy to find a hotel?
Lfigunn hio zhio bu hio zhio?
B:*T ft. l&fzEILH 4F * re.W. Yes, there are many hotels in Los Angeles.
H6o zhrio. Ludshanji y6u h6n duo lfrgu{n.

tE* rU + El ng? Have you been to China?

^, Ni qn guo Zh6nggu6 ma?
B:* il. Yes.
Qn guo.
A: 18* tr /Ln? How many times have you been there?
Ni qn guo ji ci?
B:ft *il8 YR. I've been there twice.
W6 qri guo lidng ci.
A:ffi*d trE #rt+A tufrl Where in China have you been to?
Ni qi guo Zhdnggu6 de sh6nme difans?
B:ft* t+Et 6tJtH, t&, Ive been to Beijing Shanghai, Suzhou,
W6.qn guo Zhonggu6 de Btijing Shenghni, llangzhou and Guangzhou.
fr',tl, ffi ft fs r fi. -
Suzhou, Hengzh6u h6 Gunngzhou.
6F ExI W+fr,fr?
A: Which place do you like the best?
Ni zui xihuan ni
ge difang?
B:ft F F.xr. frrfl &tttft. I like Suzhou and Hangzhou the best. Do
W6 zui xihuan Stzhtu h6 Hingzhou. you know? Chinese people often say, "up

103
 Lesson Nine

i6.fr.G. 14? + El i\ H' i.n, above there is paradise, down below there is
Suzhou and Hangzhou.
Ni zhidao ma? Zh6nggu6r6n ch6ng shuo,
ilr H xH., T€ 6ffi".
"Shing y6u tianteng, xii y6u Sr1 Hing.'

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Nouns
vehicle
+ che
road, route
w ln
zjr Bf xiioshi hour
trw fEnzhOng minute
+ ni6n year
4Wfi Shengdenji6 Christmas
airplane
auL Ieul
tu* ditiC subway
Eft+ zixingche bicycle
hotel
ffitE lugunn
fr.t
E
difang place
ticket
R piio
paradise
xH. ti6nt6ng
lpffi+fr Huishdngdin Washington
Suzhdu Suzhou
^m
til H6ngzhou Hangzhou

'll
Verbs
kei operate, drive
,+
qi ride
ffi
+ z6u walk
w6n play
fr,
t+ shingxu€ go to school
would like
H xidng
4 gud celebrate, spend (holidaY)
zhio look for, find
+t
EI flT kEn6ng maybe

Adverbs
probably
Nffi, degai
ch6ng often
H
shing up
--L
T xie down
 Beginner's Chinese

Prepositions
,,\ ...... fl ..... cong . ddo ... from... to.
6
r-t ll away from

SUPPLEMENTARY WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Nouns
*&ii+ chfzn qich€ taxi
€+ diinche trolley-bus
EI jie street
EF jingch6 police, policeman
F,qq huzhno passport
si[ qiinzhdng visa
ffi.ft l[xing travel
ffi.T: tt lixingshd travel agency
tJ *
't-1
xingli luggage
-
flft chuSn boat, ship
{1S X hiiguen customs
+D? ddoy6u gutde
fi +,1. shi zhongxin city center, downtown
IE }f| Yizhou Asia
Fi itil Ouzhou Europe
x't|1 MEizhou America (continent)
lF irrt Feizhou Africa
&fl Adzhou Australia

Adjectives
#l xln new
,tr Jrn close

LANGUAGE POINTS

r. f,i E X E 2 * LtJI(Ni mEitian zEnme qi shnngban)?

E a @enne) in the question seryes as an adverbial of manner. As such, it is placed
before the verb together with € X (m€itien), which is an adverbial of time. Similarly we
can say:

WWX EA*2 How are you coming tomorrow?

Ni mingtian zEnmel6i?

105
 Lesson Nine

it t+EAq; How do you write this character?

ZhE ge z\
xi6? zEnme

"Engtish" H
+ Ex /2ifr.2 How do you say "English" in chinese?
"English" ydng Zhongw6n z€nme shuo?

2. #, Ex 4 iU * * L4 W6 mEitisn zud diti6 qn shingben)

To answer the question '{6 E € _L 2* Ni mEitiin zEnme qn shangban), all
't 'E'the means such as taking a bus, traiq
you need to do is to spicify, where the question word is,
taxi, riding a bicycle or walking.

3.)[HH$ffgyb,#.fi)r<+-v$94']-F-'llnj(C6neNinjingLnzudditi€dnohu6chezhin
ydo duoshao shijian)?
"rL ...... 4rl ......" (cong dno ...) is equivalent toy'om .-. toinBnSish. For example

,. ++\
c6ng zdo
W,
dio w6n
from morning till night

ld +& el x from school to home

cong xu6xiio dio jin

,,\ +E
c6ng Zhonggu6 dno Meigu6
9J+tr from China to the United States

Since Chinese strictly adheres to the principal of temporal sequence whereby what
happens first is placed first, the temporal sequence in the question is l) departing from Nanjing
noaO, Z; takingthe subway, and 3) arriving at the train station. They thus follow each other.
Sometimes however, "taking the subway" can be placed either before 1) or after 3) as in

$. tuffi.^ ffi.51' W A g *',- Hf 14?

Zud ditiE c6ng Ninjing Li dio^+-Y$
hu6chezhin yio dusshao shijian?

il. ffi H
W fliJ *. tu*.* L- B{ 14? t
C6ng N6njing Lt dio ^+-vA zud diti6 yio duoshao shijian?
hu6ch€zhin

The word (yao) in Chinese has two basic meanings'- l) want, need' ot be going to, and
4
2) take or require (time, etc.). F Oeo) is used in the first sense when the subject is animate, be a
person or personified object. 4
$no) is used in the second sense when the subject is impersonal
in the form ofa process or an action. Compare:
iuEf x 4 *+El. She is going to China tomorrow.
Te mingtian yio qit Zhonggu6.

* k+sh 64 U K+" You need to take the bus to go to the train

Qn hu6chezhan ni yio zu6 qich€. station.

106
 Begtnner's Chinese

+ *F ffi It takes two davs to drive there.

'f
Kai chd ^.
qi yio liing tien.

4 (tf ll1 * + ffi+fr rc I+ Z (Nimen qD Huish€ngdin zud sh6nme)?

"* ... tF ll /2" (q1 .. zud sh6nme) is a question frequently used to ask about the
purpose ofgoing to a certain place. Although Mandarin does have a specific expression
equivalent to wly in English - h lt 2 (wii sh6nme), it is not as often used as this question form
in this instance.

s. ft ill * fi (wo-en qn w6n)

fi (wen) is a difficult word to translate into English. Although dictionaries often define it
as ploy, it is widely used in Chinese to mean enjoy, have
fun, have a god time, lwng out, or ilo
something for pleasare. It is basically opposed to work. The various meanings of fi (w6n) ue
illustrated in the following examples:

IrsH Et td H*
*, Xfr* Please drop by my house when you have
Ni y6u shijian qing l5i w6 jid w6n. time.

1Y,F. ip. * n. Beijing is a fun place.

B€ij-rng h6n hio w6n.

it + E * fr, * t W ,8" I'm going to the park this weekend (to relax)
Zhd ge zhoumd w6 qt gongyuin w6n.

6. ltf XH + & E 6 E (Ni jie li xu6xiio yudn bu yuin)?

"A H 00 B iE (yunn) /rE (jin)" is a pattern used to indicate the distance between two
places, equivalent to English,4 isJmJrom/close ro 8. Since 'H
0i) s" (away from B or closeto
B) is an adverbial expression indicating a point ofreference, it is placed before the verb, or the
adjective as in this case.

Distinction should be made between r9. (c6ng) and E

00, which are often confused
because both can be translated into English asfrom. Keep in mind that r!\ (cOng) indicates apoint
of origin or departure, uzually used with motion verbs such ar come) or * (tr
(qn go) (h *
the other hand, H Qi) marks a point of reference, usually used with a static verb or a-djective.
Compare:

+b +Er *" He comes from the United States.

^
T6 c5ng MEigu5 l6i.

#, XH ffi.'fr lF.. tE. My home is close to the bank.

li yinh6nghEnjin.
W6jie

7. l8+ +E WF JL d tC it (Nijinni6nzAinir gud Shengdnnji6)?

=
t07
 Lesson Nine

ji (guO), meaning spend, celebrate, or obseme, is often used in connection with holidays,
festivals, birthdays and other important occasions. Although it may be glossed as spend, it is never
used with money to mean spend money. See for example:

+ El u\ :t 6 ii +.Wfi? Do Chinese people celebrate Christmas?

Zhonggu6r6n gu6 bu gud Shengdnnji6?

V. + ll1 &g n ig +" Children like to celebrate New Year's Day

H6izimen zui xihuan gud ni6n. the most.

{6 /l /l *, +- E E 2 )!.? How do you celebrate your wife's birthday?

Ni teitai de shengri zEnme gud?

8. + + (inni6n)
The following are various ways to express days (today, yesterday, tomorrow), week,
month and year (current, previous and next):

EfX BA+ TtEffi TIE

mingian mingni6n xii xingqi
ge xid ge yud
tomoftors nexl year next week nexl monlh

+x
jintian
++
jinni6n
at F,H
xingqi
irt E
zhd ge yud
zhd ge
tday this year thisweek lhis month

rF,( *+ L+EH i +E
zu6tidn qini6n xingqi
shing ge shing ge yud
yesterday last year last week last month

It is clear that J( (tian) and + (ni6n) share the same descriptive expressions except /ast
year, wlnchis not FF ff lnonan\,but rather { f lqrinian; and E $1 (xingqi) and E Oue)
share the same descriptive expressions.

9.l * it + El ffi4t 2!!,t(NiqiguoZhdnggu6desh6nmedifang)?

It A fu f (shenme difang) is a descriptive interrogative expression about place with the
same meaning as BF JL (nir) {fi * S tr tr ffi 'ft Ly&'rt (Ni qn guo Zhonggu6de sh6nme
difang) means wfrere in Chiru have yn been to (literally you have been to China's what places).
Similarly we can say:

{fi * E Et iftl *1W )V4+ 2 fu,fit Where in Europe have you been to?
Ni qn guo Ouzhou de ndr /sh6nme difang?

lo. ff H E L UL * (w6 xisng zud Grji qn)

H (xiIng) in the sentence is used as a modal verb, meaning would likc,wish, or want
(usually in the negative). It is to be followed by a lexical verb. For example:
108
 Beginner's Chinese

ifiF. wtI2t What would you like to eat?

Ni xiing chi sh6nme?

{fiffi 6ffi *E HFtt Would you like to go to the movies?

Ni xiing bu xiing qn kin diinying?

{uziffi *+&. He doesn't want to go to school.

Ta bi xinng qi xu6dio

ffi (xiang; can also be used as a lexical verb with the meaning think, believe, or zuss. For
example:

+t 1R ffi 1/r. I miss you very much.

W6 hEn xiing ni.

+t ffi 4. k+ F -trjrE{. Ithinkirtakessixhoursbvtrain.

W6 xiing zud hu6chc yno ht ge xiioshi.

f6H 6H Xt Do you miss home?

Ni xidng bu xiing jia?

I r. {fi *
l& fz 6ILITWF )L (Ni qn Ludshanji zhi nir)?
The distinction in English between to live and to stay is not made in Chinese, where both
are expressed by the word ,ft (zhn) For example:

{fi fll H! F t + [fr E W )L? Where does your Chinese teacher live?
Nimende Zhongw6n lioshi zhi nir?

l8*)r.H {r tsFJL? Where are you going to stay when you go to

Ni qn B€ijing zhi nir? Beijing?

You may have noticed that the adverbial ofplace is placed after, instead ofbefore, the
verb and the preposition #(zdi) is not present. This is because with certain verbs (& zht is one
ofthem), the adverbial can be placed either before or after the verb. For example, we can either
say $f E WF )L l+ (ni zni nir zhn) or Vf IA E W )L (ni zhri zni ndr). However, the adverbial of
place must follow the verb when it is used in conjunction with the motion verbs f;. (l1i cone) and
{ (qtgo):

l6/Etn n tr w)L? Where are you going to stay when you come
Ni l6i Nin Yu€ zhi ndr? to New York?

ttr*)Y.H {r {i A rntr? Which hotel are you going to stay in when

Ni qt BEijing zhi sh6nme findian? you go to Beijing?

When the adverbial follows the verb, the preposition ft @ail is often left out
109
 Lesson Nine

12. l:H X H, T H fr,ffi, (Shnng y6u tientang, xin y6u Su H6ng)

This is a saylng in Chinese describing the unsurpassing beauty ofSuzhou and Hangzhou
Literally it means "up above there is paradise, down below there is Suzhou and HangZhou."
Notice the rhyme and the grammatical symmetry of the two lines.

EXERCISES

[. Answer the following questions:

I wLlF 4-T-(F2 l/i&x E.a * J:v12

Ni gongzud bu gongzud? Ni mditinn zdnme qi shAngban?
2.lt$ft+ +. W; lfJ\EX E A *+&2
Ni shi xu6sheng ma? Ni mEitiin z6nme qi xu6xiio?
3.l6xHffiil rE 6)a2
Nijia li yinh6ngyuinbu yuin?
4 ++ A!+EI ffi+ ftILE ILE2 $\d 6 i{? EA frT
Jinni5n de Zhonggu6 xinni6n shi ji yue ji hao? Ni gu6 bu gud? ZEnme gu6?
s vr*iJ +El E? ifi *tr t€El ffilta fr.fi2
Ni qi guo Yinggu6 ma? Ni qi guo Yinggu6 de sh6nme difang?
6{fiH 7l..ffi *ftr? {fiH tla n'lIR=.?
Ni xiing bu xiing qn Zhonggu6? Ni xiing sh€nme shihdu qu?
j^ txt\ S(Utfl+ffi+n 4;t f/rnft
C6ng Nin Yu€ zu6 Giji dAo Hu6shdngdin yAo ji ge xiioshi?
s {fi8 tE^ tF l+2?
Ni zhd ge zhoum6 zu6 sh6nme?
e.lts* iV 6'& rq? * i:| tLn?
Ni qri guo Xang Ging ma? Qn guo ji ci?
to $\E lLH ,l it H + +?
Ni y6u m6iy6u kii guo Rib€n ch€?

II. Fill in the blanks with appropriate words:

t.lrr*r€_ 5 E,f.?ng?
Ni zhiddao _ *iE zhd ge zi ma?
2 tha'&,*&#_ftzt
Ni bdba qn Xieng Ging _ sh6nme?
3 xF ll fi {ll fr! ffi.tE 4p. )t"
w6mende lirguin h6n jin.
s fr,#.Ftw+'.r^w"
Zud ditiE zhi yio shi Gnzhong.
Tiininm€n
4 EAIF E{6ttffi& F, {6{llE2_
ni teitai de shengri, nimen zdnme
Mingtian shi
- *t6tu1+& 4_
s s6 H ft+
qi nide xu6xiio yao
Ef
jian?
tFJ?

-
Qi zixingche shi

ll0
-
 Beginner's Chinese

6\tu* ji r*E_tt2 N.fr?

Te qi _
guo Fngu6 sh6nme difang?
7 ffi.'ht Ip *t _"
H6ngzhou hEn hdo
8. +t * tl tfr.?tJ
=_"
W6 qn guo Ni[ Yu€ sdn
s. k+-rh E-lr+. ,t+ F s it+.
hu6ch€zhin qn BEijing Dixu€ yio zud qiche.
r0 {fifitr tu*.ila_ nqr
Ni zhidao ditiEzhin zai ma?

III. Translate the following into Chinese:

l. Is it easy to find a hotel in Washington?

2. X'an is far from Guangzhou.
3. It takes about 20 hours to go from Beijing to Shanghai by train.
4. Are there subway lines in Nanjing?
5 Many Chinese go to work by bicycle.
6. How do you go to Guangzhou from Hong Kong?
7. She has been to Japan five times.
8. I would like to go to China ne)d year.
9. My friend won't stay in a hotel. He will stay in my house.
10. Many Chinese people are now celebrating Christmas.

IV. Translate the following into English:

riI+Ex fr,ffi#,ta*aEt fr..

Zhd ge zhoumd w6 h6 w6 tiitai qi gongyu5n win.
2 #, E is *it Etitl| fr! + Et f! * E.
W6 mdma qi guo Onzhou de Yrnggu6 h6 Fngu6.
3 H 4E [q.H., ttrft {E iF.
^+ piio pi6nyi, dinshi ^+
Hu6,ch€
4 rt,E tkrH' 6tfr +t.
h6n hu6che h6n min.

Xinzni Ergunn bil tei hio zhio.

5.+\ XHA-"1 4V1n, fr, rt * Lfr-
Wd jia li gongsi hEn jin. W6 z6u qn shnngben.
6.rl\ ft, Xrl + 9J L\ Fl 4 = + hffi"
C6ng w6jie kai che dio gongsi ytro sin shi Gnzhong.
7 +t H fr.,ht xM,4E fr fi*
W6 xidng Suzh6u dagni h6n hio w6n.
8iu€€*il+Et ffi1p * fr,t.ttRgn ffiH.
Ta biba qt guo Zhongguo de hEn duo difang, td zui xihuan N6njing
e ltrEA *
Ni z6nme qi ^+W2
hudchezhin?

lll
 Lesson Nine

ro.fi €'HtExtzFtF, t.Ff E. +& rafW"

W6 y6ushi zni jia chi zhonghn, y6ushi zii xuExiio chi zhongfrn

CULTURAL INSIGHTS

It is impossible to find an equivalent in English for the Chinese word che. Dictionaries
often define it as vehicle, but it is far from being the case. In Chinese, almost anything with a
wheel can be called cie, such as the train, the bus, the car, the truck, the bicycle, the rickshaw, the
cart, and even the stroller. Specific che's are indicated in one ofthe two ways: l) by a descriptor,
and 2) by a distinguishing verb. Descriptors include the following huoche (trun), glche (motor
vehicle),7lyjngche (bicycle), ngche(horse-drawncarriage). Qicheitselfisagenericwordthat
covers car, truch bus and so on, which can be further distinguished using additional descriptives
51lrch as xiaoqiche (car), kache (truck), gonggong qiche (bus) and so on. Specific cle's can also be
indicated by the particular verbs they are used with even when the descriptors are not present. For
example, zuoche wouldmean "takethebus," kaiche"diveacar," qiche"ide abicycle," and/a
cle (pull a cart).

Of all the che's, zixingche (bicycle) seldom fails to amaze travelers to China with its sheer
numbers and ingenious use. Like rice, chopsticks and characters, they are part ofthe Chinese
landscape. They fill the streets and sidewalks. Bicycles are used by Chinese people not as exercise
instruments, but as an important means of transportation, much like cars to people in the West.
Up until the most recent times, the number and the brand of the bicycle a family possessed were
taken as the yardstick of its wealth. Small wonder that people in China treat their bicycles as much
as people elsewhere treat their cars. They have to register their bicycles with the police
department and there are specific traffic rules and regulations for cyclists. People take such pains
to keep their bicycles in mint conditionthat some danwei give their employees extra pay
earmarked specifically for bicycle maintenance. In recent years, people have been allowed to buy
and own cars, but it is doubtful that cars can ever replace bicycles as the primary means of
transportation in China. First ofall, few people are wealthy enough to afford a car. Even ifpeople
can afford a car sometime in the future, it would be unimaginable that they can find a place to
park their cars, as limited available spaces in the cities are being quickly taken over with the
constructions of commercial and residential buildings. Bicycles will therefore remain an integral
part of people's life for a long time to come.

lntra-city travel depends heavily on public buses and trolley-buses. They are very cheap to
ride but usualty crowed. It is a real adventure during rush hour to get on one. Pushing and
shoving are commonplace. In recent years, private buses called zhongba (medium-sized bus) have
appeared in the streets ofChina. They are more efficient and provide better services. The subway
system is only found in certain major cities such as Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai Although
subway lines and trains are limited in these places, they are very clean and well maintained.

n2
 Beginner's Chinese

The train remains the most popular form ofpublic transportation for inter-city travels, as
traveling by airplane is still a luxury for most people. It is by no means rare for people in China to
travel on the train for days on end. Most trains are equipped with four types of seats found in
separate cars. These are hard seats, soft seats, hard sleepers and soft sleepers. Hard seats are the
lowest ofthe four classes, but are very cheap. Soft seats are usually found on trains that travel
short distances. Hard sleepers are triple-deck six-bed niches with no door towards the corridor.
Soft sleepers are compartments with four beds. Most train stations have a ticket window set aside
for foreigners. Although there will be some extra charge, the convenience definitely outweighs the
aggravation ofstanding in a line for hours.

ll3
 !.ESSONI

l0
YVTATFITiT

SENTENCE PATTERNS

+x 4,)' F? What is the temperature today?

Jintidn duoshao dt?

wt wa ffi.
Mingtian m6iydu yir.
There is no rain tomorrow.

lfrtll flWLBFX T Nfr+? Did it rain in your place yesterday?

Nimen nir zu6tidn xii yu le mi?

-F- 7 Yes, it did.

Xd le.

WTrH tLtr T=? Did it snow yesterday?

Zu6tian y6u m6iy6u xin xud?

JtH 4n #lX-r.E2tr2 What's the weather like in Beijing in the

BEijing dongtian de tidnqi z€nmeying? winter?

+ EI E-X. - W.lF lt zaz What do American people usually do in the

MEigu6r6n xiitien yiban zud sh6nme? summer?

+X wuFx 4. It is colder today than yesterday.

Jintian bi zu5tiin ling.

ffi.R H-x6 4 !&2 How hot is it in Nanjing in the summer?

N5njing idtian y6u duo rd?

l14
 Beginner's Chinese

CONVERSATIONS

A: 4 X X F. E 4 tr? How is the weather today?

Iinglian tianqi zEnmeying?
B: 4 X E [t x, Itr F 4V W. It is sunny today, but it is very cold.
J'rntiin shi qingieq dnnshi h€n l€ng.
n: 4 X * ,)' F2 What is the temperature today?
J'rnti6n duoshao di?
B: +X 2s F. It is 28 degrees today.
Jintian 28 dt.

A: lFfriE qE x x.<"8 Atr E? Doyouknowhowtheweatherwillbe

Ni zhidao mingtian tianqi zEnmeying ma? tomorrow?
s: W iH, A ffi. I heard that it will rain.
Tingshuo y6u y[.
A: t ffi [ ft zJr ffi? Is the rain going to be heavy?
Da yu h5ishi xino yu?
B: 4 fiE E ;lc ffi, ll:r. &*t ffi +. It's probably going to be heavy. You'd better
KEn6ng shi dn yu, ni zui hio dii sin. take your umbrella.
A: Hl ffi. Thank you.
Xdxie.

,C.: {/X {fl frWL W XT ffi 7 [q ? Did it rain in your place yesterday ?
nir
Nimen zu6tien xii yu le mi?
B: T T. Yes, it did.
Xii le.
A:BFX F!ffiJtfit? Wastherainyesterdayheavy?
Zn6tiin de yu di bu dn?
B: 4 t t. Not too heavy.
Bf tei de.
A: EF t A W.d T E2 Did it snow yesterday?
Zu6IlAn y6u m6iy6u xii xu6?
B: & E-. No, it didn't.
M6iy6u.

A: lL H I X- t. E A #2 F! X What's the weather like in Beijing in the

zEnmeying?
B6ijing dongian de tinnqi winter?
B: iL H 4 t lE 4, H' H' It's very cold and windy in Beijing in the
BEijing dongian h6n l6ng, ch6ngch6ng winter.
H tFl.
y6u di ftng.

115
 Lesson I0

A:JLH 4t HH' F g rg? Does it often snow in Beijing in the winter?

BEijing dongian ch5ngching xii xuE ma?
n:xf, HH' Fq. Yes, it often snows.
Dui, ch5ngch6ng xii xu6.
)r,F. t+ 2 +fi &*T2
^ B6ijing sh€nme jiji6 zui hio?
What's the best season in Beijing?

B:lLH tkI&+t,4|+ &7Fl*. Fall is the best in Beijing. It is neither cold

BEijing qintian zuihio, bi ldng yE bu rd. nor hot.

A:HH EX ft6fl!? Is it hot in Nanjing in the summer?

N6njing xiitian rd bu rd?
s:HH EtIFH ft" It's very hot in Nanjing in the summer.
N5njing xiitidn Giching rE
AH 4 !&? How hot is it?
Y6u duo rd?
s:ffiR FXH'H' H looE. It often reaches 100 degrees inNanjing in
Ninjing xiitian chingch6ng y6u 100 dn the summer.

A:*EA FX-WtF 4tAt What do American people usually do in the

MEigu6r6n xintian yiban zud sh6nme? summer?
B:*El,,\ H-XHH *tr'lE. They often go on vacation in the summer.
MEigu6r6n xidtian ch6ngcheng qn dn jia.
n: 'ft, {il - Eq * WULtr,tW.2 Where do they usually go for vacation?
Tdmen yibdn qr) nir dn jia?
s:6 6t 't E ifri1, H *1 )\ Some travel abroad and some go to the
Y6ude r€n chugu6 liixing, y6ude r6n beach.
*€TE"
qi hditen.

A:Atr 6 trEPFt A? Which day is colder, today or yesterday?

Jintien lEng h6ishi zu6tidn l6ng?
B,) X WWX Q" It's colder today than yesterday.
Jingtian bi zu5tidn lEng.
A:AX P'lFt ttrtrrFI tutlxt X2 Which day is windier, today or yesterday?
Jintiin de Gng dd h6ishi zu6tian de fEng dn?
B: PF d H! /tt j1" Yesterday was windier.
Zu6tiin de fEng dn

A:{fiEii ft;t 686 X? Do you like hot weather or cold weather?

Ni xihuan rd tiin h6ishi l6ne tidn?
s:+t Ert 6 X. I like cold weather.
W6 xihuan l6ng tian.
tta? whv?
^.fi
Wdi sh6nme?

116
 Beginner's Chinese

B: X HID) * iE q, fdIU * tH iK We can go skiing or ice skating in cold

LEng tinn k6yi qn hu5xu€, h6i kEyi qn fiubing. weather.

WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Nouns
dnnqi weather
ffi yu rain
xu€ snow
=
Fl. IEng wind
+fi j'ji6 season
6x dongtinn winter
H-X. xiAtien summer
d<x- qiutien fall
6x chuntidn spring
IL dn degree
+ sin umbrella
?€ f,f; hiitAn beach

Verbs
+
Ttr dei carry
ElF dnjie go on vacation
q!-|J chii go out
iFq hu6xuE ski
tg jt( liubing ice skate

Adjectives
}A l6ng cold
#! rd hot
rF qing sunny
Ffr yln cloudy
-*- de big
ulr xiio small

Adverbs
;J+ 4+
inffi ch6ngch6ng often

lnterrogatives
hlta wdi sh6nme why

tt7
 Lesson Ten

Conjunctions
w, bi than

Expressions
&.fT zuihdo best, had better

SUPPLEMENTARY WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Nouns
Hr( !i nuinqi heat, heating
4 iEt kongti6o air conditioning
Z yun cloud
* wn
l6i
fog
thunder
FI
[^] € shdndiin lightning
6 Fl, tiiGng typhoon
'*
/.J\ bing ice
ffi& yur raincoat
filR y'nbno forecast
ffiK shdshi Centigrade
+K
t;
hu6shi Fahrenheit
/J\ dong east
ffi n6n south
xl west
1V b€i north

Adjectives
ffi nuin waffn
IE, li5ng cool

LANGUAGE POINTS

1. + T 4,)- E (Jintian duoshao dri)?

The equivalent in Chinese to temperature is iffi H (wendn). When referring to various
ff
types of temperatures, we usually use a speci$ing modifier with the word iH (wen) as in iR
(tiwen bdy tenperature) andL iR (qiwen atmospheric temperature). E tqO in Chinese
actually me,ans degree. To ask about temperature, we would use 4 *
X ')- E- (rntian du6shao
dn), since we are dealing with a number.

ll8
 Beginner's Chinese

2 T (le) as an aspect marker

chinese indicates a completed action with ttp particle f (le) after the verb. compare:

I\ rzFtfr.. I eat breakfasl

W6 chi ziofdn.
4\ rzTFtfi." I ate breakfast
W6 chi le ziofrn

+\ t4 f1+ X T + *
ffi.i1. My mother is going to the bank this
Wd mama jintiin yinh5ng. xiiwi qn aftemoon.
fr, t4f4 fFx T + *Tffi'fr. Mymotherwenttothebankvesterdav
W6 mdma zu6tidn xiiwu qn le finhing, aftemoon.

Itis important to keep in mind that the negative form of a verb with (le) is not T 6
Gn),
but rather ftfi'(m6iv6u) pnle & fi
lmeiyou; is used, T
(le) has to be droppej from the
sentence. This is because iA €
(melyou) as a negative expression is only used io n"g.t..
completed action and grammatically I
1te) plays the same role. It would be redundant to have
grammatical. signals present in the same sentence for the same purpose.
!o
6
Compare the use of
Gn) and & fi^ (m6iy6u) in the following sentences:

& 6ra$ffi." I don't eat breakfast.

W6 bi chi ziofhn.
ft e€ E+tn. I didn't eat breakfast
W6 m6iy6u chi zioftn.

+\ t\tE+x T + T*f ij. Mymotherisnotgoingtothebankthis

W6 mama jintidn xiAwl bn qnflnh6ng.
+k' f1t4 FF x r + lk6 * -
afternoon.
Mv mother didn't go to the bank yesrerday
W6 mdma zu6tiin xinw[ m6iy6u qi afternoon.
ffi.T'r.
yinh6ng.

Please note that T (le) is only used to indicate the completion ofan action. It
is therefore
not to be used for cognitive verbs such as iA iA (rdnshi ,tnow),
f[ € (*rraao kn*), (nui *
lorn htn to),E.1h(xihuan likc) and so on, even though they may be used with a past
reference. When these cognitive verbs are negated, we still use ZS
(m€iydu) Thus, depending on the context, +t
iUrll, rather than & A
6 il
ix fb (w6 bt rdnshi ti) can be interpreted
eithet as I don't know him or I didn't know llrr. Similarly, adjectives and prepositions
can only be
used with 6@n), since they do not indicate actions. Here are a few mori examples:

t&,f],# 6EX" He is not home now.

Te xianzei bri zai jia.
lb,wx wt
Td zu6tiin winshang bn zni jie.
TEX. He was not home last night.

ll9
 Lesson I0

+t +IZ<tr" I'm not busy today.

W5 jintian bi m6ng. .
+t EFt 6tr" I was not busy yesterdaY
W5 zu6tiin bi m6ng.

+\ffi k + iN, 4iF"

HHF- 6 Mv girlfriend can't speakEnglish'
W6de niip6ngyou bu hui shuo YingYu
+\fu1 /<-HH k * + 4 + in Mvgirlfriendcouldn't speakEnglishlast
W5de nip€ngyou qini6n bir hui shuo year'
* rfi"
yingyu.

Yevno questions involving a completed action are formed in one of the two ways:

1) Using the sentence-particle [4 (ma)

{6X T&[Rq? Did you buy the clothes?
Ni mii le yifu ma?

fu*T+E{ r+? Has he gone to China?

Ta qi le Zhonggu6 ma?

2) Using the affirmative-negative form €. iA €-(y6u m6iy6u):

f,i+ XE lkH l-9I'' Did vou go to work todav?
Ni jrntian Y6u m6iYdu shingbdn?

IEH WH W + W.? Have You had Your lunch?

Ni y6u m6iY6u chi zhongfln?

ffiH 'lFd * E E Rt2 Did vou go to see the movie?

Ni y6u m6iYdu qn kan didnYing?

ln this connection, it may be necessary to compare the use of T (1e) with that of ff
(guo)
completed action, there is an
discussed in Lesson 8. Although both ofthem are used to indicated
a
at
important difference between ihem. While T that completed
(le) is used for an action is a
in the past'
specified time, il (guo) is usually used for an action completed at an unspecified-time
IL (guo) the experience and the result.
? 0")
"-pttu.ir"r
th" action, whereas emphasizes
Compare.

lbvzT#E *. He ate the Chinese food (iust now)

Ta chi le Zhonggu6 cni.
'f&rzd f E *' He has had Chinese food (before).
Ti chi guo Zhonggu6 cdi.

t20
 Beginner's Chinese

fi EFx ET)t + fi. I read this book yesterday

Wd zu6tidn kin le zh€ bEn shri
ft € da a+. I have read this book (sometime in the past).
W6 kin guo zhi b6n shri.

fr €€*T+Er. My father has come to the United States (he

Wd biba l5i le M6igu6. is still here).
+t €€*E +tr. My father has been to the United States (he
W6 biba l6i guo Mdigu6. is not here unless there is some
qualification).

It was mentioned in the introductory chapter on Chinese that verbs in Chinese are marked
by specific particles for aspect (manner in which an action takes place), but not for time (past,
present or future). What T (le) indicates is simply the completion of an actioq which can take
plac€ in the future as well as the past, although completed actions are usually associated with the
past. The following is an example of J
(le) used to indicate a completed action in the future as
projected from the present time:

+\ wT tx. *E
W6 chi le fbn qri kin dinnying
Hw. After I've finished eating, I'll go to see a
movie.

s. t ffi (dnyu) and {r ffi (nao yu)

To describe the severity of a weather condition such as rain, snow or wind, Chinese uses
the adjectives X @a Oi) and {r (xino small). Sx for example:

/( FF (da yu rarn) t € (de xuE heavy snau) t FI, (da Feng strongwind)
heauy
zJr ffi (xino yn &izzle) zJr $ (xino nllE light mow) zJ'Fl (xiio Gng breeze)
Words like rain and snow can be used as verbs as well as nouns in English, but they are always
nouns in Chinese. To indicate to rain and to snow, we usually use the verb T (ia fall) as in f
ffi (xieyu b ran)and f I
(xin xu€ to snow).

6. HH H- X.H 4 l& Nanjing xintian y6u duo rd)?

To ask about the specific measure of certain conditions such as iorv long, how cold, etc.,
Chinese uses the pattern: Subject + H 4 (y6u duo) + Adjective. For example:

tfl.tA ffi4x a 4 w2 How cold is it in New York in winter?

Nirl YuC de d6ngtian y6u duo lEng?

Kir 6 4 K2 How long is the Yangtze River?

Chingiang y6u duo ch6ng?

,UffJE+A * ft1 How big is her house?

Tade fingzi y6u duo di?

t21
 Lesson Ten

IEH 4 ffi2 How tall are you/what's your height?

Ni y6u duo gio?

7 +X W.vF X i$ (intian bi zu6tian l6ng)

To indicate a comparison between two items, we use the pattern "A H, (bi) B +
Adjective", where A is the subject and LL (bi) is an adverbial ofreference. As such it is placed
before the verbJike adjective. Other examples are:

2nt\ w.+ffi$fr t. New York is larger than Washington.

Nin Yue bi Hudshdngdr)n di

i W ff'l A
H )Y, gl F 4. There are more people in Shanghai than tn
Shnnghni de r6n bi BEijing de r6n ^ duo. Beijing.

[ {+ t&bLflF{+ t&fr. This coat is more expensive than that coat.

Zhejiendeyi bi nnjinndeyi gui.

+Fr *HH+*trW,"
bi cii
Zhonggu6 cni Rib6n hdochi.
Chinese food tastes better than Japanese
food.

In all these sentences, there is no need for a more in Chinese. Ifthere is a specific measurement in
the sentence indicating how much the two items being compared differ from each other, it should
be placed last in the sentence. For example:

ts i+ € & H#F l+ +,e ft 20+.)t.

Zhd jien mSoyi bi nd jinn m6oyi gui 20 Mdiyu6n.
This sveater is $20 more expensive than that sweatel.

+x frliHH bt,BFr aliRE E- E"

Jintian de w€ndi bi zu6tidn de wendi gio sdn di.
The temperature todoy is 3 degrees higher lhan yesterday.

fUfiffi tAil+tiil6! 41oo+/."

^Fl
Timende gongsi bi w6mende gongsi duo 100 ge r6n.
Their company has 100 more people than ours.

EXERCISES

I. Answer the following questions:

r.+x xa.E.2#2 wx1n2

Jintian tiinqi zEnmeying? Zu6tinn ne?

t22
 Beginner's Chinese

2.sfrx a wH N?
Mingtidn y6u m6iy6u yu?
3.+X +,)- E?
Jintidn duoshao dr)?
4.+xH'tq.H fiI.? Fl /t6J(?
Jintiin y6u m6iy6u Gng? Feng dn bu dn?
s lE lil flUL lt 2 + i5 -=\&*T2
Nimen nir sh6nme jiji6 ^ tidnqi zui hdo?
6. lfr ll1 flULH- X *t! 4i ft? A 4 ffi2
Nimen nir xiitian r€ bu rd? Y6u duo rd?
7 ltrlt1flULl7.. H l*,d E? E X4X2
Nimen nir dongtian y6u m6iydu xuE? XuE da bu da?
8 ifEii
Ni xihuan lEng tinn h6ishi rd tian? Wei sh6nme?
e ltrt^x Elh tF ff at
Ni qiutidn xihuan zud sh6nme?
to. (r+ + H_X *4 * tr tE? * HFJL E,tH?
Ni jinnidn xintian qi bu qn dn jin? Qn nnr dn jin?
il {6r Wt tFT tt 42
Effi X.
Ni shing xingqi tidn winshang zud le sh6nme?
12t6+x++ a wH w+tn?
jintian
Ni zhongwl
y6u m6iy6u chi zhonghn?
t3.lBWX ffi,]: E THII n9?
Ni zu6tian winshang kin le diinshi ma?
A (rH W.E +
rY r* i+?
Ni y6u m6iy6u xu6 guo FSyu?
ts $i * i1 Ei #l
14?
Ni qi guo Ouzh6u ma?

II. Change the following sentenc€s into yeVno questions, using two altemative forms:

r.fi irjt *f ffiIE.

W6 taitai qi le shingdiin.
2#,fi1ffi trt +IF*7"
W6mende Zh6ngw6n lioshi l6i le.
3.T ffiT"
Xia yu le.
4n e\ ++4x TT{R 3E.
jinniin
Nit Yue dongtien xii le hEn duo xu6.
s fuiil Tw T"
Tdmen xiibin le.
 Lesson Ten

III. Change the following sentences into negatives:

1 +t €6,\4t4 wT. fl *T.

W6 bdba mama zu6tian dou l6i le.
2.Effi n-Bfrt +t€ T€i4,.
Xingqi [n winshang w6 kin le diinshi.
3ffi.'n xil 7"
Yinling gudnm6n le.
4 iuffi T+tB! K+"
Ti ydng le w6de qichc.
s +\ ,r+. ER r"
W6 xidnsheng qichu5ng le.

IV. Write five things that you did yesterday. Pay attention to the indication of complete actions

V. Correct the error contained in each ofthe following sentences.

r. +t BF X4 v:z Ftfr*
W6 zu6tidn bi chi z6ofhn.
2trtu8{4 +I+t
Td m6ma jintidn zdoshang zni le jia.
ETx.
3 $rt- Effi x' a Ix'H * #'H (church)F{?
jidot6ng ma?
Ni shing xingqi tian y6u m6iy6u qi
4fifi,lt1 tk€ *T+E.
Timen m6iy6u l5i le Zhdnggu5.
5 +t *+ tk€ iliF iu.
W6 qnni5n m6iy6u rdnshi td.

VI. Translate the following into Chinese:

I What is the weather like in Shanghai in the fall?

2. Does it often rain in the summer in New York?
3. It's going to be a sunny day tomorrow.
4. Is there snow in Hangzhou? there is, sometimes there is not.
-Sometimes
5. In the winter it is very windy where we live.
6. What was the temperature yesterday? was 53 degrees.
-It
7. I heard that there has been a lot ofsnow in France this year.
8. The weather is the best in Guangzhou in the spring.
9. How heavy was the rain yesterday?
10. It sometimes snows in Nanjing in the spring.
I l. My mother went to the store.
12 He didn't eat brealdast this moming.
13. Have you ever driven a Chinese car?
14. I studied ten Chinese characters last night.
15. They exchanged $500 at the Bank ofChina today.

124
 Beginner's Chinese

VII. Translate the following into English:

I+X EIfJX,{R A, [t 48.N.

Jintidn yrntien,
shi Gng hEn lEng, hEn dd,
2 ++ 4X ?n n ffig t6t?
finnidn dongtian Ni[ Yu€ de xuE dd bu dn?
3.tr8 EtElh (F 4t22
Zhonggu6rdn xiitiin xihuan zud sh6nme?
4 *.8/\ +X Eri *iFg.
4 4F.
dongiin xihuan qri
H€n duo M€igu6r6n hu6xuE.
5 *+ fl4x 4 i\iA, F^6 tft"
QnniSn de dongtiin bir tei l6ng, xietian bir tei rC.
6fi zt<$iiJtH ffiA'., R at"
W6 bi xihuan BEijing de chuntiin, Fng tdi da.
7 wx 6!ffiJttr8+x ftNt?
Zu6tiiln de yu dn h6ishi jintian de yu dn?
8lLH f+tu1++. wffiH)tr+tul++ 4"
B€ijing Dnxu6 de xu6sheng bi N6njrng Dnxu6 de xu6sheng duo
e#,XHA\p'l Wtfr,XEAf, E.
W6jia li gongsibi te jia li gongsi yudn
r0E4fiBflF+flfFH-4 **
Zhi b6n sh0 bi nd b6n shu pinnyi san kuii qi6n.

VIII. Describe today's weather conditions.

IX. Write a comparative sentence for the following sentences:

I +^ ffrq x" wx Flg 6t.

Jintiin de xud da. Zu6tiin de xuE bfi di.
2iu6!+t fr.+\frt+x ZKfr"
Tdde hio.
Zhongw€n hrio. W6de Zhongw6n br)
3.tr w*T w. F ?tr6fT w"
H6ng jin hno he. Bii jin hdo br) he.
4. t ryL'w" 6,R.
5ltH ft ^+
Fciji kuni. Hudche bi] kuei.
fr." -Li& 6,Tfr,
B6ijing hno win. Shinghii bi hio w6n.
6E Afl zo4 &"flF+ fi ro4 fr.
Zh€ bEn shu 20 kudi qi5n. NibEn shu l0 kuii qi5n.
7 #, '8 6'tt. fr E t4 7Ftr.
W6 bnba mring. W6 mima bi m5ng.
8 tx" n ffiirt.ffi *t +\" 't*fi6lt ffiffifB 6 t+ +\"
Niir Yuc de ligunn hio zhio. Ludshanji de ligunn bn hio zhio.
e.+X sotr" PFlt 40E"
Jintidn 50 di. Zu6tian 40 di.
r25
 Lesson Ten

ro.+till +&. € ooof ++.. {&i[+& H 4oo+++.

W6men xu6xiio y6u 600 ge xu6sheng. Tdmen xu6xiio y6u 400 ge xu6sheng.

CULTURAL INSIGHTS

After Russia and Canada, China is the third largest country in the world. Lying in East
Asia, China shares borders with a host of countries, Mongolia to the north, Russia to the
northeast, Korea to the east, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Laos and Vietnam to the soutlr,
Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bhutan to the west and southwest, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the northwest.

The administrative divisions consist ofa three-tier hierarchy: l) Central Government, 2)

provinces/autonomous regionVmunicipalities directly under the Central Govemment, and 3)
cities. Counties, with jurisdictions in rural areas, used to be directly under provincial
administration, but are now for the most part under the administration ofcities.

Under the Central Govemment, there are twenty-three provinces, five autonomous regions
and four centrally administered municipalities. These divisions are all equal in status. Autonomous
regions are so called because they enjoy some degree ofindependence in terms ofpublic policy, as
they are the areas with large settlements of ethnic minorities. The four centrally administered
municipalities are Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Chongqing. Chongqing, a southwestern city in
Sichuan Province, only attained this status as recently as March 1997. With a population of more
than 30 million, the newly expanded Chongqing has become the world's largest city. Outside the
mainland, Hong Kong has recently been reverted to China after a I 50-year lease to Britain. The
retum of Macao is being negotiated. Taiwan, which is regarded by Mainland China as a renegade
province, is still controlled by the Nationalist govemment.

Provinces are divided into cities. In recent years, cities have been given additional
administrative power as counties have been brought under their jurisdiction. In the urban area,
cities are subdivided into two levels: districts and wards. In the rural area, they are subdivided into
counties and townships. In the cities, housing is generally provided by the dawei in designated
apartment buildings. Neighborhoods thus formed are not stratified by occupation or income and
most importantly, they are closely knit face-to-face communities, which contributes to residential
stability and a low level of crime.

Of particular mention are the approximately 900,000 villages in the countryside, where
most Chinese live. They are usually clustered around a market town that coincides in most cases
with the seat of the township. The market town further links the farmers to a larger network of
the economy and society. But due to the restriction imposed through the household registration
systenL farmers are confined to their villages and prevented from seeking opportunities elsewhere.
With the recent reform, a substantial number of rural people are venturing out of their villages and

t26
 Beginner's Chinese

expanding their social horizons to work and engage in social life in the cities, but still they cannot
be formally employed by the government or state-owned businesses or set up residence there.

The Communist Party, with a 50-million membership, exercises the ultimate and
unchallenged leadership and authority over the Chinese people. Its organization and supervision
penetrate all the levels ofgovernment and are present in all the institutions, organizations and
state-owned businesses. A damtei (work unit) usually has a dual system of supervision by a Party
secretary and an administrator. In some units, the Party secretary and the administrator are one
and the same person. In theory, the Party secretary oversees the implementation of the Party
policies and guidelines and the administratorVmanagers are responsible for the
day-to-day-opention of their danwei, but in reality, many of the administrative and managerial
decisions have to be cleared with, or even made by, the Party secretary. The authority of the Party
is omnipresent and unchallenged.

t27
 Glossary

Character Pinyin Enslish Lesson

W j[l Adzhou Australia

ba eiCht 4
€€ bnba father I
tr bni hundred 4
tr tr L\aJ bii hud gongsi department store
FM b6ijin liquor 8
!e
T bin hdf 5
b^E bingongshi office
E+ bnozi steamed stuffed bun 8
ffi#, bnozhi newspaPer 6
tt bci cup
Jt bEi north l0
1rE BEijing
4UlJ\ Berjing
+ bEn (classifer) 4
w. bi than l0
U( bing ice l0
ffi-Wr tE b6wnguin museum J
4\ bn not I
4\ -'E bn yiding not necessarily

* cii dishes 8
#+ ciidan menu 8
€fH cinguin restaurant 2
Eth oinjin napkin 8
WFfi cdsu6 restroom 5
X cha fork 8
#
4+
chi tea 8
iF ching often 9
&+
FM ch6ngchang often 10
l/
L\ ch6ng long
M chio fi.y I
+ che vehicle 9
fi ch6ng towrq city J
4t 4t chdnshin shirt, blouse 7
tE chi
F{J
eat 2
r!
U chu go out I
128
 Beginner's Chinese

*dtt chudn wear, put on 7

,JN chu6n boat, ship 9
Er ./\ chuntidn spring l0
,gffiit+ chnzn qich€ taxi 9
tR ci time (occurrence) 8
id4 zididn dictionary 6
,t c6ng from 6
,L f!J. c5ng ... ddo .. from... to ... 9
cud wrong, bad I
'E
{- da big l0
tffi
+
degai probably 9
IF dei carry l0
E*E
IF1
dingr6n ofcourse 7
dAnshi but 2
+{n dnnwdi workplace J
)J dao knife 8
+ ir? d5oy6u guide 9
x+ dixu6 university J
).+ +. ddxu6sheng college studant 4
,rr dnyi coat 7
6! de (possessive marker) 2
,str
6
D6gu6 Germany 6
d€ng wait
g
di (ordinal number indicator) 7
Er diin o'clock 5

'ii
+ diAnche trolley-bus 9
€ifr diinhui telephone 3
€ iw, diinshi television 6
F,W diinying movie 8
EVW diinyinglrunn movie theater J
:6#>14
4a didi younger brother I
Wij difang place 9
fr,*. ditiE subway 9
,E
E d6ng understand 6
/J\ dong east l0
x+ dongtinn winter l0
AE dongxi things, stuff
f[ dou botb all 2
E dn degree l0
E{E dnjia go on vacation t0
b
duin short
x'J dui right, correct 8
xf6tr duibuqi sorry 5

129
 Glossary

4 duo many, much 7

4D duoshao (question word for numbers) 4

dr two 4
l1 €rzi son 2

rnE flndiin hotel J

ffii+ 6nyi translate 6
iKg Fdgu6 France 6
r^ iF Fdyu French language 6
BE Gi loose 7
( fJL Ctji airplane 9
xtnrh Eijiching airport J
lF ilrl Feizhou Africa 9
tl frn minute 5
tl Gn (monetary unit) 7
fit IEng wind l0
/n Fl Gnzhong minute 9
i'j ft pay 7
[H *,f; firzhudngdiin clothing store 7

f .,rF
gdosu tell 7
fql -2-r geoxing happy I
,l' gc (classifier) 4
.E d: gege older brother I
I
0
=t1
gEi give 8
Aq FJ gong'anjir police station J
IA gongr6n factory worker 2
ta gongsi company 2
L itFn gongyipin handicraft product 7
tffi gongyu6n park J
LIF gongzud work J
t^ Guingdong Canton (the province) 6
r'' ,)l'l
Gudngzhot, Canton (the city) 6
xfJ guan m6n close (for business)
rA gui distinguished 2
e
t\ gui expensive 7
E\'& gnkd cu$omer 7
r+
II gud celebrate 9
t4 gu6 country 6
r:L guo (aspect marker) 8
gu6yu Mandarin 6

r&x hiiguin customs

130
 Beginner's Chinese

i€ ixfi hiitan beach t0

hiixiin seafood 8
ffi
g
ill H6ngzhou Hangzhou 9
-.1 hio number 5
*t hdo good I
tr^ hioxiing seem 8
ftl h6 and A

16 hc drink 8
4W hEn very I
E)H h6shi suitable 7
4-r h6ng red 8
{w h6ngiin wine 8
,FI hui speech, dialect 6
& huin change, exchange 7
?Fg hu6xuE ski l0
tRfr hudnlng welcome 8
+HSF Hu6sh€ngdin Washington 9
ly. r+
_L\ hudshi Fahrenheit t0
+ hui know how to 6
IEI K huid6 answer 6
EVff huihui conversation 6
hudchezhan train station
tF,K
^+-vh htrzhio passpon 9

JL ji (question word for numbers) 4

?8. chicken 8
Jr
x jie home, family J

6tffi jiag6 price 7

t+ jinn (classifier) 7
rrl jiao call 2
Xt jiao teach 6
Xt
?Er9 jidotSng church J
+it 7, ji6oa dumpling 8
irlll Jiizhou California J
igtr jidnn egg 8
'ffi jic street 9
,H{H ji6jie older sister I
h
4x ili ji6shn end 5
+fr jiji6 season l0
ffi.7 jile extremely 8
nA Fa jininnpin souvenir 7
,tr jin close 9
ER jingchS police, policeman 9
gtE jingli manager 2

131
 Glossary

A' /t+.
7 -'t- jinni6n this year 5
+x jintinn today 5
jin nine 4
^lH + tll Jitjinshan San Francisco J

ffiE ju€de feel, think

'trJ l- jnzi sentence 6

mqF kaEi coffee

fr kdi operat€, drive 9
fr l-l kai m€n open (for business)
frffi kaishi begin 5
E kin read, see 2
€fi kinshn read f
ftw kdoye roast duck 8
I'F ke class, lesson 5
F] fiE kdn6ng maybe I
En" kdqi polite, formal 2
rxI kdw6n texl 6
ED) kEyi may 7
+iE kon6ifo air conditioning 10
tr k6u (classifier) 4
* kuai monetary unit 7
&+ kunizi chopsticks 8
ffi+ lcnzi pants 7

fr la spicy 8
,K I6i come I
liobdn a
ztffi. boss
TW 16ostu- teacher I
z lai tired l
4= t0
16i thunder
s& l6ng cold l0
|qI li away ftom 9
/,t\ Ieng cool l0
ffi4 liinxi exercise 6
+ ling zefo 4
lT Fh lishi history 4
lin six 4
^ig uK liubing ice skate l0
& l6u floor, building 6
w ln road, route 9
& tu green 8
ffi.H Egunn hotel 9
# I'EIT, Ludshanji Los Angeles J

132
 Beginner's Chinese

'tE tlfr lishi lawyer I

fft.Tt Itixing travel 9
lftTttr liixingshd travel agency 9

14 ma (particle) 1

* mii buy 7
j,k mii sell 7
LUJ tg mima mother I
&L@B mima h[hu so-so I
TE mdn slowly 6
tx
E m'ffr Minhadnn Manhattan J
,tr m6ng busy I
-ti m6o (monaary unit) 7
+& m6oyi sweater 7
0E+ miozi hat
E mEi every, each 5
m6i not 2
ty,xR m6i gunnxi That's all right. 5
XE MEigu6 United States I
Wtr mtsimei younger sister I
+.)r M€iyu6n U.S. dollars 7
* itll MEizhou America (continent) 9
irl men (plural suffix) 2
F€ miinbio bread 8
F+ miinti6o noodle 2
xw mifin cooked rice 8
Bfr+ mingni6n next year 5
EEA mingtian tomolTow 5
A.? mingzi name 2

flF nd that 5
n6n male 2
BF JL nir what place J
flF JL ner there 3
tk fJt niinai paternal grandmother 4
Ht^ ninh6i boy 4
ffiH N6njing Nanjing J
BF ni which 4
M
tfl n6n south l0
FfY ne (particle) I
H6 n6ng can
fi ni you I
+ ni6n year 9
4t< nin you (polite form) 2

133
 Glossary

+tn niirndi milk 8

+tn niitrdu beef 8

tnt\ Nii Yu€ New York J

ffi nuin wafin l0

EA nudnqi heat, heating l0
x nl female 2
k)L nii'er daughter 2
fM nih6i girl 4

Et url Ouzh6u Europe 9

MT p6nzi plate 8
nH,.' p6ngyou friend 2
IF'H pi6nyi cheap
6 piio ticket 9
p4 ?E prjin beer 8
ffi ptng bottle 8
giEifr prit6nghud Mandarin 6

t qi seven 4
$tr qi ride 9
+ qidn thousand 4
w, qiSn money 7
x i;E qidnzhdng visa 9
K+ifi qich€zhan bus stop J
iE 14( qi chu6ng get up 5
rF qing sunny l0
tfr wtr\ qing ... chiftn invite sb. to dinner 8
F,ts Qingdio Qingdao 8
i6 tE qing wdn May I ask ... 3
tkx
+
qintian fall l0
qn go I
*+ qini6n last year 5

#! rd hot l0
t 16n person, people 2
ARffi R6nminbi Renminbi 7
l/[. iR rdnshi know I
B4 Rib€n Japan I
EiE Riyu Japanese 5
FJ rdu meat 8

= sdn three 4
/,t>
umbrella l0
- san

134
 Beginner's Chinese

ht€ shdndiin lightning 10

t shdng up 9
l:UI shingban go to work 5

H)fi shangdiin store J

II& Shnnghli Shanghai J

t,+
p)+
shnngwir morning 5

IT shing xu6 go to school 9

r{-
AFJ
ie shengci new word 6
et6j5 Shengdenji6 Christmas 9
4.F shengri birthday 5

4t2 sh6nme what 2

srE shdshi Centigrade l0
+ shi ten 4
E shi be l
shi try 7
fr+h shiching market 7
E{.fF sh'rhou time 5
Bf IEJ shijian time 5
rF t( shizhdng mayor 2
fi F,L. shi zhongxin city center, downtown 9
rE shdu tiCht 7
rt[ shou accept 7
+* sh6ubido watch 5
Etr F. shduhudyu6n sales clerk 7
n shu6ng pair 7
-11 shu book z
flE
+\ -*
shidiin bookstore 7
-tt tx shrifi calligraphy 6
lE shui who
zKR shuigu6 fruit 8
ffiE shuijiio sleep 5

rtL shuo speak, say 6

E si four 4
E JII Sichuin Sichuan (Sezchuan) 6
w sudn sour 8

A* stcdi vegetable dish 8

tJ'nl Snzh6u Suzhou 9

IE, te he I
frb, ta she I
L 6 it I
-*- tai too
f,[t t6ifEng typhoon 10
ffi t6ng sugar 8

135
 Glossary

'th tAng soup 8

tidn day, weather 5

NE ti6n sweet 8
tidnqi weather l0
/\E tiantdng paradise 9
& tido (classifier) 7
W ting listen 6
nnin tingshuo it is said 7
E+ t6ngshi colleague 2
KflIH, tirshnguin library j

9t^ wiigong maternal grandfather 4

fl.tr wiigu6 foreign country 6
fl-Fl wiigu6r6n foreigner 6
,f'4- weipo matemal grandmother 4
fl-iF weiyu foreign language 6
ffi wdn bowl 8
fr, w5n play 9
n win ten thousand 4
W,W winfin dinner
wt winshang evening 5

fr+ wizi socks 7

ff wdi (classifier) 8
ffiiE wdidio taste 8
hlta wdish6nme why l0
Itrtr wdnti question 2
fi w6 I I
T. wti five 4
+ wn fog l0

tr Xi west l0
T xia down, fall 9
Ttfr xiibnn get of work 5
fi xi6n salty 8
H xiing would like, think 9
6E
*L
Xnng Ging Hong Kong 6
)E:L xiinsheng Mr., husband I
r[ IL xiinzii now 5
zj. xiio small l0
4'fr xidoGi tip 8
zJ. fE xiioji€ Miss I
4. E{ xidoshi hour 9
.t.gI
/)\='i xiioxu6sheng elementary school student 4
&K xiiozhing schoolprincipaVpresident 2
 Beginner's Chinese

P/', xidtian summer 10

ff xiewn aftemoon 5
EYTt iE Xibeny6yu Spanish language 6
xi6 write 6
fii tt1
rt:
+!. xi6didn shoe store 7
}tr4f xi€xie thank (you) 2
#T- xj6zi shoes 7
EtR xihuan like I
FT xin new 9
t+ xing family name 2
11+ xingli luggage 9
Effi xrngql week 5
ffi t4l xinw6n news 6
{HH-F xinydngki credit card
+ xu6 study
)ue snow l0
=
4 L+-
xu6sheng
_I student I
+z xu6xi study 4
+& xu€xiio school 2

+k
m yen salt 8
ie
fn r^l yingrdu lamb 8
ffi&. y6nsd color
yeo want, take (time, etc)
4E ydokin It depends.
iL ?)il Ydzhou Asia 9
E yd also I
&e y0li night )
++ yeye paternal grandfather 4
yt one 4
- slt yiban generally, ususally 5
yibian
-t& once 6
- ,*: JL yidinnr
yiding
a little
certainly, definetely
6
8
&flE vitu clothes
+
yrgdng altogether
FN yin cloudy l0
4tr Yinggu6 England 6
Yingni English language 6
ffi1-r yrnh6ng bank 2
ETI.
AT yisheng doctor I
*E yisi meaning
/E!,gl 6
6.t r. yiyudn hospital J
ffi ydng use 6

IJ I
 Glossary

F ydu have, there iVare 2

Hfu\ H tr! y6u de... y6ude some... others... 7

fiI ,F, -,L y6u didnr a little 8

frrE y6ujir post office 3

HE
fir fr-
y6uming famous 8

Ep- y6upido stamps 7

EEt A ['1 y6ushi ... y6ushi sometimes ... sometimes 5
yt fish 8

N yt rain l0
)t-\ yudn far J

fiiffi yubno forecast l0

E yud month 5

i# rx- yufe grammar 6

Z yun cloud 10
,EE yuy6n language 6
st.& yuyi raincoat l0

7F /U\ zizhi magazine 6

fL ziti in, at
E ziri again 6
Ft'1, zdijinn good-bye 2
+fn ziohn breakfast 5
Et t- zioshang earlymorning 5
E.4 zEnme how 6
EL++ zEnmeying how is ...? I
'tF zhd deep fry 8
dK zhing (classifer) 7
0K+ zhingdin check, bill 8
+!
r'< zhio look for, find 9
15 zhd this 1

BJL zhdr here 3

tl zhi only 6
*ll tE zhidao know 2
f Eq' zhipiio check
ff zh6ng kind, variety 6
+in zh6ng{bn lunch )
+E Zhonggu6 China I
1'-X- Zhongw6n Chinese language 2
++- zhongwi noon 5

F+4 zhongxu6sheng secondary school student 4

EA zhoumd weekend 5
fi: zhi live 3

ffiFt zhurdu pork 8

+ zi Chinese character 6

t38
 Beginner's Chinese

f1
F
I+t
IJ f zixingch€ bicycle 9
,^e. z6u walk 9
EY A)i most 7
Eer zuihdo best, had better l0
4E zud
IT do 4
At
t zud sit, take (the bus, etc) 8
T* H.
1r\ ,/x zudfrn cook 8
Ht'l\ zu6tian yesterday 5

139
 Key to the Exercises

Lesson I
tr.
1.
A: Zhio Xiinsheng, ni hdo!
B: Hu6ng Xnojie, ni hio!
A: Ni m6ng ma?
B: Br) m6ng, ni ne?
A: W6 hEn ming.

2.
Ai Ni baba qi Zhdnggu6 ma?
B: Qn.
A: Ni mima ne?
B: Tn yE qi.

J.
A: Ni gege shi lioshi ma?
B: Shi.
A: Ni mtimei y€ shi liostri ma?
B: Bi shi, ti shi xudsheng.

4.
A: Zhd shi Hui Xidnsheng. Zhd shi W6ng Xi{ojie.
B: REnshi ni hEn gaoxing.
C: REnshi ni w6 yE h6n gioxing.

u.
1. Ni ldi ma?
2. FI0 Xiinsheng bi shi t'sh€ng. Te shi ltrshi.
3. W6 bnba h6n miing. W6 mima bi m6ng.
4. W6 bfr rdnshi t6.
5. Te didi hEn g6oxing.
6. Zhd shi wd biba.
7. W6 mnma bfi qi Zhonggu6. Ta qi RibEn.
8. Li )finnsheng shi lishi- Li Taitai yE shi lishi.
9. Td biba mnrna l6i M6igu6.
10. Ni g€ge xihuan wd mdimei ma?

140
 Beginner's Chinese

IV

l. Ni mdimei l6i M6igu6 ma? Shi./Bir shi.

2. ShEn xidojiE shi lioshi ma? Shi /Bir shi
3. Td r€nshi wd bdba ma? REnshi./Bfr rdnshi.
4. Ni
mdma yE shi yisheng ma? YE shi./Bir shi
5 Te gege h€n xihuan Zhdnggu6ma? Xihuan./Bi xihuan.
6. Ti shi W6ng Xansheng ma? Shi./Bn shi.
7. Zheng Xiojie hEn gdoxing ma? Tn hEn gaoxing./Ti bri gdoxing.
8 Ta jiEjie shi xu€sheng ma? Shi./B[ shi.
9. Ni biba mima hEn m6ng ma? HEn m6ng /Bi m6ng.
10. Ni hEn ldi ma? HEn l€i./B[ lei.

Lesson 2
II.
I Ni zhidao td nii pEngyou de mingzi ma? Bi zhidao.
2 Ni rdnshi w6de Zhongw6n lioshi ma? Rdnshi.
3. Ni xing W6ng ma? Bi, w6 xing Zhdng.
4. Ni renshi ta ma? W6 zludao ta, dinshi w6 bi rdnshi ta.
5. Ni shi Zhio Xinsheng de taitai ma? Shi.
6. Rdnshi ni hEngdoxing. Rdnshi ni wd yE hEn gdoxing.

III.
L Zhd shi sh6nme?
2. Te shi wd g€ge de nd p6ngyou.
3. W6 zhideo td. ddnshi w6 bir rdnshi ta.
4. W6 tnitaijieo Lili.
5. Ta n['er m6i y6u Zhonggu6 pengyou.

Iv
l. Ta m6i ydu nii p6ngyou.
2 W6 bir jido Diwii
3. Wdmende Zhongwln lioshi b[ xing W6ng.
4. Wd mdma bir gaoxing.
5. Te m6i y6u 6rzi.
6. Te taitai m6i y6u g€ge.
7. Wd bir rdnshi ta xiinsheng.
8. Tdmen m6i y6u Mdigu6 p6ngyou.
9 W6 bdba bri ming.
10. W6men bfr qn Zhonggu6.

V
l. I have an older brother and also an older sister. My older brother's nirme is Xao Hua and
my older sister's name is Xao Jun.
 Key to the Exercises

2. I'm very happy to know your mother.

3. Her boyfriend is David, not Tom.
4. What is the name of your Chinese friend?
5. The family names of both my parents are Huang.

Lesson 3
II
L Ni jia zdindr?
2. Ndr y6u yiyuin?
3. Zhdr y6u Zhongw6n xu6xiio ma?
4. Ni zii ndr xu6 Zhongw6n?
5 Ndr m6i y6u RibEn cinguin.
6. Ni cdsu6 zii ndr.
7 W6de nff p6ngyou zdi Shdnghli zhn.
8. (Any place name) zdinir?
9. Ndr y6u yinhing?
10. Ni qi ndr?

III
l. Qingwdn, n5n cdsud ziinir?
2. Qingw€n, BEijing y6u M6igu6ch6ng ma?
3. W6 taitai zii xu6xiio g6ngzud.
4. Ta ni p€ngyou zdi N6njing Dixu6 xu6xi.
5. ZhEr m1t ydu Zhonggu6 canguin.
6. W6 mnma bir shi yish€ng. Ta shi ldoshi.
7. W6mende Zhongw6n ldoshi zhi zii Jinjinshen.
8 W6 mima bn zii jie
9. Ni biba mdma qt cdnguin ma?
10. Yiyuin bir zii nir.

IV.
l. There is no American bank in Beijing.
2. I work at a school and so does my wife.
3. There is no Japantown in New York, but there is one in Los Angeles.
4. Excuse me, where is the train station?
5. Excuse me, where can I find a store?
6- What is the name of your school?
7. Are there any Japanese restaurants in Chinatown in New York?
8. I don't know where the bathroom is, but he does.
9 Where are you going? going to the airport.
-I'm
10. My parents live in Califomia.

114
 Beginner's Chinese

Lesson 4
II.
l. sin shi Er
2.babii w[ shi si
3. san qiin ling drshi
4. wir qien [n bdi
5. si qiin qi bniji[ shi ba
6. jii
wnn be qien qi bei fin shi wri
7. yi win ling san bii ling si

III
l zhnng - objects with flat surface or sheetJike
2. ti6to - long and narrow objects
3. kuai - small dimentional objects
4. zhi - small, thin, narrow and long objects
5. zhi - animals

IV.
l. Nishi bir shi Zhonggu5r€n?
2 Tdy6u m6iyou h6izi?
3. Ni bnba mdma qi bu qn finh6ng?
4.Zhdr y6u m6iyou cdcu6?
5. Ni xing bu xing Wdng?
6. Ta zei bu zni jia?
7. Timen xu6 bu xu6 Zhongw6n?
8. Nide Zhongw6n lioshi shi shi Zhonggu6r6n?
9. Zhd shi bu shi nide shu?
10. Ni ji€jie shi bu shi dixu6sheng?

Iv.
l. W6 jia y6u si k6u r6n. Timen shi w6 tiitai, w6 €,rzi, w6 ni'6r h6 w6
2. Nide Zhongw6n lioshi y6u duoshao Zhongw6n shu?
3. Shanghni ydu duoshao r6n?
4. Wd teitai bir zii gongsi gongzud. Td shi xu6xiio ldoshi.
5. W6 b0 r€nshi ni ge r6n. Ni renshi te ma?
6. W6jiCjie b(r shi zhongxu6sheng. Ti shi dixu6sheng.
7. Ni jiEjie zii dixu6 xu6 sh6nme?
8. Ni zAi ni ge g6ngsi g6ngzud?
9. W6men xu6xiio y6u yi qian w[ bdi ge xu6sheng.
10. Ni m€imei y6u n5n p6ngyou ma?

V.
l. I study American history at Beijing University.
2. There are two Chinese teachers in their school.

143
 Key to the Exercises

3. Their company is very big. There are 1,000 people there

4. How many Chinese friends do you have?
5. My boyfriend does not like to study Chinese. He likes to study history.
6. My mother works at home.
7. Do you know how many universities there are in Shanghai?
8. That person's older brother is our Chinese teacher.
9. There are eight people in my family. How about yours?
10. He is a student at the Universitv of California.

Lesson 5
I.
7:05 qi diin wri Gn 12:30 shi ir diin sanshi (fEn)
15
4: si diin shi wir(Gn) 9:43 - ji[ dinn si shi sen (Gn)
10:59 shi diin wri shi jif
(Gn) 3:28 sdn diin dr shi ba (Gn)
6:32 - (Gn)
[n didn snn shi dr l:30 yi diSn san shi (Gn)
8:04 be didn ling si(Gn) I l:16 shi yi diin shi [n (Gn)
-

n.
L Jintiin xingqi ji?
2.Zv6tian ji yue ji hao?
3. Td sh6nme shihou l6i?
4. Nide M€igu6 p6ngyou jinni6n bi yu€ qr) ndr?
5. Jintiin shiji yueji hio, xingqiji?

IV.
l. Ni zu6tian winshang zdi nir?
2. Duibuqi, w6 m6iyou bino. W6 bi zhidao xidnzdi ji dinn.
3. Ni xingqiji y5u Zhongw6n k€?
4. Ni jintidn xiew[ ji diin xid ben?
5. W6 xingqi lii winshang yibdn zdi cdnguin chiftn.
6. W6 bnba m6i tinn [idiin qichu6ng.
7. W6 bn chi ziofln.
8. Bi chi zdofhn bi hio.
9. Ni min$ian xiiwl zud sh6nme?
10. Ni sh€nme shihou qri Zhonggu6? Mingnidn [n yud.
-

l. My mother usually does not eat breakfast.

2. Sometimes she eats lunch at worlq sometimes at home.
3. Next Wednesday is my wife's birthday.
4. I'm going to the bank at 9:00 tomorrow morning.
5. Where is your bank?

t44
 Beginner's Chinese

Lesson 6
IV
I Ni hui shu6 fhyir ma?
2 Ni jiejie hui shuo ji zh6ng yiry6n?
3. Nide pengyou c6ng nir l5i?
4 Te hui shuo yidiinr Xibany6iu.
5. Duibuqi, w6 bi d6ng nide hui.
6. Qing min yidiinr shuo
7. Te cr,ng Shnnghdi l6i. Ta shi Shdnghiir6n.
8. N6njingr6n shuo sh6nme hui?
9 Ni d6ng bi ddng w6de hui?
10. Ni mdma hui shuo Fivri ma?

L Qingwdn, ni zhidao ydng Zhongw6n zEnme shuo "speak slowly" ma?

2. Qingwdn, "qich€" shi sh6nme yisi?
3. "Qich€" de yisi shi "car".
4 W6de Zhongw6n lioshi b[ hui shuo Yingyu.
5 Ta cbng Degu6 l6i, dinshi ta bir hui shuo D6yu.
6 Te hui shuo yididnr Xibany6 yu.
7. Xing Ging r6n shuo Guingdonghui.
8. Shui hui shuo FIyu?
9. Te shi Shinghiir6n, dinshi ta b[ shuo Shnnghnihua.
10. Ni zEnme xiE zhE ge hinzi?

VI
I I'm English and my wife is French.
2. People in Shanghai do not understand Cantonese.
3 My boyfriend speaks four languages, but I only speak English.
4. Pardon? I don't understand. Please say it again.
5. I understand Taiwan dialect, but I don't speak it.
6. His Cantonese is very good, but his Mandarin is not.
7. Excuse me, who speaksEnglish?
8. Do you know what "gongyu6n" means?
9. I can only understand a little ofwhat she said.
10. Sorry, I do not speak Sichuan dialect.

VII.
l Ni y6uji bEn Zhongw€n shn?
2. Ni rdnshi bu rdnshi nd ge yisheng?
3. Td m6itiSn ba dinn shingbdn .

4. Ni
shi bu shi xu6sh€ng?
5 Ta y6u jiEjie, mi6you gege.
6. W6 y6u liing ge Zhonggu6 p6ngyou.

t45
 Key to the Exercises

7. Qingwdn, Zh6nggu6ch6ng zii ndr?

8. Tn zdi cdnguin gongzud.
9. W6ng Taitai jintien bil qn yinh6ng.
10. Nimen xu€xido de tfshngudn y6u duoshao (bdn) shn?

Lesson 7
il
I Zhdjian m6oyi dudshao qiSn?
2. Nimen shou bu shou Riyu6n?
3. Ndr y6u MEigu6 yinh6ng?
4. Zhd, ge didn de dongxi bi gui, hEn pi6nyi.
5. Ni yio huin duoshao Mdiyu6n?

III.
l +10 kuni
2.+l 20 - yishikuni liing m6o
3. +5 64
- wt kuai [i m6o si (Gn)
4 +7.08 - qi kudi ling be (Fn)
5.+33.94 - sanshi san kuni jin m6o si (Gn)
6 +580
- wir bti bashi kuni
7 . +99 .99
- jinshi jin kuai jil m6o jin (Gn)
8, +6,832.81
- lii qian ba bii sanshi dr kuii be m6o yi (Gn)
9 +40.60
- sishi kudi lii m6o
10. +2,080.01
- dr qiin ling bishi kuii ling yi (Gn)
-
IV.
l. Qing l5i yixinr
2. ZhdbEn cidiln duoshao qi6n?
3. Duibuqi, w6men zhi shou M6iyu6n. W6men bi shou R6nminbi
4. Ni n6ng giosi w6 nir y6u xi6didn ma?
5. Y6ude shingdiin shou xinydngkd, ydude shdngdiin bi shou.
6. BEijing ni ge bdihud gongsi zui di?
7. Yno knn jiag6.
8. Ni bn n6ng zdi shdngdiin hudn qi6n.
9. Wd n€ng shi yixiir zhd shuing xi€ ma?
10. fingshuoZh6nggu6ch6ng de dongxi hEn pidnyi.

l. I don't have U.S. dollars. I only have Japanese yen.

2. One U.S. dollar could convert to eight Renminbi yesterday.
3 That bookstore has the most English books.
4. Many people like to go shopping in Shanghai.
5. Stores in the United States sell a lot ofChinese products.
6. This pair ofpants is too long. Do you have anything shorter?

t46
 Beppnner's Ohinese

7. How much is your overcoat?

8. I heard that things in Japan are very expensive.
9. Whether or not I can go to China depends on whether I have money.
10. Cheap stuffmay not be good.

Lesson 8
II
l. Ni shi Zhonggu6r6n h6ishi MEigu6r6n?
2. Ni xihuan bi xihuan Fngu6 cni?
3 Ta m6iy6u qi guo Yinggu6,
4. Rib6n yinyud hEn hio ting.
5. W6 mima chi guo B€ijing kdoye.
6. Ni y6u m€iy6u kin guo zhd b6n shn?
7. Ndr y6u Zhonggu6 cdngudn?
8. Yigdng duoshao qiSn?
9 Zhd jiecenguin de cii h€n yduming.
10. Zhd shi w6 di €r ci he Qingdno pijin.

III.
I Ni y6u m6iyou kin guo Yinggu6 dinnying?4il5 m6iyou kin guo Yinggu6 dinnying.
2 Tade lioshi y6u m6iyou xu€ guo D6yu?/Tade ldoshi m€iyou xu6 guo D6yu.
3. Td y6u m6iyou qi guo Xiang Gdng?/Ta m6iyou qi guo Xang G{ng.
4. Nide Zhonggu6 p6ngyou y6u m6iyou l6i guo ni jia?Nide Zhonggu6 p6ngyou m€iyou l6i
guo nijia.
5. Tamen chi guo Figu6 cii ma?/Timen m6iyou chi guo Fdgu6 cii.
6. Tade n5n p6ngyou ting guo RibEn yinyu€ ma?/Tide ndn p6ngyou m6i y6u ting guo RibEn
yrnyu€.
7. Ni bdba y6u m6iyou zii Zhonggu6 yinhdng gongzud guo?AV6 bdba mdiyou zdi Zhonggu6
yinh6ng gongzud guo.
8. Td mdma y6u mEiyou ziiZhonggu6 huin guo qi6n?/Ta mama m6iyou zii Zhonggu6 huin
guo qi6n.
9. W6ng Lioshi y6u m6iyou zii ni ge shingdiin mii guo dongxi?AV6ng Lioshl m6iyou zii
ni ge shangdiin mii guo dongxi.
10. Ni didi y6u m€iyou zii Jiazhou zhn guo?Aild didi m6iyou zii Jidzhou zhri guo.

ry.
l. w6 bil tei d.
2. BEijing kio yd hEn y6uming.
3. N6n cdsu6 zii Er l6u h6ishi sdn l6u?
4. Ni yio kaGi hiishi ch6.
5. ZhC jid cdngudn de cii h6n hiochi.
6. Ni qn guo Nii Yu€ de Zhonggu6ch6ng ma?
7. Ni hnoxinng hEn ldi.
8. ZhE shi w6 dil
ci chi NbEn cii. Wd hu6de wdidio hEn hio.

t47
 Key to the Exercises

9 ZhongguS de cangudn bi shou xidofEi.

10. W6men qi kdn diinying zEnmeying?

I Does your father work at a college or a middle school?

2. The green tea doesn't taste good, but the black tea does.
3. ls your girlfriend Chinese or American?
4. My husband has never seen a Chinese movie.
5. What dishes are famous in Guangzhou?
6. My older sister can't drink liquor, but she can drink a little wine.
7. I want neither rice or noodles. I want bread.
8. In his house, his wife cooks, but in my house, I cook.
9. Are you going to eat at home or in a restaurant tonight?
10. Chinese people sometimes only eat rice, not dishes, whereas Americans sometimes only
eat dishes, not rice.

Lesson 9
II.
l. Ni zhiddao zEnme xiE zh€ ge zi ma?
2. Ni bdba qn Xang Ging zud sh6nme?
3. Tidnanm6n li w6mende ligurin hEn jin. Zud diti6 zhiyio shi fEnzhOng.
4. Mingtien shi ni taitai de shengri, nimen z€nme gud?
5. Qi zixingch€ qi nide xuExiio yio duoshao shijien?
6. Ta qn guo Figu6 de sh6nme difang?
7. H6ngzhou hEn hdo w5n.
8. W6 qn guo Niti Yu€ sdn ci.
9. C6ng hu6chezhin qn Bdijing Ddxu6 ydo zud qich€.
10. Ni zhidao diti€zhin zai nir ma?

III.
l. Hu6shdngdtn lfiguin hiozhdo bn hiozhSo?
2. Xf in li Gudngzhou hEn yuin.
3. C6ng BEijing zud hu6chc dio Shnnghni dngni yno drshi ge xidoshi.
4. NSnjing y5u m6iyou diti€?
5. HEn duo Zhonggu6r6n qi zixingche shingbdn.
6. Ni cong Xeng Gdng z6nme qi Guingzhou?
7. Ta qn guo RibEn w[ ci.
8. W6 xiing mingniin qi Zhonggu6.
9. W6de p6ngyou bir zhn lugunn. Ta zhn w6 jie.
10. HEn duo Zhonggu6r6n xiinzdi gud Shdngdnnji6.

IV.
l. I'm going to the park with my wife this weekend.
2. My mdher has been to England and France in Europe.

148
 Beginner's Chinese

3. Train tickets are very cheap, but trains are very slow.
4. It is not easy to find a hotel now.
5. My house is very close to my company and I walk to work.
6. It takes 30 minutes to drive to my company from my house.
7. I think Suzhou is probably very fun.
8. Her father has been to many places in China. He likes Nanjing the best.
9. How do you go to the train station?
l0 I sometimes eat lunch at home. sometimes in school.

Lesson l0
II.
l. Ni taitai qri le shingdidn ma?/Ni taitai y5u m6iyou qi shingdidn?
2. Nimende Zhongw6n lioshi l6i le ma?/Nimende Zhongw6n ldoshi y6u m€iyou l6i?
3. Xie yu le ma?/Y6u m6iyou xii yu?
4. Niri Yue jinniSn donginn xid le hEn duo xuE ma?Nii Yue jinniSn dongtien ydu m6iyou xid
hEn duo xu6?
5. Temen xiiban le ma?/Tdmen v6u m6ivou xidbin?

m.
l. W6 bdba mdma zu5tiin dou mdiyou l6i.
2. Xingqilin winshang w6 m6iyou kin didnshi
3 Yinh6ng m6i y6u guinm6n.
4. T6 m6iyou ydng w6de qich€.
5. W6 xiinsheng m6iyou qichu6ng.

V.
l. Wd zu6tiin m€iyou chi zdofrn.
2. T6 mima jintien zdoshing zii jia.
3. Ni shang xingqitiin y6u m6iyou qn jinot6ng? or Ni shing xingqitidn qi le jiiotfng ma?
4. Timen m6iyou lii Zhonggu6.
5. W6 qini6n b0 rdnshi ta.

u.
l. Shnnghni qiutian de tiinqi zEnmeying?
2. Nin YuC xiitiin ch5ngch6ng xii yu ma?
3. Mingtien shi qingtien.
4. Hlngzhou xin bu xin xu6? - Y6ushi xii, y6ushi bir xii
5. W6men zh€r d6ngtidn €ng hEn dn.
6. Zu6tidn duoshao di? - Wishi san dn
7.'fingshuo Fdgu6 jinni6n dongian xin le h6n du6 xu€.
8 Gudngzhou ch[ntiin de tidnqi zui hdo.
9. Zu6tian de yu y6u duo di?
10. N6njrng chuntian y6ushi xid xuE.
I l. W6 mdma qi le shingdidn.

149
 Kev to the Exercises

12. Tajintian zioshang m6iy6u chi ziofln.

13. Ni y6u m6iyou kdi guo Zhonggu6 che?
14. W6 zu6tinn winshang xu6 le shi ge hinzi.
I 5. Tdmen jinti 6n zii Zhonggt6 lnh6ng huin le wi bni MEiyu6n.

VII
l. It's cloudy today. It's cold and windy.
2. Was the snow heavy in New York this winter?
3. What do Chinese people like to do in the summer?
4. Many Americans like to go skiing in the winter.
5. It was not too cold last winter and not too hot last surnmer.
6. I don't like Beijing's spring. It's too windy.
7. Which was heavier, the rain yesterday or the rain today?
8. There are more students at Beijing University than at Nanjing University
9. My house is farther away from the company than his house.
10. This book is three dollars cheaper than that book.

IX
l. Jintien de xuE bi zu6tidn de xu6 di.
2. Tade Zhongw6n bi w6de Zhongw6n hio.
3. H6ngiin bi b6ijin hnohe
4. Fcijr bi hu6ch€ kuii.
5. B€ijing bi ShAnghdi hiow6n.
6 Zhd b€n shn bi na bEn shu gui shi kudi qi6n.
7 W6 bnba bi w6 mima m6ng.
8. Nii Yue de liigunn bi Ludshnnji de liiguin hio zh6o.
9. Jintiin bi zu6tien 96o shi dri.
| 0. W6men xu6xiio bi tamen xu6xiio duo dr bii ge xu€sheng.

150
 Pinyin Practice
b, p, m,f d, t, n, l, z, c, s, zh, ch, sh, r,j, q, x, g, k, h

B P

ba, b6, br, ba pd, p6, pd, pd

b0, bo, b6, bd po, po, p6, pd

bi, bi, bi, bi pi, pi, pi, pi

bli, bfi, bti, br) pO, pu, p[, pi

bai, b6i, bdi, bei pii, p6i, pdi, pdi

bao, b6o, bdo, bio pao, p6o, pdo, pdo

ban, ben, bin, ben pan, p6n, pin, pin

blng, b6ng, bdng, bang peng, p6ng, ping, pang

bci, bei, bei, bci pci, p€i, pdi, pdi

b€n, b€n, bdn, ben pen, p€n, p6n, pdn

beng, beng, bdng, bdng peng, p6ng, p€ng, pdng

bi6o, bi5o, bido, biio piao, pi5o, piio, piio

bic, bi6, bi€, bie pi€, pie, pi6, pid

bian, bi6n, bidn, bian piin, pian, pidn, pian

brn, bin, bin, bin p-ln, pin, pin, pin

brng, bing, bing, bing p-mg, plng, ping, ping

l5r
 Pinyin Praclice

M F

ma, m6, md, ma fb, f6, fe, fr

m0, m6, m6, mo f0, fo, f6, fd

me, m6, md, me fu, ft, fii, fii

mi, mi, mi, mi
mtt mu, mL mD frn, f6n, frn, frn
fbng, f6ng, ftng, fr.tg

mdi, mii, mdi, mai

mio, m6o, mdo, mao fbi, fti, fEi, fEi

man, m6n, m[n, men fcn, f6n, fEn, ftn

md.ng, m6ng, mdng, mang fcng, fbng, fEng, ftng

mei, m€i, mEi, mdi fdu, fou, fdu, fdu

m€n, m6n, mdn, mdn

meng, mring, mEng, meng D

da, da, d6, da

mieo, mi6o, mi6o, mido dc, de, de, dC

mic, mie, mie, mic di, di, di, di

miu, mit, mi[, miD drt dir, d[, dri

mian, mian, midn, miin

mtn, min, min, min dai, dai, ddi, dei

mlng, ming, ming, ming dao, d6o, d.{o, dio

din, din, d5n, din
m6u, mou, mdu, mou dang, dang, ddng, dang

t52
 Beginner's Chinese

dong, dong, d6ng, ddng tan, t6n, tin, ten

ting, t6ng, tdng, ting
dei, d€i, ddi, dCi

d€n, d€n, d6n, ddn tong, t6ng, tdng, tdng

deng, deng, ddng, ddng

teng, teng, t€ng, tdng

diao, di6o, diio, diio
dic, di€, did, dic tiao, ti5o, tiio, tiio
dian, di6n, diin, diAn tic, tic, tie, tic

ding, d'rng, ding, ding tian, tien, tidn, tian

dir! di[, dir], dir) Ung, ting, ting, ting

duo, du6, du6, dud fuo, tuo, tud, tud

dul, dui, dui, dui fui, tui, tui, tui

dudn, du6n, dudn, duan tuan, tuen, tudn, tuan

dun, dtn, d[n, din tun, t[n, t[n, tin

T N
t , ta, tA, tit n6, n5, nI, nd
tc, t6, te, tc ne, n6, n€, nd

tl, ti, ti, ti nt, ni, nl, ni

hr, ht, tn, ti nrl nu, nI, ni

nfr, nft, ni, ni

tai, t6i, tdi, tai

tao, t6o, tdo, tio nai, n6i, nii, ndi

153
 Piwin Practice

n6o, n6o, ndo, nio lc, le, 16, le

nln, n6n, nin, nin li, li, li, li

ning, n6ng, ndng, ndng l[, lq lil, li

lt, lii, lti, lfr
nong, nong, n6ng, ndng
lai, l6i, ldi, lai

lio, lao, lio, ldo

n€i, n€i, ndi, ndi
lan, 16n, lin, ldn
n€n, n€n, nEn, ndn
lang, lang, llng, lang
n€ng, n€ng, n6ng, ndng

lOng, long, ldng, Idng

nido, ni6o, nido, niio
nian, ni6n, niin, niin
lci, lei, ldi, ldi
nidng, niang, nilng, nidng
leng, leng, l6ng, ldng
nic, ni€, niE, nid

nln, nin, nin, nin

lia, li6, lie, lia
n-urg, ning, ning, ning
liao, li6o, lido, lido
niu, ni[, ni[, niD
lian,lian, [nn, [an
lilng, li6ng, liing, lidng
nu6, nuo, nu6, nud
lid, lic, li6, lic
nuan, nu6.n, nudn, nudn
lin, l'ln, lin, lin

n[e, nte ling, ling, ling, ling

nfre, nfie,
liu, liu, li[, lit
L
la.16, h,le luo,lu6,lu6,lud

t54
 Reginner's Chinese

lun, lun, lun, lnn zuin, zuan, z;uin, ntan

luan, lu6n, luan, ludn

C
lfle, lfie, ltre, lie ca, cft, c6, cir

c€, ce, c6, cd

Z ct, ci, ci, ci
za, za,26, za cu, c[r, cir, ci
zE,26, zE, zE

27, zi, zi, zi cai, c6i, cdi, cii

z1J,zt, z:D',zi cao, c6o, c6o, cdo

cin, c6n, cin, cdn

ziti, ziri, zii, ziti c6ng, c6Lng, cdng, cing

zio, z6c., z6o, zdo

zdn, z6n, z,in, zdn cong, cong, c6ng, cdng

zang, zilng, zing, zing
c€n, c6n, cdn, cdn
zdng,z6ng,z6ng, zdng c€ng, c{6ng, cdng, ceng

zEi, z1i, zEi, zdi

cu6, cuo, cu6, cud
zen, z6n, zEn, zdn
cur, cui, cui, cui
zeng,z6ng,zdng, zdng
cun, c[n, cIn, ctn

cuan, cu6n, cudn, cudn

zu6, z;tto, zu6, zud

nl,nti,anl,nti S

fin,zitn, z[n, zDn

sa, s6, sd, sd

155
 Pinyin Practice

s€, s6, sd, sd

^ai,ZJJnai,^iLz}Jldi
sr, si, si, si zhao, zh6o, zh6o, zhdo

srt siu su, su z4ndn, zAiirn, zlrrin, zhin

zhing, zhfng, zhdng, zJlring

sii, s6i, sdi, sdi

sdo, s6o, sdo, sio zhdng, zhong, zh6ng, zhdng

san, s6n, sin, sdn

s6.ng, s6ng, sdng, seng zhei, zhci

^ci,^ei,
zhln,ilten, zh€n, zhdn
s6ng, song, s6ng, sdng zhcng, zheng, zh6n g, zhdng

sdn, s6n, sEn, sCn zhuL, zhtn, zfiud, zJltuir

s€ng, seng, s6ng, sdng zhludi, zhu6i, zhudi, zhuii

zhuang, zhuirng, zhuing, zhuing

suo, suo, su6, suo zhuo, zhuo, zhuo, zhud

sul, sui, sui, sui zhw,zhtfi, zhui, zhui

sun, sun, s[n, sin zhrin, zhun, zh[n, zhin

suin, suin, sudn, suin zhuan, zJi,uin, zhudn, zhudn

ZH CH
cha, ch6, ch6, chd
^a,^6,^d,^d
z}l'd, hc ch€, che, ch6, chd
^c, ^c,
7A7,^1,^i,hi chI, chf, chi, chi

zhu, zttu, zttu, zhD chu, chu, chi, chri

156
 Reginner's Chinese

chai, ch6i, chdi, chdi shio, sh6o, sh6o, shio

chio, ch6o, chio, chdo shdn, sh6Ln, shdn, shdn

chan, chan, chdn, chan shang, shang, shIng, shing

ching, chang, ching, ching

shei, sh€i, shEi, shdi

chdng, chong, chdng, chdng shen, sh6n, shdn, shdn

sheng, sheng, shdng, shdng

chen, chen, chdn, chdn

ch€ng, ch6ng, chdng, chdng shua, shu5, shui, shud

shuf,i, shu6i, shudi, shuii

chu6, chua, chui, chui shu6ng, shuang, shuing, shuang

chuii, chudi, chudi, chuii shuo, shu6, shu6, shud

chuang, chu6ng, chud.ng, chuing shur, shui, shui, shui

chuO, chu6, chu6, chud shun, sh[m, shrin, shDn

chur, chui, chui, chui shuan, shuin, shudn, shuin

chun, chfrn, ch[n, chin

chu6.n, chu5n, chuin, chudn R

re, 16, rd, rd

SH ri, ri, ri, ri

sh6, sh6, shd, shi ru,rqrqru
she, she, shE, shd

shi, shi, shi, shi rao, 16o, rdo, rio

shu, sh[r, sht, shri ran, r6n, rin, rin
ring, rfng, riing, rdng
shii, sh5i, shdi, shdi

157
 Pinyin Practice

rong, rong, rdng, rong Jue, Jue, Jue, Jue

r6u, rou, rou, rdu juin, juan, ju5n, juan

jun, jun, jin, jun
ren, ren, rdn, rdn

reng, r€ng, rdng, rdng a

qI, qi, qi, qi

ru6, ruo, ruo, rud q[, qt, qit, qn

rul, rui, rui, rui

rUn, nrn, rirn, rnn qia, qia, qid, qid

ruin, ru6n, ru6n, rudn qiao, qiio, qiio, qiio

qi6n, qi6n, qidn, qidn

J qi6ng, qi5ng, qiIng, qiang

ji, ji, ji, ji qin, qin, qin, qin

ju, jr, ju, jn qlng, qing, qing, qing

qie, qi€, qi6, qid

jia, ji6, jid, jie qi[, qiir, qi[, qit

jiao, jiao, jido, jido qi6ng, qiong, qi6ng, qidng
jian, jian, jinn, jian

jiing, ji6ng, jidng, jidng qu€, qu€, qu6, qud

jin, jin, jin, jin quin, qu6n, qudn, quin

jing, jing, jins, jinc qun, q[n, q[n, qDn

jic, jic, ji€, jie

jiti, jiu, jin, jin X

Jrong, Jlong, Jlong, Jlong xt, xi, xi, xi

x[, x[r, x[t, xi

158
 Beginner's Chinese

xia, xi6, xii, xid gel, gel, gel, gel

xiao, xi6o, xiio, xido gen, g6n, gdn, gen

xian, xi6n, xidn, xiin gdng, g6ng, g6ng, gdng

xiang, xiang, xidng, xiang

xin, xin, xin, xin gu6, gu6, gui, gue

xlng, xing, xing, xing guii, gu6i, guii, guii

xi€, xi6, xid, xi€ gudn, guin, guin, gudn

xin, xin, xiir, xin guang, gu6ng, gudng, gunng

xi6ng, xiong, xi6ng, xidng gud, guo, gud, gud

gui, gui, gui, gui

xue, xu€, xud, xue gun, g0n, gln, gun

xuan, xuin, xuin, xuin

xtln, x[n, xin, xt)n K

ka, ka, kn, ke

G kC, ke, ka, kC

gir, 96, gir, gir ku, ku, k[, kt

ge, gC,96, gC

gu, gu, grt gu kai, k6i, kni, kai

k6o, k6o, kio, kio

gili, gfri, gii, gdi kin, k5n, kdn, ken
gin, gito, gdo, geo kang, k6ng, king, kdng

gtu,gfo, gdn, gan

geutrg, g6ul.g, ging, gang kOng, kong, k6ng, kdng

gong, gong, g6ng, gdng kci, k6i, kdi, kci

159
 Pinyin Practice

ken, ken, kdn, kdn h6o, h6o, hdo, hao

keng, k6ng, k6ng, kdng hen, h6n, hnn, han

hang, h6ng, hdng, hang

kua, ku6, lrui, kue

kudi, ku6i, kuni, kuai hOng, hong, h6ng, hdng

ku'4n, kuan, kunn, kunn

kuang, ku6ng, kuing, kuang hci, h6i, hdi, hei

ku6, ku6, ku6, kud hen, hen, hEn, hdn

kur, kui, kul, kui heng, h6ng, hdng, hdng

kun, kfin, ktn, kr)n

hui, hu5, hud, hua

H huf,i, hu6i, hudi, huii

ha, ha, hi, ha hudn, hudn, huin, huan

hc, he, h€, he huang, huang, huing, huang

hrt hu" hu, ht hu6, huo, hu6, hud

hur, hui, hui, hui

hai, h6i, h5i, hei hUn, hun, hfn, hnn

160
 Pinyin to Wade Giles: A Cross Reference
Pinvin WG Pinvin WG Pinvin WG Pinvin WG Pinvin WG Pinvin WG

a a cou ts'ou gu ku kong k'ung mo mo qie ch'ieh

ai ai cu ts'u gua kua kou k'ou mou mou qin ch'in
an an cuan ts'uan guai kuai ku k'u mu mu qing ch'ing
ang ang cui ts'ui guan kuan kua k'ua qiong ch'iung
ao ao cun ts'un guang kuang kuai k'uai na na qiu ch'iu
cuo ts'o gui kuei kuan k'uan nai nai qu ch'o
ba pa gun kun kuang k'uang nan nan quan ch'iian
bai pai da ta guo kuo kui k'uei nang nang que ch'iieh
ban pan dai tai kun k'un nao nao qun ch'tin
bang pang dan tan ha ha kuo k'uo nei nei
bao pao dang tang hai hai nen nen ran jan
bei pei dao tao han han la la neng neng rang jang
ben pen de te hang hang lai lai ni ni rao jao
beng peng deng teng hao hao lan lan nian nien re je
bi pi di ti he ho lang lang niang niang ren jen
bian pien dian tien hei hei lao lao niao niao reng jeng
biao piao diao tiao hen hen le le nie nieh ri jih
bie pieh die tieh heng heng lei lei nin nin rong jung
bin pin ding ting hong hung leng leng ning ning rou jou
bing ping diu tiu hou hou li li niu niu ru ju
bo po dong tung hu hu lia lia nong nung ruan juan
bou pou dou tou hua hua lian lien nou nou rui jui
bu pu du tu huai huai liang liang nu nu run jun
duan tuan huan huan liao liao n0 nil ruo jo
ca ts'a dui tui huang huang lie lieh nuan nuan
cai ts'ai dun tun hui hui lin lin n0e niieh sa sa
can ts'an duo to hun hun ling ling nuo no sai sai
cang ts'ang huo huo liu liu san san
cao ts'ao e o long lung ou ou sang sang
oe ts'e en en ji chi lou lou sao s:ro
cen ts'en er erfi jia chia lu lu pa p'a se se
ceng ts'eng jian chien lil lai pai p'ai sen sen
cha ch'a fa fa jiang chiang luan luan pan p'an seng seng
chai ch'ai fan fan jiao chiao liian liian pang p'ang sha sha
chan ch'an fang fang jie chieh liie lileh pao p'ao shai shai
chang ch'ang fei fei jin chin lun lun pei p'ei shan shan
chao ch'ao fen fen jing ching luo lo pen p'en shang shang
che ch'e feng feng jiong chiung peng p'eng shao shao
chen ch'en fo fo jiu chiu ma ma pi p'i she she
cheng ch'eng fou fou ju chii mai mai pian p'ien shen shen
chi ch'ih fu fu juan chiian man man piao p'iao sheng sheng
chong ch'ung jue chiieh mang mang pie p'ieh shi shih
chou ch'ou ga ka jun chiin mao mao pin p'in shou shou
chu ch'u gai kai mei mei ping p'ing shu shu
chua ch'ua gan kan ka k'a men men po p'o shua shua
chuai ch'uai gang kang kai k'ai meng meng pou p'ou shuai shuai
chuan ch'uan gao kao kan k'an mi mi pu p'u shuan shuan
chuang ch'uang ge ko kang k'ang mian mien shuang shuang
chui ch'ui gei kei kao k'ao miao miao qi ch'i shui shui
chun ch'un gen ken ke k'o mie mieh qia ch'ia shun shun
chuo ch'o geng keng kei k'ei min min qian ch'ien shuo shuo
ci tz'u gong kung ken k'en ming ming qiang ch'iang si ssu
cong ts'ung gou kou keng k'eng miu miu qiao chi'iao song sung
l6l
Pinvin WG Pinvin WG

sou sou yan yen

su su yang yang
suan suan yao yao
sui sui ye yeh
sun sun yi i
suo so yin yin
ying ying
ta t'a yong yung
tai t'ai you yu
tan t'an yu yu
tang t'ang yuan yiian
tao t'ao yue yueh
le t'e yun yaln
teng t'eng
ti t'i za tsa
tian t'ien zai tsai
tiao t'iao zan tsan
tie t'ieh zang tsang
ting t'ing zao tsao
tong t'ung ze tse
tou t'ou zei tsei
lu t'u zen tsen
tuan t'uan zeng tseng
tui t'ui zna cha
tun t'un zhai chai
tuo t'o zhan chan
zhang chang
wa wa zhao chao
wai wai zhe che
wan wan zhen chen
wang wang zheng cheng
wei wei zhi chih
wen wen zhong chung
weng weng zhou chou
wo wo zhu chu
wu wu zhua chua
zhuai chuai
xi hsi zhuan chuan
xia hsia zhuang chuang
xian hsien zhui chu
xiang ksiang zhun chun
xiao ksiao zhuo cho
xie hsieh zi Uu
xin hsin zong tsung
xing ksing zou tsoL
xiong hsiung zu tsu
xiu hsiu zuan lsuan
xu hsu zua tsui
xuan hsuan zun tsun
xue hsueh zuo tso
xun hsun
ya ya
yai yai
162
 *ltade Giles to Pinyin: A Cross Reference

WG Pinvin WG Pinvin WG Pinvin WG Pinvin WG Pinvin WG Pinvin

aa chuai zhuai xuan

hsiian k'ua kua mieh mie p'i pi
ai ai ch'uai chuai xue
hsiieh kuai guai mien mian piao biao
an an chuan zhuan hsun xun k'uai kuai min min p'iao piao
ang ang ch'uan chuan hu hu kuan guan ming ming pieh pie
ao ao juan hua hua k'uan kuan
chi.ian miu miu pien bian
quan huai huai kuang guang
ch'i]an mo mo p'ien pian
cha zha chuang zhuang huan huan k'uang kuang mou mou pin bin
ch,a cha ch'uang chuang huang huang kuei gui mu mu p'in pin
chai zhai chiieh jue hui hui k'uei kui ping bing
ch'ai chai ch'iieh que hun hun kun gun na na p'ing ping
chan zhan chui zhui hung hong k'un kun nai nai po bo
ch'an chan ch'ui chui huo huo kung gong nan nan po po
chang zhang chun zhun k'ung kong nang nang pou bou
ch'ang chang ch'un chun i yi kuo guo nao nao pou pou
ch'ao chao chiin jun k'uo kuo nei nei pu ou
che zhe ch'iin qun jan ran nen nen p'u pu
ch'e che chung zhong jang rang la la neng neng
chen zhen ch'ung chong iao rao lai lai ni ni sa sa
ch'en chen Je re lan lan niang niang sai sai
cheng zheng en en jen ren lang lang niao niao san san
ch'eng cheng erh er jeng reng lao lao nieh nie sang sang
chi ji jih ri le le nien nian sao sao
ch'i qi la ta jo ruo lei lei nin nin se se
chia jia fan fan jou rou leng leng ning ning sen sen
ch'ia qia fang fang juru titi niu niu seng seng
chiang jiang fei fei luan ruan lia lia no nuo sha sha
ch'iang qiang fen fen jui rui liang liang nou nou shai shai
chiao jiao feng feng Jun run liao liao nu nu shan shan
ch'iao qiao fo fo Jung rong lieh lie nii nii shang shang
ch'ieh jie fou fou lien lian nuan nuan shao shao
ch'ieh qie fu fu ka ga lin lin niieh niie she she
chien jian k'a ka ling ling nung nong shen shen
ch'ien qian ha ha kai gai liu liu sheng sheng
chih zhi hai hai k'ai kai lo luo oe shih shi
ch'ih chi han han kan gan lou lou ou ou shou shou
chin jin hang hang k'an kan lu lu shu shu
ch'in qin hao hao kang gang t0 rii pa ba shua shua
ching jing hei hei k'ang kang luan luan p'a pa shuai shuai
ch'ing qing hen hen Kao gao liian liian pai bai shuan shuan
chiu jiu heng heng k'ao kao liieh liie p'ai pai shuang shuang
ch'iu qiu ho he kei gei lun lun pan ban shui shui
chiung jiong hou hou k'ei kei lung long p'an pan shun shun
ch'iung qiong hsi xi ken gen pang bang shuo shuo
cho zhuo hsia xia k'en ken ma ma p'ang pang so suo
ch'o chuo hsiang xiang Keng geng mai mai pao bao sou sou
chou zhou hsiao xiao k'eng keng man man pao pao ssu si
ch'ou chou hsieh xie ko ge mang mang pei bei su su
chu zhu hsien xian k'o ke mao mao p'ei pei suan suan
ch'u chu hsin xin kou gou mei mei pen ben sui sui
chii ju hsing xing k'ou kou men men p'en pen sun sun
ch'ii qu hsiu xiu l(u gu meng meng peng beng sung song
chua zhua hsiung xiong k'u ku mt ml p'eng peng
ch'ua chua hsii xu kua gua miao miao pi bi ta da

163
WG Pinvin WG Pinvin

t'a ta tsui zui

tai dai ts'ui cui
t'ai tai tsun zun
tan dan ts'un cun
t'an tan tsung zong
tang clang ts'ung cong
t'ang tang tu du
tao dao t'u tu
t'ao tao tuan duan
te de t'uan tuan
t'e le tui dui
teng deng t'ui tui
t'eng teng tun dun
ri di t'un tun
ti ti tung dong
tiao diao t'ung tong
t'iao tiao lzu zl
tieh die tz'u ci
fieh tie
tien dian wa wa
t'ien tian wai wai
ting ding wan wan
t'ing ting wang wang
tiu diu wei wei
to duo wen wen
t'o tuo weng weng
tou dou wo wo
t'ou tou wu wu
tsa za
ts'a ca ya ya
tsai zai yai yai
ts'ai cai yang yang
lsan zan yao yao
ts'an can yeh ye
tsang zang yen yan
ts'ang cang yin yin
tsao zao ying ying
ts'ao cao yu you
tse ze yii yu
ts'e ce yaian yuan
tsei zei yiieh yue
tsen zen ytin yun
ls'en cen yung yong
tseng zeng
ts'eng ceng
tso zuo
ts'o cuo
tsou zou
ts'ou cou
tsu zu
ts'u cu
tsuan zuan
ts'uan cuan

t64
 Resources for Students of Chinese

Bibliographic Resources

General
Barlow, Tani E., and Donald M. Lowe. 1985. Chinese Reflections: Americans Teaching in the
People's Republic. New York: Praeger Publishers.
Clayre, Alasdair . 1985 . The Heart of the Dragon. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Dernberger, Robert, etc. eds. 1991. The Chinese: Adapting the Past, Facing the Future. Center
for Chinese Studies. Ann Arbor, MI: The University ofMchigan.
Ebrey, Patricia Buckley. 1993. chinese Civilization: A source Book. New York: Free press.
Fairbank, John King. 1992. China: A New History. cambridge, Mass.: Belknap press of Haward
University Press.
Hsu, Francis L.K. 1991. Americans and Chinese: Passage to Dffirences. Taipei: Bookman
Books.
Hu, Wenzhong and Comelius L. Grove. 7997. Encountering the Chinese: A Guifu for
Americans. Yarmoutlq Maine: Intercultural Press, Inc.
Ho, Yong. 2000. China: An lllustrated History. New York: Hippocrene Books, Inc.
Morton, W. Scott. 1995. China : hs History and Culture. New York: McGraw-Hill
Pye, Lucian W. and Mary W. Pye. 1991 Chinq: An Introductiorr. New York, NY: Harper
Collins.
Ross, Heidi A. 1993. China Learn English: language Teaching and Social Change in the
People's Reprblic. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Schneiteq Fred. 1992. The Joy of Getting Along with the Chinese. Heian International (available
from China Books and Periodicals, Inc.).
Soled, Debra E 1995. Chirn: A Nation in Trasition. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Quarterly
Inc.
Tenill, Ross. 1995. Chirn in Our Time. Svdnev Hale and Iremonger

Business
Becker, Gerhold K. 1996. Ethics in Business and Society: Chinese and Western Perspectives.
Berlin, NY: Springer.
DeMente,BoyeL. 1989. ChineseEtiquette&EthicsinBusiness.Lincolnwood, IL: NTC
Business Books.
Genzberger, Christine and Edward Hinkleman, eds. 1994. China Business: A Portable
Encyclopediafor Doing Business in China. World Trade Press.
Gbbons, Russell. 1996 Joint Yentures in Chiru. Macmillan Education.
Huang, Quanyu, Richard S. Andrulis, & Tong Chen. 1994. A Guide to Successful Business
Relations with the Chinese: Opening the Great llall's Gate. New York: International Business
Press.

165
 Resources for Students of Chinese

Ian, George P 1994. How to do Businesswith Chirn. Toledo, OH. AIT Press.
Kenna, Peggy & Sondra Lacy. 1994. Business China: A Practical Cruide to Understanding
Chinese Business Culture. Lincolnwood, IL. NTC Business Books.
Macleod. Roderick. 1988. China, Inc.: Httw to Do Business with the Chinese. New York:
Bantam Books.
Reuvid, Johanthan. 1994. Doing Businesswith Chirn. London: Kogan Page.
Stross, Randafl E. 1993. Bulls in the China Shop and Other Sino-American Business Encounters.
Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.
Tung, Shih-chung, Danian Zhang & Milton R. Larson. 1992. Trade and Investment
Opportunities in Chirn: The Current Commercial and Legal Frameworlr. West Point, Conn.:
Quorum Books.

Language
Beijing Language Institute: Flashcardsfor Elementary Chinese. San Francisco, Calif : China
Books and Periodicals, Inc.
Bjdrksten, Johan. 1994. Leam to Write Chinese Characters. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Choy, Rita Mei-Wah 1981. Read and Write Chinese: A Sinplified Guide to the Chinese
Characters. San Francisco. Calif : China West Books.
Choy, Rita Mei-Wah. 1989. Understanding Chinese: A Guide to the Usage of Chinese
Characters. San Francisco, Calif.: ChinaBooks and Periodicals, Inc.
De Francis, John. 1986. The Chinese lnnguage: Fact and Fantasy. Honolulu: University of
Hawaii Press.
Peng, Tan Huay. 1980-E3 . Funwith Chinese Choracters.l, 2, .i. New York: Hippocrene Books.
Ho, Yong. 1993. Aspects of Discourse Structure in Mandorin Chinese. Lewiston, NY: Edwin
Mellen.
Hu, Jerome P. and Stephen C.Ler'. 1992. Basic Chinese Vocabulary: A Handy Reference of
Everyday Words Ananged by Topics. Lincolnwood, ILL: Passport Books.
Kan, Qian. 1995. Colloquial Chinese: A Complete Language Course. London: Routledge, Kegan
& Paul.
McCawley, Iames D. 1984. The futer's Guide to Chinese Characters. Chicago: University of
Chicago Press.
Norman, Jerry 1988. Chinese. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Ramsey, S. Robert. 1989. The l-anguages of China. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Tung, P.C. and D. Polland. 1988. Colloquial Chinese. London: Routledge, Kegan & Paul.
Wang, Hongda . 1993. The Origtns of Chinese Characters. Beijing: Sinolingua. (Available from
Nan Hai Arts Center, 510 Broadway, Suite 300 Millbrae, CA 94030.)
Young, Linda Wai Ling. 1994. Crosstalk and Culture in Sino-American Communication. New
York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Dictionaries
Chinese-English Dictiornry of the 500 Most Frequently Used Words: A Study Guide to
Mandorin Chinese, by Yong Ho. Hippocrene Books, 2001.
C onci seEngli sh-C hine se, C hine s e - Eng li sh D i cti onary. Oford University Press, I 98 7.
The English-Chinese Pocket Pinyin Dictionary. New World Press.
Oxford Advanced Learners English Chinese Dictionary. Oford University Press. 1995.

t66
 Beginner's Chinese

The Pinyin Chinese-English Dictionary. Hong Kong Edition. Beijing Foreign Language Institute
1984. (available from China Books and Periodicals, Inc.).

Major Publishers and Distributon of Chinese books and softwere in the U. S.

l. China Books & Periodicals, 2929 24th Street, San Francisco, CA 941 10, Tel:
415-282-2994. F ax 41 5-282-0994. E-mail: [email protected]. Web site:
http: //www. chinabooks. com.
2. Cheng & Tsui Company, PO Box 576, Willistor4 VT 05495. Tel l-800-554-1964. Fax:
802-864-7 626. Web site: http://www.cheng-tsui.com/
3. Nan Hai Arts Center, 516 Broadway, Suite 300, Mllbrae, CA 94030, Tel 415-259-2100,
F ax 4 | 5 -259 -21 08. Web site: http: //www. nanhai. com

Internet Resources

Guides, Inderes and Links

Chinese Language-Related Information
http //www. webcom. com/bamboo/Chinese/
:

A comprehensive subject guide to ChineseJangaage-relatedresources on the internet.

Chinese Language Studv

http://www.nerdworld.com/nwl 800.html
Inrge index of Chinese language study related internet resources.

Chinese Lanzuage Studv Courses

htp //www. webcom. com/bamboo/chinese./courses. htnrl
:

Linlrs to Web sites with information on Chinese language study courses ofJered by various
institutions.

Chinese Software Web Sites

http://www. cd.ucdavis.edu/chinese./chinese.html
A list of Web sitesfor Chinese software and other ChineseJanguage topics.

Learning Chinese Online

http://philo.ucdavis. edu/CHINESE/online.htm
Xie Tiantei's Web links to various online Chinese learning sites.

Marjorie Chan's Chinalinks

http //www. cohums. ohio-state. edu/dealVchan. 9/cJinks. htm
:

Annotated linlrs to more than two hunfued China and Chinese language and linguistics-related
web sites.

t67
 Re source s for Students of C h i ne se

Study Chinese in China

http //www. studyabroad. com/simplehtml./languages/chinese. html
:

http //www. fas. harvard. edr:/-clp/China/abroad. htm

:

Lists of institutions offering Chinese language programs in China.

Teaching and Leaming Chinese

http. I I topaz.kenyon. edu/proj ect s/chinese/
A collection of resources for teaching and learning Chrnese.

WWW Chinese Language Teaching Resources

http //www. ntnu. edu. tw/tcsVChinese/Resource/IVwwwccai. htm
:

Online language resources compiled by the National Taiwan Normal University.

Online Tutorials, Counes and Programs

Chinese Multimedia Tutorial
http://www.inform.umd edu/EdReVTopic/HumanitieV C-tut/C{ut.html
A tutorial on greetings, expressing thanks ondfod terms, including characters and sounds.

Conversational Mandarin Chinese Online

http : //philo.ucdavis. edr:/CHINESE/ccol. htm
A IS-unit course on everyday topics.

Cvber Chinese
http://www.nmc.csulb.edr-r/nmcpageV...e-Language-flChinese-Language.html
A series of inleractive lessons covering the complete firsl-year curriculum, with video, scnord and
texl.

Intemet-based Chinese Teaching & Learning

http: //chinese.bendigo. latrobe. edu. au/index. htm
La Trobe University's SJevel online Chinese language courses.

HyperChina
http //www. sinologic. com
:

A systematic and interactive CD courseware for learning Mandarin Chinese with all calnbilities
including recording your ow,t voice and lhen compare it with the models.

Leam Chinese
http //pasture. ecn. purdue. edu/-agenhtmVagenmc/china/ctutor. htnrl
:

An audio tutorial of survival Chinese.

Learn Chinese Online

http: //www. khuang. com/chinese/
Mandarin classes with sound effects and information on useful software and books.

168
 Begtnner's Chinese

My Favorite Multimedia Inside Chinese Lanzuage Lab

http://peijean.fi cnet. net.til
Page Lin's site for online pronounciation lessons using real-time sowrds.

Practical Chinese Reader

http: //www.nmc. csulb. edr.r/nmcpages/what/li. html
A series ofinleractive lessons using the popular textbookPractical Chinese Reader,
incorporating video, sound and text. This course covers the completefirst-year Chinese
curriculum.

Wordprocessing Programs
Chinese Star
http://www. Suntendy.com/cstar/default. htm

NJStar
http://www.njstar.com

RichWin 4.2 Plus for Windows

http://www.richwinUSA. com

Rising Sun
http //www. accent. net/risingsun/
:

XLBR Chinese Wordprocessor for Mac

http: //www. gy. com/ccd/acVxlbre. htm

Twinbridge
http //www. twinbridge. com/
:

Aids, CD's, Tools, Videos and References

ABC Interactive Chinese
http //www.worldlanguage. com/chintut. hrm
:

A learning program thal includes speech recognition, character writing, animated articalalion,
dictiornry, voice recording and comparison.

Animated Characters
http://www.ocrat. com/ocrat/chargifl
Allthe characters from Lesson I -30 of the Practical Chinese Reader. These animated characters
show stroke by stroke htw these characters are written.

Bell Labs Mandarin Text-to-Speech Synthesis

http://www bell-labs.com/projecVttVmandarin.html (traditional characters)
http://www.bell-labs.com/project/tts/mandarin-gb.htnrl (simplified characters)
Type Chinese characters or pinyin, sound will be generated automatically.

169
 Rercurcesfor Studenls of Chinese

China Bookshelf
http://www. gy.com/ccd/ccr/cbe2.htm
Besidesproviding cultural information on C'.hirn, this CD program also includes an audio-visaal
Chinese-English dictiornry. Chinese
learners listen to the pronounciation of each
Chinese characler and check Chinese writing styles and stroke orders.

Chinese & Characters

http://www.tradewatch. com: 80/nite/main.htm
CD series thal use animatiort lo teach children and non-Chinese speaking people.

Chinese Books Cyberstore

http : //www. chinesebooks. net
I ntentet C hinese bookslore.

Chinese Character Flashcards

http //www, erols. com/eepeter/fl ashcard. html
:

A Java application to assist in the learning of 1,000 most frequently used Chinese characlers.

Chinese Character Genealogy

http://www. pitt.edu/-harboughl zl zipu.html
Online dictionary by Rick Harbough.

Chinese Character Genealogy

http: //www.zhongwen.com
A n e tymologi ca I C hi ne se -Lng I i sh di ct i onary.

Chinese Character Pronounciations

http //www. webcom. com/ocrat/reaf/
:

A .lavaScripl application that shows how to pronource (-hinese characters.

Chinese Character Tutor

http : //www. worldlanguage. com/chintut. htm
A Chinese dictionary and learning tal that includes 100 predefned lessons.

Chinese Character Tutor V4. 0

http : //ourworld. compuserve. com/homepages/fergab/
An online dictionary and learning tool with audio and testingfacility.

Chinese Dragon Writer

http: //www.j ics. com/LNGCH I. htm
A propyam thal provides easy English to Chinese phrase translation input.

Chinese Express
http: //www. china-guide. com/express. htm
CD series ofChinese tulorial with 30 lessions and 2,000 characters.

170
 Reginner's Chinese

Chinese Language Teaching & Learning Aids

http : //www. wfu . edu/-morar/
Including Macintosh applicarions, printable
flashcards for leaming, prinrable calligraphy
practice sheets, and link.s to other pages u.seful to teachers and students.

Chinese Language Video Lessons for Classroom Use

http://www.lll.hawaii. edr-r/nfl rc
Mandorin Chinese, compri.sing a books with instructions for the teacher and
F-rfteen lessons in
xeroxable studenl worksheets plus two accompanying video cassettes.

Chinese Multimedia Dictionary

http //www. china-guide. com/chinesedictionary. htm
:

('D interaclive teaching and learning.

Chinese Pronounciation Guide

http://www. fas.harvard. edu/-clp/China/guide.htm
A lool lhat includes pinyin sheets and courses.

Chinese Radical Exam

http //execpc. com/-mbosley/
:

A study aid and lest for beginners, covering I 08 of the most common radicals that are also
characters in thier own righl.

Fascinating Chinese Characters

http //www. china-guide. com/characte. htm#Characters
:

CD program teoching how to r.yrile Chinese characlers.

Flashcards
http ://www. wfu edr:/-moran/fl ashcards. html
.

Ilith a week by week schedule.

Harvard Chinese Language Program

http://www.fas.harvard.edr:/^-clp/China/harvard.htm
Teaching materials including esscrys, prose, novels, drama, and net resources.

H)rpeChina lnteractive Chinese

http://www. sinologic. com/llyperChina. html
A complete CD courseware for learning Mandarin Chnrcse.

Ocrat Chinese Pages

http: //www. oc rat. comJ ocr a!
A collection of chinese-related web applications, afacilityfor chinese character
pronounciations which allows to input (copy-and-paste) any Chinese text and obtain the
transliteralion in Mandarin (pinyin) or Canlonese.

t7l
 Resources for Students of C.hinese

OK88 Eng:lish-Chinese Dictionary

http: //www. ok88.com/go/svc/ecdict html
An OK88 Bilingual Internet Services prriluct'

Online Chinese Tools

http://www.erols. com/eepeter/chtools html
online searchable
Erik Peterson,s site wilh many online tools - chinese character flashcards,
Chinese-English, English{hinese diclionaries'

Online Chinese-English. English-Chinese Dictionarv

http://www. cit. gu.edu. au/-rwony/cdict/
Searchable lwo-way dictionary by Richard Wang'

Professional Interactive Chinese for Windows

http://www.china-guide.com/chinese'htm
Ci progra. equiialent to two years of college courses using interactive dialog speaker.
sessions-
comparision with a native
irukr; "o,
piactice and record theii own voice for

Speech Wizard
hitp://www.catalog.com/inforg0 I/software htm
lislen to lhe reading of English and
English and Chinese text-to-$eech system that allows you Io
Chinese words, senletrc", o, an entire text through your multimedia speakers'
"u"n
Tools for Leaming Chinese
http://www.erols. com/eepeter/cintro. html
dictionary.
Cines, character flashiards, romanization converter and character

TransPerfect
http://www.catalog. com/inforg0 1/trans htm
to translale I'nglish texl into Chinese'
Ktwwledge-based-translation-software running on PC

Wenlin Software for Leaming Chinese

http: //www. wenlin. com/
dictionary access and a
CD-R1M software lnckage with capacities of refl ediling, inslant
flashcard system with mttomatic
drillfor memorizing characters'

Additional Chinese Learning Software

Chinese-En8:lish Dictionary
plus over 100'000
c',ni^ ""*ty 5,000 of-the mosl ffeErcnetly used Chinese characters,
phrases. Dislributed by Cheng & Tstti'

Electronic Dragon
and record
ffi;, n^h*rd deck that enables students to listen to accurste pronounciations
showing proper strokc order of chaclers'
their voice for comparision. There is an animation box
Disnibuted by China Books and Periodicals' Inc'
For Mac inty.

172
 Beginner's Chinese

Chinese Character Tutor for Windows Version 5.0.

Popular character lutorial, including powerful lestingfunction with 100 lessons and a 5,000
word dictionary. Distributed by China Buks and Periodicals, htc.

Hanzi Assistant
CD-ROM Chinese sndy nol for the Mac. Animates the drawing of Chinese characters.
Dislributed by Cheng & Tni.

Mao's Alphabet
Sofnare for beginning character study with drills, tests and a 4,000-entry English index.
Distributed by China Books and Peridicals, Inc.

Pinvin Master
Interactive program on CD-ROMfor teaching and learning Pinyin pronounciationwith vifuo
tutorial, sound table, Iisteming and recordingfor comparision, &ills and exercises. For Mac
only. Dislributed by China Bmks and Peridicals, Inc.

t73
Other Hippocrene Titles
by Yong Ho

Chinese-English Frequency Dictionary: A Study Guide to Mandarin Chinese's

500 Most Frequently Used Words
Functioning as both a traditional dictionary and a study guide, this list ofthe 500 most frequently
used words (characters) ofMandarin Chinese offers the English-speaking student ofChinese an
essential source ofvocabulary and a detailed reference to the world's most widely spoken
language. Presented in order offrequency, each entry includes thc Chinese character with pinyin
transcription, meaning, explanations ofusage with examples, and a selection ofwords and
expressionsthathavetheentrywordasthefirstelement. Twoindicesalsolistthe500words
according to frequency and alphabetical order.
500entries' 240 pages' 5%x8%' 0-78f8-0842-1' $16.95pb' W' (277')

China: An Illustrated History

This concise, illustrated volume offers the reader a panoranric view ofthis remarkable land, frorn
antiquity to the twenty-first century. Among other topics, it explores sources of Chinesc thought,
cornerstones ofChinese political, religious and economic institutions. and the cohesive ties that
have bound China as a nation for thousands ofyeals.
l42pages . 50illustrations' 5x7' 0-7818-0821-9' $14.95hc' W' (542)

Hippocrene Children's Illustrated Chinese (Mandarin) Dictionary

En gl i s h-C h i ne s e /C h in es e -En gl is h
Designed to be a child's first foreign language dictionary, for ages 5-10, each entry is
accompanied by a large illustration, the English word and its equivalent, along with
commonsense phonetic pronunciation. Entries include people, animals, colors, numbers atld
objects that children encountef and use every day.
94 pagcs ' 500 entries/illus. ' 8 % x I I ' 0-7818-0848-0 ' $l l.95pb ' W ' (662)

Allprices are subject to change wtthout prior noticc. To order Hippocrene Books, contact your local
bookstore, call (718) 454-2366, visit www.hippocrellebooks.com, or write to: Hippocrene Books, l7l
Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016. Please enclose check or money order adding $5.00 shipping
(UPS) for the first book md $.50 for each additional title.
$r4.95

HIPPOCRENE BEGINNER'S SERIES

BEGINNER'S
CHINESE
This inrroduction to Mandarin Chinese is designed for those with little or
no prior experience in the language. Beginning with an in-depth look at
the languaget prominent features, including Chinese phonetics and the
written language, it provides the most basic and crucial words and patterns
to enable the student to immediately communicate in Chinese. Each lesson
consists of the following: basic sentence Patterns, dialogues to illustrate the
use ofthese patterns, vocabulary and expressions, language points,
exercises, and cultural insights about the topic of each lesson. On
completion of this course, the student will have learned ninery basic
sentence patterns, three hundred characters, basic grammar, and
communicative skills.

Yong Ho received his Ph.D. in anthro-

pology and linguistics from Columbia
University and specializes in Chinese
anthropology and language. He has
taught at New School University an,
served as the Director of Language a

iilru*::u #:[i::i,T5 lilll|t]illt

Chinese Program at the United rfifriftbrrurr-qNcuAcE
L
I\atrons. Hrs orner puoucatlons - -
include: '4spects of Discourse Structure ---.
in Mandarin Chinese, China: An lllustrated History Hippocrene Children\
Illustrated Ch inest- Englis h Dictionary, and Ch ines e-Englis h Frequency
Dictionary and Intermediate Chinese.
lsBN 0-781 8-0566-X
Cover photograph by Jiaxuan Zhang:
Yelhw Motnuin, China

Hippocrene Books, Inc.

171 Madison Avenue
NewYork, NY 10016
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