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Exchanging Gifts In Mandarin

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 16:51:59 +0000

Be sure you know the rules for giving and receiving gifts when visiting China or Taiwan. Chinese customs are much different from those in the USA or Europe.

Living In Mandarin

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 20:25:32 +0000

The best way to learn Mandarin Chinese (or any other language) is to spend time in the countries where it is spoken. Living in China or Taiwan gives you the chance to immerse yourself in the culture and to use the language on a daily basis.

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Learning To Read Chinese Characters

Sat, 28 Jul 2012 18:06:32 +0000

An excellent text for learning to read Chinese characters is The Lady In The Painting.

Read my review...

Mandarin Vocabulary

Sat, 28 Jul 2012 15:07:56 +0000

There are several ways to learn new Mandarin vocabulary. Before gaining conversational skills, books and software can help with the basics. My review section covers a wide rand of materials, including my latest review - Chinese For Dummies.

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Mandarin Phrases For Chinese Medicine

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 20:49:51 +0000

Traditional Chinese medicine has been used for thousands of years. It remain popular in China and Taiwan, and it is growing in acceptance around the world.

Follow this link to learn some Mandarin phrases for Chinese medicine.

Time To Read And Write?

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 10:25:52 +0000

I recently received this email:

I am a New Zealand high school student who has been studying Mandarin for over a year. I have been learning to speak the language with a self-taught course (FSI Standard Chinese), watching Chinese television and films and having conversations. I began learning after a two-month trip to China to visit family last year. (My mother is Chinese.) I can hold conversations on everyday topics in Mandarin and understand what I hear quite well, but I cannot read or write yet. Could you please give me some advice on when I should begin to learn Chinese characters, and what courses I could use?

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Oxford Beginner's Chinese Dictionary

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 13:32:34 +0000

Learning Chinese Characters

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 14:14:17 +0000

There are many methods, textbooks, and apps to help you learn Chinese characters. Nonetheless, it remains a formidable task for the average Westerner studying Mandarin Chinese.

One of the best approaches to learning Chinese characters I've seen is Chinese Characters: A Genealogy and Dictionary, by Rick Harbaugh. Read my review...

Stative Verbs

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 11:03:45 +0000

Abigale writes:

I have a question about the "Mandarin Comparisons - Bi - More than" article. You call the comparison words like "expensive" and "tall" Stative Verbs, but in fact they're not verbs. I believe the verb in the examples would be "is (to be)" and words like "tall" would be adjectives. Should they actually be called Stative Adjectives? Or is there a reason they're called verbs even if they aren't?

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Chinese Zodiac

Thu, 31 May 2012 14:53:23 +0000

Learn Mandarin Chinese words and phrases related to the Chinese Zodiac and the animal signs: