Chinese phrases – “交白卷(jiao1 bai2juan4)” and “交学费(jiao1 xue2fei4)”

Dear friends, in the process of learning online Chinese language you may be examined by some Chinese commonly used phrases. Today our Chinese lesson will help you to learn two Chinese phrases.

“交学费(jiao1 xue2fei4)”

It literally means paying tuition to the school for one’s education. Figuratively it means paying a price for one’s mistake or failure in carry out a task.

By taking our online Chinese lessons you can know that phrase sometimes connotes that one should not have made who have made such mistakes or failed, and it is sometimes also used as a self-consolation or self-irony by the very people themselves.

The phrase is used as predicate, attributive or object. And it can be used with other words in between. The verb and noun can be used in inversion.

Zhenɡ4fu3 yi3jinɡ1 chu1tai2 le yi2 xi4lie4 zhenɡ4ce4, banɡ1zhu4 ɡou4fanɡ2 ren2

政府      已经    出台  了 一 系列   政策，    帮助    购房     人

zai4 mai3fanɡ2 ɡuo4chenɡ2 zhonɡ1 shao3 jiao1 huo4 bu4 jiao1 xue2fei4.

在  买房      过程       中    少  交   或  不  交  学费。

The government has issued a series of policies to help home buyers pay less for or avoid paying for any possible mistake.

“交白卷(jiao1 bai2juan4)”

“白卷(bai2juan4)” is an examination paper with no answer on. This phrase literally means handing in an exam paper with no answers.

When you study Chinese you can also know that it connotes one fails to fulfill the task which he was expected to have completed. It also means failing to obtain any scores in a ball match. The phrase is usually used as predicate, object or attributive and it can be used with other words in between.

Example:

Zhe4 fen4 diao4cha2 wo3 bu4nenɡ2 jiao1 bai2juan4, fou3ze2 zhun3 yao4 ai1

这   份    调查  我  不能     交    白卷，  否则   准    要 挨

lao3ban3 yi2dun4 chou4ma4.

老板     一顿    臭骂。

I cannot hand in a blank report, or I’ll be scolded by the boss.

Dear friends, welcome to our website of Chinese online learning and you will learn more.

Source: 

http://chinesestevie.over-blog.com/2015/01/chinese-phrases-jiao1-bai2juan4-and-jiao1-xue2fei4.html

Yi qian or cong qian?

Dear friends, do you know the difference between “以前(yi3qian2)”or “从前(conɡ2qian2)”? Many Chinese learners are confused of the using the two Chinese words. Today online Mandarin tutor will help you to distinguish them.

In the Chinese language, both “以前(yi3qian2)”or “从前(conɡ2qian2)” can be used to refer to the past time, but the meanings of the two words are not exactly the same with each other and they are quite different in usage.

Our Mandarin tutor can tell you that “以前(yi3qian2)” refers generally to a time before now, and it can be placed at the beginning or the middle of a sentence. But “从前(conɡ2qian2)” is always used at the very beginning of a story.

Once upon a time, there was a castle in the mountain.

What’s more, “以前(yi3qian2)” can be used after time words while “从前(conɡ2qian2)” cannot.

Examples:

Boss:  Mike, qinɡ3 san1dian3 yi3qian2 lai2 wo3de ban4ɡonɡ1shi4.

Boss：Mike，请   三点     以前   来  我的   办公室。

Boss: Mike, please come to my office before three o’clock.

Besides, your private Chinese teacher can help you to know that “从前(conɡ2qian2)” always refers to a time far in the past, meaning “long long ago” or “once upon a time,” while “以前(yi3qian2)” is closer to the present, meaning “previously,” “...ago” or “before....”

Zhang Wen: I was a doctor previously.

Dear friends, welcome to visit our online Chinese language courses more and you will get a lot!

Source: 

http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_863ba8180102v8pa.html

Wu Daozi，Sage in Chinese Painting

ln Chinese history and Chinese lesson online, three people are adored as sages．They are calligraphy sage Wang Xizhi of the West Jin Dynasty (265-316)，the poem sage Du Fu of the Tang Dynasty，and the painting sage Wu Daozi，also of the Tang Dynasty．Born in Yangzhai (present day Yu County in Henan Province)．10st both his parents when he was young and lived a hard life in his early years．He learned from folk artists and sculptors how to make a living．Because he studied hard and was talented in art．he earned himself a good reputation as a painter by the time he was 20 years old．Emperor Xuanzong, a historical figure in Chinese courses online thus invited him to become an imperial painter in court，which provided the best conditions for living and artistic creativity．

           

Wu’s character was unrestrained，direct and indifferent to trivial matters．It is known that he always drank when painting．There are many stories about him and his paintings for your learning Chinese online．It is said that when he knew the halo to surround the Buddha’s head for a mural．he used only his brushes without drafting the measurements first and that．when he went to the Longxing Temple to paint，the temple was packed with people．Wu moved his brush quickly when he painted and most of his works were accomplished in a single session．Wu Daozi had many opportunities to stay with famous men of letters and artists in Chang’an，the cultural center at that time，which helped him improve his painting skills．On another occasion，Emperor Xuanzong wanted to see the scenery of the Jialing River and sent Wu Daozi there to make sketches of the river．When Wu came back，he asked for a bolt of silk and drew the 150一kilometer landscape of the Jialing River in one day in the Da tong Hall. Emperor Xuan zong deeply sighed in admiration at this work．

since it was as beautiful as the painting by another imperial painter．Li Sixun，which took several months to finish．

           

Wu Daozi created many art works in his life. According to his works and HSK prep, the  painting demonstrates Wu Daozi’s basic painting style．His works were full of changes and Vigor，expressing the internal world of the miracle. Wu used simple colors or none at all．He was always in great when his painting，and his works exhibit an expressionist style．

 Source: 

http://chinesetool.blogdiario.com/1420766369/

           

“狐假虎威(Hu2Jia3Hu3Wei1)” and “囫囵吞枣(Hu2lun2Tun1Zao3)”

Dear learn Chinese online kids, welcome to visit our Chinese online class and today we will help you to learn two Chinese idioms-“狐假虎威(Hu2Jia3Hu3Wei1)” and “囫囵吞枣(hu2lun2tun1zao3)”. Besides, you can learn tow interesting stories about them.

“狐假虎威(Hu2Jia3Hu3Wei1)”

Through our lesson of online Mandarin for kids you can know that long long ago a tiger in the forest saw a fox and attempted to eat him. The fox cried out: “I’m the king of animals designed by the Jade Emperor. If you walk with me in the forest, you will see all other animals will be scared away by me.” The tiger did not believe him and decided to follow the fox to have a walk in the forest and found the other animals did run away as soon as they saw them.

Later Chinese people the idiom “狐假虎威(hu2jia3hu3wei1)” to describe the phenomenon that a person bully others by flaunting one’s powerful connections.

囫囵吞枣(hu2lun2tun1zao3)

In our Chinese classes for kids you can also know that a doctor used to tell his patients: “Pears are good to teeth but harmful to the spleen. Dates are just the opposite: they benefit the spleen but do harm to the teeth.” Thinking of himself clever, one of the patients said: “I’ve a clever idea that can avoid these problems.” Would you tell us about it?” The doctor said, “Well,” answered the patient, “when I eat a pear, I’ll only chew and not swallow it. So it can’t harm my speech while when I eat a date, I’ll swallow it whole without chewing so that my teeth won’t suffer.” The other people all sniggered: “But what about your stomach? Wouldn’t that be too much for it?”

Later people use the idiom “囫囵吞枣(hu2lun2tun1zao3)” to describe a person who reads without much thinking or learning something without really understanding it.

Dear kids, are the two stories interesting? Do you want to know how to use the two idioms? Welcome to visit our class of learning Chinese for kids to make a further studying about them!

Source: 

http://childrenchinese.over-blog.com/2014/12/hu2jia3hu3wei1-and-hu2lun2tun1zao3.html

“我请客！(Wo3 qing3ke4!)” and “您贵姓？(Nin2 gui4xing4?)”

Dear learn Chinese online kids, today we will help you to learn two Chinese sentences. They are “我请客！(Wo3 qing3ke4)” and “您贵姓？(Nin2 gui4xing4?)”

1. 我请客！(Wo3 qing3ke4) It’s My Treat Today!

Through our lesson of online Mandarin for kids you can know that Chinese people are very hospitable. Either friends or business partners often treat each other. A dinner party is very important for Chinese people to cultivate relationships, and many deals are struck during a dinner. Chinese are careful about various occasions of dinner parties.

To sum up, a business banquet requires a top class restaurant and a private dinner focuses on local specialties. For example, “非常好吃(Fei1chang2 hao3chi1)!” is rather formal for business, so the host chooses a super quality restaurant furnished with elegance and taste, “味道怎么样？(Wei4dao4 zen3me yang4?)” is about an informal meal, so the host and guest dine our at a local snack bar.

2. 您贵姓？(Nin2 gui4xing4?)

In our Chinese classes for kids you can also know that when Chinese people meet for the first time and inquire of surnames, they usually ask “您贵姓？(Nin2 gui4xing4?)” It probably sounds very strange to you. Shouldn’t it be “你姓什么？(Ni3 xing4 shen2me?)” Why do they use the character “贵(gui4?)” Can we describe people’s names with “cheap” or “expensive?”

Of course, “贵(gui4)” here shows respect when it comes before something or somebody that is associate with. In daily life, Chinese people often say “贵国(gui4 guo2,) your country,” “贵公司(gui4 gong1si1,) your company,” “贵方(gui4 fang1,) your side,” “贵校(gui1 xiao4,) your school,” etc. These are all honorifics. Yet the epithet “贵(gui4)” should be politely declined in reply to “你贵姓？(Ni3 gui4 xing4?)” In that case you are to say “免贵姓...(Mian3 gui4 xing4...)” instead of saying “我贵姓...(Wo3 gui4 xing4...)”

Have you learnt that? Please come to visit our website of learning Chinese for kids to get more!

Source: 

http://yuliang.kinja.com/wo3-qing3ke4-and-nin2-gui4xing4-1668573244

How to Pronounce “er2”

Dear friends, welcome to visit our Chinese learning forum and today we will talk about how to pronounce “er” in Chinese.

Chinese people speak the Chinese language everyday, if you listen to them carefully, you will find that for some words, such as “那(nà)” and “花(hua1)” what they pronounce is not exactly the same with the actual pronunciation of the words. Yes, it seems that they pronounce them for “那儿(nar4)” and “花儿(huar1.)”

When you are taking part in Mandarin learning online you may find that the situation often appear in spoken Chinese. We have the words like “花儿(huar1,) flower,” “小鸟儿(xiao3niaor3,) little bird,” “小孩儿(xiao3hair2,) child,” “玩儿(wanr2,) play,” “这儿(zher4,) here,” “那儿(nar4) there,” ect.

Through our world learner Chinese course you can know that in fact, it is an usual phenomenon of pronunciation in spoken Chinese. In most situations, “儿(e2r)” is generally not used as an independent part of the whole word, it is just used as a post-fix, making the pronunciation of the whole word change without changing the meaning of the whole word.

You should pay attention to the following two tips :

Firstly, even if we add “儿(er2)” to the former word, but “ér” can only make the pronunciation of the whole word have the feature of retroflection aiming at making our pronunciation more convenient.

Secondly, “儿(er2)” has no actual meaning and it usually will not change the meaning of the word.

Zhao Ping: I want to raise the flowers and birds.

Dear friends, do you think the learning point useful? Welcome to visit Chinese learn online class to exercise.

 Source:

http://yuliang.kinja.com/how-to-pronounce-er2-1665101104

Let’s Learn Chinese Character “好(hao3)”

Dear friends, do you like Chinese characters? We will introduce one of the popular Chinese characters for you. It is “好(hao3.)”

In the Chinese language, “好(hao3)” usually can be used as an adjective meaning “good,” such as “好书(hao3shu1) good books, ” “好人(hao3ren2) good person,” etc.

If you want to know how to use it in the sentence, please read the two example sentences below.

My mother is fine.

When writing Chinese characters you can know that “好(hao3)” can also be used before adjectives as an adverb of degree to express the meaning of “so,” “very,” ect, such as “好大(hao3 da4) so beautiful,” “好多(hao3 duo1,) very sweet,” “好远(hao3 yuan3) so far,” etc.

If you want to know how to use it into practice, please read the following example sentences through our Chinese studying materials.

Tom’s girl friend is so handsome!

Dear friends, have you learnt the two usages of Chinese character “好(hao3)?” If you want to know more usage of “好(hao3)” or how to learn Mandarin, please come to learn Chinese online which will provide a good platform for you.

There are so many people in the classroom today!

Examples: