“了” and “过” are two frequently used particles in Chinese, but most learners confuse them. So what are the similarities and differences between them? Being more familiar with these details will help you use them correctly. Similarities 1. Both can be used after a verb. Subj. + Verb + 了/过 + Obj. 我  吃 了 那个 苹果。 wǒ chī le nàgè píngguǒ I ate that apple. 我  吃 过 那种 苹果。 wǒ chī guò nàzhǒng píngguǒ I have eaten that type of apple. 2. Both can indicate a completed action.  In some situations, “了” and “过” are interchangeable. To emphasize a specific action. 妈妈  吃了  饭  才  开始  工作。 māmā …

Comparing Differences Between “了(le)” and “过(guo)” もっと読む »

Math may be a human construct, but numbers are an essential part of life. From bustling open-air markets to somber business meetings, your grasp on numbers determines your chances of success. So how does one learn Chinese numbers? With the help of the following article, of course 🙂    Reading Chinese Numbers Chinese Numbers from 1 to 10 Chinese numbers are a pretty simple lot, especially in comparison to English or, Heaven forbid, French. First, we have numbers from 1 to 10: Number Hanzi Pinyin 1 一 yī 2 二 èr 3 三 sān 4 四 sì 5 五 wǔ 6 六 liù 7 七 qī 8 八 bā 9 …

The Beginner’s Guide to Chinese Numbers もっと読む »

One of the first problems you might encounter when studying Chinese is how to look up the meaning of characters you’ve never seen before. Since Chinese doesn’t use an alphabet, trying to look for a character on a paper dictionary can be a lengthy and tricky process, especially when you don’t know the pinyin of the character. This is where an online Chinese dictionary comes in to help foreign people gain information on a specific word. Electronic and digital dictionaries can tell you all you need to know about a character in just a few seconds, meaning you’ll be able to quickly understand what a word means just by copy …

Best Online Chinese Dictionary: A Handy Guide もっと読む »

While a polite greeting always makes a great first impression to someone you meet, a proper way to end a conversation will help your friendship go a long way. In China, mastering casual and formal ways to say goodbye in Chinese is considered an essential part of polite conversation. To speak Chinese like a pro, you have to understand various ways of saying goodbye in different situations. First, let’s start with the most commonly used phrases.  Casual Ways to Say Goodbye in Chinese 1. 拜拜 [bāi bāi]: Byebye Used between close friends; the most common colloquial expression.   2. 再见 [zài jiàn]: Goodbye Textbook version of saying goodbye; it is …

How to Say Goodbye in Chinese [Complete Guide] もっと読む »

As you progress from a beginner to an intermediate learner of Chinese, the likelihood of having to produce Chinese text increases. A skill you need to learn at this stage is typing in Chinese on your computer or smartphone.  But there are about 2500 commonly used Chinese characters! Does that mean that I have to get a keyboard with at least 2500 buttons? The answer is NO! You can easily type any Chinese character you want with the QWERTY keyboard.  You need to know the Pinyin and tones or the radical of the character you want to type. Choose an input method. Download a Chinese keyboard. Note some unique letters …

Typing in Chinese: The Most Detailed Guide もっと読む »

Have you always wished you could learn Chinese but felt intimidated by how hard it seems? Or maybe you’ve tried to study Chinese in the past but ended up giving up. Have you ever felt envious of others who seem to have a gift for language learning? What if someone could give you the roadmap that could guarantee your success to go from zero to advanced in Chinese? And what if someone told you that you don’t need any special powers or gifts to accomplish this? Continue reading this article and you’ll find out the precise roadmap to bring you to the Chinese fluency you’ve always dreamed of. And reading …

Learn Chinese and Crush it: 2021 Complete Guide もっと読む »

You have already heard her voice so many times, but you have no idea who she is! It is her voice that gives life to the complicated Chinese characters. It is her voice that guides you to pronounce Chinese like a native speaker. She is the voice behind ChineseSkill’s lessons – Yan Jiayu (闫嘉煜). Q: Tell us about yourself! A: Hello everyone! I am Yan Jiayu, the voice of ChineseSkill’s lessons. My English name is Sherry Yan. I have an MA degree in Chinese International Education. ChineseSkill’s old friends might be familiar with my voice, since I have worked with ChineseSkill for a long time. English is my second language. When I …

Meet Jiayu Yan, the Voice Behind Your Chinese Lessons もっと読む »