Takeaway Chinese

Chinese 101: Learning Chinese can be both exciting and arduous. What's your biggest challenge in learning Chinese? Tones and pronunciation, complex characters, grammar, vast vocabulary, and perhaps cultural nuances? In this episode of Takeaway Chinese, we explore some of the most common challenges faced by learners.

A： Xiàkè yīqǐ qù dǎ lánqiú ba! 下课一起去打篮球吧！ Let's go play basketball together after class! B： Xiàcì ba, wǒ zuìjìn tèbié máng. 下次吧，我最近特别忙。 Maybe next time. I've been really busy lately. Wǒ děi qù túshūguǎn xiě lùnwén. 我得去图书馆写论文。 I have to go to the library to work on my paper. A： Tiān na! 天哪！ Oh my goodness! Lí jiézhǐ rìqī háiyǒu liǎng gè yuè ne! 离截止日期还有两...

A: Wā, hǎoduō xuéshēng shètuán zài zhāoxīn ne! 哇，好多学生社团在招新呢！ Wow, so many student clubs are now recruiting new members! Nǐ xiǎng jiārù nǎgè? 你想加入哪个？ Which one do you want to join? B: Wǒ xiǎng jìn shūfǎ shè, xuéxí xiě máobǐ zì. 我想进书法社，学习写毛笔字。 I want to join the calligraphy club and learn how to write with a brush. Nǐ ne? 你呢？ How about you? A: Wǒ xiǎng jiārù jiēw...

A: Nǐhǎo, qǐngwèn xīnshēng bàodàochù zěnme zǒu? 你好，请问新生报到处怎么走？ Hello, may I ask how to get to the new student registration location? B: Jiù zài túshūguǎn de xiéduìmiàn. 就在图书馆的斜对面。 It’s just kitty-corner from the library. Zhènghǎo wǒ yě yào guòqù, yīqǐ zǒu ba. 正好我也要过去，一起走吧。 Actually, I’m going there, too. Let’s go together. A: Tài gǎnxiè le. 太感谢了。 Thank you...

The Hangzhou Asian Games are in full swing, we've got a treat for you! Join us for a special episode of 'Takeaway Chinese,' where you can listen in and take a guess at the sports!

A: Nǐ cāi zěnme zhe? 你猜怎么着？ Hey, guess what? Wǒ shōudào Zhōngguó dàxué de lùqǔ tōngzhīshū le! 我收到中国大学的录取通知书了！ I just received an offer from a Chinese university! B: Gōngxǐ nǐ! 恭喜你！ Congratulations! Nǐ yào shàng nǎge dàxué? 你要上哪个大学？ Which university is it? A: Běijīng Yǔyán Dàxué! 北京语言大学！ It's Beijing Language and Culture University! B: Tài hǎo le! 太好了！ Th...

A: Wǒ xiǎng shēnqǐng Zhōngguó de dàxué. 我想申请中国的大学。 I want to apply for admission to a university in China. Xuéfèi guì ma? 学费贵吗？ Is the tuition expensive? B: Wǒ juéde bùsuàn guì. 我觉得不算贵。 I don't think it's considered expensive. Érqiě, nǐ hái kěyǐ shēnqǐng jiǎngxuéjīn. 而且，你还可以申请奖学金。 Besides, you can apply for scholarships. A: Nà zài Zhōngguó de shēnghuó chéngběn gā...

A: Tīngshuō nǐ zài Zhōngguó shàng dàxué, wǒ yě xiǎng qù. 听说你在中国上大学，我也想去。 I heard that you're studying at a university in China. I want to go, too. B: Kěyǐ ya, zhǐyào àn yāoqiú shēnqǐng jiù kěyǐ le. 可以呀，只要按要求申请就可以了。 Sure, as long as you apply according to the requirements. A: Yǒu shénme jùtǐ de yāoqiú ma? 有什么具体的要求吗？ Are there any specific requirements? Kuài...

A: Wǒ zuìjìn mí shàng le Zhōngguó wénhuà, hǎo xiǎng qù Zhōngguó liúxué. 我最近迷上了中国文化，好想去中国留学。 I have recently become fascinated with Chinese culture, and I really want to study in China. B: Nǐ yǐjīng xiǎng hǎo qù nǎ suǒ dàxué le ma? 你已经想好去哪所大学了吗？ Have you decided which university to go to? A: Hái méiyǒu, Zhōngguó yǒu bùshǎo yōuxiù de dàxué, wǒ hái méiyǒu zuò zuìzhōng...

A: Nǐ jīnwǎn yǒukòng ma? Wǒmen wǎnshang yīqǐ qù chīfàn ba. 你今晚有空吗？我们晚上一起去吃饭吧。 Are you free tonight? Let’s go to have dinner together. B： Kěyǐ ya, bùguò nǐ jīntiān zěnme bù hé nǐde fàndāzi yīqǐ chī le? 可以呀，不过你今天怎么不和你的饭搭子一起吃了？ Sure, but why aren’t you eating with your meal pals today? A： Jīntiān bùshì qīxī ma, suǒyǐ jīntiān jiù bùxiǎng hé tāmen chīfàn le....

A: Háiyǒu shí fēnzhōng huǒchē jiù dào Lāsà zhàn le, Bùdálāgōng, wǒ lái la! 还有十分钟火车就到拉萨站了，布达拉宫，我来啦！ We will arrive at Lhasa Station in ten minutes. Potala Palace, here I come! B: Zhèlǐ hǎibá hěn gāo, wǒmen kěnéng huì yǒu gāoyuán fǎnyìng. 这里海拔很高，我们可能会有高原反应。 We may experience altitude sickness, considering the high altitude here. Yàobù xiān chīdiǎn dōngxi, shā...

A: Tǔlǔfān de pútao gètóu zhème dà ya, hái zhème tián, zhēn shì tài hǎochī le. 吐鲁番的葡萄个头这么大呀，还这么甜，真是太好吃了。 The grapes in Turpan are so big and sweet. They’re really delicious. B: Méicuò. Tǔlǔfān shì zhùmíng de "pútao zhī xiāng". 没错。吐鲁番是著名的“葡萄之乡”。 Yes, Turpan is known as the "Hometown of Grapes". Zhèlǐ de qìhòu hé tǔrǎng fēicháng shìhé pútao de zhòngzhí. 这里的...

A: Xiànzài xuěgāo de huāyàng kě zhēn duō ya! 现在雪糕的花样可真多呀！ There are so many fancy popsicles these days! Zhège xuěgāo shì bīngmǎyǒng zàoxíng de! 这个雪糕是兵马俑造型的！ This one is in the shape of a Terracotta Warrior! B: Wǒ kàndào biérén péngyouquān fā de tú, "zhòng cǎo" hǎo jiǔ le. 我看到别人朋友圈发的图，“种草”好久了。 I’ve been wanting to get it for a while after seeing it on other...

A: Duìbuqǐ, wǒ bùgāi duìnǐ fāhuǒr. 对不起，我不该对你发火儿。 I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lost my temper. B: Shì wǒ bùduì. 是我不对。 It was my fault. Wǒ gāngcái zǒushénr le, bǎ nǐ zuì xǐhuan de bēizi shuāi suì le. 我刚才走神儿了，把你最喜欢的杯子摔碎了。 I got distracted and broke your favorite cup. A: Méishì de, suìsuì píng'ān! 没事的，碎碎平安！ It's okay, all's well. Wǒ zhènghǎo huàn gè xīnde....

A: Nǐ jīntiān chuān zhè shēn tèbié hǎokàn. 你今天穿这身特别好看。 You look particularly stunning today. Yào cānjiā shénme huódòng ma? 要参加什么活动吗？ Are you going to an event? B: Xièxie. Wǒ shòu yāo qù biǎoyǎn xiǎotíqín. 谢谢。我受邀去表演小提琴。 Thank you. Yes, I was invited to perform violin. A: Nǐ zhēn de yòu piàoliang yòu yǒu cáihuá. 你真的又漂亮又有才华。 Wow, talent and beauty! B: Guò j...

A: Nǐ xiànzài yǒu kòngr ma? 你现在有空儿吗？ Do you have some free time right now? Kěyǐ bāng wǒ zuò zuìhòu de shōuwěi gōngzuò ma? 可以帮我做最后的收尾工作吗？ Can you help me wrap up? B: Kǒngpà bù xíng, wǒ shǒutóu shang yǒu hěnduō shìqing yào chǔlǐ. 恐怕不行，我手头上有很多事情要处理。 I'm afraid not. I have a lot on my plate at the moment. A: Wǒ jīnwǎn qù Hǎinán, zài bù zǒu jiù gǎn bu shàng fēijī...

A: Wǒ gāng shōudào yījiā zài Shànghǎi de gōngsī fā lái de yóujiàn, ràng wǒ hòutiān qù miànshì. 我刚收到一家在上海的公司发来的邮件，让我后天去面试。 I just got an email from a company in Shanghai. They want me to go for an interview the day after tomorrow. B: Gōngxǐ! Kuàidiǎn dìng jīpiào ba, yàobù gǎnbují le. 恭喜！快点订机票吧，要不赶不及了。 Congratulations! Book your flight now, so you can make...

A: Tīngshuō nǐ zuótiān qù kàn zhǎn le, zhǎnlǎn zěnmeyàng? 听说你昨天去看展了，展览怎么样？ I heard you went to see an exhibition yesterday. How was it? B: Wǒ qù le kējì zhǎn. Xiànchǎng de rén shízài tài duō le, wǒ dōu méiyǒu jīhuì zǐxì kàn měi yī jiàn zhǎnpǐn. Dàn xǔduō zhǎnpǐn dōu shì zuì xīn de gāo kējì, fēicháng zhènhàn, yě suàn zhí huí piàojià le. 我去了科技展。现场的人实在太多了，我都没有机会...

A： Xīhóngshì zěnme mài? 西红柿怎么卖？ How much are the tomatoes? B： Wǔkuàiqián yījīn. 五块钱一斤。 Five yuan per jin. Fàngxīn mǎi, wǒmen de cài yīxiàng hěn xīnxiān, dōu shì zìjǐ zhòng de, chún tiānrán. 放心买，我们的菜一向很新鲜，都是自己种的，纯天然。 Rest assured to buy, freshness guaranteed. We grew them ourselves and they are completely organic. A： Huángguā háiyǒu ma? 黄瓜还有吗？ Do you h...

A: Nǐ yǒu dǎhuǒjī ma? 你有打火机吗？ Do you have a lighter? B: Méiyǒu. Wǒ yǐjīng jiè yān le. 没有。我已经戒烟了。 No, I don’t. I've quit smoking. A: Nǐ tài yǒu yìlì le! Wǒ zuìjìn yě zài chángshì jiè yān, dàn hái méi chénggōng. 你太有毅力了！我最近也在尝试戒烟，但还没成功。 That takes some willpower! I've been trying to quit too recently, but I’m not there yet. B: Xī yān zhēn de duì shēntǐ wēihài h...

Chinese 101: A conversation about the diverse grilling methods. Stick with us to learn more barbecue-related vocabulary.

A: Kuài kàn! Nà zhī jīnsīhóu shuìjiào de yàngzi zhēn kě'ài. 快看！那只金丝猴睡觉的样子真可爱。 Look! That sleeping golden monkey is so cute. B: Tā shuì de hěn xiāng a. Kàn lái tā fēicháng xiǎngshòu zhèlǐ de shēnghuó. 它睡得很香啊。看来它非常享受这里的生活。 It's sleeping so soundly. It looks like it’s enjoying its life here. A: Shì ya, zhěng gè dòngwùyuán gānjìng zhěngjié. Sìyǎngyuán zhēnde hěn yò...

A: Yī huìr xiàbān, yào bù yào yīqǐ qù zuò dìtiě? 一会儿下班，要不要一起去坐地铁？ Do you want to take the subway together after work? B: Jīntiān bù néng hé nǐ yīqǐ zǒu le. Wǒ xiànzài jiù yào huíjiā shōushi xíngli, wǎnshang bā diǎn de fēijī qù hǎinán, míngtiān jiù zhèngshì kāishǐ dùjià shēnghuó la! 今天不能和你一起走了。我现在就要回家收拾行李，晚上八点的飞机去海南，明天就正式开始度假生活啦！ I can'...

A: Wa, zhège tèxiào shì zěnme zuò de? 哇，这个特效是怎么做的？ Wow, how did you create this special effect? Kànqǐlái hěn fùzá. 看起来很复杂。 It looks very complicated. B: Qíshí bìng bù máfan. 其实并不麻烦。 It wasn't that much work, actually. Zhǐ xūyào xiàzǎi yīgè chājiàn, zài zìjǐ tiáozhěng yīxià cānshù jiù kěyǐ le. 只需要下载一个插件，再自己调整一下参数就可以了。 All I needed to do was download...

A: Nǐ zuìjìn qìsè kànqǐlái bùcuò. 你最近气色看起来不错。 You look pretty well these days. B: Zhè zhènr wǒ zuòle hěnduō guānyú yǎngshēng de gōngkè, bǐrú měitiān shuìqián dōu huì yòng rèshuǐ pàojiǎo. 这阵儿我做了很多关于养生的功课，比如每天睡前都会用热水泡脚。 I've been doing a lot of research on how to stay healthy. For example, I soak my feet in hot water for a while before I go to bed every day....