When you’re learning Chinese, discovering 流行用语, aka Chinese slang expressions (liú xíng yòng yǔ) is a fun and interesting way to get a deeper understanding of the language and culture. However, before diving in, it’s important to know which phrases are appropriate to use in different situations. In this article, we’ll be exploring some of the most interesting, quirky, and downright wacky slang expressions in Chinese to know in 2023, along with their meanings and how to use them in context. Prepare to spice up your Chinese vocabulary with some seriously meowy slang!

1. Chinese slang: 蒟蒻 (jǔ ruò)

First up in your collection of popular words to know is 蒟蒻, a self-deprecating slang term used to refer to oneself as a noob or a newbie.

You’ll see it often used in online gaming communities and online. If you’re a new player to a game, for instance, you might say:
我是蒟蒻，还请多多关照
Wǒ shì jǔ ruò, hái qǐng duō duō guān zhào
I’m a noob, please take care of me.

Here’s how to use this slang expression in context:
A: 你打得好烂啊，是不是蒟蒻啊？
Nǐ dǎ de hǎo làn a，shì bù shì jǔruò a?
You play so poorly, are you a newbie?

B: 没错，我才刚开始学呢。
Méi cuò，wǒ cái gāng kāi shǐ xué ne
B: Yes, I’m just getting started.

Fun fact: Look up 蒟蒻 and you’ll see pictures of konjac, that calorie-free plant that was a popular noodle substitute a while back.
How did we get to “noob” from there? Konjac in Chinese (蒟蒻 (jǔ ruò) sounds like 巨[jù] 弱[ruò], which means very weak. From there, it’s easy to picture how online, especially, this came to mean “noob”.

2. 酱紫 (jiàng zǐ)

Next up is another great buzzword to know is 酱紫.

Because it sounds very similar to 这样子, it also means “like this” or “in this way”. The difference is that you will often use it playfully or sarcastically.

For example, if someone says “你怎么不去问问他呢? (nǐ zěn me bù qù wèn wèn tā ne?) which means “Why don’t you go ask him?”, you could sarcastically respond with “酱紫啊，太感谢你的好建议了” (jiàng zǐ a, tài gǎn xiè nǐ de hǎo jiàn yì le), which means “Oh, great idea, thanks so much!”

A: 今天要开会，你怎么穿得这么随便？
Jīntiān yào kāihuì，nǐ zěn me chuān dé zhè me suí biàn？
We have a meeting today, why are you dressed so casually?

B: 酱紫不行吗？
Jiàng zǐ bù xíng ma?
What’s wrong with that?

3. Chinese slang expression: 吃瓜 (chī guā)

Meaning “to eat watermelon seeds,” you’ll find 吃瓜 (chī guā) is a meowvelous slang expression to use to describe someone who is watching a situation from the sidelines without directly getting involved. It’s often used to describe people who are gossiping or watching drama unfold without participating in it themselves.

It’s purrfect to talk about bystanders or gawkers. For example, you can say:
他们两个人吵架了，我们都在一旁吃瓜看戏。
Tāmen liǎng gè rén chǎojià le，wǒmen dōu zài yī páng chī guā kàn xì
The two of them were arguing, and we were all standing by watching and waiting to see what would happen

Or
吃瓜群众看热闹。
Chī guā qúnzhòng kàn rènao.
The crowd watches the excitement with interest.

Curious to see 吃瓜 (chī guā) used in context? Here are two dialogues using it:

A: 这个新闻真扯。
Zhège xīnwén zhēn chě.
This news is sensationalized.

B: 别说了，我们只是吃瓜群众。
Bié shuō le, wǒmen zhǐshì chīguā qúnzhòng.
Let’s not say anything, we’re just bystanders watching the drama.

Here’s another way to use this Chinese slang expression:
A: 你听说了吗？ 王老师辞职了。
Nǐ tīngshuō le ma？ Wáng lǎoshī cízhí le.
Have you heard? Teacher Wang resigned.

B: 没有，怎么回事？
Méi yǒu，zěn me huí shì ？
No, what happened?

A: 不知道，我也是刚刚在微博上看到的，咱们吃瓜看热闹吧！
Bù zhīdào，wǒ yě shì gāng gang zài Wēibó shàng kàn dào de，zánmen chīguā kàn rènao ba ！
I don’t know. I just saw it on Weibo. Let’s just watch and see what happens.

4. 搞笑 (gǎo xiào)

搞笑 means “funny” or “humorous” and is often used to describe comedic content. For example, if you watch a funny video on Chinese social media, you might say “这个视频真的太搞笑了” (zhè ge shì pín zhēn de tài gǎo xiào le), which means “This video is really funny.”

A: 这个视频好搞笑啊！
Zhè ge shìpín hǎo  gǎoxiào le
This video is so funny!

B: 我也觉得，笑得我肚子疼。
Wǒ yě jué de xiào de wǒ dùzi téngI think so too, I laughed until my stomach hurt.

Think about who you’re talking to when using this Chinese-language expression: 搞笑 gǎo xiào could be considered somewhat informal and may not be appropriate in certain professional or formal settings.

5. The popular expression: 神犇 (shén bēn)

You use the slang term 神犇 (shén bēn) to describe someone extremely talented or skilled in a particular area. Imagine, if you know someone who is a talented musician, you might say to brag about them to your friends “他真是一个音乐神犇” (tā zhēn shì yī gè yīn yuè shén bēn). That means “He’s a real musical genius.”

Here’s how you can use this slang expression in context:

A: 他真的是个神犇，什么都会。
Tā zhēn de shì gè shénbēn，shénme dōu huì
He’s really a genius, he can do anything.

B: 是啊，我都有点佩服他了。
Shì a， wǒ dōu yǒu diǎn pèi fú tā le。
Yeah, I’m starting to admire him.

Fun fact: 神 means “god”. And because the character 犇 contains three times the character “牛” (cow”), and something “牛” is awesome in Chinese, this expression 神犇 took on the meaning of “十分牛”, that is to say, “extremely good”, to the point of being “god-like”.

6. Celebrate with the buzzword 撒花 (sā huā)

Want to celebrate something? Then, 撒花 (sā huā) is the expression you’ll want to use. It’s similar to saying “hooray” or “yay” in English.

So, for instance, if you’re told your friend won the lottery or another piece of good news, you might respond with 撒花 (sā huā!), which means “Hooray!”

A: 我通过了考试，撒花！
Wǒ tōngguò le kǎoshì，sāhuā！
I passed the exam, celebrate with me!

B: 恭喜恭喜，要好好庆祝一下！
Gōng xǐ gōng xǐ ， yào hǎo hǎo qìng zhù yī xià
Congratulations, we should definitely celebrate!

7. 摸鱼 (mō yú)

摸鱼 (mō yú) is a slang term you use to describe someone who is slacking off or goofing off. You’ll find it particularly handy to describe a situation where someone is not working hard or as diligently as they should be.

For example, if your colleague at work in China is taking a long break and not doing their work, you might say:
他今天一直在摸鱼
Tā jīntiān yīzhí zài mōyú
He’s been slacking off all day.

Here’s how you can use this popular expression in context:
A: 你最近在忙什么呢?
Nǐ zuì jìn zài máng shén me ne?
What have you been busy with lately?

B: 最近上班太累了，经常摸鱼。
Zuì jìn shàng bān tài lèi le, jīng cháng mō yú
I’ve been really tired at work lately, so I’ve been slacking off a lot.

8.双倍奉还 (shuāng bèi fèng huán)

双倍奉还 is an idiom in Chinese that means “to pay back twice as much” or “to retaliate with double the force.” It’s often used to describe situations where someone has been wronged or hurt and is seeking justice or revenge. For example, if someone steals from you, you might say “我一定让他双倍奉还” (wǒ yī dìng ràng tā shuāng bèi fèng huán), which means “I will make him pay back twice as much.”

This expression can also be used in a playful way, such as when someone gives you a gift or does something nice for you. In this case, you might say “谢谢你的礼物，我会双倍奉还的” (xiè xiè nǐ de lǐwù, wǒ huì shuāng bèi fèng huán de), which means “Thank you for your gift, I will repay you doubly.”

Here’s another dialogue showing you how to use this expression:

A: 你欠我的钱，什么时候还？
Nǐ qiàn wǒ de qián，shén me shí hou huán
A: You owe me money, when will you pay me back?

B: 不用急，我会尽快还你，双倍奉还。
Bù yòng jí，wǒ huì jǐn kuài hái nǐ，shuāng bèi fèng huán.
Don’t worry, I’ll repay you as soon as possible, with double the amount.

A cultural note on slang expressions in Chinese

Slang expressions are an important part of the Chinese language and culture. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, using slang is a great way to connect with native speakers, add some personality to your language skills, and maybe even score a few laughs along the way.

Just remember, these phrases can be playful and interesting, as long as you use them appropriately and stay aware of their nuances and connotations. While these phrases can be tons of fun, it’s important to be aware of their connotations and usage contexts so that you can use them with confidence and respect. When in doubt, for instance, exercise discretion, and check what setting you’re in. In professional and formal settings, particularly, it’s advisable to err on the side of caution and use more neutral language.

And once you have that in mind, especially when you’re with friends you trust, purrfect! Give these slang expressions a try in a safe space, with your friends, so they can tell you without being shocked if you screwed up using a word! Go ahead and start using these phrases in your daily life, impress your friends with your cool Chinese slang, and don’t forget to have fun with it!

On that note, there you have it, folks! We hope you’ve enjoyed this wild ride through some of the most popular and fun slang expressions in Chinese to know in 2023.

And one more thing…

If you want to continue learning Chinese with authentic and entertaining content, then you’ll love Ninchanese.

With Ninchanese, you get a complete method to learn Chinese, which has you speaking, reading, writing, and more in Chinese. What’s more, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, there’s content your level on Ninchanese and plenty more!

Start using Ninchanese on the web, with your computer or tablet, or on your phone with the Android app.

Enjoy!

Sarah &

The Nincha Team

Stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Try the best way to learn Chinese today.
Ninchanese is free to use!

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The post 8 Fun Chinese Slang Expressions to Impress Your Friends in 2023 appeared first on Ninchanese.

What’s Wordle?

First things first, maybe you’re not familiar with Wordle yet, and that’s 100% okay.  If you are, keep scrolling, you’ll learn about Chinese Wordle faster that way.

Wordle is an English-language word game, where you need to guess a word.

Your clues: it’s a 5 letter word. You get 6 tries.

• Each try, you’re shown:
• GREEN: which letters are correct.
• YELLOW: which letters are in the word, but not in the right spot.
• GRAY: which of the letters you entered are NOT in the word you’re trying to find.

Then you get to try again.
If you run out of tries before having guessed the word, that’s it. You’re done.

And if you find the word before that, congrats!

Guessed the word, with one try to go! Woot

What makes Wordle fun and super popular is the fact you only get one word per day.
And everyone gets the same word to guess.
Ah, competition. The drive to do better than your counterparts.  It never gets old.

Anyways! As a Chinese language learner, perhaps you too were wondering: how can I play Wordle but in Chinese? So, we went searching for a Chinese version of Wordle. And we found one here!

Why play Wordle in Chinese?

Why go looking for a Chinese Wordle?  Well, why not?

First of all, It’s great language practice.
Trying to play a game in your target language, i.e. the langue you’re learning, is a wonderful idea. It makes you actually use the language you’re learning, which is an excellent way to strengthen your learning and maximize retention.

Second, it’s fun to try to guess things in Chinese. And to play in Chinese!

How do you play Wordle with Chinese Characters?

Before you start wondering how it would work with the thousands of Chinese characters out there, let’s set something straight. Pinyin is key here.  Just like in English, pinyin offers a set number of letters, which makes the entire game, well, easily playable.

You’re not guessing Chinese Character Strokes. You play Chinese Wordle with pinyin. UPDATE: for a Chinese character based Wordle, scroll down. 

How Wordle in Chinese works

Now that’s out of the way, how does Wordle in Chinese work?

Same basic principles:

• One game per day
• 6 tries
• GREEN for letters you get right (该字母在正确的位置)
• ORANGE for almost right ((该字母不在正确的位置)
• GREY for those that aren’t in what you’re trying to guess. (当前成语的拼音中没有该字母).
• Everyone gets the same (UPDATE: or so we thought. In the Ninchanese Discord Server, we discovered you don’t always get the same. It changes per region, perhaps?)

The rules for Chinese Wordle are the same

Speaking of which, perhaps you’re wondering: What do you guess? Is it a word like in English Wordle? Nope!

Guess the 成语

In Chinese Worlde, you’re trying to guess … 成语 Chengyus!
That’s right, 4 character Chinese idioms and sayings.

In fact, Wordle in Chinese is called 拼音猜成语 – which literally means Pinyin Guess Chengyu. It’s made by Limboy. Thanks for making this fun puzzle game!

So, in 拼音猜成语 (aka Chinese Wordle), you have to guess the pinyin for 4 Chinese characters, which compose the chengyu. The number of letters for each Chinese character ranges from 2 to 5.  It’s no easy feat, but that’s what makes it fun!

Knowing which letters aren’t in the chengyu and which you haven’t tried yet is very helpful

Gaaah, so close!

The goal of the puzzle game is to get it right before you run of tries!  In both cases, whether you win or lose, you get to see the chengyu in Chinese characters at the end.

Success!

What else is cool about this game?

It’s good pinyin practice. You work on how familiar you are with Chinese sounds, think about syllables in Chinese, common word endings, and common words. This game makes you think about the words you know and recall pinyin sounds you’ve heard before. Excellent training.

Fun fact: if you try to enter a sound that doesn’t exist in Chinese, you get told: this sound doesn’t exist in Chinese.

In addition, all the instructions and comments you get are in Chinese, which immerses you nicely in the Mandarin language, without making it daunting. In context, you always know what they’re telling you.

Lastly, by playing this game, you’re guessing and discovering new 成语, chengyus. 成语 are an essential part of speaking Chinese.

The higher you get in your Chinese learning, the more you realize how important knowing Chengyus is. They are what allows you to show off your intelligence and education, and more importantly, you hear them a lot. In Chinese Dramas, in everyday conversations, in books… They’re also an integral part of the HSK 5 and above exams!  So learn 成语!

Starting at the HSK 5 world on Ninchanese, you’ll be learning 成语 in context. You’ll also be learning stories about what 成语 mean and how they came to be. Sign up to start learning now!

Learn the Chengyus you discover for good

Once you’ve discovered a new Chengyu in the puzzle game, don’t just quit there!
You can…
Look it up on Ninchanese in the dictionary.

For instance, this is a chengyu discovered above:

Look up the chengyus in Ninchanese’s free dictionary!

Simplified Chinese: 方兴未艾 Traditional: 方興未艾
Pinyin: fāng xīng wèi ài

Then you can create a special deck of 成语s in the Nincha Decks

That way, you’re having fun and maximizing what you can learn from the game at the same time!

Happy Wordling and Chinese learning!

Come join the Discord and post your 拼音猜成语 results in the  #游戏-games channel! You’ll find other motivated players there!

Looking for a non-pinyin-based Chinese Wordle? We got you. Here are some based on Bopofomo and on Chinese characters!

New find! Wordle with Chinese Characters and more

Looking for a  Chinese character-based Chinese Wordle? The meowsome community on Discord got you and discovered this other Wordle-like game:  汉字Wordle

The basic principle is the same: guess the 成语. The Twist? Guess it using Chinese characters this time! Using an IME, each time you enter characters, you’re told whether:
– the Chinese character you entered is correct, and if it’s in the right place;
– there are correct letters in the pinyin of that Chinese character and if the’yre in the right spot;
– the tones are correct or not.

Needless to say, this is a more hardcore version of Chinese Wordle. It keeps you on your toes. It makes you think about the chengyus you know, the Chinese characters you’re familiar with, the tones… Give it a whirl, too!

Yeah, it’s not going too well…

This Chinese Wordle is available in both simplified and traditional Chinese.

The nice thing is they give hints!

Here are a few more Chinese Character-based Wordles to explore:

https://bryony.dev/chengyu/chengyu.html
https://allanchain.github.io/chinese-wordle/
https://cheeaun.github.io/chengyu-wordle/
http://samuello.io/jndle/

Chinese Wordle with Bopomofo

Bopomofo is used in Taiwan and is a lot more widespread there than pinyin. It comes therefore as no surprise that a Chinese Worlde using Bopofomo was invented!
Play it here: Bopofomo Chinese Wordle

Poems and Chinese Wordle?

That exists too: you can guess the poem line in Chinese with  https://peotik.com.

Have fun exploring! In my case: I think I’ll stick with pinyin Chinese Wordle though!

And one more thing…

If you want to continue learning Chinese with authentic and entertaining content, then you’ll love Ninchanese.

With Ninchanese, you get a complete method to learn Chinese which has you speaking, reading, writing, and more in Chinese. What’s more, whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, there’s content your level on Ninchanese and plenty more!

Start using Ninchanese on the web, with your computer or tablet,

The Nincha Team

Stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Try the best way to learn Chinese today.
Ninchanese is free to use!

Sign up now

The post Chinese Wordle: Play and Learn Chinese (chengyus)! appeared first on Ninchanese.

Maybe you already know how to say Halloween in Chinese, but do you know any other frightful words around Halloween in Chinese? It’s the purfect time to learn some so you can have a complete Halloween spooky kit in Chinese.

Before you turn into an I-scream (get the frightful Halloween joke?), let’s see 15 Halloween in Chinese words!

How to write happy Halloween in Chinese

First things first, let’s see how to say Halloween in Chinese.

万圣节

Wàn shèng jié
Halloween

This is a shorter version of its full name in Chinese:  万圣节前夕 [Wàn shèng jié Qián xī]，which literally means: the eve before All Saint’s Day.

You can also use 鬼节 [guǐjié] to say Halloween in Chinese language. 鬼 [guǐ] is “ghost” in Chinese, and 节 [jié] is “festival”, so describing Halloween as the ghost festival is pretty fitting!

To write Happy Halloween in Chinese characters, you want to add the word 快乐, which means happy.

So to say Happy Halloween in Chinese language, you’ll say:

万圣节快乐!

Wàn shèng jié kuài lè
Happy Halloween

With 鬼节, here’s how to say happy Halloween in Chinese:

鬼节快乐!

guǐ jié kuài lè
Happy Ghost Day (Halloween)!

Speaking of which:

The Nincha Team 祝你万圣节快乐!

The Nincha Team zhù nǐ wànshèngjié kuàilè!
The Nincha Team behind Ninchanese wishes you a Happy Halloween!

With Ninchanese, get a complete method to learn Chinese, which has you speaking, reading, writing, and more in Chinese. And because culture and language go hand in hand, learn about the major Chinese cultural events and festivals on Ninchanese. From traditions to Chinese vocabulary and expressions,  you’ll love discovering all the great festivals China has to offer. Learn also about Western celebrations in Chinese such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, and how to play games in Chinese! Now that’s something to howl about.

Let’s see more Halloween words in Chinese!

Chinese Halloween Vocabulary

南瓜       Nánguā              pumpkin
南瓜灯    Nánguā dēng    Jack-o’-lantern
黑猫        Hēi māo             black cat
蜘蛛        Zhīzhū                spider
巫婆        Wūpó                  witch
扫把        Sàobǎ                 broom
面具        Miànjù                mask
猫头鹰    Māotóuyīng       owl
糖果        Tángguǒ            candies
骨架        Gǔjià                   skeleton
怪物        Guàiwù                monster
鬼            Guǐ                       ghost
鬼屋        Guǐwū                  haunted house
僵尸        Jiāng shī              Chinese vampire / Chinese-style Zombie
捣蛋        Dǎo dàn                to play tricks

Making your own Jack-o’lantern this year? Why not carve a beautiful lucky Nincha on your 南瓜？ Here’s a meowsome guide to do so! 

There are some pretty great Halloween costumes on the list, don’t you think? Nincha’s being a 僵尸 this year! That’s a Chinese-style zombie! What about you?

Bonus: Two Halloween Chinese Expressions

Want more? Here are two thrilling and chilling sentences to use, too to howl on Halloween in Chinese:

不给糖，就捣蛋

Bù gěi táng, jiù dǎodàn
Trick or treat!

噢，你吓了我一跳！

ō，nǐxiàlewǒyītiào ！
Oh, you scared me!

Enjoy this haunted collection of Halloween words in Chinese!

The Nincha Team

Stay in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Try the best way to learn Chinese today.
Ninchanese is free to use!

Sign up now

The post Brain candy: 15 Halloween words in Chinese  appeared first on Ninchanese.

Best wishes for the Mid-Autumn Festival

中秋节快乐! 
Zhōng qiū jié kuài lè!
Happy mid-autumn festival!

Why is the festival called the “Mid-autumn” Festival?

First things first. If you break down the Chinese name 中秋节 (Zhōng qiū jié), you get 中[zhōng] (middle) + 秋[qiū] (autumn) + 节[jié] (holiday). Why is that?

To us, the name of this festival, which is “Mid-autumn Festival,” begs the question: Why is this festival called the Mid-Autumn festival held on the first day of Autumn?

This year, the Chinese Mid-Autumn festival happens to fall on September 21st, the beginning of Fall. But that’s not what one should focus on. What’s important to know is that this festival, like all Chinese festivals, follows the lunar calendar. 中秋节 is celebrated each year on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. Because that’s the day the Autumn harvest ends. Incidentally, 秋  also means “Harvest time.”  The 15th is also the middle of the month, and the 8th lunar month is the middle of autumn. Hence the name, Mid-Autumn.
In our western calendar, its date changes slightly every year and ranges from mid-September to early October.

A magical way to celebrate the full moon

Okay, now that’s out of the way, what is this Chinese festival? What magical mid-autumn festival traditions are there? What do we do during it? This traditional Chinese festival is all about the full moon.

When the moon shines the brightest, Chinese people worldwide celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival.

Mid-autumn Festival Traditions

Gaze at the moon and make wishes

On this day, in China, the moon shines at its brightest. The Chinese believe it’s the purrfect time to send prayers for good luck. In ancient times, they would wish for a great next harvest next year, and now, they wish each other luck in life and business. That’s why the festival is sometimes called the Moon festival. Lanterns are often lit and sent out into the starry sky, carrying with them our wishes.

Join in the fun with mooncakes

What else? Ah yes, you’re going to like this next part. The mooncake festival is all about eating, and everyone should partake in at least one of the delicious Mid-Autumn festival food traditions. Yes, to celebrate the moon, we eat delicious mooncakes filled with all sorts of things. The fillings may be traditional lotus seed paste, egg yolk, red bean paste, or more innovative. That’s why this festival is also sometimes called the Mooncake festival.

The mooncakes are elaborately decorated, with patterns usually depicting the festival’s legends. Mooncakes now range from the traditional kind, rich and dense, with usually a duck egg in the center,

to modern takes on them, with a more delicate flavor and made with rice flour, such as the snowflake skin mooncakes. You’ll even find some iced, filled with ice cream. Luckily for us, stores and pastry shops usually sell mooncakes in small sizes, sometimes even bite-sized, which allows you to sample several.

Kick off October with some quality family time

The full moon also represents a family reunion. Due to that, the festival is also a big family moment, and getting together is a crucial Mid-Autumn festival tradition. Everyone gets three days off for it! If you’re in China or with a Chinese family, you’ll typically have a big celebratory meal with your family. You’ll eat, talk and sit together and enjoy the glorious moon. You can also have this experience with your Nincha family on the Ninchanese app in a special Mid-Autumn-themed world! In the Dialogue, you’ll be learning with Yocha a quote from a famous Mid-Autumn poem and will chat about the Mid-Autumn Festival.

When did the Mid-Autumn festival really begin?

No one knows for sure, but we do know this festival is thousands of years old!

Over 2000 years ago

The earliest records of the Mid-Autumn festival found are over 2000 years old, during the Han Dynasty.

In the 10th century AD, the festival date became fixed.

From there, the celebration steadily grew in popularity. As early as the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), the festival began being celebrated all over China, with much of the Mid-Autumn festival traditions appearing then. At the time, the date for the Mid-Autumn festival still varied. In the Song dynasty (960 – 1279 AD),  the festival’s date became officially fixed. It has become a yearly custom every since and is still a festival that means a lot to Chinese people worldwide. Did you know, however, that this festival only became a public holiday in 2008?

The Legends of the Autumn Full Moon Festival

Many have written poems and stories about the moon festival, and there are many legends around the Mid-Autumn festival. Among those, Chang’e Flying to the Moon is the most widely known.

Chang’e, Goddess of Heaven

It goes like this:
Once upon a time, Chang’e was married to Hou Yi, a real hotshot at the time (what?! he literally was! He was a heroic archer who shot down nine of the ten suns believed to have existed in ancient times).

Chang’e bringing mooncakes on a platter for the Chinese Mid-Autumn festival

Tasked with protecting an elixir that would allow Houyi to ascend directly to Heaven, Chang’e found herself forced to drink it. Then, desperate to stay close to her love, she managed to fly to the moon, the nearest place to Earth in heaven. There, she eventually adopted an immortal pet rabbit (that’s a different story), and that’s why ever since she’s been represented this way.

Chang’e and her rabbit

It is believed that Hou Yi, who sorely missed Chang’e, would serve the food she liked best when the full moon shone the brightest. Awwww. And that’s how, according to the legend, the Mid-Autumn festival began.

Mooncakes to fight the Mongols

There is another Mid-Autumn folktale so meowsome it sounds like a legend, except it actually happened.
In the late Yuan Dynasty (1271 to 1368 AD), people were unhappy with their rulers, the Mongols, and so, the resistance wanted to plot an uprising. To keep their messages hidden, a counselor had the brilliant idea of hiding notes inside the mooncakes, indicating when the uprising should occur. The revolt was very successful, and so, from then on, each year, the new ruler rewarded his subjects with mooncakes to commemorate that fateful day.

Since then, eating mooncakes took on a different meaning and has become even more of a tradition.

Talk about the Mid-Autumn festival in Chinese

Want to discover more about this festival? Then the new content on Ninchanese is precisely what you need. So check it out now; it’s available for free, this week only!

Three Special Event Stages for you on Ninchanese

A unique themed world to celebrate the Mid-Autumn festival, this week only!

There’s a new pop-up advanced world for you to discover for the occasion! Join in the Mid-Autumn festival celebrations with this themed exclusive world. In it, you can:

• Learn vocabulary to understand and discuss the Mid-Autumn festival
• Build sentences to talk and wish someone a happy Mid-Autumn festival in Mandarin
• Express yourself in Chinese: Learn to speak about the Mid-Autumn festival in the new dialogue
• Train your ear: Listening practice to be ready to talk about the festival in Chinese

The best part? It’s free all this week! So hurry! It’ll soon be gone.

Best paired with a yummy mooncake to keep your brain juices flowing. Enjoy and happy Chinese learning!

The Nincha Team

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Idioms – in any language – are probably one of the most challenging things to master when learning a foreign language. These short sentences – full of secret meaning – ship a cultural heritage. Some of them can be very confusing unless you delve deep into their roots and make an effort to understand the way of thinking behind them. They often do not make sense when you listen to them at first, but usually, describe a situation that anyone could be in. And sometimes it’s hard to translate them into another language.

At the same time, those phrases often offer great insight into the culture. So, I’ve always found idioms one of the most fascinating aspects of a language to explore.

What’s more? Human brains sometimes work the same way even miles and miles apart. Somehow, even in vastly different languages – like English and Chinese – some distinctive idioms use the same imagery (or very close) to convey the same ideas.

How amazing is that? Let’s take a look at some of those! Maybe then, Chinese idioms will look slightly less scary – or even better – you could use these Chinese Chengyus when you speak Chinese and sound as smart as Yocha, our old Chinese teacher.

一见钟情 – “love at first sight.”

This idiom’s meaning is super close to the English meaning. Let’s take a look at the different characters:

 一见: at first sight

 钟情: deeply in love

Easy to use, easy to remember. Did you see that lovely pair of shoes? Wow, it was really  一见钟情.

Ninchanese is an incredible app for learning Chinese!

” I actually graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a MA in Chinese.
I’ve used Ninchanese daily, and it has helped me a lot!  “

 – Connor, Ninchanese User

Try Ninchanese, an award-winning method to learn Chinese today:

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空中楼阁 – “castle in the air” – build castles in the air

 空中: in the air

 楼阁: Pavillon in the air

That’s pretty close to the English meaning. Hey, castles did not exist in China, so how could the translation be precisely “castle”, right? 

I would love to speak Chinese, and my dream is not a 空中楼阁 😉

A happy Chinese idiom 如鱼得水 – “like fish in the water.”

This chengyu’s meaning in Chinese is similar to the idiom in English, and you can use it in almost the same kind of situations: where you feel at ease with someone, or are performing very well, showing you are made for that environment or that environment is made for you. It’s quite a positive idiom! 

 如鱼: like fish

 得水: get in the water

我在这种地方如鱼得水 – I feel like a fish in the water in this place.

The very expressive 一箭双雕 – “kill two eagles (birds) with one arrow” – is the equivalent of “killing two birds with one stone”. 

(No image here it would have been not cute :p)

 一箭: one arrow

 双雕: double eagle

一箭双雕 is a chengyu very close in meaning to our saying “killing two birds with one stone”. It’s a fascinating chengyu, made even more so by the fact there also exists a very similar idiom: 一举两得. The stories connected to those two idioms, however, are a little different. 

Efficient Chinese idiom: 一举两得 – “achieve two goals with one action.” 

 一举: one action

 两得: two gains

Both share the same meaning, so when should you use one over the other?
You’ll use 一箭双雕 “Kill two eagles (birds) with one stone” when you want to showcase your skills.
The other one 一举两得 is about wit and knowing when to strike to spend minimal effort. Like if you go on sightseeing and you can eat there too, then you double the benefit in one action.

A contrasted Chinese idiom: 夜以继日 – “day and night.”

 The meaning is translucid. There’s no mistake here; you’ve been working day and night to get it clear.

 夜以: from night

 继日: to day

A Chinese saying: 水滴石穿 – “drop by drop water wears away the stone.”

 水滴: drop water

 石穿: pierce through

“My Chinese only got better after I started practicing it every day, so I guess it’s true that constant dropping wears away a stone.” Easy to get the meaning and use it. Let’s give it a try!

Chinese chengyu: 对牛弹琴 – “play zither in front of a cow” – equivalent meaning: to cast pearls before swine.

Just because this one super fun! We could not resist adding that one too.

So here are the 5 best Chinese idioms and chengyus + 2 more bonus that resonate the same in English. I’ve selected them since they are fun and easy to use. It’s a great way to see that even if countries are far away from each other, we can still share parts of culture and a similar understanding of the world. How about you, do you have an idiom that comes to mind, that you’ve learned or used lately? 

This article is brought to you by Julia Knoblauch, physics student by day, avid Chinese learner on Ninchanese by night.

Want to write on the Ninchanese blog? Want to give your insight into an aspect of the Chinese culture or the language? Contact us on https://ninchanese.com/chat/

The Nincha Team

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I was only at the beginning of my journey into the world of Chinese language and Ninchanese. I was discovering new words and characters every day, I was trying to memorize them. Water, happy, big… get ready, topic, fruit juice… go to work… Zhou Jie Lun. What? Zhou Jie Lun showed up on my screen. I think it was right after “加油” jiā yóu. I was happy with 加油, I needed 加油. I needed to be 加油’d because Chinese is challenging, and learning words is demanding, you need the motivation, you need the 加油. And all the words I met before made sense.

I already got a little nervous with 雪碧 Xuě bì before, but I accepted it as a companion to 可口可乐 kě kǒu kě lè which, in my opinion, was just as important to learn as 果汁 guǒ zhī or even 水 shuǐ. But I immediately felt there was something wrong going on with this 周杰伦 Zhōu Jié lún thing. So I clicked, looked at the translation, and… Jay Chou?

I’m sorry Jay, we love you!

Who is Jay Chou?

What the hell was that? It must be a bug. I was working on the beta version of Ninchanese, so these things happen. So I decided to forget about it. But this spaced repetition system thing can be annoying at times and Jay Jie Lun Chou something watzefuk kept coming back. Google them. Oh my god. Who is this weird guy with the hairdo of a Chinese Beatles? I was not happy. I wanted to learn Chinese, not random names of random singers.

So I googled again, and I found out that this Zhōu Jié lún was famous, if not the most famous pop singer in Taiwan and China! So he was indeed a Beatles. And yes, I know who Paul McCartney is. Or John Lennon. So I understood what it was about.

The idea was to introduce me to some famous names in China. Or Taiwan… well, it is complicated. Anyway… My mood changed immediately, and I was happy. I am one of these persons who never really got interested in Chinese culture before I started learning Chinese (for personal reasons). It took me some time to watch my first movies in Chinese, to read my first book of Chinese History.

And then, my appetite started to grow, and meeting this new character was actually a good thing. OK, so I clicked on Youtube, and my enthusiasm vanished, but there is no accounting for tastes (although I must say that if you like what he sings, you should cut off your ears, OK ?). I was happy again because I was going to learn new names, new things.

Ninchanese is an incredible app for learning Chinese!

” I actually graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a MA in Chinese.
I’ve used Ninchanese daily, and it has helped me a lot!  “

 – Connor, Ninchanese User

Try Ninchanese, an award-winning method to learn Chinese today:

Start Learning Now

Chinese Culture to westerners

There was still one problem, though. Even before I started to learn English as a second language in school, I knew who Tom Cruise was or Ronald Reagan (god, I am old). Or Martin Scorsese, or Abraham Lincoln (no, I am not that old, please). It was a little more complicated with Spanish, German or Russian (I am French by the way) but not that much. Almodovar, Kant, Pushkin, the list goes on. However, besides Mao, my knowledge of Chinese celebrities was thin. Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan… And these names don’t even sound Chinese! I was curious to understand why I did not know more Chinese names.

As a westerner, I was not automatically connected to things Chinese. Spain, Germany or the UK are neighbors, the US conquered the world of culture,  Russia and the Soviet Union have had strong relationships with Western Europe and the world for centuries (about five centuries) so we know about them. Even some Japanese names sound familiar to western ears thanks to the economic power that the country was up until twenty years ago. The deep relationship Japan had with the US after the Second World War when the US military decided to put thousands of GI’s to preserve Japan from a communist invasion made us closer to Japan.

But China is different. Chinese culture seemed incomprehensible to most foreigners for ages, the country was closed to our world for most of its History, we can even say it was culturally self-sufficient, and it was only very recently that China decided to battle with the US to conquer the world in the field of popular culture.

Should we learn about Taiwanese celebrities as well?

But back to Zhou Jie Lun. The guy is not Chinese but Taiwanese. So does it really make sense to memorize his name on Ninchanese? It does. To keep things simple, the History and mindset of Chinese people are different from ours, as Westerners. The Rise of Nationalism during the 19th century was something very European, certainly not Chinese. So yes, we can say that Zhou Jie Lun is Chinese. He is a Han, and that makes him culturally Chinese (I won’t go into politics here, especially not into the extremely complicated relationship between China and Taiwan). Just like Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee are culturally Chinese. The former was born in Hong-Kong, which was part of the UK at the time, the latter was born in San Francisco from Hong-Kongese parents. But what about the language?

In my opinion, it doesn’t matter. Han is Han, and Cantonese is no less Han than Mandarin. But it does make things more complicated when you want to learn names. Cantonese is a very different language from Mandarin so the name of Hong-Kong celebrities sound totally different in Mandarin and Cantonese (although the writing is the same). Hong-Kong natives also have an English name (sometimes totally unrelated, phonetically speaking, to their Chinese name) and celebrities have various pseudonyms and nicknames. Not to mention various pseudonyms and nicknames. Sometimes we have the same problem with American Born Chineses’ names.

Should we learn Chinese culture when learning Chinese?

My point is that I think it is essential for any learner of Mandarin Chinese to know things about the Chinese culture. To know names, to know who they are, to know what they do. When most methods of Chinese language put a focus on food (food is essential in the Chinese culture) and names of dishes, I think it is equally necessary to get students to know the most famous individuals in the Chinese world (and yes, some of them can be chefs).

So with my limited knowledge, I drew a list, my Mandarin speaking girlfriend corrected it, and I sent it to Ninchanese’ boss, co-founder, now billionaire socialite [Nincha team note: we wish] (but not Han, so he is not on the list) Jean-Rémi. Jean-Rémi, myself and everyone at Ninchanese will be happy to have you add your two cents (or more) to the list.

We want to hear your voice!

If the list looks good, and you want it, it will make a new world on Ninchanese. So, now’s the moment to be part of this new world (maybe) and know more about the in – famous Chinese celebrities.

Okay, here is the list Possopo put together, and his funny comments. Possopo, the floor’s all yours:

Politics

毛泽东 (毛澤東) – Máo Zé dōng – Former President of the People’s Republic of China 

No intro needed to this man who has his portrait hanging on 天安门 Tian An Men square in 北京 Beijing.

邓小平 (鄧小平) – Dèng Xiǎo píng – Former President of the People’s Republic of China 

One of Mao’s sidekicks who led China to economic reforms that consequently led to what China’s economy now is.

习近平 (習近平) – Xí Jìn píng – Current President of the People’s Republic of China 

Chinese Donald Trump but more powerful.

孙中山 (孫中山) – Sūn Zhōng shān or 孙逸仙 (孫逸仙) Sūn Yì xiān (Sun Yat Sen) – Former President of the Republic of China

He had a key role in the overthrowing of the Qing Dynasty, is both revered in mainland China and Taiwan for reasons that would take hours to explain.

蒋介石 (蔣介石) – Jiǎng Jiè shí (Tchang Kai Tchek) – Former President of the Republic of China

Once the nemesis of Mao, leader of the Republic of China, aka Taiwan and Director-General of the Kuomintang until his death.

Philosophers

孔子 – Kǒng zǐ (Confucius) – Chinese teacher, politician, philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period.

One of the most prominent philosophers in the History of the world.

老子 – Lǎo zǐ – Chinese philosopher

Founder of philosophical Taoism, semi-legendary figure. No one knows if he really existed.

孟子 – Mèng zǐ (Mencius) – Chinese philosopher

Number two in the school of Confucianism, number two in Chinese philosophy. And completely cool with being second.

秦始皇 – Qín Shǐ huáng – First emperor of a unified China

Forever guarded by an army of terracotta warriors.

神农氏 (神農氏) – Shén nóng shì – Mythical figure

Who, legend has it, taught Chinese agriculture and the use of herbal drugs to everyone.

Sports

王建民 – Wáng Jiàn mín – Taiwanese baseball pitcher

who made it to the MLB.

姚明 – Yáo Míng – Basketball Player

Biggest (more like tallest) rival of Shaquille O’Neal in the NBA.

Music

郎朗 – Láng Lǎng – Piano player

Human-robot programmed to play the piano with bravado and a total lack of feeling.

周杰伦 (周杰倫) – Zhōu Jié lún – singer

The J-Lo of Taiwan, except he is a man and I think he has a flat ass. (haha)

马友友 – Mǎ Yǒu yǒu – ABC world-famous cellist.

Listen to his version of Bach’s Cello Suites.

Cinema

张艺谋 (張藝謀) – Zhāng Yì móu – Film Director

The godfather of modern Chinese cinema, known for movies like The Red Lantern.

李安 – Lǐ Ān (Ang Lee)  –  Taiwan-born Film Director

Known for Eat Drink Man Woman (if you’re into arthouse cinema) and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (if you’re into commendable entertaining movies).

侯孝贤 (侯孝賢) – Hóu Xiàoxián (Hou Hsiao-Hsien – Taiwanese transliteration) – Taiwanese Film Director

A leading figure in world cinema who won prizes in Venice and Cannes.

王家卫 (王家衛) – Wáng Jiā wèi or Wong Kar-Wai – Hong Kong Director

World Famous for In The Mood For Love, amongst others.

李小龙 (李小龍) – Lǐ Xiǎo lóng (Bruce Lee) – actor, martial art artist, and more

Bim bam yaaaaaa! Nough’ said.

成龙 (成龍) – Chéng Lóng (Jackie Chan) – actor

Popularized the Zui Quan with the movie Drunken Master and then became the most famous Asian actor of all times.

李连杰 (李連杰) – Lǐ Lián jié (Jet Li) – actor

Just like Bruce Lee but born a generation later and still alive today.

吴宇森 (吳宇森) – Wú yǔ sēn (John Woo) – actor

A major figure in action movies, and also a major figure in Hong Kong cinema.

Art

李白 – Lǐ Bái – Poet

The Michael Jordan of classical Chinese poetry.

鲁迅 (魯迅) – Lǔ Xùn – writer

A key figure of modern Chinese literature.

艾未未 – Ài Wèi wèi – contemporary artist

Mainly a sculptor turned activist.

Architecture

贝聿铭 (貝聿銘) – Bèi Yù míng (I. M. Pei) – Architect

World-famous Chinese American architect who designed the pyramid at the Louvre museum in Paris and just died. RIP I.M. Pei.

Business

郭台铭 – Guo Tai Ming – Tawainese tycoon
Founder and chairman of Foxconn.

马云 – Ma Yun (Jack Ma) – Businessman
He has a rather strange looking head. Oh, and a very big group called Ali Baba, where you’ll also find: Aliexpress, Taobao, Alipay… and more!

So, what do you think of the list? Agree, disagree with those who made the list and wish others were on it instead, or also? We should add more women!
Let us know in the comments! Do you want to learn these names in a special event world on Ninchanese? Yes? Then tell us in the comments so we know!

The Nincha Team

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