1. Note the sentence 很多人认为科技的进步帮他们带来了很多生活上的方便 literally means “Many people believe technology improvements help them bring many life conveniences.”

2. Like in English, it is helpful to use synonyms in your Chinese writing and speech, to avoid repeating yourself. Take a look at the following synonyms used in this article:

a. 走进 and 进去.
b. 并且, 还有 and 另外.
c. 不少 and 很多.
d. 但是 and 可是.

3. The sentence 我们未来可能就只会忙着自己的事情 features a new word 处理.

The articles in these next three lessons review some of the vocabulary taught in earlier lessons in this level. Use them to review your understanding. They also make great speaking and reading practice.

1. The four concepts mentioned in this lesson – 听，说，读，写 are common when referring to language learning.

2. For more information about 笔顺, read out insights blog.

1. Note how 改变 is being used as a noun in this lesson, whereas previously it was taught as being a verb.

a. 从课程中的第一级到目前的第五级，其实我们都能看到一些改变.
b. 那从第二级以后，我们做了哪些改变？

2. We’ve seen 认识 used in the past, in the context of getting to know people. Here it’s being used to describe recognizing characters.

a. 而且这也是一个认识中文字的好机会.
b. 那他们应该认识了不少中文字了
c. 除了听的部分，我们也要给学生认识中文字的机会.

3. 不少 literally means “not a few” and is used to say “many”.

1. As mentioned in the lesson, 得意 has a more positive meaning than 骄傲.

2. Note the usage of 猜得到 and 猜不到.

a. 我就不相信你猜得到
b. 可是我觉得你还是猜不到.

3. These lessons on games are a great way to observe some more natural speech between the speakers, in this case, the playful banter that may occur when two people are competing against each other.

1. Note that 牌 refers to a single playing card, as seen in the sentences 这样我们说出一张牌的名字的时候，你们就可以先想一下是哪一张牌. 然后你可以看我们放的牌跟你想的是不是同样的.

2. We have seen 刚好 used in previous lessons in the context of “exactly”. In this lesson we see it used in the context of “happen to be”, as seen in 那如果学生的身上刚好没有扑克牌，有没有什么其他的游戏可以跟别人一起玩，而且又可以练习他们的中文？

3. We see some nice examples of the past tense particle 过 in 我没听过，也没玩过. In this context it can be thought of as meaning “ever” as in “I’ve never ever heard of it” and “I’ve never ever played it.”

4. The 出 in 这样你怎么可能猜得到我出的问题呢？ can be thought of as meaning “to put forth”. So a more literal meaning might be “In this case, how is it possible for you to answer the topic I put out?” We see it used in a similar manner in 要是我在二十个问题内猜不到你出的题目，那么你就赢了.

We see a similar usage in 其实很快就能在二十题内猜出答案是什么. Here we can think of the answer being “guessed out aloud”.

5. The 怎么 in 我不怎么相信你说的 can be thought of as changing the meaning to “How am I supposed to believe what you’re saying?”

6. 时间到了 is commonly used in occasions with time limits. It literally means “the time has arrived.”

Cards and games of this nature are a great way to practice your Chinese. In an upcoming lesson, you will see a video of our speakers playing. Try out this method the next time you play with a fellow Chinese learner or speaker.

1. The word 生气 can be split up, with the object that the anger is being directed at placed in between. We see this usage in 我最好的朋友在生我的气.

2. Note how in Chinese, you can speak of “something happening” as in 有时候你不能太依赖科技，要不然同样的情况可能还会发生, or you may also see the usage of “happen something”, as seen in 发生什么事了吗？ and 所以她想知道上个礼拜这个男人有没有发生什么有趣的事.

3. 这样子啊 is a common expression meaning “Oh, so this is how it is.”

4. Note the usage of 过头 in 但是最好不要依赖过头了.

1. Note the use of 查资料, which literally means “check information” to mean “do research”, as seen in 像现在的学生，很少去图书馆查资料.

2. While we’ve seen 最近几年 in several articles, here we see another useful time description: 过几年, used in 那么再过几年，人们又会发明哪些科技产品来取代我们目前传统的产品呢？

1. It’s interesting to see how sentences constructed in Chinese differ from English. Take a look at the following sentence:
我想可能是因为科技产品的发明给我们的生活带来了很多方便，而且也帮了我们不少忙的关系吧. The literal meaning is “I think perhaps is because technology products’ invention give our life bring come many conveniences, as well also help us not small busy relations”.

2. Note the use of 出 in 因为计算机能帮我们在很短的时间内就把很难的数学题目算出答案来 and 现在有很多学生看到数学题目的时候, 就直接把计算机拿出来算.

3. Note that 找 can also mean “to ask” as seen in the sentence 一个朋友找我跟他一起去爬山.

4. 注意 can be added to other verbs to modify their meanings, as seen in 所以我在爬山的时候，一直注意看我的手机.

5. 哎呀 is an expression in Chinese used to express frustration.

1. As has been taught before, 酷 is used similar as it is in English – by youngsters describing something new and fashionable. We see it here in the line 哇， 你的手机看起来好酷.

2. Note the measure word 支 being used for cell phones here 这支手机没有键盘.

3. 特别 has a more varied meaning than its English counterpart. It might seem awkward to describe a product in English as being “special” whereas in Chinese that’s quite common. 嗯，真特别.

4. 玩 is often used to emphasize that an action is done for fun, as opposed to for some other purpose. We see it used in the sentence 我刚开始跟我哥哥借这支手机来玩的时候.

5. 过没多久 literally means “pass not how long” and is a useful time construct to know. We see it used in 可是过没多久习惯了.

6. 好不容易 has a literal meaning of “very not easy” which isn’t something we would say in English. It’s used often in Chinese however, as seen in the sentence 我最近好不容易才习惯用我自己的手机键盘打字.

7. The speaker mentions her headache figuratively in the conversation, to express her frustration at the current situation. 哦，我的头开始痛了!

8. In the sentence 为什么又要推出其他新款的手机来改变我的打字方法呢？ the 推出 literally means “push out”, so you can think of its usage as the companies pushing out products that they want to sell.

These articles are great for getting a feel for written language as well as more formal speech. It also helps you find ways to say common words and phrases, such as:

– 在过去
– 少部分的人
– 刚开始

1. Note the use of 不少, which literally means “not a few” in 由于网路发展的速度很快，让电脑的功能多了不少. This is a different usage than in English, as is 很不方便 which literally means “very not convenient”, used in 因为那时候很多人觉得用键盘很不方便.

2. The literal meaning of the sentence 我对电脑本来就没什么研究 is “I towards computers originally no what research”. 对X没什么研究 is a sentence pattern that can be used this way. The opposite would be: 对X有研究

3. Note how in English we talk about typing words, whereas in Chinese we talk about typing characters:
嗯, 我打中文字比打英文字快.

4. Another word for 滑鼠 is 鼠标.

1. In the sentence, 要是我早一点知道你的款式比我的新，我就不买这一台了, the speaker could also have shortened his statement by saying 早知道你的款式比我的新，我就不买这一台了.

2. Note the use of 一 before a verb to indicate “as soon as the verb is performed” in 这个女人一看到她朋友的掌握型电脑，就觉得跟她自己的很像.

The translation of such articles is very useful in noting the language differences between Chinese and English. Note how literal translations don’t always work and how the style of speech differs from one language to another. For example, 不少 literally means “not a few”, but we would never say it that way in English.

Note the sentence pattern 对A有兴趣 used in “我对今天的题目很有兴趣“, “那你觉得大部分的男人对什么比较有兴趣？” and “他对科技的产品很有兴趣.”

1. Notice the use of repeating verbs in 看看电视，玩玩电脑游戏 and 跟家人聊聊天，看看书，睡睡觉等等. This implies doing the action in a general manner as opposed to for a particular instance.

2. 扑克牌 is actually a transliteration of “Poker” but can be used to describe a deck of cards used for any card game. 一张牌 is used to describe a single card in a deck.

3. Note the sentence pattern used for “one by one” in 先把扑克牌一张一张的放在地上.

4. Note the user of 规定 as a noun and a verb.

Noun: 因为下棋要注意的规定很多.

Verb: 你可以自己想一个新的游戏，然后规定怎么玩.

5. Note the different words for “play” used for cards versus chess versus mahjong:

玩扑克牌: 我小时候常常自己玩扑克牌.

下棋: 你跟中国人下棋的时候要小心.

打麻将: 打麻将需要四个人.

Note how we don’t describe a sound as being loud, but as being “big”, as seen in 因为打雷的声音很大.

Similarly, wind and rain are also described as being “big” rather than heavy in 因为风跟雨都很大.

1. While 爬山 technically refers to mountain climbing, it is commonly used to refer to general hiking as well. The actual word for general hiking is 健行.

2. Note how 伞 is short for 雨伞.
Similarly 但 is used in place of 但是 in 但散步对我们也是一种很好的运动.

3. To say the sun is very hot, we literally say the sun is very “big”, as seen in 那如果太阳很大，我们的身体可能会怎样？

4. The verb used to describe “rubbing” lotion is 擦， as seen in 那要是防晒霜没擦好，我们身上的哪个部分会晒伤呢？ and 所以最好的方法就是出门前就要把防晒霜擦好.

5. Becoming “more black” is used to describe something becoming darker, as seen in 因为他们想要让他们的皮肤变黑一点.

6. Technically 晒太阳 refers to “tanning the sun”. The proper description should then be 被晒太阳.

This is similar to how 晒伤 is described and used in 我想应该没有人喜欢被晒伤吧.

Yet it is common to omit the 被 and instead refer directly to 晒太阳, as seen in 可是大部分的人去爬山，不是为了晒太阳 and 要是想晒太阳的话，去海边应该会比较好.

Note the use of question words within statements:

a. 嗯，听起来不怎么特别
b. 而且你喜欢吃什么就可以把什么放在里面.

1. Rather than describing school grade levels as 1 to 12, it is sometimes common to describe the year of the current school. For example grade 8 might be described as 初中 二年级.

2. Note the verb 读 used to describe studying in:

a. 是从一年级读到六年级的这段时间.

b. 像在台湾，要读高中之前，要先参加一种特别的考试.

c. 如果他们的成绩不好，学生就没办法读最好的高中.

One could also use the verb 念 as seen in:

a. 当然，到最近的学校念书对学生比较方便.

b. 而且要是他们要念大学，他们也要准备考大学联考.

Note the following:

1. How we say “speaking of” in Chinese:

可是说到放弃或是成功，让我想到一个跟今天题目有关系的生字.

2. We can use 一般 to say “normal people” in 另外，我发现一边人小时候的梦想跟长大后的梦想并不会是同一个.

3. 负责任 can be split up as in 又要负很大的责任.

4. You can talk about what your goals are, as well as where your goals are (similar to defining where your priorities are), as seen in 可能是那些成功的人一开始就知道自己的目标在哪里.

1. Note how the word 结婚 can be split up, as seen in 那结了婚以后，接下来比较重要的部分是什么？

2. Notice the slight variation between the different words for “choose”, that we have studied in this course:

取
选
挑

1. Note how 礼貌 is used in the sentence 嗯，对中国人来说，在特别的日子送礼物给别人是一种礼貌跟传统.

2. We can use 最常 to mean “most often” as seen in 是人们最常送礼物跟收到礼物的节日.

Similarly we can also say 最常见, as seen in 在国外，最常见的礼物是 红酒.

3. 过 is often paired with 去 to form 过去, as seen in 这时候要带礼物过去吗？ and 嗯，带礼物过去比较有礼貌.

4. “我去给朋友送钟.” is a common expression meaning “I saw someone off”, as in referring to someone’s funeral, which is why clocks are never given as gifts.

1. We can use 快 to describe an event that is about to happen, as seen in 因为他快跟他的女朋友订婚了.

2. Notice how sale prices are described in Chinese: 而且它还有打八折. The price you pay (80%) is described, rather than the amount being reduced.

1. Note how when saying a foreign currency, you specify what currency it is first, before listing the price.

我的预算是美金五千块以下.

2. 款式 is reduced to 款 in 好，这里有几款戒指是这几天才刚到的.

3. In the past we’ve seen the sentence pattern 越来越. Here we have a slightly different version: 钻石越大价钱就越贵.

1. As explained in the lesson, 嫁 is only used to describe a woman marrying a man. If you wanted to describe a man marrying a woman you would use the verb 娶.

2. The traditions mentioned in the lesson are mainly Western in origin. The following are some traditions seen in Chinese culture.

a. During the engagement process, the groom’s side presents the bride’s parents with money and other gifts to thank them for their role in raising her.

b. An auspicious day is chosen for the wedding, based on advice from fortune-tellers who combine birth dates of the bride and groom with the Chinese almanac.

c. On the day of the wedding, the groom’s party would proceed from the groom’s house to the bride’s house. There, they would be greeted by members of the bridal party, who would not surrender the bride until proper payment is made in the form of money stuffed in red envelopes.

d. Traditional tea ceremonies are performed by the wedding couple after the wedding ceremony. It is usually performed with the groom’s parents and older family members to thank them for their role in raising the groom. In return, the elders gift the couple red envelopes with money to wish them success in their married life.

e. Wedding banquets tend to be elaborate. There is usually an eight-course meal to symbolize the luck associated with the number eight. The types of foods served are also those associated with happiness and prosperity.

f. After marriage, it isn’t uncommon for the newly married couple to live with the groom’s parents.

The sentence 过去的事情就把它忘了吧! has a different construction than its English translation. The object of the sentence – 过去的事情 is listed first, followed by the action, with no subject mentioned.

1. In Taiwan, the word 垃圾 is pronounced as 垃圾.

2. 做垃圾分类 is the action of separating garbage into various recyclable and non-recyclable categories. We see it used in the sentence 要是我们没有做垃圾分类，可能会被罚钱 and 所以平常就要做好垃圾分类.

3. 楼下 literally means “floor down”. We see it used in 那如果你住在公寓或是大楼里面，楼下应该会有一个地方可以丢垃圾.

Similarly, you could say 楼上.

1. Notice that we refer to 人口 as being “a lot” or “a little” in 如果一个国家的人口很多, 他们的社会环境跟人口少的地方就差很多, unlike English where it’s referred to as being “big” or “small”.

2. 只 is combined with 能 to create the meaning “we have no choice but to” in 我们只能习惯这样的生活.

3. Note the construction of “using space” in 他们对空间的用法跟台湾人很不一样.

4. Note how 见 can also be used “to encounter a situation” in 这是一种很常见的情况.

5. There are two examples of the construction using 不但 in this lesson. The first uses 也 as the conjunction while the second uses 还.

a. 在人口多，土地小的地方，大楼不但多也都很高.

b. 这对爱逛街的人来说最棒了, 不但早上可以逛百货公司, 到了晚上还能逛夜市呢.