Category: Language Blick China

Chinese and German: Distant Relatives?

When many people hear the word “Chinese,” their first reaction is often: Way too hard! Totally different! But is that really true? Look a little closer — and you’ll find that German and Chinese actually share some surprising similarities. For instance, both languages follow the same word order: Subject + Verb + Object. Plus, the joy of compound words brings them even closer together! Discover how these two seemingly distant languages are more alike than you think, and unlock the fascinating world of Chinese with just a few simple phrases. Ready to dive in?

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Chinese Characters: Your Key to China

Chinese Characters

If you’ve ever spotted some mysterious symbols on a restaurant menu, or seen a big red 福 (fú, “good fortune”) character hanging on a friend’s door during Lunar New Year, you’ve already met Chinese characters. They might look like little works of art — but in fact, they are the everyday writing system used by

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Pinyin makes it possible: write “Ni hao,” understand “你好”

Pinyin

Picture this: you hop on the subway in Beijing and spot “Dongzhimen” on the sign. Or you type ni hao on your phone and “你好” pops up. What is that? It’s not English, and it’s not German either. It’s a tool that helps you read and write Chinese: Pinyin. Pinyin is a system that writes

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Chengyu: Big Wisdom in Just Four Characters

Idioms Stories

Did you know that in Chinese, just four little characters can tell an entire story? Take the saying “duì niú tán qín” (对牛弹琴), which literally means “to play the lute to a cow.” The image is funny enough—someone playing beautiful music while the cow stares blankly back. But what it really means is “to talk

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