Some Chinese idioms make you smile the moment you hear them. Take 纸上谈兵 (zhǐ shàng tán bīng), which literally means “discussing warfare on paper.” You can already picture it: someone hunched over books, talking strategy non-stop—yet totally clueless once it comes to real battle. The Story of Zhao Kuo – a General on Paper The […]
纸上谈兵 (zhǐ shàng tán bīng)📜⚔️ Read More »
In Chinese, there’s a saying that people often use to wish someone instant success: 马到成功 (mǎ dào chéng gōng). Literally, it means “When the horse arrives, success follows.” Just four characters, yet they carry the feeling of power, speed, and certainty—almost as if victory is already within reach. When the horse arrives, victory is here!
马到成功 (mǎ dào chéng gōng) Read More »
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?
Chinese and German: Distant Relatives? Read More »
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
Chinese Characters: Your Key to China Read More »
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
Pinyin makes it possible: write “Ni hao,” understand “你好” Read More »
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
Chengyu: Big Wisdom in Just Four Characters Read More »
