AP中文口语考试说明

口试总共分为两个部分：

会话部分说明

简报部分说明

会话部分题目

需要做连续性的一问一答以达到双向沟通

 

简报部分题目

临场准备的单向简报

作者：

美国亚利桑那州现代中文学校校长 安然

The post AP Chinese Speaking Exam – Features and Preparation Suggestions for Heritage Language Candidates appeared first on Mandarin Matrix.

The post A New Level of the YCT Stories Series: YCT 4 appeared first on Mandarin Matrix.

Identities

Suggested topics to discuss: health and wellbeing, lifestyle

Human Ingenuity

Suggested topics to discuss: communication and media, innovation and technology

Experiences

Suggested topics to discuss: customs and traditions

Social Organizations

Suggested topics to discuss: social relations, education

Sharing the Planet

Suggested topics to discuss: the environment

Download the Above Note

The above note is simply from a personal opinion and may not be suitable for all schools. However, if you think it’s helpful, you can click the button below to download it (the document is in Chinese): 

Downlaod the note

I hope my tips and notes can help teachers and students. I wish all the educators and learners good luck in the assessments!

Crystal Chan

Ms. Chan is an experienced teacher, she has been teaching in international schools for more than ten years in Hong Kong and Shanghai. She is currently a Chinese teacher at Renaissance College, leading the Chinese curriculum program. She teaches the International Baccalaureate Middle Year Programme (MYP) Chinese course and Diploma Programme (DP) Chinese and Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course.

The post Tips for IB Mandarin Teachers Conducting the Internal Oral Assessment appeared first on Mandarin Matrix.

DLI means to use the target language as the medium of instruction, instead of teaching the language only. Even though acquiring the language is still one of the learning objectives, teachers do not strictly focus on teaching grammar, pronunciation and practising drills. Instead, teachers extensively use Chinese to teach, to conduct activities and to communicate, so that students learn the language unconsciously. Just like how kids learn their first languages. In the US, this kind of instruction method has been categorized as a special teaching program, called the Dual Language Immersion program. This program is well-established, with French, German, Spanish and Portuguese as the first four programs. In around 2006, some school districts have started the Chinese Immersion Program (CIP).

How to use Mandarin Matrix DLI Proficiency Builders in immersion teaching?

The Mandarin Matrix’ DLI Proficiency Builders series  is a complete curriculum that was co-developed with school districts and professional teachers. It is specially designed for Dual Language Immersion programs. The materials is available in print and on the Mandarin Matrix Online Classroom, levels ranging from foundation (0 starter) to intermediate 4 level (Pre-AP). Here are some highlights:

Highlight 1: Making learning interesting through storytelling

The DLI Proficiency Builders come in story format and was designed based on concepts of TPRS. In the lower levels, each unit has 3 stories with the same set of key words repeatedly used in different combination/vocab across the stories. The background of the 3 stories are based on students’ family, school and playtime. Students are able to get a sense of the language naturally through reading about context in different settings.

The pedagogy of teaching through the form of story aligns with the concept of immersion teaching using Chinese as the medium, rather than the teaching purpose. It also allows children to establish the foundation of Language Art Skills from an early age. For example, each of our stories starts with a beginning, it then gradually builds up, with a climax or a problem to solve, eventually a small surprise at the end. By applying the typical concept of “Story Mountain” in our content, we are bringing students from our Foundation level (= 0 beginners) to not only immerse with the language, but also immerse with language arts.

Below is a live demo of a Chinese immersion class in the second grade of elementary school. The teacher used Mandarin Matrix’ DLI Proficiency Builders.

Thanks to Teacher Yang for his wonderful demonstration!

The most important thing is that children should learn the language with fun. A story is worth a thousand words. Watching them enjoying learning and reading is also the joy of a Chinese teachers.

Highlight 2: An Unique Spiral Pedagogy

The DLI Proficiency Builders are designed with the “spiral pedagogy”, which means key words are highly repeated or reused, and are also expanded to wider and higher ranges. In this pedagogy, we follow the “I+1 principle” or “Comprehensible input” in order to make sure that students can fulfill all the requirements before going to the next steps.

Under the design of highly repetitive words, students can gradually improve their Chinese proficiency. Think about this, traditional textbooks introduce more than a dozen new words in each lesson, but how many percentage can students memorise? The Mandarin Matrix DLI  Proficiency Builders focus on very few new words in each unit at the lower levels. Even more, we use three stories to introduce the same keywords in each unit. We really make sure students acquire 100% or even 120% at the novice levels, then we bring students up to higher levels.

At 14’20 in the below video, you can see that once students got their new books, they simply just can’t wait to see if they can read them.

At the intermediate and higher levels, students expand their knowledge really fast because Chinese itself is a language of compound words. Also, our materials have changed from “character-based” to “word-based” learning at these levels. Moreover, the materials are expanding in non-fiction style. In Intermediate 3 and 4 levels, there are multiple authentic short texts in addition to a story. These short texts include different text types such as emails, blog posts, posters, etc., The stories and short texts both focus on the same set of keywords, again, aiming to increase the frequency.

Intermediate 3 and 4 also highly align to the six themes of AP: contemporary life, personal and public identity, family and community, global challenges, science and technology, beauty and aesthetics.

Highlight 3: Teacher reads, We read, Student reads

At Foundation level, each unit has three stories, which are called “Teacher Read”; “We Read” – for everyone to read together in class; “Student Reads” – the last one in the unit that students should be able to read completely by themselves. There are other communication vocabulary in “Teacher Reads” and “We Read” books, but key words students should learn are presented in red fonts.

“Big Books” is also available i this level. They are in larger size, allowing teachers to make different seating arrangements in class and to read to students.

At Intermediate 3 and 4 levels, as mentioned above, we not only have stories but also introduced many different text types. We have also expanded and covered AP themes and SDGs. Great for middle school+ students to conduct higher level discussions and develop more advanced languages.

Highlight 4: Informational teacher’s manual and well-illustrated worksheets

Each and every unit in this Proficiency Builder series includes detailed teacher’s guide, highlighting teaching points, key grammar concepts, oral focus, teaching objectives, effective evaluation suggestions and related readings, which help teachers to formulate each reading lesson’s plan.

Each unit also has worksheets that can be easily printed. Some of these worksheets are created by senior teachers of the American Star Talk Program, and some are created by AP teachers. They can save a lot of time for teachers. Print them immediately for students to practise basic stroke writing, reading comprehension, etc. . In the elementary worksheets, all the exercises are matched with interesting and easy-to-understand pictures, allowing students to practice and strengthen skills while making direct associations with pictures.

Highlight 5: A perfect online + offline solution

The curriculum isn’t only available in printed version, but also on the online learning platform of Mandarin Matrix! As long as a student or teacher subscribe to the platform, s/he can browse purchased books anytime, anywhere within the subscription period. This account can be purchased by school at one go, or by individuals. Both Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese are available.

The Mandarin Matrix Online Classroom not only has books on it, but also plenty of online exercises including listening, speaking, reading, and writing. There is no need to stack a pile of books and print out notes anymore! Everything is on the Mandarin Matrix Online Classroom!

Interested in checking out the materials and online platform? Just

Fill out the form and claim a free trial account!

The post Dual Language Immersion Chinese Teaching Materials Recommendation appeared first on Mandarin Matrix.

• Focused vocabulary and grammar backward designed from AP, IB, and HSK exams
• Authentic and informational materials using real-world languages in real-world scenarios
• Topics covering AP & IB themes, and many of the 17 SDGs

We are excited to announce that we will be launching an additional  30 new books to this series focusing on beginners’ level. Hence, learners can start reading the real-world materials even from absolute beginners!

Here is the  new book list:

Chinese Connections Foundation New Books

Mandarin Matrix now offers books introducing characters & radicals

The new Chinese Connections books include six books about the Chinese character system, Pinyin system, and Chinese Radicals. These books are designed to help learners build foundations of the language, understand basic characters and radicals, as well as how the language works.

For example, Chinese Connections Foundation B.1 is about Chinese characters in the ancient and modern forms.

Chinese Connections Foundation B.3 is about the Pinyin system, focusing on the tricky ones.

Fun real-world materials for beginners

Who says beginners can’t enjoy fun and authentic materials? Mandarin Matrix new books are tailor designed for beginners, using real-world languages and real-world scenarios. The language is simple enough for beginners to understand, and the scenarios are age appropriate for ages 15 and above. The new books include real-world texts such as shopping list, lunch menu, lost and found poster etc.

Let’s take a look at an example, Chinese Connections Foundation U1.2 is about playing Bingo. Under this topic, we can introduce vocabulary of numbers, as well as the grammar point of 有 or 没有 , and even the usage of 也 and 只.

Another example, Chinese Connections Foundation U4.2 introduces a shopping list. This can be included into a shopping, food, or cooking unit.

From these examples, we can see that the language used is simple, but the topics are fun and authentic. This is the DNA of the Chinese Connections series.

MORE Social Media and Technology Topics

For teenagers and young adults, more than half of their “real-world” life is online! That’s why our Chinese Connections series has included so many books related to social media, technology, and online life. For example, the book of “介绍自己 Self-introduction” is set on social media profiles, because that’s where  learners will introduce themselves most!

Chinese Connections 1 U3.1 介绍自己 Self-introduction is set on social media.

We also have  another book about social media, which is “做头像 Making An Avatar.” We use the topic of creating an online avatar to introduce the vocab of body parts, adjectives to describe someone, as well as  the grammar of double adjectives like “大大的”, “高高的”

Aside from technology, Mandarin Matrix has also been focusing on the pedagogies such as CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) and immersion learning. We are also  focusing on developing content for learners to learn about other concepts and subjects in Chinese. For example, the new book in the Foundation level “U5.2 吃肉？吃素？Meat-eater? Vegetarian? ”. It  not only introduces the language, but also integrates the concept of the food chain with language learning. It can be used for fun reading, or it can be used as cross-subject extended reading material.

To check out our new books and the online classroom, don’t hesitate to simply sign up  using the form here for TWO WEEK FREE TRIAL or below: 

The post 30 New Books Launched in the Chinese Connections series! appeared first on Mandarin Matrix.

With its 8th edition of the International Conference on Immersion and Dual Language Education being held March 2-5, 2022 in Salt Lake City Utah we sit down with Robert (Bob) Davis, CEO Mandarin Matrix to talk about learning a world language, improving proficiency and the resources available to schools.

Tell us about yourself and Mandarin Matrix?

Ninmen hao! My name is Robert Davis and I am the Global CEO of Mandarin Matrix.

Mandarin Matrix is a customizable, online learning platform designed to support learners of Mandarin as a world language from kindergarten through to middle school. The Mandarin Matrix Online Classroom and supporting print materials offer a complete learning solution with an integrated range of learning tools designed to be user-friendly and easily accessible. Students follow individual learning journeys toward developing a rich knowledge of the language and improving proficiency in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Through the Mandarin Matrix Online Classroom, students can access thousands of books, games, activities and assessments safely and quickly, anytime and anywhere.

What kind of resources does Mandarin Matrix provide and how does it improve proficiency?

We find that Teachers have a limited amount of time to improve Chinese literacy while also teaching content.  Our DLI Proficiency Builders feature everyday tales, reflecting real-life settings of school, family and community, providing core curriculum and teaching resources such as writing worksheets and guides. Our content focuses on contemporary topics which are relevant and engaging to learners. Our curriculum and content is designed by master in service teachers and can be mapped to any K12 curriculum and localized for cultural sensitivity and navigation.

The 2022 conference theme “Embracing Languages and Cultures for A Better World” represents its mission and key tenets: diversity of languages, collaboration and inclusivity, and equity.  How does that theme apply to you?

I love this theme and feel it is very timely. So often we think of a language in the context of one place from where it originates from. But the reality is much more nuanced than that, and what we are teaching are world languages. Language learners should be able to use languages in a variety of environments and communities, not just on a trip abroad. And as a second language learner myself, I know how powerful language is in bridging gaps, building new communities and connecting beyond my own heritage.

What kind of resources will Mandarin Matrix be showcasing at the event?

We have been working very hard over the last year or so to collect teacher and student input, and to modify and improve our products so they are optimal for use. We will be focusing on our digital platform and showing guests our 2.0 content which includes new Math and Science DLI materials as well as an entirely new Middle-Early College product called Chinese Connections. We cannot wait for everyone to check them out! And of course, we are always happy to provide free trials to teachers who want to dig in a little deeper and explore our materials with their students.

To learn more about Mandarin Matrix’s language immersion program and avail a two-week free trial please contact sales@mandarinmatrix.com.

The post Q&A with Bob Davis CEO, Mandarin Matrix on Immersion and Dual Language Education appeared first on Mandarin Matrix.

The post Chinese Connections Readers appeared first on Mandarin Matrix.

Chinese Connections Readers

Our latest readers offer a more in depth program for middle school and high school students learning Chinese as a world language. Using authentic, real life situations, students will learn from relatable texts enabling them to practice Chinese in real world settings. Vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structures are aligned to major textbooks, yet are displayed under different contexts to expand and reinforce students’ learning. The texts cover AP, IB, and HKS grammar themes, helping students have additional material while preparing for their exams.

Product Highlights:

• Aligned with AP, IBMYP, and IBDP themes and topics
• Contemporary authentic use of language and expressions
• Relatable stories enable students to practice Chinese in real world settings
• Vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structures aligned to popular textbooks
• Supported with printable teacher guides and student worksheets
• Online exercises and assessments

ACTFL Proficiency Levels
(Each level with 24 books)

• Level 1: Novice Mid to Novice High
• Level 2: Novice High to Intermediate Low
• Level 3: Intermediate Mid to Intermediate High

Learn more about our Chinese Connections readers here.

Theme-Based Readers

240 theme-based Chinese books divided into 6 colour–coded levels, multi‐curricula, supporting iGCSE, Common Core, STEM and with over 1,600 characters up to AP Level.

Product Highlights:

• Available on the Online Classroom and also as printed books for take home and in-class reading
• Starts with basic vocabulary and develops through to advanced texts with complex historical and mythological Chinese tales
• Five encompassing themes:
  • About Us
  • Where We Are
  • Systems in the Community
  • Expression and Community
  • Science and Nature
• Multi-curricula-aligned with AP, IB (PYP, MYP), YCT, GCSE, Common Core, and STEM
• Each book has been deliberately developed with no English or pinyin in the body of the book, but with a full trilingual list at the back for easy reference

Teaching Materials:

Each level contains 40 ten-page stories

• Orange Level 1
• Blue Level 2
• Green Level 3
• Purple Level 4
• Brown Level 5
• Red Level 6

Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Proficiency Builders

Featuring everyday tales, reflecting real-life settings of school, family, and community. Developed with the University of Utah to provide a core curriculum for dual language immersion programs.

Product Highlights:

• All content follows Mandarin Matrix’s spiral system – learning based on upward spiralling and repetition
• Features relatable stories in fun and simple settings using school, family, and community topics
• Leverages Rebus images to stimulate expanded narrative storytelling beyond set scope and sequence vocabulary from Foundation to Novice 3
• Uses pinyin to expand narrative storytelling beyond set scope and sequence vocabulary from Intermediate 1-3 with teacher-tested scaffolding
• Structured with units that use the same vocabulary across three books (or chapters in Intermediate 1-2) and across levels, to ensure repetition in a variety of contexts to reinforce learning outcomes
• Supported by printable 15-day lesson plans, curriculum maps, teacher’s guides, and student worksheets
• Aligns with ACTFL “Can-Do” statements

Elementary Math and Science

K–5th grade Math readers and 1st to 6th grade Science readers, both correlate to Mandarin Matrix’ DLI literacy levels. Our Math readers are also aligned to Common Core Math standards and our Science readers are aligned to Next Generation Science Standards. The Math and Science Readers are included in the Mandarin Matrix enhanced online accounts.

Product Highlights:

• Aligns with the scope and sequence of our Dual Language Immersion Proficiency Builders Readers
• Features factual and informative texts
• Audio support for students to master keywords and vocabulary
• Math: Carefully designed images for students to easily understand abstract Math concepts
• Science: Real life Science photos and illustrations to help students visualize and understand concepts

GCSE and iGCSE Readers

A series of books specially designed for students studying GCSE and iGCSE.

Product Highlights:

• A selection of 175 books with appropriate artwork for secondary school students, available on the Online Classroom
• Starts with basic vocabulary and develops through to longer and more advanced texts
• Covers the 5 big iGCSE topics:
  • Everyday Activities
  • Personal and Social Life
  • The World Around Us
  • The World of Work
  • The International World
• iGCSE topics, themes, and most frequently seen content in previous past papers can all be found in this series.
• All elements of the exam are incorporated into a story format, making learning more fun and engaging.

Teaching Materials:

Levels 1-4 each contain 40 ten-page stories. Level 5 contains 15 longer stories, suitable for students at higher proficiency levels and students preparing for iGCSE/GCSE exams.

• Level 1: 40 units
• Level 2: 40 units
• Level 3: 40 units
• Level 4: 40 units
• Level 5: 15 units

Story-Based Readers

Narratives that are relatable to students’ lives and experiences, including topics such as school, family and play time. With the support of rebus images, pinyin and English support, these readers help expand the story themes beyond the set scope.

Product Highlights:

• Available online and as printed books for take-home and in-class reading
• Engaging stories that are supported by pinyin and English
• Consolidated learning based on upward spiralling and repetition
• Aligns to ACTFL “Can-Do” statements
• Features familiar settings and stories that students can relate to and understand
• Leverages Rebus images for expanded narrative storytelling beyond set scope and sequence vocabulary from Start to Level 6 (ACTFL Level Novice High)
• Uses pinyin to expand narrative storytelling beyond set scope and sequence vocabulary from Level 7-10
• Unit-based structure that uses the same vocabulary across three books to ensure repetition and variety of context

Teaching Materials:

• Starter Pack: 10 units (Two Big Books comprised of five books each for teachers to read in class, 10 books for the class to read with the teacher, and 10 books for students to read)
• Levels 1-6: Five units per level (Three books per unit, 15 books per level)
• Levels 7-10: Five units per level (One book per unit, 30 chapters per level)

Youth Chinese Test (YCT)

A series of fun and engaging books for students at YCT testing levels 1, 2, 3 & 4. Endorsed by the Beijing Confucius Institute for YCT Testing levels 1, 2, 3 & 4.

Product Highlights:

• Thoughtfully designed and illustrated printed books which provide a fun and engaging read based on Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS) character acquisition
• Multi-use, wipe-clean YCT Flashcards are a proven resource to help boost character recognition
• Teacher Packs highlight the main teaching points, including key grammatical concepts and outcome assessment

Teaching Materials:

• Level 1 (15 books), Level 2 (15 books), Level 3 (25 books), Level 4 (40 books, coming soon!)
• YCT Flashcards: Levels 1-3
• YCT Teacher’s Packs: Level 1-3
• Can be purchased separately or in discounted Combo Packs

To view and purchase our full range of products, please visit our teacher-package page. If you would like additional information on a specific product, you can reach our sales team via email at sales@mandarinmatrix.com

Related articles:

The post Mandarin Matrix Resources (Online and Offline) appeared first on Mandarin Matrix.

Being able to listen, interpret, and react in a different language requires a lot of skill – and practice. The more we expose ourselves to different speaking styles and familiarise ourselves with the vocabulary, the better our Chinese language skills will be for it!

One of our favourite ways to develop those all important Chinese listening comprehension skills is by listening to Mandarin podcasts. Podcasts are a great (and often free!) learning tool. They enable you to get totally immersed in a language of your choice while on the go, and with so many podcasts out there these days, you can guarantee that you’ll never be bored or in want of content!

Continue reading to discover a wide range of Mandarin podcasts to learn Chinese.

iMandarinPod

iMandarinPod.com is designed to help people to improve their Chinese. Releasing a podcast almost every day for over 14 years, iMandarinPod spoils their listeners with a wide range of topics and difficulties to choose from. Their content spans the following five topics:

• 传统文化 (Chuántǒng wénhuà – Culture and tradition) – Focuses on Chinese culture and traditions, with explanations behind historical stories and important idioms.

• 日常用语 (Rìcháng yòngyǔ – Everyday language) – Perfect for beginners, this introductory Mandarin section covers everyday vocabulary and simple greetings

• 历史故事 (Lìshǐ gùshì – Historical stories) – Shares stories from different Chinese dynasties.

• 今日中国 (Jīnrì zhōngguó – Modern day China) – Introduces current topics relating to modern day China, such as social stances, lifestyle in China, current news events, and the developmental state of China.

• 听新闻学汉语 (Tīng xīnwén xué hànyǔ – Listen to the news and learn Mandarin) – News stories about the latest world events. Initially read at a slow speed and later transitioning to a normal speed, allowing listeners to get accustomed with the more difficult and advanced Mandarin vocabulary.

iMandarinPod podcasts are free. Through their subscription option, listeners can gain access to a learning guide (with pinyin) for each podcast including full podcast transcripts, vocabulary lists, and exercises.

Suitable levels: All learners 

Chillchat

One of our favourite podcasts to learn Chinese is Chillchat. Chillchat is a podcast talking about daily life in China, news, and other topics of general interest to help Chinese learners improve their listening skills by exposing them to real conversations. Suitable to all levels, Chillchat covers a wide range of content that varies in difficulty. Their Mandarin podcasts are lighthearted and enjoyable to listen to due to the fun topics and conversations they address. Foreigners are also commonly featured participating in the podcast, which is extremely beneficial to boost morale and inspire new learners. Listeners are further supported by Chillchat’s full range of transcripts, available on their website.

Suitable levels: All learners

Slow Chinese 慢速中文

Created by Chinese college students, Slow Chinese follows the theme of daily life when living in China. Speaking about what life is like in China, listeners have the chance to delve into the importance of Chinese culture and etiquette. Their short bite-sized lessons (lasting around 10 minutes) mean that learners can conveniently listen to episodes on a commute or whenever they have free time. Like its name, the unique feature of Slow Chinese is that everything being said is spoken especially slowly. This slower speed makes it easy to make out certain words even if the vocabulary is advanced. Concerning additional material, Slow Chinese is not too well equipped but the podcast itself is really interesting, giving insight into affairs about Chinese culture from a natives perspective.

Suitable levels: Upper Intermediate to Advanced

BearTalk 狗熊有话说

Unlike many other Mandarin podcasts which tend to cover more general topics, BearTalk differentiates itself through its focus on technology, books reviews, and self improvement. Loved by many, the podcast won the iTunes editors choice award in 2013 and has been featured in numerous newspapers and articles worldwide ever since. The slow and careful manner of BearTalk’s speech style makes the podcast suitable for intermediate learners. Beginners, on the other hand, would struggle with the informal language, conversational tone, and advanced technical language included. 

Suitable levels: Intermediate to Advanced

Ruixi’s Radio  蕊希電台 

Addressing the theme of mental health issues in China, Ruixi engages with her audience on a personal level, often asking after their wellbeing and discussing issues that affect our everyday life. Speaking in a slow calming tone, many listeners opt to use Ruixi’s podcast as part of their bedtime ritual. The slow nature of the podcast makes her content fairly easy to understand despite the occasional difficult vocabulary. These bite-sized 15-minute lessons are perfect for when you’re getting ready in the morning or about to lay down to sleep, and is a great podcast to learn Chinese from. 

Suitable levels: Beginner to Intermediate

You may also be interested in: The Best Mandarin YouTube Channels for Learning Chinese

Behind the Headlines with Wen Tao 锵锵三人行

Originally a TV show, Behind the Headlines with Wen Tao comes with audio-only versions of their episodes. This Mandarin podcast is a current affairs discussion show with each episode taking the form of a natural conversation between Wen Tao and two other guests. There are a mix of topics spoken about which all relate to current affairs in China. We would not recommend this podcast to anyone below an advanced level due to many of the guest speakers coming from either Hong Kong or Taiwan, meaning you would already have to be used to a range of accents and speech styles.

Suitable levels: Advanced

See also: The Best Chinese Shows on Netflix to Boost Your Mandarin

BBC 新闻博客

Podcast of the day by bbcchinese.com gives you the best interviews on a hot topic or despatches from its reporters based in Asia and elsewhere. The podcast covers current affairs both in China and across the globe, and is spoken at high speed using rather formal language. While arguably not the most entertaining of Mandarin podcasts on this list, it does offer a lot of value in terms of advanced vocabulary and topics studied. We would only recommend the BBC podcast to advanced learners due to the speed and difficulty.

Suitable levels: Advanced

We hope this list of Mandarin Podcasts will help you boost your Chinese listening comprehension skills. For more articles like this, be sure to check out our blog and subscribe to our newsletter in the sign-up bar below.

Feature Photo courtesy of Shutterstock, Photo 1 courtesy of iMandarinPod, Photo 2 courtesy of Buy me a coffee, Photo 3 courtesy of Youtube, Photo 4 courtesy of FluentU, Photo 5 courtesy of Soundcloud, Photo 6 courtesy of Lujuba, Photo 7 courtesy of BBC

Subscirbe our other blog articles and company news:

The post 7 Mandarin Podcasts to Learn Chinese appeared first on Mandarin Matrix.

Chinese proverbs (known in Chinese as 諺語, yànyŭ) are popular sayings taken from literature, history, and philosophers such as Confucius and Laozi. These short pearls of wisdom play an important role in daily communication in China, and are a great tool for expanding your vocabulary and understanding of both Chinese culture and language.

Get inspired by this selection of Chinese philosophy quotes and proverbs, complete with Chinese characters, pinyin pronunciation, English translations, and explanations.

Motivational Quotes to Inspire You Today

1.  否极泰来. (Pǐ jí tài lái)

Peace replaces extreme evil.

Explanation: If you find yourself in a hard place don’t be discouraged because all nightmares end.

2. 老骥伏枥，志在千里。 (Lǎojì fúlì, zhì zài qiānlǐ)

An old warhorse in the stable still longs to gallop a thousand miles.

Explanation: You’re never too old to live out a dream, just because you have aged doesn’t mean you are no longer allowed to be the happiest version of yourself.

3. 吃得苦中苦，方为人上人。 (Chī dé kǔzhōngkǔ, fāng wéi rénshàngrén)

Enduring deepening pain is how man ascends.

Explanation: Pain in your life isn’t the end of the world, instead we can learn from it and become better people. Similar to the saying of no pain no gain.

4. 不能一口吃成胖子。(Bùnéng yīkǒu chī chéng pàngzi )

You can’t get fat with one mouthful.

Explanation: If you want something you have to be patient and persevere because good things take time. Things aren’t accomplished straight away, don’t give up.

5. 星星之火，可以燎原。 (Xīngxīng zhī huǒ, kěyǐ liáoyu)

Starlight shines far.

Explanation: A single spark can start a huge blaze, so be mindful of the things you do, be motivated to be a better person.

You may also be interested in: 13 Famous Chinese Poems with English Translations

Chinese Proverbs About Friendship

1. 广交友，无深交。 (Guǎng jiāoyǒu, wú shēnjiāo)

Numerous friends means no deep friendship.

Explanation: The less friends you have the more of a connection you have, it’s better to have quality friendships with a few people rather than having many friends and not feeling comfortable around any of them. A friend to everybody is a friend to nobody.

2. 道不同，不相为谋。 (Dào bùtóng, bù xiāng wéi móu)

Men of different principles don’t work well together.

Explanation: The closest friends are those who have similar goals to you, this way you have somebody who understands you and pushes you further to achieve your goals.

3. 患难见真情。 (Huànnàn jiàn zhēnqíng)

In hardship, we see true friendship.

Explanation: Going through hardship exposes your friends true colors, you will be able to determine if they are there for you when you need them. After all, a friend in need is a friend indeed.

4. 凡人不可貌相, 海水不可斗量。 (Fánrén bù kě màoxiàng, hǎishuǐ bù kě dòuliàng)

Man cannot be judged by looks; seas cannot be measured by the cup.

Explanation: If you judge people purely based on the way they look then you may miss out the truest of friends. Don’t judge a book by its cover.

5. 朋友的眼睛是最好的镜子。(péngyou de yănjing shì zuìhăo de jìngzi.)

The best mirror is a friend’s eyes.

Explanation: People are often too critical about themselves and undermine themselves. Friends can offer an objective perspective and help us understand ourselves better.

Chinese Proverbs About Family

1.  但愿人长久，千里共婵娟。(Dànyuàn rénchángjiǔ, qiānlǐ gòngchánjuān)

Wishing a person a long life, no matter how far away from the moon they are.

Explanation: No matter how far up you are from your family  you will always have some sort of connection to them. A popular Mid-Autumn Festival saying, this Chinese philosophy proverb is often quoted to convey feelings of love and homesickness. 

See also: 5 Chinese Poems About the Mid-Autumn Festival

2. 家和万事兴。 (Jiāhé wànshìxīnɡ)

If the family lives in harmony, all affairs will prosper.

Explanation: Family comes first. If the family is divided, then things will fall apart, and nothing in their lives will be successful.

3.  不当家，不知柴米贵。(Bù dānɡjiā，bùzhī chái mǐ ɡuì.)

One can’t tell the cost of the fuel and rice without being the head of the family.

Explanation: Only those who take responsibilities know how difficult it is to get anything done.

4. 家家有本难念的经。 (Jiājiā yǒu běn nán niàn de jīnɡ)

Every family has its problems.

Explanation There is no such thing as a perfect family, so if members of your family are divided or fighting don’t feel discouraged because every family has its problems. Similar to the saying “there are  skeletons in every family’s closet”.

5. 家丑不可外扬。 (Jiāchǒu bù kě wài yánɡ)

Family shames must not be spread abroad.

Explanation: If you care for and  respect your family, you will keep family matters to yourself. Giving light to the idea of maintaining your family’s honour.

Chinese Proverbs About Love

1. 执子之手，与子偕老。 (Zhí zǐ zhī shǒu, yǔ zǐ xiélǎo)

Hold hands with you, grow old with you.

Explanation: Expressing the idea of lifelong love and commitment between partners.

2. 爱屋及乌。(Ai wū jí wū)

Love the house and its crow.

Explanation: Similar meaning to the English proverb “Love me, love my dog,” this Chinese philosophy quotes advises that if you love someone, you should accept everything and everyone that the person loves.

3. 情人眼里出西施。 (Qínɡrén yǎnlǐ chū xīshī)

In a lover’s eye is the foremost Beauty.

Explanation: Someone who is in love with you sees you as the truest form of beauty. You will always be beautiful to the person who loves you. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

4. 当我看着你，我看到我的未来岁月在我的眼 (Dāng wǒ kànzhe nǐ, wǒ kàn dào wǒ de wèilái suìyuè zài wǒ de yǎn)

When I look at you, I see the rest of my life in front of my eyes.

Explanation: This proverb is commonly featured in vows when two people are to be wed.

5. 有情饮水饱，无情食饭饥。 (Yǒuqínɡ yínshuǐbǎo, wúqínɡ shífànjī)

With love water is enough; without love, food doesn’t satisfy.

Explanation: “Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.” Everything is better in life when you have love in it.

We hope you found this list of Chinese philosophy quotes as inspiring, motivating, and enlightening as we do. Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay up-to-date with all our latest content!

Subscirbe our other blog articles and company news:

The post 20 Chinese Philosophy Quotes and Proverbs appeared first on Mandarin Matrix.