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Best Chinese Courses: Comparison of Chinese and Western Table Etiquette

Learn the best Chinese courses and experience the comparison of table manners between China and the West. China has had “food etiquette” since ancient times, and later “food etiquette” expanded from communication between humans and gods to interpersonal communication in order to regulate increasingly complex social relationships.

The Origin of Western Table Etiquette

Western table etiquette originated from the Merovinga dynasty in France, which formulated a series of detailed etiquette.

To this day, table manners continue to be passed down in European countries. Western families have a tradition of treating dining tables as classrooms. From the first day a child goes to the dining table, parents cultivate table etiquette.

In the West, children generally learn all the etiquette of dining by the age of four. Five year old children are happy to do things they can, such as setting all the utensils before meals and cleaning them up after meals.

Differences in dietary culture

China has always been a country of etiquette and etiquette, and has its own unique views on food.

When entertaining guests, Chinese hosts usually attach great importance to the dishes on the table, which are usually very exquisite and precious.

They also pay attention to the combination of meat and vegetables, color matching, and in families with high status or cultural level, even the naming of dishes has special meanings.

Western countries, on the other hand, value time more and prioritize efficiency in their work, which is why fast food restaurants are popular. Even when entertaining guests, the host’s preparation is very different from that of China. The main dish is likely to be a few rare but precious vegetables.

At the same time, Chinese hosts will occasionally add cloth and new dishes to their guests’ bowls. Often, the guests’ bowls are filled with the dishes they bring, but in the West, this is very impolite behavior. The host’s cloth and dishes can make the guests feel that their wishes are not respected.

The atmosphere on the dining table is also completely different from that of the West. Chinese people value liveliness, so they often talk loudly at the table. Although the atmosphere is very harmonious and enjoyable, it is considered very uncivilized by Westerners.

Western table etiquette emphasizes etiquette and manners, and the entire dining process should be very quiet and elegant.

For example, in the United States, many people have a habit of rotating the plates of food placed on the dining table and using hairpins or spoons to take them into their own plates for consumption.

If you have eaten all your food and the food you want to take is far away from others, you cannot take it without authorization. You should ask the person to pass the plate over before taking it.

Both China and the West attach great importance to the seating arrangement during banquet activities, and Chinese people have a great fondness for the Eight Immortals Table in traditional thinking.

During the banquet, elderly people or hosts, as well as highly respected individuals, take the main seats, while other guests take their seats in order; In Western countries, when entertaining guests, it is customary to use a long table. The host will sit at both ends of the table, while the guests will take their seats in order.

This difference reflects the differences in thinking between China and the West. Chinese people like the feeling of happiness and completeness, so they choose circular tables. In the adoption of table shapes, it can be seen that Westerners advocate for themselves, with a bold personality that aligns with Western characteristics.

For example, on an Italian dining table, the most respected person should be at the center of the table, which is different from British dining etiquette. The most important guest should be sitting on the right side of the host.

When Americans eat, if the dining table is rectangular, one end of the table facing the door is the male host’s seat, and the other end is the female host’s seat. You should take your seat after the host and hostess have taken their seats.

In Spain, one must obey the host’s arrangement of tables and seats. If the person sitting next to you is a woman, be sure to assist the other person in taking the seat first and try to talk to the person at the same table (especially the person sitting next to you) as much as possible.

In Western cuisine, the napkin is placed on the plate. If something needs to be placed on the plate before guests sit down, the napkin is placed next to the plate.

The use of tableware should be from the outside to the inside, and the French way of cutting can be used, that is, holding a fork in the left hand and a knife in the right hand, cutting while using it. It can also be used in English and American style, which means holding a knife with the right hand and a fork with the left hand. After cutting, use the right hand to hold the fork and use it.

Generally, use your right hand to hold a spoon and cup and use cutlery to deliver food to your mouth, rather than lifting dishes and bowls. When eating with a knife and fork, the knife is used to cut food and the fork is used to deliver food to the mouth.

When using a knife, the blade should not be outward, and one end of the knife and fork should not be placed on a plate, while the other end should not be placed on the table; When it is necessary to temporarily put down the knives and forks during meals, they should be placed in an octagonal shape and placed separately on the edge of the dining plate, with the blade facing towards oneself, indicating that one needs to continue eating.

After the meal is over, place the back of the fork upwards, the blade inward and close to the fork, and place it flat on the dining plate to indicate the end of the meal. When using body language or passing food during conversation, the knife and fork should be put down and not waved in the air.

After using the knife and fork, it should be placed horizontally in the center of the dining plate, not on the edge or table.

Singaporeans who pause the use of knives and hairpins before finishing their meal should place them with the blade facing inward and the back of the hairpin facing upwards to indicate that they still need to use them.

Otherwise, others or waiters may mistakenly assume that you have finished eating and take away your tableware. When leaving the table after eating, the seat should be returned to its original position.

As the saying goes, “Food is the top priority for the people Understanding table etiquette in various countries and learning the best Chinese courses can help us avoid embarrassment in future cross-cultural communication and successfully achieve the goal of ‘eating the world without fear’!

Learning the best Chinese courses and understanding social etiquette in different countries is very helpful for us. Interested children can try more~Welcome to inquire and learn more.

How to choose Chinese online home tutor?

Whether you’re taking a Mandarin course or teaching yourself Mandarin, you may feel the need for some extra help from a good Chinese online home tutor.

If you’re struggling to find the right Chinese mentor, you’re not alone. Of course, not everyone is suitable for this job. While there are thousands of people on the internet who claim to be “professional teachers,” only a fraction of them are truly worth your time and money.

I am primarily a self-learner and have been fortunate to work with some excellent online Mandarin teachers and have found the experience very positive and rewarding. In this post, I will show you how to choose a great Chinese tutor who is perfectly right for you and make the most of your tutoring sessions.

First, determine your target accent and choose a teacher who will speak the Mandarin version you want to speak. This is the most important consideration for you when looking for a Mandarin tutor online.

To understand all the subtleties of Mandarin, such as colloquial expressions, slang, and idioms, you need to look for native speakers, but pay attention to the differences between Chinese mainland, Taiwan, and Singapore.

While the type of Mandarin to learn may depend on your personal preferences, consider your future use of Mandarin. Do you need Mandarin skills to communicate with a specific community? Are you planning to move there one day?

All of these are good questions to ask yourself before choosing the right mentor. If you don’t have a preference, then I suggest you learn Mandarin from a tutor who grew up in China.

The Mandarin version is more widespread there – your chances of hearing Mandarin globally are much higher. For example, there are many Southeast Asians who do not invite Singaporean teachers, but insist on Chinese teachers because they feel that this is a more appropriate way to learn Mandarin.

A word of caution: Due to the myriad of dialects that exist throughout the country, only 7% of the population in China can speak standard Mandarin. The rest either speak less standard Mandarin with regional accents or not speak it at all.

Make sure your tutor speaks accentual, perfect Mandarin so you can have the perfect pronunciation to imitate. The second important factor in finding an online Chinese mentor is experience.

Just like learning any language, you want your Mandarin tutor to have the appropriate experience.

Not only in terms of Chinese, but also in the field of coaching. Keep an eye out for teachers who have only taught in the classroom – tutoring one student is a very different dynamic than tutoring the entire class. If they haven’t done anything else or taught as a tutor, they may not be very good at customizing content and interacting in a fun way.

Moreover, some professional Chinese teachers have quite firm and outdated concepts of Mandarin learning. This is especially a problem for teachers who have received a lot of formal training in China (which is one of the reasons “having a teaching degree or certificate” is not on my list – many good Chinese tutors don’t).

While experienced teachers can be a lifesaver when dealing with more technical language areas like grammar rules or vocabulary (they’ve done the same explanations hundreds of times), it may be worthwhile (and often cheaper) to consult with less experienced teachers, and tutors can give you more flexibility in planning your own lessons (especially if you’re an experienced learner) and adapting to your learning style.

Most likely, you already want your tutor to talk as much Chinese as possible in class. Nevertheless, you should choose a Chinese online home tutor who speaks fluent English or your native language (except Chinese) Chinese.

The reason is that when a tutor speaks a foreign language well, it shows that they understand how to learn a language. They may be able to combine their own learning experiences to provide you with advice and tips that other tutors cannot.

In addition, my personal experience tells me that if you are a beginner in Mandarin, you will learn best and most effectively under the guidance of a tutor who can explain concepts and grammatical content in English (or your native language).

One of the best ways to learn more about Mandarin tutors online is to read reviews from students who have previously taken classes withChinese online home tutor. Their honest experience will show you if the tutors are experienced and efficient, give you information about what to expect from their lessons, and may even warn you if things don’t go your way.

Keep in mind that the number of reviews may be more valuable. For example, a tutor with hundreds of four-star ratings may sometimes be better than a tutor with only two five-star ratings.

By reading many reviews, you will have a better understanding of the tutor and know if he or she is worth pursuing or if it is time to go elsewhere and continue your search.

What is Chinese HSK? Why is it needed?

Chinese HSK is the abbreviation of Chinese Proficiency Test and is an international standard skill test for non-native Chinese speakers. HSK is the official Chinese language test for foreigners, similar to the Cambridge English test. The test was introduced by the Chinese government in 2010.

The HSK exam consists of two separate sections: a written exam and an oral exam. The written examination is divided into six levels: HSK Level 1 to HSK Level 6, and the oral examination is subdivided into three stages: HSK Basic, HSK Intermediate to HSK Advanced.

When you apply to study in China, this is one of the requirements for Chinese-taught master’s and bachelor’s degrees. HSK is an international standard Chinese proficiency test that focuses on the communicative skills of non-native language candidates in life, study and work.

Universities in China require HSK accreditation to allow international students to study Chinese-taught courses. Some companies also use HSK as a requirement to hire international talent to work in their China offices.

Chinese HSK candidates are able to understand and use some simple Chinese words and sentences to meet specific communicative needs, and have the ability to further learn Chinese.

Through HSK (Level 2), candidates can communicate directly and directly in Chinese on familiar daily topics, and reach an excellent level of elementary Chinese.

Through HSK (Level 3), candidates can use Chinese to complete basic communication tasks in life, study, work, etc., and can cope with most of the communication tasks encountered when traveling in China.

HSK (Level 4) candidates can talk about a wide range of topics in Chinese and can communicate more fluently with native Chinese speakers.

HSK (Level 5) candidates can read Chinese newspapers and magazines, enjoy Chinese films and TV programs, and give more complete speeches with Chinese.

HSK (Level 6) candidates can easily understand what they hear or read in Chinese and express their opinions fluently in Chinese either orally or in writing.

HSK follows the principle of “combined teaching”, and the test design is closely related to the current situation of international Chinese teaching. In addition, it also emphasizes the use of teaching materials to achieve the purpose of “promoting teaching through examination” and “promoting learning through examination”.

HSK pays more attention to the objectivity and accuracy of evaluation, and also pays attention to the cultivation of candidates’ ability to apply Chinese in daily life.

In addition, clear test objectives are set to help candidates plan and effectively improve their Chinese proficiency. For many, saying Chinese is still exotic. But is it that hard?

With nearly 1.3 billion speakers worldwide, Chinese is one of the most important languages in the world. But there is an insurmountable aura around: learning the language will be extremely difficult.

Chinese the text that he is most proud of is a kind of “logo graphic text”, in which a picture shows a field of meaning. To read the newspaper smoothly, you have to master about 2500 characters, but there are many more, about 80,000 characters.

It remains the oldest script used worldwide. People are also attracted to the aesthetics of the characters. Can you write out these characters by copying them? No, there are strict rules for this. For each character, you must draw some dashes in the correct order. In the long run, computers can automate the writing process.

Linguists pour all sounds into a clear table, with different combinations. But then there’s the tone. There are four different tones. Depending on the tone of voice you use, the meaning changes.

How do you write these characters into beautiful sentences? Surprisingly, it’s not even that hard. Chinese use “syntactic simplicity”: many things that make language difficult, such as singular/plural, Chinese not.

The order of the sentences is crucial. Chinese is also a special contextual language, and social context plays an important role. “Have you eaten?” It could mean “How are you?” Cultural knowledge is crucial.

Chinese scholars have one of the best admissions services in China. We provide Chinese HSK assistance to more than 5,000 international students in China every year. Our partnerships span multiple industries to provide real opportunity and value to our clients. Chinese scholars will help you gain admission to Chinese universities and study in China.

With over a decade of experience, we are the most extensive student mobility program in China, covering every aspect you need. We also support you during your stay in China with comprehensive packages.

In addition to the professional admission process, we encourage you to go through career development, internship programs, learning success, and job introductions. While in China, you will be able to fully participate in our entrepreneurial programs, career events, and senior coaching community.

Learn about Compass Civilization and learn about Chinese Learning Center

Today we will learn about the compass, one of China’s four great inventions. Through the understanding of the compass, children can deepen their love for Chinese, choose Chinese learning center, and lay a good foundation for future learning.

The compass, also known as the north arrow, is mainly composed of a magnetic needle mounted on the shaft, the magnetic needle can rotate freely under the action of the natural geomagnetic field and remain in the tangent direction of the magnetic meridian, the north pole of the magnetic needle points to the geographic north pole, using this performance to identify the direction.

Compasses are commonly used in navigation, geodesy, travel, and military applications. The invention of the compass, which physically indicates the direction, consists of three parts, namely the Sinan, the compass and the magnetic needle, all of which belong to the Chinese invention.

The invention of the compass is the result of the working people’s understanding of the magnetism of objects in long-term practice. As a result of production labor, people came into contact with magnetite and began to understand the properties of magnetism.

The properties of magnet fuses were first discovered, and later the directivity of magnets was discovered. After many experiments and research, the compass with great practical value was finally invented.

The principle of indicating direction is because the Earth is a large magnet, its geomagnetic south pole is near the geographic north pole, and the geomagnetic north pole is near the geographic south pole.

The compass is subjected to magnetic force in the Earth’s magnetic field, so it will guide one end and point north at the other. And the first to answer the question of “why can a compass guide” was not Chinese, but the British scientist Gilbert.

The compass is also called the compass needle, and the introduction of Si Nan must start with a magnet. Magnets are often called “magnets”, and they suck many iron filings together, just like a kind mother attracts her children, so people call it “cishi”.

Magnets attract iron because each magnet has different magnetic poles at both ends, one end is called the positive electrode, and the other end is called the negative electrode.

The earth inhabited by humans is also a natural large magnet, the north and south ends of the earth also have different magnetic poles, the north pole of the earth is the negative magnetic pole, the south pole of the earth positive magnetic pole.

According to the principle of same-sex magnetic pole phase repulsion and heterosexual magnetic pole phase attraction, take a magnetic needle that can rotate freely, no matter where you stand on the earth, its positive pole always points north, and the negative pole is always a guide.

During the Warring States period, people used the characteristics of magnets to indicate the north and south to make a guide tool – Sinan.

However, what Si Nan looked like during the Warring States period cannot be verified. The illustration of the “History of China” textbook, “Sinan”, is based on the exhibit “The Han Dynasty Si Nan Model” exhibited by the China Museum of History.

This model was made by later generations based on historical records and physical Han Dynasty sites unearthed underground. The site is made of bronze, with an inner circle and an outer circle, and the central round face is very smoothly ground to ensure the accuracy of the spoon’s direction.

The outer periphery of the central circle is arranged in order Bagua, Tiangan, Earth Branch and Twenty-eight Suku, for a total of 24 directions.

The small spoon in the center of the site is ground with a whole piece of natural magnet, the positive pole of the magnet is ground into the long handle of Sinan, and the bottom of the spoon head is a hemispherical surface, which is very smooth.

When using, first lay the ground flat, then put Si Nan in the middle of the site, use your hand to pluck the spoon handle to make it turn, and when Si Nan stops, the direction pointed by the spoon handle is south.

This spoon-shaped sinan was still used until the eighth century. According to historical records, it was first discovered that natural magnets could attract iron, and then it was found that magnets used geomagnetic attraction to always point to the southern end, so that in the Warring States period in the third century BC, people used natural magnetite to grind into a compass called “Sinan” at that time.

He also invented a wooden man mounted on the car, with many gears in the car, and no matter how the car turned, the wooden man’s hand always pointed to the southern “guide car”.

The compass spread to Arabia around the end of the twelfth century and the beginning of the thirteenth century, and then from Arabia to Europe, and later Europe evolved into a dry compass, and then returned to China through Japan in the Ming Dynasty.

The guide’s greatest influence on the West is the embarkation of its overseas expeditions.

Combined with the planned overseas expeditions of the country at that time, as well as the cooperation of astronomy, geography, shipbuilding, and navigation technology, coupled with the use of the compass, it led to a series of overseas explorations in the West. Worldwide, the use of the compass at sea led to the subsequent discovery of the American continent by Columbus (c. 1451–1506) and Magellan’s (c. 1480–1521) circumnavigation of the globe.

This has greatly accelerated the process of world economic development and provided the indispensable prerequisites for the development of capitalism.

The compass is the result of the ancient Chinese working people’s understanding of magnetism in long-term practice. As one of the four great inventions of ancient China, its invention has played an inestimable role in the development of human science and technology and civilization.

In ancient China, the compass was first used in rituals, ceremonies, military and divination, and to determine orientation when looking at feng shui. I was deeply impressed by the wisdom of the ancients!

Chinese culture is vast and profound, interested children can try our Chinese Learning Center, where we have a dedicated teacher one-on-one customized service. Children can ask questions in the Q&A area in the Chinese Learning Center.

I hope that the children’s Chinese learning journey can be easy and enjoyable, and I look forward to meeting you~

Read about the invention of gunpowder and learn about private Chinese lessons

Gunpowder is one of the four greatest inventions of ancient China, let’s step into the journey behind gunpowder and fall in love with Chinese, learn Chinese, and learn about private Chinese lessons.

Gunpowder is one of the four great inventions of ancient China, which can burn rapidly and regularly under the action of appropriate external energy, and at the same time generate a large amount of high-temperature gas substances.

In the military, it is mainly used as the propellant of guns and artillery shells and the propellant of rockets and missiles and other driving devices of energy, and is an important part of ammunition.

An outstanding achievement in the history of human civilization. Gunpowder is its lethal and deterrent power, bringing mankind the role of stopping wars and security defense, and has become one of the important inventions of human civilization.

Gunpowder, a substance that undergoes a chemical reaction in the form of deflagration or explosion, was invented by Chinese alchemists. In the 7th century AD, the earliest record of gunpowder was recorded in the Dan Jing written by the medical scholar Sun Simiao.

Gunpowder was introduced to Arab countries in the 12th and 13th centuries, and then spread to Europe and the rest of the world.

Gunpowder in the Tang Dynasty: fire attack is a common offensive method used by military experts, at that time, in the fire attack, a weapon called a rocket was used, which was tied to the arrow some flammable substances such as grease, rosin, sulfur, etc., lit and shot out with a bow to burn the enemy’s position.

If gunpowder is used instead of general flammables, the effect is much better. Before the invention of gunpowder, siege and defense of cities used a stone throwing machine to throw stones and grease fireballs to destroy the enemy.

After the invention of gunpowder, stone throwing machines were used to throw powder packs instead of stone and grease fireballs. According to Lu Zhen’s “Records of the Nine Kingdoms” of the Song Dynasty, during the reign of Emperor Tang (10th century), Zheng Wang Fan led an army to attack Yuzhang (present-day Nanchang, Jiangxi), “sending a fire” and burning down the city’s Longshamen.

This is probably the earliest record of a siege of a city with gunpowder. Gunpowder in the Two Song Dynasty: In the Two Song Dynasty, gunpowder weapons developed rapidly.

According to the “Song Shi Bingji”: In 970 AD, the military department ordered Shi Feng to promote the rocket method, which is to tie the powder cartridge at the front end of the arrow shaft, and then use the reaction force of the gas ejected by the gunpowder combustion to shoot out the arrow cluster, which is the world’s earliest jet firearm.

In 1000 AD, Tang Fu, a soldier-turned-captain of the Divine Guard, presented rockets, fireballs, fire tribulus terrestris and other firearms he made to the Song court. In 1002, Shi Pu, the training envoy of the Jizhou regiment, also made rockets, fireballs and other firearms, and performed them.

The emergence of gunpowder weapons on the battlefield heralded a series of changes in military history. Transition from the use of cold weapons to the use of firearms. Gunpowder is applied to the first forms of weapons, mainly to take advantage of the burning properties of gunpowder.

Engels spoke highly of China’s first use in the invention of gunpowder: “It has now been undoubtedly confirmed that gunpowder was transmitted from China through India to the Arabs, and then by the Arabs and gunpowder weapons through Spain and into Europe.” “The invention of gunpowder greatly advanced the process of historical development and was one of the important pillars of the European Renaissance.

I was deeply impressed by the wisdom of the ancients! Chinese culture is vast and profound, interested children can try our private Chinese lessons, where we have a dedicated teacher one-on-one customized service.

Children can ask questions in the Q&A area in the private Chinese lessons if they don’t understand anything. I hope that the children’s Chinese learning journey can be easy and enjoyable, and I look forward to meeting you~

Self-study Chinese the basics

Self-taught Chinese is a worthwhile pursuit, Chinese the key to unlocking potential communication with another 100 million people on Earth – a truly remarkable skill. This article is an early guide for those embarking on this journey.

1.Learning Chinese is worth it

Learning a new language requires effort, patience, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. It is also a fun and fulfilling pursuit! While many people think Chinese a difficult language to master, it’s definitely not that hard.

Start learning that people tend to believe! In fact, after just a few months of diligent study, many students have been able to order, ask for directions, travel, talk about their interests, and even have basic conversations with other learners and native speakers.

The rewards don’t stop there! The name alludes to the fact that Mandarin, as a dialect of Chinese mainland, is spoken by more than 90 billion people worldwide, making it the most spoken language in the world! This is just another reason why learning Mandarin is so beneficial.

Knowing how to speak this versatile and engaging language, even just the basics, will open the door for you to travel and explore Chinese culture in China. In addition, China has become an international economic and business superstar, so being able to communicate in Mandarin will be a valuable asset and tool to use in your career.

2.Mandarin is a tonal language

Before you start learning Chinese, remember that just like pitch in music, different Chinese characters have different tones. This is what we mean when we say Chinese is “tone”.

Standard Mandarin has four different tones (or five tones if you consider neutral tones) that give multiple meanings to words that are made up of the same mixture of consonants and vowels. Since tone is an important aspect of a word’s meaning, knowing the correct tone is an important part of learning Chinese.

This in particular can make Chinese a difficult language to learn, but with enough practice, and by improving your Chinese listening, you will be able to distinguish and use the correct tone when conversing! Improving your knowledge of tone will help you avoid making common tone mistakes.

3.Chinese is different from English

Unlike English, which uses the Latin alphabet, Chinese characters are engaging, each with their own unique background, structure, and construction method (we call this stroke order).

As a new Chinese learner, reading and writing Chinese characters can be unfamiliar and will take some time and patience to learn, especially since there are more than 50,000 Chinese characters (although even educated Chinese usually only know about 5,000 Chinese characters).

Luckily, there are plenty of great Chinese reading and writing resources. If you make time every day to study and practice, you will find yourself understood and understood in no time!

4.Chinese speakers

If you’re just starting out self-taught Chinese, it’s often difficult to understand what native speakers are saying. This may be due to the speaker’s speed of speech, the use of unfamiliar words.

By the same token, if you don’t have the opportunity to practice your Chinese aloud with others, you may find, for example, that you use an incorrect tone that makes it difficult for your conversation partner to understand what you mean.

Therefore, it is very important to set aside time every day to listen and speak Mandarin. Depending on your learning style, this can be done in a variety of ways. If you prefer to study in groups, check online to see if there are Chinese clubs or groups that meet regularly in or near your city.

If you prefer to practice speaking in a one-on-one environment, consider hiring a Chinese tutor, or signing up for an online Chinese class. Outside of the classroom, there are some great listening tools such as podcasts, downloadable Chinese lessons, and more, all of which will help you improve your Chinese listening and comprehension.

We are as excited as you are that you want to learn self-taught Chinese and we hope this article helps you get started. If you’re looking to enhance your learning experience and even more, we hope we have fun with the sino-bus Chinese learning site!

The importance of learning Chinese vocabulary!

Chinese is our Chinese native language, Chinese culture is broad and profound, what are the advantages of learning Chinese vocabulary? Today, I will give you an inventory of the ten advantages of learning Chinese:

🍁The largest number of users
With a population of 6 billion, more than 200 countries and regions, and more than 2,500 ethnic groups, 5,651 languages have been identified. The most spoken languages are: Chinese, English, Hindi, Spanish, Arabic, German, Russian, French, Bengali, Portuguese, etc.

🍁It has a long history and a long history

Oracle Chinese characters are among the three oldest writing systems in the world. Chinese is a relatively convergent and stable language. This enabled the inheritance and development of ancestral wisdom and civilization.

Today’s Chinese students can read the Chu poems of the poet Qu Yuan 2,000 years ago.

🍁Chinese characters use few words, strong word formation power, and large amount of information

Now, the English vocabulary has exceeded 1 million, and ordinary people can’t remember it in a lifetime. According to statistics, there are still 1~20,000 new words produced in English every year.

The new vocabulary of English has little connection with the original vocabulary, and millions of English words come out in this way. In Chinese, there is no need to create new characters, just rely on existing Chinese characters to form new words. All English vocabulary and neologisms can be expressed in 3,500 Chinese characters.

The ability to form Chinese characters is too powerful, and it can also be touched bypass, and the amount of memory is greatly reduced. The famous scholar Ji Xianlin said: “Chinese is the most concise language in the world. The same expression of one meaning, if English takes 60 seconds, Chinese 5 seconds is enough. ”

In English-speaking countries, there are no 20,000 words you don’t want to read a newspaper, and you don’t want to read Time magazine for 30,000 words. Professionals who have graduated from college for 10 years generally need to understand 80,000 words.

The standard for literacy of Chinese characters in China is 1500 words. College students in science and engineering generally master 3500 Chinese characters, and there is no problem in engaging in scientific research. As for reading, reading newspapers, and graduating from primary school, you can do it. The average person can read and write 2,000 Chinese characters.

🍁The Chinese language is open to the influence of Western culture

Classical Chinese is dominated by monophonic words, and vernacular Chinese is dominated by two-tone words. There are too few punctuation marks in classical Chinese to meet the needs of expression, and punctuation marks in vernacular are complete enough to meet the needs of expressing thinking.

There are many short sentences in classical Chinese, the structure of sentences is simple, and there are more long sentences and attached components in vernacular Chinese, and the structure of sentences is much more complex than that of classical Chinese, which greatly increases the expressiveness and logic of the article.

The advantage of vernacular writing is mostly that it accepts the enlightenment of Western languages. The transition from classical Chinese to vernacular is a revolutionary turn. This turning point shows that the Chinese language is open to the influence of Western culture.

🍁Chinese characters focus on right-brain thinking and can develop IQ

Scholars pointed out that learning Chinese vocabulary mainly uses phonetic code, which works in the left hemisphere of the brain, called single-brain writing. Chinese characters are a synthesis of shape, sound, and meaning, which act simultaneously on the left and right hemispheres of the brain, called compound brain writing.

Chinese characters, especially symbols symbolizing graphics, are very beneficial for the development of the right brain, and sound and meaning are simultaneously developed in the left brain, so that the left and right hemispheres of the brain are developed at the same time.

Based on this relationship between Chinese characters and the two hemispheres of the brain, psychologists in Philadelphia conducted an experiment to see if they could correct dyslexia by learning Chinese characters.

First, he taught an American dyslexic teenager to learn Chinese characters and Chinese, and then began the experiment: on a piece of paper, the upper line wrote English sentences, and the lower line wrote Chinese sentences with consent, asking the teenager to read English sentences by looking at Chinese characters.

The teenager, who suffered from dyslexia, pronounced English sentences effortlessly, and the experiment was successful. Such experiments have also been carried out in France and other countries, and have achieved initial success.

It is precisely because of their unique sound, shape and meaning characteristics that Chinese characters constitute more stimulation to the brain than pinyin characters. It should be these beneficial stimuli that promote the brain development of the population in the Chinese character circle country, thereby improving the IQ level.

By learning Chinese vocabulary, people can use both hemispheres of the brain more fully and in a more balanced way, and its significance is very far-reaching.

Chinese basic characters in Chinese printing

Printing is one of the four great inventions of ancient China, following the footsteps of history, let’s explore the Chinese basic characters in printing. From books, newspapers and periodicals to banknotes, printing is closely related to the life of modern people.

Located in Daxing District, Beijing, the China Museum of Printing, with an exhibition area of 5,500 square meters, is currently the world’s largest printing professional museum. Here, the audience can understand the history of the development of printing, see the results of various printing processes, and feel the great role of printing in promoting the progress of human civilization.

💐Inherit the wisdom of the ancients

Writing and papermaking are important conditions for the emergence and development of printing. Archaeological studies have shown that around 4,500 years ago, Chinese writing moved from budding to forming.

Cai Lun of the Eastern Han Dynasty invented papermaking with a complete process, and paper made of plant fibers became an excellent carrier of words.

“Chinese woodblock printing technique” is a treasure of traditional culture, and was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2009. Woodblock printing originated in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and reached its peak in the Song Dynasty, and the book layout, font, paper, ink and binding form of woodblock printing have developed greatly, forming China’s unique book aesthetic culture.

The invention of movable type printing is another milestone in the history of ancient Chinese printing. According to the “Mengxi Pen Talk”, Bisheng of the Northern Song Dynasty invented clay movable type printing. The typesetting wheel invented by Wang Zhen in the Yuan Dynasty greatly improved the efficiency of movable type printing.

💐Tell development stories

The Chinese basic characters in ancient Chinese papermaking and printing were transmitted to the West and had an important impact on Western civilization. The printing technology of modern Western industrialization has spread to China, promoting the development of China’s printing industry.

“Geographical Questions and Answers” published by Meihua Library in the late Qing Dynasty, the 1920 edition of the Communist Manifesto printed by the newly printed office, and the inaugural issue of the color monthly magazine “Art Life” printed in 1934… In the “Printing World” exhibition hall, the exhibits reflect the influence of modern Western printing technology after the introduction of modern printing technology into China and the rise of China’s national printing industry.

During the Republican period, the Commercial Press and China Book Company became outstanding representatives of national printing enterprises.

In the early 30s of the 20th century, the establishment of the printing house in the revolutionary base area kicked off the development of the red printing industry. A small and lightweight wooden printing press attracted the attention of reporters.

It is only the size of a small suitcase, weighs only more than 30 kilograms, and is easy to disassemble and assemble, and a mule can pull away. It was built for the needs of guerrilla newspapers during the Anti-Japanese War and was called the “printing press on horseback”.

After the founding of New China, national printing enterprises and red printing factories jointly formed the emerging Chinese printing industry and became an important force in the industrialization of New China.

The invention of printing has taken a big step forward for the development of mankind, and the invention of printing has also promoted the Chinese of basic characters, and the mass production of printed text has made the world better understand Chinese culture!

Of course, in modern times, China has absorbed modern Western technology and has its own inventions in printing, such as Lin Yutang’s bright typewriter and Wang Xuan’s Chinese character laser phototypesetting system.

Printing technology does not need a developed industrial system as a premise, the East and the West can easily learn from each other, will not form much advantage over each other, the key to modern social and cultural competitiveness lies in the free atmosphere and open mind.

Learn about Chinese papermaking and learn Chinese common phrases

As we all know, China’s papermaking technology is famous far and wide, children who want to learn Chinese common phrases come over, let’s walk into the invention and spread of Chinese papermaking.

Papermaking is one of the four great inventions of ancient China. Compared with other writing materials, the surface of the paper is smooth, white and inked, and can also be dyed; The format is wide, there are many words, and it is easy to cut and make various types; Soft and fold-resistant, can be unrolled arbitrarily, easy to carry and store; Long life, easy to preserve; Papermaking raw materials are easy to find and low price; It is widely used for writing, printing, and packaging materials.

These incomparable advantages have made paper enduring, once invented, and spread all over the world and loved by the world.

From the cultural relics excavated by archaeology, it can be seen that early paper was made of plant fibers (hemp), so the “floc” in the Eastern Han Dynasty XuShen’s”Shuowen Jiezi” refers to hemp fiber.

In 1933, Mr. Huang Wenbi, a professor at Peking University, first discovered a piece of hemp paper at the Lop Nor Han beacon site in Xinjiang, “and at the same time, the unearthed person has a wooden simple from the first year of the Yellow Dragon (49 BC), which is the year of Emperor Xuan of Han, and this paper is also a Western Han dynasty.”

Until 1990, scholars found hemp paper made from the early to the last years of the Western Han Dynasty eight times in Xinjiang, Shanxi, Gansu and other places, all before Cai Lun “made paper” in the Eastern Han Dynasty.

In the Eastern Han Dynasty, Cai Lun summarized the experience of manufacturing hemp paper technology and carried out technological innovation on the basis of his predecessors, and organized the production of a batch of better quality hemp paper.

Not only that, he also broke through the papermaking technology of woody bast fiber, presided over the successful development of papermaking paper, made papermaking raw materials more extensive, and promoted the development of papermaking technology and papermaking industry.

By the time of the Wei and Jin dynasties and the Northern and Southern Dynasties, in addition to hemp paper and Chinese skin paper, mulberry and rattan skin paper were also produced; In the Central Plains, bamboo curtain bed molds were commonly used, making paper the main writing material in this period.

The Sui and Tang dynasties were the heyday of hemp paper, and the invention of woodblock printing further promoted the prosperity of the paper industry. Bamboo paper was produced in the south at the end of the Tang Dynasty, and gold-flowered paper, water-patterned paper and calender paper decorated with gold and silver powder on colored paper were also invented during this period.

In the Song and Yuan dynasties, leather paper and bamboo paper became the main paper due to technological progress, and hemp paper began to decline due to raw material problems. The Ming Dynasty was the culmination stage of papermaking, and its technology was also recorded by Song Yingxing in “Tiangong Kaiwu Killing”. After the invention of Chinese papermaking, it began to spread to all parts of the world.

Chinese papermaking technology was introduced to Europe through the Arab world. The first European countries to come into contact with paper and papermaking technology were probably Spain, France and Italy. Paper appeared in Spain no later than the 10th century. The manuscript found in Santo Domingo is the earliest known Spanish text, made of flax fibre and glued with starch, similar to Arabic paper.

After the 18th century, with the development of culture, education and science, the consumption of paper in European countries increased day by day. Due to the single production of hemp paper, there has been a severe shortage of raw material supply, and people are constantly looking for alternatives.

At the same time, they once again turned their attention to China, the place where papermaking technology was invented, and sought new information on the development of China’s papermaking technology, so that China’s papermaking technology was directly introduced to Europe.

With the change of papermaking raw materials and the introduction and use of bendable bamboo curtain paper making technology, the production of paper in Europe increased greatly in the middle of the 18th century.

The bendability of Chinese paper-making bamboo curtains reflects an advanced papermaking way of thinking, so it has great development prospects and becomes a necessary ladder to modern papermakers. Hunter, a famous American paper historian, said: “Today’s big “machine” paper industry is built on the original oriental (referring to China) bamboo curtain paper molds. ”

In short, the papermaking technology invented by Chinese not only promoted the development of its own culture, education and science and technology, but also spread to all parts of the world through the Silk Road, which played a huge role in promoting the development of human civilization, especially modernization. After seeing Chinese papermaking, did the children have an interest in learning Chinese common phrases?

Chinese common phrases are not difficult, as long as we are patient and careful, we will discover the mystery. With the help of card memory, we hope that children can find fun and potential in language learning!

What is the fastest way to learn Chinese?

There are many benefits to figuring out the fastest way to learn Chinese, and the importance of learning Chinese cannot be overstated. Proficiency in Mandarin, an important dialect of China, has become a highly valued skill for professionals, and more and more international businesses are requiring their executives to master both Mandarin and English.

There are many reasons why Mandarin is one of the best business languages to learn:

• It has 1.1 billion native speakers, making it the most spoken language in the world.

• China’s middle class grew from just 4 percent of urban households in 2000 to 68 percent in 2012.

• Mandarin is the official language of Taiwan, Singapore and the United Nations.

While the complexity of Mandarin, the multitude of Chinese characters, and the different subdialects can be daunting for new learners, figuring out how to learn Chinese also brings many personal benefits.

You’ll gain insight into Chinese culture, especially its rich traditions, arts, and philosophies, which date back to around 500 BC to around 1000 AD, when Middle Chinese was already spoken.

Modern Mandarin developed from Middle Chinese. Despite being simpler and having a more regular sound system, it is still one of the most difficult languages to learn.

When Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks in Mandarin, he often mispronounces many words. For example, in a 20-minute speech in Mandarin at Tsinghua University in 2015, he confused the tone of “heart” to make it sound more like “faith.”

But despite these mistakes, he persevered, as did Tesla’s billionaire CEO Elon Musk and Rose’s leather company’s marketing director Billy Ball. These entrepreneurs know the value of learning Mandarin.

So, what’s the fastest way to learn Chinese? Let’s take a look together!

1. Make friends with Chinese One of the most effective ways to learn Chinese is to make friends with native Chinese speakers. This will not only improve your language skills, but also give you an insight into Chinese culture. With leisure activities such as eating together, going to a bar, or exploring China together, you can learn the language easily and naturally.

Choosing to live with a Chinese family through homestay arrangements can help with this and help you build lasting friendships. Chinese is known for its hospitality. To speed up your language learning process, find someone who regularly talks about everyday life in the language. Real-world conversations are invaluable for sounding natural and fluent.

2. Immerse yourself in the culture If you have a tight schedule and assume you’re going to China to study and need to learn the language, immersing yourself in the local culture is the best thing you can do.

By exposing yourself to Mandarin through movies, songs, and books, you can grasp the nuances that online courses and other materials may not offer. Knowing cultural history can enhance your appreciation of the language and motivate you to learn more.

3. Set realistic goals The speed at which you learn Mandarin depends on your goals. If your goal is to acquire enough language skills during a short trip, a few months of specialized study may be enough.

However, becoming fluent and mastering the language as a native speaker can take years of sustained effort. Recognize the challenges of learning Mandarin and set realistic and achievable goals. As a beginner, you can start by challenging yourself to learn five new words a day. This goal is not only easy to achieve, but it also helps you build your vocabulary.

There are many fastest way to learn Chinese, and the most important thing is to choose the right one for yourself! Interested children can learn more, walk behind the history of Chinese, and let us learn and grow together!