Customs and etiquette are a big part of traditional China, and the dinner table is one place where some of these traditions are still retained, especially if it is a formal or business dinner. Seating Arrangements There is a Chinese saying that is 对号入座(duìhào-rùzuò), which literally means “to sit in the seat with the correct […]
In lesson 22, we learned the other major use of 了(le), which is to function as a “perfect aspect particle”. What does that mean? It means that 了(le) can be placed after a verb to indicate that the action described by the verb has occurred or is completed. One way to recognize this use is […]
Is lifelong learning one of your motivations in life?
Even though I grew up in a traditional Chinese family in a predominantly Chinese Singapore, it was interesting that the sentiments I had with regards to gifting were rather western. I was actually 30 years old, and starting to take on the China market, when I learnt the phrase 礼多人不怪(lǐ duō rén bù guài) from […]
Have you ever experienced failure? Chances are if you have ever learnt another language, you might say that you have. You might think of the many times you have forgotten a word that seems to be at the tip of your tongue, or when you forgot how to conjugate a particular verb, or when you […]