Mad About Shanghai

Guest Post : Learning Mandarin Chinese? Three Key Considerations

Learning Mandarin Chinese? Consider 3 key things

Learning Mandarin Chinese can be accomplished in a variety of ways. However, sometimes, too many choices can be confusing for the new student.

Follow us at our site and make learning Mandarin Chinese easier by reading the advice, tips and informative pieces we regularly offer.

In this post we are going to cover 3 key things we almost always get asked about:

1. Learning Mandarin Chinese in China

Most of the students we interviewed who are learning Chinese, especially those who have reached an advanced level, tell us the same thing:

…To really get ahead with effectively learning Chinese they decided to go and live in China. Obviously, living in the country allows you the convenience to practice and use your Chinese language skills, but also an opportunity to understand and learn more about Chinese culture and etiquette.

Learning Chinese in China is no doubt the best and most effective way forward, but how to make the most of your experiences when in the country?

(1) Some interesting places to practice your Mandarin Chinese

In China’s more international cities such as Shanghai or Beijing, locals are more likely to talk to foreigners in English rather than Chinese. To help overcome this, some foreigners chose to live in certain second tier cities such as Chengdu where English is not so widespread and they will have more chances to practice their Chinese. Another key benefit is that the living cost is much cheaper!

(2) When in China mix more with local people

When socialising, many foreigners in China go to western restaurants or bars frequented by other foreigners and end up only speaking English. This can be compared to those Chinese people who only stay in Chinatowns around the world and still speak poor English after living overseas for many years. If you wish to improve your spoken Chinese, you don’t want to be like that. 

(3) Having a Chinese tutor is a plus

Another great thing to do is to find a Chinese private tutor instead of going to a school with large classes to learn Mandarin—“1 on 1” learning really is an effective way to improve your Chinese quickly! 

2. Finding the right resources, not necessarily expensive ones

Choosing the right resources is vitally important, especially for those who cannot go to work or study in China to upgrade their language skills,

As an example, Italki is a tool which enables students to find a native speaker to practice with at a relatively cheap price and has been recommended by many people. In reality, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to learn the Chinese language, as there are always ways and means to do so 

It’s well worth looking at one of our earlier articles if you are looking for some free or cheaper resources to help get ahead with learning Mandarin, namely: How to learn Chinese, as this will point you in the right direction to find more than a hundred free or relatively low cost resources.

3. Being fluent will take time

Becoming fluent in Mandarin Chinese cannot be achieved overnight, whether you are working with a private tutor or have decided to learn by yourself. Although lots of blogs or courses claim to be able to help you “master” the language in 7 days, a couple of months or other such short period, it’s only the application of study and hard work which will get you through!

Still, if you are serious about learning Mandarin Chinese, then there is no better time than today to get started!

Maybe you are still not sure about the best way to begin? Well, you may want to get some tips abouthow to speak Chinese or great suggestions from other Chinese learners in a similar situation to you. Please feel free to ask us any questions about learning the language and we will be happy to help!

Visit http://www.learnmandarinnow.com for more information

Disclaimer : This is a guest post from Learn Mandarin Now

Chinese Word for "Win"

For those of you that understand traditional Chinese, this is a good explanation of how the word is written this way. 

Might or might not be true but it lists the five essential ingredients needed for winning.

Traditional Chinese vs Simplified Chinese

Many has lamented on the loss of meaning in the Chinese language words were in Simplified Chinese instead of Traditional Chinese.

I found this posted by an anonymous someone from Weibo. 

If you understand Chinese, you would understand the illustration below on how some words has been stripped of its original meaning.

If you don't, I shall attempt a bit of translation by indicating the main word, followed by the meaning of the words in red in bracket:

1) Love  (Heart)

2) Hometown (Man)

3) Righteous (Me)

4) Direction (Written code)

5) Close (Meet)

Guest Post: Top Ten Ways to Learn Mandarin

Mandarin has become one of the most popular language of choice.

There are many ways to learn the language. Why not start with Learn Mandarin Now.

We requested more than 50 bloggers to let us know what's their favourite resources used in learning the language.

We have compiled their extensive feedback in the form of the infographics below.

Hopefully, this would spur you find an easier and more effective way to learn Mandarin !

Visit Learn Chinese: 50 blogger’s top resources for more tips and ideas.

Guest Post by Yang Yang

How to Find the Best Mandarin Chinese Course for You

There are a lot of language courses available, and it can be difficult to find the information you need to choose.  Of course, they all claim to be the best, and without knowing someone who has already attended, there’s no real way to know what to expect.  Even knowing someone who has taken the course you’re considering doesn’t guarantee that it will be the right one for you.

There are many options, depending on your goals for study, how you learn best, and how far you want to go.  If you don’t know these things, any course will do.  Practically speaking, however, the only way to know whether a course will suit you is to try it.  Here are some factors to consider when choosing a course:

1.    Level of learning - It’s important to know whether the course fits with what you want to learn.  How intensive is the course?  If you are serious about learning Chinese and really hope to become fluent as quickly as you can, you may be frustrated taking a class with people who simply want to learn a few phrases or just study a couple evenings a week.

2.    Contact hours - You can find courses that are really cheap and offer large classes a couple of times a week, while others offer individualized lessons with a tutor.  You get what you pay for, but if you are planning a trip to China, you can get extra tutoring yourself, usually for much less than a school is going to charge.  Some tutors even work online via Skype, even if you aren’t in China.

3.    Student/teacher ratio - Classes with more students are certainly less expensive, but fewer students means you will get more and better feedback from the instructor.  Classes that have no more than five students are best; six to nine students is manageable.  More than that, and you may not get the instruction you need to learn the language as well as you’d like, and you might find yourself hiring a tutor to fill in gaps.

4.    Difficulty - It can be hard to tell how hard the course and the learning material will be before you get started.  Taking more difficult courses will speed your learning, but only if you have the time to devote to it.  Otherwise, you may find yourself frustrated.  If you get started and you feel like you can handle more, see if it is possible to move up.  If you do, you will likely struggle to keep up with your classmates, but you will learn the language so much faster than you would staying in an easier class.  

5.    Preferences - As important as these other factors are, don’t discount your own personal preferences.  A program that is a perfect fit in all the previous factors may still not be the best match for you.  Ask around, talk to people who have taken courses you are considering and get their input.  Ultimately, only you can decide which course is right for you.  If you aren’t absolutely sure about a course, find out whether and how much of your tuition is refundable if you don’t like it.

A post by : Learn Mandarin Now

Guest Post: 12 Reasons Teaching English in China is Frustrating

A Guest Post by Justin Tiessen

After 4 years of ESL teaching experience, I found that despite many of the perks that come with teaching English, there are also many downfalls. Here is a list I came up with of a few of the day-to-day frustrations. 

If you are living in China and teaching or looking for a tutor, please visit our website www.soufudao.com. 

1) Kids and parents, the "customers", are always right. If little Johnny wants to eat potato chips in the classroom...little Johnny can.

 2) Teachers are more like clowns than teachers. Who wants to be Santa???

 3) School management doesn't know how to… manage.  Have you ever been completely confused as to what they are doing?

 4) Tutoring agencies are taking wayyyyy too much off the top.

 5) Anyone who can speak English can be hired as a "teacher". Experience doesn't have a whole lot to do with it…

 6) Commuting from job to job can be a real drag.   Taxi anyone?

 7) Schools HATE giving you a real working visa. "Permanent tourist” status means you get to go to Hong Kong again...and again.  Who doesn't love Spring Airlines?

8) "Holiday" really means "work extra days later."

 9) Lack of transparency and communication between teachers, schools, and students.

 10) For many of the schools, it is profit before education!

 11) If you are sick, you get to pay the school. Win-win for the school.  Lose-lose for you!

 12) Last buy not least: working on weekends sure ain't fun! 

If you have taught or are teaching in China, you have probably discovered more than one of these to be true. Whether you are teaching at a private school or doing the tutoring hustle, you most likely have experienced the ins and outs and ups and downs.

In an attempt to address some of these frustrations, we created Sou Fudao. It is an online marketplace for tutors and students to connect, and it is free to use!

Check out www.soufudao.com to sign up as a tutor or a student, and say goodbye to some of these unnecessary frustrations!!!

Happy Lunar New Year 2012 !

Lunar New Year is the biggest festival in the Chinese calendar.

The good thing about being Chinese in ethnicity is that Chinese gets to celebrate new year twice ! Once on the first day of January and the other on Lunar New Year.

Every year, about a month before the actual day, the largest human migration exercise in the world takes place, as millions and millions of migrant workers, children studying overseas, sons and daughters that have relocated out of the town where their parents stay, makes it a point to come home for the reunion dinner the night before the Lunar New Year starts.

To be exact, the estimated number of people participating in the rush home is estimated to be around 140 million! Or about the population size of Russia !

Rain,snow, overcrowding, pushing and shoving are not going to deter most from going back home to have the reunion dinner. To many, home is a place where they seek consolation and rest from the weariness of work, fighting it out in the big city or the unfamilarity of a new country.

This is does not happen only in China but also in countries where there are Chinese . To name a few more: Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore etc.

Then of course, we also have another group of people who either stay with their family or very close that long trips back home are not necessary. Nonetheless, they are also just as happy to be close to their loved ones, feasting and laughing. These are just some of the little things in life that money cannot buy.

I find it so apt that the most distinct values of the Chinese culture, family and filial piety are expressed in the biggest festival on the Chinese calendar.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, most would spend the day visiting relatives and friends or hosting them. Children love this festival as the Lunar New Year to them, means lots of delicacies, celebration and red packets (红包 - red envelopes with money inside as pocket money for them)

So, how what are your Lunar New Year plans ?

I wish all my readers 新春愉快! 吉祥如意! 心想事成！

                             

Fact of the Day - Most Widely Spoke Language

The three most widely spoken languages in the world are:

1) Chinese,

2) Spanish (Most would have thought its English at 2nd place..but no)

3) English

Wise Sayings

Throughout  history, the Chinese have always emphasised the role of education in  character development and break outs from situational impasse.  

While in a mall in Harbin, I came upon this calligraphy that I thought sums the importance of education in Chinese culture. 

Let me share with you:

 Loosely translated:

"To do all great things in the world, your foundation starts with education"

How Chinese Select Their English Name (Part 2)

Check out this link sent by one of our readers (Thanks Philip !):

http://www.wretch.cc/blog/Turvey/21065037

The clip on the link provides an interesting perspective on how mainland Chinese select their English name.

In the course of my work, these are few of the more unique Chinese English names I come across:

Hunter,Pluto, Fly,Beer,Jazz, Du du, Shadow.

What are some of the more interesting ones you came across?