VOCABULARY USAGE

1.

着 zhe

p. ▸ used right after a verb to show an action or state is continuing

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ hē zhe kāfēi děng kèhù.
  我喝着咖啡等客户。
  I’m drinking coffee while waiting for the client.
  I’m drinking coffee while waiting for the client.
• Tā wèi shénme yìzhí kàn zhe nàbiān?
  他为什么一直看着那边？
  Why is he always looking over there?
  Why is he always looking over there?

2.

同意 tóngyì

v. ▸ to agree; to consent; to approve

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ shì tóngyì háishi fǎnduì?
  你是同意还是反对？
  Do you agree or disagree?
  Do you agree or oppose?
• Wǒ tóngyì nǐ gāngcái shuō de.
  我同意你刚才说的。
  I agree with what you just said.
  I agree with what you said just now.

3.

还可以 hái kěyǐ

“acceptably alright”; not bad; alright

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Zhège pīsà hǎochī ma?
  A 这个披萨好吃吗？
  Is this pizza tasty?
  Is this pizza good?
  Hái kěyǐ.
  B 还可以。
  Not bad.
  It’s alright.
• Wǒ de Hànyǔ shuō de hái kěyǐ, háiyào jìxù jiāyóu.
  我的汉语说得还可以，还要继续加油。
  My Chinese is okay, but I still need to keep working hard.
  My Chinese is not bad, but I still need to keep improving.

4.

到……去 dào...qù

v. ▸ to go to...

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Tāmen zhǔnbèi dào Zhōngguó qù lǚxíng.
  他们准备到中国去旅行。
  They’re getting ready to go to China to travel.
  They’re planning to go to China for a trip.
• Zhème wǎn le, nǐ dào nǎlǐ qù?
  这么晚了，你到哪里去？
  It’s so late, where are you going?
  It’s already late. Where are you going?

5.

服务员 fúwùyuán

n. ▸ server; waiter; waitress

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Fúwùyuán, mǎidān!
  服务员，买单！
  Server, the check!
  Excuse me, can we get the bill?
• Wǒ dú dàxué de shíhou, zài cāntīng jiānzhí dāng fúwùyuán.
  我读大学的时候，在餐厅兼职当服务员。
  When I was in college, I worked part-time as a server in a restaurant.
  When I was in college, I worked part-time as a waiter.

6.

留学生 liúxuéshēng

n. ▸ overseas student; international student

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ zhù zài liúxuéshēng gōngyù.
  我住在留学生公寓。
  I live in the international student dorm.
  I live in the international student dorm.
• Wǒ shì liúxuéshēng, zài Zhōngguó xuéxí Hànyǔ.
  我是留学生，在中国学习汉语。
  I’m an international student studying Chinese in China.
  I’m an overseas student, studying Chinese in China.

7.

外语 wàiyǔ

n. ▸ foreign language

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Zhè běn shū shì wàiyǔ de, wǒ kàn bu dǒng.
  这本书是外语的，我看不懂。
  This book is in a foreign language, so I can’t understand it.
  This book is in a foreign language. I can’t read it.
• Wǒ xiǎng xué yì mén xīn de wàiyǔ.
  我想学一门新的外语。
  I want to learn a new foreign language.
  I want to learn a new foreign language.

8.

努力 nǔlì

v. ▸ to work hard; to make a great effort

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ měitiān dōu zài nǔlì xué Hànyǔ.
  我每天都在努力学汉语。
  I’m working hard to learn Chinese every day.
  I work hard on Chinese every day.
• Wǒ yìzhí zài wèi zìjǐ de mèngxiǎng nǔlì.
  我一直在为自己的梦想努力。
  I’ve been working hard for my dream.
  I’ve been working hard for my own dream.

9.

努力 nǔlì

adj. ▸ hardworking; diligent

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Tā bú shì zuì cōngmíng de, dàn tā shì zuì nǔlì de.
  他不是最聪明的，但他是最努力的。
  He isn’t the smartest, but he works the hardest.
  He’s not the smartest, but he’s the most hardworking.
• Nǐ zhēn de bǐ wǒ gèng nǔlì.
  你真的比我更努力。
  You really work harder than me.
  You really are more hardworking than I am.

10.

约 yuē

v. ▸ to make plans; to arrange (to do something together)

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒmen yuē zài nǎlǐ jiànmiàn?
  我们约在哪里见面？
  Where should we meet?
  Where are we meeting up?
• Nǐ xiǎng yuē shénme shíhou chī fàn?
  你想约什么时候吃饭？
  When do you want to meet up to eat?
  When do you want to grab a meal?

11.

客气 kèqi

adj. ▸ polite; courteous; humble

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒmen shì péngyou, búyòng zhème kèqi.
  我们是朋友，不用这么客气。
  We’re friends, no need to be so polite.
  We’re friends, no need to be so formal.
• Tā duì měi ge rén dōu hěn kèqi.
  她对每个人都很客气。
  She’s very polite to everyone.
  She’s polite to everybody.

12.

关系 guānxì

n. ▸ relationship; connection; relevance

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒmen zhǐ shì péngyou guānxì.
  我们只是朋友关系。
  We’re just friends.
  We’re only friends.
• Wǒ gēn zhè jiàn shì méi guānxì.
  我跟这件事没关系。
  This has nothing to do with me.
  This has nothing to do with me.

13.

节日 jiérì

n. ▸ festival; holiday

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ zuì xǐhuan guò nǎge jiérì?
  你最喜欢过哪个节日？
  Which holiday do you like celebrating the most?
  Which holiday is your favorite?
• Chūnjié shì Zhōngguó zuì zhòngyào de jiérì.
  春节是中国最重要的节日。
  Spring Festival is China’s most important holiday.
  Spring Festival is the most important holiday in China.

14.

解决 jiějué

v. ▸ to solve; to resolve; to settle (a problem)

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ bù zhīdào gāi zěnme jiějué zhège máfan.
  我不知道该怎么解决这个麻烦。
  I don’t know how to solve this problem.
  I don’t know how I should deal with this trouble.
• Bié dānxīn, wèntí yǐjīng jiějué le.
  别担心，问题已经解决了。
  Don’t worry, the problem has been solved.
  Don’t worry, it’s already resolved.

15.

一般 yìbān

adj. ▸ ordinary; average; so-so

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Zhè dào cài de wèidào yìbān.
  这道菜的味道一般。
  This dish tastes so-so.
  This dish is just average.
• Tā de Zhōngwén shuǐpíng yìbān.
  她的中文水平一般。
  Her Chinese level is average.
  Her Chinese is so-so.

16.

声音 shēngyīn

n. ▸ sound; voice

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Ěrjī de shēngyīn tài dà le, guān xiǎo yìdiǎn.
  耳机的声音太大了，关小一点。
  The headphone volume is too loud, turn it down a bit.
  The headphone volume is too high, turn it down a little.
• Zhèlǐ tài ānjìng le, yìdiǎn shēngyīn dōu méiyǒu.
  这里太安静了，一点声音都没有。
  It’s too quiet here, there isn’t any sound at all.
  It’s so quiet here. There’s not even a little sound.

17.

船 chuán

n. ▸ boat; ship

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ bú huì yóuyǒng, suǒyǐ bùgǎn zuòchuán.
  我不会游泳，所以不敢坐船。
  I can’t swim, so I don’t dare to take a boat.
  I can’t swim, so I’m scared to ride a boat.
• Fēng tài dà le, chuán bù néng chūhǎi.
  风太大了，船不能出海。
  The wind is too strong, so the boat can’t go out to sea.
  The wind is too strong, so the ship can’t leave the harbor.

18.

检查 jiǎnchá

v. ▸ to check; to examine

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Jiǎnchá yíxià mén guān hǎo le méi.
  检查一下门关好了没。
  Check quickly if the door is closed properly.
  Check if the door is closed all the way.
• Wǒ míngtiān yào qù yīyuàn jiǎnchá shēntǐ.
  我明天要去医院检查身体。
  Tomorrow I’m going to the hospital for a checkup.
  I need to go to the hospital for a physical tomorrow.

19.

这种 zhèzhǒng

pron. ▸ this kind; this type

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ xǐhuan zhè zhǒng fēnggé de yīnyuè.
  我喜欢这种风格的音乐。
  I like this kind of music style.
  I like this style of music.
• Wǒ cónglái méiyǒu yùdào guo zhè zhǒng qíngkuàng.
  我从来没有遇到过这种情况。
  I’ve never run into this kind of situation.
  I’ve never encountered this kind of situation.

20.

那种 nàzhǒng

pron. ▸ that kind; that type

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ bú tài shìhé nà zhǒng gōngzuò.
  我不太适合那种工作。
  I’m not really suited for that kind of job.
  I’m not a great fit for that kind of work.
• Wǒ xǐhuan nà zhǒng jiǎndān de shēnghuó.
  我喜欢那种简单的生活。
  I like that kind of simple life.
  I like that kind of simple lifestyle.