VOCABULARY USAGE

1.

怎么 zěnme

q.pron. ▸ how

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ bù zhīdào zhè ge Hànzì zěnme dú.
  我不知道这个汉字怎么读。
  I not know this “ge” Chinese-character how to read.
  I (do)n’t know this “ge” (of) Chinese-character (-) how to read.
• Nǐ néng gàosu wǒ zhè ge ruǎnjiàn zěnme yòng ma?
  你能告诉我这个软件怎么用吗？
  You can tell me this “ge” software how to use -ma?
  Can you tell me this “ge” (of) software (-) how to use?

2.

认识 rènshi

v. ▸ to be acquainted with; to recognize

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ rènshi nà ge gōngsī de lǎobǎn ma?
  你认识那个公司的老板吗？
  You know that “ge” company -de- boss -ma?
  (Do) you know that “ge” (of) company’s boss?
• Wǒ zài yīnyuèjié shang rènshi le hěn duō péngyou.
  我在音乐节上认识了很多朋友。
  I “zai” music-festival-“surface” meet -le very many friends.
  I(,) on (the) music-festival (had) met very many friends.

3.

旅游 lǚyóu

v. ▸ to travel as a tourist

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ xiǎng qù nǎ xiē guójiā lǚyóu?
  你想去哪些国家旅游？
  You want to go which “xie” country to travel?
  Which “some” (of) countries (do) you want to go travel?
• Zhè ge zhōumò, wǒ xiǎng qù hǎibiān lǚyóu.
  这个周末，我想去海边旅游。
  This “ge” weekend, I want to go seaside to travel.
  This “ge” (of) weekend, I want to go to (the) seaside to travel.

4.

加油 jiāyóu

come on; go for it (expression used to encourage)

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Bǐsài yào kāishǐ le, jiāyóu!
  比赛要开始了，加油！
  Game “soon will” start -le, go-for-it!
  (The) game “soon will” start, go-for-it!
• Nǐ de Hànyǔ yǐjīng hěn búcuò le, jìxù jiāyóu ba!
  你的汉语已经很不错了，继续加油吧！
  You -de- Chinese already very not-bad -le, continue to go-for-it -ba!
  Your Chinese already (is) very not-bad, continue to work-hard (for it)!

5.

啊 a

p. ▸ used at the end of an Exclamatory Sentence to add to the tone

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Duìbuqǐ ’a!
  对不起啊！
  Sorry -a!
  Sorry!(!!!)
• Míngtiān jiàn ’a!
  明天见啊！
  Tomorrow to see -a!
  See (you) tomorrow!(!!!)

6.

自己 zìjǐ

pron. ▸ self

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ xiǎng zìjǐ juédìng.
  我想自己决定。
  I want to self deicide.
  I want to decide (by my)self.
• Nǐ yídìng yào xiāngxìn zìjǐ.
  你一定要相信自己。
  You definitely should trust self.
  You definitely should trust (your)self.

7.

听到 tīngdào

v. ▸ to hear

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Tīngdào zhè ge xiāoxi, wǒ tèbié gāoxìng.
  听到这个消息，我特别高兴。
  Hear this “ge” news, I especially happy.
  Hearing this “ge” (of) news, I (am) especially happy.
• Wǒ tīngdào yǒu rén zài qiāo mén.
  我听到有人在敲门。
  I hear “exist” person “zai” knock-on door.
  I heard (that there) “exist” (a) person being knocking-on (the) door.

8.

一些 yì xiē

num.-m.w. phr. ▸ some

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yì xiē Zhōngwén shū.
  我想买一些中文书。
  I want to buy one “xie” Chinese books.
  I want to buy some Chinese books.
• Zhè ge xiàngmù wǒ kěyǐ zuò, dàn wǒ xūyào yì xiē shíjiān zuò zhǔnbèi.
  这个项目我可以做，但我需要一些时间做准备。
  This “ge” project I can do, but I need one “xie” time to do preparation.
  This “ge” (of) project (-) I can do, but I need some time to do preparation.

9.

去年 qùnián

n. ▸ last year

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Tā qùnián jiéhūn le.
  他去年结婚了。
  He last-year get-married -le.
  He got-married last-year.
• Qùnián wǒ méiyǒu qù lǚyóu.
  去年我没有去旅游。
  Last-year I not went to travel.
  Last-year I (did) not go travel.

10.

明年 míngnián

n. ▸ next year

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Míngnián wǒ jiù dú dàxué le.
  明年我就读大学了。
  Next-year I “soon will” attend college -le.
  Next-year I “soon will” attend college (already).
• Wǒ dǎsuàn míngnián kǎo jiàzhào.
  我打算明年考驾照。
  I plan to next-year take-test-(for) driving-license.
  I plan to next-year take-test-(for) (the) driver’s-license.

11.

走 zǒu

v. ▸ to walk

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ zǒu màn diǎn, wǒ kuài gēn bu shàng le!
  你走慢点，我快跟不上了！
  You walk slow “dian”, I “quick” follow-not-“shang” -le!
  You walk “a little bit” slow(er), I almost-will not-be-able-to-follow (you)!
• Tā zǒu de hěn kuài, gēn pǎo shìde.
  他走得很快，跟跑似的。
  He walk -de- very fast, gen- running -shide.
  He walks very fast, very-much-like running.

12.

黄色 huángsè

n. ▸ the color of yellow

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ zuì xǐhuan de yánsè shì huángsè.
  我最喜欢的颜色是黄色。
  I the-most like -de- color is yellow-color.
  (The) color (that) I like the-most is yellow-color.
• Tā jīntiān chuān le yí jiàn huángsè de T xù.
  他今天穿了一件黄色的T恤。
  He today put-on -le one “jian” yellow-color -de- T-shirt.
  He today (has) put-on one “jian” (of) yellow T-shirt.

13.

办公室 bàngōngshì

n. ▸ office

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ de bàngōngshì zài liù lóu.
  我的办公室在六楼。
  I -de- office-room “zai” 6-Floor.
  My office-room is-on Floor-6.
• Wǒ měi tiān dōu yào qù bàngōngshì shàngbān.
  我每天都要去办公室上班。
  I every day all need to go to office to attend-work.
  I every day all need to go to (the) office to attend-work.

14.

帮 bāng

v. ▸ to help

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ néng bāng wǒ fānyì yí xià ma?
  你能帮我翻译一下吗？
  You can help me translate one “xia” -ma?
  Can you help me translate “really quick”?
• Zhè ge wèntí, tā yǐjīng bāng wǒ jiějué le.
  这个问题，他已经帮我解决了。
  This “ge” problem, he already help me solve -le.
  This “ge” (of) problem, (-) he already helped me solve (it).

15.

渴 kě

adj. ▸ thirsty

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ kě bu kě? Yào bu yào hē diǎnr shuǐ?
  你渴不渴？要不要喝点儿水？
  You thirsty-not-thirsty? “Yao”-not-“yao” drink “dian” water?
  (Are) you thirsty (or) not thirsty? (Do you) need to (or) not need to drink “a little bit” (of) water?
• Xièxie, wǒ bù kě.
  谢谢，我不渴。
  Thanks, I not thirsty.
  Thanks, I (am) not thirsty.

16.

好玩儿 hǎowánr

adj. ▸ (of toys, games, activities, and people’s personality etc.) funny; entertaining [*spoken with 儿 in spoken language]

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Zhè ge yóuxì zhēn de hǎowánr! Nǐ yídìng yào shìshi!
  这个游戏真的好玩儿！你一定要试试！
  This “ge” game really entertaining! You definitely should try-try!
  This “ge” (of) game (is) really fun! You definitely should try “really quick”!
• Wǒ juéde pīn Lègāo tèbié hǎowánr.
  我觉得拼乐高特别好玩儿。
  I feel put-together Legos especially entertaining.
  I feel (that) putting-together Legos (is) especially fun.

17.

雨 yǔ

n. ▸ rain

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ de yǔxié ne?
  我的雨鞋呢？
  I -de- rain-shoes -ne?
  Where are my rain-shoes?
• Xià yǔ le, kāi chē xiǎoxīn diǎnr.
  下雨了，开车小心点儿。
  Go-down-rain -le, drive-vehicle be-careful “dian”.
  (It has) gone-down-rain, (be) “a little bit” (more) careful driving.

18.

饼干 bǐnggān

n. ▸ cookie; biscuit

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ zuótiān mǎi le hěn duō bǐnggān.
  我昨天买了很多饼干。
  I yesterday buy -le very many cookies.
  I yesterday bought very many cookies.
• Wǒ jīngcháng zìjǐ zuò bǐnggān.
  我经常自己做饼干。
  I often self make cookies.
  I often make cookies (by my)self.

19.

上 shàng

v. ▸ to move upwards; to get onto

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Shàng chē ba, wǒ sòng nǐ huí jiā!
  上车吧，我送你回家！
  Get-onto vehicle -ba, I send you return home!
  Get-onto (my) car, I (will) take you to return home!
• Wǒ yào shàng fēijī le, xiān guà le ’a!
  我要上飞机了，先挂了啊！
  I “soon will” get-onto plane -le, first hang-up -le a!
  I “soon will” get-onto (the) plane, (I will) hang-up first!

20.

下 xià

v. ▸ to move downwards; to get off from

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ zài zhè yí zhàn xià.
  我在这一站下。
  I “zai” this one stop get-off.
  I get-off on this one stop.
• Wǒ gāng xià fēijī, xiànzài qù ná xíngli.
  我刚下飞机，现在去拿行李。
  I just get-off plane, now go get luggage.
  I just got-off (the) plane, now (I) go to get (my) luggage.