VOCABULARY USAGE

1.

越来越 yuèláiyuè

more and more; less and less

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ de Zhōngwén yuèláiyuè hǎo le.
  我的中文越来越好了。
  My Chinese more-and-more good -le.
  My Chinese (is) better (and) better.
• Wǒ yuèláiyuè bù xǐhuan áoyè le.
  我越来越不喜欢熬夜了。
  I more-and-more not like stay-up-late -le.
  I more-and-more (do) not like staying-up-late (now).

2.

接受 jiēshòu

v. ▸ to accept

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ néng jiēshòu yìdìliàn ma?
  你能接受异地恋吗？
  You can accept different-place-romance -ma?
  Can you accept (a) long-distance-relationship?
• Tā jiēshòu le wǒ de dàoqiàn.
  她接受了我的道歉。
  She accept -le my apology.
  She accepted my apology.

3.

一般般 yìbānbān

so-so; mediocre; just average

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Zhè jiā cāntīng de fúwù yìbānbān.
  这家餐厅的服务一般般。
  I not too know-clearly, you can ask-ask other-people.
  I (do) not know-clearly, you can ask other-people “really quick”.
• Diànyǐng hǎokàn ma?
  电影好看吗？
  This “bu” movie very good-to-watch.
  This “bu” (of) movie (is) very entertaining-to-watch.
  Yìbānbān.
  一般般。
  Yes? I too want to watch.
  Is (it)? I also want to watch (it).

4.

先 xiān

adv. ▸ to indicate that an action or event occurs earlier, at first, or in advance

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Bù děng tā le, wǒmen xiān kāishǐ ba!
  不等他了，我们先开始吧！
  Not wait him -le, we first start -ba!
  (Let us) not wait-for him (anymore), (let) us start first!
• Nǐ xiān wènwen tā yǒu méi yǒu shíjiān.
  你先问问他有没有时间。
  You first ask-ask him have-not-have time.
  You (can) first ask him “really quick” (whether) he has (or) not has time.

5.

再 zài

adv. ▸ to indicate that an action or event occurs after the previous action or event finishes in

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ xiān kǎolǜ yíxià, míngtiān zài gěi nǐ dáfù.
  我先考虑一下，明天再给你答复。
  I first consider one “xia”, tomorrow then give you response.
  I (will) first think-about (it) “really quick”, tomorrow (I will) then give you (a) response.
• Nǐ xiān kànkan, yǒu wèntí wǒmen zài tǎolùn.
  你先看看，有问题我们再讨论。
  You first look-look, have questions we then discuss.
  You look-at (it) “really quick”, (you) have questions we then discuss.

6.

春节 Chūnjié

n. ▸ Spring Festival; Chinese New Year

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Míngnián Chūnjié shì jǐ yuè jǐ hào?
  明年春节是几月几号？
  Next year Spring-Festival is what-number month what-number day?
  Next year(’s) Spring-Festival is what month (and) what day?
• Jīnnián Chūnjié nǐ dǎsuàn zěnme guò?
  今年春节你打算怎么过？
  This year Spring-Festival you plan how go-pass?
  How (do) you plan to go-pass this year(’s) Spring-Festival?

7.

外国 wàiguó

n. ▸ foreign country; abroad

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Tā de qīzi shì wàiguó rén, bú shì Zhōngguó rén.
  他的妻子是外国人，不是中国人。
  His wife is foreign-country-person, not China-person.
  His wife is (a) foreigner, (and she) is not (a) Chinese-person.
• Tā de péngyou qù wàiguó le.
  她的朋友去外国了。
  Her friend went to (a) foreign-country (already).
  Her friend go foreign-country -le.

8.

小时候 xiǎoshíhou

n. ▸ (one's) childhood

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Zhè shì wǒ xiǎoshíhou de zhàopiàn.
  这是我小时候的照片。
  This is I little-time -de- photo.
  This is (a) photo of me (at the) time (when I was) little.
• Nǐ xiǎoshíhou de mèngxiǎng shì shénme?
  你小时候的梦想是什么？
  What is your childhood dream?
  You little-time -de- dream is what?

9.

安排 ānpái

v. ▸ to arrange; to plan

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Jīnglǐ gěi wǒ ānpái le xīn de gōngzuò rènwù.
  经理给我安排了新的工作任务。
  Manager for me arrange -le new work task.
  (The) manager (has) arranged (a) new work task for me.
• Lǚyóu de xíngchéng yǐjīng ānpái hǎo le.
  旅游的行程已经安排好了。
  Travel -de- itinerary already plan good -le.
  (The) travel itinerary (has) already (been) planned-well.

10.

故事 gùshi

n. ▸ story

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ zuì xǐhuan tīng guǐgùshi.
  我最喜欢听鬼故事。
  I the-most like listen ghost stories.
  I like listening to ghost stories the-most.
• Xiǎoshíhou, māma měitiān gěi wǒ jiǎng shuìqián gùshi.
  小时候，妈妈每天给我讲睡前故事。
  Little-time, mom every day for me tell sleep-time-before stories.
  (In my) childhood, (my) mom every day for me told bedtime stories.

11.

心情 xīnqíng

n. ▸ mood; temper; spirit; state of mind

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ měitiān de xīnqíng dōu hěn hǎo.
  我每天的心情都很好。
  I every day -de- mood all very good.
  My mood of every day (is) very good.
• Nǐ jīntiān kàn qǐlai xīnqíng búcuò!
  你今天看起来心情不错！
  You today look mood not-bad!
  You today looks (that your) mood (is) not-bad!

12.

付 fù

v. ▸ to pay (money)

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nín shì fù xiànjīn háishi shuākǎ?
  您是付现金还是刷卡？
  You pay cash or swipe card?
  (Do) you pay cash or swipe (your) card?
• Zhège yuè de fángzū fù le ma?
  这个月的房租付了吗？
  This “ge” month -de- rent pay -le -ma?
  (Has the) rent of this “ge” (of) month (be) paid (already)?

13.

约 yuē

v. ▸ to invite

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ kěyǐ yuē nǐ hē kāfēi ma?
  我可以约你喝咖啡吗？
  I can invite you drink coffee -ma?
  Can I invite you to drink coffee?
• Wǒ xiǎng yuē Zhāng Jiàoshòu lái zuò yì cháng yǎnjiǎng.
  我想约张教授来做一场演讲。
  I want to invite Zhang Professor to come to do one “chang” speech.
  I wan to invite Professor Zhang to come to do one “chang” (of) speech.

14.

收到 shōudào

v. phr. ▸ to obtain; to receive

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Lǐwù yǐjīng shōudào le, xièxie!
  礼物已经收到了，谢谢！
  Gift already receive-“dao” -le, thanks!
  (The) gift (has) already (been) received, thanks!
• Zhǔanzhàng nǐ shōudào le ma?
  转账你收到了吗？
  Transfer you receive-“dao” -le -ma?
  (Have) you received (the) transfer?

15.

大声 dà shēng

loud volume; loud voice

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Bùhǎoyìsi, nǐ kěyǐ shuō dà shēng yìdiǎn ma?
  不好意思，你可以说大声一点吗？
  This “ge” movie very difficult-to-watch.
  This “ge” (of) movie (is) very unentertaining-to-watch.
• Zhèlǐ shì túshūguǎn, qǐng búyào dà shēng shuōhuà.
  这里是图书馆，请不要大声说话。
  This “ge” design really difficult-to-look-at.
  This “ge” (of) design (is) really ugly.

16.

小声 xiǎo shēng

low volume; low voice

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Xiǎo shēng yìdiǎn, tāmen zài gébì kāihuì.
  小声一点，他们在隔壁开会。
  Low-volume one “dian”, they “zai” next-door have-meeting.
  “A little bit” lower-voice, they are having(-a-)meeting next-door.
• Yīnyuè kěyǐ guān xiǎo shēng yìdiǎn ma?
  音乐可以关小声一点吗？
  Music can turn-off low-volume one “dian” -ma?
  Can (the) music (be) turned-off (by) “a little bit”?

17.

城市 chéngshì

n. ▸ city

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ shì zài nǎge chéngshì chūshēng de?
  你是在哪个城市出生的？
  You -shi- “zai” which “ge” city be-born -de?
  (It) was (in) which “ge” (of) city were you born?
• Dà chéngshì de shēnghuó jiézòu hěn kuài.
  大城市的生活节奏很快。
  Big city -de- life tempo very fast.
  (The) pace of big city life (is) very fast.

18.

司机 sījī

n. ▸ driver

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Tā shì yì míng chūzūchē sījī.
  他是一名出租车司机。
  He is one “ming” taxi driver.
  He is one “ming” (of) taxi driver.
• Sījī shīfu, wǒ gǎn shíjiān, néng bu néng kāi kuài yìdiǎn?
  司机师傅，我赶时间，能不能开快一点？
  Driver master, I rush-for time, can-not-can drive fast one “dian”?
  “Master” driver, I rush-for time, can (or) not can (you) driver “a little bit” faster?

19.

上车 shàng chē

v. phr. ▸ to get onto a vehicle

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ gāng shàng chē, bàn xiǎoshí yǐhòu dào.
  我刚上车，半小时以后到。
  I just get-onto-vehicle, half “ge” hour time-after arrive.
  I just got-onto (the) vehicle, (and will) arrive (in the) time (that is) after half (an) hour.
• Shàng chē hòu qǐng jì hǎo ānquándài.
  上车后请系好安全带。
  Get-onto-vehicle time-after please tie-good safety-belt.
  (In the) time (that is) after getting-onto (the) vehicle please tie-well (the) safety-belt.

20.

下车 xià chē

v. phr. ▸ to get down from a vehicle

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒmen zài nǎge zhàn xià chē?
  我们在哪个站下车？
  We “zai” which “ge” stop get-down-from-vehicle?
  At which “ge” (of) stop (do) we get-down-from(-the-)vehicle?
• Wǒ zài qiánmiàn de lùkǒu xià chē.
  我在前面的路口下车。
  I “zai” front -de- intersection get-down-from-vehicle.
  I (will) get-down-from(-the-)vehicle at (the) intersection (at the) front.