Lesson 7
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  • Pinyin
    Chinese Romanisation
    English
    Notes


    • new word
    shénme什么what



    note
    In fast speech the pronunciation is often more like "shéme".











    new word
    míngzi名字name






    new word
    jiào叫call, to be called



    note
    This is the most common way of asking someone's name.







    new word
    nǐhǎo你好hello

    note
    Zhang Wei is statistically the most common name in China. It's a male name.


    note
    Nǐhǎo is a suitable greeting in the majority of scenarios, neither especially formal or informal. Beginners should generally avoid the ultra-formal "nínhǎo" (您好), which is mainly used by service staff when speaking to customers. The word "nín" is generally overtaught in Chinese teaching materials and will usually come across as uncomfortably deferential rather than polite. It's also worth mentioning that the widely taught "nǐhǎo ma?" (purportedly "how are you?") should be avoided. It's genuinely baffling as to why it continually turns up in textbooks and phrasebooks when native speakers literally never use it.



    new word
    bàba māma爸爸妈妈parents, mum and dad

    note
    A colloquial way of expressing "parents".

    new word
    xǐhuān喜欢like

    note
    Also pronounced xǐhuan (huan in neutral tone).










    zhè这this
    shì是is, am, are
    shénme什么what
    nàge那个that one, that
    shì是is, am, are
    shénme什么what
    nà那that
    shì是is, am, are
    shénme什么what
    shǒujī手机mobile phone, cellphone
    nǐ你you
    bù不no, not
    shì是is, am, are
    wǒ我I, me
    de的possessive particle
    péngyou朋友friend
    shénme什么what
    nǐ你you
    māma妈妈mother, mum, mom
    yǒu有have
    shénme什么what
    nǐ你you
    de的possessive particle
    shì是is, am, are
    shénme什么what
    nǐ你you
    shì是is, am, are
    shénme什么what
    nǐ你you
    de的possessive particle
    míngzi名字name
    shì是is, am, are
    shénme什么what
    nà那that
    bù不no, not
    shì是is, am, are
    Zhōngguórén中国人Chinese person, Chinese
    de的possessive particle
    míngzi名字name
    tā他he, him
    méi没don't have, haven't
    míngzi名字name
    nǐ你you
    jiào叫call, to be called
    shénme什么what
    nǐ你you
    jiào叫call, to be called
    shénme什么what
    míngzi名字name
    nǐ你you
    de的possessive particle
    péngyou朋友friend
    jiào叫call, to be called
    shénme什么what
    míngzi名字name
    rén人person, people, human
    dōu都all, both, each and every
    yǒu有have
    míngzi名字name
    nǐ你you
    māma妈妈mother, mum, mom
    jiào叫call, to be called
    nǐ你you
    shénme什么what
    míngzi名字name
    nǐhǎo你好hello
    wǒ我I, me
    jiào叫call, to be called
    Zhāng Wěi张伟Zhang Wei (a male name)
    nǐhǎo你好hello
    zhè这this
    shì是is, am, are
    wǒ我I, me
    de的possessive particle
    péngyou朋友friend
    tā他he, him
    de的possessive particle
    míngzi名字name
    jiào叫call, to be called
    Zhāng Wěi张伟Zhang Wei (a male name)
    nǐhǎo你好hello
    zhè这this
    shì bú shì是不是is or isn't
    nǐ你you
    de的possessive particle
    shǒujī手机mobile phone, cellphone
    wǒ我I, me
    bàba māma爸爸妈妈parents, mum and dad
    bù不no, not
    jiào叫call, to be called
    wǒ我I, me
    nàge那个that one, that
    míngzi名字name
    wǒ我I, me
    xǐhuān喜欢like
    nǐ你you
    de的possessive particle
    míngzi名字name
    wǒ我I, me
    xǐhuān喜欢like
    Běijīng北京Beijing
    wǒ我I, me
    jiārén家人family, family members
    bù不no, not
    xǐhuān喜欢like
    wǒ我I, me
    de的possessive particle
    péngyou朋友friend
    nǐ你you
    xǐhuān喜欢like
    shénme什么what
    wǒ我I, me
    bù不no, not
    xǐhuān喜欢like
    wǒ我I, me
    de的possessive particle
    míngzi名字name
    Zhāng Wěi张伟Zhang Wei (a male name)
    bù不no, not
    xǐhuān喜欢like
    zhèlǐ这里here
    ;