More than a thousand years ago, the great poet Li Bai wrote one of the most famous Chinese poems — Quiet Night Thoughts. It is a poem almost every Chinese person grows up knowing, passed down through generations.
Continue reading “Why 李白 uses 举头 but not 抬头”Author: Decode Mandarin Chinese
Why The Art of War Is the Best Book to Learn Antonyms?
Most people read The Art of War by Sun Tzu as a military book about strategy.
Continue reading “Why The Art of War Is the Best Book to Learn Antonyms?”A Highly Misused Chinese Idiom: 万人空巷
There is one Chinese idiom that many learners completely misunderstand. Even some native speakers occasionally get it wrong when they take it too literally.
Continue reading “A Highly Misused Chinese Idiom: 万人空巷”Understanding the Chinese Character ‘年’: Origins and Evolution
The Chinese character “年” (Nián) is one of the most culturally significant and multifaceted characters in the Chinese language. Its origins trace back to ancient agricultural practices, where it symbolized the harvest and the cyclical nature of time.
Continue reading “Understanding the Chinese Character ‘年’: Origins and Evolution”尧 high
尧 is derived from 堯, in which 垚 (yáo) is soil or a high mountain, and 兀 (wù) is a person in kneeling pose, so “尧” means high. 尧 is compound ideograph. Continue reading “尧 high”
