Magic Mandarin: Recent Episodes
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Today’s word of the day is: máo dùn 矛盾 conflict, contradiction, paradox 矛 [máo]：spear 盾 [dùn]：shield [n. adj.]: ‘矛盾’ originated from an ancient Chinese folklore that someone turned his weapons against himself. Examples: Xúzŏng shuōhuà chángcháng zìxiāng máodùn. 徐總說話常常自相矛盾。 President Xu often contradicts himself. Zài xiăngshòu mĕiwèi hé băochí shēncái … Continue reading Everyday Chinese: 矛盾
Today’s word of the day is: kào pŭr 靠譜兒 make sense, can be trusted 靠 [kào]：depend on, accord with 譜 [pŭ]：score [adj.]: We say someone is ‘靠譜兒’ to imply that this person makes sense and can be trusted. Examples: Tā zhèige rén shuōhuà bànshìr bù kàopŭr, nĭ kĕbié wăng xīnli qù. … Continue reading Everyday Chinese: 靠譜兒
Today’s word of the day is: diăn xin 點心 pastry, dessert 點 [diăn]：point 心 [xīn]：heart [n.]: ‘點心’ or ‘糕點’ in Northern China are often sweet, dainty pastry or desserts while those in the South (esp. Guangdong and Hong Kong areas) refer to savory steamed dumplings and rolls. 點心 in the North 點心 … Continue reading Everyday Chinese: 點心
Today’s word of the day is: tòng kuai 痛快 delighted, to one’s heart’s content, happily 痛 [tòng]：pain 快 [kuài]：joy [adj. adv.]: We say ‘痛快’ to describe the sensation that’s both exhilarating and exhausting. If it’s used as an adverb, it means ‘happily’ or ‘candidly’. Examples: Zuótiān wŏmen wánr de tèbié tòngkuai. … Continue reading Everyday Chinese: 痛快
Today’s word of the day is: dà shŏu dà jiăo 大手大腳 imprudent, extravagant 大手 [dà shŏu]：big hand 大腳 [dà jiăo]：big foot [adj. adv. neg]: We say ‘someone is 大手大腳’ to imply that s/he squanders money, or manages wealth recklessly. Examples: Wŏde nüpéngyou huāqián zŏngshì dàshŏu dàjiăo, hái xián wŏ qióng. Gāibùgāi … Continue reading Everyday Chinese: 大手大腳
Today’s word of the day is: jiáo qing 矯情 unreasonable, argumentative 矯 [jiáo]：pretend, rectify 情 [qíng]：reason, feeling [adj.]: We say ‘someone is 矯情’ to imply that s/he is unreasonable and tends to argue about petty things. Examples: Tā zhèige rén năr dōu hăo, jiùshì tài jiáoqing. 她這個人哪兒都好，就是太矯情。 She’s a good person, … Continue reading Everyday Chinese: 矯情
Today’s word of the day is: lăo sī jī 老司機 insider 老 [lăo]：old 司機 [sījī]：driver [noun]: We say ‘someone is a 老司機’ to imply that s/he knows something extremely well. Examples: Tīng tā shuōhuà jiù zhīdào, tā shì yīge lăo sījī. 聽他說話就知道，他是一個老司機。 Based on what he said, I can tell that … Continue reading Everyday Chinese: 老司機
Today’s word of the day is: dà mă pā 大馬趴 face plant 趴 [pā]：lie on one’s stomach 馬趴 [măpā]：a fall that lands flat on one’s face [noun]: This expression actually has nothing to do with a horse lying on his stomach. Examples: Tā yì chūmén, jiù shuāile ge dà măpā. 他一出門，就摔了個大馬趴。 … Continue reading Everyday Chinese: 大馬趴