Will You Marry Me When My Hair Covers My Waist

Do you know the meaning of “发hair” in Chinese culture? Let’s first look at one of the top 10 most popular Chinese words before we reveal the answer.

dàiwǒ chánɡfā jíyāo ,shàonián qǔwǒ kéhǎo?

待我 长发 及腰，少年 娶我  可好?

Will You Marry Me When My Hair Covers My Waist?

This sentence came from a girl’s blog post attached with two photos and soon became popular. The first photo is of a handsome young guy and a beautiful girl who fell in love with each other at a young age. The second picture is taken at the graduate ceremony, when they are both grown-ups. Then why did she wrote “Why would you marry somebody when her hair reaches her waist?” Why does “hair” has anything to do with one’s marriage?

In China, the tradition of having long hair has continued for thousands of years, as it is believed that what we have all come from our parents and we should cherish them thus cutting hair is believed as a un-filial behavior. No matter how hairstyle changed, both women and men wearing long hair is a tradition kept until 19^th century. Up to now, having long, dark and straight hair is still a feature of classical beautiful girls.

Meaning of 发

There are two ways to explain the word “发”: The first is to take it as a verb in phrases such as “发送 (fā sònɡ) – to send”, “发现 (fā xiàn) – to discover. The second way to use the word is to take it as a noun in phrases such as “头发 (tóu fà) - hair”, “长发 (chánɡ fā) – long hair”, “理发 (lǐ fà) – to have a hair cut”, etc.

Note that when it is used as a noun, “发” is often used in poems as a symbol of gloomy mood.

E.g.

báifà sānqiān zhànɡ, yuán chóu sì ɡè chánɡ.

白发三千丈，缘愁似个长。

My gray hair is three thousand feet long, and my sorrow is just as long as that.

jūn bú jiàn ɡāo tánɡ mínɡ jìnɡ bēi bái fà, zhāo rú qīnɡ sī mù chénɡ xuě.

君不见, 高堂明镜悲白发, 朝如青丝暮成雪。

You didn’t see that the person who sat in the church was lamenting his gray hair, which was black in the morning but turned gray because of sorrow in the night.

The above are two lines of Chinese poems for you to appreciate. It’s Ok if you can’t understand.

Must-known Tips Coming to China

Today, there is an increasing number of people who are interested in learning Chinese. And more and more people consider coming to China, for travel or for business. But, don’t forget these things before you set off!

First, when you come to China, there is a whole new world to explore. Shopping, food, sight-seeing, all these are very exciting. But, have you ever considered the language barrier? As most Chinese people speak Chinese – mandarin (standard Chinese) to be exact, it is necessary for you to pick up the Chinese language, such as asking directions, taking taxis, asking for help, etc.

Language Barrier

Chinese learning is never easy work, and speaking it fluently like a native is obviously not realistic. But, it will be very handy and useful to pick up simple words and phrases for daily use. You can memorize some commonly-used Chinese sentence structures first and then fill in the structure with the words you learn on the go! Another way to master the Chinese language is to enroll in online mandarin classes before you go – iChineseLearning does a decent job in teaching mandarin Chinese online. 

Second, Chinese culture. The last thing you want to do when you go to a new country is be rude and offend the locals by doing something totally unacceptable. This may require you to invest some time to learn. As a famous saying goes, when in Rome, do as Romans do. If you are in China, we might say: do as Chinese people do. These top 8 Chinese cultural taboos may be useful for you to know what can and can’t be done in China.

                     Crowed Great Wall of China During National Holiday

Another important thing to consider while traveling is the time. China is a very populated country, with 1.3 billion people. Almost every tourism destination is flooded with people during Chinese holidays. In China, there is a very satire translation of the idiom 人山人海 – “People mountain, people sea.” The translation may be incorrect, but it is correct enough to tell you that it is bad idea to travel to China during Chinese holidays. The main Chinese holidays include Chinese New Year Holiday ( 12.29 – 1. 15 Lunar year), May Day Holiday (5.1 – 5.3), QingMing Festival (4.4 - 4.6), National Day (10.1 – 10.7). It is highly recommended that you avoid the above time periods if you decide to come to China for travelling. 

Chinese Number - Meanings

The meanings of the following numbers are much related to their pronunciation in mandarin Chinese. You can listen to them in the pinyin chart with audios.

520

wǒ ài nǐ.

我爱你.

I love you.

527

wǒ ài qī.

我爱妻.

I love (my) wife.

1314

yì shēnɡ yí shì

一生一世

for a lifetime, forever

88

bái bái.

拜拜

Bye bye.

555

wū wū wū

呜呜呜

wuwuwu, (like a girl weeping)

7456

qì sǐ wǒ le.

气死我了.

I am so pissed off.

Also learn Chinese pronunciation through 1-on-1 Chinese tutoring.

To Marry Somebody in Chinese

In Chinese, there is a saying “男婚女嫁 nán hūn nǚ jià”, literally “a man and a woman getting married”. Marriage is a big event in everyone’s life. Today, we will learn how to say “to marry your Mr or Miss Right” in mandarin Chinese.

In English, when we want to say “somebody is getting married with another person”, we simply use one word “to marry” despite the gender. E.g. Lily is to marry Jack. Jack is to marry Lily. In Chinese, however, we use different words “to marry a man” and “to marry a woman”.

To marry a man, we use “嫁jià”. To marry a woman, we use “娶qǔ”. Both of these two characters mean “to marry” in Chinese.

Usage of 嫁

We usually put “给ɡěi” after “嫁jià” in order to say “to marry a man”. “给” literally means “to give” in Chinese, but here “给” doesn’t carry a specific meaning. We can simply imagine that “to marry a man” is like “giving a gift to him”, isn’t it?

E.g.

wǒ yào jiàɡěi jiékè.

我 要 嫁给 杰克。

I want to marry Jack.

Having said that, when the person you want to marry doesn’t refer to a specific person, there is no need to add “给”.

E.g.

tā yào jià rén le.

她 要 嫁 人 了。

She is getting married.

Usage of 娶

The sentence pattern “to marry a woman” is” “S + 娶 + O”.

E.g.

tā yào qǔ nàɡè nǚhái’ér

他 要 娶 那个 女孩儿。

He wants to marry that girl.

However, to express “a man is getting married“, you can’t say “他要娶人了 tā yào qǔ rén le”, which sounds a little weird in Chinese. Instead, we can say “他要结婚了tā yào jiéhūn le”, meaning “He is getting married.” 

A Chinese Poem about Mother’s Day 母亲节

May 10^th. Wish all mothers in the world a Happy Mother’s Day. In Chinese, Mother’s Day is called “母亲节(mǔqīnjié)”. “Happy” is called “快乐(kuàilè)” in Chinese. So, the whole phrase goes:

mǔqīnjié kuàilè

母亲节 快乐

Happy Mother’s Day

Mother’s love is the greatest and most unselfish one in the world. Let’s learn a Chinese poem that songs the greatness of Mother’s love.

《游子吟》 - “A Travel’s Song” was written by a famous poet 孟郊 Meng Jiao in China’s Tang Dynasty. The poem is based on a circumstance when Meng Jiao is about to leave home, while his mom is sewing the clothes for him to wear.

《游子吟》A Travel’s Song

孟郊 Meng Jiao

慈母 手中 线，游子 身上 衣。

A thread is in my fond mother’s hand moving,

For her son to wear the clothes are leaving.

临行 密密 缝，意恐 迟迟 归。

With her whole heart she’s sewing and sewing,

For fear I’ll ever be roving and roving.

谁言 寸草 心，报得 三春 晖。

Who says the little soul of grass waving,

Cloud for the warmth repay the sum of spring.

Due to the fact that most Chinese poems are written in classical Chinese or “ancient Chinese” known as “文言文（wén yán wén）”, there is no need to explore to the deeper meaning of each line. Sometimes it is even hard for a native Chinese to know classical Chinese. Getting the general idea of the poem is already enough.

How to Say Chinese Festivals

China is famous for its rich cultures, in which festivals are a big part.How many festivals in China do you know? And do you know how to say them in mandarin Chinese?

Soon after the western Christmas Day, when you can hear so much saying about merry Christmas in Chinese, comes the Chinese Spring Festival - 春节(chun1 jie2). In ancient time, a monster called “Nian” would hurt people once a year on the New Year eve. But the demon was afraid of loud noises, red color and flames. So they lightened firecrackers, put on red couplets (对联) on their gates, beat gongs and drums to drive “Nian” away. Since then, the custom and tradition of celebrating the Spring Festival were born. From December 23^rd in the Chinese calendar, people begin to clean their house to say goodbye to the old year. On the eve of the Spring Festival, Chinese families get together to enjoy delicious food take part in different New Year activities.

                                                  Chinese Paper Cutting - Spring Festival

清明节(qing1 ming2 jie2) known as “Tomb-sweeping Day” is another big festival in China. “Qing Ming” literally means “clear brightness” in Chinese. Tomb-sweeping Day is a time to remember the dead and the dearly departed. More important, it is a period to honor and pay respect to one’s seceased ancestors and family members. It falls in the early spring.

Besides, there are also well-know festivals in China, such as 七夕（Qi Xi Festival) known as China’s Valentine’s Day, 重阳节（Chong2 yang2 jie2）- the Double Ninth festival, etc. What else festivals do you know in China?

Every nation has its own culture. On the soil of culture, there grows its traditional festival. As we learn Chinese it is as well important for us to learn about Chinese festivals, which will help us better understand Chinese culture and the Chinese language. 

Chinese Wedding You Need to Know

Have you ever been invited to a Chinese wedding ceremony? What’s it like? Today, we will give you a brief introduction to Chinese wedding ceremony.

When would a ceremony be held? Chinese people are quite picky with the procedure of a wedding ceremony especially with the date of the ceremony. According to Chinese lunar calendar, some days are meant for holding happy ceremony like wedding, moving to a new house, etc. But some days are considered unlucky and some activities should not be performed. “So, when is a ‘lucky’ day?” you might ask. Well, I should say the tradition varies from place to place, but generally public holidays, special days are considered lucky by most people such as the National Day, New Year, May Day Holiday, etc. And as the western Christmas is approaching near, some people choose to hold their wedding on Christmas. Isn’t it a happy thing to receive both Christmas greetings in Chinese and wedding wishes from friends and families?

What is a Chinese wedding ceremony like? Coincidentally, I was quite busy attending friends’ weddings these days. And I have come up with 3 keywords that may help you better understand Chinese way of romance. 

First, happiness. Happiness comes from everyone’s smile. Chinese people especially care about the atmosphere of a happy event such as a wedding ceremony. So, on this day, they will not mention unhappy things and will give whatever the kids like in case they cry. 

Second, difficult. This word is to describe the process of the bridegroom getting into the bride’s room. In a traditional Chinese wedding, relatives and friends of bride’s side will “make trouble” to prevent the couple from meeting each other. And they won’t let go until they receive the红包 (hong2bao1) – (learn pinyin with audio chart), which is a red envelope with money in it. 红包 is also the third keyword we will mention today. In a Chinese wedding ceremony, you can see 红包 almost everywhere. The relatives of bridegroom have to give 红包 to the people inside the door to meet his wife-to-be; guests invited to a wedding need to give 红包 as gifts, and parents of both sides should give their daughter-in-law and son-in-law 红包 when they call their mother-in-law and father –in-law Mom and Dad.

What’s the wedding ceremony like in your country? As a saying goes “When in Rome, do as Romans do.” When you attend a Chinese wedding, be careful with the 3 keywords, especially the 红包！

American Festivals in Chinese

Nowadays, the celebration of western and American festivals is not limited within the western countries and North America, but becoming more and more popular all across the world including China. Take the Christmas Day (sheng4 dan4 jie2) for an instance. Christmas is more popular in China than other western countries. You can learn in details how to say happy Christmas in Chinese on the website of ichineselearning, an online mandarin school for you to learn skype Chinese.

Today, we will make a summary of the main western festivals besides Christmas that are also being celebrated in nowadays China, and learn how to say these festivals in mandarin Chinese.

1. Valentine’s Festival on February 14^th, is called 情人节(qing2 ren2 jie2) in Chinese. 情人 in Chinese means “the lover”. As its name can tell, it is a festival that belongs to those that are in love. However, there is another day that is regarded as the Chinese Valentine’s Day or the “Qixi Festival”, which falls on the July 7^th in Chinese lunar calendar.

2. April Fool’s Day which is on April 1^st is called 愚人节(yu2 ren2 jie2) in Chinese. Even though some people in China would play tricks on others to celebrate it, it is not as crazy as it is in western countries. Most people would live this day as a normal one.

3. Halloween is called 万圣节 in Chinese. China has a long history with ghosts. Although most Halloween products are made in China, Chinese themselves don’t celebrate it widely as those in America. The idea of having a costume party is being imported to the larger towns and cities by Western influence, and so far it’s almost exclusively an "adult" thing.

4. Thanksgiving Day is called 感恩节(gan3 en1 jie2) in Chinese. In China, there is not a festival like it, but learning about this festival reminds us to cherish those who are around you and what you've got.

Festivals tell a lot about a country’s culture, history and customs. They can also help us better learn its language. So, if you are learning mandarin Chinese, you are also recommended to learn about the traditional Chinese festivals.

Christmas in China

Christmas is the biggest holiday festival in the United States and Western countries. You are quite familiar with the Christmas, but what’s the Christmas in China like? Do Chinese people celebrate Christmas the same way? In today’s Chinese tuition, we will take a look at what Chinese people do on Christmas. If you walked around a major Chinese city 20 years ago, you probably wouldn't have seen many signs of Christmas. However, if you visit those same Chinese cities today, you'd see signs of Christmas everywhere you go!

But since Christmas is not a holiday in mainland China, most Chinese people will be working as usual on Christmas Day. But more and more people, especially the young group are being part of the festival. Every year around this time, we can hear Christmas songs playing on the streets and in the shopping malls and stores, Christmas decorations can be seen very early before Dec. 25^th. Like in the west and America, many people in China see this day as a time to exchange gifts and wishes. Check out how to say Merry Christmas in Chinese. Even though the number of people starting to celebrate Christmas is increasing each year, most of them do not know the origin or the meaning of Christmas. They may simply regard this as a holiday of Santa Claus, an old man who would ride on a sleigh, bringing lots of gifts.

It seems Christmas is more popular and exciting among young people. In big cities of China, besides giving gifts and going to parties, they would go on a parade on the Christmas Eve, and would not go home until very late, to welcome the coming Christmas Day.

What’s Christmas like in your country? In today’s mandarin tutorial, we will learn a Chinese idiom called 入乡随俗 "Ru Xiang Sui Su", which literally means "when entering a local place, follow the rules". It is similar to "When in Rome, do as the Romans do". If you are in China this Christmas, then just follow the “rules” and the Chinese way of celebration!

Merry Christmas Songs in Chinese

Most of us may have listened to one of the best-known Christmas songs like Jingle Bells, We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Both of the songs have been popular every year around the Christmas time. Many Chinese learners want to learn mandarin Christmas songs so that they can learn pinyin while listening to the beautiful melodies. Indeed, the most common question we have received is “Can you provide the Christmas song lyrics in pinyin?” So, we have created the Christmas songs in Chinese characters and pinyin. Those who are a fan of Chinese language and Christmas melody can take this as a good taste.

In the previous post, we learned about the history and the author of the song “Jingle Bells.” Today, we will take a look at another popular Christmas song, widely enjoyed by people in China - "We Wish You a Merry Christmas".

The Christmas song can trace its history back to England in the 16^th century, when it enjoyed a high popularity during Christmas time. We know the lyrics of this song include “Oh, bring us a figgy pudding and bring it fight here.” So, why is the figgy pudding appear in the lyrics and not other things? It is said that in the English tradition, wealthy people of the country used to give Christmas treats the poor on Christmas Eve, such as figgy puddings that were very much like modern-day Christmas puddings. Since this, the figgy budding is reflected by the author and composer of the “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” song.

Over the years, however, the fashion for figgy puddings mentioned in “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” has faded. And people nowadays don’t even think about the delicious figgy pudding on Christmas seasons. But it didn’t stop people from loving this song. Have you ever listened to the song in Chinese version, which is also a good resource to learn basic Chinese with pinyin pronunciation? Give it a hum!

How much do you know about Jingle Bells?

Christmas day is just around the corner! Every year around this time, people from all over the world immerse in the joy and happiness of Christmas holiday. There are many symbols of this festival, the Christmas gifts, the Santa Claus, the Christmas trees, and of course the Christmas songs! Listen to the Chinese Christmas songs “Jingle Bells” and “Wish You a Merry Christmas” in mandarin lyrics. 

Probably the “Jingle Bells” is the most well-known and popular Christmas song all over the world. But how much do you really know about it? Today, we will take you a journey to the history of Christmas “Jingle Bells.”

Wiki says that the most well-known American song on Christmas "Jingle Bells" was written by James Lord Pierpont (1822–1893) and was published under the name "One Horse Open Sleigh" in the autumn of 1857. Despite the fact that the song is now mostly associated with the Christmas and holiday season, it was actually originally written and sung for American Thanksgiving.

It is not quite sure where and when James Lord Pierpont originally wrote the song "One Horse Open Sleigh" that would later become known as "Jingle Bells", but it is said that the song was inspired by the a small town's popular sleigh races during the 19th century.

The composer James Lord Pierpont had a rather unusual life. He was born in Medford, Massachusetts in 1822 and died in Winter Haven, Florida in 1893. He came from a strict New England Unitarian family who were against slavery. People say that he wrote a winter song for his father's Sunday school class for Thanksgiving and it proved so popular that it was sung again at Christmas time. At first, the song was called "A Merry Little Jingle", which is known nowadays as the “Jingle Bells”.

“Jingle Bells” is also a pop Christmas song in China. And the Chinese version serves a good resource to learn Chinese online. Try to follow the tune and you will improve your Chinese while having fun!

Chinese zodiac animals and their personality traits 2

In the previous post of “Chinese zodiac animals andtheir personality traits 1”, we have introduced how to predict a person’s zodiac animal and the representative personality traits and characteristics of 6 animals of dragon, pig, dog, rooster, monkey and sheep. Is your zodiac animal one of them? If not, the post is for you!

Horse Personality Traits

Like the personality of Tiger people with whom they are most compatible, people born in the year of Horse can be a jumble of contradictions. They are cool but hot-blooded, hard-nosed but humble, impatient but extraordinarily tolerant The Horse is above all defined by hard work and self-reliance.

Snake Personality Traits

Like a deep river, Snake people are usually placid on the surface, but their thoughts and emotions run very deep. Quiet and unassuming, they prefer to work by themselves and are more often in the spotlight for their real and lasting accomplishments than for outward attempts at garnering attention.

Rabbit Personality Traits

Although generally calm, gentle and loving, Rabbit people can be very ambitious and most of the time they know how to get ahead in the world. They are good listeners, kind and sweet by nature, and are therefore often sought out as popular and trusted friends. Generally noted for their physical beauty, Rabbits like to surround themselves with beautiful things. They have a good eye for art, design and fashion, and are usually at the top of anyone's Best Dressed list.

Rat Personality Traits

People born in the Year of the Rat are one of the most industrious and hardest working in the zodiac. Forever busy in pursuit of an ambitious personal goal, at times they may become difficult to work with since they are born perfectionists. They are often successful financially, and are good providers for their family and those they cherish most dearly.

Tiger Personality Traits

Tiger is one of the most dynamic signs in the Chinese zodiac. People of this zodiac sign are by turns fascinating, commanding, and exasperating. They are patient but short-tempered, calm but rebellious, petty but noble, fearsome but affectionate, free spirits but fiercely territorial.

Ox Personality Traits

People born in the Year of the Ox are the supremely self-assured, and as a result are noted for inspiring confidence in others. Generally thoughtful, they measure their words, and will speak clearly and concisely often when it matters most. But sometimes they can be bad tempered.

Now we have introduced all the 12 Chinese zodiac signs and their characteristic traits. Which one is yours? And what’s your personality? Join our Chinese lessons online and learn more about Chinese culture.

Your Personality Traits Are Determined by Your Zodiac Animal 1

In the western astrology, a horoscope is an astrological chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, astrological aspects, and sensitive angles at the time of an event, such as the moment of a person's birth. While in Chinese astrology, people uses a zodiac system based on twelve different animals which are called 十二生肖(shí èr shēnɡ xiāo). According to Chinese astrology, each zodiac animal (or Chinese horoscope) is used to symbolize the year in which a person is born. Do you know which animal is your zodiac sign? Learn to predict your Chinese zodiac animal.

The Chinese Zodiac uses the details of your birth to uncover your personality traits, best lifestyle, career direction, and degree of happiness throughout your lifetime. The year you were born can tell a great deal about your personality, likes, dislikes and even who you will be compatible with as a mate. If you have figured out your Chinese zodiac animal, now it’s time to know what kind of personality traits you have.

Dragon Personality Traits

Dragon is the most vital and powerful one of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals is born under a lucky star. People born in the year of the Dragon are expected to possess the following personality traits: energetic, excitable, short-tempered and stubborn. And because the dragon is a yang sign, so they are expected to have a lot of energy and bravery in whatever they do.

Pig Personality Traits

Another zodiac animal that Chinese people favor is Pig. Those born in the Year of the Pig can be relied upon for their loyalty and often make true friends for life. They have sweet temper and are always optimistic about the future. However, they can be easily taken advantage of by others because of their idealistic and naïve nature.

Dog Personality Traits

People born in the year of Dog are loyal, faithful, and true. They often inspire confidence in others and are always willing to help those in need. Like Pig, Dog people are those who can make best friends of.

Rooster Personality Traits

People born in the year of Rooster has the personality of being loyal and trustworthy, Rooster people are also sociable, very accomplished and usually very well-dressed.

Monkey Personality Traits

They have the character of being charming, charismatic and extremely inventive. People born in the year of the Monkey are most noted for their intelligence and clever genius in working out difficult problems for themselves and others.

Sheep Personality Traits

Sheep is the most creative sign according to the Chinese zodiac. People born in the year of the Sheep are often artistic, sensitive, sweet and charming. They have a sweet and easy temper and are easy to get along with.

Stay with us to learn about the personality traits of the other 6 Chinese zodiac animals. If you have any question, you can join our online mandarin tutor for help.