新年快乐！
祝大家新年快乐！万事如意！

圣诞快乐！
今天中国时间已经是12月24日了，提前祝大家圣诞快乐！

Learning Article : Learning Chinese With Stories And Idioms
Discuss the Article : Learning Chinese With Stories And Idioms<a href='/article/461/learning-chinese-with-stories-and-idioms' target='_blank'>Learning Chinese With Stories And Idioms</a>Are you struggling to read Chinese? Try practicing with these stories and idioms.

Are you struggling to read Chinese? Try practicing with these stories and idioms.

&nbsp;
How is your <a title="Learn Chinese with italki!" href="http://www.italki.com/learn-chinese/en-us" target="_blank">Chinese learning</a> now?
&nbsp;
Are you still struggling with the Pinyin, characters, grammatical structures, and conversations? Have you met your bottleneck of reading? Do you find it hard to remember the new words?
&nbsp;
My suggestion is to begin reading some interesting stories, which can give you more fun and fresh ways to learn Chinese, like additional nutrients. You can begin with familiar stories such as Snow White, which is also written in Chinese.
&nbsp;
Reading not only allows us to learn the standard written form of Chinese, but it also helps us become familiar with the various Chinese dialects. In turn, we can engage in elegant styles of conversation and also learn to write appropriately, so that we become well-educated individuals.
&nbsp;
Chinese has long history full of various expressions, including idioms and two-part allegorical sayings. You should learn some daily conversations and business Chinese to survive. At the same time, don't miss the chance to sample the beauty and the wisdom contained within classical Chinese literature.
&nbsp;
If you can recognize many Chinese characters and master Chinese grammar, you will be able to read a wide range of texts, including poems, essays, Odes to nature, histories, and so on. Maybe even the Four Great Classical Novels.
&nbsp;
Here, I want to recommend some cute articles selected from a Chinese primary-school textbook, which can be easily understood by beginners.
&nbsp;
Let's have a look at this story marked with Pinyin. Even if you are a beginner, I hope you can easily understand it and master the spirit.
&nbsp;
<blockquote>
ch&aacute;n
蝉
ch&aacute;n y&igrave; tiān d&agrave;o wǎn pā z&agrave;i sh&ugrave; zhī sh&agrave;ng ji&agrave;o
蝉一天到晚趴在树枝上叫，
tā de ji&agrave;o shēng hěn dān di&agrave;o
它的叫声很单调。
jǐ w&egrave;i yǒu m&iacute;ng de gē ch&agrave;ng jiā xiǎng jiāo gěi tā y&igrave; xiē běn lǐng
几位有名的歌唱家想教给它一些本领。
hu&aacute;ng yīng fēi l&aacute;i le wǒ jiāo nǐ fā yīn ba
黄莺飞来了：&ldquo;我教你发音吧！&rdquo;
ch&aacute;n b&ugrave; yǐ w&eacute;i r&aacute;n de shuō zhī liǎo zhī liǎo
蝉不以为然地说：&ldquo;知了，知了！&rdquo;
hu&agrave; m&eacute;i fēi l&aacute;i le wǒ jiāo nǐ sh&iacute; pǔ ba
画眉飞来了：&ldquo;我教你识谱吧！&rdquo;
ch&aacute;n y&igrave; y&aacute;o t&oacute;u shuō zhī liǎo zhī liǎo
蝉一摇头说：&ldquo;知了，知了！&rdquo;
y&uacute;nqu&egrave; fēi l&aacute;i le wǒ jiāo nǐ ch&agrave;ng gē ba
云雀飞来了：&ldquo;我教你唱歌吧！&rdquo;
ch&aacute;n hěn b&uacute; n&agrave;i f&aacute;n de shuō zhī liǎo zhī liǎo
蝉很不耐烦地说：&ldquo; 知了，知了！&rdquo;
ji&eacute; guǒ ch&aacute;n yǒng yuǎn zhǐ hu&igrave; zhī liǎo zhī liǎo de ji&agrave;o 。
结果，蝉永远只会&ldquo; 知了，知了&rdquo; &nbsp;地 叫。
</blockquote>
&nbsp;
<h3>Explanation</h3>
&nbsp;
(This is an interesting story from a primary-school grade one textbook.)
The cicada lies on the tree, singing day and night,
&nbsp;
He can only sing monotonous song &ldquo;zhī liǎo, zhī liǎo.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
Several famous singers wanted to teach him singing skills.
&nbsp;
Oriole wants to teach him pronunciation.
&nbsp;
Thrush wants to teach him to read the music score.
&nbsp;
Lark wants to teach him to sing.
&nbsp;
But the cicada is too proud to learn from the three famous singers, so in the end, he can only sing the monotonous song, &ldquo;zhī liǎo, zhī liǎo.&rdquo;
&nbsp;
(This story taught us to be modest.)
&nbsp;
<h2>Supplementary instruction</h2>
&nbsp;
Confucius once said:
&nbsp;
<blockquote>
sān r&eacute;n x&iacute;ng b&igrave; yǒu wǒ shī
&ldquo;三人行，必有我师。&rdquo;
</blockquote>
&nbsp;
That means: Among any three people walking, I will find something to learn for sure. This statement shows that Confucius was modest and eager to learn. From the simple story about the cicada, we can also appreciate this profound truth.
&nbsp;
<h2>Chinese idiom you should know from this text</h2>
&nbsp;
<blockquote>
【不以为然】b&ugrave; yǐ w&eacute;i r&aacute;n (It means: not to regard it as right)
</blockquote>
&nbsp;
For example:
&nbsp;
<blockquote>
wǒ qu&agrave;n tā ji&egrave; yān tā b&ugrave; yǐ w&eacute;i r&aacute;n
我劝他戒烟，他不以为然。
(I persuade him to give up smoking, he is not to regard it as right.)
</blockquote>
&nbsp;
<h2>Additional information on tone change (一) 和 (不) yi and bu</h2>
&nbsp;
1. When yi and bu meet the fourth tone, it turns to the second tone.
&nbsp;
For example: [b&uacute; n&agrave;i f&aacute;n] &nbsp;[y&iacute; y&agrave;ng]
&nbsp;
2. When yi and bu meet tone 1,2,3, it turns to the fourth tone.
&nbsp;
For example: [b&ugrave; yǐ w&eacute;i r&aacute;n] [y&igrave; xiē]
&nbsp;
You can read this story aloud, and then try to retell the story in your own words. This way, you can practice your speaking ability. Additionally, you can tell me your opinion about this story in Chinese.
&nbsp;

&nbsp;
In my lesson, I will use more Chinese to talk with my students.
&nbsp;
It can improve your reading speed. It is also helpful for your listening ability.
&nbsp;
By reading these stories, you can remember the words naturally and understand the difficult idioms easily.
&nbsp;
A lot of interesting stories like these are waiting for you to read, are you ready?
&nbsp;
I'd like to take this opportunity to say a few words about Chinese characters. Pinyin is the crutch to help you enter the fantastic Chinese world, but only learning Pinyin is not enough. Please try your best to master some characters if you are determined to learn Chinese well. It will be useful for reading and writing.
&nbsp;
In my lesson, I wish to lead you to read step by step.
&nbsp;
Please remember these four words while you meet the bottleneck: Success relies on perseverance!
&nbsp;
gu&igrave; z&agrave;i jiān ch&iacute;
贵在坚持
&nbsp;
Finally, let's enjoy this poem named Four Seasons.
&nbsp;
<blockquote>
s&igrave; j&igrave; gē
四季歌
chūn tiān huā er xi&agrave;o
春天花儿笑
xi&agrave; tiān ch&aacute;n er ji&agrave;o
夏天蝉儿叫
qiū tiān fēng y&egrave; h&oacute;ng
秋天枫叶红
dōng tiān xuě huā piāo
冬天雪花飘
</blockquote>
&nbsp;
<h2>Image Sources</h2>
&nbsp;
<ol>
<li><a title="" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kouchi/1002634824/" target="_blank">Hero image</a> by <a title="Ernie on Flickr" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kouchi/" target="_blank">Ernie</a> (<a title="Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank">CC BY 2.0</a>)</li>
</ol>
<img src="https://01d04dc66b4e3a4c4c93-ed7165fd755afd5811f5d7ebed3ff477.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/default1604_0.jpg" alt="" />

Learning Chinese With Stories And Idioms

你读过【清明】这首唐诗吗？
清明时节雨纷纷，路上行人欲断魂，借问酒家何处有，牧童遥指杏花村。 --唐 &nbsp;杜牧

What if you could learn Chinese the way Chinese children do?  Childrens' songs and poetry are a traditional and very useful part of learning Mandarin.  Here are three lovely examples to get you started...

&nbsp;
I&rsquo;m very glad to see that so many students from all over the world are learning Mandarin Chinese these days. Learning a new language requires making a conscious effort to focus on the language form, and to master pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar.
&nbsp;
A native speaker, on the other hand, masters his or her mother language mainly by immersion and acquisition, so the focus on the function and meaning of the language. In this way, language is naturally acquired. This is the difference between language learning and natural language acquisition.
&nbsp;
As a Mandarin teacher, I always try to make my lessons more fun and inviting. Beyond all doubt, learning a new language takes a lot of time and effort, but we can still find elegantly simple and interesting ways to gain mastery.
&nbsp;
<h2>儿歌 Childrens' Songs</h2>
When you begin to learn a new language, try to forget that you are an adult. Keep your childlike openness and sing some childrens&rsquo; songs. In Mandarin, there are many such songs and rhymes to teach children; we call them 儿歌 (&eacute;rgē).
&nbsp;
When you begin to learn Pinyin, 儿歌 can help you get the feel of the 4 tones; after you mastered some words and expressions from your textbook, practicing 儿歌 will be a good complement to your textbook. For example, after you have learned some practical topics, such as shopping, asking directions, buying a gift, the weather and 5 senses, business words, etc. you can also taste the beauty of Chinese literature through 儿歌.
&nbsp;
Perhaps some of you will laugh, because after all, &ldquo;I am an adult now!&rdquo; But, it&rsquo;s not just fun and games. In fact, you can also learn many useful grammar patters through 儿歌.
For example:
&nbsp;
儿歌 (1): 下雨啦&nbsp;Xi&agrave;yǔ Lā
&nbsp;&nbsp;
<img src="https://01d04dc66b4e3a4c4c93-ed7165fd755afd5811f5d7ebed3ff477.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/default418_0.jpg" alt="" width="571" height="428" />
By&nbsp;<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Rain#mediaviewer/File:Rain_on_grass2.jpg" target="_blank">Adrian.benko</a>&nbsp;(<a href="creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/" target="_blank">CC BA-SA 3.0</a>)&nbsp;
 dīda ，dīda 滴答， 滴答, xi&agrave;yǔ la xi&agrave;yǔ la 下 雨 啦 下雨 啦, liǔ sh&ugrave; shuō ：xi&agrave;ba 、xi&agrave;ba 、wǒ y&agrave;o fāy&aacute; 柳 树 说 ：下吧、 下吧、 我 要 发芽, t&aacute;o sh&ugrave; shuō ：xi&agrave;ba 、xi&agrave;ba 、wǒ y&agrave;o kāihuā 桃 树 说 ： 下吧、 下吧、 我 要 开 花。
&nbsp;
It means:
&nbsp;
Drip drop, drip drop, It&rsquo;s raining, it&rsquo;s raining, Willow says: come down, come down, I want to germinate, Peach(tree) says: come down, come down, I want to blossom.
&nbsp;
1) First, please pay attention to the rhyming at the end of each sentence; the final sound is the same (a), so you can feel a sort of harmony when you read it.
 2) When you read this rhyme, can you image the beautiful scenery in spring? The rain in spring is full of vitality, bringing us hope.
 3) You may doubted that willow and peach tree are plants, they can not speak like a human being. This is a literary device called personification. Pragmatics is the study of how context influences meaning.
So you see, from a simple 儿歌, we can learn about many literary&nbsp;topics.
&nbsp;
儿歌（2）Xiǎoxiǎo de Chu&aacute;n&nbsp;小 小 的 船
&nbsp;&nbsp;
<img src="https://01d04dc66b4e3a4c4c93-ed7165fd755afd5811f5d7ebed3ff477.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/default417_0.jpg" alt="" />
&nbsp;By<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Moon#mediaviewer/File:Earthshine_Karonen.jpg" target="_blank"> Ilmari Karonen</a>&nbsp;via&nbsp;<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Earthshine_Karonen.jpg" target="_blank">Wikimedia Commons</a>
&nbsp;
Wānwān de yu&egrave;r xiǎoxiǎo de chu&aacute;n 弯 弯 的 月儿 小 小 的 船， Xiǎo xiǎo de chu&aacute;nr liǎng t&oacute;u jiān 小 小 的 船儿 两 头 尖， Wǒ z&agrave;i xiǎoxiǎo de chu&aacute;nlǐ zu&ograve; 我 在 小 小 的 船 里 坐， Zhī k&agrave;nji&agrave;n ，shǎnshǎn de xīngxing l&aacute;nl&aacute;n de tiān 只 看 见， 闪 闪 的 星 星 蓝蓝 的 天。
&nbsp;
It means:
&nbsp;
The curved moon looks like a small boat, The small boat has two sharp ends, I sit in the small boat, All I see: shining stars in the blue sky.
 In this 儿歌，the famous writer 叶圣陶 used metaphor（比喻）and catchword repetition (顶真). 1) Metaphor : The moon is likened to a boat. 2) Catchword repetition: [小小的船] is the end of the first sentence, and as the beginning of the next sentence too.
&nbsp;
<h2>唐诗 Tang Poetry</h2>
唐诗 (t&aacute;ngshī) poetry of Tang Dynasty is also a good choice to help you know more about Chinese ancient culture. Nearly every Chinese child recites at least some poems from Tang Dynasty in school.
&nbsp;
For example:
&nbsp;
Yǒng &Eacute;【咏鹅】&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<img src="https://01d04dc66b4e3a4c4c93-ed7165fd755afd5811f5d7ebed3ff477.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/default416_0.jpg" alt="" />
By <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Goose#mediaviewer/File:Goose,_Snow_Luray_VA.jpg" target="_blank">DickDaniels</a>&nbsp;(<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/" target="_blank">CC BA-SA 3.0</a>)&nbsp;
 【咏鹅】was written by a famous poet named Lu&ograve; Bīnw&aacute;ng. When he was just 7 years old, he had already written such vivid poetry as this:
&Eacute; &eacute; &eacute; 鹅 鹅 鹅 Qū xi&agrave;ng xi&agrave;ng tiān gē 曲 项 向 天 歌
 B&aacute;im&aacute;o f&uacute; lǜshuǐ 白毛 浮 绿水 H&oacute;ngzhǎng bō qīng bō 红 掌 拨 清 波
&nbsp;
It means:
&nbsp;
The geese, Skyward sing through curved necks, White plumage floating in green water, Red paddles stirring up clear ripples.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Just imagine that when you see a goose, you recite this beautiful poetry. What a wonderful thing it is! Through these 儿歌 and 唐诗，you can easily obtain a language-learning environment similar to that of Chinese children.
&nbsp;
In fact, I have taught some of my students using this kind of material, and I&rsquo;m very glad to see they love to read and recite 儿歌 and 唐诗.
&nbsp;
I should advise when you begin to learn Chinese: don&rsquo;t be nervous, and please speak Chinese slowly at first. You should first become accustomed to the 4 tones, the neutral tone, and rules of changing tones, and then you can speak Chinese fluently in the future.&nbsp;When you read a poetry of Tang Dynasty, you&rsquo;d better pay attention to the rising and falling cadence.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
儿歌 and 唐诗 are a language treasure house just waiting for you to explore! Today is the day to take action!
&nbsp;
Hero Image (Snow Goose) by&nbsp;<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Goose#mediaviewer/File:Goose,_Snow_Luray_VA.jpg" target="_blank">DickDaniels</a>&nbsp;(<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/" target="_blank">CC BA-SA 3.0</a>)&nbsp;

Learn Chinese The Chinese Way: Tang Poetry 唐诗 And Children's Songs 儿歌

Learning Article : Learn Chinese The Chinese Way: Tang Poetry 唐诗 And Children's Songs 儿歌
Discuss the Article : Learn Chinese The Chinese Way: Tang Poetry 唐诗 And Children's Songs 儿歌<a href='/article/255/learn-chinese-the-chinese-way-tang-poetry-and-childrens-songs-' target='_blank'>Learn Chinese The Chinese Way: Tang Poetry 唐诗 And Children's Songs 儿歌</a>What if you could learn Chinese the way Chinese children do? Childrens' songs and poetry are a traditional and very useful part of learning Mandarin. Here are three lovely examples to get you started...