越。。。越。。。(Yuè… Yuè…)

The 越。。。越。。。structure in Chinese language is used as comparative correlatives or adverbial comparatives. What does that mean? Well, let’s look at few examples.

Comparative correlatives are sentences where the first 越 usually precedes an adjective.

越多越好

Yuè duō yuè hǎo

The more the better

苹果越大越甜

Píngguǒ yuè dàyuè tián

The bigger an apple is, the sweeter it is

Adverbial comparatives are sentences where the first 越 usually precedes a verb.

他越跑越快

Tā yuè pǎo yuè kuài

He ran faster and faster

她越唱歌，心情越好

Tā yuè chànggē xīnqíng yuè hǎo

As she was singing, her mood got better and better

My Chinese is getting better

我的中文越来越好

Wǒ de zhōngwén yuè lái yuè hǎo

My Chinese is getting better.

越来越 (yuè lái yuè ) means ‘more and more’ and is used to indicate that something is increasing or getting better. It is commonly used in the 越来越 + adjective formation. Let’s look at another example.

学中文得人越来越多

Xué zhōngwén de rén yuè lái yuè duō

More and more people are learning Chinese.

Below is another way of saying the same thing:

学中文的人渐渐多了

Xué zhōngwén de rén jiànjiàn duōle

More and more people are learning Chinese.

渐渐 (jiànjiàn) means gradually.

Now let’s say the first sentence using 渐渐 (jiànjiàn)

我的中文渐渐好了

Wǒ de zhōngwén jiànjiàn hǎole

My Chinese is getting better.

How to say Chinese leaders’ names

We all agree that Chinese words are difficult to pronounce. I had a blog post earlier which might help with pronounciation of Chinese words. We also have difficulties pronouncing Chinese names.  Not only are they hard to pronounce, but most of the time we are also unsure which one is the given name and which one is the family name. Please check my earlier blog post on Chinese names.

I found an article on the BBC website which I thought was worth sharing. It teaches us how to pronounce the names of the recently appointed new Chinese leaders. Below is an excerpt. Hope this is helpful.

Xi Jinping: SHEE jin PING (-sh as in ship, -j as in Jack, -i as in sit, -ng as in sing)

Li Keqiang: LEE kuh chee-AANG (-ee as in street, -aa as in father, -ch as in church, -ng as in sing)

Zhang Dejiang: JAANG duh jee-AANG (-j as in Jack, -aa as in father, -ng as in sing)

Zhang Gaoli: JAANG gow LEE (-j as in Jack, -aa as in father, -ng as in sing, -ow as in now)

Wang Qishan: WAANG chee SHAN (-aa as in father, -ng as in sing -ch as in church)

Liu Yunshan: LYOH yuen SHAN (-ly as in million, -oh as in no, -ue as in French vu)

Yu Zhengsheng: YUE jung SHUNG (-ue as in French vu, -j as in Jack, -u as in bun, -ng as in sing)

Qing Dynasty

In the previous post we talked about how Tang Dynasty is considered to be one of the most prosperous dynasties in the Chinese history. What about the least prosperous? Opinions will differ, but Qing Dynasty definitely gets a lot of votes. It is also the last imperial dynasty of China.

清朝 (qīng cháo): Qing dynasty

朝 (cháo): dynasty

So what was wrong with the Qing dynasty? Corruption, rebellions, natural disasters and foreign invasion are commonly cited as the reasons behind Qing dynasty’s downfall. The Opium War with the British was also fought during the Qing dynasty.

鸦片战争 (yāpiàn zhànzhēng): Opium War

鸦片 (yāpiàn): Opium

People often say that China fell behind during the Qing dynasty

在清朝中国落后了

Zài qīngcháo zhōngguó luòhòule

落后 (luòhòu): fall behind

Chinatown

I am pretty sure almost all of you have been to a Chinatown. But how many of you know how to say Chinatown in Chinese? Have you ever read the Chinese characters on the gate? I know there are some exceptions, but these are the characters you will find on Chinatown gates around the world:

唐人街 (Táng Rén Jiē)

唐 (Táng): Tang dynasty

人 (Rén): people

街 (Jiē): street

[Source: Click here]

So why is Chinatown called Táng Rén Jiē in Chinese? Well it is because Tang dynasty is considered to be the most prosperous dynasty in the Chinese history, and Chinese people take pride in being called 唐人 (Táng Rén). Hence Chinatown is called 唐人街 (Táng Rén Jiē) – street of the ‘Tang’ people.

Chang’an (now Xi’an), the capital during the Tang dynasty is considered to be the largest city in the world at that time. Even though the Silk Road, 丝绸之路 (sīchóu zhī lù), from China to the West was originally formulated during the Han Dynasty, Tang Dynasty is believed to be the golden age of the Silk Road, with the highest amount of trade taking place at that time.

丝绸 (sīchóu): silk

路 (lù): road

Another highlight of the Tang dynasty is literature. Two of the greatest Chinese poets, Du Fu and Li Bai are both from Tang dynasty. I will post their poems in a different blog post.