Tips for Traveling in China

Our teacher Violet will help you plan your trip to China and within China! She will give you lots of information and tips that will come in handy as you prepare to live there.

Tuesday, February 20 at 8pm Shanghai / 7am US EST

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Do's & Don'ts in China

Join Violet and other Mandarin learners in exploring culture and etiquette in China! What to Expect: Learn how to address people properly, what you should know about table manners, noise guidelines, punctuality and much more. We hope it will help you to make a good first impression and build effective relationships.

Wednesday, February 28 at 8pm Shanghai (7am US EST)

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How do Chinese people prepare for the New Year

How do Chinese people prepare to celebrate the New Year? Our teacher Sophy will tell you all about it! From the decorations to the shopping and the food, you will learn what is customary in China around this time of the year.

New dates coming soon! 

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Chinese Zodiac Culture

Join our language instructor, Yuan, who will introduce the Chinese Zodiac Culture. What to Expect: Learn about animal signs of the Chinese Zodiac and understand the Chinese calendar, each year is represented by a different animal. You will also become familiar with the story that explains how Chinese people choose the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac.

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Chinese New Year-Spring Festival

Join other Mandarin language learners in celebrating Chinese New Year in this fun and social environment. You will learn about this celebration, also known as Spring Festival. This is a great opportunity to expand your language skills and be a part of the celebration!

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Mandarin Pronunciation Practice

Mandarin pronunciation can be tricky, but everyone can get better at it with lots of practice! Join Violet and other learners in this hands-on Mandarin Pronunciation Workshop for a full hour of sounds and tones practice.

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The Chinese Calendar

Sophy will talk about the meaning of the 12 animals and the Chinese way to call every year in a traditional way like "癸卯年" which is 2023, the year of rabbit. You will learn new vocabulary and expressions.

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Shopping in China

Come do some shopping in China with Sophy! She will give you some tips about what the best places to buy specific things are, and she will give you a brief explanation about Shopping Day, which is a special day for online shopping. Although this day is not an official festival on the calendar, many online shops will have sales and discounts on November 11.

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How to Describe the Weather in Mandarin

How would we say weather conditions like “cloudy”, “sunny”, “rainy”, ”thunder and lighting ”, “hail” and “the rainbow after the rain” in Mandarin? Let’s explore and practice. In the second half of the session, we will also look at some popular idioms that are related to weather in your language and Chinese. It is a good time to boost your expression skills and vocabulary in Mandarin.

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Intonation in Mandarin

How does Intonation work in Mandarin? 汉语的声调

In this session, we will have a clear focus on four tones and one light tone/neutral tone. How to pronounce them correctly? How to bring the tones in daily expression and dialogues like a native? You will have a better understanding of Mandarin intonation both for vocabulary and sentences. Let’s practice!

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Must-See Places in China

玉龙雪山 Yulong Snow Mountain/ Jade Dragon Snow Mountain- Let’s experience the Ice and Cool in this Summer! The snow covers the top of the mountain all year round like a white jade.

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Doing Business in China

They say language is the gateway into another culture, but what access does speaking Chinese grant you in China? Instructor Gene will help you understand.

Due to China's Face-giving culture, speaking a little Chinese can open many doors to foreigners. That said, failing to understand how, when, and why to say things can close the windows of opportunity as quickly as your counterparts opened them, symbolic of China as a land of contradictions to many Westerners. This session will introduce the Guanxi engine, the cultural dichotomy of negotiations, and different translation choices that alter its acceptability.

Participants will discover the root cause of most of their frustrations doing business in China and how to open the door to deepening Guanxi, the Chinese version of productive business relationships. With this foundation, knowing what to say in business situations in China will become second nature.

New dates coming soon!

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All About Food – Language on the Go in 30 minutes

Chinese Food Menu and Characters中华美食 - Join our instructor Sophy and other Mandarin learners as she takes you on a tour of a Chinese Food Menu! You will not only learn about some typical Chinese foods that you are probably not familiar with, but you will also learn different Mandarin characters that will help you recognize different foods.

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Speak Up With Chinese Employees Part 1

You might think leading Chinese employees is simple due to their respect for hierarchy, but this presumption needs to consider the hazards of interpreting Face-giving pantomimes literally, often mistakenly. As we develop an awareness of the importance of TONE, literally and figuratively, and how to sidestep cultural landmines hidden in our dichotomies, more productive communication patterns will emerge.

What to expect: instructor Gene and other Mandarin students will discuss Chinese work ethics in relation to their values and how it affects their behavior, both seen and unseen, known and unknown and where their priorities lie.

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Summer in China 

What do people do in China during the summer? What are the typical activities? Where do people go on vacation? Let Violet tell you all about it so you can join in the fun.

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Must-see Places in China: Dunhuang 敦煌 Part 2

Everyone knows about the Great Wall! But have you heard about a super cool place called – 敦煌 Dun Huang, with the wall paintings, the dance of Dunhuang in Murals and the unique natural scenery? This is one place you can’t miss. Instructor Sophy will tell you all about this place and others that are not so well know but worth visiting in China.

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Tea Culture in China

What do you know about Chinese tea? How many types of tea are there? What does tea mean in Chinese culture? Join our instructor Violet as she tells you everything about Chinese Tea Culture. She will also educate you on the different types of tea and how it is traditionally prepared.

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Traditional Chinese Clothing & Accessories 中国传统服饰与配饰

Chinese traditional clothing & accessories 中国传统服饰与配饰 – Last time we talked about different female clothing styles in several Dynasties in ancient China. This time we will also have a look at them but put more concentration on the traditional accessories design, such as necklaces 项链，hairpins发簪，earrings耳环，jade pendants at the waist环佩 and bracelets手镯. A beautiful, classical and elegant aesthetic journey of the Chinese clothing culture.

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At a Restaurant in China 

Learn how to order food and drinks, what to say when you eat out, how to pay, how to tip and much more. Our instructor Violet will also guide you through a Menu in Mandarin, she’ll even teach you some characters! The next time you are in a Chinese restaurant, you will know just what to do (and eat)!

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Places to Visit in the Summer in China

– 哈尔滨 Harbin, the Snow City in China. 有中国雪城之名的哈尔滨，在夏天是一个感受凉爽与冰雪的好地方。Known as China's snow city, Harbin is a great place to feel cool in the summer. Many Western-style buildings remain in Harbin as well. You can feel the exchange of Chinese and Western cultures here, especially in architectural design. 可以在这里感受中西文化的交流，特别是在建筑设计上

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What is Guanxi?

Our Mandarin teacher, Yuan, will introduce "Guanxi" that is a very important term in Chinese Culture.

What to Expect: You will learn about Guanxi meaning, how it can affect your personal and business relationships and will practice Mandarin language.

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Summer Activities – 书法与静心 Chinese Ink Calligraphy for Meditation

在夏天，中国古人常常以书法作为静心的方式。Maybe you have heard “心静自然凉。A calm heart keeps you cool.” This widely spread idiom in Chinese. In this session, we will have a look at the Chinese ink brushes, different Chinese calligraphy fonts, the masterpieces of the ancient Chinese artists, and how to do brush strokes together on paper. What to expect: An Exhibition and Practice of Calligraphy.

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Colors in Chinese Culture

Join our language instructor Yuan who will introduce colors in Mandarin language and their meaning in Chinese culture. You will learn how to say colors and practice the pronunciation!

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Expressing Attitude in Mandarin – Part I

In this session, you will learn how to show agreement and interest, and how to show the opposite in a native way in Mandarin. You will learn phrases such as "that's great," "that's a good one," "I totally agree," "not interested," "what a shame," "how inappropriate" and others. We will also practice saying these phrases. Are there any other attitudes that you want to express?  

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Metaphors and figures of speech 比喻和修辞手法

In this session, we will have a look at sentences and structures and beautiful Mandarin metaphors, and we will have the opportunity to create our own to enrich our language expression. This will help you make your way of speaking and writing Mandarin more vivid! Also, we will look at some other kinds of rhetorical skills, such as personification 拟人/nǐ rén/, contrast 对比/duì bǐ/ and parallel construction 排比/pái bǐ/. At the end of the session, you can make your own in Mandarin! 

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Chinese Musical Instruments 中国民乐

Besides the popular Chinese musical instruments we already saw in previous sessions, we will enjoy the sound and performances of another four, such as: 中阮 zhong ruan, 葫芦丝 hu lu si, 中国鼓 Chinese drums and 古琴  gu qin（a zither with a thousand history).

The second half of this session will be dedicated to free speaking about the topic: ”如果可以，你最想学的中国乐器是什么？What Chinese musical instrument would you like to learn the most if you could?”, and more.

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Error detection in Mandarin Grammar 改错与汉语语法

This will be a practical session with a lot of exercises in speaking and reading. We will have a closer look at some errors in a series of easy-to-be-wrongly-formed sentences, such as 搭配不当wrong collocation match, 残缺和多余incomplete and redundant formats. After this session, your understanding of the sentence structure in Mandarin will be enhanced to a new level.

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24 Chinese Solar Terms

Did you know that the Twenty-Four Solar Terms were developed by farmers in ancient China through observation of the sun's annual motion? The year is divided into twenty-four equal periods. This provides a time frame for farmers to plan crop production and farming as well as daily life and festivals. Come learn about these terms that are used to mark the seasons, the weather, and natural variations. 

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Chinese Lantern Festival

Join the celebration! The Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the first month on the Chinese lunar calendar. Its arrival also marks the end of Spring Festival celebrations.

What to Expect: You will learn about The Lantern Festival, how it's celebrated in China and practice Mandarin language!

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Communication Etiquette in China

Join other Mandarin learners in exploring communication culture and etiquette in China!

What to Expect: Learn about body language, how to decline an offer or say "no" without appearing impolite, do's and don'ts of effective communication.

New dates coming soon!

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All About Chinese Food

Join our instructor Sophy and other Mandarin learners as she takes you on a tour of a Chinese Food Menu! You will not only learn about some typical Chinese foods that you are probably not familiar with, but you will also learn different Mandarin characters that will help you recognize different foods.

New dates coming soon! 

Individual Registration 

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Chinese Traditional Leisure Activities

Join Sophy and other Mandarin students to learn about these traditional Chinese activities. Chinese Chess 中国围棋Weiqi [a game played with black and white pieces on a board] for thousand years, 中国象棋Xiangqi [a game played with red and black pieces to kill the enemies’ General]

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Tone up your Mandarin Pinyin

Mandarin Chinese learners quickly discover the importance of Tones or Pinyin in learning to speak Chinese. Pinyin is the only way to represent the diacritics of Chinese characters. Still, the literal and figurative Tone of Chinese pronunciation completely alters its meaning to the listener. Correctly applying Tones is vital for getting answers, influencing behavior, and properly conveying intended meaning in the local cultural context.

In this session, instructor Gene will help you practice the most vital aspect of developing any relationship in China. This all-important self-introduction determines the trajectory of your cooperation with all of your Chinese counterparts.

New dates coming soon!

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Moving Around in China

How do people commute and travel in China? Join instructor Sophy as she explains how transportation works in China and gives you all the tips you need to know to travel by subway, train and around the airport.

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Must-See Places in China – Part 2

Join Sophy to experience the Ice and Cold this Summer! The snow covers the top of the mountain all year round like a white jade:  玉龙雪山 Yulong Snow Mountain/Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

New dates coming soon!

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The Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival (端午Duanwu) is coming soon. On that day, Chinese people will not only prepare 粽子Zongzi, a special and limited traditional food, but also compete on dragon-shaped boats in rivers. In this session, we will have a look at how to make and cook 粽子Zongzi, explore its various flavors (recipes are also included :) ) and also take a tour of the story behind this tradition, which dates back to 2,200 years ago, a sad and real story in ancient China.

New dates coming soon!

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Language Up Your China Business Part 1

They say language is the gateway into another culture, but what access does speaking Chinese grant you in China? Instructor Gene will help you understand.

Due to China's Face-giving culture, speaking a little Chinese can open many doors to foreigners. That said, failing to understand how, when, and why to say things can close the windows of opportunity as quickly as your counterparts opened them, symbolic of China as a land of contradictions to many Westerners. This session will introduce the Guanxi engine, the cultural dichotomy of negotiations, and different translation choices that alter its acceptability.

Participants will discover the root cause of most of their frustrations doing business in China and how to open the door to deepening Guanxi, the Chinese version of productive business relationships. With this foundation, knowing what to say in business situations in China will become second nature.

New dates coming soon!

Request This Language Experience 

Webinar: Secrets to Living in China

Beginner    Intermediate    Advanced

Moving to a new country can be both exciting and intimidating. Join our teacher Lynn and other Mandarin learners for an Insider's guide to living in China! This is a great opportunity to expand your language skills and learn all about life in China, from holidays and travel to banking, shopping, and education...and more! Come back each week to discuss new topics and tips. 

New dates coming soon!

Chinese New Year Customs (with Sophy)

Beginner    Intermediate    Advanced

What do Chinese people do during the Spring Festival?  We will have a look and experience how we celebrate the Chinese New Year and express best wishes to people we love. For example, “吃团圆饭family reunion dinner”,“打麻将playing Mahjong “,”包饺子make dumplings“ and ”贴春联pasting spring couplets “；New Year best wishes such as:”恭喜发财gōng xǐ fā cái”, “年年有余nián nián yǒu yú”. Find them interesting? Join Sophy and experience them! 

New dates coming soon! 

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Mandarin Pronunciation – Language on the Go in 30 Minutes (with Yuan)

Beginner    Intermediate    

Join our teacher, Yuan, and other Mandarin Chinese learners in a 30-minute pronunciation practice workshop.

What to Expect: Yuan will share pronunciation tips on tricky sounds and learners will have an opportunity to practice.

New dates coming soon! 

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Mandarin Conversation Session (30 minutes) – Language on the Go in 30 Minutes 

Beginner    Intermediate

What do you want to know the most about Mandarin? 关于汉语你最想知道的是什么？Let’s have a talk about this and share some interesting, confusing/ challenging and fun points throughout your Mandarin learning journey. Feel free to bring your ideas to the session. Teacher Sophy will be happy to help you out with vocabulary and structures so you can express yourself in Mandarin.

T New dates coming soon!  

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Blossoms of Spring in Chinese Calligraphy -  Language on the Go in 30 Minutes

Beginner

Do you know what are the symbols of spring in the Chinese literature? Many poems and art works have illustrated them either about flower language or about their own distinctive temperament as the personification.

What to Expect: Learn how to write a character "flower" and explore three light - coloured spring flowers by learning characters' strokes, understanding each flower' language, and painting the flowers via ink brushes.

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Mandarin Adjectives and Sentences – Language on the Go in 30 Minutes

Beginner    Intermediate    Advanced

How do we use adjectives 形容词 to build sentences in Mandarin? You probably know, “这朵花很漂亮”(This flower is very beautiful.) But what are the ways of saying the opposite meaning (反义) of it? We will learn some adjectives and practice speaking more sentences formed by adjectives acting as verbs in Mandarin. 

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Places worth visiting in China: Terra-Cotta Warriors Museum Tour – Language on the Go in 30 Minutes

Beginner    Intermediate    Advanced

Learn some vocabulary and the stories behind the Qing Dynasty cultural relics while you visit the Terra-Cotta Warriors Museum virtually with our teacher Sophy.

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Popular Mandarin Expressions – Language on the Go in 30 Minutes

Beginner    Intermediate    Advanced

Join our instructor, Yuan, who will share the most popular Expressions in Mandarin that you can use in your everyday life and will help you sound more Mandarin immediately.

What to Expect: Learn some Mandarin expressions that often make no sense when translated literally but are widely used in spoken language.

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Must See Tourist Spots in Shanghai - Language on the Go in 30 Minutes

Beginner    Intermediate    Advanced

Learn about a few of the most popular Tourist Spots in Shanghai!

What to Expect: Our teacher, Yuan, will take you on a visual tour of some "Must See" spots in Shanghai and give you a general overview of the significance and highlights of each. You will have an opportunity to ask questions and discuss with other Mandarin learners.

New dates coming soon!

Doctor's Appointments & Hospitals in China -  Language on the Go in 30 minutes

Beginner      Intermediate

Learn tips to going to the doctor's appointments and where to go in emergency medical situations.

What to Expect: Our teacher, Sophy, will be sharing helpful information on communicating with doctors and getting the best medical attention and care. You will be with a group of other Mandarin learners and will have an opportunity to ask questions.

New dates coming soon!

How to Ask for Directions? – Language on the Go in 30 Minutes

Beginner    Intermediate    Advanced

Do you know how to ask for and give directions in Mandarin?

What to Expect: Learn how to ask for directions in Chinese. It's also one of the survival skills we need to equip ourselves with before visiting a new place in China.

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Places Worth Visiting in China: Chinese gardens in Suzhou City – Language on the Go in 30 Minutes

Beginner    Intermediate    Advanced

苏州园林, the well-known traditional gardens recorded as one of the World Heritages. Teacher Sophy will take you on a mini virtual tour and a speaking section about “Where is your favorite and memorable place? 你最喜欢和难忘的地方是哪里？ Can you come up with 6 words introducing its features?”  - You may want to prepare a bit for the speaking part, but Sophy is happy to help you.

New dates coming soon!

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Pineapple Fried Rice - Cooking Experience

Beginner    Intermediate    Advanced

Cook along with Yuan! Join other Mandarin language learners in cooking Pineapple Fried Rice.

What to Expect: You will learn how to make this delicious meal as you practice your Mandarin and learn new vocabulary. This is a great opportunity to expand your language and culinary skills!

New dates coming soon!

How To Tell Time in Mandarin - Language on the Go in 30 minutes

Beginner    Intermediate    Advanced

Join our language instructor Yuan who will teach how to tell time in Mandarin.

What to Expect: Learn to use an easy way to ask and answer the question “What time is it?” in Mandarin language.

Colors in Chinese Culture - Language on the Go in 30 Minutes

Beginner

Join our language instructor Yuan who will introduce colors in Mandarin language and their meaning in Chinese culture.

What to Expect: You will learn how to say colors and practice the pronunciation!

New dates coming soon!

Chinese Culture of Forbidden City – Language on the Go in 30 Minutes

Beginner    Intermediate    Advanced

Join our teacher Yuan as she introduces you to the Forbidden City, the most important architecture in China. The Forbidden City is the largest imperial palace in the world, and it’s the most famous and a must see when you are visiting Beijing. 

New dates coming soon! 

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Chinese food: Snacks and Dim Sum - Language on the Go in 30 minutes

Beginner    Intermediate    Advanced

Let’s have a tour of the yummy Chinese snacks and famous dim sum!

What to Expect: You will learn some characters, words and expressions about some most popular snacks, experience how to write two famous traditional snacks in Chinese, and talk about the language usage of eating them. 

Daily Groceries and Supermarkets in China - Language on the Go in 30 minutes

Beginner      Intermediate

Join our Mandarin instructor Sophy who will cover the most important things for you to know when you do daily groceries in China. 

What to Expect: You will also learn new vocabulary and most common sentences that will help you shop successfully - in Mandarin! 

New dates coming soon!

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