02/29/2020
Corona-virus
By now everyone is aware of the Coronavirus spreading rapidly across China and several other countries. In the last few days it seems to have reached the west coast of the US. It is still too early to know the…
12/29/2019
January First?
When Is Chinese New Year Chinese people have a name for the first of January, but they don't actually celebrate it. Their historic lunar calendar starts on a different day. The first of January is called Yuán dàn (元旦), but…
12/19/2019
Winter Solstice
Winter Solstice is Dōngzhì (冬至) in Chinese. Dōngzhì festival has been celebrated for thousands of years. It is a time for friends and families to get together and mark the passing of time. Chinese people often make tāngyuán (湯圓), balls…
11/25/2019
Thanksgiving
Chinese Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is just around the corner. The Chinese don't celebrate Thanksgiving, but they do have a word for it: 感恩节 (gǎn ēn jié). You can impress your Chinese friends with your mastery of their language. You can watch…
11/22/2019
Xīgua Tián bù Tián?
If you want to take a photo of a Chinese friend, first ask this question: "Xīgua tián bù tián?" (Is watermelon sweet?). They will always answer with a smile. Why? Three reasons. First: in order to pronounce "tián" you need…
