Three Reasons Why Learning Chinese Should Be Your 201 8 New Year’s Resolution!

Western traditions, especially those involving holidays and events such as weddings, are becoming more popular in China these days. One thing some people are now doing for fun is making a "New Year’s Resolution", just as those in other countries have done for years. The start of a whole new year is a good time to make the effort to improve your life and plan a better future. Maybe you’ve decided to hit the gym four times a week, clean your attic, or learn a valuable skill that could open doors and change your future for the better.

In Mandarin Chinese, when we make a New Year’s Resolution, we call it a "新年计划 (xīnnián jìhuà)".

新年计划 (Xīnnián jìhuà) = New Year's Resolution.
新年 (Xīnnián) = New Year.
计划 (Jìhuà) = map out; plan; design.

Example：
Wǒ dìngle yígè hěn bàng de xīnnián jìhuà.
我 定 了 一个 很 棒 的 新年 计划。
I set a great New Year's Resolution.

Whether you are in Shanghai or Sydney, making a "新年计划 (xīnnián jìhuà)" and sticking to it is a good idea in any year.

Recently, an online survey on a language learning website asked respondents what their top goals for 2018 are. Nearly half of all asked said that learning Mandarin Chinese is at or near the top of their list. For some individuals, learning Chinese will help their career opportunities and open doors to a new culture. Many parents are encouraging their children to learn Chinese for their future. A user named Stephanie says "Learning more Chinese is definitely on my list this year." Trenna wants to help her young son not only speak fluent English but also learn to speak Mandarin in 2018.

Here are three main reasons people are learning Mandarin Chinese as their "新年计划 (xīnnián jìhuà)" of 2018...Read More

Chinese New Year is coming. The "年终奖 (niánzhōng jiǎng) year-end bonus" has recently become a hot topic in China. At the end of each year, what people most often talk about is the "年终奖 (niánzhōng jiǎng) year-end bonus". After a year of hard work, getting a "年终奖 (niánzhōng jiǎng) year-end bonus" is a both comforting and encouraging to the staff.

In China, some companies distribute "年终奖 (Niánzhōng jiǎng)" via cash or WeChat red packet. Some companies give shopping vouchers or gifts as a bonus. Lately, some big companies give new cars to their senior staff.

Fun facts about how the year-end bonus began:
Chinese New Year is just around the corner. Falling on February 16th, 2018, it is that time of year for the year-end bonus. So, what is this year-end bonus, or annual year-end bonuses "年终奖 (niánzhōng jiǎng)", that everyone is talking about? They happen on the last month of the lunar calendar before Chinese New Year. (Chinese New Year sometimes falls in late January, but usually happens in February due to the lunar cycle.)

Chinese and American employees get different versions of end-of-year bonus or annual year-end bonuses. For ...Read More

Chinese words knowledge points:
年终奖 (Niánzhōng jiǎng): year-end bonus, annual bonus.
Break it down:
年终 (Niánzhōng): the end of the year; year-end.
奖 (Jiǎng): encourage; praise; reward; commend.

Examples:
Nǐ jīnnián ná niánzhōng jiǎng le ma?
你 今年 拿 年终 奖 了 吗？
Have you received the year-end bonus this year?

Quiz:

1. Read the dialogue below and answer the question:

Jack: Lily, nǐmen gōngsī fā niánzhōng jiǎng le ma?
Jack: Lily, 你们 公司 发 年终 奖 了 吗？

Lily: Biétíle! Wǒmen gōngsī jīnnián xiàoyì bùhǎo, shénme dōu méi fā. Nǐ ne?
Lily: 别提了！我们 公司 今年 效益 不好， 什么 都 没 发。你 呢？

Jack: Wǒmen dōu nále 3qiānyuán de gòuwùquàn zuòwéi niánzhōng jiǎng.
Jack: 我们 都 拿了 3千元 的 购物券 作为 年终 奖。

Which of the following statements is true according to the dialogue?

A. Lily got a 3,000 yuan shopping voucher as the year-end bonus.
B. Jack got a 3,000 yuan shopping voucher as the year-end bonus.
C. Jack didn’t get the year-end bonus.
D. Lily’s company had outstanding achievements this year.
See Answer