Modern Mandarin Chinese: The Routledge Course

Vocabulary

Dialogue Part A Vocabulary

Audio file					Simplified	Traditional
	bǐ shì	bǐ试	written exam	noun	笔试	筆試
	dàjiā	大jiā	everyone	noun	大家	大家
	de		*signals verb description	particle	得	得
	fēicháng		extremely	intensifier	非常	非常
	juéde		think, hold an opinion	verb	觉得	覺得
	nán		difficult, hard	adjectival verb	难	難
	róngyì		easy	adjectival verb	容易	容易
	shàng	上	last	specifier	上	上
	shàng gè yuè	上个月	last month	noun phrase	上个月	上個月
	xià gè yuè	下个月	next month	noun phrase	下个月	下個月
	zuótiān	zuó天	yesterday	noun	昨天	昨天

Dialogue Part B Vocabulary

Audio file					Simplified	Traditional
	dǒng		understand	verb	懂	懂
	hái yǒu	还有	in addition, furthermore	sentence adverb	还有	還有
	jǐ	几	several	quantifier	几	幾
	kāishǐ		begin	verb	开始	開始
	kěshì	可是	but	conjunction	可是	可是
	kuài		fast	verb	快	快
	le	了	indicates completed action*	verb suffix	了	了
	màn		slow	adjectival verb	慢	慢
	qiántiān	qián天	day before yesterday	noun	前天	前天
	shǎo		few, little in number	adjectival verb	少	少
	wàng		forget	verb	忘	忘
	wèntí	问tí	question	noun	问题	問題
	xiě		write	verb	写	寫
	yīnwèi	yīn为	because	conjunction	因为	因為
	yǒu de	有的	some	noun description phrase	有的	有的
	yǔfǎ		grammar	noun	语法	語法

Dialogue Part C Vocabulary

Audio file					Simplified	Traditional
	bēi		cup of	classifier	杯	杯
	chá		tea	noun	茶	茶
	duō	多	many, a lot	adjectival verb	多	多
	è		hungry	adjectival verb	饿	餓
	gāng		just now	adverb	刚	剛
	kāfēiguǎn		coffee shop	noun phrase	咖啡馆	咖啡館
	kě		thirsty	adjectival verb	渴	渴
	lěng		cold	adjectival verb	冷	冷
	miàn		noodles	noun	面	麵
	niú	牛	cow	noun	牛	牛
	niúròu	牛ròu	beef	noun	牛肉	牛肉
	niúròu miàn	牛ròu miàn	beef noodles	noun phrase	牛肉面	牛肉麵
	rè		hot	adjectival verb	热	熱
	suǒyǐ	suǒ以	so, therefore	conjunction	所以	所以
	wǔfàn	wǔ饭	lunch	noun	午饭	午飯
	xián		salty	adjectival verb	咸	鹹
	xīn		new	adjectival verb	新	新
	yǐjing		already	adverb	已经	已經
	yǒu yīdiǎn	有一diǎn	a little	intensifier	有一点	有一點
	zài		do again in the future	adverb	再	再

Dialogue

Audio file	Dialogue
	美丽: 我 juéde今天早上的中文口试不nán。你juéde 昨天的中文bǐ试怎么 yàng？	美丽: 我觉得今天早上的中文口试不难。你觉得昨天的中文笔试怎么样？
	大为: 我 juéde 很 nán。李老师说，大家都考de不太好。	大为: 我觉得很难。李老师说，大家都考得不太好。
	美丽: 我也 juéde 很 nán。上个月的考试很 róngyì，可是昨天的考试 fēicháng nán。	美丽: 我也觉得很难。上个月的考试很容易，可是昨天的考试非常难。

Audio file	Dialogue
	大为: 你考 de怎么 yàng？	大为: 你考得怎么样？
	美丽: 我 xiě de 很 màn。还有，我 wàng 了几个字。当然考 de 不好。你考 de 怎么 yàng？	美丽: 我写得很慢。还有，我忘了几个字。当然考得不好。你考得怎么样？
	大为: 我考 de 也不好。你kàn, 这几个问tí 我juéde 太nán了。我 qián天晚上shuì de 太少了。我 xiě de kuài，可是有的 yǔfǎ 我不 dǒng，有的字我不会 xiě。	大为: 我考得也不好。你看, 这几个问题我觉得太难了。我前天晚上睡得太少了。我写得快，可是有的语法我不懂，有的字我不会写。
	美丽: 王Màikè考de很好，yīn为他上个星期就kāishǐ fù习了。	美丽: 王麦克考得很好，因为他上个星期就开始复习了。
	大为: 这yàng，下个月还有一个中文考试，我们早一点kāishǐ zhǔnbèi，怎么yàng？	大为: 这样，下个月还有一个中文考试，我们早一点开始准备，怎么样？
	美丽: 我们zhǎo小文一起fù习，有问tí可以问她。	美丽: 我们找小文一起复习，有问题可以问她。

Audio file	Dialogue
	大为: 现在 kuài 一点了。你吃午饭了没有？	大为: 现在快一点了。你吃午饭了没有？
	美丽: 我 yǐjing 吃了，吃得很多，不xiǎng再吃了。	美丽: 我已经吃了，吃得很多，不想再吃了。
	大为: 我 gāng 下kè，还没吃呢, 今天早上六点半就起chuáng，只喝了一bēi牛nǎi，吃了一个三明治，suǒ以十一diǎn jiù è了。我 gēn小文要去那个 xīn 的 kāfēi guǎn 吃饭。要不要 gēn 我们一起去？	大为: 我刚下课，还没吃呢, 今天早上六点半就起床，只喝了一杯牛奶，吃了一个三明治，所以十一點就饿了。我跟小文要去那个新的咖啡馆吃饭。要不要跟我们一起去？
	美丽: 好a，我不xiǎng再吃，可是可以gēn你们一起去。我juéde有一点lěng，xiǎng喝一bēi rè chá。还有, 中午的牛ròu miàn 太xián了，xiànzài很kě。	美丽: 好啊，我不想再吃，可是可以跟你们一起去。我觉得有一点冷，想喝一杯热茶。还有, 中午的牛肉面太咸了，现在很渴。

Structure Drills

1. What do you think about it? (Use and Structure note 10.1)

You will hear short noun phrase. Ask your friend’s opinion about them, as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: 这本shū
You will say: 你juéde这本shū怎么yàng?
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j)

	Prompt	Response
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)

2. Describing how actions are performed (Use and Structure note 10.4)

You will hear a question about how Gāo Měilì does a number of actions. Each question is followed by an adjectival verb. Answer each question using the adjectival verb, as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: 高Měilì说de 怎么yàng? (kuài)
You will say: 高Měilì说de 很kuài。
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g)

	Prompt	Response
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)

3. Asking if an action was performed in a certain way (Use and Structure note 10.4)

You will hear a sentence describing how someone does some action. Ask the question that would lead to this response, as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: 张大为xiě de 很màn。
You will say: 张大为xiě de màn不màn?
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i)

	Prompt	Response
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)

4. Expressing contrast(Use and Structure notes 10.4, 10.5)

You will hear a statement about how Zhāng Dàwéi does some actions. Add that Gāo Měilì does the action in the opposite way, as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: 张大为起de很晚。
You will say: 张大为起de晚，可是高Měilì起de不晚。
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g)

	Prompt	Response
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)

5. Asking others if they have done some action (Use and Structure notes 10.7, 10.14)

You will hear an action verb. Ask your friend if she has done this action today, as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: 吃饭
You will say: 你今天吃饭了没有？
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h)

	Prompt	Response
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)

6. I’ve done this (Use and Structure note 10.7)

You will hear a verb phrase that refers to an action. In a complete sentence, say that you have done the action, as in the example. Be careful to add 了in the appropriate location in each sentence.
Example:
You will hear: mǎi一píng shuǐ
You will say: 我mǎi了一píng shuǐ。
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g)

	Prompt	Response
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)

7. Asking whether actions have happened (Use and Structure note 10.14)

You will hear a 吗 question asking if you have done some action. Restate the question as a Verb-not-Verb question, as in the example.
You will hear: 你吃午饭了吗？
You will say: 你吃午饭了没有？
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g)

	Prompt	Response
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)

8. I didn’t do it (Use and Structure note 10.13)

You will hear a verb phrase that refers to an action. Say that you did not do the action yesterday, as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: 吃饭
You will say: 我昨天没吃饭。
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j)

	Prompt	Response
Example

(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)

9. Not yet (Use and Structure note 10.13)

Zhāng Dàwéi will ask if you have done a number of actions today. Say that you have not done the actions yet, as in the example. Be sure to include the verb and object in your reply.
Example:
You will hear: 你yǐjing 吃午饭了吗？
You will say: 我还没吃午饭呢。
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h)

	Prompt	Response
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)

10. Some do, some don’t (Use and Structure note 10.9)

You will hear a question about the activities or preferences of a group of people. Reply that it is true for some people and not true for others, as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: 他们都是学生吗？
You will say: 有的是学生，有的不是学生。
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j)

	Prompt	Response
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)

11. It’s almost time (Use and Structure note 10.11)

You will hear a time followed by an action. Say that is almost that time, and suggest to your friend that you do the action.
Example:
You will hear: 六diǎn，吃晚饭
You will say: Kuài六diǎn了，我们吃晚饭吧!
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h)

	Audio file (prompt)	Audio file (response)
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)

12. Describing nouns with adjectival verbs (Use and Structure note 10.19)

You will hear a noun phrase consisting of a noun described by an adjectival verb, followed by a noun or an adjectival verb. Form a new noun phrase with this word, as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: 很nán的考试（róngyì）
You will say: 很róngyì的考试
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h)

	Audio file (prompt)	Audio file (response)
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)

13. Cause and effect (Use and Structure note 10.10)

You will hear two statements. Use yīn为 and suǒ以to indicate that the first statement is the cause and the second is the effect, as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: 考试很nán，我考de不好。
You will say: Yīn为考试很nán，suǒ以我考de不好。
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j)

	Audio file (prompt)	Audio file (response)
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)

Sentence Pyramids

The Sentence Pyramids illustrate the use of each new vocabulary item and structure introduced in the lesson. Use them to help you to learn how to form phrases and sentences in Mandarin. Supply the English translation for the last line where indicated.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	怎么yàng	how was it?
	考试怎么yàng？	how was the test?
	昨天的考试怎么yàng？	how was yesterday’s test?
	你 juéde 昨天的考试怎么yàng？	What did you think about yesterday’s test?

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	nán	difficult, hard
	很 nán	very difficult
	我 juéde 很 nán。	I thought it was very difficult.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	róngyì。	easy
	考试很 róngyì。	the test is very easy
	上个 xīngqī 的考试很 róngyì。	Last week’s test was very easy.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	nán	difficult
	fēicháng nán	extremely difficult
	昨天的考试 fēicháng nán	yesterday’s test was extremely difficult
	上个 xīngqī 的考试很 róngyì，可是昨天的考试 fēicháng nán。	Last week’s test was easy, but yesterday’s test was extremely difficult.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	màn。	slow, slowly
	很 màn。	very slowly
	xiě de 很 màn。	write very slowly
	我 xiě de 很 màn。	I write very slowly.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	fēicháng nán。	extremely difficult
	bǐ试fēicháng nán。	written exam was extremely difficult
	可是 bǐ试fēicháng nán。	but the written exam was extremely difficult
	口试很róngyì，可是 bǐ试fēicháng nán。	The oral exam was easy but the written exam was extremely difficult.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	字	characters
	几个字	several characters
	wàng 了几个字。	forgot several characters
	我 wàng 了几个字。	______________________.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	我 wàng 了几个字。	I forgot several characters.
	还有，我 wàng 了几个字。	In addition, I forgot several characters.
	我 xiě de 很 màn。还有，我 wàng 了几个字。	I wrote slowly. In addition, I forgot several characters.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	xiě	write
	会 xiě	can write
	不会 xiě	can’t write
	我不会 xiě。	I can’t write
	有的字我不会 xiě。	some of the characters I can’t write. (I can’t write some of the characters.)

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	怎么yàng？	how about it
	考 de 怎么yàng？	how did ( ) (do on the) test?
	你考 de 怎么yàng？	How did you do on the test?

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	太nán了。	too difficult
	我juéde 太nán了。	I think (it is) too difficult
	这几个问tí 我juéde 太nán了。	These several questions I think are too difficult. (I think these several questions are/were too difficult.)

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	fù习	review
	kāishǐ fù习	begin to review
	早一diǎn kāishǐ fù习	begin to review earlier
	我们děi早一diǎn kāishǐ fù习。	We should begin to review earlier.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	少	few, little (in number)
	太少	too few, too little (in number)
	shuì de 太少。	slept too little
	我 qián天晚上 shuì de 太少。	I slept too little the night before yesterday.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	一diǎn	one o’clock
	kuài一diǎn了	almost one o’clock
	Xiànzài kuài一diǎn了。	It’s now almost one o’clock.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	没有	(or) not
	吃午饭了没有？	ate lunch or not?
	你吃午饭了没有？	Did you eat lunch or not?

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	吃午饭	eat lunch
	yǐjing 吃午饭了	already ate lunch
	我 yǐjing 吃午饭了。	I already ate lunch.

Audio File	Vocabulary	Translation
	还没吃	haven’t eaten yet
	我 gāng 下kè，还没吃呢。	I just got out of class, haven’t eaten yet.

Audio File	Vocabulary	Translation
	kāfēi guǎn	coffee shop
	那个 xīn 的 kāfēi guǎn	that new coffee shop
	要去那个 xīn 的 kāfēi guǎn	will go to that new coffee shop
	要去那个xīn 的 kāfēi guǎn 吃饭	will go to that new coffee shop to eat
	我 gēn小文要去那个 xīn 的 kāfēi guǎn 吃饭。	I will go with Xiaowen to that new coffee shop to eat.

Audio File	Vocabulary	Translation
	一起去吧	go together!
	Gēn 我们一起去吧！	Go together with us!

Audio File	Vocabulary	Translation
	fēicháng 好。	extremely good
	牛ròu miàn fēicháng 好。	beef noodles are extremely good
	他们的牛ròu miàn fēicháng 好。	their beef noodles are extremely good.
	大jiā 都说他们的牛ròu miàn fēicháng 好。	Everyone says their beef noodles are extremely good.

Audio File	Vocabulary	Translation
	吃de很多	ate a lot
	我今天早上吃de很多。	This morning I ate a lot.

Audio File	Vocabulary	Translation
	再吃	eat again
	再吃了	eat again
	我不xiǎng再吃了。	I don’t want to eat again.

Audio File	Vocabulary	Translation
	è	hungry
	不è了	not hungry
	suǒ以我不è了。	so I am not hungry
	我今天早上吃de 很多， suǒ以我不è了。	I ate a lot this morning so I am not hungry.

Audio File	Vocabulary	Translation
	不 è 了	not hungry anymore
	xiànzài不è 了	now not hungry anymore
	suǒ以xiànzài不è 了	so I am now not hungry anymore
	Yīn为她今天早上吃de很多， suǒ以 xiànzài不è了。	Because I ate a lot this morning, therefore I am not hungry anymore.

Audio File	Vocabulary	Translation
	lěng	cold
	有一diǎn lěng	a little cold
	我juéde有一diǎn lěng。	I feel a little cold.

Audio File	Vocabulary	Translation
	chá	tea
	rè chá	hot tea
	一bēi rè chá	a cup of hot tea
	喝一bēi rè chá	drink a cup of hot tea
	我xiǎng 喝一bēi rè chá.	______________________

Audio File	Vocabulary	Translation
	kě	thirsty
	现在很kě	very thirsty now
	太xián了，现在很kě	too salty, very thirsty now
	牛ròu miàn 太xián了，现在很kě	beef noodles were too salty, very thirsty now
	中午的牛ròu miàn 太xián了，xiànzài 很kě。	Noon’s beef noodles were too salty, (I ) am very thirsty now.

Writing Characters

Chapter 10

Download all files

Character practice sheet
PDF Stroke order flow chart
JPG Image Focus on Radicals
Word Document Characters by dialogue part (Coming Soon)
PDF

Pronunciation Challenges


Tongue twister	Translation	Audio files
Zhī zhī wéi zhī zhī Zhī zhī wéi zhī zhī 知之为知之 Bù zhī wéi bù zhī 不知为不知 Bù yǐ bù zhī wéi zhī zhī 不以不知为知之 Bù yǐ zhī zhī wéi bù zhī 不以知之为不知 Wéi cǐ cái néng qiú zhēn zhī 唯此才能求真知	What you know, you know What you know, you know. What you don’t know, you don’t know. Do not pretend you know something if you don’t. Do not pretend you don’t know something if you do. This is the only way to pursue the truth.