Modern Mandarin Chinese: The Routledge Course

Vocabulary

Dialogue Part A Vocabulary

Audio file				Simplified	Traditional
	Běijīng	Beijing (Peking)	place name	北京	北京
	de	indicates noun description	particle	的	的
	gāo	tall	adjectival verb	高	高
	gāoxìng	happy	adjectival verb	高兴	高興
	Guóqiáng	Guoqiang	given name	国强	國強
	huānyíng	welcome	verb	欢迎	歡迎
	nà	that	demonstrative	那	那
	qǐng jìn	please come in	conversational expression	请进	請進
	rènshi	meet, know	verb	认识	認識
	shéi	who	content question word	谁	誰
	tóngwū	roommate	noun	同屋	同屋
	tóngxué	classmate	noun	同学	同學
	Xiè	(family name)	family name	谢	謝
	xué	study	verb	学	學
	yā	(softens a statement or content question)	final particle	呀	呀
	zǎo	good morning early	greeting adjectival verb	早	早

Dialogue Part B Vocabulary

Audio file				Simplified	Traditional
	ǎi	short	adjectival verb	矮	矮
	ba	indicates speaker’s supposition	final particle	吧	吧
	bàba	dad	noun	爸爸	爸爸
	dìdi	younger brother	noun	弟弟	弟弟
	gēge	older brother	noun	哥哥	哥哥
	jiārén	family (family members)	noun	家人	家人
	jiějie	older sister	noun	姐姐	姐姐
	māma	mom	noun	妈妈	媽媽
	méi	no, not (negation for yǒuhave)	negation adverb	没	沒
	mèimei	younger sister	noun	妹妹	妹妹
	piàoliang	pretty	adjectival verb	漂亮	漂亮
	yǒu	have	stative verb	有	有
	zhàopiàn	photograph	noun	照片	照片
	zhè	this	demonstrative	这	這

Family Members

*male*			*female*
bàba	(爸爸)	dad	māma	(妈妈)	mom
gēge	(哥哥)	older brother	jiějie	(姐姐)	older sister
dìdi	(弟弟)	younger brother	mèimei	(妹妹)	younger sister

Supplementary Vocabulary: Extended Family Members

Audio file	Father’s side of the family			Audio file	Mother’s side of the family
	yéye (informal) zǔfù(formal)	爷爷/爺爺祖父	grandfather (father’s father)		gōnggōng (mainland) wàigōng (Taiwan)	公公外公	grandfather (mother’s father)
	nǎinai (informal) zǔmǔ(formal)	奶奶祖母	grandmother (father’s mother)		lǎolao (mainland) wàipó (Taiwan)	姥姥外婆	grandmother (mother’s mother)
	shūshu	叔叔	uncle		jiùjiu	舅舅	uncle
			(father’s brother)				(mother’s brother)
	gūgu	姑姑	aunt		āyí	阿姨	aunt
			(father’s sister)				(mother’s sister)
	tánggē	堂哥	male cousin		biǎogē	表哥	male cousin
			older than self				older than self
	tángdì	堂弟	male cousin		biǎodì	表弟	male cousin
			younger than self				younger than self
	tángjiě	堂姐	female cousin		biǎojiě	表姐	female cousin
			older than self				older than self
	tángmèi	堂妹	female cousin		biǎomèi	表妹	female cousin
			younger than self				younger than self
	gōnggong	公公	father-in-law		yuèfù	岳父	father-in-law
			(husband’s father)				(wife’s father)
	pópo	婆婆	mother-in-law		yuèmǔ	岳母	mother-in-law
			(husband’s mother)				(wife’s mother)

Dialogue

Audio file	Dialogue
	(Chen Ming and Wang Maike knock on Zhang Dawei’s door.)
	Zhāng Dàwéi: Shéi ya?	张大为：谁呀？
	Chén Míng: Dàwéi, shì wǒmen, Chén Míng hé Wáng Màikè.	陈明：大为，是我们，陈明和王麦克。
	Zhāng Dàwéi: Chén Míng, Màikè, zǎo! Qǐng jìn!	张大为：陈明，麦克，早！请进！
	Chén Míng: Zǎo!	陈明：早！
	Zhāng Dàwéi: Huānyíng, huānyíng! Zhè shì wǒ de tóngwū, Xiè Guóqiáng. Tā shì Běijīng rén. Tāmen shì wǒ de tóngxué, Chén Míng hé Wáng Màikè. Tāmen dōu shì Měiguó rén.	张大为：欢迎，欢迎！这是我的同屋，谢国强。他是北京人。他们是我的同学，陈明和王麦克。他们都是美国人。
	Xiè Guóqiáng: Tāmen xué shénme?	谢国强：他们学什么？
	Zhāng Dàwéi: Tāmen dōu xué Zhōngwén.	张大为：他们都学中文。
	Xiè Guóqiáng: Hěn hǎo, wǒmen kěyǐ shuō Zhōngwén. Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐmen.	谢国强：很好，我们可以说中文。很高兴认识你们。
	Wáng Màikè: Nǐ hǎo. Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.	王麦克：你好。很高兴认识你。

Audio file	Dialogue
	Chén Míng: Dàwéi, nà shì nǐ de zhàopiàn ba.	陈明: 大为，那是你的照片吧。
	Zhāng Dàwéi: Shì. Zhè shì wǒ bàba, zhè shì wǒ māma.	张大为: 是。这是我爸爸，这是我妈妈。
	Chén Míng: Nǐ māma hěn piàoliang.	陈明: 你妈妈很漂亮。
	Chén Míng: Nǐ māma hěn piàoliang.	王麦克: 他是谁？
	Wáng Màikè: Tā shì shéi?	张大为: 他是我哥哥。
	Zhāng Dàwéi: Tā shì wǒ gēge.	王麦克: 你哥哥很高。
	Wáng Màikè: Nǐ gēge hěn gāo.	张大为: 他是我弟弟。
	Wáng Màikè: Tā yě bù ǎi. Chén Míng, nǐ yǒu gēge dìdi ma?	王麦克: 他也不矮。陈明，你有哥哥弟弟吗？
	Chén Míng: Wǒ méi yǒu gēge dìdi, yě méi yǒu jiějie. Wǒ zhǐ yǒu mèimei.	陈明: 我没有哥哥弟弟，也没有姐姐。我只有妹妹。

Structure Drills

1. Indicating possession (Use and Structure note 4.5)

You will hear a Mandarin phrase followed by a pronoun. Restate the Mandarin phrase using the new pronoun as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: wǒ de tóngxué (tā)
You will say: tā de tóngxué
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. Asking about possession (Use and Structure note 4.5)

You will hear questions about people’s families, roommates, classmates, students, or teachers, followed by a pronoun. Answer the question with the pronoun, as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: Tā shì shéi de tóngwū? (wǒ)
You will say: Tā shì wǒ de tóngwū.
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. Answering questions (Use and Structure notes 4.1, 4.5)

You will hear a question followed by a short answer. Use the short answer to form the long answer as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: Tā shì shéi? (wǒ dìdi)
You will say: Tā shì wǒ dìdi.
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
a. b. c. d. e. f. g.

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

4. Two kinds of yes-no questions. (Use and Structure notes 4.10)

You will hear a yes-no question formed with ma (吗). Restate the question as a verb-not-verb question. Remember that if the verb is yǒu (有), the verb-not-verb question is formed with yǒu méi yǒu (有没有).
Example:
You will hear: Nǐ yǒu mèimei ma?
You will say: Nǐ yǒu méi yǒu mèimei?
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)

5. Asking verb-not-verb questions (Structure notes 3.3, 4.10)

You will hear a statement. Ask the corresponding question using the verb-not-verb formas in the example.
Example:
You will hear: Wǒ yǒu dìdi.
You will say: Nǐ yǒu méi yǒu dìdi?
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)

6. Confirming assumptions (Use and Structure note 4.9)

You will hear an assumption that ends in ba (吧). You will reply by confirming the assumption as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: Zhè shì nǐ de zhàopiàn ba.
You will say: Duì. Zhè shì wǒ de zhàopiàn.
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)

7. Asking verb-not-verb questions with adjectival verbs (Use and Structure note 4.11)

You will hear a statement. Ask the corresponding question using the verb-not-verb formas in the example.
Example:
You will hear: Wǒ dìdi hěn gāo.
You will say: Nǐ dìdi gāo bù gāo?
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
a. b. c. d. e. f.

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

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
	Shéi?	who?
	Shì shéi?	be who?
	Nǐ shì shéi?	Who are you?

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	Shéi	who?
	Shéi yā?	Who is it?

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	Zǎo!	Good morning!
	Lǎoshī zǎo!	Good morning teacher!

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	Qǐng jìn!	please come in!
	Zǎo! Qǐng jìn!	Good morning! Please come in!

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	tóngwū	roommate
	wǒ de tóngwū	my roommate
	Zhè shì wǒ de tóngwū.	This is my roommate.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	tóngxué	classmate
	wǒ de tóngxué	my classmate
	Tāmen shì wǒ de tóngxué.	They are my classmates.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	shénme?	What?
	xué shénme?	study what?
	Tāmen xué shénme?	What do they study? (They study what? )

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	Zhōngwén	Chinese
	xué Zhōngwén	study Chinese
	Tāmen dōu xué Zhōngwén	They all study Chinese.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	Zhōngwén	Chinese
	shuō Zhōngwén	speak Chinese
	kěyǐ shuō Zhōngwén	can speak Chinese
	wǒmen kěyǐ shuō Zhōngwén	we can speak Chinese
	Nà, wǒmen kěyǐ shuō Zhōngwén.	Well then, we can speak Chinese.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	rènshi nǐ	know you, meet you
	Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.	Very happy to meet you.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	zhàopiàn	photograph
	nǐ de zhàopiàn	your photograph
	nà shì nǐ de zhàopiàn	that is your photograph
	Nà shì nǐ de zhàopiàn ba.	That must be your photograph.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	bàba	dad
	wǒ bàba	my dad
	Zhè shì wǒ bàba.	This is my dad.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	piàoliang	pretty
	hěn piàoliang	very pretty
	Nǐ māma hěn piàoliang	Your mom is very pretty.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	gāo	tall
	hěn gāo	very tall
	Nǐ gēge hěn gāo.	Your older brother is very tall.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	ǎi	short
	bù ǎi	not short
	yě bù ǎi	also not short
	Tā yě bù ǎi.	He is also not short.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	dìdi	younger brother
	gēge dìdi	older brother (and) younger brother
	Nǐ yǒu gēge dìdi ma?	Do you have older brothers and younger brothers?

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	jiějie	older sister
	yǒu jiějie	have older sister(s)
	méi yǒu jiějie	not have older sister(s)
	yě méi yǒu jiějie	also do not have older sister(s)
	Wǒ méi yǒu gēge dìdi, yě méi yǒu jiějie	I do not have older brothers or younger brothers, and (I) also do not have older sisters.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	mèimei	younger sister
	yī gè mèimei	one younger sister
	yǒu yī gè mèimei	have one younger sister
	zhǐ yǒu yī gè mèimei	only have one younger sister
	Wǒ zhǐ yǒu yī gè mèimei.	I only have a younger sister.

Mandarin Pronunciation

Pronunciation and Pinyin

1. Initial Consonants

Here is a table of Mandarin initial consonants. In this lesson, we focus on the highlighted groups of initial consonants.

b
p
m
f

d
t
n
l

g
k
h

j
q
x

zh
ch
sh
r

z
c
s

zh, ch, sh, and r
zh, ch, sh, and r are pronounced with the tongue behind the alveolar ridge, the gum ridge behind the front teeth, further back in the mouth than d, t, n, and l or j, q, and x.The blade of the tongue (the top surface of the tongue near the tip) is near the roof of the mouth and the lips are rounded. The vowel i that is written after the consonants zh, ch, sh, and r in their recitation form is similar in pronunciation to the suffix -er in English with a strong r. The syllables zhi, chi, shi, and ri are pronounced without moving the lips.
zhi is similar in pronunciation to Ger in the word German pronounced with a strong r. When pronouncing words with zh, the tongue briefly touches the roof of the mouth.
chi is similar in pronunciation to chur in the word church when pronounced with a strong r. When pronouncing words with ch, the tongue briefly touches the roof of the mouth and the sound includes a release of air.
shi is similar in pronunciation to shir in the word shirt pronounced with a strong r. When saying words with sh, the tongue is close to the roof of the mouth but does not touch it.
ri is pronounced with the tongue slightly lower and further back than when saying sh. English has no sound that is similar in pronunciation to ri. Listen to the recordings that accompany this textbook to practice the sound.
zh, ch, sh, and r can occur before all finals except for those that begin with ü and compound and nasal finals that begin with i.
Here are Mandarin syllables that begin with zh, ch, sh, and r.

zh	zhī, zhǐ, Zhāng, zhēn(de), Zhōng(guó)
ch	chī, Chén
sh	shī, lǎo(shī), shì, shén(me), shuō
r	rī, Rì(běn)

z, c, and s
Like the consonants d, t, n, and l, the consonants z, c, and s are pronounced with the tongue touching the alveolar ridge, the gum ridge behind the front teeth. English has sounds equivalent to each of z, c, and s, but two of the English sounds occur only at the ends of syllables and not at the beginning.
z is the sound ds (pronounced dz) in the words cards, kids, and fads.
c is the sound ts in the words cats, lots, and hits.
s is the same as the sound sin English.
z, c, and s can occur before all finals except for those that begin with ü and compound and nasal finals that begin with i.
Here are Mandarin syllables that begin with z, c, and s. We have not yet learned any words that begin with the consonant c.

z	zī, míngzi, háizi, zài, zǒu
c	cī, cái, cóng, míngcí
s	sī, sì, sài, sòng, suǒ

Pronunciation Challenges

Tongue Twister

Learn this tongue twister one line at a time. Don’t give up until you can say each without making any errors.


Tongue twister		Translation	Audio files
Shí shī sì qián yǒu shíshī, Sì qián shù shàng yǒu sè shì, Shí shī bù chī sè shì, Sè shì dào chī shí shī.	石狮寺前有石狮, 寺前树上有涩柿, 石狮不吃涩柿, 涩柿倒吃石狮	In front of the stone lion temple there are stone lions. In the tree in front of the temple there are unripened persimmons The stone lions don't eat the unripened persimmons. But the unripened persimmons eat the stone lions.