MANDARIN

ELECN1B
SACLUTI, Katrina Angela T.
INTRODUCTION
Wo – I/Me Wo Shi – I Am (Wo Shi
Ni – You *given name,
Hao – Fine/Good/Okay surname*)
Wo Jiao – Call (Wo Jiao
 Ta – He/She/It/Him/His
Ni Hao – General
*nickname*)
Wo Xing – (*Wo Sing
Greeting Terms
Shi –
*surname* Ming *given
name*)
Am/Is/Are/Was/Were
CONSONANTS
Lower lip & Upper Lip Movement E Sound
B J
P Q
M X
Upper Teeth & Lower Lip R Sound
F Zhi
Roll of Tounge Chi
D Shi
T Ri
N
Z Sound
L
Zi
Throat Ci
G
Si
K
H
VOWELS
 a an
 o en
 e ang
 e eng

 ai er
yi
 ei
wu
 ao
yu
 ou
YAN SE (COLOR)
Huang Se – Yellow Lan Se – Blue
Highest color
Chang Se – Orange
Imperial
Ka Fei Se, Zong Se – Brown
Color for Royal Family
Emperor Zi Se – Purple
Hong Se – Red Hui Se – Grey
Highest color for commoners
Fen Hong Se – Pink
Lu Se – Green
Jin Se – Gold (color)
Mainland color
China is an agricultural country Jin Zi – Gold(metal)
Hei Se – Black Yin Se – Silver(color)
easy to combine all colors
Yin Zi – Silver(metal)
Bai Se – White
Qing Tong Se – Bronze(color)
Lowest color
Color for people in mourn Qing Tong – Bronze(metal)
VOCABULARY WORDS
What – Shen me
Like – Xi huan
Want – Yao
Have, Has – You
None – Mei you
Don’t/not/no – Bu
You – Has, have,
available,
You le – had, already
available
GUO ZI/SHUI GUO (FRUITS)
Apple – Ping Guo Orange – Cheng Zi
Mango – Mang Guo Banana – Xiang Jiao
Kiwi – Qi Yi Guo Pineapple – Feng Li, Bo Luo
Watermelon – Xi Gua Jackfruit – Bu Lou Mi
Melon – Mi Gua Rambutan – Hong Mao
Papaya – Mu Gua Dan
Grapes – Pu Tao
Pear – Li Zi
Cherry – Ying Tao
Peach – Tao Zi
Strawberry – Cao Mei
Coconut – Ye ZI
Blueberry – Lan Mei
Lychee – Li Zhi
GUO ZI/SHUI GUO (FRUITS)
Add Ons Terms
Dried – Gan to eat – chi
Slice – Pian to drink – he
Milk – Nai to buy – mai
Tea – Cha to sell – mai
Meat – Ruo
Powder – Fen
Oil – You
Raisin – Pu Tao Gan
HAO SU/ HAO MA (NUMBERS)
1 – Yi (One) 6 – Liu (Six)
 positive meaning - Happiness
 In mainland China, Yao is also
One which refers to House #, 7 – Qi (Seven)
seat #, plate #, etc.  meaning – Sounds of the Rain
2 – Er (Two) 8 – Ba (Eight)
 feng shui meaning – You  meaning – progress and
 Liang (2 + term) prosperity
3 – San (Three) 9 – Jiu (Nine)
4 – Si (Four)  positive meaning – Forever

 feng shui meaning – Death  negative meaning – Death

(negative)  Lucky number for Emperor
5 – Wu (Five) 10 – Shi (Ten)
 feng shui meaning – I or Me  Perfect number

0 – Ling (Zero)
 Fax Machine – Chuan Zhen Ji
 Telephone - Dian Hua
Mobile Phone – Xing Dong
Dian (Electricity) Hua
Dian Hua
(Words) Xing Dong (mobile) Dian Hua
(Telephone)
Cellphone - Shou Ji
Shou (Hand) JI Add Hao to refer to a
(Machine/device) Mobile/Telephone/Fax No.
Chuan Zhen Hao (Fax no.)
 
Dian Hua Hao (Telephone no.)
Fax – Chuan Zhen Shou Ji Hao (Cellphone no.)
Chuan (send) Zhen (real)
 What is your telephone
number?
Ni de dian hua ji hao (your
telephone what number)
Ni de dian hua hao ji hao
(your telephone number what
number) – more proper
Ni de dian hua hao shi shen
me (your telephone number is
what number)
My telephone number is…..
Wo de dian hua hao shi
Do you have a cellphone?
Ni you shou ji ma? (You
have a cellphone)
General question form
ni you mei you shou ji (you
have or not have
cellphone) – most used in
china
I have a cellphone
Wo you Shou ji (I have a
cellphone)
Happy Birthday
Zhu Ni Sheng ri Kuai le
(wish you birthday
happy)
YEARS (NIAN)
Year – Nian
Zhe – this
na – that
What Year – Ji Nian
Last Year – Qu Nian
This year – Zhe Nian/Zhe Yi
Nian/Jin Nian
Next Year – Ming Nian
Every year – Mae Nian
Nian nian – taon taon
Examples:
Year 1999
Yi Qian Jiu Bai Jiu Shi Jiu Nian
Yi jiu jiu jiu Nian (shortcut)
Year 2000
Liang Qian Nian
Er Ling Ling Ling Nian (shortcut)
Year 2008
Liang Qian Ling Ba Nian
Er Ling Ling Ba (shortcut)
ORDINAL NUMBERS
Di # Xiang Si – same
1st – Di Yi meaning
2nd – Di Er Xiang Fan – opposite

9th year – Di Jiu Nian meaning

come – Lai
2 Years – Liang Nian
Go – Qu
2nd year – Di Er Nian

ex. Er Xiang Si Liang 

TIAN/RI (DAY)

Yesterday – Zuo Tian

1 Day – Yi Tian
Today – Jin Tian
2 Days – Lian Tian
Tomorrow – Ming Tian
2nd Day –Di Er Tian Everyday – Mae Tian, Tian
Before - Qu Tian
The day before yesterday –
After – Hou
Qu Tian
The day after tomorrow – Hou
Tian
DAYS OF THE WEEK
Week – Xing Qi; Li Bai Last week – Shang Ge Xing Qi
- Li (ceremony) Bai (bow) This week – zhe GeXing Qi
 Xing Qi # Next week – Xia Ge Xing Qi
Monday – Xing Qi Yi
Every week – Mae Ge Xing Qi
Tuesday - Xing Qi Er
Ex.
Wednesday – Xing Qi San
Thursday – Xing Qi Si
Today is my Birthday
Jin Tian shi wo de Sheng ri
Friday – Xing Qi Wu
Saturday – Xing Qi Liu Tomorrow is Friday
Sunday – Xing Qi Tian/Ri Ming Tian shi Xing Qi Wu
YUE (MONTHS)
 ex.
Months of the year
1 month – Yi Ge Yue
10 months – Shi Ge Yue

Yue (moon) 2 months – Liang Ge Yue

2nd month – Di Er Ge Yue
January – Yi Yue/ Zheng
The 3rd month of the year is March
Yue Yi Nian de Di San Ge Yue shi San
December – Shi Er Yue Yue
1 year has 12 months
May – Wu yue Yi Nian you shi Shi Er Ge Yue
YUE (MONTHS)
up– shang Ex.
down – Xia Last Sunday – Shang ge Xing Qi Tian
This Monday – Zhe ge Xing Qi Yi
Next Thursday – Xia ge Xing Qi Si
Last Month – Shang ge yue
This Month – Zhe ge yue Additonal:
Next Month – Xia ge yue Which month – Na Yi Ge Yue
Every month – Mei ge yue Which day – Na Yi Tian/Ri
What year – Na Yi Yue/Ji Yue
Buwan buwan – Yue Yue How many days – Qi Qian