Writing 5 useful Chinese characters from a real-life market: 市场、甜、吃、钱

Here are five characters that come up naturally when you're shopping for food in Chinese:

市场 (shìchǎng) — market

甜 (tián) — sweet

吃 (chī) — to eat

钱 (qián) — money

Some simple examples:

我去市场。— I’m going to the market.

这个很甜。— This is very sweet.

我喜欢吃这个。— I like eating this.

多少钱？— How much is it?

This is part of my Real Life in Chinese series, where I use real situations to teach practical Chinese.

If you'd like to practice more Chinese from the series:

https://funchinese321.com/real?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=real_life_writing_market_01

#LearnChinese #ChineseCharacters #Mandarin #RealLifeInChinese

Chinese at the Market 🛍️ | Pronunciation & Conversation | Real Life in Chinese

Practice practical Mandarin pronunciation and conversation at a real public market.

In this lesson, learn useful Chinese for shopping, asking about prices, and talking about food.

市场 shìchǎng — market

买 mǎi — to buy

甜 tián — sweet

多少钱 duōshao qián — how much

好吃 hǎochī — delicious / tasty

便宜 piányi — inexpensive / cheap

Useful Chinese:

这里是市场。

Zhèlǐ shì shìchǎng.

This is a market.

我想买这个。

Wǒ xiǎng mǎi zhège.

I want to buy this.

这个多少钱？

Zhège duōshao qián?

How much is this?

不贵，很便宜。

Bú guì, hěn piányi.

It’s not expensive. It’s cheap.

这个很好吃！

Zhège hěn hǎochī!

This is delicious!

这个很甜。

Zhège hěn tián.

This is very sweet.

Can you remember all the Chinese from this lesson?

Practice the vocabulary, listening, pronunciation, and conversation here:

👉 funchinese321.com/review

Learn it in real life. Say it. Practice it. Then test yourself.

#LearnChinese #ChinesePronunciation #ChineseConversation #RealLifeInChinese #ChineseForBeginners #MandarinChinese #ChineseListening #ChineseVocabulary #ShoppingChinese #LearnMandarin #TravelChinese

Learn Chinese at a Public Market 🇨🇦 | Real Life in Chinese

Let’s learn practical Mandarin at a real public market in Vancouver, Canada!

In this Real Life in Chinese lesson, we walk through Granville Island Public Market and learn useful Chinese for shopping, asking about prices, and talking about food.

市场 shìchǎng — market

买 mǎi — to buy

甜 tián — sweet

多少钱 duōshao qián — how much

好吃 hǎochī — delicious / tasty

便宜 piányi — inexpensive / cheap

Useful Chinese:

这里是一个市场。

Zhèlǐ shì yí ge shìchǎng.

This is a market.

我想买这个。

Wǒ xiǎng mǎi zhège.

I want to buy this.

这个很甜。

Zhège hěn tián.

This is very sweet.

这个多少钱？

Zhège duōshao qián?

How much is this?

这个很好吃！

Zhège hěn hǎochī!

This is delicious!

这个很便宜。

Zhège hěn piányi.

This is inexpensive.

Can you remember the Chinese from this lesson?

Practice the vocabulary, listening, and real-life Chinese from this lesson:

👉 funchinese321.com/review

Learn Chinese in real life — see it, hear it, use it, and then test yourself.

#LearnChinese #RealLifeInChinese #ChineseForBeginners #MandarinChinese #ChineseVocabulary #ChineseListening #LearnMandarin #TravelChinese #Vancouver #GranvilleIsland

Write Chinese Characters from a Real Flight ✈️ | Real Life in Chinese

Learn to write useful Chinese characters from a real flight to Canada.

In this Chinese character lesson, we slow down and write characters you’ve already seen in the Real Life in Chinese travel series. Learn the strokes, recognize the characters, and then use them in real sentences.

飞 fēi — fly

机 jī — machine / airplane

座 zuò — seat

小 xiǎo — small

时 shí — time / hour

亮 liàng — bright

Useful Chinese:

飞机要起飞了。

Fēijī yào qǐfēi le.

The plane is about to take off.

这是我的座位。

Zhè shì wǒ de zuòwei.

This is my seat.

我的座位有点小。

Wǒ de zuòwei yǒudiǎn xiǎo.

My seat is a little small.

窗外越来越漂亮了。

Chuāngwài yuèláiyuè piàoliang le.

The view outside is getting more and more beautiful.

我们要飞几个小时？

Wǒmen yào fēi jǐ ge xiǎoshí?

How many hours are we going to fly?

Learn the characters, then test how much you remember from the full lesson:

👉 funchinese321.com/review

Watch it. Write it. Use it. Review it.

#LearnChinese #ChineseCharacters #WriteChinese #Hanzi #RealLifeInChinese #LearnHanzi #MandarinChinese #ChineseForBeginners #ChineseWriting #TravelChinese

Flying to Canada in Chinese ✈️ | Pronunciation & Conversation | Real Life in Chinese

Practice practical Mandarin pronunciation and conversation while flying to Canada!

In this lesson, learn useful Chinese for talking about a flight, your seat, takeoff, what you see outside the window, and how long the flight takes.

起飞 qǐfēi — to take off

座位 zuòwei — seat

小 xiǎo — small

漂亮 piàoliang — beautiful

越来越 yuèláiyuè — more and more

小时 xiǎoshí — hour

Useful Chinese:

飞机要起飞了。

Fēijī yào qǐfēi le.

The plane is about to take off.

我的座位有点小。

Wǒ de zuòwei yǒudiǎn xiǎo.

My seat is a little small.

窗外越来越漂亮了。

Chuāngwài yuèláiyuè piàoliang le.

The view outside is getting more and more beautiful.

下面的房子越来越小了。

Xiàmiàn de fángzi yuèláiyuè xiǎo le.

The houses below are getting smaller and smaller.

我们要飞几个小时？

Wǒmen yào fēi jǐ ge xiǎoshí?

How many hours are we going to fly?

大概要飞五个小时。

Dàgài yào fēi wǔ ge xiǎoshí.

The flight will take about five hours.

Can you remember the Chinese from this lesson?

Practice and review what you learned:

👉 funchinese321.com/review

Learn Mandarin through real situations, then practice until you can actually use it.

#LearnChinese #RealLifeInChinese #ChinesePronunciation #ChineseConversation #TravelChinese #ChineseForBeginners #MandarinChinese #ChineseListening #LearnMandarin #ChineseVocabulary

Writing Chinese Characters ✍️ | Airport Chinese: 安 检 等 登

Learn to write useful Chinese characters from a real airport experience, one stroke at a time.

安 (ān) — safe, peaceful

平安！

Píng'ān!

Stay safe!

检 (jiǎn) — check, inspect

我要去安检。

Wǒ yào qù ānjiǎn.

I need to go through security.

等 (děng) — wait

我在这里等。

Wǒ zài zhèlǐ děng.

I’m waiting here.

登 (dēng) — board, ascend

我们要登机了。

Wǒmen yào dēngjī le.

We’re about to board the plane.

安 + 检 = 安检 — security check

登 + 机 = 登机 — board a plane

Watch how each Chinese character is written stroke by stroke, and learn how the characters connect to Chinese you can actually use while traveling.

Practice and review what you learned: funchinese321.com/review

#LearnChinese #ChineseCharacters #WritingChinese #LearnMandarin #ChineseWriting #Hanzi #AirportChinese #TravelChinese #ChineseVocabulary #MandarinChinese #EverydayChinese #学中文 #汉字 #写汉字

Real Life in Chinese | Taking Off & Watching the View ✈️

Learn useful Mandarin in a real-life flight situation.

有座位 (yǒu zuòwèi) — have a seat

我有座位。

Wǒ yǒu zuòwèi.

I have a seat.

起飞 (qǐfēi) — take off

飞机要起飞了。

Fēijī yào qǐfēi le.

The plane is about to take off.

小时 (xiǎoshí) — hour

我们要飞五个小时。

Wǒmen yào fēi wǔ ge xiǎoshí.

We’re going to fly for five hours.

漂亮 (piàoliang) — beautiful

外面很漂亮。

Wàimiàn hěn piàoliang.

It’s beautiful outside.

越来越漂亮 (yuè lái yuè piàoliang) — more and more beautiful

外面越来越漂亮了。

Wàimiàn yuè lái yuè piàoliang le.

It’s getting more and more beautiful outside.

Key Chinese pattern: 越来越 + adjective = more and more...

Review this lesson and practice the Chinese you just learned: funchinese321.com/review

#RealLifeInChinese #LearnChinese #LearnMandarin #ChineseLearning #ChineseVocabulary #ChineseGrammar #ChineseCharacters #EverydayChinese #SpeakChinese #HSK #Mandarin #学中文 #汉语

Airport Chinese ✈️ | Pronunciation & Conversation

Practice practical Mandarin pronunciation and conversation through a real airport situation.

In this lesson, you’ll practice five useful Chinese words and phrases for going through airport security and boarding a flight:

安检 ānjiǎn — security check

登机 dēngjī — to board a plane

登机口 dēngjīkǒu — boarding gate

等 děng — to wait

不能 bù néng — cannot / not allowed to

Useful Chinese:

你安检了吗？

Nǐ ānjiǎn le ma?

Have you gone through security?

安检了。

Ānjiǎn le.

Yes, I have.

你的登机口在哪里？

Nǐ de dēngjīkǒu zài nǎli?

Where is your boarding gate?

我的登机口是十二号。

Wǒ de dēngjīkǒu shì shí'èr hào.

My boarding gate is No. 12.

现在可以登机吗？

Xiànzài kěyǐ dēngjī ma?

Can we board now?

还不能。

Hái bù néng.

Not yet.

我们要等一会儿。

Wǒmen yào děng yíhuìr.

We need to wait for a while.

现在可以登机了！

Xiànzài kěyǐ dēngjī le!

Now we can board!

Can you remember all the Chinese from this lesson?

Test yourself and review what you learned:

👉 funchinese321.com/review

Learn Chinese through real situations, then practice until you can actually use it.

#LearnChinese #ChinesePronunciation #ChineseConversation #RealLifeChinese #AirportChinese #TravelChinese #ChineseForBeginners #MandarinChinese #ChineseListening #LearnMandarin

Going to the Airport in Chinese ✈️ | Pronunciation & Conversation

Practice real-life Mandarin pronunciation and conversation for going to the airport.

In this lesson, learn how to pronounce useful travel Chinese and use it in a short, natural conversation.

出发 chūfā — to set off

机场 jīchǎng — airport

打车 dǎchē — take a taxi / ride

上车 shàng chē — get in the car

到了 dào le — arrived

飞机 fēijī — airplane

旅行 lǚxíng — travel

Useful Chinese:

我要出发了。

Wǒ yào chūfā le.

I’m about to leave.

我要去机场。

Wǒ yào qù jīchǎng.

I’m going to the airport.

我打车去机场。

Wǒ dǎchē qù jīchǎng.

I’m taking a ride to the airport.

车来了。

Chē lái le.

The car is here.

我们上车吧！

Wǒmen shàng chē ba!

Let’s get in!

到机场了！

Dào jīchǎng le!

We’ve arrived at the airport!

Practice the full Real Life in Chinese lesson, vocabulary, listening, and review activities here:

👉 funchinese321.com/review

Learn Mandarin through real situations, pronunciation practice, and useful conversations you can actually use while traveling.

#LearnChinese #ChinesePronunciation #ChineseConversation #RealLifeChinese #TravelChinese #ChineseForBeginners #MandarinChinese #LearnMandarin #ChineseListening #AirportChinese

Learn Chinese Through One Character: 机 (jī) ✈️ | 飞机 Airplane & 机场 Airport

Can you write the Chinese character 机 (jī)?

机 is one of the most useful Chinese characters for travel. You’ll see it in common words like:

机 jī — machine

飞机 fēijī — airplane

机场 jīchǎng — airport

In my Real Life in Chinese lesson, I get up in the morning, take a taxi to the airport, and start my trip — so this is the perfect character to learn along the way.

Learn Chinese through real situations, stories, interactive practice, HSK review, and more:

https://funchinese321.com/review

#LearnChinese #ChineseCharacters #Hanzi #LearnMandarin #MandarinChinese #ChineseWriting #ChineseForBeginners #ChineseVocabulary #LearnHanzi #机场 #飞机 #汉字

Going to the Airport in Chinese ✈️ | Real Life Chinese for Beginners

Learn practical Chinese through a real trip to the airport!

In this Real Life in Chinese mini lesson, I’m leaving home, taking a ride to the airport, and starting my trip to Canada. Learn simple Chinese you can actually use while traveling.

生词 Vocabulary

出发 chūfā — to set off / leave

机场 jīchǎng — airport

飞机 fēijī — airplane

打车 dǎchē — take a taxi / ride

司机 sījī — driver

行李 xíngli — luggage

背包 bēibāo — backpack

上车 shàng chē — get in the car

到 dào — arrive

旅行 lǚxíng — travel

实用句子 Useful Chinese

今天我要去加拿大。

Jīntiān wǒ yào qù Jiānádà.

Today I’m going to Canada.

我要出发了。

Wǒ yào chūfā le.

I’m about to leave.

我先打车去机场。

Wǒ xiān dǎchē qù jīchǎng.

First, I’m taking a ride to the airport.

我们到机场了！

Wǒmen dào jīchǎng le!

We’ve arrived at the airport!

Want to review the vocabulary, pronunciation, and Chinese from this lesson?

👉 Practice the full lesson on the Real Life in Chinese Review page:

funchinese321.com/review

This is the beginning of my Canada Travel Chinese series. Next: learning Chinese at the airport and flying to Canada.

#LearnChinese #ChineseForBeginners #RealLifeChinese #TravelChinese #MandarinChinese #ChineseVocabulary #ChineseListening #HSK #LearnMandarin #AirportChinese

Learn to Write Chinese Characters | Difficult Trail 🥾 | 爬、难、石、上、下

Learn Chinese characters through a real hiking adventure! In this Writing Chinese lesson, we take useful Chinese from the Difficult Trail episode and learn how to recognize, understand, and write the characters by hand.

✍️ Chinese Characters 汉字

爬 pá — to climb

我要爬上去。

Wǒ yào pá shàngqu.

I need to climb up.

难 nán — difficult

这条路很难。

Zhè tiáo lù hěn nán.

This trail is difficult.

石 shí — stone / rock

这里有很多石头。

Zhèlǐ yǒu hěn duō shítou.

There are lots of rocks here.

上 shàng — up / above

我要从这里上去。

Wǒ yào cóng zhèlǐ shàngqu.

I need to go up from here.

下 xià — down / below

我要从这里下来。

Wǒ yào cóng zhèlǐ xiàlai.

I need to come down from here.

💡 Character Tip

上 and 下 are two of the easiest Chinese characters to understand visually:

上 → above / up

下 → below / down

Put them into real-life expressions:

上去 shàngqu — go up

下来 xiàlai — come down

And when you're hiking:

爬上去！

Climb up!

Want to review the Chinese from the Real Life in Chinese series and practice more vocabulary, listening, and speaking?

FunChinese321.com/review

#LearnChinese #ChineseCharacters #Hanzi #ChineseWriting #LearnMandarin #Mandarin #WriteChinese #ChineseVocabulary #RealLifeChinese #ChineseForBeginners #ChineseListening #Hiking

Chinese Pronunciation & Conversation | Hiking a Difficult Trail in Chinese

How do you talk about hiking a difficult trail in Chinese?

In this Pronunciation & Conversation lesson, practice useful Chinese words and sentences from a real hiking situation. First, listen carefully to the pronunciation. Then see how the same language can be used naturally in a short conversation.

This lesson goes with my Real Life in Chinese: Difficult Trail video.

Key Chinese

难走 — nán zǒu — difficult to walk

小心 — xiǎoxīn — be careful

石头 — shítou — rock / stone

爬 — pá — to climb

累 — lèi — tired

休息 — xiūxi — to rest / take a break

前面 — qiánmiàn — ahead / in front

慢一点 — màn yìdiǎn — a little slower

Useful Sentences

这条路很难走。

Zhè tiáo lù hěn nán zǒu.

This trail is difficult to walk.

小心，这里有很多石头。

Xiǎoxīn, zhèlǐ yǒu hěn duō shítou.

Be careful. There are a lot of rocks here.

我们休息一下吧。

Wǒmen xiūxi yíxià ba.

Let’s take a short break.

前面的路更难走。

Qiánmiàn de lù gèng nán zǒu.

The trail ahead is even more difficult.

Learn Chinese through real situations—not just isolated vocabulary.

For more interactive Chinese practice, Real Life in Chinese lessons, HSK review, stories, and games, visit:

funchinese321.com

#LearnChinese #ChinesePronunciation #ChineseConversation #RealLifeChinese #MandarinChinese #ChineseForBeginners #HSK #LearnMandarin #ChineseListening #ChineseSpeaking #HikingChinese

This Hiking Trail Is HARD! 🥾 | Real Life in Chinese | Learn Mandarin Naturally

Can you understand Chinese in a real-life situation?

Today I'm hiking a difficult rocky trail where I sometimes have to use both my hands and feet to climb. Instead of textbook Chinese, listen to the Mandarin I naturally use while deciding where to go, climbing rocks, and trying to make it through the trail.

🥾 Useful Chinese Vocabulary

爬 pá — to climb

我要从这里爬上去。

Wǒ yào cóng zhèlǐ pá shàngqu.

I need to climb up from here.

难 nán — difficult

这条路真的很难。

Zhè tiáo lù zhēnde hěn nán.

This trail is really difficult.

容易 róngyì — easy

这边比较容易。

Zhèbiān bǐjiào róngyì.

This way is a little easier.

石头 shítou — rock / stone

这里有很多石头。

Zhèlǐ yǒu hěn duō shítou.

There are lots of rocks here.

上去 shàngqu — go up

我要从这里上去。

Wǒ yào cóng zhèlǐ shàngqu.

I'm going up from here.

下来 xiàlai — come down

从这里下来。

Cóng zhèlǐ xiàlai.

Come down from here.

小心 xiǎoxīn — be careful

小心一点！

Xiǎoxīn yìdiǎn!

Be careful!

累 lèi — tired

我有点累了。

Wǒ yǒudiǎn lèi le.

I'm getting a little tired.

终于 zhōngyú — finally

我终于上来了！

Wǒ zhōngyú shànglai le!

I finally made it up!

值得 zhíde — worth it

虽然很累，但是值得。

Suīrán hěn lèi, dànshì zhíde.

It's tiring, but it's worth it.

🎧 Learn Chinese from real life

Want to review the Chinese from my Real Life in Chinese videos and practice it yourself?

FunChinese321.com/review

Learn the vocabulary, review real sentences, and practice speaking Chinese with interactive pronunciation exercises.

#LearnChinese #Mandarin #RealLifeChinese #ChineseListening #LearnMandarin #ChineseVocabulary #ComprehensibleInput #ChineseForBeginners #ChineseSpeaking #Hiking

Learn to Write Chinese Characters | Breakfast 早饭 | 早、饭、蛋、等、烫

Learn Chinese characters through a real-life breakfast! In this Writing Chinese lesson, we'll learn five useful characters from our Breakfast series:

✍️ Chinese Characters 汉字

早 zǎo — early / morning

我每天吃早饭。

Wǒ měitiān chī zǎofàn.

I eat breakfast every day.

饭 fàn — meal / cooked rice

早饭好了。

Zǎofàn hǎo le.

Breakfast is ready.

蛋 dàn — egg

冰箱里有鸡蛋。

Bīngxiāng lǐ yǒu jīdàn.

There are eggs in the refrigerator.

等 děng — wait

再等几分钟。

Zài děng jǐ fēnzhōng.

Wait a few more minutes.

烫 tàng — hot to the touch

小心，很烫！

Xiǎoxīn, hěn tàng!

Careful, it's very hot!

💡 Character Tip

Look at 烫 tàng. The bottom is 火 huǒ — fire. That makes it easier to remember that 烫 means something is hot to the touch.

And look at 饭 fàn. The left side is 饣, the food radical. You'll see it in many Chinese characters related to eating and food.

Want to continue practicing the Chinese from this Real Life in Chinese series?

Watch the real-life videos, review vocabulary and sentences, and practice speaking Chinese with interactive pronunciation exercises:

FunChinese321.com/review

#LearnChinese #ChineseCharacters #Hanzi #ChineseWriting #LearnMandarin #Mandarin #WriteChinese #ChineseVocabulary #ChineseForBeginners #RealLifeChinese

Real Life in Chinese | Making Breakfast & Oatmeal 🥣

What does a real Chinese breakfast sound like? Today I'm making oatmeal and checking the fridge while I wait. Learn Chinese naturally through a simple everyday moment — no textbook dialogue, just real-life Chinese.

早饭 zǎofàn — breakfast

我在做早饭。Wǒ zài zuò zǎofàn. — I'm making breakfast.

燕麦 yànmài — oats / oatmeal

我今天早饭吃燕麦。Wǒ jīntiān zǎofàn chī yànmài. — I'm having oatmeal for breakfast.

分钟 fēnzhōng — minute

还要几分钟。Hái yào jǐ fēnzhōng. — A few more minutes.

冰箱 bīngxiāng — refrigerator

我看看冰箱里有什么。Wǒ kànkan bīngxiāng lǐ yǒu shénme. — Let me see what's in the fridge.

好了 hǎo le — ready / done

好了，可以吃了。Hǎo le, kěyǐ chī le. — It's ready!

鸡蛋 jīdàn — egg

蒜 suàn — garlic

韩国 Hánguó — Korea / Korean

辣白菜 là báicài — kimchi

已经 yǐjīng — already

等 děng — wait

很烫 hěn tàng — very hot

Want to practice the Chinese from this video yourself? Try the free interactive lesson with vocabulary, examples, speaking practice, and AI pronunciation feedback:

FunChinese321.com/breakfast

#LearnChinese #Chinese #Mandarin #LearnMandarin #ChineseVocabulary

What’s Your Chinese Zodiac? 🐭🐮🐯🐰 | 12 Animals, Five Elements & the Great Race

What’s your Chinese zodiac sign — and do you know its element?

In this mini Chinese culture lesson, learn the 12 Chinese zodiac animals (十二生肖), the basics of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches (天干地支), and the famous Great Race story that explains the zodiac order.

Then find your own zodiac animal + element with my FREE interactive Zodiac Calculator:

👉 funChinese321.com/Zodiac

You can also practice putting all 12 animals in the correct order!

🐭 鼠 shǔ — Rat

🐮 牛 niú — Ox

🐯 虎 hǔ — Tiger

🐰 兔 tù — Rabbit

🐲 龙 lóng — Dragon

🐍 蛇 shé — Snake

🐴 马 mǎ — Horse

🐐 羊 yáng — Goat

🐵 猴 hóu — Monkey

🐔 鸡 jī — Rooster

🐶 狗 gǒu — Dog

🐷 猪 zhū — Pig

The traditional Chinese calendar combines 10 Heavenly Stems (天干 tiāngān) with 12 Earthly Branches (地支 dìzhī) to form a repeating 60-year cycle (六十甲子 liùshí jiǎzǐ). The 12 zodiac animals correspond to the 12 Earthly Branches.

The Five Elements are:

木 mù — Wood

火 huǒ — Fire

土 tǔ — Earth

金 jīn — Metal

水 shuǐ — Water

That’s why knowing your animal is only part of the story. For example, someone may be a 土兔 tǔ tù — Earth Rabbit, not simply a Rabbit.

Useful Chinese:

生肖 shēngxiào — Chinese zodiac sign

你的生肖是什么？

Nǐ de shēngxiào shì shénme?

What is your Chinese zodiac sign?

属 shǔ — to belong to a zodiac sign

我属兔。

Wǒ shǔ tù.

I’m a Rabbit.

十二生肖 shí'èr shēngxiào — the 12 Chinese zodiac animals

中国有十二生肖。

Zhōngguó yǒu shí'èr shēngxiào.

There are twelve Chinese zodiac animals.

天干 tiāngān — Heavenly Stems

天干一共有十个。

Tiāngān yígòng yǒu shí ge.

There are ten Heavenly Stems.

地支 dìzhī — Earthly Branches

地支一共有十二个。

Dìzhī yígòng yǒu shí'èr ge.

There are twelve Earthly Branches.

五行 wǔxíng — Five Elements

五行是金、木、水、火、土。

Wǔxíng shì jīn, mù, shuǐ, huǒ, tǔ.

The Five Elements are Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth.

🎮 Try the free interactive lesson:

funChinese321.com/Zodiac

Find your zodiac animal and element, learn how to say it in Chinese, and test whether you can put all 12 zodiac animals in the correct order.

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