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27+ Hilarious Chinese Jokes to Make You Laugh Like Crazy (For All Levels)

Chinese jokes are a great way to practice your Chinese: not only do they provide a lot of useful vocabulary but also allow you to see Chinese grammar rules and sentence structures in action. They’re also excellent for pronunciation practice, especially since sharing the joke with your friends often requires some repetition.

Chinese jokes also offer a glimpse into many different facets of Chinese culture . When you get the jokes in Chinese, you’re a step further in understanding the mindset of Chinese people . In this article, we rounded up the funniest Chinese jokes and puns that’ll leave you and your friends in stitches.

What's Covered in This Article

What is a good chinese joke (and what’s considered funny to the chinese).

Many Westerners find Chinese jokes rather hard to understand. Some even speculate that China is totally a humorless society.

Well, contrary to popular belief, Chinese people are every bit as fun as Westerners!

What makes it difficult for the non-Chinese to get is the fact that most Chinese jokes are full of cultural references that can easily get lost in translation. Once you have to explain a joke, it pretty much loses its comedic power. 

The language itself creates a barrier too.

In many languages, jokes are simply based on sarcasm or exaggeration with the help of specific, generally understood intonations. In Chinese, however, jokes are often tied to linguistics. As a tonal language, Chinese has tons of homonyms and homophones. So a lot of funny Chinese jokes are based on puns or plays-on-words .

Also, what’s not so funny in English may become quite funny said in Chinese. For example, “cold jokes” are wildly popular in China , though not so much in the West. A cold joke is like a lame “dad joke” without an ending or punchline that’s intentionally designed to sound dumb. But the dumbness of the joke is what makes it funny.

Want a piece of Chinese humor?

Then you’re going to love what you are about to read. We’ve got the best of Chinese jokes, puns and cold jokes common in Chinese society all in one spot.

But first, let’s take a look at…

How to Tell a Joke in Chinese

The word for “joke” in Mandarin Chinese is 笑话 (xiàohua). If you break down the word into characters, 笑 (xiào) stands for “laugh”, and 话 (huà) means “talk”. You may also use 段子 (duànzi) , which is a more colloquial expression for jokes in Chinese, especially those in bad taste.

Having at least a little bit of an understanding of what Chinese people find funny will definitely help win over some potential Mandarin-speaking friends. So, here are a few tips for telling a joke, or a 笑话 (xiàohua) in Chinese.

Chinese Jokes Don’ts

Humor is a tricky thing. A lot of things you can joke about in your culture can be downright offensive to the Chinese. Most guides teach you the Dos, but we think it’s more critical to avoid the Don’ts when you attempt to tell a joke in Chinese.   

1. Don’t make jokes that cause someone to lose face. If you’re unsure what it means, think about why Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscar. Being publicly embarrassed or humiliated is the last thing people want in China. Avoid anything that would make a person look bad or appear weak, even if it’s an unintentional joke.

2. Don’t make jokes about someone’s personal life. Romantic relationships are a very private matter in Chinese culture, and jokes about them are considered rude as opposed to funny. Only the closest of friend groups can exchange the kind of jokes you hear in a typical American sitcom. And avoid joking about sex too – it’s a taboo subject. 

3. Don’t make politically sensitive jokes. Making fun of politicians is common in the West, but it’s a big no-no in China. Although Chinese people frequently joke about their government and leaders in private, “outsiders” shouldn’t. Even the  JPMorgan CEO Jamie Damin had to apologize for his joke that his bank would outlast China’s Communist Party . Remember, CCP doesn’t want to lose face either.

Chinese Jokes Dos

Now that we’ve covered the don’ts, let’s get to the dos.

1. Start your conversation with: 你想听个笑话/段子吗？(Nǐ xiǎng tīng gè xiàohua/duànzi ma?)  – “Do you want to hear a joke?”. Even if people are not in the mood to smile, you can always try to make them laugh.  

2. Choose a simple joke first. Look for jokes with very basic Chinese vocabulary , sentence structure, and punch lines. As you become more comfortable telling simple jokes in Chinese, you can move on to the more intricate ones.

3. Craft your opening sentence. If you are telling a story, you can always start with the cliché 有一天 (yǒu yì tiān) – “Once upon a time”. It’s been used in many Chinese jokes as an introduction and you can do it too.

4. Keep your cool. Funny as it may sound, in China, a lack of facial expressions while delivering witty one-liners is considered more entertaining. If you can make people laugh without showing any facial expression or making your joke or pun seem unintentional, you’ve nailed it!

5. Ask for feedback. Joke or not, you’re going to mess up from time to time and say things in the wrong way. If you can’t make your Chinese-speaking friend laugh (which is totally okay), ask him, “你听懂了吗？ (Nǐ tīng dǒng le ma)”  – Did you get it?

27 Best (And Worst) Chinese Jokes and Puns

Can’t pull off a joke in Chinese on your own? We’ve got some of the best jokes you can steal to get your Mandarin-speaking friends cracking up, again and again!

These Chinese jokes are organized into five different categories, all complete with characters, Pinyin, and English translations. We also explain the puns where needed.

Enjoy, and don’t hesitate to try them out at your next Chinese gathering!

Simple Chinese Jokes for Beginners

We all have to start somewhere. If you are just getting started on your Chinese learning journey , here are 6 short and easy jokes in Chinese to get your friends giggling.

Since the jokes are a mix of Chinese and English, it helps if you know at least some basic Chinese . If you can’t read Chinese Pinyin, here’s a quick guide for you to learn.

Joke #1: How Are You

• A: How are you? B: 好 (hǎo)。 A: Yes, how? B: 好 (hǎo)。 A: $!#@$%$@%
• What’s so funny? 好 (hǎo), which sounds like “how”, means “good” in Chinese.
• Related reading: How to use “hao” in 11 different contexts

Joke #2: Vampires

• – 吸血鬼喜欢吃辣吗？ Xīxuèguǐ xǐhuan chī là ma? Do vampires like spicy food? – 不喜欢。 Bù xǐhuan。 No, they don’t. – 为什么？ Wèishénme? Why? – 因为他们喜欢blood。 Yīnwèi tāmen xǐhuan blood. Because they like blood.
• What’s so funny? “Blood” sounds a lot like 不辣的 (bú là de) in Chinese – meaning “not spicy”.

Joke #3: Job

• – 我有一份惊人的工作。 Wǒ yǒu yí fèn jīngrén de gōngzuò. I have an amazing job. – 什么工作？ Shénme gōngzuò? What job? – 挖藕。 Wā ǒu. Digging lotus roots.
• What’s so funny? 挖藕 (wā ǒu) – “digging lotus roots” sounds like “wow” in English.
• Related reading: How to talk about your job in Chinese  

Joke #4: Math Teacher

• – 你好，我是数学王子秦老师。 Nǐhǎo, wǒ shì shùxué Wáng Zǐqín lǎoshī. Hello, I am Wang Ziqin, the math teacher.  – 你好秦老师。 Nǐhǎo, Qín lǎoshī. Hello, Teacher Qin. – 我姓王… Wǒ xìng Wáng… My surname is Wang…
• What’s so funny? The guy thought the teacher called himself the Prince of Mathematics: 我是/数学王子/秦老师 (Wǒ shì / shùxué wángzǐ / Qín lǎoshī) – “I am / math prince / Teacher Qin”, while 王子秦 (Wáng Zǐqín) is actually the teacher’s name (王 Wáng being the family name and 子秦 Zǐqín being the given name).
• Related reading: How to introduce yourself in Chinese

Joke #5: Frogs

• 青蛙见到一只牛蛙，问它：“你是牛蛙吗？” Qīngwā jiàn dào yì zhī niúwā, wèn tā: “Nǐ shì niúwā ma?” A frog met a bullfrog, and asked him, “Are you a bullfrog?” 牛蛙回答：“不，我是浩克。” Niúwā huídá: “Bù, wǒ shì Hàokè.” The bullfrog answered, “No, I am Hulk.”
• Related reading: How to say your name in Chinese

Joke #6: Doctor and Patient

• – 医生，我还能活多久？ Yīshēng, wǒ hái néng huó duō jiǔ? Doctor, how long have I got left? – 十… Shí… Ten… – 太好了，是十天，十个月，还是十年？ Tài hǎo le, shì shí tiān, shí gè yuè, háishì shí nián? Great, is it ten days, ten months, or ten years? – 九… Jiǔ… Nine…
• Related Reading: How to count in Chinese

Chinese Puns

In Chinese, puns are called 谐音梗 (xié yīn gěng). Mandarin Chinese is perfectly suited to puns because it has so many homophones. In this section, we put together 7 of the best Chinese puns to knock you down.

Joke #7: Fox

• – 狐狸为什么站不起来？ Húli wèishénme zhàn bù qǐlái? Why can’t a fox stand up? – Yīnwèi tā hěn jiǎohuá. 因为它很狡猾。 Because it’s foxy.
• What’s so funny? The word 狡猾 (jiǎohuá) – “foxy” sounds the same as 脚滑 (jiǎo huá), meaning “feet slippery”. So the answer can be interpreted as “Because it’s got slippery feet.”

Joke #8: Seaside Jokes

• – 小明和小红在海边讲笑话，然后两个人都死了。 Xiǎomíng hé Xiǎohóng zài hǎi biān jiǎng xiàohua, ránhòu liǎng gè rén dōu sǐ le. Xiaoming and Xiaohong were telling jokes at the seaside, and then they both died. – 为什么？ Wèishénme? How come? – 因为海啸了。 Yīnwèi hǎixiào le. Because of the tsunami.
• What’s so funny? The word 海啸 (hǎixiào) – “tsunami” sounds the same as 海笑 (hǎi xiào), meaning “sea laughs”. So the answer can be interpreted as “Because the sea laughed.”

Joke #9: Running Bulk

• 一只公鹿越跑越快, 最后它变成了高速公路。 Yì zhī gōng lù yuè pǎo yuè kuài, zuìhòu tā biànchéng le gāosù gōnglù. A bulk ran faster and faster, and eventually, it became a high-speed road.
• What’s so funny? 公鹿 (gōng lù) – “male deer” sounds the same as 公路 (gōng lù) – “highway”.

Joke #10: Dragons

• 龙妈妈把龙宝宝骂了，因为他偷看了成龙电影。 Lóng māma bǎ lóng bǎobao mà le, yīnwèi tā tōu kàn le Chéng Lóng diànyǐng. Mama dragon scolded baby dragon because he secretly watched Jackie Chan movies.
• What’s so funny? 成龙 (Chéng Lóng), which is Jackie Chan’s Chinese name, literally means “become dragon” or “grown-up dragon”. (The word “adult” in Chinese is 成人 chéng rén – literally “become person” or “grown-up person”.)

Joke #11: Moose and Giraffe

• 从前有只麋鹿，它在森林里玩，不小心走丢了。 Cóngqián yǒu zhī mílù, tā zài sēnlín lǐ wán, bùxiǎoxīn zǒu diū le.  Once upon a time, there was a moose. He was playing in the forest and somehow lost his way. 于是它给好朋友长颈鹿打电话：“喂, 我迷路啦。” Yúshì tā gěi hǎo péngyou chángjǐnglù dǎ diànhuà: “Wèi, wǒ mí lù la.” So he called his good friend giraffe, “Hey, I’m lost!”  长颈鹿听见了回答说：“喂, 我长颈鹿啦。” Chángjǐnglù tīng jiàn le huídá shuō: “Wèi, wǒ chángjǐnglù la.” The giraffe heard this and replied, “Hey, I’m giraffe!”
• What’s so funny? The word 麋鹿 (mílù) – “moose” sounds the same as 迷路 (mí lù), meaning “lose one’s way”. The moose meant to say, “Hey, I am (it’s) moose.” 

Joke #12: Crab and Octopus

• 有天螃蟹出门不小心撞倒了章鱼。 Yǒu tiān pángxiè chūmén, bùxiǎoxīn zhuàng dǎo le zhāngyú. One day, a crab was taking a walk and accidentally knocked over an octopus. 章鱼很生气地说：“你是不是瞎啊？”  Zhāngyú hěn shēngqì de shuō: “Nǐ shì búshì xiā a?”  The octopus said angrily, “Are you blind?”  螃蟹说：“不是, 我是螃蟹。”  Pángxiè shuō: “Búshì, wǒ shì pángxiè.” The crab said, “No, I am crab.”
• What’s so funny? The word 瞎 (xiā) – “blind” sounds the same as 虾 (xiā) – “prawn”. “Are you prawn?” – that’s what the crab heard.

Cold Jokes in Chinese

Cold Jokes or 冷笑话 (lěng xiào huà) in Mandarin Chinese are jokes that are funny by virtue of being not actually funny at all. The name comes from the fact that when someone hears a cold joke, he shivers in terror instead of laughing because the joke is so bad.

Are Chinese cold jokes “cold” enough for you? Read our favorite ones below to find out.

Joke #13: Polar Bear

• 从前有一只北极熊买了一副墨镜。 Cóngqián yǒu yì zhī běijí xióng mǎi le yí fù mòjìng.  Once upon a time, a polar bear bought a pair of sunglasses. 他戴了墨镜之后沉思了一会儿，说到： Tā dài le mòjìng zhīhòu chénsī le yíhuìr, shuō dào: After putting on his sunglasses, he pondered for a while and said, “突然好想吃竹子噢！” “Tūrán hǎo xiǎng chī zhúzi ō!”  “I suddenly want to eat bamboo!”

Joke #14: Toothpick and Hedgehog

• 有根牙签正在路上走着。 Yǒu gēn yáqiān zhèngzài lù shàng zǒu zhe. A toothpick was walking down the street. 他看到一只刺猬经过, 然后大喊： Kàn dào yì zhī cìwei jīngguò, ránhòu dà hǎn:  He saw a hedgehog pass by and shouted, “等等我！公交车！” “Děng děng wǒ! Gōngjiāochē! ” “Wait for me, bus!”

Joke #15: Fat Bum

• 刚才看到个胖流浪汉。 Gāngcái kàn dào gè pàng liúlànghàn. I just saw a fat bum. 我问他：“作为一个流浪汉，你为什么还那么胖？” Wǒ wèn tā: “Zuòwéi yí gè liúlànghàn, nǐ wèishénme hái nàme pàng?” I asked him, “Why are you still so fat as a homeless man?”  他说:“因为我没钱去健身房。” Tā shuō: “Yīnwèi wǒ méi qián qù jiànshēnfáng. ” He said, “Because I have no money to go to a gym.”

Joke #16: Fish

• 一条鱼在海里游泳，它越游越深，突然就哭了起来。 Yì tiáo yú zài hǎi lǐ yóuyǒng, tā yuè yóu yuè shēn, tūrán jiù kū le qǐlái. A fish was swimming in the sea. It went deeper and deeper, and suddenly began to cry. 另一条鱼经过问它：“你为什么哭呀？” Lìng yì tiáo yú jīngguò wèn tā: “Nǐ wèishénme kū ya?”. Another fish passed by and asked him, “Why are you crying?” 那条鱼说：“我感觉压力好大哦。” Nà tiáo yú shuō: “ Wǒ gǎnjué yā lì hǎo dà ó.” That fish said, “I feel so much pressure.”

Chinese Character Jokes

The following jokes are linked with Chinese characters . If you know some basic characters, it will be easier to understand the jokes. It can also be fun to mix these into your routine for learning Chinese. If you don’t, no worries! We wrote down the explanation below each one.

Joke #17: Boating

• 了先生有天去划船，于是… Yǒu tiān Le xiānsheng qù huá chuán, yúshì … Mr. Le went boating one day, and he… 孑孓孑孓孑孓孑孓… Jié jué jié jué jié jué jié jué. (Mr.了 is rowing the boat…)

Joke #18. Haircut

• 王先生剪了个中分, 变成了全先生。 Wáng xiānsheng jiǎn le gè zhōngfēn, biànchéng le Quán xiānsheng. Mr. Wang got a middle part haircut and became Mr. Quan.
• What’s so funny? With a middle part hairstyle, the character 王 looks like 全.

Joke #19. Shampoo

• – 我最近在学汉字。 Wǒ zuìjìn zài xué hànzì. I am learning Chinese characters lately. – 难吗？ Nán ma? Are they difficult? – 不难。 Bù nán. Nope. – 这(卤)是什么字？ Zhè (卤) shì shénme zì? What’s this character (卤)? – 洗发水。 Xǐfà shuǐ. Shampoo. (Actually “卤 lǔ” means “to stew in soy sauce”)
• Related reading: How to express difficult in Chinese with “nan”

Joke #20: Handsome Me

• -“我好帅”繁体字怎么写？ “Wǒ hǎo shuài” fántǐ zì zěnme xiě? How do you write “I am so handsome” in traditional Chinese characters? – 为什么是繁体字？ Wèishénme shì fántǐ zì? Why traditional Chinese? – 因为我不是简单的帅。 Yīnwèi wǒ búshì jiǎndān de shuài. Because I am not simply handsome.
• Related reading: Simplified vs traditional Chinese characters

Joke #21: Cup

• 美国人：你见过木头做的杯子吗？ Měiguó rén: Nǐ jiàn guò mùtou zuò de bēizi ma? American: Have you ever seen a cup made of wood? 中国人：没有。 Zhōngguó rén: méiyǒu. Chinese: Nope. 美国人：那为什么你们中国字的“杯”是木字旁？ Měiguó rén: Nà wèishénme nǐmen Zhōngguó zì de “bēi ” shì mù zì páng? American: Then how come the Chinese character “杯” (cup) has the wood radical (木) in it?   中国人：你没看到“木”旁边有个“不”吗？也就是说它不是木头做的。 Zhōngguó rén: Nǐ méi kàn dào “mù ” pángbiān yǒu gè “bù ” ma? Yě jiù shì shuō tā búshì mùtou zuò de. Chinese: Can’t you see there is a “不” (not) next to the “木” (wood)? It says cups are not made of wood.
• Related reading: Most common Chinese radicals

Advanced Chinese Jokes

Not a beginner in Chinese? We’ve got you covered. Drop some of these more intricate Chinese jokes to get the crow laughing with you.

Joke #22: Piggy’s Dream

• 小猪从噩梦中惊醒，哭着对妈妈说：“我梦见自己长大以后做了水手，可是我不想做水手。” 猪妈妈安慰说：“傻孩子，不要怕，梦都是和现实相反的。” 果然，小猪后来做了火腿。 Xiǎo zhū cóng èmèng zhōng jīng xǐng, kū zhe duì māma shuō: “Wǒ mèng jiàn zìjǐ zhǎngdà yǐhòu zuò le shuǐshǒu, kěshì wǒ bù xiǎng zuò shuǐshǒu. ” Zhū māma ānwèi shuō: “Shǎ háizi, búyào pà, mèng dōu shì hé xiǎnshí xiāngfǎn de.” Guǒrán, xiǎo zhū hòulái zuò le huǒtuǐ. Little piggy woke up from a nightmare. He cried and said to his mom, “I dreamed that I became a sailor when I grew up, but I don’t want to be a sailor.” Mama pig comforted him and said, “Silly child, don’t be afraid. Dreams are the opposite of reality.” Sure enough, later the little piggy became a ham.
• What’s so funny? The word 水手 (shuǐshǒu) – “sailor”, literally means “water hand”. And guess what? Ham in Chinese – 火腿 (huǒtuǐ), when broken down into characters, means precisely the opposite – “fire leg”.

Joke #23: Dumplings

• 两个饺子结婚了，送走客人后新郎回到卧室，发现床上躺着一个肉丸。新郎大惊，问: “你是谁？” “我脱了衣服你就不认识我了？” 肉丸害羞地说。 Liǎng gè jiǎozi jiéhūn le, sòng zǒu kèrén hòu xīnláng huí dào wòshì, fāxiàn chuáng shàng tǎng zhe yí gè ròuwán. Xīnláng dà jīng, wèn: “Nǐ shì shéi?”. “Wǒ tuō le yīfu nǐ jiù bú rènshi wǒ le?”, ròuwán hàixiū de shuō.  Two dumplings got married. After seeing off their guests, the bridegroom returned to the bedroom, only to find a meatball lying on the bed. The bridegroom was shocked, and he asked, “Who are you?” “You don’t recognize me without clothes?”, the meatball said shyly.

J oke #24: Tiger and Ladybug

• 有只老虎正在睡觉，被苍蝇叮了一下。老虎起身去追，却只发现一只瓢虫，便说道：“小样,你穿个唐装，以为我就不认识你了？” Yǒu zhī lǎohǔ zhèngzài shuìjiào, bèi cāngying dīng le yíxià, lǎohǔ qǐ shēn qù zhuī, què zhǐ fāxiàn yì zhī piáochóng, biàn shuō dào: “Xiǎoyàng, nǐ chuān gè tángzhuāng, yǐwéi wǒ jiù bú rènshi nǐ le?” A tiger was bitten by a fly while sleeping. He got up to chase the fly, but only found a ladybug. He said, “ Little punk, you think I wouldn’t recognize you in a Tang suit?” 

Joke #25: Daddy and Mommy

• 小女孩模仿台湾电视剧问：“爸比, 我们去哪里啊？”爸爸没有理她。妈妈笑了笑，小女孩转过头看看妈妈：“妈比，你笑什么？” Xiǎo nǚhái mófǎng Táiwān diànshìjù wèn: “Bǎbí, wǒmen qù nǎli a?” Bàba méiyǒu lǐ tā. Māma xiào le xiào, xiǎo nǚhái zhuǎn guò tóu kànkan māma: “Mābí, nǐ xiào shénme?” A little girl imitated a Taiwanese TV drama and asked, “Papi, where are we going?” Dad ignored her. Mom laughed, and the little girl turned her head, looked at her mom, and said, “F*ck, what are you laughing at?”
• What’s so funny? 爸比 (bǎbí) is a colloquial term for “daddy” in Taiwanese Mandarin, coming from the English word “Papi”. You can’t simply replace the 爸 (bà) in it with 妈 (mā) for “mommy”. And 妈比 (mābí), unfortunately, is just a bad word in Mainland China.
• Related reading: Taiwanese Mandarin vs Mainland Chinese Mandarin

Joke #26: Homework

• 我儿子的班主任刚跟我打电话, 喊我考虑一下是否把儿子送到智障儿童学校，因为他的作业做得一直非常差。当我听到这个消息的时候我感觉整个天都塌下来了，因为他的作业一直都是我做的。 Wǒ érzi de bānzhǔrèn gāng gēn wǒ dǎ diànhuà, hǎn wǒ kǎolǜ yíxià shìfǒu bǎ érzi sòng dào zhìzhàng értóng xuéxiào, yīnwèi tā de zuòyè zuò de yìzhí fēicháng chà. Dāng wǒ tīng dào zhè ge xiāoxi de shíhou wǒ gǎnjué zhěng gè tiān dōu tā xiàlái le, yīnwèi tā de zuòyè yìzhí dōu shì wǒ zuò de. The headteacher of my son’s class just called me asked if I’d consider sending my son to a school for retarded children, because his homework has been consistently poor. I felt like the sky was falling when I heard the news since I am the one who has been doing all his homework.

Worst Chinese Joke

Got a wicked sense of humor? We have this horrible Chinese joke for you. Cringe and groan all you want, it made my day…

Joke #27: Flies

• 小苍蝇和苍蝇妈妈在吃饭。小苍蝇问：“妈妈, 我们为什么要吃屎啊？” 苍蝇妈妈给了小苍蝇一巴掌后说：“吃饭的时候不要说那么恶心的话！” Xiǎo cāngying hé cāngying māma zài chīfàn. Xiǎo cāngyíng wèn: “Māmā, wǒmen wèishénme yào chī shǐ a?” Cāngying māma gěi le xiǎo cāngying yì bāzhang hòu shuō: “Chī fàn de shíhou búyào shuō nàme ěxīn de huà!” The little fly and mama fly are eating. The little fly asked: “Mom, why do we eat poop?” Mama fly slapped the little fly and said: “Don’t say such disgusting words in the middle of a meal!” 

Do You Want to Better Understand Chinese Jokes?

Did you enjoy the Chinese jokes above?

Keep in mind that these were the most translatable ones. Your next step will be to understand jokes directly in Chinese. And this is achievable through a structured online Chinese course. We’ve reviewed the ranked every Chinese course on the internet (yes, we did!), and here are the best ones for 2024.

Tag: Essays

Essay: 《不死鸟》the immortal bird by sanmao.

• Post author By Kendra
• Post date March 25, 2023
• 4 Comments on Essay: 《不死鸟》The Immortal Bird by Sanmao

In this tear-jerker essay, famous Taiwanese authoress Sanmao ponders on the value of her own life. It was written as she grieved the drowning of her beloved Spanish husband in 1979, and is all the more tragic in light of her suicide 12 years later.

• Tags Essays

Essay:《爱》Love by Zhang Ailing (Eileen Chang)

• Post date June 12, 2020
• 5 Comments on Essay:《爱》Love by Zhang Ailing (Eileen Chang)

A tragic, dreamlike little essay from writer  Zhang Ailing  (张爱玲, English name Eileen Chang) about love and destiny. This is one of her more well-known works of micro-prose, written in 1944. HSK 5-6.

Essay:《打人》Hitting Someone by Zhang Ailing (Eileen Chang)

• Post date June 10, 2020
• 1 Comment on Essay:《打人》Hitting Someone by Zhang Ailing (Eileen Chang)

An essay from Chinese lit diva Zhang Ailing about a scene of police brutality she witnessed in Shanghai in the 1940s. HSK 6 and up.

Essay: 《感谢困难》Thanking Life’s Challenges by Lin Qingxuan

• Post date May 19, 2020
• 5 Comments on Essay: 《感谢困难》Thanking Life’s Challenges by Lin Qingxuan

You can skip your Instagram yoga gratitude break today, here’s another one from Taiwanese Buddhist essayist Lin Qingxuan (林清玄). HSK 4-5.

Essay: 《蝴蝶的种子》Seed of a Butterfly by Lin Qingxuan

• Post date May 7, 2020
• 2 Comments on Essay: 《蝴蝶的种子》Seed of a Butterfly by Lin Qingxuan

Taiwanese Buddhist essayist Lin Qingxuan marvels at the wonders of nature, time, space, and reincarnation. This piece is all about awe of the natural world, and you’ll learn some Discovery Channel vocab, like “pupa”, “mate”, “breed”, “spawn”, and lots of animal names.

• Tags Essays , Science

Letter: Ba Jin’s Correspondence with “Young Friends Searching for Ideals” – Part II

• Post date May 5, 2020
• 3 Comments on Letter: Ba Jin’s Correspondence with “Young Friends Searching for Ideals” – Part II

In Part II of this two-part series, we’ll read acclaimed author Ba Jin’s reply to the 10 elementary school students who wrote him a letter asking him for moral guidance in 1987. I’m not a super weepy person, but I legit cried reading this. This is a noble, elevating piece of writing, and reading it, I’m reminded that in all societies, there are those who struggle with the materialism that engulfs us.

Essay:《帮忙》 Helping Out

• Post date May 4, 2020
• 3 Comments on Essay:《帮忙》 Helping Out

In this one-paragraph read (HSK 2-3), Little Brother wants to help dad get ready to leave the house, but his contribution falls flat.

Essay: 《丑石》The Ugly Rock by Jia Pingwa

• Post date April 29, 2020
• No Comments on Essay: 《丑石》The Ugly Rock by Jia Pingwa

Jia Pingwa (贾平凹) is one of China’s modern literary greats, and in this short story, it shows. I don’t know how this guy crammed so many insights on the human condition into a few paragraphs about a rock, but he undeniably did.

Letter: Ba Jin’s Correspondence with “Young Friends Searching for Ideals” – Part I

• Post date April 27, 2020
• No Comments on Letter: Ba Jin’s Correspondence with “Young Friends Searching for Ideals” – Part I

In the first of a two-part post, we’ll look at a letter sent in 1987 from a group of elementary school students to the anarchist writer Ba Jin (most famous for his 1931 novel The Family) as they struggle to cope with China’s changing social values. In Part II, I’ll translate Ba Jin’s reply.

Essay: Desk-chairs of the Future

• Post date May 28, 2014
• 15 Comments on Essay: Desk-chairs of the Future

This kid was asked to imagine the perfect desk-chair of the future – what it would look like, and what it would do – and boy, does he ever. The chair turns into all kinds of utopian machinery. It flies, it helps you sleep, and it carries your books to school. Sentence structure is pretty […]

Essay: Catching Frogs

• Post date May 7, 2014
• 52 Comments on Essay: Catching Frogs

Though this post is beginner-level, it’s also very condensed. I’d say you’ll have to stop and remind yourself what something means every few words or so.

Essay: My First Telephone Call

• Post date June 11, 2013
• 24 Comments on Essay: My First Telephone Call

Though the conclusion of this essay might fall a bit flat for all of us who are very used to having a telephone, this is an interesting glimpse into what a monumental rite of passage it is for children in rural areas to have one or use one for the first time.

Essay: Papa, Please Don’t Smoke!

• Post date June 3, 2013
• 17 Comments on Essay: Papa, Please Don’t Smoke!

In this essay, a child desperately (and very angrily) pleads their father not to smoke. Though this is classified as “Intermediate”, beginners should definitely try this read, leaning heavily on the hover word-list. The difficult parts are the mid-level turns of phrase, which are all explained below.

Guest Post: The exam of life

• Post date May 6, 2013
• 26 Comments on Guest Post: The exam of life

Well well well, lookie here. A guest post! Today we’ll be reading Rebecca Chua’s (Chinese name: 蔡幸彤) translation of an essay from her textbook. The post is about the rewards of honesty. I remember my own textbook being full of these types of essays, so thank you, Rebecca, for the traditional read.

My Gluttonous Elder Brother

• Post date January 8, 2013
• 10 Comments on My Gluttonous Elder Brother

I set out to do a beginner post since I haven’t done one in a while, but no joy, I think I have to classify this as intermediate. Beginners are welcome to try this out, as most of the words are simple and the subject matter is a bit immature (so of course it totally […]

News: Snowstorm has caused 15 deaths and 2000 flight delays or cancellations

• Post date January 2, 2013
• 8 Comments on News: Snowstorm has caused 15 deaths and 2000 flight delays or cancellations

In the spirit of the holiday season, which is winding to a blissfully overweight close, I give you an article about something you may or may not have just struggled through if you flew home for the holidays (which I did).

Our Family’s Jump Rope Contest

• Post date October 2, 2012
• 17 Comments on Our Family’s Jump Rope Contest

A single-paragraph essay about the results of a family jump rope competition.

After I Got My New Years’ Money

• Post date September 10, 2012
• 20 Comments on After I Got My New Years’ Money

For those of you new to Chinese culture, one thing a Chinese child most looks forward to all year is the time during Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) when they get to go ask their neighbors and other adults for red envelopes containing some money – it’s a bit like trick-or-treating for cash. This essay […]

Essay: A Foolish Affair from my Childhood

• Post date August 29, 2012
• 20 Comments on Essay: A Foolish Affair from my Childhood

This essay is about a kid who takes his father’s advice a little too literally (with amusing results).

Dear Diary: Mama Please Believe Me

• Post date May 3, 2012
• 18 Comments on Dear Diary: Mama Please Believe Me

And now a break from all the intermediate and advanced exercises I’ve been posting lately. This one is a straightforward beginner Chinese diary-style essay about a student whose mother is displeased with his (or her, it’s never clarified) homework.

100+ Hilarious Chinese Puns to Laugh Out Loud

Chinese puns are frequently tricky for Westerners to grasp. Some people even claim that society in China is entirely devoid of humor.

Contrary to widespread assumption, Chinese people may be just as entertaining as people from other cultures, and so are Chinese puns! Read out these hilarious Chinese puns and lighten up your mood because they are made in China!

Funny Chinese Jokes

Q: What’s the most popular type of dumpling at a tech conference in China? A: The data byte.

Q: How do you tell a good Chinese tea? A: It’s cha-rming!

Q: Why did the Chinese football team go to the bank? A: To check their savings.

Q: Why was the Chinese magician so good? A: He knew all the tricks in the book- of Tao!

Q: Why did the Chinese chef start meditating? A: He wanted to find inner peas.

Q: How do Chinese cats say hello? A: Ni hao-meow! My Experience : It reminds me of the time I visited a Chinese friend’s house, and their cat greeted me with a friendly “Ni hao-meow!” It was such a cute and unexpected moment that brought a smile to my face.

Q: Why did the Chinese computer keep freezing? A: Too much ice-tea!

Q: What’s the favorite Chinese dish of a basketball player? A: Dunk-ton soup.

Q: How do Chinese farmers fix their equipment? A: With ancient grains.

Q: Why was the Chinese calendar so proud? A: It had a lot of dates!

Q: Why did the Chinese baker open a doughnut shop? A: Because dough-not question his choices!

Q: How do you describe a thrifty Chinese person? A: Wonton savings.

Did You Know About the Ancient Civilization of China?

Q: Why do Chinese artists love painting nature? A: Because they’re so drawn to it.

Q: What’s a Chinese skeleton’s favorite instrument? A: The xylo-bone.

Q: How does a Chinese cow say hello? A: Mooo-shi mooo-shi!

Q: Why was the Chinese broom so good at its job? A: Because it always sweeps the nation.

Q: Why did the Chinese fish blush? A: It saw the ocean’s bottom.

Q: What’s a Chinese football player’s favorite goal celebration? A: The wok and roll.

Have A Chinese Pun Of Your Own? Share In The Comments! Especially Like This 🤣

Q: What did the Chinese father say to his disobedient son? A: “You’re soy in trouble!”

Q: How does a Chinese lemon say goodbye? A: Sour-long!

Q: Why did the Chinese musician go to jail? A: He broke too many strings.

Q: What did the Chinese potato say to the other? A: “I yam what I yam!”

Q: Why did the Chinese lettuce win the race? A: It had a head start! Pro Experience : I remember watching a lettuce race at a local fair. It was amusing to see the lettuce leaves fluttering in the wind as they raced across the field, with everyone cheering for their favorite.

Q: How do Chinese eggs express their joy? A: They wok and roll.

Q: Why did the Chinese bicycle stand by itself? A: It was two-tired.

Q: What did the Chinese grape do when it got stepped on? A: It let out a little whine.

Q: What do Chinese chefs do after a breakup? A: Wonton of sadness.

Q: Why did the Chinese coffee file a police report? A: It got mugged!

Q: What’s a Chinese ghost’s favorite dish? A: Boo-lao soup.

Did You Know About Traditional Chinese Medicine?

Q: Why did the Chinese vegetable go to school? A: To improve its stalk market.

Q: How does a Chinese bee say hello? A: Bee-jing!

Q: Why did the Chinese scarecrow become famous? A: He was outstanding in his field.

Q: What do Chinese astronauts eat for lunch? A: Launch-meat.

Q: Why did the Chinese tomato blush? A: It saw the salad dressing.

Q: What’s a Chinese pepper’s favorite song? A: “Shake it off.”

Got A Chinese Pun? Drop Your Comments! Especially Like This 🤣

Q: What’s a Chinese computer’s favorite snack? A: Bytes.

Q: Why did the Chinese belt get arrested? A: For holding up a pair of pants.

Q: How do you know if a Chinese book is successful? A: It climbs the best-sellers wok.

Q: What did the Chinese flower say to its date? A: “I like you a whole bouquet!”

Q: How does a Chinese octopus fight? A: Well-armed. Sigma Experience: I once watched an octopus gracefully navigate its tank at an aquarium. Its delicate movements and numerous arms reminded me of the precision and agility required in any form of combat.

Q: Why did the Chinese vegetable start a band? A: Because it was beet.

Q: How does a Chinese cat keep its fur so soft? A: It uses mouse-turizer.

Q: Why was the Chinese river so insightful? A: It had deep thoughts.

Q: Why did the Chinese computer keep freezing? A: It had too many windows.

Q: How do Chinese grapes relax? A: Wine down.

Q: What’s a Chinese musician’s favorite chocolate? A: Drumstick.

Did You Know About Chinese Inventions?

Q: Why did the Chinese egg go to school? A: To get egg-ucated!

Q: How do Chinese bread greet each other? A: “Rolling good!”

Q: Why did the Chinese man put his money in the blender? A: To make some liquid assets.

Q: How does a Chinese tree access the internet? A: It logs on.

Q: Why did the Chinese computer stay cool? A: It had too many fans.

Q: What’s a Chinese chef’s favorite movie? A: “Stir Fry-day.”

Q: Why did the Chinese teddy bear say no to dessert? A: It was already stuffed.

Do You Have This Kind Of One? Share With Us! 😊

Q: Why was the Chinese calendar so popular? A: Its dates were always up to day.

Q: What did the Chinese rug say to the floor? A: “I’ve got you covered.”

Q: How do Chinese cows stay updated? A: They read the moos-paper.

Q: Why did the Chinese man bring string to the bar? A: He wanted to tie one on.

Q: What did the Chinese hat say to the scarf? A: “You hang around, I’ll go on ahead.”

Q: Why did the Chinese phone go to school? A: It missed too many calls.

Q: What’s a Chinese vampire’s favorite fruit? A: Blood orange. Ultra Pro Experience : Ah, that’s a fang-tastic one! Reminds me of the time I tried to convince my friend that garlic is the best fruit to keep vampires away. 🧛‍♂️🍊😂

Q: Why did the Chinese sandwich go to the doctor? A: It had a bad case of the fillings.

Q: How does a Chinese train eat? A: It goes chew chew.

Q: Why did the Chinese orange go blind? A: It had too much vitamin C.

Q: How did the Chinese farmer fix his jeans? A: With a cabbage patch.

Q: Why was the Chinese math book sad? A: It had too many problems.

Did You Know About Chinese Arts and Culture?

Q: How do you light up a Chinese soccer stadium? A: With a soccer match.

Q: Why did the Chinese bicycle lean against the wall? A: It was two-tired.

Q: What do you call a Chinese man with a camera? A: Snap Ding.

Q: How does a Chinese egg express itself? A: It eggs-presses itself.

Q: What did the Chinese lemon say after a joke? A: “That’s zest funny!”

Q: Why did the Chinese tofu cross the road? A: To prove it wasn’t chicken.

Q: Why was the Chinese cat so good at chess? A: It was a purr-fessional.

Q: What did the Chinese waiter say to the customer? A: “Wok would you like to order?”

Q: Why was the Chinese belt arrested? A: For holding up a pair of pants.

Q: How does a Chinese shoe say hello? A: “Shoe’s there?”

Q: What’s a Chinese ghost’s favorite dessert? A: Ice scream.

Wok-ing through “Chinese puns” has been a rice ride! Did they stir-fry your sense of humor or have you rolling with chuckles like a spring roll?

Serve up your feedback. Your insights help season our humor and keep the Asian-inspired giggles sizzling! 🥢🥡😄

More To Explore:

I’m a former teacher (and mother of Two Childs) with a background in child development. I’m here to help you with play-based learning activities and crafts for kids ages 0 – 8. ( Cledemy.com is my Next startup on Pre to 8th Grade Printable and Worksheet Education Resources)

Join our active Facebook group for creative and fun activities, games, and other child development ideas.

How to Write a Chinese Essay

Dec 16, 2020 | Guest Blogs & Media

The more essays you write, the better you get at communicating with Chinese. To write a good essay, you first have to reach a high language mastery level.

Do you admire the students who write seamless Chinese essay? If you do, then you should know that you too can achieve this level of proficiency. In the meantime, don’t be afraid to pay for your essay if you cannot write it on your own. Online academic writers are a resource each student should take advantage of.

Here are tips to help you get better at writing essays in Chinese.

Learn New Chinese Words

The key to communicating in a new language is learning as many words as you can. Take it upon yourself to learn at least one Chinese word a day. Chinese words are to essay writing what bricks are to a building. The more words you have, the better you get at constructing meaningful sentences.

Case in point, if you’re going to write a Chinese sentence that constitutes ten words, but you don’t know the right way to spell three of those words, your sentence might end up not making sense.

During your Chinese learning experience, words are your arsenal and don’t forget to master the meaning of each word you learn.

Read Chinese Literature

Reading is the most effective way of learning a new language. Remember not to read for the sake of it; find out the meaning of each new word you encounter. When you are an avid reader of Chinese literature, nothing can stop you from writing fluent Chinese.

In the beginning, it might seem like you’re not making any progress, but after a while, you will notice how drastically your writing will change. Receiving information in Chinese helps your brain get accustomed to the language’s sentence patterns, and you can translate this to your essays.

Be extensive in your reading to ensure you get as much as possible out of each article. Remember that it’s not about how fast you finish an article, but rather, how much you gain from the exercise.

Translate Articles from your Native Language to Chinese

Have you ever thought about translating your favorite read to Chinese? This exercise might be tedious, but you will learn a lot from it. The art of translation allows you to seamlessly shift from one language’s sentence pattern into the other. The more you do this, the easier it will be for your brain to convert English sentences into Chinese phrases that people can comprehend.

You can always show your Chinese professor your translations for positive criticism. The more you get corrected, the better you will get at translation. Who knows, you might actually like being a translator once you graduate.

Final Thoughts

by Adrian Lomezzo

Adrian  Lomezzo is a freelance writer. Firstly, he has been developing as a content manager and working with different websites, and the main goal of his was to develop the content making it in the first place. Secondly,  Adrian  had a big desire to help students and adults in self-development in this field and teach them to improve their skills. As a lover of traveling, he did not want to be in one place, and became a writer who could be closer to everyone, and share precious information from the corners of the world.

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Useful Chinese Essay Phrases  

  July 8, 2020

By   Ellen

Nowadays, many international students have decided to study abroad, and China has become a highly popular destination. In universities, essay writing is a basic skill and the “Academic Writing” lectures are always attracting many students to attend.

Here we have summarized some “all-purpose” phrases and sentences which hopefully you would find useful.

Chinese Essay Phrases Used in Abstracts

The abstract should explain the purpose, method, results, and conclusion of your research, also highlighting the new ideas that you proposed; and do remember to keep your language concise while writing. The purpose of the abstract is to conclude and summarize the main contents of your essay so that the reader could have a brief understanding without having to read the entire paper. Chinese abstracts are usually around 200 characters.

Research Background, Significance, and Current Situation

Extremely useful/badly needed/affecting people’s lives (1-2 sentences)

Proposing the Object of Study 

Played a very important role (1-2 sentences)

Purpose of the Study or Study Aim

The role of A in B, perhaps remains to be seen (1 sentence)

Research Methods and Results

Through what means/technique/experiment we achieved what result (several sentences)

Research Results

The phenomenon of A in B, shows what the function of B is, theoretical and applied value (1-2 sentences)

via Pixabay

Chinese Essay Phrases: Main Body

The main body includes the introduction and the main text. The introduction section could use similar phrases that we have just listed, focusing on research objects and purposes. The main text should include research methods, research results, and discussion. Writers should keep their sentences to the point and avoid rambling, also avoid using too much subjective perspective discourses, which shouldn’t be used as arguments as well.

Theoretical Basis, Approaches, and Methods

To express opinions, to emphasis, transitional expressions, chinese essay phrases: conclusion.

At the ending section of the paper, the writer should provide an objective summary, list out the future research objectives and directions, and perhaps look into the future. Keep optimistic even if your experiment results were negative.

Research Impact and Value

There you go. We hope this article helps you write amazing essays. Best of luck!

Ellen is a language specialist from China. She grew up in the US and received a master’s degree from the St Andrews University of UK. The multicultural experiences attributes to her understanding of the differences and similarities between the English and Chinese language. She currently works as an editor specialized in Language learning books.

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Chinese Idioms: 21 Useful Chengyu (in Chinese and English)

February 26, 2024 By Josh Summers

The ability to recite “chengyu”, or Chinese idioms, is often a litmus test in China to show not only your language abilities but even your intellect. Learn all you need to know about Chinese sayings along with 21 useful chengyu that are sure to impress your Chinese friends.

Before I share with you 21 common chengyu, you may be wondering…

What is Chinese Chengyu?

Chengyu, or 成语 (Chéngyǔ), is simply a Chinese idiom. Chengyu typically are made up of four Chinese characters and often allude to a story in Chinese history and legends.

Chinese people take pride in both their language and history, so seeing that chengyu tie both of these together, it comes as no surprise that Chinese idioms are super important in China’s popular culture. 

When in China, you’re always going to encounter locals speaking chengyu, whether it be when giving a toast, teaching a concept in school, giving friendly advice, or just in simple conversation.

So now that you understand the cultural importance of chengyu, let’s cover 21 common chengyu and what they mean in English. 

21 Brilliant Chinese Idioms Worth Memorizing (aka chengyu)

Below are 21 Chinese idioms that are super useful and worth committing to memory as you’re learning the Chinese language.

I’ve provided the Chinese characters, the pinyin, and a short explanation of how each chengyu is used to help learn each one. 

马马虎虎 / mǎmǎhūhū – Just so-so or a careless person

This is usually the first chengyu anyone taking a course in Chinese will learn because it’s really easy to use.

When someone asks you questions like, “How was your meal?” or, “How was the movie?”, you can simply respond with “mǎmǎhūhū” if it was nothing great.

入乡随俗 / rùxiāngsuísú – When in Rome, do as the Romans do

When visiting China, you’re bound to deal with plenty of culture shock. When I first visited China in 2010, getting used to the food was my biggest cultural adjustment.

To help me adjust, locals often used this idiom on its own as an encouragement encouragement. You’re likely to hear it as well should you encounter any strong culture shock while in China. 

一石二鸟 / yīshí’èrniǎo – To kill two birds with one stone

Almost any idiom in English can also be expressed in Chinese like this one.

To use 一石二鸟 / yīshí’èrniǎo, you can start by introducing your master plan or comment on someone else’s plan by saying, “这样很好。可以一石二鸟。/ Zhèyàng hěn hǎo. Kěyǐ yīshí’èrniǎo” or, “This is really good. You can kill two birds with one stone.”

一路平安 / yīlù píng’ān – Have a safe and pleasant journey!

You can use this phrase when saying goodbye to someone that is leaving for a trip or vacation. You’ll likely hear Chinese say this to you as you check out of a hotel and board a train or plane.

Some Chinese may also say, “一路顺风 /  yīlù shùnfēng,” which is similar to the phrase “Bon voyage!”

人山人海 / rénshānrénhǎi – Sea of people

Chinese aren’t shy about saying there are tons of people in China. So you’re likely to hear this chengyu in crowded places in China.

You can always use the chengyu on its own to describe a crowded situation, but if you want to say a full sentence, you can use this model:

place + preposition + 人山人海.

For example, “长城上人山人海！ / chángchéng shàng rénshānrénhǎi!” means, it’s insanely crowded on the Great Wall!

说曹操，曹操就到 / Shuō cáocāo, cáocāo jiù dào – Speak of the devil and he shall appear

While a bit of a tongue twister, this chengyu is quite common and easy to use given it has an English equivalent that most of us have heard before.

Simply say this phrase when you are talking about someone and they suddenly appear out of nowhere. 

叶公好龙 / yègōnghàolóng – To pretend to like something when actually you hate or fear it

How many times in your life have you pretended to like something when you actually hate it?

While in China, my local friends always wanted to eat duck feet together and I always went along with it to not spoil the fun.

When one of my friends finally realized I hated duck feet, she said, “你吃鸭抓抓就是叶公好龙，只在嘴上说说，并不真的喜欢。以后我们就吃披萨。怎么样？/ Nǐ chī yā zhuā zhuā jiùshì yègōnghàolóng, zhǐ zài zuǐ shàng shuō shuō, bìng bù zhēn de xǐhuān. Yǐhòu wǒmen jiù chī pīsà. Zěnme yàng?”.

In English, she meant:

“You say you like duck feet when you actually don’t. How about we just eat pizza from here on?” 

民以食为天 / mín yǐ shí wéi tiān – People view food as their heaven 

This five-character chengyu is a classical way of saying there is nothing more important than food.

You can use this in discussions on health and fitness to describe the importance of food or for more serious conversations such as the importance of food in solving world hunger. 

幸灾乐祸 / xìngzāilèhuò – To gloat about someone else’s misfortune 

Have you ever fallen down and instead of getting a helping hand from your friend, they laugh instead and make you feel even more embarrassed?

In these types of situations, should you encounter them in China, you can say, “不要幸灾乐祸！/ bùyào xìngzāilèhuò!” or, “Don’t gloat on my misfortune!”

Trust me…they’ll be impressed when you do 🙂

自食其果 / zìshíqíguǒ – To reap what you sow

This Chinese idiom can be used on its own and is similar to how we use the phrase “You reap what you sow” in English.

Whenever you say or hear about someone suffering the negative consequences of their own doing, “自食其果” is an appropriate phrase to describe the situation. 

百年好合 / bǎinián hǎo hé – Live a long and happy life together

This is the perfect idiom to use with someone who just got married. What it exactly translates to is “100 years together.”

So if you’re ever lucky enough to attend a Chinese wedding, be sure to say this to the newlywed couple. And also don’t forget to bring a red envelope with you!

恭喜发财 / gōngxǐ fācái – Have a prosperous New Year!

One thing you’ll quickly notice about Chinese during each Spring Festival is they are very well-spoken while giving toasts. You’ll also likely be on the receiving end of a toast yourself should you attend a Chinese New Year celebration, so you can use this common idiom in your response.

Otherwise, things may get awkward when your host wishes you good fortune and health and you have nothing to wish them in return!

岁岁平安 / suì suì píng’ān – May you have peace all year round!

This is another Chinese New Year greeting, but you can use this idiom whenever something like a mirror or glass shatters. Like in Western culture, shattering a mirror in China is a bringer of bad luck. But saying this idiom after breaking a mirror will reverse the bad luck! 

Why is this the case?

Because the word to shatter in Chinese (碎 / suì) has the same sound as 岁 / suì from this idiom, which has a positive meaning. So keep this idiom in mind should you ever break a mirror or anything that can shatter. 

鹤立鸡群 / hèlìjīqún – A crane standing in a flock of chicken (i.e. someone who is outstanding) 

As the definition suggests, you can use this Chinese idiom to describe someone that is truly outstanding from others. You can use it to either give encouragement to someone that is talented or praise someone on a job well done.

For example, “你太棒了， 鹤立鸡群！没有人能比得上你！/ nǐ tài bàngle, hèlìjīqún! Méiyǒu rén néng bǐ dé shàng nǐ!”

This sentence means, “You’re so awesome. Just like a crane standing among chickens. No one can match you!”

羊入虎口 / yáng rù hǔkǒu – To tread on dangerous ground

This saying is useful when advising friends not to do something as the result could invite punishment or danger. Let’s say for example your classmate forgot to do their Chinese homework and want to copy yours.

Out of concern that your teacher will catch you, you can say, “不行！你这样可能是羊入虎口。/ Bùxíng! Nǐ zhèyàng kěnéng shì yáng rù hǔkǒu.” or, “No! Doing this can get us into trouble.” 

不可思议 / bùkěsīyì – Inconceivable 

If something were to ever strike you as incredible to the point where you cannot fathom or speak about it, you can use this idiom to express that emotion.

If you have ever seen the Princess Bride , the Sicilian is constantly surprised by the skills of the Man in Black in his quest to save Princess Buttercup and says nothing but, “Inconceivable!”

If the movie were translated into Chinese, instead of inconceivable, the Sicilian would say, “不可思议!”

骑驴找驴 / qí lǘ zhǎo lǘ – To look for something that’s right under your nose 

This is one of my favorite sayings! It’s most similar to the Western expression, “to be right under one’s nose.”

You can use this when you are someone else is looking for something in plain sight.

Say, for example, I’m looking for my glasses when they are on my forehead, you can respond by saying, “眼镜在你额头上，真是骑驴找驴！/ yǎnjìng zài nǐ étóu shàng, zhēnshi qí lǘ zhǎo lǘ!”

挑拨离间 / tiǎobō líjiàn – To drive a wedge between people.

No one likes it when someone drives a wedge between two friends.

If you ever have a friend that gets angry at you over a rumor started by someone, you can tell your friend, “不要相信他。他想在我们中间挑拨离间！/ Bùyào xiāngxìn tā. Tā xiǎng zài wǒmen zhōngjiān tiǎobō líjiàn!” or, “Don’t trust him. He only wants to drive a wedge between us!”

画蛇添足 / huàshétiānzú – To draw legs on a snake (i.e. to overdo something)

This Chinese saying is perfect for artists or chefs that in the effort to improve something that is already perfect add something that makes it worse. 

Whenever you’re in a situation like drawing a picture, adding ingredients to a meal, or deciding whether to go out with a scarf or not to be more fashionable and the additional effort is not needed at all, you can use this idiom to express, “Don’t overdo it!” or, “别画蛇添足！/ bié huàshétiānzú!” 

三个臭皮匠，顶个诸葛亮 – The wisdom of the masses exceeds that of any individual or many minds are better than one. 

Okay now for a hard one that will really impress Chinese locals! This chengyu originates from a mastermind named Zhuge Liang from the Warring States Period.

While I won’t go into the backstory here, the idiom states that ordinary people in groups can outsmart a mastermind. 

You can use this when someone encounters a really difficult problem and you offer help to come to a solution. Two minds are better than one right? 

有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎 / yǒupéng zì yuǎnfāng lái, bù yì lè hū – It’s always great to see old friends

No list of useful Chinese idioms would be complete without a quote from Confucius!

While this one is a bit tough, it’s really useful for when you see old friends. If you’ve lived in China for several years like me, you and your close friends have probably moved on to live in another Chinese city or moved back home entirely. 

When you see each other again, you can always use this idiom in place of “好久不见 / hǎojiǔ bùjiàn,” which conveys less enthusiasm and feeling for a happy reunion. 

Wow, after looking over that list, that’s a lot of chengyu! 

To help you memorize each of these idioms, I’d focus on learning the meaning and structure behind each character as well as researching the story behind each idiom.

This way you’re much more likely to be able to recall each of them from memory. 

Frequently Asked Questions about Chengyu

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions related to Chinese idioms.

A chengyu is a Chinese idiom made up of four characters. There are exceptions where there are more characters, but 4 characters is the norm.

In short, there are thousands of chengyu you can learn. So obviously it’s impossible to learn them all. It’s best to find the most common idioms and try to learn the ones you can use in daily life.

While having some knowledge of Chinese idioms is helpful, it’s not essential. I would focus on the basics in Mandarin until you are an intermediate or advanced speaker. The primary benefit of learning idioms, apart from improving your Chinese, is enriching your knowledge of Chinese history.

As a fluent Mandarin speaker that has only memorized a handful of these idioms, I would focus more on memorizing general vocabulary. You should think of knowing chengyu as a “nice to have” skill whereas expanding your vocabulary is essential.

There are plenty of dictionaries out there for learning chengyu and some are even free or super cheap on Amazon . But I actually prefer learning chengyu on YouTube, as it’s more fun and I’m more likely to remember each chengyu introduced this way. 

The Importance of Idioms (chengyu) in China

China’s idioms, or chengyu, are super important to culture. Should you want to enrich your knowledge of Mandarin language and history or simply want to impress locals on your trip to China, try learning some chengyu.

But remember to prioritize learning general vocabulary over chengyu in your studies…

To get started, I’d do some more reading on idioms online along with purchasing some resources on Amazon that introduce commonly used chengyu.

You can also try my personal favorite method and watch Skritter’s YouTube channel , follow them on Instagram , and use their flashcard app to learn chengyu at your own pace. 

Further Reading & Resources

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Terribly Funny Essays.

By Guest smellysalmon May 22, 2007 in soompi hangout

Recommended Posts

Guest novemberbaby

Haha, even the teacher thought the Chinese essay was complete BS. xD

I think even my mom can write better in English.

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• Created 16 yr
• Last Reply 16 yr

Guest xRacho

LOL i only read the english one because i dont know chinese O_O buy omfg haha i love the dog eating active thingi

Guest Inconnu

"Football, basketball, baseball, ballball."

"Dog die. Me sad."

LMAO. OMG. lol.

Guest chineeezGRL

Terrible Chinese (Part 1) Terrible Chinese (Part 2)

Apparantly lots of people need translations for the chinese essay. Half of the sentances don't make much sense, and the author has pinying pronunciations everywhere. A lot of his pinying is actually English, but oh well. I've double checked this. All punctuation mistakes are intentional, because that's how they appeared in the original.

Here it is:

"Many people believe that the duty of the student is to study hard, but my name doesn't have a person. My name is Chao Si. Honestly, I don't understand this question, but I still don't agree. Because if I did agree, then I wouldn't have anything to write about, so therefore, I disagree. (Teacher's note on the side: 'You can still have things to write about when you agree. Why do you agree!')

I suddenly understand the question. But I don't want to waste paper. So I will write now. Students shouldn't study hard and. Students should also play hard. We must balance these two. Don't read too many books. Because our world loves saving trees, the print on books is becoming more and more small, so, if we read too many books, our eyes will spoil.

Reading books has it's benefits; reading will make you smarter, but reading too much will make you a NERD. Therefore, put down you philosophy text and seriously think about the consequences. I am very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very very happy. I had this chance with you to anti nerd."

Guest KuteDragonBabe

hahahahahah this is too funny " Dog die. Me Sad." I love that

Guest positive.love

LOLS! Thats kinda wacked xD

SAJC? My gawd... I like that JC's uniform! haha

Guest witchery

OMFG!!! ROFL

THE CHINESE ONE WAS HILARIOUS...even tho my chinese is crap i cud still understand...XD

cudnt stop laughing...

the eng one was pretty funny too!

AzNgUrL1509

lmao, these are hilarious. chinese is very hard though! haha I mixed my words with english too, even when I speak I'll say something in chinese and randomly add a english word to it.

Guest laishanchu

wow that chinese exam is better than mine T__T''... most time my paper is blank with like the word one in there.. or its got pictures everywhere..

Guest sweet_treats1812

I am deaf because of the large sound from the aeroplane. We are sad again, but happy because the rainbow is still in the sky.

LOL!!! funny essay! wish i could understand the chinese one though, but it does seem kinda funny that the person used pinyin in some parts...haha

hahas..the broken english essay was funny...i was expecting singlish though..

Guest danchooox

"Our dog is very active dog. He eats a lot. He is an active dog who eats alot. This is why he is active."

XD hahaha. I love the paragraph about his dog.

"He forgot that our family lives on the 24th floor. Dog die. Me sad. "

haha. Oh gawsh.

And look at all that very very very in the chinese essay ~ XD haha.

Guest ohhreallynow

LOL...the chinese essay

If I was to write one it will look like that but it will look worse

Chinglish...REPRESENT

Guest aznbluegurl916

i read the chinese one it is funny

i can write better ones than tat one

Guest LitoHyesungLover<3

english one is soo funny. im gona show my mom the chinese ones cause i dont understand lol

herro diana

The broken English one is very cute. I feel sorry for the dog!

Guest x SaRaNg HaE x

"We are sad again, but happy that the rainbow is still in the sky."

LOL what the hell?!

Guest LoveSK

Hahahahahahaha if I wrote english like that i will kill myself lol xD

Guest raindrops

ahah "all kinds of balls. Football, basketball, baseball, BALLBALL"?! aha i found that very funny but cute

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Funniest Moments During Your Chinese Class

• September 29, 2020
• Posted by Isabella_Mae_Bolanos

Source: Shutterstock

Spending more than a decade in a Chinese High School, we surely had our fair share of funny moments in class. Some of these moments are truly memorable that we even remember it to this day. Hence, we asked 5 Chinoy students to share their funniest moments during their Chinese Classes for us to have a little laugh. 

1)  Kyra, Grace Christian College

Source: Wikiwand

“There were funny moments back in high school that we truly miss and one of them that most of us could relate to was tracing chinese characters in mopits. We trace the characters in order for us to be able to perfect our mopit exams because it could get messy if we’re gonna write it the actual way. I recall as I was running for honors in chinese class, I would do my best in every task and exam given by the chinese teacher and one of those hardships that I managed to endure was to make my mopit tasks perfect under time pressure. So what I did was trace the chinese characters with a marker. I thought it turned out victorious because even our chinese teacher, who was strict, complimented me about my work, only because she saw it from afar. She even told me that I might get into the honor roll as well. The next day, our work was given back to us and I’ve received marks saying it was traced and even got a lower grade for it. Our lao shir had embarrassed me in class which was really funny. It also gave me a learning in life that there are no shortcuts to success.”

2) Cody, Xavier School

Source: http://enterarena.blogspot.com/

“There was one time where I forgot about our assignment where we had to write an essay and my chinese class was gonna be the next period already. So I used google translate for the entire paper. When I received my paper back I got an F and my laoshi added a note that says never use google translate again!”

3) Chloe, Saint Jude Catholic School

Source: DutchReview

“We had this Chinese teacher who always gives us a task to accomplish within a short period of time. Even if there is only 5 or 10 minutes left for her class, she will still give us an activity. There came a time when a brownout occurred while we were doing an activity so we thought that the deadline is extended until the next day, but then she suddenly asked us to bring out our phones for flashlight. Instead of being frustrated, my friends and I just laughed at the situation because we have concluded that ‘nothing can stop her’.”

4) Joseph*, Hope Christian High School

Source: Gifer

“We had a bible verse memorization competition back in grade school. The teacher usually puts the good ones in front and the so-so ones at the back. When my teacher was assigning out blocking, she put me in the middle because she thought I was good. Well, the truth is, there’s just one person who perfectly memorizes the verses and we just copy him; the worst case scenario happened and we all lip-synced.  Long story short, we still won first runner-up.”

5) Jhaneen, Grace Christian College

“Every start of the year, no matter what level you were on, we were required to make a chok bun about ourselves. Being the overachiever in chinese class, I was desperate to fill out at least 2 xiao kai’s (back then if you had used more than 1 xiao kai you were considered a model student or a smart ass) so I got the chinese dictionary and copied all the sports and hobbies there, I ended up filling 1 whole xiao kai, back to back with whatever hobby there was. When I got my paper back my teacher crossed out all but 3 of my hobbies, and I didnt get a high grade.”

Got some funny moments in your Chinese Class that you want to share? Be sure to comment it down below!

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20 Insanely Fun Chinese Tongue Twisters (with Audio)

Try terrifically tricky tongue twisters that totally teach you Chinese posthaste!

Now say the above line five times fast.

If you can do this with ease, then you already start with a good chance at mastering the tongue twisters in this post.

No matter the language, tongue twisters or 绕口令   (rào kǒu lìng) are a fun way to help out with pronunciation .

The main purpose of this article is to provide you with excellent Chinese tongue twisters that you can practice right away.

2. Is the Teacher 44 Years Old?

3. flip-flops, 4. red phoenix, pink phoenix…, 5. mother rides a horse, 6. how to eat grapes, 7. the pear and mud, 8. butterfly flies, 9. four is four, ten is ten, 10. 800 soldiers, 11. black fertilizer, gray fertilizer, 12. the vine, 13. yan yuanyan and yan yanyuan, 14. the bird and the cat, 15. bamboo pole, 16. if you know, say you know, 17. bird island, 18. the ox herder boy loves lady liu, 19. the lion-eating poet, 20. the monk and the mute, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

The tongue twister titled “Xi Shi” is derived from a Chinese woman who was said to be so beautiful that she was considered one of the four beauties of ancient China.

xī shī sǐ shí sì shí sì.

Xi Shi died at 44.

Key Vocabulary:

死 (sǐ) — to die

四十四 (sì shí sì) — 44

Here’s another tongue twister that incorporates 四十四 , which can be quite a mouthful on its own. Just don’t let your teacher hear it if they understand Chinese!

lǎo shī shì bú shì sì shí sì suì?

Is the teacher 44 years old?

老师 (lǎo shī) — teacher

或 (huò) — or

Believe it or not, there’s actually a tongue twister about flip-flops:

凉鞋为乐趣飞出你的脚！

liáng xié wèi lè qù fēi chū nǐ de jiǎo!

Flip-flops fly off your feet for fun!

凉鞋 (liáng xié) — sandals; flip-flops

乐趣 (lè qù) — fun; pleasure

飞出 (fēi chū) — fly

脚 (jiǎo) — foot

Here’s another short Chinese tongue twister for those – ng sounds:

红凤凰， 粉凤凰， 粉红凤凰。

hóng fèng huáng, fěn fèng huáng, fěn hóng fèng huáng huā fèng huáng.

Red phoenix, pink phoenix, pink-red phoenix.

红 ( hóng) — red

凤凰 ( fèng huáng) — phoenix

粉 ( fěn) — pink

Not too many people get to see their mothers riding horses, but if you’re one of the lucky few who do, try to tell your mother this one next time she does to show off your Chinese speaking skills.

Just make sure not to accidentally call her a horse!

妈妈骑马。 马慢， 妈妈骂马。

mā ma qí mǎ. mǎ màn, mā ma mà mǎ.

Mother rides a horse. The horse is slow, mother scolds the horse.

妈妈 (mā ma) — mother

骑 (qí) — to ride

马 (mǎ) — horse

慢  (màn) — slow

骂 (mà) — to scold

Be prepared to have your mind blown with this famous Chinese tongue twister. If you eat grapes, this tongue twister will make you realize that you’ve been eating them wrong this whole time:

吃葡萄不吐葡萄皮， 不吃葡萄倒吐葡萄皮。

chī pú tao bù tǔ pú tao pí, bù chī pú tao dào tǔ pú tao pí.

Eat grapes without spitting out the grape skins, don’t eat grapes and spit out the grape skins.

吃 (chī) — to eat

葡萄 (pú tao) — grapes

吐 (tǔ) — to spit

皮 (pí) — skin; peel

Of all the combinations in the world, pear and mud usually don’t come to mind. When it comes to learning Chinese tongue twisters, there couldn’t be a better pair.

树上有梨 地上有泥 风刮梨 梨落地 梨滚泥 泥沾梨。

shù shàng yǒu lí dì shàng yǒu ní fēng guā lí lí luò dì lí gǔn ní ní zhān lí.

On the tree is a pear On the ground is mud The wind knocks off the pear The pear falls to the ground The pear rolls in the mud The mud moistens the pear.

梨 (lí) — pear

泥 (ní) — mud

风 (fēng) — wind

刮 (guā) — to blow

落地 (luò dì) — to fall to the ground

滚 (gǔn) — to roll

沾 (zhān) — to moisten

Sounds so beautiful and poetic, doesn’t it? “Butterfly Flies” is yet another quick tongue twister:

黑蝴蝶飞， 灰蝴蝶飞， 黑蝴蝶飞完， 灰蝴蝶飞。

hēi hú dié fēi, hūi hú dié fēi, hēi hú dié fēi wán, hūi hú dié fēi.

The black butterfly flies, the gray butterfly flies, after the black butterfly flies, the gray butterfly can fly.

黑 (hēi) — black

蝴蝶 ( hú dié ) — butterfly

飞 (fēi) — to fly

灰 (hūi) — gray

While this tongue twister may sound complicated when you hear it for the first time, the meaning couldn’t be any simpler:

四是四， 十是十， 十四是十四， 四十是四十， 四十四是四十四。

sì shì sì, shí shì shí, shí sì shì shí sì, sì shí shì sì shí, sì shí sì shì sì shí sì.

Four is four, ten is ten, fourteen is fourteen, forty is forty, forty-four is forty-four.

四 (sì) — four

是 (shì) — to be

十 (shí) — ten

There’s a longer version of this tongue twister that includes the above while also describing how 40 is 40 but not 14, but let’s just keep it simple, shall we?

Also known as “800 Pivot” or “800 Spearmen,” this is another terrific tongue twister to keep logged away for practicing more advanced vocabulary words.

八百标兵奔北坡， 炮兵并排北边跑， 炮兵怕把标兵碰， 标兵怕碰炮兵炮。

bā bǎi biāo bīng bèn běi pō, pào bīng bìng pái běi bian pǎo, pào bīng pà bǎ biāo bīng pèng, biāo bīng pà pèng pào bīng pào.

800 spearmen rush to the northern slope. Artillery soldiers run side by side to the north. The artillery soldiers fear bumping into the spearmen. The spearmen fear bumping into the artillerymen’s cannon.

标兵 (biāo bīng) — parade guards; spearmen

奔   (bèn) — to rush to; to head for

北 (běi) — north

坡 (pō) — slope

炮兵 (pào bīng) — artillery soldiers

并排 (bìng pái) — side by side

碰 (pèng) — to bump into

怕 (pà) — to be afraid of; to fear

炮 (pào) — cannon

Surprisingly, this tongue twister actually makes sense:

黑化肥发灰， 灰化肥发黑。 黑化肥发灰会挥发， 灰化肥挥发会发黑。

hēi huà féi fā huī, huī huà féi fā hēi. hēi huà féi fā huī huì huī fā, huī huà féi huī fā huì fā hēi.

Black fertilizer turns gray, gray fertilizer turns black, black fertilizer that turns gray can be volatile, gray fertilizer will turn black when it volatiles.

化肥 (huà féi) — fertilizer

发 (fā) — to turn; to become

灰 (huī) — gray

挥发 (huī fā) — volatile

This tongue twister talks about a particular vine on a particular mountain with this particular bell and… you get the idea. Overall, it’s a short and easy tongue twister that’s good for beginners.

青青山上一根藤， 青藤底下挂铜铃， 风吹藤动铜铃动， 风停藤停铜铃停。

qīng qīng shān shàng yì gēn téng, qīng téng dǐ xià guà tóng líng, fēng chuī téng dòng tóng líng dòng, fēng tíng téng tíng tóng líng tíng.

On a green mountain is a vine. Under the green vine hang copper bells. The wind blows, the vine moves, (and) the copper bells move. The wind stops, the vine stops, (and) the copper bells move.

青 (qīng) — green

山 (shān) — mountain

藤 (téng) — vine

铜 (tóng) — copper

铃 (líng) — bell

吹 (chuī) — to blow

动 (dòng) — to move

停 (tíng) — to stop

Ever wanted to know about two people living in the same village who have almost the exact same name? In the end, it asks which person has the rounder eyes which is random, but at least learners will be able to practice their yan and yuan pronunciations.

村前有个颜圆眼。 村后有个颜眼圆。 不知颜圆眼的眼圆， 还是颜眼圆的眼圆？

cūn qián yǒu gè yán yuán yǎn. cūn hòu yǒu gè yán yǎn yuán. bù zhī yán yuán yǎn de yǎn yuán hái shì yán yǎn yuán dē yǎn yuán?

In front of the village is a Yan Yuanyan. Behind the village is a Yan Yanyuan. (I) don’t know if Yan Yuanyan’s eyes are rounder, or Yan Yanyuan’s eyes are rounder?

村 (cūn) — village

前 (qián) — in front

后 (hòu) — behind

眼 (yǎn) — eye

圆 (yuán) — round

This tongue twister explains what most likely happens when a bird and a cat come together, all while helping you with niao and mao sounds.

树上一只鸟， 地上一只猫。 地上的猫想咬树上的鸟， 树上的鸟想啄猫的毛。

shù shàng yì zhī niǎo, dì shàng yì zhǐ māo. dì shàng de māo xiǎng yǎo shù shàng de niǎo, shù shàng de niǎo xiǎng zhuó māo de máo.

In the tree is a bird. On the ground is a cat. The cat on the ground tries to bite the bird in the tree. The bird in the tree tries to peck at the cat’s fur.

树 (shù) — tree

地 (dì) — ground

鸟 (niǎo) — bird

猫 (māo) — cat

咬 (yǎo) — to bite

啄 (zhuó) — to peck

This fun tongue twister helps speakers with the -ing , -ong , – eng and -ang sounds:

扁担长，板凳宽， 扁担要绑在板凳上， 板凳不让扁担绑在板凳上， 扁担非要绑在板凳上。

biǎn dan cháng, bǎn dèng kuān, biǎn dan yào bǎng zài bǎn dèng shàng, bǎn dèng bú ràng biǎn dan bǎng zài bǎn dèng shàng, biǎn dan fēi yào bǎng zài bǎn dèng shàng.

The bamboo pole is long, and the wooden bench is wide. The bamboo pole should be tied to the bench. The bench won’t let the pole be tied to it, but the pole has to be tied to the bench.

扁担 (biǎn dan) — bamboo pole; carrying pole

长 (cháng) — long

板凳 (bǎn dèng) — wooden bench

宽 (kuān) — wide

让 (ràng) — to allow

绑 (bǎng) — to tie

非要 (fēi yào) — to insist on

Although this is just a tongue twister, truer words have never been spoken.

知道就说知道， 不知道就说不知道， 不要知道说不知道， 也不要不知道说知道， 你知道不知道？

zhī dào jiù shuō zhī dào, bù zhī dào jiù shuō bù zhī dào, bú yào zhī dào shuō bù zhī dào, yě bú yào bù zhī dào shuō zhī dào, nǐ zhī dào bù zhī dào?

If (you) know, just say (you) know. If (you) don’t know, just say (you) don’t know. Don’t say (you) don’t know when (you) know, and also don’t say (you) know when (you) don’t know, you know or not?

知道 (zhī dào) — to know

说 (shuō) — to say

不要 (bú yào) — don’t

Bird lovers will surely appreciate the pure genius that is this next tongue twister.

鸟岛是岛， 鸟岛有鸟。 鸟岛的鸟多得数不清了。 要想到鸟岛， 一定要爱鸟。 你不爱小鸟， 就别到鸟岛。

niǎo dǎo shì dǎo, niǎo dǎo yǒu niǎo. niǎo dǎo de niǎo duō de shǔ bù qīng le. yào xiǎng dào niǎo dǎo, yì dìng yào ài niǎo. nǐ bú ài xiǎo niǎo jiù bié dào niǎo dǎo.

Bird Island is an island; Bird Island has birds. The birds on Bird Island are countless. If (you’re) thinking of going to Bird Island, (you) must love birds. If (you) don’t love small birds, don’t go to Bird Island.

鸟 (niáo) — bird

岛 (dǎo) — island

数不清 (shǔ bù qīng) — countless

想 (xiǎng) — to wish to

到 (dào) — (to go) to

一定 (yí dìng) — certainly

爱 (ài) — to love

别 ( bié) — don’t

For all of you romantics out there, this tongue twister was specially chosen for you! Brace yourselves though, it’s a slightly longer and more complex one.

牛郎恋刘娘，刘娘念牛郎， 牛郎牛年恋刘娘，刘娘年年念牛郎， 郎恋娘来娘恋郎， 念娘恋郎念郎恋娘， 念恋娘郎，绕不晕你算我白忙。

niú láng liàn liú niáng, liú niáng niàn niú láng, niú láng niú nián liàn liú niáng, liú niáng nián nián niàn niú láng, láng liàn niáng lái niáng liàn láng, niàn niáng liàn láng niàn láng liàn niáng, niàn liàn niáng láng, rào bù yūn nǐ suàn wǒ bái máng.

The ox herder boy loves Lady Liu, Lady Liu longs for the ox herder boy. The ox herder boy loves Lady Liu in the Year of the Ox, Lady Liu longs for the ox herder boy every year. The boy loves the lady and the lady longs for the boy, The longing lady loves the boy and the longing boy loves the lady. Longing, loving, lady, boy. If you aren’t dizzy by now, I’ve wasted my effort.

牛郎 (niú láng) — ox herder

恋 (liàn) — to love

娘 (niáng) — young woman

念 (niàn) — to miss (someone)

牛年 (niú nián) — Year of the Ox

绕 (rào) — to confuse

晕 (yūn) — dizzy

“The Lion-eating Poet” is one of the more modern poems on this list, yet it’s so profound that college professors have actually put a lot of time and effort into researching its true meaning.

Every syllable in the poem contains a form of shi using various tones and characters. Believe it or not, the variations in tones and characters allow shi to become tons of unique words when spoken correctly.

This is perfect for those already familiar with some Chinese who want not only a fun tongue twister, but a good brain teaser as well.

石室诗士施氏，嗜狮，誓食十狮。 氏时时适市视狮。 十时，适十狮适市。 是时，适施氏适市。 氏视是十狮，恃矢势，使是十狮逝世。 氏拾是十狮尸，适石室。 石室湿，氏使侍拭石室。 石室拭，氏始试食是十狮。 食时，始识是十狮尸，实十石狮尸。 试释是事。

shí shì shī shì shī shì, shì shī, shì shí shí shī. shì shí shí shì shì shì shī. shí shí, shì shí shī shì shì. shì shí, shì shī shì shì shì. shì shì shì shí shī, shì shǐ shì, shǐ shì shí shī shì shì. shì shí shì shí shī shī, shì shí shì. shí shì shī, shì shǐ shì shì shí shì. shí shì shì, shì shǐ shì shí shì shí shī. shí shí, shǐ shí shì shí shī shī, shí shí shí shī shī. shì shì shì shì.

In a stone room lived a poet named Shi Shi, a lion lover, who swore to eat ten lions. He often went to the market to look for lions. At ten o’clock, ten lions arrived at the market. At that time, Shi arrived at the market. Looking at the ten lions, he used his trusty arrows, causing the ten lions to die. Shi brought the corpses of the ten lions to the stone room. The stone room was damp. Shi asked his servants to wipe it. As the stone room was being wiped, Shi began to try to eat the meat of the ten lions. When it was mealtime, he realized that the ten lions were in fact ten stone lion corpses. Try to explain this matter.

石室 (shí shì) — stone den

诗士 (shī shì) — poet

嗜 (shì) — addict

狮 (shī) — lion

市 (shì) — market

视 (shì) — to show

矢 (shǐ) — arrow

尸 (shī) — corpse

湿 (shī) — wet, damp

释 (shì) — to explain

Unlike most of the other tongue twisters on this list, “The Monk and the Mute” is more detailed and elaborate in that it sort of tells a story.

Since it’s longer and contains more Chinese vocabulary words than a typical tongue twister, it will probably take longer to memorize. Once you finally get it down, you’ll be sure to impress.

打南边来了个哑巴，腰里别了个喇叭； 打北边来了个喇嘛，手里提了个獭犸。 提着獭犸的喇嘛要拿獭犸换别着喇叭的哑巴的喇叭； 别着喇叭的哑巴不愿拿喇叭换提着獭犸的喇嘛的獭犸。 不知是别着喇叭的哑巴打了提着獭犸的喇嘛一喇叭； 还是提着獭犸的喇嘛打了别着喇叭的哑巴一獭犸。 喇嘛回家炖獭犸，哑巴嘀嘀哒哒吹喇叭。

dǎ nán bian lái le gè yǎ ba, yāo lǐ bié le gè lǎ ba; dǎ běi biān lái le gè lǎ ma, shǒu lǐ tí le gè tǎ mǎ. tí zhe tǎ mǎ de lǎ ma yào ná tǎ mǎ huàn bié zhe lǎ ba de yǎ ba de lǎ ba; bié zhe lǎ ba de yǎ ba bú yuàn ná lǎ ba huàn tí zhe tǎ mǎ de lǎ ma de tǎ mǎ. bù zhī shì bié zhe lǎ ba de yǎ ba dǎ le tí zhe tǎ mǎ de lǎ ma yì lǎ ba; hái shì tí zhe tǎ mǎ de lǎ ma dǎ le bié zhe lǎ ba de yǎ ba yì tǎ mǎ. lǎ ma huí jiā dùn tǎ mǎ, yǎ ba dī dī dā dā chuī lǎ ba.

From the south comes a mute, carrying a trumpet pinned to his waist. From the north comes a monk, holding a flatfish in his hand. The monk holding a flatfish wants to trade his flatfish for a trumpet, with the mute carrying a trumpet. The mute carrying a trumpet doesn’t want to trade his trumpet with the monk holding a flatfish for the flatfish. (I) don’t know if the mute carrying a trumpet hits the monk holding a fish with his trumpet, or the monk carrying a flatfish uses his fish to hit the mute carrying a trumpet. The monk goes home and stews his flatfish. The mute plays his trumpet.

哑巴 (yǎ ba) — mute

喇嘛 (lǎ ma) — monk

喇叭 (lǎ ba) — trumpet

獭犸 (tǎ mǎ) — flatfish

换 ( huàn) — to exchange

不愿 (bú yuàn) — to be unwilling

打 (dǎ) — to hit

回家 (huí jiā) — to go home

炖 (dùn) — to stew

吹 (chuī) — to play a wind instrument

By the way, there’s actually a song for this tongue twister! (Note it has been modified slightly.)

After reading this article, you’re probably really eager to practice all of these tongue twisters.

But you can also turn any video into pronunciation practice as long as it has accurate subtitles, like on the learning program FluentU . Just pick from hundreds of videos and follow along.

Good luck with your Chinese studies, and try not to get your tongue totally tied up in knots!

If you want to continue learning Chinese with interactive and authentic Chinese content, then you'll love FluentU .

FluentU naturally eases you into learning Chinese language. Native Chinese content comes within reach, and you'll learn Chinese as it's spoken in real life.

FluentU has a wide range of contemporary videos—like dramas, TV shows, commercials and music videos.

FluentU App Browse Screen

FluentU brings these native Chinese videos within reach via interactive captions. You can tap on any word to instantly look it up. All words have carefully written definitions and examples that will help you understand how a word is used. Tap to add words you'd like to review to a vocab list.

Interactive Transcripts on FluentU

FluentU's Learn Mode turns every video into a language learning lesson. You can always swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you're learning.

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Don Wright, Editorial Cartoonist With a Skewer for a Pen, Dies at 90

He won two Pulitzers for Florida newspapers, commenting wryly on war, segregation, church scandals and more while reaching readers nationwide through syndication.

By Sam Roberts

Don Wright, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist whose pointed work punctured duplicity and pomposity and resonated with common-sense readers, died on March 24 at his home in Palm Beach, Fla. He was 90.

His death was confirmed by his wife, Carolyn Wright, a fellow journalist.

In a 45-year career, Mr. Wright drew some 11,000 cartoons for The Miami News, which folded in 1988, and then The Palm Beach Post, where he worked until he retired in 2008. But he reached a readership far beyond Florida: His cartoons appeared in newspapers nationwide through syndication.

Mr. Wright’s readers knew where he stood, and especially what he was against, whether it was the Vietnam War; Israel’s military support for the pro-apartheid regime in South Africa (he depicted a menorah with missiles in place of candles); sexual abuse by clergymen; the John Birch Society, the anti-Communist fringe group; and racial segregationists, notably the violent Ku Klux Klan.

The morning after winning his first Pulitzer, in 1966, Mr. Wright received a telegram from George C. Wallace, the segregationist governor of Alabama. “Sometimes even the meanest cartoonists are unaccountably decorated for their work,” it said. “If the shoe fits, wear it.” Mr. Wright kept the telegram framed in his home.

That first prizewinning cartoon — published during the Cold War, when the world was on tenterhooks fearing nuclear Armageddon — depicted two men in tatters encountering each other on a barren landscape cratered by bombs. “You mean,” one asks the other, “you were bluffing?”

His 1980 Pulitzer-winning entry depicted two Florida State prison guards carrying a corpse away from the electric chair. One asks, “Why did the governor say we’re doing this?” The other replies, “To make it clear we value human life.”

Mr. Wright was also a Pulitzer finalist five times and the author of three books, including “Wright On! A Collection of Political Cartoons” (1971) and “Wright Side Up” (1981).

His cartoons were syndicated first by The Washington Star, then by The New York Times and finally by Tribune Media Services.

For all the ink, graphite and crayon he would meticulously combine on an illustration board late into the night in his efforts to pierce celebrity blowhards in politics, sports and beyond, Mr. Wright often said the single cartoon that generated the strongest response from readers was a sentimental one that he drew after the death of Walt Disney in 1966. It depicted Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters in tears.

Mr. Disney’s widow, Lillian Disney, requested Mr. Wright’s original drawing for the cartoon and, when she died in 1997, bequeathed it to the Library of Congress.

In 1989, The New Yorker reported that Mr. Wright was among several American cartoonists whose work had helped inspire Chinese intellectuals and businessmen in their support for the student uprising that year in Tiananmen Square.

Donald Conway Wright was born on Jan. 23, 1934, in Los Angeles to Charles and Evelyn (Olberg) Wright. His father was an airline maintenance supervisor, and his mother managed the household.

The family moved to Florida when Don was a child. He always enjoyed drawing, and, after graduating from Edison High School in Miami in 1952, he applied for a job in the art department of The Miami News. Instead, although he was already enamored of cartoons, the paper hired him for the photo department and gave him a camera.

He went on to capture classic images of a triumphant Fidel Castro entering Havana, a sizzling Elvis Presley, an imposing Cassius Clay in a Miami Beach gym before he converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali, and an ambitious Senator John F. Kennedy in a hotel room wearing a suit jacket, a tie and boxer shorts.

Self-taught as both a photographer and an illustrator, Mr. Wright combined a photographer’s craftsmanship and eye for detail with an illustrator’s creativity.

“He was always drawing, he was always scribbling,” recalled Ms. Wright, his wife, who was a reporter at The Miami News when they met.

After serving in the Army, Mr. Wright returned to The Miami News and, when the paper’s editors became concerned that he would leave if he wasn’t transferred, began publishing some of his cartoons and assigned him to the art department as a graphics editor. By 1963 his cartoons were appearing regularly on the editorial page.

In 1989 he was hired by The Post, which was owned, as The News had been, by Cox Newspapers.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Wright’s survivors include a younger brother, David.

Mr. Wright acknowledged that not every cartoon of his was a home run.

“You’re on a deadline,” he told The Times in 1994, “and you have three ideas, and you throw out the first one, and you throw out the second, and you’re running out of time, and before you know it, the cliché is looking better.”

When he retired from The Post, he explained that although his cartoons often had a punchline, his goal was not to be humorous.

“I’m sometimes baffled by the number of readers who believe that cartoons should be lightweight and entertainingly ‘funny,’” Mr. Wright said. “Humor has a lot of relatives — wry, subtle, slapstick and even black — all aimed at the endless Iraq War, inept and corrupt politicians, rising unemployment, recession, Americans losing their homes, and on and on.”

“But think about it for a moment,” he added. “How funny are those?”

Sam Roberts is an obituaries reporter for The Times, writing mini-biographies about the lives of remarkable people. More about Sam Roberts