About Eng Chan

Eng Chan is a Finance and Business Operations professional, with a passion for language learning and writing on the side. As a Canadian-born Chinese, whose first language is English, she became interested in learning Mandarin during university. Since then, her passion for learning the language took her to Taiwan, where she credits most of her Mandarin fluency. Eng is an avid traveler, who loves to experience different cultures and cuisines. Her favourite ChinesePod lesson is Meditation 冥想 -- a hobby that she recently took up.

Posts by Eng Chan:

6 Simple Tricks for Deciphering the Chinese Menu

6 Simple Tricks for Deciphering the Chinese Menu

Want to order from the Chinese menu and not the watered down English version they present to non-Chinese speakers? Perhaps some readers know how to ask for what they want in Mandarin but what if you are hankering for a new sensory experience and would like to try the specials or dish of the day? Reading the culinary characters on a Chinese menu is not so cut and dry. Learn 6 simple tricks for deciphering the Chinese menu in our Blog post today.

吃饭了吗? – Chīfàn le ma? – Have you eaten yet?

This standard Mandarin greeting illustrates the importance of food in Chinese culture at the extent to which food and the language are intertwined.

Fittingly, it is not surprising that often the first real-life test of a Mandarin learner’s language ability  takes place in the Chinese restaurant. However, one quickly realizes that a single Chinese menu simply does not exist.

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The Secret to Catching a Cab in Shanghai

The Secret to Catching a Cab in Shanghai

Cars buzz by. Crowds of people push through. Buses cut off pedestrians as they try to cross the street. Hello Shanghai! You have just arrived in China’s largest and wealthiest city. This eastern port city is beautiful, bustling and crowded with a population of over 20 million people. It feels like you’ve entered another world where anything can happen and everything is possible… with one exception: hailing a cab. Read More

3 Ways Going to Karaoke Will Help You Learn Chinese

3 Ways Going to Karaoke Will Help You Learn Chinese

If you’ve been learning Mandarin for a while, then you probably know a thing or two about KTV. You probably know that KTV stands for Karaoke Television and is popular not just in China but in many countries across Asia. You may also know it differs vastly from Western-style karaoke where you are typically invited onstage to sing your favorite songs in front of an audience of strangers. Does that sound intimidating? Well lay your worries to rest: KTV is not designed to test your inner stage-fright limits. Instead, it involves booking your own private room with your best friends or colleagues, and singing to your heart’s content for as long as you desire (with some booze involved, if that’s your thing) whether it’s just for one hour or an all night-long marathon session.

More often than not, Mandarin learners who do not feel confident in their language or singing ability tend to decline offers to go to KTV. By doing so, you are shutting yourself out of a culturally important (and fun!) activity and an excellent opportunity to improve their Mandarin language skills. But have no fear: as the ever popular Taiwanese group May Day （五月天） famously sang “Wǒ bù yuàn ràng nǐ yīgè rén｜我不愿让你一个人” | I won’t leave you on your own any longer when it comes to KTV. Read more for the 3 things you need to know to optimize your next KTV experience. Read More

Way More Than Night Markets: 8 Things to Do In Taiwan

Way More Than Night Markets: 8 Things to Do In Taiwan

Surrounded by the seas and enclosed by rugged mountains, the island of Taiwan has captured the imagination of people for generations; from Portuguese explorers who labelled the island Ilha Formosa (the beautiful isle) to present day tourists from around the world. Today, travelers continue to be impressed by all that the small island offers them, most notably the famous night markets that decorate the city streets every night. The sights and smells that permeate these food stalls are guaranteed to make your mouth water. At the market you’ll find delicious classics like bubble milk tea |珍珠奶茶 | zhēnzhū nǎichá , braised pork on rice | 滷肉飯 | lǔ ròu fàn, steamed pork belly buns | 割包 | guàbāo, and beef noodle soup | 牛肉麵 | niúròu miàn, as well as more adventurous selections like pig’s blood cake | 豬血糕 | zhūxiě gao, thin noodles with intestine | 大腸麵線 | Dàcháng miàn xiàn, and stinky tofu | 臭豆腐 | chòu dòufu (I guarantee, it tastes better than it smells). The list goes on and on; there’s no shortage of food to try. Strolling the many night markets is one of the best ways to define the term active eating; testing your patience as you wait in line for the most popular food stalls, just as the locals do, is truly a cultural experience. Read more to find out why a trip to Taiwan should be about more than just its night markets snacks, popularly termed “xiǎochī | 小吃”. Read More

3 Goals to Set for Mastering Mandarin

3 Goals to Set for Mastering Mandarin

As the Year of the Monkey swings in to greet us, it’s a great time to reflect on the language learning goals we want to accomplish for the New Year. For those who follow the Gregorian (solar) calendar｜Gōnglì | 公曆 rather than the Lunar Calendar｜Nónglì｜農曆, now ma
y also be considered an ideal time to assess the resolutions you made two short months ago and what roadblocks you may be facing putting those resolutions to action. Did you plan to study Mandarin a certain number of days per week but haven’t yet found the time? Or did you tell yourself that by the end of the year you would be reach a certain level of fluency but have now realized that your weekly routine is not keeping you on track to reach that goal? Read more for some effective tips on setting effective goals to stick with your Mandarin studies!  Read More

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