How to Pass the HSK 6

How to Pass the HSK 6

Start Early – The HSK 6 is a good test of your real-life Chinese abilities. If you haven’t put the time into developing those abilities, then all the test prep in the world will be of little to no help. My current goal is to raise my HSK 6 score from 224 to 270 and I’m giving myself 1 to 2 years of daily study to do it.

Focus on Vocabulary – If you know the words, then you can answer the questions. If you don’t know the words, then you’ll be lost. It’s that simple. I’m giving most of my prep time to Advanced ChinesePod lessons because I don’t know of anything else out there that is so effective at building up my vocabulary. I’ve chosen 160 lessons, and I’m working on 3 a week. My favorite so far? Probably the 小太监进宫 series.

Do Practices Tests – You can get a number of free practice tests online, including directly from Hanban’s website (PDF and audio file). There are also a number of books of practice tests out there as well. I’ve done this book before. I plan to pick up a stack of practice test books the next time I’m in China. Do at least one of these practice tests early on so you’ll be aware of your weak points. I plan on hitting practice tests harder the closer I get to my next test date.

Summarize Stuff – The writing section of the HSK 6 involves reading an article, then summarizing it in your own words. If you can take the computerized version of the test (as I did recently), you can type it rather than writing by hand. Either way, it will take a lot of practice, especially if you’re not good at this kind of thing in your native language. This is one reason I’m starting my own vlog, where I summarize and comment on the ChinesePod lessons I’m studying. If you work with a tutor, you should insist on making summarizing a part of your routine. Speaking of which…

Get a Tutor – You’ll likely need one to help you make sense of the grammar points on the HSK practice tests, especially for the “请选出有语病的一项” reading section. Your average Chinese person on the street would even be baffled by many of those questions.

Get Immersed – Find a Chinese TV series (连续剧) and get yourself hooked. An old favorite from my school days was the gripping spy series 《潜伏》, and, based on numerous recommendations, I just recently started watching the anti-corruption police drama 《人民的名义》。If you’ve never done a 连续剧 before, my suggestion would be to watch the first episode 5 to 10 times, taking notes and looking up words. Wear out the “Pause” button. Make flashcards for the main characters’ names, and memorize them. If you make that first episode all about rigorous study, then you can relax enough to enjoy the rest of the show. In this situation, binge-watching is a virtue instead of a vice.

Stay Healthy – This may seem out-of-place, but as a 40-year-old with a deteriorating memory, I’m learning that it’s critical. For me, keeping my mind sharp requires three things: Maximizing sleep, minimizing sugar, and eliminating caffeine. I discovered that my performance with my early morning tutors can vary significantly, and I’ve narrowed the reasons down to these three things. Figure out what hinders you, and get rid of it.

Study Tips

It’s never too late – or too early for that matter – to learn a new language. Like any new skill, mastering a foreign language takes time and practice. Don’t let a busy life deter you. Try a few of these fun study tips to help keep you motivated while you learn to speak Mandarin Chinese.

 

Save the Date

Learning a foreign language is a commitment. Decide when you’ll schedule study times, just like you did when you were in school. You did study, right? If not, this is an excellent time to develop good study habits. Schedule study sessions on a calendar, your laptop, or a cell phone. Writing them down makes it more likely that you’ll honor the commitment.

Set an Alarm

Start your day with language learning. You don’t even have to get out of bed. If you have a smartphone that lets you use custom alarm ringtones, this is the perfect way to wake-up. Create some voice memos with the new Mandarin words you’re learning. Use the memos as your alarm ringtones. Can you think of anything better than waking up to Mandarin Chinese? Be careful – you might find yourself hitting “snooze” several times.

Be a Night Owl

Are you an insomniac? Take advantage of those sleepless hours to practice your language skills. A 2016 study found that practicing foreign-language vocabulary at night, just before dozing off may help you better retain what you’ve learned. The key to this is to make it a regular bedtime activity. Repeated practice and sleep has a positive effect on long-term retention. Combine your night owl tendencies with early morning vocabulary practice and you’ll be talking like a native in no time.

Make Flash Cards

Flash cards are an economical yet practical study tool. Toss your flashcards in your backpack or laptop bag. Wow, friends and co-workers with your new skills. Ask people to test you – just like you used to do in grade school when you were studying for a spelling test. Put a few flashcards in places where you’re sure to see them. The bathroom mirror. Your pillow. The steering wheel. A sneaky way to study, indeed.

Take a Break

Bet you didn’t know that 75% of smartphone owners admit to using them in the bathroom. Now that puts a whole new twist on those 15-minute breaks your employer is required to give you. Fifteen minutes is plenty of time to study a few Mandarin grammar structures. When you think about it, instead of boring your co-workers with the usual one-sided conversations heard in break rooms and employee bathrooms, download a Mandarin app and practice vocabulary. Can you think of a better way to maximize break time?

While learning Mandarin, or any other language isn’t easy, using lack of time as an excuse not to start just doesn’t work. Try a few of these tips and see if you don’t find time in your day to study. Good luck! 祝你成功

5 Great Wall Hikes For Every Beijing Tourist

5 Great Wall Hikes For Every Beijing Tourist

“You’re not a great man (or woman) if you haven’t been to the Great Wall of China…” 不到长城非好汉。

…Or so the saying goes, originally coined by Chairman Mao, now a reminder to countless visitors who travel far and wide each year to personally step foot on the magnificent Great Wall of China that spans over 21km in total across the Middle Kingdom, built across several dynasties over thousands of years of Chinese history. A wall so great, where does one even begin to try to experience its grandeur or capture its beauty? In sharing extensive research conducted for my own recent visit to Beijing, below are 5 amazing sections of the Great Wall of China that you can visit from Beijing, one for every kind of tourist on any kind of schedule.

  1. Bādálǐng八达岭:  For the “Touristy” Beijing Tourist

The Great Wall of Badaling: Crowds of Visitors Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

If you’re the kind of tourist who wants to go where everyone else has been and capture THAT famous photo you’ve seen friends capture at that exact place every tour bus makes a must-go-to stop, then Badaling is your best bet. Badaling is hands-down the most visited and best preserved section of the Great Wall. Close to downtown Beijing (70km) and easily reachable by public transportation, it may be the only option for those who have little time in Beijing, or those with limited mobility, allowing tourists young and old, regardless of physical fitness, the opportunity to experience the Great Wall. There is even a cable car and elevator readily available (as discussed in Chinesepod’s lesson “Wheelchair Access to the Great Wall”.  

Just don’t expect to get that perfect selfie without other heads in your frame. How to get to Badaling

  1. Mùtiányù 慕田峪: Badaling’s Less Crowded Alternative

The Great Wall at Mutianyu: over 90% is surrounded by lush forest. Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

For those wishing for a bit more elbow room than offered at Badaling, Mutianyu is a commonly chosen alternative. Situated only a little further from central Beijing,  Mutianyu offers slightly smaller crowds. Also accessible by public transportation, most sections have been restored making it a safe and easy hike, offering beautiful views of forests and streams in the distance. Mutianyu is often combined with other challenging hikes, such as Jiankou and Huanghuacheng (below).  

  1. Jīnshānlǐng 金山岭 to Sīmǎtái司马台: For the Classic Backpacker

The Great Wall at Jinshanling to Simatai: Rugged beauty. Photo Source: Eng Chan

This 4-5 hour hike continues to be a favorite amongst international backpackers who dream of experiencing China’s Great Wall with all its rugged beauty on foot. This was also my very first Great Wall hike 10 years ago, introduced in the Lonely Planet Guidebook (the “bible” for many backpackers). Approximately 130km from downtown Beijing, this hike from Jinshanling to Simatai is definitely worth the extra time and sweat, if you wish for isolation, good exercise, and stunning beauty, all on a safe and moderately strenuous hike, offering unparalleled natural beauty. Learn more here.

  1. Huánghuāchéng黄花城: For the Off-The-Beaten-Track Backpacker

The Great Wall at Huanghuacheng: Enclosed by mountains, water, and flowers. Photo Source: Eng Chan

Never heard of the Huanghuacheng Great Wall hike? Probably because most backpackers don’t even know it exists (as of yet) and it is not an official Great Wall hike (despite the $5 entrance fee). Expect to see fewer people (more locals than foreigners, in fact) than any of the three hikes introduced above. While not as rugged or dangerous as Jiankou (below) due to a combination of restored and unrestored sections, it does feels more isolated than Jinshanling, due to its unofficial status. Extreme steep climbs and descents make this hike more physically challenging than Jinshanling, and sometimes scary, but because you are required to turn back to your starting point (unless you hike 2 days to Mutianyu), you have the flexibility to decide how far you want to continue based on your comfort level. On our recent trip to Beijing, we hiked Huanghuacheng section, and were pleasantly surprised as we hiked further, there was not a soul in sight! Many hikers stopped after the first uphill climb, so the further we went, the more wonderfully remote it became. It was just us and the magnificent Great Wall, surrounded by stunning mountains, water, and flowers. We didn’t, however, see the yellow flowers that gave its name.

How to get to Huanghuacheng: Bus 916 from Dongzhimen Bus Terminal to Huairou (approx. 1 hour), then take a taxi or hire a driver. We decided to hire a driver, who was willing to wait for us to complete the hike, to ensure we have transportation back to Beijing.

  1. Jiànkòu箭扣: For the Dare-devil Hiker-slash-Photographer

The Great Wall at Jiankou: Dangerously beautiful. Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

Considered a photographer’s dream and the very definition of “wild Great Wall” Jiankou is also one of the most dangerous and mainly unrestored sections of the Great Wall, and not officially open to tourists. This section is best reserved for very experienced hikers, and best tackled with a local guide. People have actually lost their lives on this hike, so best to proceed with caution. I have not personally hiked this section, and suggest doing further research on the safety of this hike before considering tackling it. More information can be found here.

With so many sections of the Great Wall available, it can be hard to choose where to begin. Try out one of the above 5 sections of the Great Wall on your next visit to Beijing and share your experiences in the comments below. Remember, regardless of what part of the Great Wall you hike, it is guaranteed to leave you in awe!

So Who is This Grace Wong? And Why Are We Seeing Her All Over ChinesePod?

So Who is This Grace Wong? And Why Are We Seeing Her All Over ChinesePod?

I am Grace Wong, and I’m thrilled to be with you here on ChinesePod! I work mostly in the customer service area, but recently several people have suggested I take a more active role and even try to get in front of the camera.  So, I have decided to get out front and center so that I can become more involved with ChinesePod. I’m so excited!

I’ve always enjoyed learning online with CPod and I can’t wait to get know all of you in the ChinesePod community better. One of my new responsibilities as Community Manager will be to help host and setup MeetUps around the globe.  We will have our first one in North Florida and then will be rolling them out in other areas throughout the year.  Feel free to email me directly at Grace@chinesepod.com or message me in the forum if you would like to have one in your area.

So, let me tell you a little about me.  I was born in America, but my mother’s parents are from Hunan and Tainan.  My dad is from West Virginia. My mom fell in love with my Dad and he whisked her away to American and then came me!

I was born in the USA but my heart is in China!  My favorite thing to do there is eat! I love food – It’s a big motivator for me. One time my godmother bribed me with 粽子zòngzi to get me to let her pull my tooth out!

Hmmm.. looking back at my childhood the most vibrant memories I have involve piano and art – and FOOD!

I fought against the piano. I have many not-so-happy-memories of the piano with me throwing a fit on the piano bench, tears on the keys and the book thrown on the floor. Thankfully my parents saw my love of art and allowed me to quit the tortuous piano lessons.  It wasn’t expected of a Chinese mother to support her daughter’s pursuit of art, especially over the piano. I was fortunate to have been heard and encouraged.

Anywho…

Fast forward many years later, I went to college and majored in Fine Arts and minored in Chinese and Photography. Chinese has always been a part of my life, but it wasn’t until college that I fell in love with it. Chinese was so obtainable and I love being around people from China or who chose to learn this language. I’ve been committed to the language ever since. Check out this video of the Five W Questions in Chinese!

I have spent years teaching Chinese to children and adults alike. My first opportunity teaching the language was with adopted children from China. I was so impressed how their parents made it a priority for these kids to learn to speak their native tongue.  Then I created crash courses for companies which set up offices in Asia or had business in China.

I enjoyed teaching children and adults alike.  As an elementary school teacher, I established the Chinese program at my school! It’s amazing to see the drive these young children have to pursue this language on their own. I attacked Chinese much as I did the piano when I was a child – it wasn’t an activity I was jumping up and down to do. I can’t quite pinpoint what it was that I didn’t enjoy about it, however now that I’m all grown up, I realize I want to demystify Chinese and show everyone what an accessible language this is!  

All of my mom’s family are still in Asia.  While I wish we were closer, it has given me the opportunity to travel there often to visit. What a wonderful culture, steeped in tradition and history!

My family in Asia is so precious to me and I consider it my second home. I always cry as I leave my family there and wish I could stay longer.

 

I have traveled to the far east annually throughout my adult life and every time I go, I unlock new mysteries.  I am excited about many more trips to come and the new cultural experiences to be had.

I can’t wait to do our ChinesePod meetups all around the world with subscribers like you!  

Thanks for being part of the ChinesePod Community!  I look forward to hearing from you!

 

 

Why Laughing in Mandarin Could Get You in Trouble

Why Laughing in Mandarin Could Get You in Trouble

Have you ever wanted to laugh in Chinese but you’re not sure exactly how? Let’s rewind a bit.

In today’s technological world, our “conversations” are often electronic rather than verbal. There are many ways to express emotions using different messaging options available, including the widely used WeChat, and therefore, several ways to express laughter electronically in Mandarin. However, not all mean the same, and not all methods are identical to the English equivalent.  

Recently my Chinese friend texted me out of the blue:

“Does “hehe” (in a text message) have a negative connotation to it? Does it make you feel bad?”

The first thought that came to mind was: Of course it doesn’t! Why would it make someone feel bad? I proceeded to explain that in English“hehe”  is simply a way to display a laughing emotion electronically, similar to “haha”, both being positive expressions. However, during this conversation it came to light that there exists a fundamental difference of common displays of emotion when switching between languages; often times, they are not exact translations.

As it turns out, using Chinese to text hēhē|呵呵 is not equivalent to the English “haha”. It is best to err on the side of caution when texting Chinese friends, and only use this word when you are absolutely sure it is appropriate to the situation; otherwise you may leave them feeling offended or confused. In Mandarin, hēhē|呵呵 represents an unfriendly or cold smile (lěng xiào|冷笑), which conveys underlying negativity. Below are three scenarios in which hēhē|呵呵 is used appropriately:

  • Someone tells you a piece of gossip about an individual whom you dislike. Your response? “Hehe, such a jerk!” Hēhē,  húndàn|呵呵,混蛋!”
  • You don’t agree with something someone said. Your response? “hēhē|呵呵”.
  • You are arguing with someone and you don’t feel like texting anymore. Your response? “hēhē|呵呵”

 

Now we know we should not use hēhē|呵呵 for all situations of laughter. So, what should we use instead? Below are three alternatives for expressing laughter in Mandarin:

 

  1. Hāhā|哈哈: The most common way to express online laughter in Chinese, much the same as the English equivalent of “haha”. In most situations, you are safe to use this expression to convey happy laughter or a smile.
  2. Xīxī嘻嘻: Similar to the English equivalent of “hehe” or “heehee”, it is a positive way of showing humorous slyness or cuteness. For example: I love the cookies you made so much that ate them all and didn’t leave my sister any. Hehe.  You can substitute the English “hehe” in this situation for Xīxī嘻嘻in Mandarin.
  3. Hēihēi|嘿嘿:  A mischievous, naughty (tiáopi|调皮) laugh. For example, “Hēihēi Zhè jiùshì wǒ gàn de |嘿嘿,这就是我干的!”(That situation was my doing). This can be compared to the English equivalent of “heh heh” or even “hehe”.

Finally, try to avoid transporting English phrases into your Mandarin usage.  Reserve “LOL” for English text messages, as many Chinese people will not know what this means.

Shorthand methods of writing emotions are constantly changing, and it can be difficult to keep up in a second language. Next time you want to laugh in Chinese electronically, follow the above guidelines to choose the most appropriate way of displaying your digital smile for the situation at hand.

Learn more about laughing in Chinese by checking out Chinesepod QingWen lesson on different ways to say funny in Mandarin.  Or, if you are talking to someone and think they sound funny when they laugh, listen to this lesson on how to say  “You Laugh like a Donkey”.

Photo Sources: Wikimedia Commons

 

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