What we’re about
* Currently, our activities focus on language learning (listening and conversational practice, particularly in Mandarin and Cantonese) and Chinese culture (especially music, poems, movies, regional cuisines, art, calligraphy, history)
* Use your computer to plan ahead.
Look at our monthly calendar to find activities that appeal to you:
https://www.meetup.com/austin-chinese-language-and-culture/events/calendar/
RSVP a week in advance if you can. Otherwise, do so at least a day before the event.
If no one signs up for an event, it will probably be cancelled a couple of days before.
* Use the app to check messages (Event Chats and Direct Messages) a day or two before any event for possible discussion.
If you won't be able to attend, update your RSVP before the event starts.
If the host needs to make a schedule change, s/he should do so before the event start time, preferably at least a day in advance.
* Participate regularly.
If we don't see you for a few weeks, you'll probably be removed from the group. Nothing personal--our events probably just don't fit your interests or schedule.
* We're here to learn and improve.
Participate in online activities using headphones and from a quiet location.
Be open to information/strategies that may challenge your practices.
We invite discussion based on research/experience.
* Please do not advertise, attack, campaign, proposition, proselytize, or solicit.
If anyone contacts you through Meetup to do any of these, please let us know.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- [all levels] How can I estimate my level of fluency?Link visible for attendees
Wonder what we mean by "novice", "beginner", "pre-intermediate", or "intermediate-ish"? Drop by for fifteen or twenty minutes, and I'll show you!
novice (HSK 0 to 1) classroom numbers colors
beginner (HSK 1 to 2) dialogues [Taiwan accent] videoadvanced beginner (HSK 3) story A B C
pre-intermediate (HSK 3 to 4) story D E [Taiwan accent] F [Taiwan accent] G tips [SW 贵州 accent] Hlow intermediate (HSK 4) story tips J K
high intermediate (HSK 5) story [Beijing accent] series tips 中美饮食 [southern accent] demoadvanced (HSK 6+) series
native-like humor
expert/professional/technicaltiny HSK vocabulary test
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Use calendar view to see other upcoming events at a glance. - pre-intermediate listening, vocabulary, pronunciation, and bits of grammarLink visible for attendees
Participants should
understand how pinyin notation expresses the precise pronunciation of Mandarin Chinese, including the "melody";
be familiar with a few hundred words, incl. words for
"one" through "ninety-nine"; to arrive; to be; to be at/in/on (somewhere); behind; clothes; cold; color; to come; computer; doctor; to eat; exercise; facing; few; from ... to ...; in front of; to go; hot; to know (a fact); to know (be acquainted with); noodles; pencil; to run; to sleep; some; to speak; time (concept/quantity); time (event/point); weather; workbe able to ask and answer questions like these:
"Do you like to dance/eat/sing/swim?" "I like to sing." "I don't like to dance."
"Who is she?" "She's my friend."
"What is this?" "This is a book/cup/fruit."
"What time are we going to see a movie?" "Tomorrow, at 7:30 in the evening."
"Where is David?" "He's at home."
"Why do you study Chinese?" "Because I would like to speak Chinese."and have a general idea of the "golden rule" of basic sentence structure
subject [+ time] [+ location] [+ manner] + verb [+ duration] [+ object]---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.---
my favorite resources
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listening material
HSK Level 3 audio translated
第二课,课文三 (Lesson 2, Dialogue 3)Chinese for Us
Mandarin Bean
Road to Success(new HSK "3.0") Level 3 lessons
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"lighten up" and "tighten up"
Does your "wo" sound like "whoa"?! 😂---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.---
Use calendar view to see other upcoming events at a glance. - [all levels] Standard Chinese ("pǔtōnghuà") pronunciation workshopLink visible for attendees
During the meeting, please
[1] be in a distraction-free, quiet environment;
[2] use headphones/headset to minimize audio feedback;
[3] focus on the current task;
[4] pay close attention to melody, rhythm, and sounds.
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my favorite resources
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overview
Learning new concepts/skills should be uncomfortable.English is "legato" with dynamics/stresses.
Chinese is a "staccato" melody, so "lighten up" and "tighten up".
"Wèi de mǐ ne?" vs. "Wait a minute!"Běijīng: It really is "jing", not "zhing".
Zhōngguó: more like "joong-gwo", -not- "zhoong-gwaw", -not- "choong-gwaw".
Does your "wo" sound like "whoa"?! 😂---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.---
"melody"
What do we mean by tones? (melody/pitch)
I'll call the four basic patterns "high", "up", "low", "down".What is meant by "neutral tone"? (melodic examples)
What are "tone pairs"? (listening drill)
Actually, you don't even need to name the patterns, just be able to hear and say them.---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.---
challenging sounds
ji qi xi Push the tip of your tongue against the back of your bottom teeth.
JEE CHEE SEE [~lisp]zi ci si
DZIH TSIH SIHzhi chi shi (z)ri [curl your tongue upward]
JUR CHUR SHUR ZRUHjü qü xü [~whistle] For ü, while keeping your lips puckered like you're going to whistle, push the tip of your tongue toward your lips, and try to make an "ee" sound!
zu cu su
DZOO TSOO SOOzhu chu shu (z)ru
JOO CHOO SHOO ZROO [curl your tongue up]zhao chao shao
找 炒 少 Pull your tongue back, as if you're trying to swallow it, so that the sound is coming from deep down in your throat!---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.---
shadowing:
míngzi (given name)
míngtiān (tomorrow)
huānyíng (welcome)
diànyǐng (movie)
píngguǒ (apple)xīngqī (week)
xuéxí (to study)
bùxíng (won't do; unacceptable)
xínglixiāng (luggage; suitcase)shēng (alive; raw; fresh)
shú (cooked; ripe; familiar)
shúxī (to be familiar with)
shùxué (mathematics)zhù zài (to live at/in)
zhùyì (to notice; to pay attention to)
zhǔyì (idea; plan)rúguǒ (if)
jìnrù (to enter)
rújīn (nowadays)
rèqíng (enthusiastic; passionate)chūlái (to come out)
chūqù (to go out)
chúle (except for; apart from)
Liù chú sān děngyú èr. (Six divided by three yields two.)
cāntīng (dining hall; restaurant)
tíngchēchǎng (parking lot)
chūzū chē (taxi; "out rent car")信 -vs- 性
星 -vs- 心
上 -vs- 象
伤 -vs- 箱大小 -vs- 大勺
打少 -vs- 打扫---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.---
Use calendar view to see other upcoming events at a glance. - [novice+] Let's learn some basic Chinese words and phrases!Link visible for attendees
In this online activity series for novice learners, we'll present some basic words/phrases, explain/discuss how to pronounce them, and take turns repeating them aloud.
During the meeting, please
[1] be in a distraction-free, quiet environment;
[2] use headphones/headset to minimize audio feedback;
[3] pay close attention to melody, rhythm, and sounds.---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.---
my favorite resources
basic words
Immersive Chinese incremental lessons---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.---
pronunciation tips
Běijīng: It really is "jing", not "zhing".
Zhōngguó: more like "joong-gwo", -not- "zhoong-gwaw", -not- "choong-gwaw".
Does your "wo" sound like "whoa"?! 😂---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.---
Melnyks Lesson 008, 009A:Nǐhǎo! Hi!
B:Wǒ hěn hǎo, xièxiè. I'm fine, thanks!
A:Qǐngwèn, nǐ míngtiān zuò shénme? Say, what are you doing tomorrow?
B:Duìbùqǐ, qǐng zàishuō yīcì. Sorry, please say it one more time.
A:Qǐngwèn, nǐ míngtiān zuò shénme? Wǒ míngtiān yào qù chànggē. Nǐ qù ma? Say, what are you doing tomorrow? I want to go singing tomorrow. Will you go?
B:Duìbùqǐ, míngtiān wǒ hěn máng, méiyǒu shíjiān. Sorry, I'm very busy tomorrow. I won't have time.
A:Nà, hòutiān nǐ yǒu shíjiān ma? Well then, will you have time the day after tomorrow?
B:Hòutiān kěyǐ. Day after tomorrow works.
A:Tài bàngle! Awesome!A:Nǐ de àihào shì shénme? What are your hobbies?
B:Wǒ xǐhuān _____. I like _____.
A: _____ hěn yǒuyìsi. _____ is a lot of fun.
B:Nà, wǒmen xiànzài qù _____. Then, let's go _____ now.---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.---
Shawn's basic words
(251 to 260)
水果 shuǐguǒ fruit
正在 zhèngzài right now; just in the middle of
好吧 hǎo ba [defeatedly/hesitantly/reluctantly] I guess so. O-kay, fine.
开玩笑 kāiwánxiào just kidding; joking around---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.--- ---.---
Use calendar view to see other upcoming events at a glance.