Local Lingo

Language is the road map of a culture. In this column, we will invite expats to introduce their favorite Chinese words, phrases, idioms, poems and more in a one-minute video. We hope this column will be a window through which you can better understand Chinese culture, mindset and wit. Have something to share? Please contact juliezhu@shanghaidaily.com.

Art & Culture

'Local lingo: Express yourself!' Episode 44: 一箭双雕 (Yi Jian Shuang Diao)

In today's video, we meet 10-year-old Zachary Varghese, who lives in New York. He shares with us how to use the idiom which means to kill two birds with one stone.

2m 0

Art & Culture

'Local lingo: Express yourself!' Episode 43: 千里之行始于足下 (Qian Li Zhi Xing Shi Yu Zu Xia)

Luba, a sinologist from Moscow, often use this Chinese saying to motivate herself in life. It is from the famous Chinese philosophical book "The Tao Te Ching" written by Lao Tzu.

2023-12-27 08:00 0

Art & Culture

'Local lingo: Express yourself!' Episode 42: 保持联系 (Bao Chi Lian Xi)

Usually expats learn "再见 (Zai Jian)" to bid farewell in Chinese. For South Korean Ron M Kim, "保持联系" (Bao Chi Lian Xi) is a more meaningful phrase of saying bye.

2023-12-20 19:01 0

Art & Culture

'Local lingo: Express yourself!' Episode 41: 拎不清 (Lin Bu Qing)

It is a commonly used slang term in colloquial speech in Eastern China that is derived from the Shanghai dialect. Let's check out how Ben Saltzman, from America, uses this phrase.

2023-12-14 16:24 0

Art & Culture

'Local lingo: Express yourself!' Episode 40: 海纳百川 (Hai Na Bai Chuan)

This phrase translates to "encompassing all rivers and embracing all cultures" which reflects Shanghai's tolerance towards different cultures, values, and people.

2023-12-06 14:33 0

Art & Culture

'Local lingo: Express yourself!' Episode 39: 三十年河东,三十年河西 (San Shi Nian He Dong, San Shi Nian He Xi)

What is "Hedong"? What is "Hexi"? Is it just the east and west of the river? Later, Chayada Yanwirojkul found that the sentence turned out to be a metaphor.

2023-11-29 12:44 0