Modern Mandarin Chinese: The Routledge Course

Vocabulary

Dialogue Part A Vocabulary

Audio file					Simplified	Traditional
	diǎn		dot, o’clock (一diǎn zhōng)	classifier	点	點
	diànnǎo		computer	noun	电脑	電腦
	duì		team	noun	对	對
	fùxí		review	verb	复习	復習
	gēn		with and	preposition， conjunction	跟	跟
	gēn NP 一qǐ	gēn NP 一起	together with NP	prepositional phrase	跟NP一起	跟NP一起
	hòutiān	hòu天	day after tomorrow	noun	后天	後天
	jǐdiǎn zhōng	几diǎn zhōng	what time is it?	question phrase	几点钟	幾點鐘
	kè		class	noun	课	課
	kǒushì	口shì	oral exam	noun phrase	口试	口試
	lánqiú		basketball	noun	籃球	籃球
	lánqiú duì		basketball team	noun phrase	籃球隊	籃球隊
	le	了	(new information, change)	final particle	了	了
	lèisǐ le	lèisǐ了	tired to death, exhausted	adjectival verb phrase	累死了	累死了
	máng		busy	adjectival verb	忙	忙
	shàngwǔ	上wǔ	morning	noun	上午	上午
	shí diǎn zhōng	十diǎn zhōng	10 o’clock	noun phrase	十点钟	十點鐘
	xià kè	下kè	get out of class	verb + object	下课	下課
	xiàwǔ	下wǔ	afternoon	noun	下午	下午
	xuéxí		study	verb	学习	學習
	zài		adverb	(indicates an action in progress)	在	在
	zǎoshang	早上	morning	noun	早上	早上
	zhōng		(main noun in clock time expression, e.g. 十diǎn zhōng)	noun*	钟	鐘
	zhōngwǔ	中wǔ	noon	noun	中午	中午
	zhǔnbèi		prepare	verb	准备	準
	zuò		do	verb	做	做

Dialogue Part B Vocabulary

Audio file					Simplified	Traditional
	bàn		half	number	半	半
	chuáng		bed (起chuáng )	noun	床	床
	děi		must, have to	modal verb	得	得
	fēn	分	minute	classifier	分	分
	gōngkè		classwork, homework	noun	功课	功課
	huí		return to a location	verb	回	回
	jiù		(sooner than expected)	adverb	就	就
	kǎo		take an exam	verb	考	考
	kǎo shì		take a test	verb + object	考试	考試
	kè		quarter of an hour	classifier	刻	刻
	qǐ	起	get up, rise up	verb	起	起
	qǐ chuáng	起 chuáng	get out of bed, get up in the morning	verb + object	起床	起床
	shàng	上	attend	verb	上	上
	shàng kè	上kè	attend school or class	verb + object	上课	上課
	shì		work (something to do, 有事)	noun	事	事
	shuì		sleep	verb	睡	睡
	shuì jiào		sleep	verb + object	睡觉	睡覺
	sùshè		dormitory	noun	宿舍	宿舍
	wǎn		late	adjectival verb	晚	晚
	wèishénme?	为什么？	why	content question	为什么	為什麼
	xǐ		bathe	verb	洗	洗
	xǐ zǎo		bathe	verb + object	洗澡	洗澡
	yǒushì ma?	有shì吗？	Do you have something to do? What’s up?	question phrase	有事吗？	有事嗎？
	zǎo		early	adjectival verb	早	早
	zǎofàn	早fàn	breakfast	noun	早饭	早飯

Dialogue Part C Vocabulary

Audio file				Simplified	Traditional
	jiàoshì	classroom	noun	教室	教室
	kàn	read (kàn shū),(kàn péngyou see friends)	verb	看	看
	kàn shū	read, read books	verb + object	看书	看書
	túshūguǎn	library	noun	图书馆	圖書館
	túshūguǎn yuán	librarian	noun	图书馆员	圖書館員
	wǒ xiān zǒu	I’m leaving first. I’m heading out.	conversational expression	我先走	我先走
	xiān	first	adverb	先	先
	yuán	(a person who has a role associated with the preceding noun)	noun suffix	员	員
	zǒu	go	verb	走	走

Dialogue

Audio file	Dialogue
	小文: 大为, 你 zài zuò 什么ya?	小文: 大为，你在做什么呀？
	大为: 我 zài xuéxí 中文. 我明天上wǔ 有中文kǎoshì.	大为: 我在学习中文。我明天上午有中文考试。
	小文: 你明天上wǔ 有 kǎoshì, 怎么 xiànzài 才 fùxí?	小文: 你明天上午有考试，怎么现在才复习？
	大为: 我今天很máng。早上有lánqiú duì的liànxí，中wǔ有diànnǎo kè的kǎoshì，下wǔ gēn Chén明一起 zhǔnbèi hòu天的口shì, 五diǎn zhōng才下kè，lèisǐ了。Xiànzài 几diǎn zhōng?	大为: 我今天很忙。早上有篮球队的练习，中午有电脑课的考试。下午跟陈明一起准备后天的口试，五点钟才下课，累死了。现在几点钟？
	小文: Xiànzài 十diǎn zhōng 了.	小文: 现在十点钟了。

Audio file	Dialogue
	张大为：十diǎn zhōng! 太晚了. 我 xiànzài děi huí sùshè 了.	张大为：十点钟！太晚了。我现在得回宿舍了。
	马小文：你 huí sùshè zuò 什么？有 shì 吗？	马小文：你回宿舍做什么？有事吗？
	张大为：我 xiǎng 今天晚上十diǎn bàn shuì jiào.	张大为：我想今天晚上十点半睡觉。
	马小文：你为什么十diǎn bàn jiù shuì jiào？太早了吧！	马小文：你为什么十点半就睡觉？太早了吧！
	张大为：我明天早上八diǎn zhōng jiù kǎo shì. 我 děi 六diǎn zhōng 起 chuáng, 六diǎn 一 kè xǐ zǎo, 六diǎn bàn chī 早fàn, 七diǎn zuò gōngkè、liànxí 汉字，七diǎn 四十分 qù 上 kè.	张大为：我明天早上八点钟就考试。我得六点钟起床，六点一刻洗澡，六点半吃早饭，七点做功课、练习汉字，七点四十分去上课。
	马小文：你可以今天晚上 xǐ zǎo, 明天晚一diǎn起chuáng.	马小文：你可以今天晚上洗澡，明天晚一点起床。
	张大为：我不 xǐhuān 晚上 xǐ zǎo. 我 xiànzài jiù huí sùshè 了.	张大为：我不喜欢晚上洗澡。我现在就回宿舍了。

Audio file	Dialogue
	Túshūguǎn yuán: 这是 túshūguǎn，不是jiàoshì。你们只可以 kàn shū、xuéxí, 不可以说话.	图书馆员：这是图书馆，不是教室。你门只可以看书、学习，不可以说话。
	张大为：对不起。那，小文，我xiān zǒu了.	张大为：对不起。那，小文，我先走了。
	马小文：再见。Hòu天中wǔ一起chī fàn吧！	马小文：再见。后天中午一起吃饭吧！

Structure Drills

1. 你 zài zuò 什么? (Use and Structure note 9.1)

You will hear a question asking what someone is doing, followed by an action verb. Use the verb to answer the question, as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: 你zài zuò什么? (fùxí Fǎ文)
You will say: 我zài fùxí Fǎ文。
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j) (l) (m)

	Prompt	Response
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)
(k)
(l)
(m)

2. When do you do these activities? (Use and Structure note 9.3)

You will hear a sentence telling you when Mǎ小文 does various activities. Say that you do each activity one hour later, as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: Mǎ小文三diǎn zhōng fùxí中文。
You will say: 我四diǎn zhōng fùxí中文。
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j)

	Prompt	Response
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)

3. What time is it now? (Use and Structure note 9.3)

You will hear a sentence stating the time. Restate the sentence, saying that it is 10 minutes later, as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: Xiànzài八diǎn十分。
You will say: Xiànzài八diǎn二十分。
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h)

	Prompt	Response
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)

4. You have to do it! (Use and Structure notes 9.3, 9.7)

You will hear a time and an activity. Tell your friend that she has to do this activity at this time tomorrow, as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: 七diǎn zhōng起chuáng。
You will say: 你明天děi七diǎn zhōng 起chuáng。
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j)

	Prompt	Response
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)

5. Doing an action with someone (Use and Structure note 9.5)

You will hear two statements indicating that two people do the same action. Restate the information in a single sentence using gēn Noun Phrase 一起 to indicate that they do the action together, as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: 张大为xué中文，Xiè Guóqiáng也xué中文。
You will say: 张大为 gēn Xiè Guóqiáng一起xué中文。
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h)

	Prompt	Response
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)

6. You can’t do it (Use and Structure note 9.7, 9.9)

You will hear Gāo Měilì say what she is planning to do in the library. Tell her that this is the library and she cannot do that activity, as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: 我xiǎng说话。
You will say: 这是túshūguǎn。你不可以说话。
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h)

	Prompt	Response
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)

7. Indicating new information (Use and Structure notes 9.6)

You will hear a sentence indicating what someone must or should do. Restate each sentence as in the example, adding 了 to the end to indicate that the information is new for the listening.
Example:
You will hear: 我十diǎn huí sùshè。
You will say: Xiànzài十diǎn了。我děi huí sùshè了。
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g)

	Prompt	Response
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)

8. Why so late? (Use and Structure note 9.4)

You will hear a statement about when different people do activities. Reply to each statement asking why the person does the activity so late, as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: 我十diǎn zhōng起chuáng。
You will say: 你怎么十diǎn zhōng才起chuáng？
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j)

	Prompt	Response
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)

9. Earlier than expected (Use and Structure note 9.10)

You will hear a statement saying when someone does an action or when something happens. Reply by asking why the action is happening so soon, as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: 我今天有中文kǎoshì。
You will say: 你怎么今天jiù有中文kǎoshì？
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j)

	Prompt	Response
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)

10. Early and late (Use and Structure notes 9.4, 9.10)

Xiè Guóqiáng is comparing his habits with those of his roommate. Restate each of his sentences, adding jiù to the first clause and cái to the second to indicate that the first action occurs earlier and the second occurs later, as in the example.
Example:
You will hear: 我八diǎn上kè,我的tóngwū十diǎn上kè。
You will say: 我八diǎn jiù上kè,我的tóngwū 十diǎn 才上kè。
Click "Response" to hear the correct response
(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) (i) (j)

	Prompt	Response
Example
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)

Sentence Pyramids

The Sentence Pyramids illustrate the use of each new vocabulary item and structure introduced in the lesson. Use them to help you to learn how to form phrases and sentences in Mandarin. Supply the English translation for the last line where indicated.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	什么?	what
	zuò 什么?	do what
	你 zài zuò 什么？	What are you (in the middle of) doing?

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	中文	Chinese
	xuéxí 中文	studying Chinese
	我 zài xuéxí 中文.	I am (in the middle of) studying Chinese.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	kǎo shì	take a test
	上wǔ kǎo shì	take a test in the morning
	明天上wǔ kǎo shì	take a test tomorrow morning
	我明天上wǔ kǎo shì.	______________________

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	máng	busy
	很máng	very busy
	我今天很máng。	I am very busy today.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	liànxí	practice
	lánqiú duì的liànxí	basketball team practice
	有lánqiú duì的liànxí	have basketball team practice
	我早上有lánqiú duì的liànxí.	_________________________

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	kǎoshì	test
	diànnǎo kè的kǎoshì	computer class test
	我中wǔ有diànnǎo kè的kǎoshì。	I have a computer class test at noon.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	口shì	oral exam
	hòu天的口shì	the day after tomorrow’s oral exam
	zhǔnbèi hòu天的口shì	prepare for the day after tomorrow’s oral exam
	我们děi zhǔnbèi hòu天的口shì。	I have to prepare for the day after tomorrow’s oral exam.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	zhǔnbèi hòu天的口shì	prepare for the day after tomorrow’s oral exam
	gēn Chén明一起 zhǔnbèi hòu天的口shì	prepare with Chen Ming for the day after tomorrow’s oral exam
	我下wǔ gēn Chén明一起 zhǔnbèi hòu天的口shì。	In the afternoon, I prepare(d) with Chen Ming for the day after tomorrow’s oral exam.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	lèisǐ了	tired to death
	下kè，lèisǐ了	get out of class, tired to death
	才下kè，lèisǐ了	only then got out of class, tired to death
	五diǎn zhōng才下kè，lèisǐ了	didn’t get out of class until 5, tired to death
	我五diǎn zhōng才下kè，lèisǐ了。	I didn’t get out of class until 5 (and I’m) tired to death.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	几diǎn zhōng?	what time?
	Xiànzài 几diǎn zhōng?	What time is it now?

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	huí sùshè	return to the dorm
	děi huí sùshè	must return to the dorm
	我 xiànzài děi huí sùshè .	I must return to the dorm now.
	我 xiànzài děi huí sùshè 了.	I must return to the dorm now (new information for listener).

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	有 shì	have something to do
	有 shì 吗？	have something to do?
	你有 shì 吗？	Do you have something to do? (What’s up?)

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	shuì jiào	sleep
	十diǎn bàn shuì jiào	sleep at 10:30
	我 xiǎng 十diǎn bàn shuì jiào.	I plan to go to sleep at 10:30.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	shuì jiào	go to sleep
	十diǎn bàn jiù shuì jiào	go to sleep as early as 10:30
	你为什么十diǎn bàn jiù shuì jiào？	Why are you going to sleep as early as 10:30?

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	kè	(quarter of an hour, 15 minutes)
	一kè	one quarter of an hour (15 minutes past)
	五diǎn一kè	5:15
	Xiànzài五diǎn 一kè.	______________________

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	分	minute
	十分	ten minutes
	十一diǎn 十分	11:10
	Xiànzài 十一diǎn 十分.	______________________

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	五分	5 minutes
	líng 五分	05 minutes
	十二 diǎn líng 五分	12:05

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	起chuáng	get out of bed
	六diǎn一kè起chuáng	get out of bed at 6:15
	我xiǎng六diǎn一kè起chuáng。	______________________

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	xǐ zǎo.	bathe
	晚上 xǐ zǎo.	bathe in the evening
	我不xǐhuān 晚上 xǐ zǎo.	I don’t like to bath in the evening.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	jiàoshì	classroom
	不是jiàoshì	not a classroom
	这是túshūguǎn，不是jiàoshì。	This is a library, not a classroom.

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	有shì	have something to do
	有shì 吗？	have something to do?
	你hòu天有shì 吗？	Do you have something to do the day after tomorrow?

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	gēn你说话	speak with you
	为什么gēn你说话？	why speak with you?
	Túshūguǎn yuán为什么gēn你说话？	Why does the librarian want to speak with you?

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	晚	late
	太晚了	too late
	十二diǎn shuì jiào 太晚了。	______________________

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	起 chuáng	get out of bed
	六diǎn 一kè jiù 起 chuáng	get out of bed as early as 6:15
	她早上六diǎn 一kè jiù 起 chuáng.	She gets up as early as 6:15 in the morning. (speaker thinks it is early)

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	liànxí Hànzì	practice Chinese characters
	fùxí gōngkè、liànxí Hànzì	review the lesson (and) practice Chinese characters
	我 děi fùxí gōngkè 、liànxí Hànzì.	______________________

Audio file	Vocabulary	Translation
	zǒu	go, leave
	xiān zǒu	leave first
	我xiān zǒu。	I’m leaving first. (Goodbye.)

Mandarin Pronunciation

Pronunciation and Pinyin

Sentence stress

Every sentence in Mandarin has at least one syllable that receives greater stress than the other syllables. We call this kind of stress sentence stress. The syllable that receives sentence stress is recited louder or longer than the other syllables in the sentence. The stressed syllable is always a syllable that has a full tone. Syllables that occur in neutral tone are never stressed. Sometimes the location of sentence stress is predictable. In this lesson, we focus on sentence stress in several predictable contexts.
Stress in subject + verb + object sentences
In simple subject + verb + object sentences, the sentence stress falls on the object of the verb. If the object contains more than one syllable, stress occurs on the last syllable that has a full tone. If the last syllable of the object is spoken in neutral tone, sentence stress occurs on the next to the last syllable. In these sentences from the dialogue, the syllables that receive stress are underlined.

我 zài fùxí Fǎ文.	I am studying French.
我 děi huí sùshè le.	I have to return to the dormitory.
我明tiān 早shang kǎo shì.	Tomorrow morning I take a test.

In the following sentence, the last syllable of the object is spoken in neutral tone, so stress occurs on the next to the last syllable.

她是你的 mèimei 吗？

Is she your younger sister?

Stress and the recitation of calendar time
When reciting the date and month, the stress is on the last syllable of the last number in the phrase. If the phrase includes the day of the week, the stress is on the number of the day of the week.

今天一 hào.
Today is the first day of the month.
Xiànzài 三yuè.
It is March.
今天四yuè 一hào.
Today is April 1st.
今天十一 hào.
Today is the 11th.
今天是 xīngqī 一.
Today is Monday.

Stress and the recitation of clock time
When reciting clock time, the stress is on diǎn (点) o’clock, 分 minute, orzhōng (钟) (o’)clock, whichever is the last word in the time phrase.

Xiànzài 三 diǎn.
It’s now 3 o’clock.
Xiànzài 三 diǎn 五分.
It’s now 3:05.
Xiànzài 三 diǎn zhōng.
It’s now 3 o’clock.

If the time phrase includes bàn half past, 一 kè a quarter past, or 三 kè three quarters past, the stress is on bàn or kè.
两diǎn 2:30
三diǎn一kè 3:15
五diǎn 三 kè 5:45

Pronunciation Challenges

Tongue Twister

Learn this tongue twister one line at a time. Don’t give up until you can say each line without making any errors.


Tongue twister	Translation	Audio files
Liǎng gè yǎnyuán (两个演员) Liǎng gè Yǎnyuán, 两个演员， Yī gè xìng Yuán, yī gè xìng Yán. 一个姓袁，一个姓颜。 Yuán Yǎnyuán tǎoyàn Yán Yǎnyuán. 袁演员讨厌颜演员。 Yán Yǎnyuán mányuàn Yuán Yǎnyuán. 颜演员埋怨袁演员。	Two Actors Two actors, One’s surname is Yuan, one’s is Yan. Actor Yuan does not like actor Yan. Actor Yan complains about actor Yuan.

Writing Characters

Chapter 9

Download all files

Character practice sheet
PDF Stroke order flow chart
JPG Image Focus on Radicals
Word Document Characters by dialogue part (Coming Soon)
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