THE SENMANDARIN NOTEBOOK

Chinese Characters & Pinyin

Explore vocabulary, grammar, everyday Chinese and practical study tips.

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3 articles

Made for real understanding.
Everyday Chinese

Stop Saying “你好吗” (Nǐ hǎo ma) Every Time!

中文日常问候:不只用“你好吗”

Learn when 你好, 最近怎么样 and 你还好吗 fit a conversation, with Chinese examples, pinyin and natural English translations.

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Chinese Grammar

Why Chinese People Say “一下 (yíxià)” So Much

“一下”的用法与发音

See how 一下 makes actions brief and requests softer. Compare it with 一会儿 and verb reduplication, with Chinese examples and pinyin.

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