Category — Learn Chinese

I was looking online for a list of interesting words and phrases for the Beijing Olympics and found a list that could be useful for you avid Olympics fans out there.

— For speeches:

和平奥运 hépín gàoyùn
Peaceful Olympics
和谐奥运héxié àoyùn
Harmonious Olympics
科技奥运 kējì àoyùn
High-tech Olympics
绿色奥运 lǜsè àoyùn
Green Olympics
人文奥运 rénwén àoyùn
People’s Olympics
安全奥运 ānquán àoyùn
Safe Olympics

— For conversation:

Wish Beijing Olympic Games a great success!
祝北京奥运会圆满成功。
Zhù Běijīng àoyùnhuì yuánmǎn chénggōng.

北京, 加油。Go, Beijing!
Běijīng，jiāyóu.
奥运, 加油。Go, Olympics!
Àoyùn，jiāyóu.

奥运会 àoyùnhuì，Olympic Games
开幕式 kāimùshì，opening ceremony
闭幕式 bìmùshì，closing ceremony
奥运场馆 àoyùn chǎngguǎn，Olympic venues
鸟巢 niǎocháo, Bird’s Nest （China’s National Stadium）
水立方shuǐ lìfāng， Water Cube （National Aquatics Center）
中文时间 Zhōngwén shíjiān，ChineseHour
志愿者 zhìyuànzhě，volunteers
火炬接力 huǒjù jiēlì，Torch Relay
奥运村àoyùn cūn, Olympic Village

— For posters:

同一个世界 同一个梦想
tongyīgè shìjiè, tongyīgè mèngxiǎng
One World One Dream
点燃激情 传递梦想
Diǎnránjīqíng，chuándìmèngxiǎng
Light the passion, share the dream.
更快 更高 更强
gèngkuài gènggāo gèngqiáng
Faster Higher and Stronger

文明北京 和谐奥运
wénmíng běijīng，héxié àoyùn
Sophisticated Beijing for a harmonious Olympic Games
微笑北京 共享奥运
wēixiàoběijīng，gòngxiǎng àoyùn
Smiling Beijing and inclusive Olympic Games
活力北京 超越梦想
huólì běijīng，chāoyuè mèngxiǎng
Robust Beijing to exceed the Dreams

The list above is courtesy of ChineseHour.com. Another site that has an interesting list of must-know words for the Olympics is BBC. And of course, there’s no better way to learn Olympic words than from native Chinese speakers at MyHappyPlanet.com

In preparation for the upcoming Beijing Olympics, I’ve listed some of the most common Chinese words and phrases that you must learn before flying to Beijing. But before you begin learning these words, I would suggest learning about Chinese pronunciations and tones first – this is the most difficult part about learning Chinese. The same word can mean many different things when pronounced in different ways! A good video that teaches Chinese “pinyin” tones can be found on MyHappyPlanet.com.

And here’s the list of Chinese words and phrases that you can start learning. A good way to start would be to find a learning partner on MyHappyPlanet.com and to try using one of these phrases in the conversation. Good luck!

Hello
Chinese : 你好
Pinyin : nǐhǎo
Literal Meaning : You good

I am sorry
Chinese : 对不起
Pinyin : duìbuqǐ
Literal Meaning : Sorry

My Name Is …
Chinese : 我叫 …
Pinyin : wǒ jiào …
Literal Meaning : I (am) called …

How Are You?
Chinese : 你好吗
Pinyin : nǐhǎo ma?
Literal Meaning : You Good ?(yes/no)

I am fine
Chinese : 我很好
Pinyin : wǒ hěnhǎo
Literal Meaning : I very good

And you?
Chinese : 你呢
Pinyin : nǐ ne
Literal Meaning : You ?(huh)

Thank you
Chinese : 谢谢
Pinyin : xièxiè
Literal Meaning : Thank thank

You are welcome
Chinese : 不用谢
Pinyin : búyòngxiè
Literal Meaning : (You) Don’t need thank

Welcome
Chinese : 欢迎
Pinyin : huānyíng
Literal Meaning : Welcome(, to)

Beijing
Chinese : 北京
Pinyin : bei3jing1
Literal Meaning : northern capital

Shanghai
Chinese : 上海
Pinyin : shang4hai3
Literal Meaning : On Sea

Nanjing
Chinese : 南京
Pinyin : Nan2jing1
Literal Meaning : southern capital

Beautiful
Chinese : 漂亮
Pinyin : piao4liang4
Literal Meaning : beautiful

chopsticks
Chinese : 筷子
Pinyin : kuai4zi
Literal Meaning : chopsticks

Why
Chinese : 为什么
Pinyin : wei4shen2me
Literal Meaning : for what?

1 to 10
Chinese : 1 - 10
Pinyin : yi1 er4 san1 si4 wu3 liu4 qi1 ba1 jiu3 shi2
Literal Meaning : 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

I am [noun]
Chinese : 我是
Pinyin : wo3 shi4
Literal Meaning : I am (followed by a noun, i.e. teacher or doctor)

I am [adjective]
Chinese : 我很
Pinyin : wo3 hen3
Literal Meaning : I very (followed by an adjective, i.e. tired or busy)

USA
Chinese : 美国
Pinyin : Mei3guo2
Literal Meaning : Beautiful land

Singapore
Chinese : 新加坡
Pinyin : xin1jia1po1
Literal Meaning : Singapore

Please
Chinese : 请你
Pinyin : qing3 ni3
Literal Meaning : Please you

You
Chinese : 你
Pinyin : ni3
Literal Meaning : you

You are beautiful
Chinese : 你很漂ߞ
Pinyin : Ni3 hen3 piao4liang
Literal Meaning : You very beautiful

Yes
Chinese : 是的
Pinyin : shi4de
Literal Meaning : be, to / is

No
Chinese : 不是
Pinyin : bu2shi4
Literal Meaning : not be / not is

Correct
Chinese : 对
Pinyin : dui4
Literal Meaning : correct

China
Chinese : 中国
Pinyin : zhong1guo2
Literal Meaning : Middle Kingdom

Friend
Chinese : 朋友
Pinyin : peng2you3
Literal Meaning : friend

Wanna learn more basic Chinese words? We have hundreds of free basic Chinese lessons on MyHappyPlanet.com!

Did you know that the date and time for the opening of this year’s Olympics was picked for a reason? This year’s Summer Olympics in Beijing is scheduled to open on 8/8/08 at 8:08:08 pm. That’s because the Chinese believe that the number 8 has auspicious meanings.

The word for “eight” (八) in Chinese (pronounced as “bā”) sounds very similar to the Chinese word which means “wealth” (发 - short for “发财”, read as “fā”). In regional Chinese dialects, the words for “eight” and “fortune” are also similar. For example, in Cantonese, the words “baat” and “faat” sound almost the same.

There is also a resemblance between two digits, “88″, and the “囍” (called “shuang xi”, which means “double happiness“), a popular decorative design composed of two stylized characters 喜 (read as “xi”, which means “joy” or “happiness”).

The public infatuation with the number 8 is growing. A Herald Tribune article offered a few more fun facts about the Chinese people’s infatuation with the lucky number 8:

1. A man in the city of Hangzhou placed an Internet ad offering to sell his plate of A88888 for 1.12 million yuan
2. A regional Chinese airline reportedly paid about 2.4 million yuan, or $300,000, to have 8888 8888 for a telephone number

Wanna learn more about the Chinese culture, the Beijing Olympics, or other Chinese superstitions? Come and visit MyHappyPlanet.com and speak to our native Chinese speakers!