Rank #1: Episode 5 – Happy Birthday!
“Happy birthday!”:
- shēng rì kuài lè!（生日快乐！）
“Happy birthday to you!”:
- zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè!（祝你生日快乐！）
Sometimes people make fun of close friends by replacing the first character, zhù (祝, wish), with zhū (猪, pig), so the sentence becomes:
“Happy birthday to you, pig!”:
- zhū nǐ shēng rì kuài lè!（猪你生日快乐！）
Happy birthday to myself
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https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/everyday-chinese-expressions/id582096185
Mar 18 2013
Rank #2: Episode 4 – Happy Chinese New Year!
“Happy New Year!” (General):
- xīn nián kuài lè!（新年快乐！）
“Happy New Year!” (After the New Year has started):
- xīn nián hǎo!（新年好！）
The following phrase, getting rich, is frequently used in conjunction with Happy New Year in Southern China:
- gōng xǐ fā cái!（恭喜发财！）(Mandarin)
- gong hei fat choy! （恭喜发财！）(Cantonese)
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https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/everyday-chinese-expressions/id582096185
Feb 07 2013
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Rank #3: Episode 3 – How are you?
General ways to say “How are you recently?”:
- zuì jìn hǎo ma?（最近好吗？）
- nǐ zuì jìn hǎo ma?（你最近好吗？）
- nǐ zuì zěn yàng?（最近怎样？）
- nǐ zuì ké hǎo?（最近可好？）
Between close friends it is common to say “What are you up to these days?”:
- zuì jìn máng shen me?（最近忙什么？）
To flater someone, you can ask “Where are you getting rich these days?” (informal):
- zuì jìn zài ná lǐ fā cái?（最近在哪里发财？）
Subscribe in iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/everyday-chinese-expressions/id582096185
Feb 04 2013
Rank #4: Episode 2 – How to Greet a Chinese Man
The formal way to address a Chinese man: xiān sheng (先生), literally Mr. Can be combined with the person’s family name, e.g. Chén xiān sheng (陈先生), meaning Mr. Chen.
Informal ways to greet a Chinese man:
- gē gē (哥哥), literally brother; or gě gé (written as GG, cute way of saying brother). Used by girls. Can be flirtitious.
- dà gē (大哥), meaning big brother, sometimes implying the leader of a group (such as a gang). Can be used when the age gap is small and you want to show some resepct.
- péng yǒu (朋友), literally friend. It is a widely accepted salutation from a foreigner.
- shī fu (师父/师傅), literally teacher with emphasis on coaching rather than schooling. Drivers, cooks, and street vendors can be greeted as shī fu.
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https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/everyday-chinese-expressions/id582096185
Dec 19 2012
Most Popular Podcasts
Rank #5: Episode 1 – How to Greet a Chinese Woman
Never greet a Chinese woman as xiáo jiě (小姐). It is literally miss, but implies prostitute.
The most fashionable way to greet a Chinese woman is: měi méi (often written as MM, literally pretty).
A flattering way to address a woman is: méi nǚ (美女, literally pretty woman).
A polite way to address an elder woman is: nǚ shì (女士, literally lady), which can be combined with her family name, for example lǐ nǚ shì.
Subscribe in iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/everyday-chinese-expressions/id582096185
Nov 26 2012