Elementary Chinese

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Chinese phrases

How to Say KFC Chicken Twister in Chinese

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CHINESE PHRASES

I’m here in KFC China, and apparently we’ve ordered a Chinese specialty.

A rare and delicious Beijing Chicken Twister.

Maybe this is a new age specialty? 😂

For those of you who are familiar with Elementary Chinese on YouTube you’ll know that I’m all about teaching you the everyday Chinese you need for daily life here in China.

Screw the textbooks and random vocab that gets you absolutely nowhere. We learn about food, taxis, getting your hair cut, the best books to actually learn Chinese, using AliPay, weird and wonderful ways to learn Chinese, all things VPN related, going to the Dentist, the way to order your Bubble Tea just right, and so much more.

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What Did My Taxi Driver Say? “Turn Where?”

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CHINESE PHRASES

Taxi’s are hard to navigate huh? Trust me, I’ve been there. Many times. Dumb-struck, and not knowing how to respond or what to say.

If you’re struggling with basic direction vocab in a taxi in China, watch this series of videos to get you started.

When you instruct a driver to “turn up ahead” they might confirm by responding with the following phrase..

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This Is The WRONG Way To Ask For A Recommendation

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CHINESE PHRASES

Today, I’m in one of my go-to lunch spots Mr.Hero. They do sandwiches and easy stuff to eat on the move.

Today we’re gonna learn how to ask “what is the best thing that people order here?” Or, in simpler terms, what the server recommends.

Sometimes the choice is overwhelming, maybe you aren’t sure what some of the menu items are, who knows whether they’ll have an English menu. This phrase makes sure you always have a happy tummy, and maybe you get to try something new? Who knows.

This phrase can be used in any restaurant or cafe.

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Can You Put These Bananas In A Bag?

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CHINESE PHRASES

Do you want to know my all-time secret tips for learning Chinese?

Talk to locals. Ask questions. Be brave enough to fail. No one is going to laugh at you, sometimes your tones might be off and your ego might deflate slightly, but generally, you’ll encounter upbeat locals who are delighted to help you with your Chinese.

Know a word but not a phrase? Deconstruct it to the simplest form and ask them how they’d say it, like a local. Write it down, or better yet, get them to write it down in pinyin and Chinese characters, and revise later. Repeat the same actions and phrases to memories them, and flashcards. Oh yeah, add them to your flashcard deck to sneak in new useful vocab.

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Quickfire Phrases: Tell The Cashier You Don’t Need A Receipt

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QUICKFIRE PHRASES

Is daily China life frustrating, because ting bu dong?

I totally understand you. But listen to me, you’ve got this!

Elementary Chinese teaches you the everyday language you need, to communicate what you want. That might be how to order food in a restaurant, how to study for the HSK exams, how to talk to your Cab Driver, or how to get over that fear of talking to delivery drivers on the phone.

Whatever you need, there is a video for you to improve your vocab or enhance your tones.

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