#Miantiao

[kingsonne-zedecks]

Thinking about BoC and Cradle crossovers again and the idea of pre-canon Yerin stumbling onto like book 2 or 3 Fa Rahm after the death of her master, covered in scorches and cuts and half asleep on her feet.

Meiling and Ri Zu whisking her away to tend to her wounds and try to extract and purify the blood shadow. Tigu looking in with barely restrained curiosity.

Yerin struggling to process the absolute opposite of Alone that she is suddenly thrust into upon waking up. Slowly struggling to accept the genuine love and care of people who don't intend to stay strangers. Trying to figure out what her motivation is when she no longer has to race her blood shadow to avoid getting eaten.

Jin and Bi De taking a stroll to Heaven’s Glory to politely request the return of the Sword Sage's body so he can be laid to rest properly. Inspiring Jin to finally create their own Shrine of Remembrance rather than continuing to use Hong Yaowu's.

Yin and Yerin bonding over their training, and Yin, to Miantiao's horror, attempting to use Yerin as proof that he didn't treat her badly and these sorts of things are just normal, healthy, father figure/mentor activities.

Xiulan and Yerin sparring and eventually realizing the absolute powerhouse of a combo team they are for crowd control when combining Xuilan's Blades of Grass and Yerin's Endless Sword. They aren't allowed to spar near the forest anymore.

Yerin, who when she isn't training, starts to help out on the farm, thinking back to life before the Blood Shadow destroyed her family and village.

Yerin, who finally learns to rest and relax, and takes her first nap leaned up against Chunky.

Yerin, who can't say when Fa Rahm became home, but who would do anything to protect it.

[pumpkinspice-prouvaire]

6- Let's get some love for the unappreciated fics!

STRONG AGREE nothing I love more than reccing unappreciated fics

boys/suns with kyber hearts-miantiao. READ THIS STAR WARS AU OR PERISH. Great plot, great characterisation, Enjolras/Courfeyrac, an ending that will rip your heart out. Heed the tags and consider yourself warned, and enjoy <3 <3 <3

stone walls do not a prison make (nor iron bars a cage)-loverism. In this house we love dystopia AUs. Grantaire is a simp and Enjolras is capable of being terrible. Shoutout to loverism, one of my favourite fic writers in general <3

Operation Parent Trap- PBJellie- simultaneously angst-filled and hilarious family drama. Gavroche is iconic, and Grantaire's narrative voice is comedy gold. Yes technically this is a series but they all have less than 1000 hits so it counts

[markfucanan]

Happiest Birthday Love ❤ Celebrating your special day Together makes all the difference. Cheers to many more date nights like this one in the heart of Vancouver! @preeetos #datenight #Preyonce #shangrilavancouver #miantiao #birthday #ForeverFucanan (at Shangri-La Vancouver) https://www.instagram.com/p/CZBB5VtAgnO/?utm_medium=tumblr

[meldharmawan]

Chicken chow mein Today is my brother birthday. I cooked this chicken chow mein. In chiense tradition, we will eat noodle on the birthday, to wish for the longevity #noodle #miantiao #chowmein #炒面 #friednoodle #chickennoodle #chinesefood #chinesecuisine #asiancuisine #asianfood #foodphotography #msfuhiddenrecipe #cantonesecuisine #cantonesefood https://www.instagram.com/p/COgqYOMnMMU/?igshid=10gj0621jmqjj

[stiltonbasket]

yet another preview with very little context...

set in @sweetlittlevampire’s Cat Fic verse!

"You found a cat?" Lan Wangji repeats. "What kind of cat?"

"A white one?" shrugs Nie Mingjue. "It jumped through my window with a kitten in its mouth, and it won’t leave. I've been taking care of them both since yesterday."

From the corner of his eye, Nie Mingjue spots the kitten crawling up onto the table, and then—to his utter horror—into the steaming hotpot, where it vanishes under the hot red soup with a soft, bubbling splash. Nie Mingjue drops the receiver, frantic, and throws himself forward in a desperate attempt to stop the tiny cat from drowning in his dinner.

"Hotpot is not for kittens," he screeches, while Wangji wheezes like a dying radiator on the other end of the line. "You could have drowned, and I've already fed you three times today!"

The kitten falls to the floor, writhing as if Nie Mingjue had tried to shoot him instead of rescuing him from a soupy end, and rolls around pathetically until his father (?) comes padding over with a resigned look on his face.

"First time?" Nie Mingjue asks the cat, while it takes the kitten by the scruff of its neck and lugs it away to the cat bed in the living room. "Don't worry too much, Ming Yue. A-Sang's done worse, and it's harder when they're more than six inches tall."

Ming Yue twitches his fluffy tail, apparently in agreement, and stares at Nie Mingjue for a moment before dousing the kitten in his water bowl. The kitten wails at the top of its lungs, trying to squirm out of Ming Yue's grip; but Ming Yue refuses to let go, and washes his son (?) clean with his paws before bundling him into his own silky fur to dry. 

“What happened?” his would-be brother-in-law demands, after Nie Mingjue goes back to the kitchen and redials Lan Wangji’s phone number. “Is Ji—is the kitten all right? And what about the cat?”

“The kitten is...wet,” Nie Mingjue says lamely, watching as a minute paw emerges from Ming Yue’s coat before being unceremoniously stuffed back inside. “It fell into my dinner. I was having a hot pot, so...”

“He fell into your hot pot?” Wangji cries, distraught. Nie Mingjue sympathizes, because Miantiao-bao has been driving him and Ming Yue half-wild for the past twenty-five hours. “Where is he now?”

“In Ming Yue’s fur. He’s breathing all right, so he should be fine. I think.”

Lan Wangji sounds more dismayed than ever. “You think?”

“Well, I can go check,” Nie Mingjue suggests, wondering if Lan Wangji might have a weakness for all small creatures, and not only the rabbits he raised with Xichen when they were children. He puts Wangji on hold and hurries back into the living room, where he finds Ming Yue brooding in the cat bed like a hen sitting on eggs, with Miantiao’s impossibly small gray tail sticking out from underneath him.

The tail seems to be moving, though. Miantiao must be alive and well, and Nie Mingjue tells Wangji so before disconnecting the call. 

“How did you get saddled with a kitten, anyway?” Nie Mingjue asks. “You two don’t look alike.”

In answer, Ming Yue turns over and curls up around Miantiao, making a soft nest for the kitten out of his own furry body; and Nie Mingjue tries again, oddly certain that the cat might be able to understand him. “What happened to its mother?”

Ming Yue rolls his eyes, or does something very close to it, and lays a tender paw on Miantiao’s head.

“Are you his mother?” After all, Mingjue was guessing when he decided that Ming Yue must be a male cat, and he might very well be wrong; but Ming Yue and A-Tiao are both fast asleep, so Nie Mingjue switches the lights off and checks his messages before getting ready for bed.

Lan Xichen has not contacted him since the day before yesterday.

A-Huan, please answer, he writes again, wishing that Ming Yue and little Miantiao were in the bedroom with him. Be well, my heart. I miss you.

[royal-ruin]

genshin fic recs (part 4)

or the angsty lesbian genshin fics. features: angsty lesbians :) the starred fics are my personal favorites.

genshin fic recs part 1, part 2, and part 3.

I am the fire and I am the forest by miantiao

(~3k)

Beidou returns from Inazuma without her vision, just a shell of her former self, and Ningguang scrambles to cope.

beidou/ningguang. really sad. title is from the song burning hill by mitski. i really love the acoustic version.

daylight star by Anonymous

~5k

a hand around her vision / a hand around her throat

Yoimiya breaks into a prison. It begins there.

kujou sara/yoimiya.

*plum blossoms in winter by arsonide

(~15k)

“I just think she’s beautiful,” Hu Tao stated certainly.

“The most alluring flowers tend to have the deepest thorns, Hu Tao,” Zhongli warned, though his voice was still light.

Hu Tao wasn’t listening to him. She waved at him lightly, dispelling whatever lecture he had for her on his tongue. Yanfei was stunning, that much was true, and her grandfather had always told her to appreciate anything she found half as beautiful.

—

Or, Hu Tao thought that the flowers she threw up paled in comparison to the way Yanfei made her feel.

hanahaki hu tao/yanfei. one of the best genshin fics i’ve read

*kin-mokusei (where it is sweeter) by daiicraaa

(~10k)

In battle, you cannot hesitate. Sara knows this as well as she knows her own name, engrained into the fibers of her soul. But then, when the time is finally right to strike down her enemy, she hesitates, and Sangonomiya Kokomi smiles back at her.

She is beautiful.

Do not tell the Shogun; I am a traitor.

kojou sara / kokomi. it’s so good. enemies to lovers.

but i can't help, falling in love with you by doriangraysbitch

(~5k)

“What do you mean?” Lisa asks, spinning around, face bewildered. “You and Amber aren’t dating?”

Eula clears her throat, feeling heat on her cheeks. She lowers her eyes to the floor so her blush won’t be so noticeable. “No,” she says. “We aren’t.”

There is such a long stretch of silence that Eula looks back up at Lisa in confusion and a little bit of challenge. “…Oh,” Lisa says finally. “I’m sorry, dear, I just assumed.”

And Eula would gladly leave that topic alone forever, but there’s something bothering her about how Lisa says it, how certain she was that she was right.

“Does everyone think that?” she asks, fighting to keep her voice level, even though her heart is racing and she feels slightly faint.

Lisa hesitates just long enough to confirm Eula’s fears.

“Oh, archons,” she says, absolutely horrified. “Oh, no.”

or, everyone thinks eula and amber are dating. gay panic ensues.

amber / eula

*and i couldn't move (all that we were losing) by thelastpoisonapple

(~6k)

Jean's in love with her best friend. She might even have confessed, if she hadn't started hacking up flowers because of it.

(in which hanahaki is fatal if the feelings aren't requited, and jean refuses to make lisa bear that burden.)

jean / lisa. this one was really good. hanahaki au in canonverse.

*among all the lights i've seen so far by pyresque

(~14k)

She's standing in Grand Master Varka's office, and this beautiful young woman has extended her hand in greeting as Lisa reaches out to meet her halfway. Their fingers brush, familiar purple sparks blossoming like flowers in the spring, and a small gasp escapes Lisa's lips.

or, they're soulmates. only Lisa knows, though.

this one is a must read. jean / lisa.

nevermore by bluu

(~1.5k)

“Zhongli says a country directly reflects the state of mind of its Archon.” Yae reaches up with her hand and tucks a lock of hair behind Baal’s ear. “Are you lonely, Ei?”

“I am the Raiden Shogun,” Baal replies lowly.

“I know that.” Then, with teeth, she says, “I made you.”

yae miko / raiden shogun

fool's mate by bluu

(~5k)

“You are infuriating,” Ningguang says, clenching her teeth.

“I know,” Beidou says, smirking. Then, boldly as Beidou does, she reaches her arm under the table and slides her hand down the curve of Ningguang’s waist, fingers lingering at her hip like the slow slick tide of waves, rushing water. “It’s why you like me.”

beidou / ningguang.

[thelawsofdaylight]

hi not sure if u remember me but I’m miantiao on ao3 (I write like all the courf/enj fics ahaha) I remember u wrote some rlly lovely comments on my fics before and wanted to say hi to let u know I’m now on tumblr!!

omg hello!!!! yes i remember you of course!! i absolutely love all of your courfeyrac/enjolras content so much, thank you for keeping the ship alive (and for anyone that has not read any before go do yourself a favour!!!)

[rickchung]

Miantiao Restaurant x Shangri-La Hotel x Financial District.

Spearheaded by the award-winning Kitchen Table Restaurants [...] group under the guidance of Culinary Director Alex Tung, Miantiao boasts an impressive pedigree behind the kitchen including Executive Chef Tret Jordan and Chef de Cuisine Justin Lee leading the restaurant’s direction.

“Fai Tu” family-style tasting menu.

Tajarin with quantum beef seasing and butter.

“Ostrica Freddo”: poached and chilled oysters with bamboo in saor.

“Soppratutto” cocktail with bourbon, mint amaro, brown sugar, lemon juice, and egg white.

[bluesmaster]

I like soup. Wo xihuan chi miantiao tang.

[pumpkinspice-prouvaire]

@vamillepudding​ asked for a link to the fics I talked about in the tags, so I’ve made a lil christmass-y rec list of the ones I mentioned as well as some more festive favourites! I’ve tried to find some more general winter-y fics as well, but I feel like I haven’t done very well so if anyone has any more recs feel free to rb and add! 

wherever you find love- fiver: Enjolras volunteers as a mall elf and that’s all you need to know. Perfect fluffy Christmas fic. It will give you cavaties in the best way

Something Else Telling (December by the Day)- dannyPURO: this is a sequel and will make very little sense if you haven’t read the first one (but honestly you should just read the whole series because it’s a straight up banger). Grantaire and time-zapped-from-the-19th-century Enjolras spend their first Christmas together. dannyPURO if you finish this this year I will give you my first born child but no pressure ily anyway

Pining for You- The Librarina: Hallmark movie vibes. Grantaire moves to his dad’s Christmas Tree farm and Enjolras is a lawyer from the city who has to help them save it 

The Twelve Days of Les Amis-mas- PieceOfCait: Enjolras and Grantaire are roommates who organise a Christmas party in their apartment (oh my god they were roommates)

to be home for christmas-quillsand: just some good old fashioned Christmas fluff and found family

Coffee and Crossword Puzzles- ShitpostingfromtheBarricade: a fic rec that isn’t ExR??? It’s more likely than you think. Lovely slow burn Eponine/Combeferre with coffee shop shenanigans

oh the weather outside is frightful-miantiao: Les amis play in the snow because it’s what they deserve

epiphany- Abidatchery: an Epiphany fic with some amazing emotion and some of the best ExR fic dynamics I have ever seen. Stunning writing, amazing characterisation, it will punch you in the throat with feels.

Bonne Année- astrid_fischer: Another short and sweet New Year’s Eve fic, which also has a Part 2! This whole series is a rec from me, especially the one where Enjolras accidentally pulls off the best April Fool’s Day prank of all time

remember if you read and enjoy any of these to leave a kudo and comment for the author if you have the time! It could make their day!

not me planning out a christmas fic reread schedule over the next few days like some sort of nutcase

[babyjungwoo]

happy birthday somontho :^) @nakamotens

can u believe it!! i decided to make a yuta set instead of a yu**** set so u can live up to the nakamo part of your name :’) thank u for being a gr8 friend!! i hope u continue speaking lawyerese, growing your obsession with giant exotic birds and being a miantiao! i mildly love u!!! sometimes!!!

[meldharmawan]

A very simple dish: Noodle with tahu bakso (indonesian called it tahu bakso, a famous dish from Semarang city). I made the broth with 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt soya sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and @knorr rostip powder. Then I added the hokkien noodle into the broth and put the tahu bakso on the top. So yummy and refreshing. #yummy #noodle #tahubakso #indonesianfood #miantiao #broth #knorr #foodphotography #indonesiancuisine #masakanindonesia #msfuhiddenrecipe #delicious #面条 https://www.instagram.com/p/CFhbYwdHRlo/?igshid=1lokixds9z8rw

[goodlifevancouver]

Miantiao Marries Italy and China

Miantiao Marries Italy and China

Miantiao to Open at Vancouver’s Shangri-La Hotel June 17th We’ve been anticipating this one for a while. Miantiao, from the Kitchen Table Group, with Chefs Chefs Alex Tung, Tret Jordan and Justin Lee, a powerhouse kitchen indeed, opens this week! GLV From the release: Award-winning, BC-based Kitchen Table Restaurants will introduce locals and visitors alike to a culinary exploration unlike any…

[hummingzone]

B.C. grilling recipe: Spatchcock game hen from Chinese-Italian restaurant Miantiao

B.C. grilling recipe: Spatchcock game hen from Chinese-Italian restaurant Miantiao

This recipe from sous chef Alexandra Sandoval of the Chinese-Italian restaurant Miantiao adds depth in flavour to traditional grilled fare, thanks to the introduction of fish sauce. It also uses the spatchcock method, in which poultry is split open for grilling. “The spatchcock method is ideal for cooking poultry as it cooks poultry evenly and the skin is fairly exposed during cooking, therefore…

[learnchinese1]

How to Learn Chinese

Learn Chinese isn’t rocket science. There are some things you can do to make it painless or nearly so. You should speak to Chinese people when you get a chance, and in their native tongue. Doing so can improve your Chinese fluency quickly.

1/3 Learning to Speak Mandarin Chinese

1) Learn some basic vocabulary

The first thing to do when learning a new language is to memorize some simple yet important words and start practicing with them as soon as possible. Although things like grammar and sentence structure are important, they mean nothing until you develop a basic vocabulary. Here’s a short list to get you started:

Hello = nǐhǎo, pronounced [nee hauw] With 2 third tones. Not “ho” or “how” somewhere in the middle. Listen to a native speaker as a reference.

Yes = shì, pronounced [sher]“ But not as in "sure”. ALWAYS listen to a native speaker, as described with English pronunciations in the learners minds will be difficult.

No = bú shì, pronounced [boo sher] look above.

Goodbye = zài jiàn, pronounced [zai jee-ian]

Morning = zǎoshàng, pronounced “[zauw-shaung-hauw]”

Afternoon = xià wǔ, pronounced There is almost no clear way to describe the “x” in pinyin with English pronunciations. Look it up and listen to a native speaker say it. Contrary to popular misinformation, the “x” DOESN’T AT ALL sound like “sh”!

Evening = wǎn shàng, pronounced [wang shaung]

Head = tóu, pronounced [toe] with a 2nd tone, that goes up.

Feet = jiǎo, pronounced [jee-yau]

Hands = shǒu, pronounced [show] With a 3rd tone, this goes from neutral to lower to neutral.

Beef = niú ròu, pronounced [nee-o row] but not with the soft “r”, more defined “r”.

Chicken = jī, pronounced [jee]

Egg = jī dàn, pronounced [jee dan] “dan” has a 4th tone, that goes down. Slightly forceful sounding. (not too forceful sounding!) Literally “chicken egg”. When speaking of eggs in general, use this. Specify the egg type by using the animal’s name and then dàn.

Noodles =miantiao pronounced [miàn tiáo]

Always look up pronunciations of every word spoken by a native speaker. Most Mandarin pinyin just simply cannot be described perfectly with English sounds!

2) Learn some basic phrases.

Once you’ve built up a little vocabulary, you can start working on some basic phrases and expressions that will help you to navigate everyday conversations. Here’s a few to get you started:

How are you? = nǐ hǎo ma? pronounced [nee hau mah] (see above for pronunciations)

I’m fine = wǒ hěn hǎo, pronounced [wuh hen hau]

Thank you = xiè xiè, pronounced There is almost no clear way to describe the “x” in pinyin with English pronunciations. Look it up and listen to a native speaker say it. Contrary to popular misinformation, the “x” DOESN’T AT ALL sound like “sh”! The “ie” part sounds close to “yieh”

You’re welcome = bú yòng xiè, pronounced [boo yong xi-yeh]

Sorry = duì bu qǐ, pronounced [dway boo qi] Like with the Mandarin “x” a proper pronunciation described with English letters is almost impossible. As always, I can’t stress enough the importance of looking up native speakers pronouncing the pinyin.

I don’t understand = wǒ bù dǒng, pronounced [wuh boo dong]

What is your surname (family name)? = nín guì xìng, pronounced [neen gway xing](I’m sure you know by now why I just put “x” instead of the phonetics.)

What’s your name? = nǐ jiào shén me míng zì, pronounced [nee-jee-yow shen-ma ming zi]“

My name is _____ = wǒ jiào _____, pronounced [wuh jee-yau]

3) Learn the tones.

Chinese is a tonal language, which means that the same word can mean different things depending on the tone used to express them (even if the spelling and pronunciation are the same). This can be difficult for English speakers to grasp, but learning the tones is essential if you want to speak Chinese properly. There are four major tones in Mandarin Chinese, as well as a neutral tone:

The first tone is a high, flat tone. It is expressed in a relatively high voice, with no rising or dipping. Using the word "ma” as an example, the first tone is expressed in writing as “mā”.

The second tone is a rising tone. It starts at a lower level and gets progressively higher, like when you say “huh?” in English. The second tone is expressed in writing as “má”.

The third tone is a dipping tone. It starts at a medium level, then dips lower before rising again, like when you say the letter “B” or the word “horse” in English. The third tone is expressed in writing as “mǎ”.

The fourth tone is a falling tone. It starts at a medium level and gets progressively lower, like when you are giving a command (such as telling someone to “stop”) in English. The fourth tone is expressed in writing as “mà”.

The fifth tone is a neutral tone. It does not rise or fall, like the first tone, but this tone is expressed in a flat voice. The fifth tone is expressed in writing as “ma”.

4) Work on your pronunciation.

Once you have learned the correct pronunciation of the tones by listening to native speakers (YouTube is good for this) and practicing them yourself, you need to work on applying them to words.

This is essential, as the same word can have a completely different meaning depending on which tone is used. For example, using the tone “mā” instead of “má” could be the difference between saying “I want cake” and “I want a coke” – two completely different meanings.

Therefore, when you’re learning vocabulary, it is not enough to learn the pronunciation, you must also learn the correct tone. Otherwise, you could use the word in the wrong context and be completely misunderstood.

The best way to work on your pronunciation is to speak with a native Chinese speaker who can encourage you when you get it right and correct you when you’re wrong.

5) Work on grammar and sentence structure.

It’s a common misconception that Chinese is a “grammar-less” language. Chinese has quite a complex grammar system; it’s just very different to that of English and other European languages.

Luckily, when learning Chinese you will not have to learn any complicated rules involving verb conjugations, agreement, gender, plural nouns or tense. Chinese is a very analytic language, which makes it quite simple and straightforward in some respects.

Another bonus is that Chinese uses a similar sentence structure to English – subject-verb-object – which makes translating back and forth between the two languages somewhat easier. For instance, the sentence “he likes cats” in English is translated as “tā (he) xǐ huan (likes) māo (cats)” in Chinese even when the pronouns change!

On the other hand, Chinese has its own grammar structures which are very different to those used in English and can, therefore, be very difficult for the English speaker to grasp. These grammatical features include things like classifiers, topic-prominence, and preference for aspect. However, there’s no point in worrying about these things until you’ve mastered basic Chinese

 2/3 Learning to Read and Write in Chinese

1) Learn pinyin

Pinyin is a Chinese writing system which uses letters from the Roman alphabet instead of Chinese characters.

It is useful for Chinese language learners as it allows you to get started with reading and writing Chinese without the time involved in learning traditional characters. There are many Chinese textbooks and learning materials available in Pinyin.

However, it is important to be aware that even though Pinyin uses letters from the Roman alphabet, its pronunciation is not always intuitive to the English speaker. Therefore, it is important to use a proper pronunciation guide when learning Pinyin.

2) Learn to read some Chinese characters.

Although the ability to read traditional Chinese characters is not necessary for learning Chinese, the idea appeals to many people and makes them feel more in touch with traditional Chinese culture.

Learning to recognize and read Chinese characters is no easy task. In order to read a newspaper, the average Chinese reader will need to be familiar with about 2000 different characters – and that’s just the beginning. It is believed that there are over 50,000 Chinese characters in total (though many of them are no longer in use).

The major benefit of learning to read Chinese characters is that you will have access to a broad array of other literature, including Cantonese, Japanese and Korean – all of which use Chinese characters (or a simplified version of them) in their writings, despite the fact that the spoken languages are very different.

3) Learn to write some Chinese characters.

Once you have learned to read Chinese characters, you may be interested in learning how to form them yourself. Writing Chinese characters is a complex skill, which requires patience and a touch of artistry.

The first step in learning how to write Chinese characters is to learn the “radicals” – these are the individual brush strokes that form the building blocks of each character. There are 214 radicals in total – some can stand on their own as individual characters, while others are only used as part of a more complex character.

When writing Chinese characters, the order of the brush strokes is very important and you must follow a specific set of rules – such as top to bottom, left to right and horizontal before vertical. If the stroke order is incorrect, the completed character will not be accurate.

4) Read Chinese texts.

If you want to improve your Chinese reading skills, you’ll need to practice a little reading for at least 15 to 20 minutes a day.

To begin with, you could try using some children’s readers or workbooks (which are nearly always written in Pinyin) to practice your basic reading skills. You should also be able to find some good resources for reading Chinese online.

You can also try to incorporate your Chinese learning into your everyday life. You can do this by reading the Chinese labels on food products at the Asian supermarket, or asking your server for the Chinese language menu at a restaurant.

Once your reading becomes more advanced, you could try to get your hands on a Chinese newspaper (which are printed using traditional Chinese characters) and do your best to read the articles. This is also a good way of familiarizing yourself with Chinese culture and current affairs.

5) Write a little Chinese every day.

In order to practice your Chinese writing skills, you should try to write a little every day, whether in Pinyin or in Chinese characters.

One option is to keep a small personal diary in Chinese, where you write down simple things like a description of the weather, how you are feeling that day, or what you did. If you’re not to say about it, you could ask a Chinese-speaking friend or acquaintance to look it over and check for any mistakes.

Alternatively, you could try to find a Chinese pen-pal to write letters to. This could be mutually beneficial, as you could get some practice writing in Chinese, while your pen-pal could practice their English. You could also ask your pen-pal to include the corrected version of your original letter when replying.

The last way of practicing your writing is to make simple lists in Chinese, like your shopping list, or to make Chinese labels for items around the house.

 3/3 Immersing Yourself in the Chinese Language    

1) Practice with a native Chinese speaker.

The absolute best way to learn  Chinese is just to speak it with a native speaker – this will force you to think on your feet, help with your accent and expose you to more informal or colloquial forms of speech that you won’t find in a textbook.

If you have a Chinese-speaking friend, ask them if they’d be willing to sit down with you for an hour or two each week. They’d probably be happy to help – as long as the coffee’s on you!

If you don’t know any Chinese speakers personally, you could try placing an ad in your local paper or online forum. Alternatively, you could look into finding a Chinese conversation group or oral Chinese class in your local area.

If all else fails, you could try to connect with a Chinese speaker on Skype, one who’d be willing to learn Chinese online with professional teachers in 30 minutes.

2) Listen to  Chinese tapes/CDs.

Listening to Chinese podcasts or CDs is a great way to immerse yourself in the language – even when you’re on the go!

It doesn’t matter if you can’t follow everything that’s being said – just try to be an active listener and attempt to pick out keywords and phrases. Slowly but surely your overall comprehension will improve.

This is a great option for people who have long commutes as they can simply stick a Chinese CD on in the car or listen to a Chinese podcast on the train. You could also try listening while exercising or doing housework.

3) Watch  Chinese films and cartoons.

Watching Chinese films and cartoons is a more fun, relaxed way of immersing yourself in the language,  however, it will still help to expose you to the sounds and structure of  Chinese.

Try watching short cartoons or clips on YouTube, or rent a full-length Chinese film from your local movie store. You may need to use subtitles at first, but try not to rely on them too much – see how much of the dialogue you can understand on your own.

If you’re feeling particularly proactive, you could pause the film after particular words or phrases and try to repeat them – this will help your accent to sound more authentic.

4) Don’t be afraid of making mistakes.

The biggest obstacle that will stand in your way of learning Chinese is your fear of making mistakes.

You need to try to overcome this fear – and even embrace it  – if you are to reach your goal of fluency.

Remember that everyone makes mistakes when they are learning a  new language, and you are bound to have your fair share of embarrassing mistakes and awkward moments, but this is all part of the process.

Remember that you are not aiming for perfection when you are learning Chinese, you are aiming for progress. So go ahead and make as many mistakes as you like – as long as you learn from them and continue to improve.

5) Consider taking a trip to China.

Can you think of a better way to immerse yourself in the  Chinese language than a trip to its native land?

China is an amazingly diverse country – from the busy, bustling streets of Beijing to the ancient majesty of the Great Wall. There is something for every traveler – whether you’re looking to immerse yourself in traditional ethnic cultures, to sample the many delicious Chinese delicacies or to travel to the sites of ancient ruins and epic battles.

Alternatively, you could take a tour of other places with large Chinese-speaking populations, like Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and the  Philippines. Just make sure that you are prepared for differences in dialect  (not all are mutually intelligible) before you book your flight!

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金木研 - miantiao(麵條) Ken Kaneki Cosplay Photo https://www.wig-supplier.com/