Family Names
Most Chinese family names are this many syllables.
What is one syllable?
In Chinese, this term is used to refer to "older brother" and "older sister" in that order.
What is 哥哥 (gege) and 姐姐 (jiejie)?
The lunar calendar date typically lags about this amount of time behind its corresponding date in the solar calendar.
What is one month?
This popular Chinese game involves four players, where one must form different combinations of tiles to win, with each combination having a specific score.
What is Mahjong (麻将, májiàng)?
This beverage, considered the national drink of China, was reportedly discovered by Emperor Shennong when leaves fell into his boiling water.
What is tea (茶, chá)?
These two examples of Chinese family names are disyllabic.
What are 欧阳 (Ouyang) and 司徒 (Sidu)?
This term is used to address the youngest brother in a family.
What is 小弟 (xiǎo dì)?
In most years, the Chinese Lunar New Year falls during this time frame in the solar calendar.
What is late January or early February?
This game, known in the West as "Go," is an ancient Chinese strategy game where players surround and capture their opponent's counters.
What is Weiqi (围棋, wéiqí)?
This type of Chinese tea, often known for its fresh, grassy flavor, is part of the green tea family and is a popular choice in China.
What is Longjing tea (龙井茶, lóngjǐng chá)?
This is the proper way to address a Chinese person when speaking to a stranger, following their family name.
What is 先生 (Mr.) or 小姐 (Miss)?
This term refers to the youngest sister in a family.
What is 小妹 (xiǎo mèi)?
This number is considered auspicious in Chinese culture because its pronunciation is a homophone of the word for “long-lasting” or “forever,” often associated with weddings.
What is the number 9 (久, jiǔ)?
The game of Chinese chess, which has pieces like "commander-in-chief" and "general," is known in Chinese as this.
What is Xiangqi (象棋, xiàngqí)?
The growing trend of this Taiwanese drink, typically made with milk and chewy tapioca pearls, is now popular in the West.
What is bubble tea (珍珠奶茶, zhēnzhū nǎichá)?
This character, often used in the ancient Chinese family names, contains the female radical 女 and is associated with maternal lineage.
What is 姓 (xing)?
The term used for the oldest sibling in the family when referring to an older brother.
What is 大哥 (dàgē)?
These are traditionally eaten in China on birthdays to symbolize longevity.
What are longevity noodles (长寿面, chángshòu miàn)?
In Chinese culture, when friends go out to eat together, it is common for one person to insist on paying for the meal by saying this phrase.
What is "Jīntiān wǒ qǐng kè" (今天我请客, "It's my treat today")?
This Chinese greeting, which translates to "I'm very happy to meet you," has become more common, although it may sound a bit formal to some.
What is "Rènshí nǐ hěn gāoxìng" (认识你很高兴)?
The "Hundred Family Names" is a famous text from this dynasty, which recorded over four hundred family names.
What is the Northern Song Dynasty?
To refer to both brothers and sisters in a family, this term is used in Chinese.
What is 兄弟姐妹 (xiōngdì jiěmèi)?
This is the term for the calendar system that tracks time based on the phases of the moon, which is often seen alongside the solar calendar in China.
What is the lunar calendar?
The term used among young professionals in China to describe the practice of splitting the bill is known as this.
What is AA zhì (AA制)?
In traditional Chinese culture, this concept, meaning the "right to privacy," has become more important in recent years due to increased urbanization and income disparity.
What is "Yǐnsī quán" (隐私权)?