Lesson 11 vocabulary (Mandarin-English)

Question 1

早安 （早，你早）

Answer 1

Good morning

zǎo-ān (zǎo, nǐ zǎo)

Question 2

晚上好

Answer 2

Good evening

wǎn-shàng hǎo

Question 3

晚安

Answer 3

Good night

wǎn-ān

Question 4

小姐

Answer 4

young lady/Miss

xiǎo-jiě

Question 5

先生

Answer 5

Mr

xiān-shēng

生 sounds like the neutral tone, even though it’s written as the first

Question 6

老师

Answer 6

teacher

lǎo-shī

Question 7

好在

Answer 7

fortunately

hǎo zài

Question 8

好吗？

Answer 8

How are you?

Hǎo ma？

Question 9

忙吗？

Answer 9

Are you busy?

Máng ma?

Question 10

还好

Answer 10

1. I’m well
2. I’m all right

hái hǎo

Question 11

没关系

Answer 11

1. never mind
2. no problems
3. no worries

méi-guān-xì

Question 12

不要紧

Answer 12

It doesn’t matter

Bù-yào-jǐn

Question 13

1. 不用谢
2. 别客气

Answer 13

1. You’re welcome
2. not at all

1. bù-yòng xiè
2. bié kè-qì

Question 14

可以

Answer 14

1. Ok
2. all right
3. it’ll do
4. may be

kě-yǐ

Question 15

可是

Answer 15

1. but
2. emphasize the speaker’s opinion on something. It’s like saying “Tell you what” at the beginning of the sentence.

kě-shì

可是 (kěshì) can be considered the weaker version of 但是 (dànshì). It works pretty much the same, it just sounds more casual. Therefore, 可是 (kěshì) is primarily used in spoken Chinese, rather than in writing.

Most of the time, you can use 可是 (kěshì) interchangeably with 但是 (dànshì).

可是 (kěshì) is often shortened to a simple 可 (kě) in spoken conversation, which sounds even more casual.

Also, it’s usually associated with negative sentiments (e.g. disappointment, frustration, regret, pity, etc). In English, this might be expressed with “but unfortunately”, or “but regretfully”.

Example:
我喜欢她，可她不喜欢我 (Wǒ xǐ-huan tā, kě tā bù xǐhuan wǒ)。I like her, but (unfortunately) she doesn’t like me.

2. Example:
   这可是马来西亚最有趣的旅游景点 (Zhè kě-shì Mǎ-Lái-Xī-Yà zuì yǒu-qù de lǚ-yóu jǐng-diǎn)。This is the most interesting tourist attraction in Malaysia

Question 16

没有

Answer 16

1. no, there isn’t; no, there aren’t
2. doesn’t have
3. hasn’t (done it)

méi-yǒu

Question 17

做工

Answer 17

1. work
2. do work

zuò-gōng

Question 18

只做

Answer 18

do only

zhǐ zuò

Question 19

近来

Answer 19

1. lately
2. recently

jìn-lái

Question 20

进来

Answer 20

come in

jìn-lái

Question 21

起来

Answer 21

get up

qǐ-lái

Question 22

吃饭

Answer 22

have a meal

chī-fàn

Question 23

用钱

Answer 23

spend money

yòng qián

Question 24

客人

Answer 24

1. guest
2. visitor

kè-rén

Question 25

请客

Answer 25

throw a party

qǐng-kè

Question 26

早点

Answer 26

breakfast

zǎo-diǎn

Question 27

早(一)点儿

Answer 27

a little earlier

zǎo (yī) diǎn-r

Question 28

对不起

Answer 28

1. sorry
2. I am sorry

duì-bù-qǐ

Question 29

还

Answer 29

1. still
2. yet
3. rather more/ still more
4. furthermore

hái

Question 30

一点儿

Answer 30

a little

yī diǎn-r

Question 31

很

Answer 31

1. very
2. adverbial particle

hěn

usually pronounced in the neutral tone

Question 32

是…还是

Answer 32

or…or?

shì…hái-shì

An interrogative phrase that gives a choice. The first 是 may often be omitted.

Question 33

有的

Answer 33

some

yǒu de

Question 34

世界

Answer 34

world

shì-jiè

Question 35

晚了

Answer 35

late

wǎn-le