A KFC CUP
China Travel
Jun 25 • 319 read
My mother in law visit my house and we bring her to have dinner at ouside.
One day, our family go to the KFC to have dinner.
After the dinner, my mother in law took a glass cup into her bag, which it is belongs to the KFC.
When back home, my husband and my son saw the cup and asked, "Who took this cup back home?"
I shaked my head and said, “It's not me.”
He asked his mother,"Why you took the cup back, we have all kinds of cups ."
And my son said," It's not ours. We can't steal the cup."
Then, he told his father,"We should return the cup back next day."
I don't know why my mother in law took the cup back home.
Actully, our home have many kinds of cups for using.
I think it is not a good behavior and I told her need to do a good example for the kids.
If she want to something, we can buy at the shop or supermarket.
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Jessie
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Chinese Acupuncture and MoxibustionChinese idiom - 贪小失大, it means covet a little and lose a lot, this is a metaphor for seeking immediate benefits over long-term ones, seeking small profits but losing big profits.
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战国时期,蜀国国君生性贪婪,秦王听说后想讨伐他。但是通往蜀国的山路深涧十分险峻,军队没有路可以通往蜀国。
In the warring States period, the king of Shu was greedy, so the king of Qin want to occupy the Shu state. But the mountain road to the Shu state is very steep, the army has no way to the Shu.
秦王的谋士想到一条计策,说秦国发现了有一头能下金粪的石牛,并且想把这头牛送给蜀王。
A counselor to the king of Qin thought of a scheme, said they found a stone cow that could lay gold manure and wanted to give the cow to the king of Shu.
蜀王听说秦王要送给自己一头能下金子的牛,不觉得有奇怪和危险,反而非常高兴。于是他下令民工开山填谷,铺筑道路迎接石牛。
The king of Shu heard that Qin wanted to give himself a cow that could lay gold, not to feel any strange and dangerous, but very happy. So he ordered the migrant workers to open the mountain to fill the valley and pave the way to meet the stone cattle.
但是,秦王率领军队紧随石牛的后面,从而导致蜀国毁灭,蜀王也死了。
However, Qin led the army to follow the stone cow behind, which led to the destruction of the Shu, and the king died.
人们嘲笑蜀王是贪小利而失大利。
People derided the king of Shu, as greedy for small profits but losing big profits.
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HSK 1
不
高兴
和
后面
了
没有
是
说
他
想
有
这
的
HSK 2
非常
觉得
可以
路
要
也
HSK 3
把
发现
奇怪
自己
HSK 4
并且
十分
死
危险
于是
HSK 5
从而
导致
反而
时期
迎接
HSK 6
嘲笑
毁灭
军队
率领
贪婪Chinese names of 50 famous foreign companies:
TECH
Apple (苹果 – píng guǒ)
Microsoft (微软 – wēi ruǎn)
Google (谷歌 – gǔ gē)
Facebook (脸书 – liǎn shū)
Amazon (亚马逊 – yà mǎ xùn)
Sony (索尼 – suǒ ní)
Nokia (诺基亚 – nuò jī yà)
Canon (佳能 – jiā néng)
Samsung (三星 – sān xīng)
LinkedIn (领英 – lǐng yīng)
CARS
BMW (宝马 – bǎo mǎ)
Audi (奥迪 – ào dí)
Ford (福特 – fú tè)
Toyota (丰田 – fēng tián)
Ferrari (法拉利 – fǎ lā lì)
Mercedes Benz (梅赛德斯奔驰 – méi sài dé sī bēn chí)
Volkswagen (大众 – dà zhòng)
Honda (本田 – běn tián)
Nissan (尼桑 – ní sāng)
Acura (讴歌 – ōu ɡē)
FASHION
Nike (耐克 – nài kè)
Adidas (阿迪达斯 – ā dí dá sī)
Armani (阿玛尼 – ā mǎ ní)
Gucci (古奇 – gǔ qí)
Levi’s (李维斯 – li wéi sī)
Rolex (劳力士 – láo lì shì)
Burberry (巴宝莉 – ba bǎo lì)
Chanel (香奈儿 – xiāng nài er)
Ikea (宜家 – yi jiā)
Louis Vuitton (路易威登 – lù yì wēi dēng)
FOOD/DRINK
Coca-Cola (可口可乐 – kě kǒu kě lè)
Pepsi (百事可乐 – bǎi shì kě lè)
McDonald’s (麦当劳 – mài dāng láo)
Burger King (汉堡王 – hàn bǎo wáng)
KFC (肯德基 – kěn dé jī)
Pizza Hut (必胜客 – bì shèng kè)
Starbucks (星巴克 – xīng ba kè)
Subway (赛百味 – sài bǎi wèi)
Lay’s (乐事 – lè shì)
Budweiser (百威 – bǎi wēi)
FINANCE
Visa (维士 – wéi shì)
Mastercard (万事达 – wàn shì dá)
American Express (美国运通 – měi guó yùn tōng)
HSBC (汇丰银行 – huì fēng yín háng)
Citibank (花旗银行 – huā qí yín háng)
Ernst & Young (安永 – ān yǒng)
KPMG (毕马威 – bì mǎ wēi)
Goldman Sachs (高盛 – gāo shèng)
JP Morgan (JP摩根 – JP mó gēn)
PricewaterhouseCoopers (普华永道 – pǔ huá yǒng dào)The Lantern Festival元宵节元宵节HSK1 Words:
Chinese Pinyin English Level
1 爱 ài to love
2 ⼋ bā 8
3 爸爸 bà ba dad
4 北京 Běi jīng Beijing
5 杯⼦ bēi zi cup, glass
6 本 běn root, basis, foundation, origin, capital Measure, for books, files, etc.
7 不 bù no, not
8 不客⽓ bú kè qi you are welcome
9 菜 cài dish, vegetable
10 茶 chá tea
learn 10words per day with meFor us, “想” literally means “think”. However, “要” means “want”. For example, “我想你” means “I miss you”, or “I am thinking about you”, whereas “我要你” means “I want you”. So, their basic meanings vary a lot.
Then, why do they both mean “want” in textbooks and dictionaries? When we say “我想買一杯咖啡”, in our brain the logic is “I am thinking about buying a cup of coffee.” Instead, “我要一杯咖啡” is literally “I want a cup of coffee”. Thus, they reach the same meaning “I want a cup of coffee” through different logic. Following this difference, “我想要一杯咖啡”, “ I am thinking that I want a cup of coffee”, 我想要買一杯咖啡, “I am thinking that I want to buy a cup of coffee”.
How to use these two well? Normally, we will add a verb after “想” to express the meaning “I want to do something”, “我想游泳” “I want to swim”, “我想買東西”,” I want to buy things”. To compare, “要” could add both nouns or verbs, “我要游泳”, “I want to swim” or “我要一杯咖啡” “I want a cup of coffee”.
the tones among these two usages differ a little bit. “想” normally is softer, more indirect, and sometimes more polite. “要” is much more direct, sometimes rude. Also, when we use “要”, like “我要游泳”, that sounds like you have already decided that you are going to swim, but “我想游泳” is more neutral, it could either be a plan that you have already settled, like “我要游泳”, or it is only a desire, and whether you will do that or not is clear.#中国传统节日 ------正月十五元宵节跟@EllenMandarin 一起学中文yuan xiao jie - Youtube过元宵节啦!来学汉语吧 hsk2+ - YoutubeMust-Read for the Year of the Snake: Snake-Related Idioms and Stories Packed with Wisdom and Inspiration!
As we approach the Year of the Snake in 2025, we’re gearing up to embrace a year brimming with agility and wisdom. In Chinese culture, the snake has a deep historical significance and rich symbolism, giving rise to many idioms and stories. These idioms not only carry profound wisdom but also offer valuable lessons for modern life. Today, let’s dive into some of these snake-related idioms and the tales behind them.
Adding Legs to a Snake (画蛇添足)
Meaning: Doing something unnecessary that ends up ruining the original effort.
Origin: From *Strategies of the Warring States*. In ancient Chu, after a ritual, the host offered a pot of wine to his guests. Since there wasn’t enough for everyone, they decided to hold a drawing contest: whoever finished drawing a snake first would win the wine. One man finished quickly but, seeing others still working, arrogantly added legs to his snake. By the time he was done, someone else had already won the wine.
Lesson: Know when to stop. Overdoing things can backfire.
Startling the Snake While Beating the Grass (打草惊蛇)
Meaning: Acting carelessly and alerting the opponent, giving them a chance to prepare.
Origin: From *Recent Events of Southern Tang*. During the Tang Dynasty, a corrupt official named Wang Lu was reviewing legal documents when he came across a petition accusing one of his subordinates of misconduct. Panicked, Wang Lu scribbled on the petition: “Though you beat the grass, you’ve startled the snake.” He meant that while the accusation targeted his subordinate, he himself felt threatened—just like how beating the grass would scare a hidden snake.
Lesson: Proceed with caution and avoid tipping your hand too soon.
Mistaking a Bow’s Reflection for a Snake (杯弓蛇影)
Meaning: Being overly suspicious and fearful due to misunderstandings or illusions.
Origin: From *The Book of Jin*. During the Jin Dynasty, a man named Yue Guang hosted a banquet. One guest thought he saw a snake in his wine cup but, not wanting to cause a scene, drank it anyway and left in a hurry. Days later, feeling unwell, he confessed his fear to Yue Guang. Yue Guang realized it was just the reflection of a bow on the wall. He invited the guest back to prove it, and the guest’s fears—and illness—vanished.
Lesson: Stay rational and don’t let illusions cloud your judgment.
Feigning Compliance (虚与委蛇)
Meaning: Pretending to go along with something while being insincere.
Origin: From *Zhuangzi: Responding to Emperors and Kings*. During the Warring States period, Liezi introduced a famous diviner named Ji Xian to his teacher, Huizi. Huizi pretended to show different attitudes each time, making it impossible for Ji Xian to read his true intentions. Eventually, Ji Xian fled in fear. This story illustrates the idea of “feigning compliance”—pretending to cooperate while actually being evasive.
Lesson: While flexibility can be useful, honesty and authenticity are far more important.
Ox Ghosts and Snake Spirits (牛鬼蛇神)
Meaning: Describing people who engage in strange, unethical, or shady behavior.
Origin: Originally referring to mythical monsters, this phrase later came to describe people with questionable morals or dubious actions. It’s often used to criticize negative social phenomena.
Lesson: Be careful who you associate with. Stay away from those with poor character and uphold your integrity.
Even a Strong Dragon Can’t Crush a Local Snake (强龙不压地头蛇)
Meaning: Even the most powerful individuals may struggle against local forces.
Origin: From *Journey to the West*, Chapter 45. When Tang Sanzang and his disciples arrived in Chechi Kingdom, they clashed with a fake Taoist priest, Tiger Strength Immortal, who was challenged to summon rain. Sun Wukong, knowing that “even a strong dragon can’t crush a local snake,” let the priest try first. Sun Wukong secretly persuaded the gods to ensure the priest’s failure. This idiom often describes how outsiders may find it hard to overcome local powers in unfamiliar territory.
Lesson: Respect local customs and power dynamics to avoid unnecessary conflicts.
A Snake Trying to Swallow an Elephant (人心不足蛇吞象)
Meaning: Describing insatiable greed and excessive ambition.
Origin: During the reign of Emperor Renzong of Song, a poor woodcutter named Wang Wang found an injured snake and nursed it back to health. The snake brought joy to Wang and his elderly mother. Later, when the emperor sought a night pearl, the snake offered one of its eyes as a gift, and Wang was made prime minister. When the princess fell ill and needed the liver of a thousand-year-old python, Wang asked the snake again. Reluctantly, the snake allowed Wang to enter its belly to retrieve the liver, but Wang was swallowed whole. Thus, the saying “a snake trying to swallow an elephant” became a cautionary tale.
Lesson: Contentment is key. Excessive desires can lead to ruin.
Once Bitten by a Snake, You Fear a Rope for Ten Years (一朝被蛇咬,十年怕井绳)
Meaning: A past trauma can make someone overly cautious or fearful of similar situations.
Origin: This idiom comes from a folk saying. It refers to someone who, after being hurt once, becomes overly fearful of anything resembling the source of their pain. For example, someone bitten by a snake might fear even a rope, mistaking it for a snake.
Lesson: While it’s important to learn from past experiences, don’t let fear of the past dictate your future.
The snake symbolizes wisdom and courage. In the Year of the Snake 2025, let’s take these lessons to heart:
- Know when to stop (Adding Legs to a Snake).
- Act cautiously and avoid revealing your plans (Startling the Snake While Beating the Grass).
- Stay rational and don’t let illusions mislead you (Mistaking a Bow’s Reflection for a Snake).
- Be sincere yet adaptable (Feigning Compliance).
- Be content and avoid excessive ambition (A Snake Trying to Swallow an Elephant).
Wishing everyone a prosperous and successful Year of the Snake!
May the wisdom and courage of the snake guide us to greater achievements and joy in the year ahead!