Most Unique Chinese Words - How many do you know?

[@flozy3247]

Despite having started learning Mandarin just 3 months ago, I got two (辛苦 / 加油). Little victory of the day :)

[@matthewheald8964]

Can you transcribe and/ or explain those please?

[@Speechbound]

Such an interesting breakdown of unique Chinese expressions that really reflect cultural values! I especially love how nuanced words like 辛苦了 (xīn kǔ le) and 孝顺 (xiào shùn) show the depth of respect for hard work and family in Chinese culture. 加油 (jiā yóu) is always such a fun one to use! 😊

[@proudasiangirl576]

You are such a young person yet have such wisdom in teaching and lesson agendas. Entertaining topics to. I love your channel. Keep on keeping on. I think you are such a great resource!

[@JustJulia-qt9nh]

你的视频越来越好！谢谢你 😊

[@cmaven4762]

I KNEW *jia you* was going to make this list!!! I've seen it translated so many ways! Ironically it was one of the first phrases I learned.... kml

[@MADUPLAY]

your videos are so good and nice to watch, I love it

[@melodylaoshi5985]

Great job! Love the content.

[@jieyuan5944]

Great video, my students must love to watch this!! Thank you, Andrew!

[@JohnyIIOh]

Thank you for your videos! Just subscribed, greetings from Germany

[@wellplayed3938]

One of the reasons why "xiaoshun" is considered as the #1 unique characteristics is that the ancient Chinese empirer believes, if a person doesn't show the enough respect or treating their parents well, he must be a very dangerous person for the kings ruling. So, during the past thousands of years, becoming a "xiaoshun" person is a natural thing. Also there also very interesting to know that a tradition called "Shouxiao"(守孝, litterally means hold /keep "xiao" ）which will be done to look after the tomb when one of the parents passed away. Usually the ancient Chinese man should "shou xiao" for some time, especially for educated person. There are very restricted rules during the "shouxiao" period, for government officials, the often has 3 years of absence for "shouxiao" to show how respect they are for the parents, and even the king cannot force him to work. China, from ancient time to morden, is a country really rely on "Xiao", that's why it is very common for Chinese people all generations to live together, and their parents take care of the grandchildren so well.

[@marialikia.127]

I'd like a part 2! Happy New Year!

[@qiaomein]

one that i think is funny is 臭美; I don't really know how to define it, but I grew up hearing and using it to mean "to show off with pride" especially as a kid (think of a kid shamelessly dancing in front of strangers for example).

[@stooksman8295]

I’ve been studying Chinese in Taiwan for 6 months and I’ve used 加油 so much. can’t believe I went years without having learned it. I will miss being able to say it have people actually understand. 要是你在學習中文，加油！

[@BlakeLaoshi]

In the place I lived, the phrases "杀死我了," "差不多," "六六六," and "SB" are also pretty popular, but I suppose they have fairly concise translations.😅

[@JustJulia-qt9nh]

只是我同意。”差不多”和 “about” 不一样的

[@BlakeLaoshi]

@@JustJulia-qt9nh 对! More like "good enough at a glance, but don't look too hard" 🤣

[@limbo7452]

those aren’t unique in english

[@BlakeLaoshi]

@@limbo7452 An astute observation. They are in fact words whose meanings in Chinese are lost in the translation to English. For example, in Chinese 六六六 (666) means "really cool" but in English it's just a number (for some an evil number.) I believe that was the point of the video, so I thought my contributions were relevant. Perhaps you could share some more details on why exactly you disagree?

[@limbo7452]

@@BlakeLaoshi oh right. i completely missed that. idk why i didn’t notice, people around me say it so often and my english is not that good so it was an oversight. my apologies

[@cmaven4762]

I LOVE love this video ... expecially because of the quotes from Cdrama / movies ....

[@dreamxpaili]

I also think these are hard to translate too! 緣份 , 曖昧 , 客氣 , 上火(熱氣)

[@matthewheald8964]

Can you please transcribe and/or explain those please?

[@purpleaxolotl3545]

I love your channel, please keep making great videos!

[@ABChinese]

Thank you!

[@philipphaack1378]

The last one (add oil) is actually used often in table tennis. So often in fact that even I know it.

[@frankraym]

Can you make a video about different hsk levels and what they usually cover ?

[@sakarikokotala9160]

Thanks I just binged watched all your videos because my mom homeschools me. She wants me to learn Chinese because it is a popular language in the world. She has made me learn several different languages like Russian, Cherokee, and even Pennsylvania dutch. Yes, I had to learn Latin too. But thanks for your videos that are very helpful in my lessons. My mom knows several different languages but she hasn’t learned Chinese only how to say hello. I have come a long ways because of your videos, so again thank you.

[@ABChinese]

Oh my goodness, glad I could be of help!

[@Ro0kRock]

I know 0 😂😂😂

[@davidgrasso7309]

我很喜欢你的视频！

[@oru_zido_o8633]

I am just beginning to learn Chinese, do you have tips I dont know how to start 😢

[@gabinohernandezgodinez6632]

Do you have a recommendation on any series to start learning mandarin?

[@MK-mm7ui]

What are your thoughts on korean hangul, and do you think it could be adapted well for chinese?

[@superprofi4307]

6:44 will the April- December videos still come in 2025?

[@ABChinese]

Honestly, I tried to be organized but I scratched that whole plan 😅 Was there one you wanted to see?

[@superprofi4307]

@@ABChinese Chinese Expressions vs English Expressions seems interesting. Also, I wonder what the "secret" December video idea is, haha. 新年快乐！

[@ABChinese]

@@superprofi4307 the secret video = me going to China!

[@superprofi4307]

@@ABChinese oh, I see

[@liuzh1han]

isn't the pinyin for mian qiang 勉强 3-2?

[@hjiang5758]

哈哈I learn English from your video.

[@miyagiofficial01]

加油！！

[@monggolean]

I love 加油 everytime I explain the literal meaning to my colleagues they give me weird faces

[@FaradayRU]

For me the word that was hard to understand is 潇洒

[@ItzEposa]

as a native mandarin speaker (taiwanese), who grew up overseas in a mostly english speaking country, i got 7/8 the only one i didnt know was 逞强 lol

[@allabouttaishan3703]

Taiwanese native language is Taiwanese (minnan dialect or Fujian province dialect). Mandarin was forced upon Taiwan people by the kuomintang party in the 1950s until 1980s. Fujian dialect is close to Cantonese and Hakka.

[@evertchin]

中文在表达情感上的用词更多，更复杂。

[@alsetalokin88]

i think you should explain 'yuan wang a da ren yuan wang a'...what's the english equivalent?

[@oreoluwabello1329]

I know 2🎉

[@AppricotBlossom]

I know a few; 辛苦， 委屈，加油😅 How about 红尘 and 缘分

[@matthewheald8964]

Can you please transcribe and/or explain those please?

[@刘磊-q9l]

只可意会，不可言传😂

[@刘磊-q9l]

“红尘”是一种含有诗意和哲理的表达，常用来描述世俗生活的种种复杂与美丽、困扰与追求。 缘分是一种富有哲理和诗意的观念，既反映了人们对命运的思考，也表达了对人际关系的珍惜和感悟。

[@adamczajkowski2665]

Cheez, it must be tough to master comprehension of spoken chinese.

[@Vinator470]

"妛彁暃栩祢駲閠椦槞堵壥蟐" also has no English equivalent

[@blmaa319]

Is there anyone native Chinese who can volunteer to practice or help me acquire the language

[@BlakeLaoshi]

My first thought was 关系 because "connections" feels kinda... insufficient...😅

[@matthewheald8964]

Can you please transcribe and/or explain that please?

[@BlakeLaoshi]

@@matthewheald8964 关系 is GuānXi in Pinyin (the mark above the "a" indicates first tone, or a high flat pitch for the vowel sound.) In the dictionary, it is described as "relation, relationship, to concern, to affect, to have to do with, connection" all of which are kinda close to a good definition but all just ever-so-slightly off the mark on the level of conciseness you'd expect from a dictionary... It's meaning is more contextual than most! For my thoughts, "connections" seems to be the best descriptor but "light mutual nepotism" is probably better... 😂🍉

[@BlakeLaoshi]

@@matthewheald8964 like, if you "have a guy for that" or you "know somebody that'll do something special for you that they wouldn't do for someone/anyone else." That's kinda what 关系 is... It can afford you tiny little conveniences that others must suffer through all the way up to gigantic "sweep this under the rug"-type stuff of you know the right folks... Okay so it's a little bit like corruption, but not quite as... Heavy?😅

[@allabouttaishan3703]

加油 jia you was borrowed from Cantonese. Many words in Mandarin borrowed from Cantonese. Other examples are 恭喜發財 (gong xi fa cai) and 基佬 (ji lao = gay person)

[@nixxu3546]

i think most people kinda confused with these terms 炒鱿鱼, 戴绿帽子

[@matthewheald8964]

Can you please transcribe and/or explain those please?

[@nixxu3546]

​@@matthewheald8964 炒鱿鱼 (chăo yóu yú) if you read each character it just mean fried squid but all together means "got fired from the job" 戴绿帽子 (Dài lü mào zi) again by words iots mean wear green hat, but all together means your wife cheated on you

[@matthewheald8964]

@@nixxu3546got it thanks a lot!

[@makanathanao01]

Second Also I don't know how many I know.

[@sanjaychaudhary71]

Hey you look a little like "kazuma languages"

[@quach8quach907]

None of them are unique. Except "filial piety". That concept doesn't exist, let alone words. Here's something unique. "bad" as "good". Ebonics. "baad". You know I'm baad. - Michael Jackson.

[@teasemate360]

Cool channel my dude! Keep it up!

[@Abeturk]

ETİMOLOGY.... Bal = (Honey) Bal >Mal >Mel >Mil >Meli > Melit > Melis =(yumuşak, hoş kokulu, tatlı, melul, balsam / yummy, mellow, balmy, malleable, dessert, sweet) Al-Bal (red-sweet) =Alpal (Apple) >Afal >Almelo> >Alma > Elma (the dessert) > Alba> halba > halvah > helva Mel-ak (sweet-white)>Mela >Mal >Mar >Milo >Melon >Melam >>>Milk (sweetie) > Balak > bala >>> bella Almıla / Melah >> Elma = Apple Meltem= mellow wind = breeze Mel-melat = marmelat = marmellata Melisa = balm / jam / rosin Melamine = a type of chemical resin (Mel-hem)> merhem=(almost-balm) > ointment (Mel-sumac)> mercimek = lentil Mel-audio = melody (tow/toğ/tao/tai/tav/tağ)>> (Dağ = mountain) high/~塔 / 高 /ضيقة (dar /tar /dai /tai /tav /dae /too /toi) Phone / Phoon/ Fun / Wajan / Wehen = (Ses /Rüzgar /Esint) - Sound / Wind / Breeze Dae-vane /too-fun / tao-wen/ tai-phone/ typhoon/ 大风 = (loud sound) >> hard-strong wind Dağ= litosferik tabakaların sıkışarak yükselmesi / compression and rise of lithospheric layers Dar = narrow / nearest /stuck / compressed / solid / hard / durable Dar = birbirine yaklaşmış / sıkışık / sıkışmış / sıkıştırılmış / sağlam / sert / dayanıklı Darlık= to rise upwards by squeezed, feeling of height, feeling of being squeezed Dar-lık= sıkışarak yükselmek, yükseklik hissi, sıkışma duygusu Dar = yakın olmak , alakalı olmak, ilgilenmek / to be close, to be involved, to be interested Hüküm-dar = Hükümle ilgilenen , hüküm veren = Sovereign Mihman-dar = Misafire yakın olan , misafire alaka gösteren = ~hostess Darülaceze = Acizerle ilgilenilen yer = ~hospice Dai-u > nearest he's = Dayı = uncle Toy = meeting /ceremony/feast/ immature-game boy Kurulu-toy > Kurultay = scheduled meeting / council (Dai-emek)> Dayamak =to base on /make it support/fasten down (Dai-en-mak)> Dayanmak= to recline upon / stay strong /be close literally (Dai-et-mak)>Dayatmak = to impose / insist Yanardağ ile ilgili / pertaining to a volcano Dağ-et-mak >Dağıtmak = to distribute /to deal out / to deploy Dağ-al-mak >Dağılmak = to get dispersed / to go to pieces Dağ-la-mak = krater şekline çevirmek / cauterize (Doğ-umak) = Doğmak = to go up / re-rising up / come into the world > to born Doğ-ğur-mak= Doğurmak= to make this come up > bring this into the world (Doy-umak) = Doymak = to rise to the top / to be full Doy-ğur-mak= Doyurmak=to satiate > to make it full > to feed