Tips & Tricks

• 在家 (zài jiā) = be at home
• 在做 (zài zuò) = be doing (ongoing action)
• 存在 (cúnzài) = exist
• 在乎 (zàihu) = care about

Context determines the meaning.

• 打电话 (dǎ diànhuà) = call on phone
• 打球 (dǎ qiú) = play ball
• 打架 (dǎ jià) = fight (physically)
• 打扫 (dǎ sǎo) = clean, sweep

These fixed collocations are stable and unchanging.

• 出现 (chūxiàn) = appear
• 出发 (chūfā) = depart, set out
• 出身 (chūshēn) = origin, background
• 出租 (chūzū) = rent out, let

Common core: 出 = out/forth.

能 (néng) = able/capable (circumstance permits). 会 (huì) = know how to (learned skill). Example: 我能游泳 (wǒ néng yóuyǒng) = I can swim (I'm strong enough) vs. 我会游泳 (wǒ huì yóuyǒng) = I know how to swim (I learned it).

听 (tīng) = listen (active attention). 听见/听到 = hear (passive perception). Difference: 我在听音乐 (wǒ zài tīng yīnyuè) = I'm listening to music vs. 我听到声音 (wǒ tīngdào shēngyīn) = I heard a sound.

• 看书 (kàn shū) = read a book
• 看电影 (kàn diànyǐng) = watch a film
• 看医生 (kàn yīshēng) = see a doctor
• 看起来 (kànqǐlai) = seem, appear to be

对 (duì) = toward (no object transfer), used with actions like speaking or laughing: 对我说 (duì wǒ shuō) = speak to me. 给 (gěi) = give, transfer an object or complete an action: 给我书 (gěi wǒ shū) = give me a book.

想 (xiǎng) = want, wish (less obligatory). 要 (yào) = plan to, going to, or must (more obligatory). Example: 我想去 (wǒ xiǎng qù) = I'd like to go, but 我要去 (wǒ yào qù) = I have to go.

1. 我开始学中文 (I started studying Chinese), simple structure 2. 我开始努力学中文 (I started earnestly studying Chinese), with a stacked verb. Avoid: 开始为了做 (start in order to do). Mandarin prefers conciseness; stack verbs tightly without extra conjunctions.

1. 我开始学中文 (I started studying Chinese), simple structure 2. 我开始努力学中文 (I started earnestly studying Chinese), with verb complement. Avoid: 开始为了做 (start in order to do). Mandarin prefers conciseness; stack verbs tightly without extra conjunctions.

听起来 = sounds like, seems → 那个主意听起来不错 (That idea sounds good). 听见 = hear, perceive a sound → 我听见了一声叫喊 (I heard a shout). Rule: 听起来 = impression; 听见 = actual auditory perception.

As noun → 我的努力没有白费 (My effort was not in vain) As verb → 我努力学习 (I'm working hard to study). In Mandarin, many words function as both noun and verb without affixes. Compare English: 'the effort' or 'to make an effort'; in Chinese, just 努力 works both ways.

As noun → 我的努力没有白费 (My effort was not in vain) As verb → 我努力学习 (I'm working hard to study). In Mandarin, many words function as both noun and verb without affixes. Compare English: 'the effort' or 'to effort', in Chinese, just 努力 works both ways.

1. Definitely, certainly (certainty/belief) → 他一定会来 (He will definitely come) 2. Must, have to (obligation) → 你一定要告诉我 (You must tell me). First usage = confident prediction; second = requirement. Context resolves the ambiguity.

实际 (shíjì) = in practice, actual state (adjective/adverb) → 实际上 (in fact), 实际情况 (actual situation). 事实 (shìshí) = truth, what happened (noun) → 这是事实 (that's a fact). Rule: 实际 = manner; 事实 = thing.

1. Want → 我想吃饭 (I want to eat) 2. Remember → 我想起你了 (I remembered you) 3. Think/suppose → 我想这是对的 (I think this is correct). Note: 想起 = recall, but 想到 = think of/remember. Check the accompanying verb.

✓ 什么发生了? (What happened?) ✓ 发生事故 (an accident occurred) ✗ 我害怕发生 (wrong, use 感到害怕). 发生 (fāshēng) = happen/occur (objective events only). For emotions, use 感到, 有, or standalone verbs like 害怕, 生气.

同样 = similarly, the same way (comparison) → 我也有同样的想法 (I have the same idea too). 同时 = simultaneously, at the same time (temporal) → 我同时做两件事 (I'm doing two things at once). Remember: 同样 = same, 同时 = at the same time.

害怕 = personal feeling of fear, often fleeting → 我害怕黑暗 (I'm afraid of the dark). 恐怖 = terror, horrifying, terrorist-related → 恐怖分子 (terrorist). Use 害怕 for personal emotions; 恐怖 for events, crimes, and systemic terror.

关键 = critical juncture, decisive factor → 这是解决问题的关键 (this is the key to solving the problem). 重点 = main focus, emphasis → 今年的重点是销售 (this year's focus is sales). Use 关键 for 'the solution lies in', 重点 for 'the priority is'.

花 = to spend (time, money); 用 = to use (tools, methods). Compare: 我花了很多钱 (I spent a lot of money) vs 我用笔写 (I write with a pen). They are not interchangeable for money.

好 typically = good, but in compounds like 好吃 (delicious), 好看 (pretty), 好学 (easy to learn), 好走 (easy to walk) = easy. Remember: 好 forms positive compounds: 好天气 (good weather), but never 不好天气, use 坏天气 instead.

给 usually means 'for, to provide'; in some phrases it means 'to cause/create'. Example: 我给你买了书 (I bought a book for you) vs 我给孩子取了个名字 (I gave my child a name / I created a name for my child), same preposition, different subtle meaning.

看 = to look, to watch (action in progress); 看见 = to see (successful perception, result). Compare: 我在看电视 (I am watching TV) vs 我看见了一只猫 (I saw a cat / I caught sight of a cat).

因为 = because (introduces reason, before main clause); 因此 = therefore, as a result (introduces consequence, connector). Example: 因为下雨，因此我们取消了比赛 (because it rained, therefore we canceled the game).

• 有名 = famous (simple, colloquial)
• 有名气 = has reputation (positive, well-known)
• 著名 = renowned (formal, literary)

Example: 他是个著名的作家 (he is a renowned writer), 在城里很有名气 (he's quite well-known in the city).

问题 = problem, issue, question (requires solving or answering); 事情 = matter, affair, situation (event or circumstance in general). Example: 这是个重要的问题 (this is an important issue) vs 发生了一件奇怪的事情 (something strange happened).

想 = to want, to think (intent or personal judgment); 觉得 = to feel, to perceive (impression or sense). Compare: 我想去北京 (I want to go) vs 我觉得北京很漂亮 (I think Beijing is beautiful / I find it beautiful).

工作 = work/job (noun or verb: 做工作, 我在工作); 职业 = profession/occupation (noun only, formal). Example: 他的职业是医生 (his profession is doctor), but 今天他在工作 (today he is working).

• 说 = to say/speak (general utterance), 他说什么?
• 讲 = to speak about/teach/tell (content-focused), 讲故事, 讲课 (tell a story, give a class)
• 谈 = to discuss/negotiate (exchange views), 谈条件, 谈业务 (discuss terms, discuss business)