Lesson 11 vocabulary (Mandarin-English)

Question 1

早安 （早，你早）

Answer 1

Pinyin: zǎo-ān (zǎo, nǐ zǎo)

English: Good morning

Question 2

晚上好

Answer 2

Pinyin: wǎn-shàng hǎo

English: Good evening

Question 3

晚安

Answer 3

Pinyin: wǎn-ān

English: Good night

Question 4

小姐

Answer 4

Pinyin: xiǎo-jiě

English: young lady/Miss

Question 5

先生

Answer 5

Pinyin: xiān-shēng
*生 sounds like the neutral tone, even though it’s written as the first

English: Mr

Question 6

老师

Answer 6

Pinyin: lǎo-shī

English: teacher

Question 7

好在

Answer 7

Pinyin: hǎo zài

English: fortunately

Question 8

好吗？

Answer 8

Pinyin: Hǎo ma？

English: How are you?

Question 9

忙吗？

Answer 9

Pinyin: Máng ma?

English: Are you busy?

Question 10

还好

Answer 10

Pinyin: hái hǎo

English:

1. I’m well
2. I’m all right

Question 11

没关系

Answer 11

Pinyin: méi-guān-xì

English:

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

Question 12

不要紧

Answer 12

Pinyin: Bù-yào-jǐn

English: It doesn’t matter

Question 13

1. 不用谢

2. 别客气

Answer 13

Pinyin:

1. bù-yòng-xiè
2. bié-kè-qì

English:

• You’re welcome
• not at all

Question 14

可以

Answer 14

Pinyin: kě-yǐ

English:

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

Question 15

可是

Answer 15

Pinyin: kě-shì

English:
1. but

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

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

Pinyin: méi-yǒu

English:

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

Question 17

做工

Answer 17

Pinyin: zuò-gōng

English:

1. work
2. do work

Question 18

只做

Answer 18

Pinyin: zhǐ zuò

English: do only

Question 19

近来

Answer 19

Pinyin: jìn-lái

English:

1. lately
2. recently

Question 20

进来

Answer 20

Pinyin: jìn-lái

English: come in

Question 21

起来

Answer 21

Pinyin: qǐ-lái

English: get up

Question 22

吃饭

Answer 22

Pinyin: chī-fàn

English: have a meal

Question 23

用钱

Answer 23

Pinyin: yòng-qián

English: spend money

Question 24

客人

Answer 24

Pinyin: kè-rén

English:

1. guest
2. visitor

Question 25

请客

Answer 25

Pinyin: qǐng-kè

English: throw a party

Question 26

早点

Answer 26

Pinyin: zǎo-diǎn

English: breakfast

Question 27

早(一)点儿

Answer 27

Pinyin: zǎo (yī) diǎn-r

English: a little earlier

Question 28

对不起

Answer 28

Pinyin: duì-bù-qǐ

English:

1. sorry
2. I am sorry

Question 29

还

Answer 29

Pinyin: hái

English:

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

Question 30

一点儿

Answer 30

Pinyin: yī diǎn-r

English: a little

Question 31

很

Answer 31

Pinyin: hěn
*usually pronounced in the neutral tone

English: 1. very
2. adverbial particle

Question 32

是…还是

Answer 32

Pinyin: shì…hái-shì

English: or…or?
*An interrogative phrase that gives a choice. The first 是 may often be omitted.

Question 33

有的

Answer 33

Pinyin: yǒu de

English: some

Question 34

世界

Answer 34

Pinyin: shì-jiè

English: world

Question 35

晚了

Answer 35

Pinyin: wǎn-le

English: late