The Week Junior UK - Issue 189, 27 July 2019

24

Do something

The Week Junior•27 July 2019

LearnMandarin

Learn more...

● Download the PlecoChinese

Dictionary (pleco.co m) onto a

phone or tablet. Use it to help

you look up characters or words

that youcome across in class, on

TV or inabook.

● Tryavideo to help you perfect

your Mandarin characters here,

tinyurl.com/TWJ-characters

Howcan Ilearn it?

If your school doesn’t offer

Mandarin, youcould use the

website tutorful.co.uk, together

with your parents, to findatutor

near you. The site lists tutors who

have been wellreviewed, so you

canfind asuitable one in your area.

What canIdotoimprove?

After learning Mandarin forawhile,

you discover that it has four tones

(ways of speaking) andaword’s

meaning depends on the tone

used. Have fun practising these at

the Yoyo ChineseYouTube channel,

at tinyurl.com/TWJ-mandarin

HOW, WHAT,

WHERE?

WheredoIstart?

Mandarin Chinese is written with

symbols known as characters,rather

than letters. If youwant to getafeel

of how different the characters are,

print offapage of them from the

internet and use tracing paper to get

the hang of the strokes.

ALAMY

·REX SHUTTERSTOCK

·GETTY IMAGES

D

oyou dr eamofmaking friends across the world or

working internationally?Perhaps you’d liketoown

your owncompany one day.This might seem difficult,

but it’snot impossible–particularly if you learn Mandarin

Chinese. China hasapopulation of 1.4 billion. Out of these

people, about one billioncanspeak standardMandarin

Chinese,rather than different types like

Cantonese. That’savery large number,

so it’ slikely that if you aretravelling

or working internationally,you’re

going to meet people who speak

Mandarin Chinese.

It’snot just about work, either.

If you’reinterested in Chinese

history,cultureorpolitics, you will

benefit from learning Mandarin.

China hasafascinating history that

spans thousands of years. If youwant

to learn about thecountry’spast,

Mandarin has lots of phrases that originate from ancient

times.Learn about them and you’ll unearth lots of

fascinating historical stories.

If youwant to do well in business, learning Mandarin is

agreat ideabecause it will help you get on with people. Say

you metaMandarin-speaking team andexplained your

ideas in their language;do you think they would be

to ac cept them? Of

ey would! They will see

u’ve put in effort and

to work with you. Start

ing Mandarin Chinese

and by the time you’re

nough to embark on an

ing internationalcare er,

l be fluent.

go onaMandarin

e adventure–who

whereit’ll takeyou.

Expandyourhorizonswhenyou...

YOUDEVELOP

YOURSKILLS

andarin

hinese is great

ecause it’s

ompletely

fferent to

opean

languages, with

characters and tones. This

differencemakes the world more

diverse. In class we also get to

learn about other important

aspects, likeChinese food, culture

and interesting festivals, such

as the Dragon BoatFestival.

Mandarin isn’t as hardaspeople

think it is;youcanlearn a

simplified version likeIam

doing. Myfavourite wordis

miànbāo(me-an-bow) which

means bread.”

Gracie

“M

C

b

c

di

Euro

MIND-BOGGLING

MANDARIN

Theword

diànnao

(dee-an-now)

means

computer

.Ifyou translate

it literally though, it actually

means electronic brain.

Mandarin uses

characters not letters.

Gracie’s

favourite word.

Appscanhelp you learn

Mandarin characters.