AP Chinese Chinese: Vocabulary & Idiomatic Expressions 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does the Chinese expression '入乡随俗' (rù xiāng suí sú) mean?
- When in Rome, do as the Romans do (Correct answer)
- Every cloud has a silver lining
- Actions speak louder than words
- The early bird catches the worm
Correct answer: When in Rome, do as the Romans do
'入乡随俗' literally means 'enter village, follow customs,' conveying the idea of adapting to local customs when in a new place.
Question 2: Which character combination means 'technology' in Mandarin Chinese?
- 科学 (kēxué)
- 技术 (jìshù) (Correct answer)
- 工程 (gōngchéng)
- 发明 (fāmíng)
Correct answer: 技术 (jìshù)
技术 (jìshù) means 'technology/technique/skill' and is the standard term used for technology in modern Chinese.
Question 3: The chengyu '马到成功' (mǎ dào chéng gōng) is typically used to express:
- Working very hard to achieve success
- Wishing someone immediate success (Correct answer)
- A horse racing competition
- Ancient military victories
Correct answer: Wishing someone immediate success
'马到成功' literally means 'the horse arrives and success follows,' used as a blessing to wish someone swift success.
Question 4: What does '环境保护' (huánjìng bǎohù) mean?
- Natural disaster
- Climate change
- Environmental protection (Correct answer)
- Pollution prevention
Correct answer: Environmental protection
环境 means 'environment' and 保护 means 'to protect,' so 环境保护 means 'environmental protection.'
Question 5: The expression '一石二鸟' (yī shí èr niǎo) is equivalent to which English idiom?
- Don't count your chickens before they hatch
- Kill two birds with one stone (Correct answer)
- A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
- Birds of a feather flock together
Correct answer: Kill two birds with one stone
一石二鸟 literally means 'one stone, two birds' and is the direct Chinese equivalent of 'kill two birds with one stone.'
Question 6: Which word correctly translates 'volunteer' (a person who volunteers) in Chinese?
- 义工 (yìgōng) or 志愿者 (zhìyuànzhě) (Correct answer)
- 工人 (gōngrén)
- 服务员 (fúwùyuán)
- 雇员 (gùyuán)
Correct answer: 义工 (yìgōng) or 志愿者 (zhìyuànzhě)
Both 义工 and 志愿者 are accepted terms for 'volunteer,' with 义工 common in southern China and Taiwan and 志愿者 prevalent in mainland China.
Question 7: What is the meaning of '经济发展' (jīngjì fāzhǎn)?
- Political development
- Social development
- Economic development (Correct answer)
- Cultural development
Correct answer: Economic development
经济 means 'economy/economics' and 发展 means 'development,' so 经济发展 means 'economic development.'
AP Chinese Chinese: Vocabulary & Idiomatic Expressions 1
What does the Chinese expression '入乡随俗' (rù xiāng suí sú) mean?