Free Learn Mandarin Chinese Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How do you say hi?
- Ni3 hao3 (Correct answer)
- Hao3
- Zai4 jian4
- Wo3 hen3 hao3
Correct answer: Ni3 hao3
'Nǐ hǎo' (你好) is the standard and most common way to say 'hello' or 'hi' in Mandarin Chinese. It literally translates to 'you good' and is a polite greeting used in various social situations. This is a fundamental phrase for beginners learning Mandarin.
Question 2: In Mandarin, how do you pronounce "you"?
- Wǒ （我）
- Tā （他）
- Xiè xiè （谢谢）
- Nǐ （你） (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Nǐ （你）
The character '你' (nǐ) is the singular pronoun for 'you' in Mandarin Chinese. Its pinyin pronunciation is 'nǐ' with a third tone, indicating a dipping tone. This is a basic and essential pronoun for forming simple sentences.
Question 3: In Mandarin, how do you say "I" or "me"?
- Nǐ （你）
- Wǒ （我） (Correct answer)
- Sheí （谁）
- Tā（他）
Correct answer: Wǒ （我）
The character '我' (wǒ) is the singular pronoun for 'I' or 'me' in Mandarin Chinese. Its pinyin pronunciation is 'wǒ' with a third tone, indicating a dipping tone. This is a fundamental pronoun used in countless sentences.
Question 4: In Mandarin, how would you pronounce "hair"?
- Zhōng guó （中国）
- Zài jiàn （再见）
- Tóu fà （头发） (Correct answer)
- Shǒu （手）
Correct answer: Tóu fà （头发）
'Tóu fà' (头发) is the Mandarin Chinese word for 'hair'. This term specifically refers to the hair on a person's head. The other options are different words: 'Zhōng guó' means China, 'Zài jiàn' means goodbye, and 'Shǒu' means hand.
Question 5: In Mandarin, how would you pronounce "hand"?
- Zài jiàn （再见）
- Tóu fà （头发）
- Tài duō （太多）
- Shǒu （手） (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Shǒu （手）
'Shǒu' (手) is the Mandarin Chinese word for 'hand'. This single character represents the body part. The other options are different words: 'Zài jiàn' means goodbye, 'Tóu fà' means hair, and 'Tài duō' means too much.
Question 6: The letter "s" is pronounced.
- Same as "sh" in sheep
- Same as "ts" in cats
- Same as English s (Correct answer)
- Same as "ds" in "beds
Correct answer: Same as English s
In Pinyin, the 's' initial is pronounced similarly to the 's' in English words like 'sit' or 'sun'. It is a voiceless alveolar fricative, meaning the sound is produced by air friction over the tongue near the alveolar ridge without vocal cord vibration. It does not have the 'sh' or 'ts' sound.
Question 7: The letter "zh" is pronounced.
- Same as "sh" in sheep
- This initial does not exist in the Chinese language
- Similar to "j" in adjure (Correct answer)
- Same as "ds" in "beds
Correct answer: Similar to "j" in adjure
The 'zh' initial in Pinyin is a retroflex affricate, pronounced similarly to the 'j' sound in English words like 'jump' or 'adjure'. To produce it, the tongue tip curls back slightly towards the hard palate. It is a voiced sound, unlike 'ch' or 'sh'.
Free Learn Mandarin Chinese Questions and Answers
How do you say hi?