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Fun Mandarin Chinese Learning Journey!

Let's Learn About Animals

Kids big and small love my stuffed animals whenever I bring them to the classroom!  We not only learn the names of the animals but also review the words about face and body parts.  After we have learned about the animals we visit the zoo...read the full article...

Chinese Character Fun: “below”,”to come down”, “next” = 下 (xià)

Miss Panda’s Chinese Character Series featured Chinese character: 下 (xià).
This character means “below”, “to come down”, and “next”. 
We can use 下 (“xià”) in the following phrases:  ...Read the full article

Reading Time: Elmer's Day and more Bilingual Books

Reading is a great way to learn more about a language! For the month of August we are reading a set of English - Chinese bilingual books by David McKee.  In them Elmer, the fun-loving patchwork elephant, takes us around to learn about the daily routine, colors, weather, and animal friends. Each of these books uses simple words and short sentences.  Children will love the illustrations in the books and enjoy listening to the stories in both English and Chinese.

Language : English and traditional Chinese characters ONLY (No pinyin or zhuyin (bopomofo).

Read the full ariticle...

Handy Manny - School for Tools in Chinese

Do you have a little one who loves tools in the family?  Here is Handy Manny in Mandarin Chinese.  You might have watched the show in English now let's watch it in Mandarin Chinese. It is a short immersion program for the whole family.  Can you hear the following words or phrases?

Tool -Gōng jù 工具
Light -Shǒu diàn tǒng 手電筒
Flashlight -Dēng 燈
See/look -Kàn 看
Success! - Chéng gōng le! 成功了

Have fun! 

Reading Time: "The Sound of Colors" and more - Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month Book Picks

Reading is such a good way to learn about a culture. For the month of May we are exploring stories from the Asian-Pacific region. Do you have a favorite story from any of the Asian-Pacific countries? Share your favorite with us!

The Sound of Colors

The Musubi Man: Hawaii's Gingerbread Man





Bee-Bim Bop!





Filipino Children's Favorite Stories





Hush! A Thai Lullaby





Peach Boy and Other Japanese Children's Favorite Stories





The Story of Chopsticks





Enjoy my book picks of the month and let me know your favorites!


Disclosure: I have no affiliation with the authors or publishers of the books listed here.  All opinions expressed are my own.  

Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month - Discover the Diversity of our Cultures

May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month.  What better time to explore the diversity of our Asian-Pacific cultures? This cultural exploration project can go from now all the way to and through the summer.  Want to know how to say "hello" in Vietnamese, Shanghainese, Japanese, and Mandarin Chinese? Do you know where Dim Sum is from? Check out this video to find out these answers and more!





Learn More About Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month:

HARTLYN KIDS: GUEST BLOG: Celebrating Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month with Children

HapaMama: Children's Books for Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month

BiculturalMom: 8 ways to Celebrate Asian Pacific Heritage Month

Colorín Colorado: APA Celebrations

Fact Monster: Celebrating Asian Contribution to America

Learning about fruit

Kids always get so excited when I bring real fruit to the classroom. What a yummy show-and-tell! They smell so good and they look so delicious. You can have your own fun fruit day with your little one at home. Review the words in my video for your next trip to the supermarket!

Ready, set, eat some fruit!

Chinese Character Fun: "Up", "Above" -

Miss Panda's Chinese Character Series featured Chinese character: 上 (shàng) -This word means “up", "above"; "to go/come up".

We can use 上 shàng in the following phrases:

上車 - shàng chē = to get in the car

上床 - shàng chuáng = to get in bed/to go to sleep

上樓 - shàng lóu = to go upstairs

上學 - shàng xué = to go to school

上衣 - shàng yī = (clothing) top



Click below to hear how to properly pronounce this Chinese word:



Check this out on Chirbit


And click the character below to see how to write it with the proper stroke order:

Chinese Vocabulary

上   stop




*Click to generate your own vocabulary.

Sing "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" in Chinese!

Are you ready to sing the "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" song in Mandarin Chinese?

Watch the video, sing along and do the movements with Jie Jie!  You know this song and the tune very well.  Now let's try it in Mandarin Chinese!





English Lyrics (translation of the Mandarin Chinese version):

Head, shoulders, knees, toes
Head, shoulders, knees, toes
Eyes, ears, nose, and mouth
Head, shoulders, knees, toes
(x2)

Lyrics in Pinyin:

Tóu jiānbǎng xīgài jiǎozhǐ tóu
Tóu jiānbǎng xīgài jiǎozhǐ tóu
Yǎnjīng ěrduo bízi hé zuǐba
Tóu jiānbǎng xīgài jiǎozhǐ tóu
(x2)

Lyrics in Chinese: (traditional characters)

頭 肩膀 膝蓋 腳趾頭
頭 肩膀 膝蓋 腳趾頭
眼睛 耳朵 鼻子 和 嘴巴
頭 肩膀 膝蓋 腳趾頭
(x2)

Lyrics in Chinese: (simplified characters)

头肩膀膝盖脚趾头
头肩膀膝盖脚趾头
眼睛耳朵鼻子和嘴巴
头肩膀膝盖脚趾头
(x2)

Reading Time: Gordon & Li Li Words for Everyday (Mandarin for kids)

Gordon & Li Li series introduce basic Chinese words to young children.  Elmer's series feature an adventurous elephant and the short stories keep the attention of the young children.  In the Snow, like At the Beach (from our last month's picks) introduces ten Chinese pictogram characters on a walk through a forest on a snowy day.



Gordon & Li Li Words for Everyday (Mandarin for kids)
[Board Book] Languages: English, pinyin and Chinese characters
Ages: 2 and up





Gordon & Li Li Count in Mandarin (Mandarin for kids)
[Board Book] Languages: English, pinyin and Chinese characters
Ages: 2 and up





Elmer's Weather (English-Chinese)
[Broad Book] Languages: English and Chinese
by David McKee
Ages: 3 and up





In the Snow
[paperback] Language: English; Chinese characters with pinyin
Ages: 3 and up
by Huy Voun Lee




Enjoy my book picks of the month and let me know your favorites!


Disclosure: These are the books my kids and I enjoyed.  I use them to teach in my classes.  I have no affiliation with the authors or publishers of the books listed here.  All opinions expressed are my own.   If you purchase the books via the amazon image links I receive a small commission to support my book collection in teaching Mandarin Chinese to young children.

Chinese Character Fun: "Sun" or "Day" = 日

Miss Panda's Chinese Character Series featured Chinese character: 日(Rì) -This word means “sun" or "day."



We can use 日 Rì in the following phrases:



生日 -shēng rì = birthday

生日快樂 -shēng rì kuài lè = Happy birthday

日期 -rì qí = date

大日子 -dà rì zi = big day

星期日 -xīng qí rì = Sunday



Click below to hear how to properly pronounce this Chinese word:




Check this out on Chirbit


And click the character below to see how to write it with the proper stroke order:

Chinese Vocabulary

日   stop




*Click to generate your own vocabulary.

Learn to Sing Happy Birthday in Chinese (with Video)!

Are you ready to sing the Happy Birthday song in Mandarin Chinese?

Watch the video and then try it out yourself! You won't believe how simple and easy it is. If you're wondering the answer is "yes" - this really is the way we sing "Happy Birthday" in Chinese! You only have to remember 6 words. Next time it will be your turn to sing this song in Mandarin Chinese!

English Lyrics (for Mandarin Chinese version):

Happy birthday to you (literally "Wish you Happy Birthday")

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday to you

(x2)

Lyrics in Pinyin:

 

Zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè

Zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè

Zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè

Zhù nǐ shēng rì kuài lè

(x2)

Lyrics in Chinese: (traditional characters)

祝你生日快樂

祝你生日快樂

祝你生日快樂

祝你生日快樂

(x2)

Lyrics in Chinese: (simplified characters)

祝你生日快乐

祝你生日快乐

祝你生日快乐

祝你生日快乐

(x2)

Listen to the Happy Birthday song in Mandarin Chinese as sung by artist Jay Chou.

Video source:you tube-tugl77

Top Chinese Restaurants in the U.S.

 "Ding Tai Fung", one of my favorite Chinese restaurants, now has branches in the U.S. and Australia!

(photo/image source: DingTaiFung.com.tw)

"Chī le ma?" ("Have you eaten yet?") is a common greeting among Chinese people. It is even more popular than "Ni Hao!"("Hello"). This serves as a good clue that food plays a very important role in Chinese culture!

Cold cereal for breakfast?! While I was happy to have it when I was in college in the U.S., when I was back in Taiwan my typical breakfast could include an egg pancake, a few mini buns with pork and veggie fillings, and a glass of soy milk OR a ham and egg sandwich and a bottle of yogurt OR a plate of noodles with sesame sauce topped with shredded cucumber.  Wild?!  Maybe, but in Taiwan breakfast shops, bakeries and food stands line the street from your home to the nearest bus stop or metro station. It was very convenient... and delicious.

There are some well-known regional cuisines when we talk about Chinese dishes. The next time you go for Chinese food you might discover a new favorite dish.

Let's take a look at some parts of Chinese and their associated dishes:

Beijing: Hot and sour soup/Peking duck/Moo Shu pork

Cantonese/Hong Kong: Dim Sum/Sweet and sour pork/Beef brisket stew

Sìchuān: (Spicy!) Kung Pao Chicken/Ma Po Tofu/Dan Dan noodle/Chili Hot Pot

Shanghai: Pot Stickers/Xiao Long Bao

Taiwan: "Three Cups Chicken"/Oyster Vermicelli/Rice with stewed pork sauce/Very Spicy Hot Pot

I encourage you to go on a field trip to one of the best Chinese restaurants near you.  This website I've listed below is a reference.  I have not tried them all even though I would love to.  If you have any wonderful Chinese restaurant you love please share it with us.

Here are a couple of  links for your adventure

Top Chinese Restaurants in U.S., Canada, and Australia

50 Best Chinese Restaurants in the United States

Yum!!! Taiwanese pork meat sauce with eggs & mushrooms - 台灣肉燥

Story Box: Snow White - Bái xuě gōng zhǔ - 白雪公主

We know the story of Snow White and now let's hear it in Mandarin Chinese. It is a short immersion program for the whole family. Can you hear the following phrases?

Snow White in Chinese is "White Snow Princess" - Bái xuě gōng zhǔ - 白雪公主
Queen - Huáng hòu 皇后
Princess - Gōngz hǔ 公主
Apple - Píng guǒ 蘋果
Prince - Wáng zǐ 王子

Have fun! SHARE the post if you enjoy it.

Video Source:YouTube-PlayhouseDsineyTW

Chinese Character Fun: Extremely = 太

Chinese Character Series featured Chinese character: 太 (Tài) - This word means “extremely, too, very." 太 has one more stroke than 大 (=dà- big).


Chinese Vocabulary - CLICK the Chinese character below to see its stroke order

Chinese Vocabulary

太   stop




*Click to generate your own vocabulary.

We can use 太 tài in the following phrases:

太太 - tài tai = wife, married lady, Mrs.

太大 - tài dà = too big

太小 - tài xiǎo = too small

太餓 - tài è = too hungry

太忙 - tài máng = too busy


Listen to the audio track for pronunciation.


Check this out on Chirbit
(c)Copyright 2011 MissPandaChinese.com All Rights Reserved

Chinese Character Fun: Mouth - 口

Chinese Character Series featured Chinese character: 口 (Kǒu) - This is a picture word, which means "mouth." Chinese characters with this radical in it always have something to do with mouth.


Chinese Vocabulary - CLICK the Chinese character below to see its stroke order

Chinese Vocabulary

口   stop




*Click to generate your own vocabulary.

We can use 口 kǒu in the following phrases:

一口 - yī kǒu = one bite

一大口 - yī dà kǒu = one big bite

一小口 - yī xiǎo kǒu = one small bite

吃一口 - chī yī kǒu = to have a bite

吃一大口 -chī yī xiǎo kǒu = to have a big bite

Listen to the audio track for pronunciation.


Check this out on Chirbit

(c)Copyright 2011 MissPandaChinese.com All Rights Reserved

Jeremy Lin Speaking Mandarin Chinese

Here is Jeremy Lin speaking Mandarin Chinese in two interviews. Good job! This is inspiring for children who are learning the language.

Can you hear the following phrases Jeremy Lin said?
Xiǎo hái ＝ children 小孩
Dǎ lán qiú ＝ play basketball 打籃球

Enjoy!



News report - Press Conference in Taiwan. He mentioned his favorite Taiwanese dishes in Mandarin Chinese. Delicious picks!

Reading Time: "I Hate English!", "Dear Zoo" & more

There was a new student in one of the classes I was teaching last week. When I entered the classroom he had tears in his eyes and was standing by the door. The home room teacher told him to go in and sit down for the class but the little boy could not stop crying. Other children in the class shared their concerns with me and told me that the new boy did not understand English, it is his first day and he misses his mommy...

When you combine a new country, a new school and a new language together it can be quite scary for a young child. Read "I Hate English!" together with your child to learn more about the experiences of young children who are new to a foreign language and culture.

"Dear Zoo" is a cute board book that is full of surprises for little kids.

You will learn a few Chinese characters in "At the Beach." The next time you go to the beach you can have fun by trying out some of these Chinese characters in the sand.

"Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" is another joyful book by one of my favorite authors, Grace Lin!

Enjoy my book picks of the month and leave a comment and let me know your favorites!

I Hate English
by Ellen Levine
[Ages 4 and up]



Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
by Grace Lin
[Ages 8 and up]



Dear Zoo [English and Chinese edition]
by Rob Campbell
[Board book]



At the Beach
by Huy Voun Lee
[Ages 3 and up]

Music Video: Two Tigers - Liǎng zhī lǎo hǔ - 兩隻老虎

"Two Tigers" is a classic Chinese song for children. This is a familiar tune and is fun to sing with the little ones. Don't forget to add movement and action along with the lyrics to make it an action-filled play-learning experience!

I've put the lyrics below in Pinyin, traditional Chinese and simplified Chinese with the English translation on top.

Two tigers two tigers
Liǎng zhī lǎo hǔ Liǎng zhī lǎo hǔ
兩 隻 老 虎 兩 隻 老 虎
两 只 老 虎 两 只 老 虎

Running fast running fast
Pǎo de kuài pǎo de kuài
跑 的 快 跑 的 快
跑 的 快 跑 的 快

One does not have eyes
Yī zhī méi yǒu yǎn jīng
一 隻 沒 有 眼 睛
一 只 没 有 眼 睛

One does not have a tail
Yī zhī méi yǒu wěi ba
一 隻 沒 有 尾 巴
一 只 没 有 尾 巴

How strange how strange
Zhēn qí guài zhēn qí guài
真 奇 怪 真 奇 怪
真 奇 怪 真 奇 怪

(Lyrics above from the Companion Learning Guide for the Miss Panda Chinese audio CD)


*** Video source: amandalin720's channel on You Tube ***