Key HSK Vocabulary
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | HSK | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 故事 | gù shi | story, tale | HSK 2 | |
| 荣幸 | róng xìng | be honoured, honourable | HSK 7 | |
| 切断 | qiē duàn | cut off | HSK 7 | |
| 倒数 | dào shǔ | count backwards | HSK 7 | |
| 甜蜜 | tián mì | sweet, happy | HSK 7 | |
| 伴侣 | bàn lǔ: | mate, partner | HSK 7 | |
| 计时 | jì shí | reckon by time | HSK 7 | |
| 诚恳 | chéng kěn | sincere, earnest | HSK 7 | |
| 来电 | lái diàn | incoming telegram , your message | HSK 7 | |
| 害羞 | hài xiū | be bashful, be shy | HSK 7 | |
| 哎呀 | āi yā | expressing suprise or amazement, expressing complaint or impatience | HSK 7 | |
| 时期 | shí qī | a particular period | HSK 6 | |
| 有事 | yǒu shì | be occupied, be busy | HSK 6 | |
| 打动 | dǎ dòng | move, touch | HSK 6 | |
| 日语 | Rì yǔ | japanese | HSK 6 | |
| 愉快 | yú kuài | happy, joyful | HSK 6 | |
| 就是说 | jiù shì shuō | namely, that is to say | HSK 6 | |
| 好不容易 | hǎo bù róng yì | very difficult, with great difficulty | HSK 6 | |
| 因素 | yīn sù | factor, element | HSK 6 | |
| 截止日 | jié zhǐ rì | stop, cut out | HSK 6 |
Grammar Notes
你不去参加他的派对，等于说你还在生气。
Nǐ bù qù cānjiā tā de pàiduì, děngyúshuō nǐ hái zài shēngqì.
You're not going to his party, which essentially means you're still angry.
我好不容易才找到他的微信联系方式。
Wǒ hǎobùróngyì cái zhǎodào tā de wēixìn liánxì fāngshì.
I managed to find his WeChat contact info only after a lot of trouble.
放假倒数计时还有三天，真让人兴奋！
Fàngjià dàoshǔ jìshí hái yǒu sān tiān, zhēn ràng rén xīngfèn!
There are only three days left in the countdown to vacation, it's so exciting!
Navigating the ups and downs of romance is tricky enough, but trying to flirt, tease, or resolve a silly misunderstanding in a second language? That’s a whole different level of relationship milestone. If you've ever frozen up trying to express your feelings in Mandarin, you’ll find instant comfort—and plenty of laughs—in the latest video from the Learn Chinese Podcast, titled "我们的海外爱情故事" (Our Overseas Love Story).
This engaging Chinese skit bypasses dry textbook grammar to throw you straight into the heartwarming, everyday reality of real-life conversational Chinese. Packed with authentic dialogue, modern slang, and natural expressions, it's the perfect, stress-free way to upgrade your listening skills and learn how native speakers actually talk about love, life, and everything in between.
Video Overview
In this engaging conversation, Brice shares a major life update with his Chinese teacher: he has a new girlfriend! Although he is living in Taiwan, his new partner is a Japanese-American who is scheduled to leave the country in a few months. They chat about how they met, their shared humor, and the bittersweet challenges of starting a relationship with a known 'expiration date.'
✨ Dialogue Highlights
我们俩可以说是“鸡同鸭讲”。
Wǒmen liǎ kěyǐ shuō shì “jī tóng yā jiǎng”.
The two of us could be said to be "like a chicken talking to a duck."This Cantonese-origin idiom is widely used in Mandarin to humorously describe a severe language barrier or communication breakdown where neither party understands the other. It is a highly relatable and lighthearted way to describe the awkward yet charming initial stages of a cross-cultural relationship.
八字还没一撇呢！
Bāzì hái méi yī piě ne!
There is not even the first stroke of the character 'eight' yet!This is the perfect, humorous colloquialism to deflect premature questions about marriage or relationship milestones from nosey friends or relatives. It means things are in such the early stages that nothing is certain yet, comparing the situation to writing the Chinese character "八" (eight), which consists of two strokes—and not even the first left-falling stroke (撇) has been written.