Chinese Characters
Beginner
80 Videos

Chinese characters explained.

Showing 60 of 80 videos
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1:09

The video describes the many ailments that can be treated with pine and cedar trees, the origins of Chinese medicine.

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0:57

Knowing the basis of the Chinese character for illness opens the door for learning many more characters.

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0:48

This video explains the origins of the Chinese character for pain.

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This video explains how the character for illness evolved into its present form.

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In this episode, the origins of the Chinese characters for "illness" are explained.

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3:15
difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate
China

Chinese Names Part 13

Master Tang further explains how the name of an enterprise embodies its guiding principles and how our names must not be taken lightly.

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1:14
difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate
China

Chinese Names Part 12

Master Tang explains the significance of the name. How does the name of a business determine its destiny?

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0:53
difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate
China

The Origin of the Firecracker

This video tells the legend behind the Chinese firecracker.

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1:34
difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate
China

Chinese Names Part 11

Master Tang Han explains the importance of character meaning as well as character tone when giving names and how to revise a problematic name.

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1:28
difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate
China

Chinese Names Part 10

This interesting discussion on the origins of Chinese last names and clan names shows how the tradition has evolved from the matriarchal to the patriarchal practice. This segment continues to explore Chinese names with specific attention on Jia Bao Yu, a character in the Hong Lou Meng movie.

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1:34
difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate
China

Chinese Names Part 9

This interesting discussion on the origins of Chinese last names and clan names shows how the tradition has evolved from the matriarchal to the patriarchal practice. This segment looks into the selection of Chinese names. How can one find a good name with strong virtue?

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1:39
difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate
China

Chinese Names Part 8

This interesting discussion on the origins of Chinese last names and clan names shows how the tradition has evolved from the matriarchal to the patriarchal practice. This segment explores a few common family names- their origins, whether they were last or clan names, etc.

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2:00
difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate
China

Chinese Names Part 7

This interesting discussion on the origins of Chinese last names and clan names shows how the tradition has evolved from the matriarchal to the patriarchal practice.

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1:58
difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate
China

Chinese Names Part 6

This interesting discussion on the origins of Chinese last names and clan names shows how the tradition has evolved from the matriarchal to the patriarchal practice.

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2:08
difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate
China

Chinese Names Part 5

Through a detailed report of the Zhou Dynasty's history, we discover how the Chinese last name system worked and what has changed over the years and become today's practice.

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1:13
difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate
China

Chinese Names Part 4

Chinese last names worked in a different way in the past than they do now. Chinese children used to get their mother's last name. That is because Chinese ancient society was matriarchal and divided into clans.

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1:15
difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate
China

Chinese Names Part 3

The Chinese naming system is very complex. It follows precise rules, stating the differences between a person's last name, given name and courtesy name. In particular, the difference between the last two is strictly connected with the rituals that used to bring a child from childhood into adulthood in ancient China.

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2:15
difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate
China

Chinese Names Part 2

Learn about the Chinese naming system: there's a method to the madness!

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1:16
difficulty - Adv-Intermediate Adv-Intermediate
China

Chinese Names Part 1

Learn about the Chinese naming system and some of the issues concerning names that are being encountered today.

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1:20

Innovation of a writing system occurs by creating a better version of what already exists, which is always related to one's national heritage.

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1:38

Designing a new font is extremely difficult, especially since there are thousands of characters in the Chinese language.

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1:22

What does typography mean to you? Why is it important?

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2:32

Dean Lung, believing more people should understand China, made a great contribution to Columbia University.

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2:03

In 1870, Horace Carpentier hired a loyal servant from China named Dean Lung who would eventually come to teach him a lesson in loyalty and devotion rooted in Chinese culture.

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2:47

Zamenhof had a plan to create a world language, an ambitious plan thwarted by the innate quality of language itself.

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2:30

The popularity of Christianity came to a peak during Matteo Ricci's time in China, but after his death, the Qing Dynasty vehemently opposed its practice in China.

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2:05

The quest to discover Asia did not stop with Columbus. What has drawn other countries to China?

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1:42

During the Ming Dynasty, the Chinese made the voyage across the Western Pacific. But, why was the feat not acknowledged in history?

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1:08

Professor Cecilia Lindqvist sets out to understand Chinese people through Chinese characters.

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2:17

The growing strength of China as an economic superpower is both a source of awe and concern for other countries.

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1:20

It is becoming an increasing trend for schools to offer Chinese programs. Why are so many people turning to Chinese?

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2:15

China is now an economic superpower, setting off a "Chinese Fever" that is now spreading all over the world.

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1:11

Many people are aware of the Western philosopher, Voltaire, but behind his famous quotes are the genius of a great Chinese thinker.

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1:22

Let's review the vocabulary again for wind, cloud, water and fire.

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1:08

Let's put Wind, Cloud, Fire and Water back where they belong!

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0:52

Wind, Cloud, Fire and Water can't seem to find their way home!

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2:11

The wisdom of Chinese ancient hieroglyphics can be traced back to thousands of years ago. They are so clever and yet, comprised of such spontaneous connections that even a child can guess them.

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1:54

Let's continue with the different occupations.

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1:35

It's time to learn about different occupations.

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1:12
difficulty - Newbie Newbie
China

Plants Part 2

If you look at the characters related to plants, you will notice that most of them contain the "tree" or "grass" radicals.

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1:02
difficulty - Newbie Newbie
China

Plants Part 1

This video talks about the Chinese words for plants.

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1:37
difficulty - Newbie Newbie
China

Clothing Part 2

This video continues with terms for clothing.

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1:47
difficulty - Newbie Newbie
China

Clothing Part 1

Now let's learn about some of the things that you will wear in the winter.

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1:42
difficulty - Newbie Newbie
China

Animals Part 4

In the Chinese language, you can combine characters together to form a different word.

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1:47
difficulty - Newbie Newbie
China

Animals Part 3

If you look at the character for elephant, one might see a representation of the elephant with a long trunk, four legs and a tail. This is why Chinese is known as a "pictographic" language.

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1:41

This video teaches you how to say the names of some sports and hobbies.

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1:35

This video teaches you how to say the names of some musical instruments.

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1:33

Let's learn some more home appliance terms.

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1:28

Let's learn the names of home appliances.

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1:17

This video continues with transportation terminology.

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1:29

When you combine different Chinese characters, you can make different words. Let's now learn some terms for modes of transportation.

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1:28
difficulty - Newbie Newbie
China

Animals Part 2

As a pictographic language, Chinese characters often look like the objects they represent.

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1:09
difficulty - Newbie Newbie
China

Animals Part 1

The Chinese characters for animals oftentimes look like the animals themselves.

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1:27
difficulty - Newbie Newbie
China

Shapes Part 2

This video continues with the different shapes.

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1:44
difficulty - Newbie Newbie
China

Shapes Part 1

Learn the Chinese terms for shapes in this video.

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2:07

This cute introductory video helps Chinese learners learn the characters for "fu," (father) "mu," (mother) "ma," (mommy) and "ba" (daddy).

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Learn in the fastest and easiest way possible how to effectively remember some characters that express movement.

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Learn about the characters used to talk about time by watching this fun and thorough explanation of how to write them and how they came about.

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Learn a simple, fun way to say the four directions in Chinese as well as how to remember how to write them.

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3:11
difficulty - Newbie Newbie
China

Stationery

Learn some useful words to describe stationery such as ruler, pencil, eraser, tape, etc.

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