When talking to his Chinese manager at a team dinner, Leo gets a chance to put into use the Chinese he has learned so far. The conversation moves onto family, and Dani explains the words for family in Mandarin Chinese. Leo learns the words for brothers and sisters. And he also learns the Mandarin words for children, including son and daughter.
The team are at dinner to celebrate a successful conference. Jack, Leo's manager, asks him about himself. Leo gets a chance to have a lengthy conversation in Chinese and to use everything he has learned to date. Jack asks Leo about his family, and Dani explains some useful Chinese words relating to family. Leo is surprised to learn that there is more than one word for brother, and also for sister!
Family is still the dominate institution in Chinese society, and people will consult family members seeking approval before making decisions. With large numbers of one child families in China, you can expect parents to be heavily involved in their children's lives. The different words for younger and older siblings reflects the importance of seniority in Chinese family life.
About our Lessons
Dani, a Mandarin Chinese speaker and native of Beijing, guides you along your travels in China. Dani will help you learn Chinese words and phrases essential to navigate through real life scenarios in everyday Chinese life. You will also benefit from fascinating and practical lessons about the culture of China and its values. The lessons will allow you to learn Chinese online without the need for downloads or software installations. You can begin to learn Chinese free by taking advantage of our ten free Chinese lessons.