Spoken language
some simple phrases for talking about time in chinese:
－ ：the first tune ；/ ：the second tune ；∨ ：the third tune ； \ ：the fourth tune；
－ ：the first tune ；/ ：the second tune ；∨ ：the third tune ； \ ：the fourth tune；
| English | Explanation | Chinese |
| hello | people greet each other | nǐ hǎo 你好 |
| goodbye | a greeting of people's departure | zài jiàn 再见 |
| how much | What is the cost/price | duō shǎo qián 多少钱 |
| thank you/thanks | a conversational expression of gratitude | xiè xiè 谢谢 |
| good | good,fine,friendly | hǎo 好 |
| why | why,how is that,what for | wèi shén me 为什么 |
| have a meal | generallly means to have a meal; Slang means to make alive. | chī fàn 吃饭 |
| I'm a vegetarian | I'm a vegetarian,and I don't eat egg neither. | wǒ chī sù 我吃素 |
| taxi,cab | a car with a driver that you pay to take you somewhere. | chū zū chē 出租车 |
| tea | Traditional Chinese drink made with water and the dried leaves of a plant, it is very popular in China. | chá 茶 |
| noodle | A noodle is made from unleavened dough that has been shaped into thin flat strips or round cylinders and cooked in a boiling liquid. It is a traditional cuisine in China and more popular in the northern part of China. | miàn tiáo 面条 |
| cup | an open container usually for drinking | bēi zi 杯子 |
| rice | boiled or steamed rice, a meal | fàn 饭 |
| how much | What is the cost/price | duō shǎo qián 多少钱 |
| egg | Hen egg,a kind of food | jī dàn 鸡蛋 |
| clothes | clothing in general | yī fú 衣服 |
| word | a unit of language that native speakers can identify | zì 字 |
| department store | a big store that is divided into several parts, each part selling a different type of goods. | shāng chǎng 商场 |
| newspaper | a daily or weekly publication on folded sheets | bào zhǐ 报纸 |
| airport | Shanghai has two airports: Shanghai Pudong Airport（上海浦东机场） and Shanghai Hongqiao Airport（上海虹桥机场）. | Jī chǎng 机场 |