Chinese vocabulary notes (March 2022)

Gaming crackdown, war in Ukraine, badminton, Xi dada, freelance life in China and more. The good news: spring has finally arrived!

What the Chinese Think of the Gaming Crackdown in China | Street Interview

When I went to school (back in say 2007) I had a few friends who were heavily addicted to online gaming. It was beyond doubt that their school results and social life suffered from it. How their parents dealt with this behavior or how effective their countermeasures were, I can’t remember, but the thought that the government would step in to limit gaming time or prohibit certain online games would not only have been inconceivable to us, but also outrageous.

This is exactly what the Chinese government did however, to combat online gaming addiction among minors. Asian Boss writes in its video introduction: “China is the largest video game market in the world and its ongoing freeze on video game licenses is said to have shut down over 14,000 gaming-related companies.” In other words, a surprising step for China to take against its own booming gaming industry. The video reveals what Chinese people in Shanghai think about this government policy.

My thoughts: Especially the elder generation seems to approve government interference in this matter. The children’s parents might suffer from smartphone addiction themselves and might not be in the position to credibly correct their children’s behavior. They do perceive the problem though and might even welcome the support of the government, because they can’t do it themselves. China might be the first to drastically address this phenomenon, but they won’t be the last country to do so (if the measures prove effective).

What Do the Chinese Think of Russia? | Street Interview

Another great and important video about what Chinese people in Shanghai have to say about the war in Ukraine. Some commenters note a number of more serious translation issues that blur the meaning of the actual statements. Irony: The old man doesn’t like the USA and expresses sympathy for Putin, but wears an American cap. As to be expected lots of relevant political vocabulary here:

YoYo Chinese: 杨哥 The Badminton Master

This is a short clip from the YoYo Chinese YouTube channel about badminton, high quality content for Chinese learners as usual. The video contains authentic Beijing dialect from a amateur badminton player and includes explanations.

【The New Taiwanese】Ep.3 Being Mixed Race and Dark Skinned in Taiwan 台灣混血兒皮膚黑的優缺點

In this episode of “The New Taiwanese”, Justin shares his experience as a person of mixed race in Taiwan. He has Philippine roots and speaks Mandarin fluently. The host asks about his experience of having a darker skin color in Taiwanese society. Highly interesting conversation and lots of new insights.

What do the Chinese Think of Xi Jinping?

Disclaimer: Teacher Li Can doesn’t answer the question, instead he shares his personal views about the Chairman. I might be wrong, but it seems to me that his opinions do reflect what “the majority” or a large portion of Chinese citizens think about their current leader – except for the historical comparisons he draws. On the other hand, we simply don’t know “what the Chinese think”. To me that is a reassuring thought.

Teacher Li uses plenty of difficult words, but I managed to filter out most of the key vocabulary. The occasional chengyu he throws in don’t make for easy listening.

Daily Chinese Expression #168「摆设 | 摆设很好看，但却没什么用。」 Speak Chinese with Da Peng 大鹏说中文

A short podcast by Da Peng, one of the most productive and original content creators for Chinese learners. I don’t know much about him, but I reckon he’s a good teacher, judging from how smoothly he introduces vocabulary in his videos. The element of repetition also is useful. And I learned a new word to call people who aren’t of much value in a team situation.

Intermediate Chinese Listening Practice｜freelance, work in café, Chinese vlog

I only recently discovered Shenglan’s YouTube channel. She is – among other things – a freelance Chinese teacher with her own podcast and video content for Chinese learners. In this vlog, she gives an impression of a normal working day, blogging at the local Starbucks. Big plus: she speaks slowly and clearly and highlights key vocabulary in her video.