Word Collocation and Four-Character Idioms in A Trip to China
This set of materials allows students to practice and review four-character phrases from the textbook A Trip to China.
They can review each expression’s English definitions, pinyin, and see example sentences.
Exercises include crosswords, fill in the blank, and multiple choice.
Even if a student did not use A Trip to China in a language course, he or she can still use this material to study the vocabulary and practice because these expressions are useful for all learners of Chinese.
The reason why four-character phrases are singled out in creating this set of materials is to give students an overview of two unique linguistic phenomena in Chinese lexicon. The first one is the collocation rule of two-syllable words, and the second is chengyu, the use of four-character set phrases or idioms in speaking and writing at the advanced level and beyond.
The majority of Chinese words have two syllables. They are more formal in meaning and thus require more grammatical understanding of their usage, especially in terms of which words can be put together and which words cannot. The use of chengyu is extremely important for advanced level Chinese and beyond. It is fair to say that a mastery of chengyu can be used to distinguish whether a person’s language proficiency is at an advanced or superior level. However, a word of caution here: chengyu requires a great deal of practice and trial and error. The misuse of a chengyu may create an awkward and somewhat negative effect. As a language learner, you can check with your teachers and friends who are native speakers to find out if the use of a chengyu is appropriate. In fact, native speakers also need to learn how to use chengyu correctly. The best way to acquire chengyu is to learn from examples and from one’s mistakes.
You may ask, I am only an intermediate level student, why should I start learning these rules and words? The answer is simple. You are at the juncture of moving from colloquial and conversational Chinese to formal Chinese. The acquisition of shumianyu is essential for developing literacy skills because it is used in composing Chinese text and in discussing important issues. Shumianyu needs to be shared with students early on so that they are aware of its importance.
Even if a student did not use A Trip to China in a language course, he or she can still use this material to study the vocabulary and practice because these expressions are useful for all learners of Chinese.
The reason why four-character phrases are singled out in creating this set of materials is to give students an overview of two unique linguistic phenomena in Chinese lexicon. The first one is the collocation rule of two-syllable words, and the second is chengyu, the use of four-character set phrases or idioms in speaking and writing at the advanced level and beyond.
The majority of Chinese words have two syllables. They are more formal in meaning and thus require more grammatical understanding of their usage, especially in terms of which words can be put together and which words cannot. The use of chengyu is extremely important for advanced level Chinese and beyond. It is fair to say that a mastery of chengyu can be used to distinguish whether a person’s language proficiency is at an advanced or superior level. However, a word of caution here: chengyu requires a great deal of practice and trial and error. The misuse of a chengyu may create an awkward and somewhat negative effect. As a language learner, you can check with your teachers and friends who are native speakers to find out if the use of a chengyu is appropriate. In fact, native speakers also need to learn how to use chengyu correctly. The best way to acquire chengyu is to learn from examples and from one’s mistakes.
You may ask, I am only an intermediate level student, why should I start learning these rules and words? The answer is simple. You are at the juncture of moving from colloquial and conversational Chinese to formal Chinese. The acquisition of shumianyu is essential for developing literacy skills because it is used in composing Chinese text and in discussing important issues. Shumianyu needs to be shared with students early on so that they are aware of its importance.
Memorizing these expressions and making use of them when you speak or write in Chinese is the first step to reaching advanced level Chinese.
Read each one of the examples a couple of times to get used to them. The best way to remember an expression is to use it.
Another suggestion for students finishing up the intermediate Chinese course is to read authentic materials. Reading extensively is an effective way to increase one’s vocabulary. Students can read materials such as movie scripts, plays, and short novels. Students should also try to read news articles and articles in their professional domain.
Finally, there is a useful tool for students entering advanced level Chinese. That is, a Chinese corpus search system. This system will list all the sentences in the database using a certain word. This is a great way to find out how a certain word is used by Chinese people. There is also a set of materials specifically for learning shumianyu. Once you finish this set, you can use that material to gain a more comprehensive understanding about shumianyu in Chinese.
If you need further information regarding transitioning from colloquial Chinese to formal Chinese, please contact Prof. Der-lin Chao.
Another suggestion for students finishing up the intermediate Chinese course is to read authentic materials. Reading extensively is an effective way to increase one’s vocabulary. Students can read materials such as movie scripts, plays, and short novels. Students should also try to read news articles and articles in their professional domain.
Finally, there is a useful tool for students entering advanced level Chinese. That is, a Chinese corpus search system. This system will list all the sentences in the database using a certain word. This is a great way to find out how a certain word is used by Chinese people. There is also a set of materials specifically for learning shumianyu. Once you finish this set, you can use that material to gain a more comprehensive understanding about shumianyu in Chinese.
If you need further information regarding transitioning from colloquial Chinese to formal Chinese, please contact Prof. Der-lin Chao.