One of the best way to learn Chinese is from watching Chinese dramas. By watching Chinese dramas, you not only can improve your listening skill, you can also learn common Chinese phrases you can use in daily conversation.
Chinese dramas
There are many websites or apps you can use to watch Chinese dramas. You can even find Chinese dramas from youtube. When watching the Chinese dramas, try your best not to read the English subtitles. Try to listen in Chinese and pick up the Chinese phrases and learn them by heart. This is actually how I learned Cantonese. I watched many Hong Kong dramas and picked up many Cantonese phrases to use them when I visited Hong Kong.
Chinese Phrases from Chinese Dramas
What would cause chickens to fly and dog to jump? You can use this Chinese phrase when everything is turned upside down.
他把家里弄得鸡飞狗跳的
Tā bǎ jiā lǐ lòng dé jī fēi gǒu tiào de
He has messed up the house.
The Chinese phrase “姜还是老的辣” literally means ginger still old one spicy. You can use this Chinese expressions when you want to describe a person who has lots of experience. It also means the older, the wiser.
姜还是老的辣，没有你恐怕不能赢这场球赛。
Jiāng hái shì lǎo de là, méi yǒu nǐ kǒng pà bù néng yíng zhè chǎng qiú sài.
Experience still counts. Without you, we won’t be able to win this match.
The Chinese phrase 心里有数 literally means in the heart have numbers. What does it mean? Well, this Chinese phrase means to know what one wants to do. You already have in mind what action you want to take.
这件事是谁做的，他自己心里有数。
Zhè jiàn shì shì shéi zuò de, tā zì jǐ xīn li yǒu shù.
Whoever did this, he knows.
This is a Chinese proverbs teaching us that whenever someone gives you a gift, you need to consider properly before accepting. In this world, nothing is free. There is always some strings attached. Thus, we need to be careful or else you will need to pay for your own action.
人之常情就是吃人嘴短，拿人手软。
rén zhī cháng qíng jiù shì chī rén zuǐ duǎn,ná rén shǒu ruǎn
Human nature means there is no free lunch in this world (everything comes with a price).
