1. Interesting Chinese
Goals
Learn to recognize and pronounce some simple Chinese.
Learn to know the most two important characteristics of Chinese characters.
Have the desire of learning more Chinese.

2. Greetings
Self - introduction

6. The Structure of Chinese Characters
1. Pictograph
a single pictorial sign or symbol, as in a system of picture writing, representing a certain number of people, objects, etc.

8. 人 木

9. 牛 口

10. 山 羊

11. 鱼

12. 2. Reference
Adding one or two strokes to the pictograph to express new meanings, but still related to the pictograph.

13. 旦 本

14. 甘 寸

15. 上 下

16. One pictograph plus another pictograph to express new meanings.
3. Compound characters
One pictograph plus another pictograph to express new meanings.

17. 众 从

18. 森 林

19. 品 休

20. 美 信

21. 4. Meaning-pronunciation
Characters can be divided into two parts: one expresses pronunciation, the other part expresses the meaning.

22. 湖 江 财 草

23. 按 枝

24. Discussion

25. 子

29. Happy Day

30. The four basic tones
First tone (high level)
mā 妈
Second tone (rising)
má 麻
Third tone (falling-rising)
mǎ马
Fourth tone (falling)
mà 骂
mā má mǎ mà

31. mā mā qí mǎ, mǎ màn mā mà mǎ
English tongue twisters
If a sleeper in the sleeper sleeps, does the sleeper not in the sleeper on the sleeper sleep?
I wish to wish the wish you wish to wish, but if you wish the wish the witch wishes, I won’t wish the wish you wish to wish.

32. Chī pú táo bù tǔ pú táo pí,
吃 葡 萄 不 吐 葡 萄 皮，
bù chī pú táo fān tǔ pú táo pí.
不 吃 葡 萄 反 吐 葡 萄 皮。
Sì shì sì， shí shì shí， shísì shì shísì，
4 是 4， 10 是 10， 是 14
sì shí shì sì shí , shísì bù shì sì shí
是 ， 不 是 40，
sì shì bù shì shísì.
不 是 14。