Q 01/05

Which everyday machine do Mandarin speakers call 'diànnǎo', a word that literally means 'electric brain'?

A) Computer

B) Calculator

C) Television

D) Radio

Answer · why

A) Computer

Computer is diànnǎo, 'electric brain', a word coined by a Taiwanese expert in a 1965 book. Mandarin builds many modern words like this: a mobile phone...

Q 02/05

Which animal's everyday Mandarin name, xióngmāo, translates literally into English as 'bear cat'?

A) Raccoon

B) Panda

C) Koala

D) Badger

Answer · why

B) Panda

Panda in Mandarin is xióngmāo, 'bear cat', a name first given to the red panda. In Taiwan many people flip the order and say 'cat bear' instead.

Q 03/05

In the classic Mandarin tone drill on the syllable 'ma', the dipping third-tone 'mǎ' names which animal?

A) Camel

B) Sheep

C) Horse

D) Dragon

Answer · why

C) Horse

Horse is mǎ, but change only the pitch and the same syllable becomes 'mother' (mā) or 'hemp' (má).

Q 04/05

Which number is prized as lucky in China because its Mandarin name, bā, sounds like the word for prospering?

A) Three

B) Five

C) Seven

D) Eight

Answer · why

D) Eight

Eight, bā, echoes fā, 'to prosper'. That is why Beijing opened its Summer Olympics on the eighth day of the eighth month of 2008.

Q 05/05

Which city, named 'northern capital' in Chinese, gave standard Mandarin its pronunciation?

A) Shanghai

B) Nanjing

C) Beijing

D) Guangzhou

Answer · why

C) Beijing

Beijing, the 'northern capital', got its name in 1403 to set it apart from Nanjing, the 'southern capital'. A national commission settled on its diale...