Chinese I

Immerse yourself in the beauty of the Chinese language and the richness of its diverse cultures. In the Chinese I course; you will learn beginning vocabulary and some supporting grammar skills to help build basic fluency and language proficiency. Emphasis is placed on proficient communication skills and an introduction to reading and writing is also included. In addition, you will explore the culture and apply what you learn through novice written practice, listening, reading, and speaking exercises. 

Major Concepts:

• • Identify and use titles, greetings, and basic introductions. 
  • Describe how to greet others, based on the Chinese culture, and compare to one’s own. 
  • Identify and use numbers 0–30 when related to the topics of phone number and age. 
  • Identify and apply question words to ask and answer questions. 
  • Describe how life varies and is similar in a Chinese American community, Hong Kong, and Northern China. 
  • Describe personal and physical characteristics. 
  • Describe food and drink as well as preferences. 
  • Identify and apply tea culture and traditional foods in the Chinese culture. 
  • Describe table manners and dining etiquette in the Chinese culture. 
  • Identify and use restaurant vocabulary, methods of payments, and numbers 30–99. 
  • Identify borrowed food words in Chinese and Chinese food items with Western concepts. 
  • Describe your immediate family, extended family, and family traditions. 
  • Express dates, including birthdays and seasons. 
  • Describe family and cultural celebrations in the past and present. 
  • Identify Chinese minority ethnic groups, national identity, and patriarchal society. 
  • Identify and apply the use of the pinyin initials “h,” “sh,” “j,” “c,” “ch,” “x,” “q,” “g,” “n,” “zh,” and “z” and the pinyin finals “ou,” “ai,” “e,” “ou,” “ai,” “ao,” “eng,” “ie,” “uo,” “an,” “ei,” “en,” “iao,” “ong,” “un,” and “ing.” 
  • Identify and use school schedules, days, months, school materials, and clothing. 
  • Use classroom vocabulary, school supplies, and telling time on a schedule in writing. 
  • Describe clothing used for school and different seasons/weather. 
  • Compare and contrast school systems and routines. 
  • Identify parts of a house, and describe home characteristics. 
  • Talk about household furniture and chores, using verbs and prepositions. 
  • Identify and apply some rules for feng shui. 
  • Understanding cooking methods, utensils, and cooking routines in China. 
  • Identify the common compositions and furniture items as well as responsibilities around the house in urban and rural China. 
  • Identify and use city, town, pastimes, sports, and music vocabulary. 
  • Compare and contrast popular pastimes in China. 
  • Identify Chinese music genres and the music culture in China. 
  • Use a map to identify and provide the locations of different buildings in a community, using prepositions. 
  • Compare and contrast downtown city layouts in China and in the U.S. 
  • Identify and use specialty store and shopping vocabulary. 
  • Identify and use modes of transportation vocabulary. 
  • Give suggestions and use tag questions to talk about plans and travel. 
  • Describe how life varies and is similar in Taiwan, Southern China, and Beijing. 
  • Identify and apply the use of the pinyin initials “k,” “w,” “t,” “m,” “f,” “y,” “d,” “s,” “l,” “p,” “b,” and “r” and the pinyin finals “a,” “ue,” “ang,” “u,” “uan,” “ian,” “ui,” “iang,” “ia,” “in,” “uai,” “iu,” “u,” and “er.”