THE SPRING FESTIVAL 春节

It is the 24th. of January 2020 in the Gregorian calendar, It is also the Chinese new year’s eve(last day of the pig year) according to the Chinese

Lunar calendar.

This picture was well captured. Enjoy this view as you continue reading about chūnjié

Chūn jié literally means the beginning of Spring hence ‘the spring festival’

The Lunar new year (year of the rat) falls on the 25th. of January 2020. A week or so before the new year every family is busy with preparations which include general cleaning and buying of special gifts and foodstuff for the spring festival. Family members away from home plan to travel back home to celebrate with loved ones.

Chúxī is the Lunar new year’s eve, also referred to as dàniányè. On this night family members reunite and gather a table to happily share niányèfàn/tuán yuán fàn(special new year’s eve meal)

happy spring festival! 春节快乐

#throughtossieslens #mandarinwithtossie

The meal shared on dàniányè is the most sumptuous you will ever have in one year. All types of delicious Chinese food will be displayed on the family dining table for each member to help themselves to. Fish is a must-have, commonly know has nián nián yǒuyú. The yú here means plenty and not fish. yú is used to ask the new year to bring with it everything the family needs in plenty.

After the hearty meal and drinks, family members will chat as they await the new year. At midnight, it does not matter whether you’re in the village or in the city, everyone rises up to welcome the new year, some people will set off fireworks that add beauty to this wintry night.

During this period adults will give young children yāsuìqián(money given as Lunar new year’s gift ) Children are difinitely the happiest lot during these festivities, the good food, new clothes, and then the gifts!!

From the first day of the new year to the fifth, the Chinese will pay a visit to loved ones. Whenever they meet they will always say ‘gōngxǐ! gōngxǐ!’ or ‘xīnnian hǎo!’

We all agree that the spring festival is the most important holiday for the Chinese.

Live, Learn and Love!!

医院奇遇记

五天前真是经历了一场冒险！接到宝宝学校的电话，说他发烧了。于是我立刻进入超级妈妈模式，飞奔到学校，接上宝宝，直奔我们常去的医院——那里有宝宝健康诊所。

一切开始得很顺利：拿了票、进行了分诊、完成了登记。保安给我们了一张儿科就诊票，正好。然而，事情变得有趣了。在登记时，工作人员可能根据我们的付款方式给了我们另一张虚拟票。

我们坐着等，等啊等啊，一直在等。这期间我一直听到另一个票号被叫到，但我没理会，心想：“那不是我们的。” 殊不知……

医生最终开始在走廊里四处寻找，像在玩医院里的“马可波罗”游戏一样叫着我儿子的名字。最后他找到我们，问：“KK妈妈，你怎么没回应叫你的号呢？”

什么？我应该知道我们有一张秘密的虚拟票？显然心灵感应不是我的超能力！

长话短说，医生看了宝宝，回家了，我很高兴地报告，我的小家伙现在好多了。

那天的教训：在医院一定要仔细核对你的票号，也许还要练习一下心灵感应能力。

感谢大家的阅读和关心。

我们的小冠军三岁啦！分享给妈妈们的三个赋予力量的见解

Our little champion is three years old! Sharing three empowering insights for moms

大家好，亲爱的妈妈们！随着我们的宝贝们迈入了可爱的三岁，我很高兴与大家分享三个赋予力量的见解，它们为我的育儿旅程带来了无尽的欢乐。

Hello, fellow moms! As our little ones reach the delightful age of three, I’m excited to share three empowering insights that have brought so much joy to my parenting journey

1. 拥抱蓬勃发展的独立性: 首先，让我们庆祝我们三岁的宝贝们蓬勃发展的独立性！拥抱这个阶段，知道每个时刻都带来新的冒险和成长机会

Embrace the Blossoming Independence: First and foremost, let’s celebrate the blossoming independence of our three-year-olds! Gone are the days of constant clinginess. Instead, we’re greeted with curious explorers who are eager to discover the world around them. Embrace this phase with open arms, knowing that each moment brings new adventures and opportunities for growth.

2. 庆祝每一个里程碑，无论它发生的时间: 记住，亲爱的妈妈们，每一个里程碑都值得庆祝，无论它发生的时间。我们的孩子是独一无二的个体，每个人都在自己的发展之旅上。

Celebrate Every Milestone, No Matter the Timing: Remember, dear moms, every milestone is cause for celebration, regardless of when it happens. Our children are unique individuals, each on their own developmental journey. Let’s celebrate their achievements, big or small, and cherish the beauty of their individuality.

3. 相信你的直觉，用自己的方式育儿: 最后，相信你的直觉，用你觉得真实的方式育儿。在建议和意见的海洋中，记住你最了解你的孩子。

Trust Your Instincts and Parent Your Way: Lastly, trust your instincts and parent in a way that feels authentic to you. Amidst the sea of advice and opinions, remember that you know your child best. Follow your heart, nurture your bond, and don’t let external pressures dictate your parenting journey. Your love and care are the greatest gifts you can give.

这就是为我们三岁宝贝们带来的三个赋予力量的见解！拥抱这个旅程，庆祝每一个里程碑，并永远记住，你做得很好，妈妈！

So there you have it, three empowering insights for thriving through three! Embrace the journey, celebrate the milestones, and always remember, you’re doing an amazing job, mama!

肯尼亚洪灾之惑：共筑希望，共渡难关

Kěnníyà hóngzāi zhī huò: Gòng zhù xīwàng, gòng dù nánguān

洪水对肯尼亚内罗毕及其他地区居民造成了严重影响，这是一个令人关注的问题。洪水可能导致人员伤亡、房屋破坏以及基础设施损坏，给当地社区带来了巨大的困难。政府和国际社会需要共同努力，提供援助和支持，帮助受灾地区的人们度过难关，并采取措施减少未来洪灾的影响。在这种情况下，国家政府和县级政府应该加大力度，为受灾群众提供急需的帮助。他们可以通过提供紧急救援物资、提供临时住所、提供医疗援助以及重建受损基础设施等方式来支持受影响的人们。此外，政府还应该加强预防措施，包括改善排水系统、加强河道治理和提高灾害应对能力，以减少未来洪灾带来的影响.

洪水对肯尼亚内罗毕及其他地区居民造成了严重影响，这是一个令人关注的问题。

hóngshuǐ duì Kěnníyà nèiluóbǐ jí qítā dìqū jūmín zàochéngle yánzhòng yǐngxiǎng, zhè shì yīgè lìngrén guānzhù de wèntí.

洪水可能导致人员伤亡、房屋破坏以及基础设施损坏，给当地社区带来了巨大的困难。

hóngshuǐ kěnéng dǎozhì rényuán shāngwáng, fángwū pòhuài yǐjí jīchǔ shèshī sǔn huài, gěi dāngdì shèqū dàiláile jùdà de kùnnán.

政府和国际社会需要共同努力，提供援助和支持，帮助受灾地区的人们度过难关，并采取措施减少未来洪灾的影响。

zhèngfǔ hé guójì shèhuì xūyào gòngtóng nǔlì, tígōng yuánzhù hé zhīchí, bāngzhù shòuzāi dìqū de rénmen dùguò nànguān, bìng cǎiqǔ cuòshī jiǎnshǎo wèilái hóngzhài de yǐngxiǎng.

在这种情况下，国家政府和县级政府应该加大力度，为受灾群众提供急需的帮助。

zài zhè zhǒng qíngkuàng xià, guójiā zhèngfǔ hé xiànjí zhèngfǔ yīnggāi jiā dà lìdù, wèi shòuzāi qúnzhòng tígōng jíxū de bāngzhù.

他们可以通过提供紧急救援物资、提供临时住所、提供医疗援助以及重建受损基础设施等方式来支持受影响的人们。

tāmen kěyǐ tōngguò tígōng jǐnjí jiùyuán wùzī, tígōng línshí zhùsuǒ, tígōng yīliáo yuánzhù yǐjí chóngjiàn shòushāng jīchǔ shèshī děng fāngshì lái zhīchí shòuyǐngxiǎng de rénmen.

此外，政府还应该加强预防措施，包括改善排水系统、加强河道治理和提高灾害应对能力，以减少未来洪灾带来的影响.

cǐwài, zhèngfǔ hái yīnggāi jiāqiáng yùfáng cuòshī, bāokuò gǎishàn páishuǐ xìtǒng, jiāqiáng hédào zhìlǐ hé tígāo zāihài yìngduì nénglì, yǐ jiǎnshǎo wèilái hóngzhài dàilái de yǐngxiǎng.

In the midst of preparing to share this post, devastating news has emerged of a dam burst in Mai Mahiu , sweeping away homes. My heart goes out to all those affected by this tragedy. In addition to the ongoing challenges posed by floods, this latest incident further underscores the urgent need for support and solidarity with the affected communities. Let us join together in offering our deepest condolences and prayers for the victims and their families during this difficult time.

Measure Words

Let’s delve into another intriguing aspect of Mandarin Chinese: Measure Words

In Mandarin Chinese, nouns often require measure words when quantifying or counting objects. These measure words indicate the type or shape of the noun being counted.

Today we have ten commonly used Measure words and their uses:

1. 个 (gè): This is one of the most versatile measure words and can be used for counting people, objects, or abstract concepts. For example:
   • 一个人 (yī gè rén) – one person
   • 两个苹果 (liǎng gè píngguǒ) – two apples
   • 三个问题 (sān gè wèntí) – three questions
2. 本 (běn): Used for counting bound items such as books, magazines, or notebooks. For example:
   • 一本书 (yī běn shū) – one book
   • 两本杂志 (liǎng běn zázhì) – two magazines
   • 三本笔记本 (sān běn bǐjìběn) – three notebooks
3. 张 (zhāng): Used for counting flat, thin objects such as paper, sheets, or tickets. For example:
   • 一张纸 (yī zhāng zhǐ) – one piece of paper
   • 两张床 (liǎng zhāng chuáng) – two beds (referring to the bed sheet)
   • 三张门票 (sān zhāng ménpiào) – three tickets
4. 件 (jiàn): Generally used for counting articles of clothing or matters. For example:
   • 一件衬衫 (yī jiàn chènshān) – one shirt
   • 两件裤子 (liǎng jiàn kùzi) – two pairs of pants
   • 三件事情 (sān jiàn shìqíng) – three matters/things
5. 块 (kuài): Used for counting solid, chunky objects or items with no specific shape. For example:
   • 一块蛋糕 (yī kuài dàngāo) – one piece of cake
   • 两块肥皂 (liǎng kuài féizào) – two bars of soap
   • 三块石头 (sān kuài shítou) – three rocks
6. 辆 (liàng): Specifically used for counting vehicles. For example:
   • 一辆汽车 (yī liàng qìchē) – one car
   • 两辆自行车 (liǎng liàng zìxíngchē) – two bicycles
   • 三辆公交车 (sān liàng gōngjiāochē) – three buses
7. 只 (zhī): Used for counting animals, most commonly birds or small animals. For example:
   • 一只猫 (yī zhī māo) – one cat
   • 两只鸟 (liǎng zhī niǎo) – two birds
   • 三只兔子 (sān zhī tùzi) – three rabbits
8. 支 (zhī): Used for counting slender objects such as pens, pencils, or chopsticks. For example:
   • 一支笔 (yī zhī bǐ) – one pen
   • 两支铅笔 (liǎng zhī qiānbǐ) – two pencils
   • 三支筷子 (sān zhī kuàizi) – three chopsticks
9. 家 (jiā): Used for counting businesses or households. For example:
   • 一家公司 (yī jiā gōngsī) – one company
   • 两家餐馆 (liǎng jiā cānguǎn) – two restaurants
   • 三家家庭 (sān jiā jiātíng) – three families
10. 盘 (pán): Used for counting dishes of food. For example:

• 一条河 (yī tiáo hé) – one river
• 两条裤子 (liǎng tiáo kùzi) – two pairs of pants
• 三条道路 (sān tiáo dàolù) – three roads

These are just a few examples of common measure words in Mandarin Chinese. Feel free to ask any questions you may have and we can discuss further in my next vlog/blog post.

The giver is only Almighty. Thank you @Mohamed Hersi for sharing this.

Congratulations Sarova Hotels @50.

Warm water

What is your favorite drink?

I’ve noticed how what should be a basic necessity has sadly turned into a luxury for many communities, not just in Kenya but globally. According to water.org, out of Kenya’s 53 million population, approximately 28 million lack access to safe water, and a staggering 41 million lack improved sanitation facilities. It’s a sobering reality that warrants a deeper discussion for another time.

My affinity for warm water traces back to my time in a country where hot tea is more common than plain water. Adapting to local customs, I too embraced tea, but the intense heat was a challenge for me to handle daily. Thus, I found a simple solution: opting for warm water instead. While mastering the art of brewing tea remains a work in progress for me, the simplicity of warming water requires no expertise. Just a boil and a dash of cold water, and voila – warm water on demand. Ingenious, isn’t it?

Revitalize Your Mandarin Learning Journey: Finding Motivation Amidst Challenges

Welcome back, Mandarin learners! It’s natural to hit a motivational slump on your language learning journey, but fear not – we’re here to reignite that passion for mastering Mandarin with renewed enthusiasm. In this post, let’s explore some effective strategies to rediscover your motivation and make your language learning experience more fulfilling than ever.

1. Reflect on Your Progress:
   Begin by celebrating your achievements, no matter how small. Reflect on the progress you’ve made since starting your Mandarin learning journey. Remind yourself of the goals you’ve accomplished, and use these successes as fuel to propel you forward.
2. Set Realistic Goals:
   Reevaluate your language learning goals and make sure they are realistic and attainable. Break down larger objectives into smaller, manageable tasks. Setting achievable milestones will boost your confidence and keep you motivated throughout the learning process.
3. Explore Diverse Learning Resources:
   Spice up your routine by exploring a variety of Mandarin learning resources. From interactive apps to engaging podcasts and online courses, discovering new materials can make the learning experience more enjoyable. Share your newfound resources with the Tossie community to inspire others.
4. Connect with Language Peers:
   Language learning is often more enjoyable when shared with others. Seek out language exchange partners or join online communities where you can connect with fellow Mandarin learners. Sharing experiences, challenges, and successes creates a supportive network that can rekindle your passion for the language.
5. Embrace Cultural Immersion:
   Immerse yourself in Mandarin beyond just the language. Dive into Mandarin-speaking movies, music, and literature. Explore Chinese cuisine, traditions, and festivities. Connecting with the culture can provide a deeper appreciation for the language and add an exciting dimension to your learning journey.

Conclusion:
Don’t let the challenges of language learning dampen your enthusiasm. Rediscover your motivation by celebrating achievements, setting realistic goals, exploring diverse resources, connecting with peers, and embracing cultural immersion. The journey to mastering Mandarin is an exciting adventure – let’s embark on it together with renewed energy and passion. Share your own tips and experiences in the comments below, and let’s inspire each other to excel in our Mandarin language learning endeavors!

African Countries and their Mandarin names

Being African is a blessing and our motherland is blessed.

Let’s learn the names of The United States of Africa in Mandarin Chinese. Let me know if you think like myself and believe African countries should come together and become one.

List African countries by population(2020) according to

1. Nigeria~尼日利亚 ní rì lì yà
2. Ethiopia~埃色俄比亚 āi sè é bǐ yà
3. Egypt~埃及āi jí
4. Democratic Republic of Congo~刚果民主共和国 gāng guǒ mín zhǔ gòng hé guó
5. Tanzania~坦桑尼亚 tǎn sāng ní yà
6. South Africa~南非 nán fēi
7. Kenya~肯尼亚 kěn ní yà
8. Uganda~乌干达wū gān dá
9. Algeria~阿尔及利亚ā ěr jí lì yà
10. Sudan~苏丹sū dān
11. Morocco~摩洛哥mó luò gē
12. Angola~ ān gē lā
13. Mozambique~莫桑比克mò sāng bǐ kè
14. Ghana~加纳 jiā nà
15. Somalia~索马里 suǒ mǎ lǐ
16. Ivory Coast~象牙海岸 xiàng yá hǎi àn
17. Madagascar~马达加斯加岛mǎ dá jiā sī jiā dǎo
18. Cameroon~喀麦隆 kā mài lóng
19. Burkina Faso~布基纳法索 bù jī nà fǎ suǒ
20. Niger~尼日尔 ní rì ěr
21. Malawi~马拉维 mǎ lā wéi
22. Zambia~赞比亚 zàn bǐ yà
23. Mali~马里 mǎ lǐ
24. Senegal~塞内加尔 sāi nèi jiā ěr
25. Zimbabwe~津巴布韦 jīn bā bù wéi
26. Chad~乍得 zhà dé
27. Tunisia~突尼斯 tū ní sī
28. Guinea~几内亚 jǐ nèi yà
29. Rwanda~卢旺达 lú wàng dá
30. Benin~贝宁 bèi níng
31. Burundi~布隆迪 bù lóng dí
32. South Sudan~南苏丹 nán sū dān
33. Eritrea~厄立特里亚国 è lì tè lǐ yà guó
34. Sierra Leone~塞拉利昂 sāi lǎ lì áng
35. Togo~多哥 duō gē
36. Libya~利比亚 lì bǐ yà
37. Central Africa Republic~中非共和国 zhōng fēi gòng hé guó
38. Mauritania~毛里塔尼亚 máo lǐ tǎ ní yà
39. Republic of Congo~刚果共和国 gāng guǒ gòng hé guó
40. Liberia~利比里亚lì bǐ lǐ yà
41. Namibia~纳米比亚 nà mǐ bǐ yà
42. Botswana~博茨瓦纳 bó cí wǎ nà
43. Lesotho~莱索托lái suǒ tuō
44. The Gambia~冈比亚共和国 gāng bǐ yà gòng hé guó
45. Gabon~加蓬 jiā péng
46. Guinea Bissau~几内亚比绍 jǐ nèi yà bǐ shào
47. Mauritius~毛里求斯 máo lǐ qiú sī
48. Eswatini/Swaziland~ 斯威士兰sī wēi shì lán
49. Equatorial Guinea~赤道几内亚chì dào jǐ nèi yà
50. Djibouti~吉布提jí bù tí
51. Comoros~科摩罗kē mó luó
52. Cape Verde~佛得角fó dé jiǎo
53. Sao Tome and Principe 圣多美与普林希比共和国shèng duō měi yú pǔ lín xī bǐ gòng hé guó
54. Seychelles~塞舌尔 sài shé ěr

I have noticed there are a few more countries I left out;

Reunioun

Western Sahara

Mayotte

Saint Helena

Comment if you know their official Chinese names.

Thank you for reading this far.

 

 

 

 

 

Word Order part 1-Mandarin Chinese

Hello！ 你好！

How are you doing? Life went from a hundred to zero in a blink of an eye!Corona virus disease should leave us all alone. Share with me what you are doing to remain sane and positive this season.

I want to believe y’all doing good, taking care of yourself and your loved ones. My prayers are with those who’ve lost a family member, a friend or just anybody you know to this virus. We shall overcome!

Today we will dive in to the pool of Mandarin Chinese grammar. Yeah the most boring thing while studying any language. Do not leave yet, answer the question below and things won’t be boring anymore.

Do you confuse these three pronouns in Mandarin?

我 wǒ， 你nǐ ， 他/她/它 tā

I have a video illustrating which is which over on my youtube channel.Click to watch and please subscribe to see more uploads.

我 is I/me/myself

你 is you

他 is he/him and 她 is she/her 它 is it.

Those are three simple pronouns that you should master to be able to have the simplest of conversations with chinese speakers. Look out for a post elaborating more on these and the other pronouns.

A sentence consists of elements that generallly make up the sentence structure. The list below has all the six elements with underlined examples in sentences;

1. 主语zhǔ yǔ~this is the subject in a sentence. for example; (i)我喜欢苹果(wǒ xǐhuān pingguǒ) I like apples. (ii)你在看我的视频(nǐ zài kàn wǒ de shìpín)You are watching my video. (iii) 他/她睡觉(tā shuìjiào) (iv)他去肯尼亚了(tā qù kěnníyǎle) He/She went to Kenya.(v)今天是星期三(jīntiān shì xīngqísān) Today is Wednesday (vi)这里是我家(zhèlǐ shì wǒ jiā) Here is my home (vii)手机没电了(shǒujī méi diàn le) The phone has no charge (viii)今年发现冠状肺炎(jīnnián fāxiàn guānzhuàng fèiyán) The Corona virus disease was discovered this year.
2. 谓语wèi yǔ ~ this is element that says something about 主语.It is the predicate. For example (i)我是Tossie (ii)她看电影 iii今年发现冠状病毒了
3. 宾语bīn yǔ~ this is the object in a sentece, it is the elemnt affected by the action (i)他去肯尼亚了
4. 定语dìng yǔ~this is a modifierfor the subject or the object
5. 状语zhuàng yǔ it is described as an adverbial modifier.
6. 补语bǔ yǔ~It refers to the complement that describes a verb or adjective.

Let’s now look at the Rules governing Chinese word order, one of the most important factors of grammar.

1.Subject+Predicate+Object

2.Attributive comes before Subject or Predicate

3. Adverbial comes before a verbal predicate or the adjective predicate

4. Complement comes after the verbal predicate or adjective predicate

That was complicated to put together, I hope you have learnt something nonetheless. Let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you for reading this far…:-)

Let’s be internet friends. Links to meeting me on these social media streets are below.

http://facebook.com/Chinerechi

Tweets by Tossietos

Must Know-Mandarin Chinese Basic Knowledge

If you are sitting there wondering where to start your mandarin Chinese course, beat yourself up no more. Here is a break down of what this interesting and most spoken language in the world entails.

Read through and let me know if you have any questions.

Each 汉子(hàn zi) has one syllable. A syllable with a 声调 (shēng diào) is what you use to pronounce chinese words. Let’s look at a syllable in detail;

It’s made up of three parts.

1.Initial 声母(shēng mǔ) 2.Final 韵母(yùn mǔ) and 3.Tone 声调 (shēng diào)

for example; w+ǒ= wǒ 我 which means I/Me/Myself

Note: Not all syllables have initials.

Can you guess which ones are the initials and which ones are the finals?

In the English language we have consonants and vowels. You can equate intials to consonants and finals to vowels.

Initials are shown in table 1 below:

To be able to pronounce the initials a final is added to it but in this case we do not form a syllable but the name of the initial.

[Initial] +[o]	[Initial] +[e]	[Initial] +[e]	[Initial] + [i]	[Initial] +[i]	[Initial]+ [i]
b	d	g	j	zh	z
p	t	k	q	ch	c
m	n	h	x	sh	s
f	l			r

Table 1

Finals are shown in table 2 below

a

ai

ao

an

ang

e

ei

en

eng

o

ou

ong

i

ia

iao

ian

iang

ie

in

ing

iou

iong

u

ua

uai

uan

uang

uei

uen

ueng

uo

ü

üan

üe

ün

Table 2

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It is a little bit complicated but do not worry. Keep reading, your girl here will break it down to small bites.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2