Chinese or Mandarin

Chinese or Mandarin - What's the Difference? (If Any!)

Strictly speaking, the terms "Chinese" and "Mandarin" have a different meaning. Infact, Mandarin is just one of the Chinese dialects spoken in China, actually the most spoken and the official language of the People's Republic of China. That's why often the term "Chinese" is a synonym of "Mandarin".

Here at WearYourChineseName^TM we strictly adhere to the official, standard Beijing pronunciation, that is to Mandarin Chinese pronunciation. Interestingly, the term "Mandarin Chinese" refers only to the spoken language. The Chinese characters used to write are the same no matter which dialect is used to read them.

Here at WearYourChineseName.com you learn Mandarin Chinese starting from the most frequently used words and characters. We discovered that if you learn only the most commonly used 152 (out of 50,000) Chinese characters, you'll know 50% of all Chinese language usage! And if you know the 1,000 most commonly used ones, you'll know 89% of all spoken and written Chinese!

For example, consider the following Chinese text (the characters belonging to the list of 1,000 most commonly used Chinese characters are highlighted in yellow -
for the list of the most frequently used Chinese characters click here):

从小学会勤劳。良好的工作习惯并非出于偶然，而是从小学会的。因此，圣经敦促父母们：“要教孩子走合宜的路，这样他到老也不偏离。”（箴言22：6）好父母不但树立良好的工作态度，还会按着孩子的年龄，分派适当的家务给他们，从小训练他们。孩子也许对家庭杂务感到不快，但他们终久看出，自己是家中有用的成员，特别是他们把工作做好、受到爸妈称赞的时候。只可惜，有些父母宠坏了孩子，不让孩子亲手劳动。这些父母最好想想箴言29：21的话：“人把仆人[或孩子]从小娇纵惯了，仆人长大后必忘恩负义。”  尽责的父母也要关注孩子的学校教育，敦促他们专心向学。这就为孩子长大后工作，打下良好的基础。慎于择业。圣经没有规定我们从事什么样的工作，却提出一些优良指引，使我们的灵性长进，传道职务和其他重要责任不致受到影响。譬如，使徒保罗写道：“时候不多了。从今以后，……享用世上东西的，该像不尽情享用，因为这个世界的景象不断改变。”（哥林多前书7：29-31）在目前这个制度中，没有什么是恒常不变的。如果我们把全副精神、全部时间投入其中，这就等如把一生积蓄投资在一所建于洪水多发地带的房子一样。这是多么的不智！明智的人知道，目前制度已余日“不多了”，人“尽情享用”世界的话，必然有失望和后悔的一天。（约翰一书2：15-17）

The text above is composed by a total of 451 characters. 415 of them (92%), highlighted in yellow, belong to the list of 1,000 most commonly used Chinese characters -
for the list of the most frequently used Chinese characters click here.

English translation:

Trained From Childhood to Esteem Work. Good work habits do not come about by accident; they are learned early in life. Hence, the Bible exhorts parents: "Train up a boy [or girl] according to the way for him; even when he grows old he will not turn aside from it." (Proverbs 22:6) Besides setting a good example as workers themselves, wise parents begin training their little ones by giving them tasks around the home appropriate to their age. Even though children may chafe at some chores, they will come to see themselves as valued members of the family—especially when Mom and Dad commend them for a job well done. Sadly, some parents do virtually everything for their offspring, perhaps out of mistaken kindness. Such parents do well to reflect on Proverbs 29:21, which says: "If one is pampering one’s servant [or offspring] from youth on, in his later life he will even become a thankless one." Conscientious parents also take a keen interest in their children’s schooling, encouraging them to learn and to work hard while at school. This can stand young ones in good stead later when they enter the work force. Be Wise in Your Choice of Work. While not telling us what kind of work to pursue, the Bible gives us fine guidelines so that our spiritual advancement, service to God, and other important responsibilities are not compromised. For example, the apostle Paul wrote: "The time left is reduced. Henceforth let those .　.　. making use of the world [be] as those not using it to the full; for the scene of this world is changing." (1　Corinthians 7:29-31) There is nothing permanent or completely stable in the present system of things. Giving all our time and energy to it is like investing our entire life’s savings in a house that is built in a flood zone. What an imprudent investment! Other Bible translations render the phrase "not using it to the full" as "not become engrossed in it" and "not fully occupied with them." (The Jerusalem Bible; Today’s English Version) Wise people never lose sight of the fact that the time "is reduced" for the present system and that to be "engrossed," or "fully occupied," in it will inevitably lead to disappointment and regret.—1　John 2:15-17.

List of different Chinese characters contained in the text above:

从小学会勤劳良好的工作习惯并非出于偶然而是因此圣经敦促父母们要教孩子走合宜路这样他到老也不偏离箴言但树立态度还按着年龄分派适当家务给训练许对庭杂感快终久看自己中有用成员特别把做受爸妈称赞时候只可惜些宠坏了让亲手动最想话人仆或娇纵长大后必忘恩负义尽责关注校育专心向就为打下基础慎择业没规定我事什么却提一优指引使灵性进传道职和其重任致影响譬如徒保罗写多今以享世上东西该像情个界景象断改变哥林前书在目制恒常果全副精神部间投入等生积蓄资所建洪水发地带房智明知已余日失望悔天约翰

If you want to learn Chinese or Mandarin, go now to the following page containing the most frequently used characters - click here.