Why We Call It Japan, Not Nippon
Why do we call the "Land of the Rising Sun" Japan instead of its native Nippon? This linguistic puzzle opens up a fascinating world of endonyms (what locals call their…
Unlocking the Universe of Languages
Why do we call the "Land of the Rising Sun" Japan instead of its native Nippon? This linguistic puzzle opens up a fascinating world of endonyms (what locals call their…
In the patriarchal world of rural China, women were denied a voice—so they invented their own. Uncover the story of Nüshu, a secret script that became a lifeline of solidarity,…
Think "you" is simple? In English, it is, but Mandarin Chinese requires a more nuanced approach. The choice between the informal 你 (nǐ) and the formal 您 (nín) is just…
Why can you say "three dogs" in English, but speakers of Chinese, Japanese, and Mayan languages must use a special word to count almost everything? This post explores the world…
Mandarin is famously a tonal language, but what many learners quickly discover is that the tones they memorize often change in mysterious ways during conversation. This isn't a mistake—it's a…
Just as the West has its infamous mistranslation of Marie Antoinette’s “Let them eat cake”, the East too has seen its fair share of blunders....
Learning a new language is always a rewarding yet challenging endeavor, and Mandarin Chinese is no exception. Touted as one of the most difficult languages...
The quest to learn a new language can be a daunting task. This becomes particularly so when it comes to a language as complex as...