Chinese Slang is my favorite thing to teach because there is so much meaning contained in the phrases. This week I taught my students two Chinese slang phrases because they contain the same word/character in them.

That character is: 底 (Dǐ). What does it mean?
底 (Dǐ): bottom, underneath, underside.
You will find this in the first phrase at the very end of it.

Chinese Slang Phrase 1: 心里没底 (Xīn lǐ méi dǐ)
When you’re first learning a new language there is one thing you are always absolutely sure of: You’re not sure. Trying to remember a word? Still not sure? That is most of my beginner students most of the time in class. Don’t worry, you’re not the only one! A lot of us are unsure about a lot of things in life. So if you can learn how to say this word in Mandarin you are able to communicate a lot about what you’re feeling.

Chinese Slang Phrase 2: 底子薄 (Dǐzi báo).
This next Chinese slang word I use a lot when describing my students. I use it to categorize mostly the new students, whether they are learning English or Chinese. It’s common for a lot of my students to walk into their first class in either language with a very poor foundation for the language of choice. I, as a teacher, need to start from the very bottom with them, helping to build their skills brick by brick. Here’s a good way to say that in Chinese:

底子薄 (Dǐzi báo): have a poor foundation to start with.
底子 (Dǐzi): foundation.
薄 (Báo): thin, weak, poor.

Example:
Jack de yīngwén dǐzi báo.
Jack 的   英  文   底子 薄。
Jack has a poor foundation in English.

You can also use this to describe...Read More

        Nǐ de bìyè lùnwén xiě de zěnme yàng le?
Jack: 你 的 毕业 论  文   写 得   怎 么    样  了？

       Wǒ yǐjīng xiě wán le, dànshì xiě de hǎo bù hǎo, zhège wǒ xīnlǐ méi dǐ.
Lily:  我   已经  写   完  了，但 是  写 得   好   不  好， 这 个  我 心里 没  底。

Which of the following statements is true?