An Academic Portfolio Presented to
Mr. Melchor Semblante Melchor, CTP, CMLT, CELT of the
University of the Visayas
In Partial Fulfillment of the Course Requirements for
FLANG 2 – Mandarin Language
MS. BETH AIMEE M. BOTE
May 19, 2023
Acknowledgment
I would like to express and extend my heartfelt appreciation to everyone who
contributed to the success of this Course Portfolio.
First and foremost, I want to thank and honor God, the Almighty, for providing me with
guidance and strength, allowing me to complete my Flang 2 Mandarin Language subject
despite the difficulties I've encountered.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my Flang 2 Mandarin Language
instructor, Mr. Melchor S. Melchor. I can’t thank him enough for his professional guidance
and valuable support. This portfolio would not have existed without his constant
encouragement and guidance.
I would like to thank my cousins, Kristine Wendy Mae Montecillo and Montessa Lauron,
for their unwavering support in my endeavors and for being helpful individuals throughout
the creation of this course portfolio. I would like to thank them for taking the time to review
my work and ensure that I'm doing my best. I couldn't have done it without their help.
I would like to thank my classmates and friends for their incredible generosity, support,
and assistance, which has greatly inspired and encouraged me. I appreciate their generosity
in allowing me to ask questions about the portfolio and for constantly reminding me that I
can do and complete this portfolio.
Last but not least, I owe my parents a sincere debt of gratitude for their unwavering
encouragement, many hours of motivation, and unwavering support in all of my attempts, as
well as for assisting me in achieving this difficult goal. I appreciate your prayers, concern, and
sacrifices to help me complete my course portfolio.
To all of you! THANK YOU VERY MUCH. TO GOD BE THE GLORY.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgement
Output 1: Summary of Learnings
Lesson 1 – Introduction to Pinyin
Lesson 2 – Greetings and Everyday Expression
Lesson 3 – Making Introduction
Lesson 4 – Numbers
Lesson 5 – Family Members
Lesson 6 – Telling Time
Lesson 7 – Directions
Output 2: Chinese Culminating Activity Documentation and Reflection
References
Output 1: Summary of Learnings
Lesson 1 – Introduction to Pinyin
The first lesson focuses on introduction to pinyin. It is the first thing you should learn
when learning Chinese Mandarin. This lesson taught me that pinyin is a phonetic system that
uses the Latin alphabet to spell Chinese names and words based on their pronunciation.
Pinyin means "spell sound", and it spells the sound of Chinese characters, allowing for more
accurate pronunciation and making it easier to learn.
The illustration below depicts the initials and final sounds.
Pinyin uses the same letters as the English alphabet, with the exception of the letter v
and the addition of ū. Except for the following consonants, all of the consonants represent
the same sound as they do in English. The letters b, d, and g are actually unaspirated versions
of p, t, and k. This simply means that they are pronounced similarly to the letters p, t, and k.
The letters q, x, z, and c are pronounced similarly to the letters ch, sh, ds, and ts in the words
cheap, she, suds, and cats. The retroflex initials are the letters zh, ch, sh, and r, which means
they should be pronounced with the tongue curled backwards. I've learned throughout the
lesson that because pinyin was designed to represent phonetics, it is completely consistent
in how combination s or initials and finals should be pronounced. There are a few conventions
and shortcuts to be aware of, however. The finals ui, un, and iu are actually shortcuts for uei,
uen, and iou, respectively, and should always be pronounced as such. When it comes after
the letters j, q, x, or y, the letter ū is written simply as a u (no ūmlaut). The letter i represents
three distinct sounds, depending on the initial that comes before it. It sounds like "zz" when
it comes after the initials (z, c, s). It sounds like "rr" when it comes after the retroflex initials
(zh, ch, sh, and r). In all other cases, it sounds like "ee" in English.
While pinyin provides the foundation for Mandarin pronunciation and will help us learn
Mandarin more easily, knowing and learning the tones is also useful because there are many
words with the same sound and tones help to clarify the meaning of words. Mandarin Chinese
has four tones and one neutral tone. They are used in conjunction with Pinyin to indicate the
sound of each word through the use of numbers or tone marks.
The illustration below depicts the application of each tone.
mā (flat and smooth)
má (from low to high)
mǎ (from very low to high, like ah-huh)
mà (like a firm no!)
ma (short and light tone)
Bai Juyi wrote a poem called Song of the Palace. The illustration below depicts the poem along
with an English translation.
Lesson 2 – Greetings and Everyday Expression
The second lesson focuses on greetings and everyday expressions. It is critical to
understand basic Chinese grammar. I've discovered that mandarin grammar is relatively
simple, with no verb conjugations, plurals, articles, or gender or tenses.
For example:
wǒ chī píngguǒ
I – wǒ (Subject)
Eat – chī (Verb)
Apples – píngguǒ (Object)
“Shì” is verb to be.
“Shì” is followed by a noun which defines the subject.
“Shì” is not normally followed by an adjective on its own.
For example:
This is a computer. zhè shì diànnǎo
In English, asking a (ma) question is similar to asking a yes or no question. Simply add
the particle ma at the end of the statement to create a (ma) question. That is, any statement
can be converted into a question.
For example:
Do you like coffee? Nǐ xǐhuān kāfēi ma?
How do you ask what something is? Shénme is the interrogative word for what.
For example:
What is this? zhè shì shénme?
The illustration below depicts the Chinese pronouns and common Chinese phrases I've
learned in this lesson, particularly when greeting someone.
Lesson 3 – Making Introduction
The third lesson is all about making introductions. I've learned that a shi sentence is one
in which the main verb is (well, obviously) the verb "shi", which is best translated as "to be"
or "is". Shi is typically used to identify people or objects. The subject and object positions
cannot be reversed. The sentence is constructed as follows: subject + shi + object.
Examples:
Wǒ shì lǎoshī I am a teacher.
Zhè shì diànnǎo This is a computer.
Connect with adjectives by using hen. This type of Chinese sentence does not require a
verb. Instead, they usually include an adverb between the subject and the adjective, such as
hen, which means very in English.
For example:
tā hǎo gāo He is very tall
Negation in Chinese is basically just two words: (bù) and (méi). While bù is frequently
used to negate things in the present or future tense, méi is used to negate things in the past.
Keep in mind that shi cannot be negated by méi/yǒu, and yǒu cannot be negated by bù.
We use bù to negate an action performed in the present, in the future, or as a habitual action.
Examples:
Wǒ jīntiān wǎnshang bù hējiǔ. Tonight I’m not going to drink.
Wǒ zhīdào zhège zhōumò bù xiàyǔ. I know it’s not going to rain this weekend.
Wǒ bù chī ròu. I don’t eat meat.
We use méi to negate yǒu - méiyǒu - and means that one "does not have".
For example:
Wǒ méiyǒu qián. I don’t have money.
The examples below clearly show the formal and informal way in doing self introductions.
FORMAL INFORMAL
Pinyin: Nǐ hǎo. Wǒ shì Beth Pinyin: Nǐ hǎo. Wǒ shì Beth.
Aimee Bote. Wǒ shì mǐ shā Wǒ jīn nián èr shí èr suì. Wǒ
yān dàxué zhǔ xiàoqū de shì fēilǜbīn rén. Wǒ yǒu hěn
xuéshēng. duō ài hào, wǒ zuì xǐ huān de
In English: Hello. My name is shì lǚ yóu. Hěn gāo xìng rèn
Beth Aimee Bote. I am a shì nǐ men.
student of University of the In English: Hello. My name is
Visayas Main Campus. Beth. I am 22 years old. I am
Filipino. I have many hobbies,
and my favourite is travel.
Very happy to meet all of you.
Lesson 4 – Numbers
The fourth lesson is all about Chinese numbers. Throughout this topic, I've discovered
that Chinese numbers are known for being simple and logical. The numbers 1 through 9 are
all one syllable long, and the counting system follows a logical and simple sentence structure.
Chinese Numbers 1 to 10
Chinese Numbers 11 to 96
Chinese Numbers 100’s and 1000’s
The hundreds and thousands in Chinese numbers 100 and 1000 are slightly more
complicated than the chinese numbers up to 100.
Arabic Chinese Pinyin
100 百 bǎi
1000 千 qiān
The Chinese character for zero is pronounced as líng. When there are one or more 0s
in the middle of the number as placeholders, this is used. It is only required if there are non-
zero digits following the 0 or 0's. As a result, líng is only pronounced when it is between two
numbers other than 0.
Chinese Numbers 1,000 to 100,000,000
Chinese Numbers 100 Million +
Arabic Chinese Pinyin
100,000,000 一亿 yī yì
100,000,001 一亿零一 yī yì líng yī
200,000,010 二亿零一十 èr yì líng yī shí
1 billion 一十亿 yī shí yì
10 billion 一百亿 yī bǎi yì
100 billion 一千亿 yī qiān yì
1 trillion 一万亿 yī wàn yì
Lesson 5 – Family Members
The fifth lesson is about family members. Throughout this lesson, I've learned that the
family institution in China is extremely strong. China places a high value on family ties,
particularly the parent-child relationship. Because Chinese people emphasize that children
should respect their elders, age difference is the most important factor in determining what
to call a family member.
The table below contains some Chinese phrases that all parents say.
English Pinyin
Be careful. Xiǎoxīn diǎn.
Be quiet. Ānjìng.
I love you. Wǒ ài nǐ.
Do your homework! Qù zuò gōngkè.
Stop. Tíng xiàlái.
Behave. Guījǔ diǎn.
Go to bed. Shàngchuáng shuìjiào.
The illustration below depicts family member terms and other basics.
I also learned new terms for extended family members, which are listed in the table below.
English Pinyin
Grandparents zǔ fù mǔ
Paternal grandpa yé ye; zǔ fù
Paternal grandma nǎi nai; zǔ mǔ
Maternal grandpa wài gong; lǎo ye
Maternal grandma wài pó; lǎo lao
Father’s older brother bó bo
Father’s younger brother shū shu
Father’s sister’s husband gū fu
Mother’s brother jiù jiu
Mother’s sister’s husband yí fu
Father’s sister gū gu
Father’s older brother’s wife bó mǔ
Father’s younger brother’s wife shěn shen
Mother’s sister yí mā
Mother’s brother’s wife jiù ma
Younger girl cousin biǎo mèi
Older girl cousin biǎo jiě
Younger boy cousin biǎo dì
Family Member Terms as a Married Person are listed in the table below.
English Pinyin
Spouse pèi ǒu; Ài rén
Husband zhàng fū
Wife qī zi
Children hái zi
Son Ér zi
Daughter nǚ’ér
Lesson 6 – Telling Time
The sixth lesson is all about telling time. Time is extremely important in our daily lives.
Knowing how to tell the time in Chinese can be extremely useful when scheduling meetings,
making travel plans, meeting up with friends, or simply sharing your story. I've discovered
that the Chinese word for time is (shí jiān). The rules for telling the time in Mandarin Chinese
are all simple and straightforward.
How to ask time? The table below shows how to ask time in Chinese, along with an English
translation.
English Pinyin
What time is it? Xiàn zài jǐ diǎn le
Do you have the time, please? Qǐng wèn nǐ zhī dào xiàn zài de shí jiān ma?
Following that, I've learned the Hours in Chinese. People in China are accustomed to
the 24-hour clock. To master telling the time in Mandarin Chinese, we must first learn two
key vocabulary words:
English Pinyin
Hour xiǎo shí
O’clock diǎn zhōng
To express any hour, simply say the number first and then add (diǎn) / (diǎn zhōng) right after.
For example:
It’s three o’clock would be sān diǎn or sān diǎn zhōng.
The Minutes in Chinese are the next thing I've learned. fēn zhōng is one of the most
important time words in Chinese, meaning "minute," and is usually shortened to fēn which
means the same thing.
For example:
It’s 3:18 right now. Xiàn zài shì sān diǎn shí bā fēn.
The next thing I discovered was the division of hours into minutes.
(diǎn bàn) – half
It’s half past six. Xiàn zài shì liù diǎn bàn
(yī kè) – quarter
It’s a quarter past two. Xiàn zài shì liǎng diǎn yí kè
The table below shows lists of Chinese words for telling time.
Lesson 7 – Directions
The seventh lesson is all about directions. One of the practical skills we must learn in life
is how to ask for and give directions. It's also one of the survival skills we should learn before
visiting a new place, and this is where I've learned something new.
On the Map, it's always a good idea to look at a map to see where things are, which
necessitates knowing the basic vocabulary for reading maps, such as north, south, east, and
west in Chinese.
The table below shows the Cardinal Directions.
English Pinyin
North Běi
South Nán
East Dōng
West Xī
Intercardinal directions are the directions that connect the four basic cardinal directions. The
four most commonly used are as follows:
English Pinyin
Northeast Dōngběi
Southeast Dōngnán
Northwest Xīběi
Southwest Xīnán
When we finally get on the road, we'll need to know more position and location words,
such as left and right in Chinese, front and back in Chinese, and others, in order to navigate
and communicate.
The illustration below shows the other Direction words.
When it comes to locating and describing specific locations in Chinese, we should be
familiar with the basic vocabulary for landmarks. This is especially useful when giving or
receiving driving directions in Chinese.
The table below shows some basic vocabulary for landmarks and directions.
In the City
English Pinyin
Park Gōngyuán
Mall Shāngchǎng
Airport Jīchǎng
Bus stop Gōngjiāochē zhàn
Hospital Yīyuàn
Bank Yínháng
Subway station Dìtiě zhàn
On the Road
English Pinyin
Traffic light Hónglǜdēng
Corner Guǎijiǎo
Sign Zhǐshì pái
Parking spot Tíngchē wèi
Intersection Lùkǒu
Crosswalk Bānmǎ xiàn
In a Building
English Pinyin
Main gate dàmén
Stairs lóutī
Information desk wènxún chù
Output 2: Chinese Culminating Activity Documentation and Reflection
On May 12, 2023, the HM and TM students in the Foreign Language subject, in
collaboration with the MICE Management and Catering Management subjects, held an open
culminating activity called Tourism and Hospitality: An Open Culminating Activities '23, which
featured various Chinese performances. The culminating activity in Chinese allows student
performers to synthesize knowledge and skills acquired over time and demonstrate what they
have learned through performance.
During the event, I wasn't sure if our performance would be a success or not. We were
the fourth presenters, and I couldn't explain how I felt at the time. It was so smooth and
perfect during our performance. We didn't make a single mistake in our moves. As our
performance came to a close, I was relieved that it had been a fantastic performance and that
each member of our group had performed so well.
Finally, the Tourism and Hospitality: An Open Culminating Activities '23 gave me a lot more
realizations than I had expected, especially about Chinese performances, and I want to thank
our FLANG 2 instructor Mr. Melchor S. Melchor for that. I will continue to learn more about
the Chinese language, culture, and performances. This experience has greatly aided me in the
future application of the knowledge and skills I've gained.
References
Basic Chinese Grammar and Sentence Structures. https://ltl-xian.com/basic-chinese-
grammar/
Telling Time in Chinese. https://improvemandarin.com/tell-time-in-chinese/
http://www.chinese-poems.com/bo1.html
https://www.blitznotes.org/ib/.mandarin-ab/numbers.html
https://www.fluentu.com/blog/chinese/chinese-question-words/
https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/some-common-chinese-phrases--447474912946368447/
https://www.writtenchinese.com/you-me-this-that-pronouns-in-chinese/
https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Comparingbuandmei
https://www.touchchinese.com/learn-chinese-online/how-to-count-numbers-in-
chinese.html
https://blogs.transparent.com/chinese/chinese-family-tree/
