Chinese Language Modules
Welcome to our Chinese modules. Here we have a lot of resources for you to learn regarding interviews in Chinese.
In the Chinese language modules, you will listen to three interviews of speakers from three different professions. Each of them answers some similar questions and some different ones. We break the entire interviews into 8 to 9 shorter video clips based on the topics. You will find them easy to follow and navigate.
This self-learning module for Chinese professionals is created by Dr. Miaochun Wei, a teaching assistant professor in the Chinese language at the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at The George Washington University. If you have any questions on the materials, please contact Dr. Wei at [email protected].
This project was made possible by the National Resource Center (NRC) program of the U.S. Department of Education.
Practice is always key to successful learning. All these interviews start with a self-introduction. After viewing those interviewees of different professions, can you come up with your own self-introduction between 1 to 2 minutes, one slightly longer than an elevator self-introduction? Make sure you include these aspects in the self-introduction: (1) name(s), (2) nickname (if this matters to you and the intended audience), (3) where you are from, (4) your occupation(s) and where you work, (5) major/minor/concentration, and (6) hobbies and interests.
Now, try it yourself.
During the interview
Interviews are at least two parties talking in turns. There are some common and useful questions for both interviewers and interviewees to gather more information.
Interviewers often use the following questions and requests for clarification or to press for more information:
- 可以请你(针对/就+topic)举个例子吗？/可以請你(針對/就＋topic)舉個例子嗎？
Could you give an example on the topic?
- (关于＋topic)，(能不能请你)具体地多说明一下？/(關於＋topic)，(能不能請你)具體地多說明一下？
As for/Regarding the topic, could you specifically illustrate more?
- (你所谓的)topic(指)的是什么意思？/(你所謂的)topic(指)是什麼意思？
What do you mean by topic?
- 你能不能清楚地解释一下topic?/你能不能清楚地解釋一下？
Can you explain + topic clearly?
Interviewees can use a general structure for answers, that is, (1) a brief introduction with the main idea, (2) supporting details, (3) examples, and (4) conclusion/rephrasing the main idea.
Try these topics and see if you can break your answer down by following the structure.
- 请你介绍一下你居住的城市，请就三方面讨论一下：气候、人们的饮食习惯、交通。/請你介紹一下你居住的城市，請就三方面討論一下：氣候、人們的飲食習慣、交通。
- 对你来说，学中文的好处是什么？学中文的时候，有什么主要的困难，你是怎么克服的？/對你來說，學中文的好處是什麼？學中文的時候，有什麼主要的困難，你是怎麼克服的？
- 你去［中国（或者某一个地方、国家）］的时候，你印象最深刻的是什么？为什么？跟你的国家、家乡有什么不同？/你去［中國（或者某一個地方、國家）］的時候，你印象最深刻的是什麼？為什麼？跟你的國家、家鄉有什麼不同？
Following the structure and breaking your answer down can not only make your answer more organized but also help the listener(s) follow your answer more easily with all these elements.
Useful expressions in conversation
These expressions appear in our interviews, which are common in conversations. Use them to
make your speech smooth for transitions and allow you a bit more time to think about your
response during the conversation.
• (故事/事情)是这样的……
It is like this…. (As a beginning of a lengthy story/explanation during a conversation.)
-故事是这样的，那个非常突然，我们就去那个urgent care，那个人说，你这个情况非常
严重，你需要去医院，那我们就想：哦，需要去医院，那说明是非常大的事情，我们就非
常害怕，我在路上开车就开得很快，我的内心就想，这是怎么了呀？然后就去医院，我觉
得这是一个很正常的事情。
• （你）可以这样理解、我是这样理解的、Sb的理解是……
You/One can understand it this way. This is my understanding. Sb’s understanding (about
something) is that… (It usually appears at the beginning of an explanation or at the end of it.)
-我现在的工作呢，相当于是一个photographer，就是中文叫的一个摄像吧！可以这样理
解。
-其实我个人是站在一个比较中立的角度看的，就是说：各取所好，因为现在网上这么多
新闻，每个人都能找到自己想看的。标题党，就是"存在的就是合理的"，我是这样理解
的。
-我的理解就是：乔治华盛顿大学当时的法学院院长邀请您来加入这个行列，那当然也是
通过了一连串的，像您说的遴选、应征、应聘，这些程序。
• 你刚才说了；就您所说；你刚才提到的，statement/question
You just said; According to what you say; what you just mentioned, ….
-你刚才说了，你的工作主要是以摄像为主，那就是可不可以多介绍、描述一下，你的工
作主要都有哪些内容？
• 就是 (说)，……
That is (to say), … (This is common in the Chinese conversation as one of the most frequent
fillers to clarify/elaborate on an idea/concept that is previously mentioned.)
-大华府，就是DMV 地区的这些华人，他们的生活方式，就是比方说：吃、喝、玩、乐相
关的。
-我本来就是到了乔治华盛顿大学以前，就是在西雅图的，华盛顿州的华盛顿大学的法学
院，在那边任教。
• 一些、一点、什么+noun
Some, a bit, some + N. (This is a common expression to downgrade the extent of the object
after it to a less formal extent. One may often hear this in a request or imperative scenario with
an informal and/or friendly tone)
-在大学里学的就是属于数字娱乐专业，这个相当于大概就是一些平面设计;我自己就是学
会了一些宣传呀，比如说一些拍摄呀。
• 怎么说（呢）？
What do you call it? How do you put it? (A useful expression when people try to come up with
the expression/word in a conversation.)
-看起来就是你的专业背景，还有你在北京的专业背景，还有一些在工作上的其他技能跟
训练都能帮你很好地，怎么说？就是在方方面面都涉猎到一些。
-我们就是不管中国人还是美国人，或者还是在美国的华人，大家都，怎么说，就是大家
都很关心这件事情，然后现在的一些变化也很难以预测。
• 实话实说、说白了、说实话
To be honest with you; to tell the truth
-其实说实话，这个存在的就是合理的，就是他媒体能一直这样，发标题党的文章，或者
去夸大去做，这是一个非常正常的现象。
-其实这个，还是比较难的，实话实说。
-每天的信息是非常、非常多的。说白了，你如果做新闻，就是如果你从千万条信息中挑
选出来你觉得比较客观公正地去拨给大家。
• 也就是说、也可以说
That is to say; namely
-这样的新闻太多了，就是现在做媒体，更多的，就是说一定要是抢时效性嘛，就是
说：怎么能最快地传给大家。
-其实我一开始是我刚来是有一点儿不太习惯的，就是说，就觉得这些人非常准时，一
到五点可能瞬时就联系不上了。
-他是一个日本法律的专家，也可以说，他就是比较欣赏就是东亚法律，就是东亚国家
的法律制度，就是对东亚国家比较感兴趣。
• ～的意思就是(说/指)+explanation/definition
What ~ means is that + explanation/definition
-标题党的意思就是说，我以一个非常耸动的标题让你去看，去把这个事情的本身就夸
大，就比方说：本身是这样，然后去夸大，"啪！"这样变成非常大的事情，可是其实事
情本身不是这样的。
• 不完全是这样
Not exactly (as what you said)
-也不完全是这样，可以说据我了解，他当然支持我申请，但是所有的教授也必须通过这
个，就是其他教授的认可。
• 不能完全說（是）+clarification
It is not exactly correct to say that…
-也不能完全说是他邀请我，是我主动的。所以走的第一步是我，不是他。
• Topic, (Sb 就)不好说
As for topic, it is not easy to say (for Sb).
-因为这两方面就很难预测，所以我就不好说。
• 大体上来说、总的来说、一般来说
Generally speaking, …
-如果说可能是中国跟北美，就是大体上来说的西方，那个大的区别，可以说是那个公开
性。
• 你的意思是+clarification；clarification，是这个意思吗？
You mean that... (statement for clarification to make sure that you follow the speaker’s idea)
-所以您的意思是您当时的印象可能是中国的校园可能就空间上面不那么开放，不如美国
校园，很多都是你随意可以进出，没有墙或者门之隔，是这个意思，对吗？
• 顾名思义
Just as its name implies; as the term suggests; from its name may be derived its meaning.; the very name suggests that… (Literary meaning: Seeing the name of a thing one thinks of its
function)
-（社会上的人）没有一个正当的单位，但是实际上顾名思义，那是什么？就是一个公
民。但是如果说一个人就是一个公民，这好像是贬义的。所以这个关闭性（封闭性），我
觉得在意识形态上也有一定的表现。
• 相对来说
Comparatively speaking; in relative terms
-因为对学生来说，你己经下定了决心，你要学中文，这非常难，你要花很多、很多、很
多的时间，所以，你要多花一点点，就是相对来说，你多花一点点的时间来学会怎么样
看，你不用会写，只要能看繁体字，我觉得非常值得。