The famous line “欲穷千里目，更上一层楼” is from the famous Tang dynasty poem 《登鹳雀楼》 by 王之涣 (Wáng Zhīhuàn).

Pinyin: yù qióng qiānlǐ mù gèngshàng yīcéng lóu

Full Translation: If you wish to see a thousand miles further, ascend another level.

The poem expresses the idea that in order to broaden one's perspective or gain greater insight, one must rise to a higher vantage point. It’s used metaphorically to suggest that greater achievements require further effort and elevation in knowledge or position.

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This famous saying, "读书破万卷，下笔如有神," is attributed to the Tang dynasty poet 杜甫 (Dù Fǔ), who is often referred to as one of China's greatest poets.

读书破万卷，下笔如有神。

Pinyin (with word-for-word gloss)：/dú shū/ (read books) /pò wàn juàn/ (break ten thousand scrolls) /xià bǐ/ (set down brush) /rú/ (as if) /yǒu/ (have) /shén/ (divine being)

Full Translation：Read ten thousand books, and when writing, it will flow as if inspired by a divine being.

If you guys didn't know, you can use our Language Player app to read Chinese literature, we have over 400 books on there, you can study them using our reader tool. https://languageplayer.io/en/zh/books

For example, you can read the classic novel Journey To The West, and study (and save) words using the built in annotation.

Grammar Point: "了" (le) - Past or Change Marker
The particle "了" is commonly used in HSK 2 to indicate completed actions or a change of state. Let's break it down! 👇

1️⃣ Indicating a Completed Action
"了" is placed after the verb to show something has already happened.

📝 Structure:
Subject + Verb + 了 + Object

✅ Examples:

我吃了饭。
Wǒ chī le fàn.
I ate food.

他去了北京。
Tā qù le Běijīng.
He went to Beijing.

2️⃣ Indicating a Change of State
"了" can also show that something has changed or is new.

📝 Structure:
Subject + Predicate + 了

✅ Examples:

天气冷了。
Tiānqì lěng le.
The weather has become cold.

我学中文一年了。
Wǒ xué Zhōngwén yì nián le.
I’ve been studying Chinese for a year.

💡 Pro Tip:
Don’t confuse "了" with just past tense! It also emphasizes a change or completion.

Can you make a sentence with "了"? Comment below! 👇

HSK 4 Grammar Point: "既…又…" (jì...yòu...)
Meaning: "Not only... but also..."
This structure is used to express two qualities or actions happening at the same time, emphasizing both equally. Let’s break it down 👇

📚 Structure:
既 + Adjective/Verb + 又 + Adjective/Verb
Both parts should be parallel (e.g., two adjectives or two verbs).

🧩 Examples:
这道菜既好吃又健康。
Zhè dào cài jì hǎochī yòu jiànkāng.
"This dish is not only delicious but also healthy."


他既会说中文，又会说英文。
Tā jì huì shuō zhōngwén, yòu huì shuō yīngwén.
"He can not only speak Chinese but also English."


这个地方既安静又安全。
Zhège dìfang jì ānjìng yòu ānquán.
"This place is not only quiet but also safe."


🌟 Pro Tips:
You can use "既…又…" for positive and negative qualities:

他既不努力又不聪明。
Tā jì bù nǔlì yòu bù cōngmíng.
"He is neither hardworking nor smart."

💡 Try it yourself:
Write a sentence using "既…又…" and share it in the comments! 👇
Watch our full lesson here: https://chinesezerotohero.teachable.com/courses/292789/lectures/4505574

🦃✨ 感恩节快乐！✨🦃

今天是感恩节 (Gǎn'ēn jié)！在美国，这一天是和家人团聚、表达感激的特别时刻。大家通常会享用美食，比如火鸡 (huǒjī)、南瓜派 (nánguā pài)、土豆泥 (tǔdòu ní)。你知道这些词吗？👇

🦃 火鸡 (huǒjī) - turkey
🥧 南瓜派 (nánguā pài) - pumpkin pie
🥔 土豆泥 (tǔdòu ní) - mashed potatoes
🥗 沙拉 (shālā) - salad
🍞 玉米面包 (yùmǐ miànbāo) - cornbread
🍎 苹果派 (píngguǒ pài) - apple pie
🍷 红酒 (hóngjiǔ) - red wine
🧡 感恩 (gǎn'ēn) - gratitude, to be thankful
🏠 团聚 (tuánjù) - reunion
🍁 秋天 (qiūtiān) - autumn, fall
🙏 感谢 (gǎnxiè) - to thank, gratitude
👪 家人 (jiārén) - family
🎉 节日 (jiérì) - holiday, festival

🍂 你最喜欢哪一种食物？用中文告诉我们吧！
Nǐ zuì xǐhuān nǎ yī zhǒng shíwù? Yòng zhōngwén gàosu wǒmen ba!
"Which dish is your favorite? Tell us in Chinese!"

HSK 2 Grammar: "虽然...但是..." (suīrán...dànshì...) - Expressing "although...but..."
This structure is used to express contrast between two ideas.
Let’s break it down! 👇

🧩 Structure:
虽然 + Clause 1 + 但是 + Clause 2
(You can also drop "但是" if the contrast is clear.)

📝 Examples:
1️⃣ 虽然外面很冷，但是他没穿外套。
Suīrán wàimiàn hěn lěng, dànshì tā méi chuān wàitào.
Although it’s very cold outside, he didn’t wear a coat.

2️⃣ 虽然他很累，但是他坚持完成了工作。
Suīrán tā hěn lèi, dànshì tā jiānchí wánchéng le gōngzuò.
Although he was very tired, he insisted on finishing the work.

3️⃣ 虽然这本书很贵，但是很值得买。
Suīrán zhè běn shū hěn guì, dànshì hěn zhídé mǎi.
Although this book is expensive, it’s worth buying.

🔑 Tips:
• Use "虽然" to introduce the less favorable condition.
• "但是" introduces the main point or result.

🎯 Try making your own sentence with "虽然...但是..." below!

🎉 Happy New Year! Let’s learn about 元旦 (Yuán Dàn) – January 1st, the New Year in Chinese!

Key Vocabulary:

📅 元旦 (Yuán Dàn) – New Year's Day
• Celebrated on January 1st to mark the beginning of the new year.

🎆 跨年 (kuà nián) – Countdown to the New Year
• Literally “crossing into the new year,” it’s used for New Year’s Eve celebrations.

🎇 烟火 (yān huǒ) – Fireworks
• A symbol of celebration and hope for the year ahead.

🎯 新年目标 (xīn nián mù biāo) – New Year’s Resolution
• Goals set for self-improvement in the new year.

🎆 How will you celebrate 元旦 this year? Share your 新年目标! 🌟

We made this HSK words visual graph back in 2018, and it's free to download, feel free to print it out as a poster and use it to track your progress! Full PDF here: https://www.chinesezerotohero.com/hsk-words-visualized/

Do you spend a lot of time on social media? Well why not spend them on Chinese social media apps and at least your Chinese will improve! 😂 New Video out on YouTube, go give it a like! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1yKpii6io4

New video on YT, I recommend some of the best C-Dramas! Check it out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNAx9nvvsS0

Due to popular demand, we’ve finally opened an official Discord server for all our students! Join now!  https://discord.gg/xGRWV2AjVk

New video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ2yb2Zlq_0

New video! Slow Chinese - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jw3nWb9wZo

New video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxVCP2odG6k

Another new video! I hope you guys find these "Slow Chinese" videos helpful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9m7FoHDnPI

New video! I recommend more great Chinese films for you to watch available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U-ATeUaTP4

New video! Another Chinese listening practice. This time, I talk about the Gaokao! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2WQyKOw7fM

New course just got released! Sign up now for FREE: https://chinesezerotohero.teachable.com/p/slow-chinese