Ambitions

Talking about the future

This module teaches the Chinese words for ambitions, dreams and jobs. Every word comes with three things: the characters (Hanzi), the pinyin with tone marks to help you say it, and the English meaning. The little marks over the pinyin vowels are tones - they change how a word sounds and what it means, so say each word aloud. You will recognise the words here, not type them. (A native speaker should review the characters before launch.)

Dreams and plans

Start with the words for the future and what you want from it:

Match each Chinese word to its English meaning

The Chinese word for dream

Which Chinese word means 'dream'?

• 梦想 (mèngxiǎng)
• 将来 (jiānglái)
• 工作 (gōngzuò)
• 职业 (zhíyè)

Jobs and professions

Now some words for real jobs people might dream of doing: - 老师 (lǎoshī) = teacher - 医生 (yīshēng) = doctor - 工程师 (gōngchéngshī) = engineer - 记者 (jìzhě) = journalist Say each one aloud with its tones, and link the characters to the pinyin and the meaning.

Match each job to its English meaning

Spot the jobs

Select the TWO words that are names of jobs (professions).

• 老师 (lǎoshī)
• 医生 (yīshēng)
• 梦想 (mèngxiǎng)
• 将来 (jiānglái)

Two kinds of work

Not all work is paid. Two words describe very different ways of working.

Which job?

Which Chinese word means 'engineer'?

• 工程师 (gōngchéngshī)
• 老师 (lǎoshī)
• 医生 (yīshēng)
• 记者 (jìzhě)

Fill in the Chinese

In Chinese, a dream is _____, a job is _____, a teacher is _____, a doctor is _____, and a journalist is _____.

A path to a career

Put these steps of working towards a career into a sensible order.

• You have a dream or ambition (梦想)
• You study hard at school
• You choose a profession (职业)
• You get a job (工作)

Choose the right word

Three situations. Pick the Chinese word that fits each one.

• You want to say your DREAM for the future. Which word do you use?
• Your friend wants to become a doctor. Which word describes that job?
• Someone helps at a charity without being paid. What are they doing?

Your turn: your ambition, in Chinese

Write about your ambition IN CHINESE. Write in characters - the pinyin in brackets is a reading aid only.

• Name the idea: 梦想 (mèngxiǎng - a dream) or 职业 (zhíyè - a career)
• Name the job you want: 老师 (lǎoshī - teacher), 医生 (yīshēng - doctor), 工程师 (gōngchéngshī - engineer) or 记者 (jìzhě - journalist)
• Use 将来 (jiānglái - in the future) with the modal 要 (yào - will, want to): 将来我要工作 (jiānglái wǒ yào gōngzuò - in the future I will work)
• You may add 义工 (yìgōng - voluntary work)

Characters, pinyin, meaning

To master this vocabulary, link every word to all three of its forms: the characters, the pinyin with its tones so you can say it, and the English meaning. Keep the ideas that are easy to confuse clearly apart - a 梦想 (mèngxiǎng), a dream, versus a real 工作 (gōngzuò), a job, and unpaid 义工 (yìgōng) volunteering versus paid work. Saying each word aloud with the correct tones, and testing yourself both ways, is what builds real recall.