Bringing the World Together
Learn the Chinese words for festivals, music, dance and traditions - the shared events that bring families, friends and communities together. Every word comes with its characters, pinyin, and the English meaning.
Practise it, do not just read it
Free interactive practice you can do alone, with the answers checked as you go.
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Shared celebrations
All around the world, festivals, music and dance bring people together. This module teaches the Chinese words for those shared events. Every word comes with three things: the Chinese characters (hanzi), the pinyin in brackets to help you say it, and the English meaning. (A native speaker should review the characters before launch.)
Festival, Spring Festival, music
Start with four words for shared events:
Match each Chinese word to its English meaning
- 节日 (jiérì)
- 音乐 (yīnyuè)
- 舞蹈 (wǔdǎo)
- 传统 (chuántǒng)
- festival
- music
- dance
- traditions
The Chinese word for music
Which Chinese word means "music"?
- 音乐 (yīnyuè)
- 节日 (jiérì)
- 舞蹈 (wǔdǎo)
- 传统 (chuántǒng)
Events that connect us
Shared events bring people together across the world: - A festival (节日, jiérì), such as Spring Festival (春节, chūnjié), gathers families - Music (音乐, yīnyuè) and dance (舞蹈, wǔdǎo) are enjoyed everywhere - Traditions (传统, chuántǒng) are shared and passed on Wherever people are from, these events help them feel closer.
About celebrations
Select the TWO Chinese words that are about celebration and music.
- 节日 (jiérì)
- 歌 (gē)
- 朋友 (péngyou)
- 家庭 (jiātíng)
Two ways people come together
People gather in small groups and in big public events.
The Chinese word for traditions
Which Chinese word means "traditions"?
- 传统 (chuántǒng)
- 音乐 (yīnyuè)
- 节日 (jiérì)
- 舞蹈 (wǔdǎo)
Festival words in Chinese
A _____ is a big celebration. People enjoy _____ and _____ together. Old customs are called _____. You celebrate with your _____.
A festival brings people together
Put the stages of a community festival into a sensible order.
- People are invited to the celebration
- Families and friends gather together
- There is music and dancing
- Everyone shares food and traditions
- The whole community feels closer together
Match each Chinese word to its English meaning
- 歌 (gē)
- 传统 (chuántǒng)
- 朋友 (péngyou)
- 家庭 (jiātíng)
- song
- traditions
- friend
- family
Which Chinese word?
Read each description and pick the Chinese word it describes.
- The big yearly festival that families celebrate together. Which word?
- The sounds and songs that people dance to. Which word?
- The old customs passed down over many years. Which word?
Your turn: write in Chinese
Write two or three sentences IN CHINESE about a celebration and what happens at it. Write in characters - the pinyin in brackets is a reading aid only.
- Name the celebration: 节日 (jiérì - a festival) or 春节 (chūnjié - Spring Festival)
- Say what it has with 有 (yǒu - to have, there is): 节日有音乐 (jiérì yǒu yīnyuè - a festival has music)
- Join two things with 和 (hé - and): 音乐和舞蹈 (yīnyuè hé wǔdǎo - music and dance)
- Say who you are with: 家庭 (jiātíng - family) or 朋友 (péngyou - friend)
Characters, pinyin and meaning together
Learn each word as a package - the Chinese characters, the pinyin, and the English meaning together - so you recognise it instantly: 节日 (jiérì) festival, 音乐 (yīnyuè) music, 传统 (chuántǒng) traditions. When you write in English about this theme, do not just list words - explain how shared events bring people together, with an example. Recognise the characters, explain the idea - top band.