Be the Bachelor or Bachelorette When You Know 香饽饽 (xiāng bōbo)

Singing songs together is one of the most popular pastimes for Chinese people. As a foreign Mandarin learner, belting out a Chinese classic is a great way to endear yourself to Chinese friends and acquaintances.
These "upper level" songs take a bit more effort to learn and sing than the lower-level songs previously introduced. They will introduce more complicated metaphors and even challenge you to exercise your tongue through tongue-twisters!

So, let's take a look at a few "advanced" songs that you can learn before your next visit to the KTV!

- ADVANCED TEEN'S SONGS -
These songs introduce a larger variety of vocabulary and a faster rhythm than the teens songs that were previously introduced. The lyrics contain more cultural references, so learning them will also enlighten you into aspects of Chinese culture.
Here are the four teen's songs in Chinese that I'd recommend all Chinese learners check out:

This song's lyrics involve making wishes and being optimistic about the future. It's the perfect message and tone for those teens just heading out into the real world.

The lyrics of this song are from a poem, the most famous poem related to China's Mid-Autumn Festival. It was written as a tribute to the writer's brother, who he had not seen in a long time. The song's lyrics contain two expressions now popular in China:

Rén yǒu bēihuānlíhé, yuè yǒu yīnqíngyuánquē, cĭshì gŭ nán quán.
人 有 悲欢离合，月 有 阴晴圆缺， 此事 古 难 全。
Not everything is perfect, and we should learn to endure ordeals.

Dànyuàn rén chángjiŭ, qiānlĭ gòng chánjuān.
但愿 人 长久， 千里 共 婵娟。
A well-known blessing during times of reunion.

Chinese "功夫 (gōngfu) kung fu" is a world-famous martial art. This popular song describes the dignity and discipline of the fighter and the tradition.

This song is literally about how difficult it is to pronounce the Chinese language! The song features Chinese tongue-twisters that challenge even native speakers of Chinese. Do you think you're ready for it? Give it a shot!

Wanna check out more usful Chinese songs? Click Here

Do you watch The Bachelor or Bachelorette?

In each show the main hero or heroine (who we label as the Bachelor or Bachelorette) hands out a series of roses to contestants who he or she favors and a final rose to let the final contestant who he or she picks to be his or her wife (or just decides to date them). Personally, I am totally addicted to these shows and watch them constantly! And I'm not afraid to admit it.

In Chinese there is a specific word for this person who receives a rose, or is considered to be popular, in high demand. If a guy or girl is considered the most popular or favored on the show, we say 她 (tā) or 他是个香饽饽 (tā shì gè xiāng bōbo). He or she is the 香饽饽 (xiāng bōbo).

香饽饽 (xiāng bōbo) is a common and useful expression in daily life. It's used to describe a person or things that are considered favored or popular.

Here we use 香饽饽 (xiāng bōbo) specifically to describe "人 (rén) people"—somebody, or a person.

Who has been considered to be most popular on the Bachelor or Bachelorette? Check it out here.

Let's break the word 香饽饽 (xiāng bōbo) down to understand its full meaning:

香饽饽 (xiāng bōbo): delicious cakes, popular person, something that is in high demand.

香 (xiāng): popular; welcome. Adjective.
饽饽 (bōbo): pastry, steamed bun, cake. Noun.

Usage and examples:

Qíngrénjiē de shíhòu, qiǎokèlì hé méiguīhuā dōu shì xiāng bōbo.
情人节 的 时候， 巧克力 和 玫瑰花 都 是 香 饽饽。
Chocolates and roses are the most popular gifts on Valentine's Day!

In this case, we can also use 香饽饽 (xiāng bōbo) to describe "巧克力 (qiǎokelì) chocolate" and "玫瑰花 (méiguīhuā) rose"—something.

Dǒng duō zhǒng yǔyán de rén zài zhíchǎng shàng shì xiāng bōbo.
懂 多 种 语言 的 人 在 职场 上 是 香 饽饽。
People who can speak multilevel languages are very popular in the work field.

When you're watching this season of the Bachelorette who is 香饽饽 (xiāng bōbo) to you? Let us know in the comments below!