Western traditions, especially those involving holidays and events such as weddings, are becoming more popular in China these days. One thing some people are now doing for fun is making a "New Year’s Resolution", just as those in other countries have done for years. The start of a whole new year is a good time to make the effort to improve your life and plan a better future. Maybe you’ve decided to hit the gym four times a week, clean your attic, or learn a valuable skill that could open doors and change your future for the better.

In Mandarin Chinese, when we make a New Year’s Resolution, we call it a "新年计划 (xīnnián jìhuà)".

新年计划 (Xīnnián jìhuà) = New Year's Resolution.
新年 (Xīnnián) = New Year.
计划 (Jìhuà) = map out; plan; design.

Example：
Wǒ dìngle yígè hěn bàng de xīnnián jìhuà.
我   定  了   一个  很   棒    的   新年     计划。  
I set a great New Year's Resolution.

Whether you are in Shanghai or Sydney, making a "新年计划 (xīnnián jìhuà)" and sticking to it is a good idea in any year.

Recently, an online survey on a language learning website asked respondents what their top goals for 2018 are. Nearly half of all asked said that learning Mandarin Chinese is at or near the top of their list. For some individuals, learning Chinese will help their career opportunities and open doors to a new culture. Many parents are encouraging their children to learn Chinese for their future. A user named Stephanie says "Learning more Chinese is definitely on my list this year." Trenna wants to help her young son not only speak fluent English but also learn to speak Mandarin in 2018.

Here are three main reasons people are learning Mandarin Chinese as their "新年计划 (xīnnián jìhuà)" of 2018...Read More

Quiz:

1. Read the dialogue below and answer the question:

Jack: Lily, nǐmen gōngsī fā niánzhōng jiǎng le ma?
Jack: Lily, 你们    公司    发     年终        奖   了  吗？

Lily: Biétíle! Wǒmen gōngsī jīnnián xiàoyì bùhǎo, shénme dōu méi fā. Nǐ ne?
Lily: 别提了！我们    公司   今年    效益   不好，   什么     都   没  发。你  呢？

Jack: Wǒmen dōu nále 3qiānyuán de gòuwùquàn zuòwéi niánzhōng jiǎng.
Jack: 我们       都    拿了   3千元     的    购物券        作为      年终      奖。

Which of the following statements is true according to the dialogue?

A. Lily got a 3,000 yuan shopping voucher as the year-end bonus.
B. Jack got a 3,000 yuan shopping voucher as the year-end bonus.
C. Jack didn’t get the year-end bonus.
D. Lily’s company had outstanding achievements this year.
See Answer