Chinese onomatopoeia (象声词 (xiàngshēngcí)) are basically sound-effect words. They’re the little “汪汪” (wāngwāng) barks, the “哗啦” (huālā) splashes, the “扑通” (pūtōng) plops. And even though they pop up everywhere, most textbooks barely touch them. Which is a shame, because once you start learning these, Chinese suddenly feels way more

It's that time of year again! Regardless of where you are in the world and what season it is there, that joyful Christmas feeling is in the air! Whether you're planning a festive trip, or want to wish your overseas friends a happy holiday season, we&

New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest celebrations of the year in Russia. It’s a time for family, good food, and wholesome traditions that bring people together. I’ve always been curious about Russian culture, and learning about their New Year’s traditions has been one of

New Year's Eve is a celebration that brings us together, regardless of where we are in the world. However, the way we say phrases like "Happy New Year" and the traditions surrounding the holiday differ significantly between cultures. If you're planning to ring in

Did you know that in France, Christmas markets have been celebrated for over 500 years? Whether you're a French language enthusiast or just curious about how the holidays are celebrated in France, there's something magical about the traditions of "Noël." When I first learned

Did you know that in Portuguese, Merry Christmas is said as "Feliz Natal"? Learning how to say it is just the beginning of discovering the rich and warm traditions of Portuguese-speaking countries during the holiday season. In this article, you will learn how to say Merry Christmas in

Do you want to celebrate New Year in the Japanese way? Here are 9 traditions that Japanese people practice during Oshōgatsu or New Year. Each one of us have their own traiditons to celebrate New Year. I tend to think of my goals for the next year, and that'

Do you know how Chinese people celebrate the Western New Year? In this article, we take a look at Yuándàn 元旦, the first day of the year or New Year's Day, which is quite different from China's New Year not only on the dates, but also

I’ll never forget my first Christmas in Germany. It was cold, darker than I was used to, and I missed home. But then I walked into my first German Christmas market, and everything changed. The smell of roasted nuts and mulled wine filled the air, twinkling lights were everywhere,