Mandarin Chinese the Easy Way: A phonetic based approach to learn 225 essential Chinese words, how to use them in everyday conversation and master key aspects of the culture

“China is a sickly, sleeping giant. But when she awakes, the world will tremble,” so said Napoleon, as legend has it, when his top lieutenants suggested an invasion. Today, business people and politicians around the world marvel at Bonaparte’s clairvoyance as they attempt to ease the concerns of their respective constituencies and confront a rising superpower that they know so little about. The trembling has most definitely begun. Mandarin Chinese the Easy Way uses a proven system to learn the culture, 225 essential Chinese words, basic conversational sentence patterns, as well as pronunciation tips that make mastering and retaining each word simple and enjoyable. This book responds to the desire for business people, expatriates, tourists, and travelers to learn Chinese, but lack the time to invest in the learning process. Each specific word and the total number of words were chosen intentionally, providing an achievable framework to learn the language and avoiding the inundation and overwhelming feeling most learners encounter when attempting the challenge of grasping a new language. The book uses a simple English phonetic system to say each word. For example, the word for hello is Ni Hao. In the book, it is spelled Knee How. The vocabulary section is taken one step further by providing a pronunciation pointer that will ensure you can say each word as correctly as possible. Basic grammatical structures and samples sentences are also introduced. Chapters include: making an impression; expressions guaranteed to break the ice; making a connection; asking and answering questions; and; eating, drinking and socializing. The Chinese phonetic system, Pinyin, and Chinese characters are included for each word making the book the ideal travel companion. The second section takes 20 important cultural elements and introduces them in one or two paragraphs, giving the traveler or business person a short synopsis of the cultural nuances and idiosyncrasies that continue to make China a mystery to most visitors. Like the Table of Contents, all twenty topics are hyperlinked making navigation simple and allowing the reader to skip back-and-forth from language to culture. The 20 Topics are: Check your Assumptions; Independent vs. Interdependent; Egalitarian vs. Hierarchical; Task vs. Relationship; Networking; Confucius; Direct vs. Indirect; The Concept of Face; The Century of “National Humiliations”; Communist Party and Politics; China and Taiwan; Names and Titles; Business Card Exchange; Drinking, Toasting, and Eating; Hospitality; Gift Giving; Age, Job, and Salary; Marital Status and Kids; Do be Humble; Eating Bitterness.