There are many words and expressions in Chinese that are similar in terms of pronunciation, form, meaning or usage. They are called similar words and expressions. The similarity between these words may cause problems for learners to correctly understand and use them.
This book is targeted at intermediate Chinese language learners, focusing on the common words at elementary and intermediate levels. It includes altogether 1,172 similar words and expressions falling into 544 pairs/groups, of which 830 are at the intermediate level. Each pair/group is dealt with in three sections—“Similarities”, “Distinctions” and “Exercises and Answers”. First the similarities between the words/expressions in each pair/group are briefly enumerated, then the distinctions between the words/expressions in terms of meaning and usage are emphatically pointed out, supported by ample collocations and examples to help with understanding, and finally a set of blank-filling exercises are provided for reinforcement and practice. Each and every exercise is provided with an answer. The appendix includes 315 intermediate-level words and expressions in 149 pairs/groups, which are similar (or same) in form or pronunciation. For international students, these are also an important part of similar Chinese words and expressions. It helps to draw students’ attention and improve their learning efficiency by comparing these words and expressions in pairs/groups and providing their pronunciations, grammatical functions and collocations.
With its explanations and examples written in simple language, this book is suitable for intermediate Chinese language learners as well as candidates about to take the intermediate or advanced new HSK test. CFL teachers can use it as a teaching reference.
Professor Fang Xujun is a doctoral tutor in the International College of Chinese Studies, Shanghai Normal University, and a member of The International Society for Chinese Language Teaching. Prof. Fang’s works include the book Modern Chinese Notional Words, quite a few textbooks as well as many papers published in Chinese Teaching in the World, Linguistic Sciences, Language Teaching and Linguistic Studies and other journals. Mr. Fang has hosted or participated in projects such as “A Cognitive Study on Foreigners’ Acquisition of Similar Chinese Words” (financed by the National Social Science Fund), “The Development of a National Common Framework of Language Proficiency Scales” (financed by the National Social Science Fund) and “A Study on the Chinese Proficiency Scales” (a project under Shanghai Ministry of Education).