AP Chinese Language and Culture cheat sheet

Chinese kinship terms distinguish paternal and maternal relatives: 爷爷/奶奶 are paternal grandparents, while 外公/外婆 are maternal grandparents.

The surname precedes the given name in Chinese naming order; a person named 王小明 has surname 王 and given name 小明.

孝 (filial piety) is a Confucian value emphasizing respect for parents and elders, care in old age, and ancestor remembrance.

年夜饭 is the Spring Festival Eve reunion dinner; fish (鱼) often symbolizes surplus (余), and dumplings (饺子) are common in northern China.

红包 are money gifts in red envelopes, traditionally given by elders to children during Spring Festival and at weddings or birthdays.

中秋节 falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month; mooncakes and moon viewing are associated with family reunion.

清明节 is a spring festival for tomb-sweeping (扫墓) and honoring ancestors, with families cleaning graves and making offerings.

三代同堂 describes a three-generation household; urbanization and migration have made nuclear and split-generation households more common in contemporary China.

Mandarin has four main lexical tones plus a neutral tone; the same syllable with different tones can be different morphemes, as in mā, má, mǎ, mà.

Chinese characters are morpheme-based; radicals often hint at meaning categories, while phonetic components can suggest pronunciation.

Simplified characters are standard in mainland China; traditional characters remain standard in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau.

Classifiers (量词) are required after numerals or demonstratives: 个 is general, 本 for books, 张 for flat objects, 条 for long or flexible things, 只 for animals or one of a pair.

Basic Mandarin word order is subject–verb–object; time expressions typically precede the verb, and 把 marks a disposal construction.

成语 are usually four-character idioms with classical or historical origins; 歇后语 are two-part folk sayings whose second part delivers the point.

The honorific pronoun 您 marks respect toward elders, teachers, or strangers; 请 and 麻烦你 are common politeness markers.

Chinese homophones shape auspicious and taboo language: 鱼 (fish) echoes 余 (surplus), 年糕 echoes 年高 (rising year by year), and 4 is often avoided because it sounds like 死 (death).

文房四宝 refers to the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone used in Chinese calligraphy and ink painting.

Chinese calligraphy major scripts include 楷书 (regular), 行书 (running), and 草书 (cursive); stroke order and brush pressure affect form.

国画 genres include 山水 (landscape), 花鸟 (flowers-and-birds), and 人物 (figures); 留白 uses unpainted space for balance and suggestion.

Peking opera role types are 生 (male), 旦 (female), 净 (painted face), and 丑 (comic); performers combine 唱, 念, 做, and 打.

In Peking opera makeup, red often signals loyalty, black justice or bravery, and white cunning or treachery.

Traditional instruments include 二胡 (two-string bowed fiddle), 琵琶 (lute), 古筝 (zither), and 笛子 (flute); 丝竹 denotes string-and-wind ensemble music.

剪纸 is paper cutting used for auspicious decorations; common motifs include fish for surplus, peonies for wealth, and bats for good fortune.

相声 is a comic dialogue genre relying on 说, 学, 逗, and 唱; it uses wordplay, imitation, and audience interaction.

The 四大发明 are papermaking, printing, gunpowder, and the compass; these technologies spread across Eurasia and shaped navigation, warfare, and literacy.

China's crewed space program uses 神舟 spacecraft; 天宫 is the modular space station, 嫦娥 missions target the Moon, 玉兔 rovers explore it, and 天问 targets Mars.

China's 高铁 network operates high-speed trains at roughly 250–350 km/h and connects major cities, reshaping commuting and regional travel.

二十四节气 is a 24-period solar calendar marking seasonal change; it guides agriculture and festival timing and is listed as UNESCO intangible cultural heritage.

Traditional Chinese medicine includes 针灸 (acupuncture), 中药 (herbal medicine), and concepts of qi and yin-yang balance; clinical evidence varies by treatment.

Mobile payment through Alipay and WeChat Pay uses QR codes and smartphone apps, making cashless transactions common in urban China.

China's internet and tech sectors include e-commerce, 5G networks, artificial intelligence, and shared bicycles; these services rely on mobile apps and digital payment.

The Chinese lunar calendar combines lunar months with solar terms; leap months are inserted to keep the calendar aligned with the solar year.

高考 is the national college entrance examination in mainland China, usually held in June; scores are central to university admission.

双减, announced in 2021, aimed to reduce homework and off-campus tutoring burdens for compulsory-education students.

外卖 food delivery via apps such as 美团 and 饿了么 is a common urban service; couriers deliver meals to homes and offices.

双十一 (November 11), originally Singles' Day, is a major e-commerce shopping festival with large promotions and high sales volume.

直播带货 is livestream commerce: hosts demonstrate products in real time on platforms such as 抖音 and 淘宝直播, combining entertainment and sales.

微信, 微博, 抖音, and 小红书 are widely used social media platforms in China; QR codes link users to payments, accounts, and services.

Work culture debates include 996 (9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week), 加班 (overtime), and 跳槽 (job-changing); labor law limits standard working hours.

China's population is aging; 养老 involves family support, pensions, community services, and residential care, alongside policies such as the three-child policy.

一带一路 (Belt and Road Initiative), announced in 2013, promotes infrastructure, trade, and cultural exchange across Asia, Europe, and Africa.

China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, deepening its integration into global trade and supply chains.

China is a founding member of the United Nations and a permanent member of the Security Council; Chinese is one of the six official UN languages.

Under the Paris Agreement, China pledged to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and reach carbon neutrality before 2060.

孔子学院 are partnerships promoting Chinese language and culture abroad, often hosted by universities and offering courses and cultural events.

熊猫外交 refers to lending or gifting giant pandas as gestures of goodwill; panda loans often accompany scientific and cultural cooperation.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China include the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and Mount Taishan, reflecting cultural and natural heritage.

China participates in global groupings such as APEC, G20, and BRICS, and engages in multilateral cooperation on health, climate, and development.