AP Chinese Language and Culture flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Filial piety

A Confucian value emphasizing respect, obedience, and care for parents and elders; it shapes Chinese family roles, intergenerational obligations, and ancestor remembrance.

年夜饭

The New Year's Eve reunion dinner during Spring Festival; dishes often carry auspicious meanings, such as fish for surplus and dumplings for wealth.

红包

Red envelopes containing money given during Spring Festival and other celebrations; they symbolize good luck and are commonly exchanged by elders to younger family members.

中秋节

A lunar festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month; families gather, eat mooncakes, and view the full moon, emphasizing reunion and gratitude.

清明节

A spring festival for sweeping tombs and honoring ancestors; families visit graves, offer food or flowers, and remember deceased relatives.

Mandarin tones

Mandarin uses four main lexical tones plus a neutral tone; pitch contours distinguish meanings, as in mā (mother), má (hemp), mǎ (horse), and mà (scold).

量词 (measure words)

Classifiers required between numbers or demonstratives and nouns; 个 is general, while 本, 张, 条, and 只 match books, flat objects, long flexible things, and animals.

成语

Four-character Chinese idioms, often drawn from classical stories or history; they convey compressed meanings and are used in formal writing and speech.

简体字

Simplified Chinese characters developed in the twentieth century to improve literacy; they reduce stroke counts and are standard in mainland China, while traditional characters remain in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and many diaspora communities.

歇后语

A two-part Chinese folk saying: the first part presents a situation or image, and the second delivers a humorous or insightful punchline, often through a pun.

文房四宝

The 'Four Treasures of the Study': brush, ink, paper, and inkstone; these tools are central to Chinese calligraphy and traditional ink painting.

京剧角色

Peking opera role categories: 生 male, 旦 female, 净 painted-face, and 丑 comic; each has distinct vocal styles, gestures, and costume conventions.

留白

A Chinese painting technique of leaving unpainted space; it creates balance, suggests atmosphere, and invites viewers to imagine what lies beyond the visible scene.

二胡

A two-stringed Chinese bowed instrument with a small soundbox; it is used in folk music, opera, and ensembles and is known for its expressive, vocal-like tone.

剪纸

Chinese paper cutting, a folk art using scissors or knives to cut auspicious designs; common motifs include fish, flowers, and characters for good fortune.

四大发明

China's four ancient inventions often cited in world history: papermaking, printing, gunpowder, and the compass; they spread across Eurasia and influenced navigation, warfare, and knowledge transmission.

神舟

China's crewed spacecraft program; Shenzhou missions have carried astronauts to orbital laboratories and the Tiangong space station since the early 2000s.

高铁

High-speed railway in China; it connects major cities with trains operating at 250–350 km/h and has reshaped commuting, travel, and regional economic integration.

针灸

Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medical practice inserting thin needles at specific body points; it is used for pain and other conditions, with mixed evidence from clinical research.

二十四节气

A traditional Chinese solar calendar of twenty-four periods marking seasonal and agricultural changes; it guides farming, festival timing, and health practices and is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list.

高考

The national college entrance examination in mainland China; results strongly influence university admission and are held annually in June, with subjects including Chinese, mathematics, and foreign languages.

双减政策

A 2021 Chinese policy intended to reduce students' homework burden and off-campus tutoring; it restricted for-profit tutoring in core school subjects and reshaped family education spending.

外卖

Food delivery service ordered through mobile apps; couriers deliver restaurant meals to homes and offices, a common part of urban daily life in China.

双十一

Singles' Day, November 11, transformed into a major online shopping festival; e-commerce platforms offer promotions and record high sales volumes.

直播带货

Livestream commerce in which hosts demonstrate and sell products in real time; platforms such as Douyin and Taobao Live combine entertainment, social interaction, and impulse buying.

养老

Care and support for older adults; in China it involves family obligations, pensions, community services, and residential facilities, especially as the population ages.

一带一路

The Belt and Road Initiative, announced in 2013; it promotes infrastructure, trade, and cultural exchange across Asia, Europe, and Africa through land and maritime routes.

碳中和

Carbon neutrality, meaning net-zero carbon dioxide emissions; China has pledged to peak emissions before 2030 and achieve neutrality before 2060.

联合国

The United Nations; China is a founding member and permanent member of the Security Council, and Chinese is one of the organization's six official languages.

孔子学院

Confucius Institutes are partnerships that promote Chinese language and culture abroad; they offer courses and cultural events, often hosted by universities.

熊猫外交

The practice of lending or gifting giant pandas to other countries as a gesture of goodwill; panda loans often accompany scientific and cultural cooperation agreements.

世界遗产

UNESCO World Heritage Sites; China has many cultural and natural listings, including the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and Mount Taishan.