HSC Chinese in Context flashcards

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

归属感

A sense of belonging felt when a person is accepted by a family, group or community. It appears frequently in texts about identity and migration.

独生子女

An only child, especially of the generation shaped by China's one-child policy. The term often appears in discussions of family expectations and identity.

知己

A close, understanding friend or confidant. Stronger than 朋友, it suggests someone who truly understands one's thoughts and feelings.

不得不

Have no choice but to. It expresses obligation caused by external circumstances, differing from 必须, which states a rule or firm personal requirement.

邻里关系

Neighbourly relations within a residential area. The phrase covers mutual help, shared space and the everyday contact that builds community life.

志愿者

A volunteer who gives time and effort without payment. The term commonly appears in texts about community service and collective activities.

春节习俗

Spring Festival customs such as pasting couplets, eating the New Year's Eve dinner, giving red envelopes and paying New Year calls to relatives.

中秋节

The Mid-Autumn Festival, celebrated with mooncakes and moon viewing. The full moon symbolises family reunion, making it a festival of togetherness.

端午节

The Dragon Boat Festival, marked by dragon boat races and eating 粽子. It commemorates the ancient poet Qu Yuan, who drowned himself in a river.

唐人街

A Chinatown, an urban district where Chinese migrants and their descendants live and run businesses, preserving food, language and festival traditions.

落叶归根

Literally 'fallen leaves return to their roots'. It expresses the migrant's wish to return to one's homeland or origins in later life.

华裔

A person of Chinese descent living outside China, often holding another country's citizenship. It stresses ancestry rather than current nationality.

红包

A red envelope containing money, given at Spring Festival, weddings and other celebrations. The red colour conveys good fortune and blessing.

求职面试

A job interview. Candidates prepare a résumé, describe their skills and experience, and answer questions about motivation and suitability for the role.

加班

To work overtime, staying beyond normal hours. The term appears in discussions of workplace pressure, workload and changing attitudes to work-life balance.

高考

China's national university entrance examination. Results largely determine university admission, so it strongly shapes study pathways and family expectations.

实习

An internship, a period of supervised work experience taken during or after study. It builds practical skills and often improves later job prospects.

远程办公

Remote work carried out away from a central office, usually online. It grew rapidly with digital technology and changed expectations of workplace flexibility.

团队合作

Teamwork: cooperating with colleagues towards a shared goal, sharing tasks and communicating openly. It is a commonly named quality in job advertisements.

素质教育

All-round education aimed at developing character, creativity and practical skills, not only examination results. It is often contrasted with exam-oriented education.

双减政策

A policy that reduced homework and restricted after-school tutoring to ease students' workload. It reshaped family routines and the tutoring industry.

移动支付

Mobile payment using a phone application and QR codes. It is now standard in Chinese cities for shopping, transport and paying bills.

人口老龄化

Population ageing, the rising share of elderly people. It raises questions about pensions, healthcare, family care and the labour force.

社交媒体

Social media platforms where users share text, images and video. They shape public opinion, advertising and how young people form their identities.

网红

An internet celebrity who gains a large online following, often through short videos or livestreaming, and may earn income by promoting products.

跨文化交流

Cross-cultural communication: interaction between people of different cultural backgrounds. Success depends on awareness of differing values, politeness norms and expectations.

面子

Face, or social prestige and dignity. Concern for face explains indirect refusals and the care taken to avoid embarrassing others publicly.

刻板印象

A stereotype, an oversimplified generalisation about a group. In cross-cultural texts it is criticised for hiding individual differences and creating misunderstanding.

文化冲击

Culture shock: confusion and stress felt when adapting to unfamiliar customs, food or communication styles, often followed by gradual adjustment.

多元文化

Multiculturalism, the coexistence of several cultural groups in one society. Australia's policy is often compared with Chinese traditions of cultural unity.

把字句

The 把 construction: subject + 把 + definite object + verb + complement, as in 我把作业做完了. It highlights the result of an action on an object.

被字句

The 被 construction marks the passive: subject + 被 + agent + verb + complement, as in 我的书被同学借走了. It often carries an unfavourable tone.