QCAA Chinese key terms

A central idea or recurring concern explored in a text, film, or discussion, such as family, migration, or identity. It is broader than a single scene and is usually inferred rather than stated outright.

The main point or message a creator wants the audience to take away from a whole work. It is usually expressed as a full statement rather than a single word.

The techniques used to build a believable character, including description, dialogue, action, and how others respond to them. Direct portrayal states traits; indirect portrayal shows them through behaviour.

The connections between characters in a text, such as kinship, friendship, rivalry, or authority. These relationships often drive conflict and reveal values held by the characters.

The sequence of events in a narrative, arranged to create cause and effect. It usually moves through setup, complication, climax, and resolution, though modern texts may reorder these stages.

A struggle between opposing forces in a narrative, such as person against person, society, nature, or themselves. Conflict creates tension and pushes the plot forward.

The point of greatest tension or turning point in a narrative, where the central conflict reaches its peak. What follows usually resolves the tension or shows its consequences.

The final part of a narrative in which loose ends are tied up, tensions are settled, or a new situation is established. Some texts deliberately leave the ending open.

The overall organisation of a story, including chronological order, flashback, parallel storylines, or frame narration. Structure shapes how the audience receives information and builds understanding.

The position from which a story is told, such as first person, third-person limited, or omniscient. The choice controls what information the audience can access and how sympathy is directed.

Spoken exchange between characters in a text or film. Dialogue conveys information, reveals personality and status, and can carry humour, irony, or unspoken tension.

An object, colour, place, or action that stands for a larger idea beyond its literal meaning, such as a river representing separation. Symbols gain meaning from repetition and context.

Descriptive language or visual detail that appeals to the senses and creates a picture in the audience's mind. Recurring imagery often builds mood and reinforces themes.

A figure of speech that describes one thing as if it were another, without using words like 'like' or 'as'. It invites the audience to transfer qualities from one domain to another.

The attitude a speaker, narrator, or creator conveys towards the subject, such as humorous, critical, nostalgic, or solemn. Tone is built through word choice, rhythm, and imagery.

Deliberate language devices used to persuade or create effect, including metaphor, repetition, rhetorical questions, and contrast. Naming the device is less important than explaining its effect.

A device in which three or more phrases with similar structure appear in succession. It builds rhythm and emphasis, and is common in speeches and persuasive writing.

A fixed four-character Chinese expression with a settled meaning, often drawn from classical stories. Using one appropriately shows cultural knowledge, but literal translation usually fails.

The intended readers, viewers, or listeners of a text. Identifying the audience helps explain choices of register, format, vocabulary, and how much background knowledge is assumed.

The circumstances surrounding a text or utterance, including setting, participants, purpose, and cultural background. Meaning often depends on context rather than words alone.

The variety of language suited to a particular situation, ranging from formal written style to casual spoken style. Choosing the wrong register can seem rude or unnatural.

The formal style of Chinese used in writing, essays, reports, and official documents. It tends to use fuller sentence structures, classical vocabulary, and fewer casual particles.

The informal spoken style of Chinese used in everyday conversation, including colloquial words and sentence-final particles. It is more flexible and context-dependent than written style.

Differences in values, customs, and communication habits between cultural groups. Recognising them helps explain misunderstandings and avoids judging one culture by another's norms.

An oversimplified and fixed generalisation about a group of people. In analysis, it is worth questioning rather than repeating, since it often hides individual variation.

A person's sense of belonging to a cultural group, shaped by language, family, traditions, and lived experience. It can shift across generations or when people migrate.

A person who moves to live in another country or region, or the act of moving. Migration stories often explore language loss, belonging, and the gap between generations.

The gap in values, habits, and communication between older and younger generations. It frequently appears in family narratives and explains much intergenerational conflict.

The traditional Chinese value of respect, obedience, and care towards parents and elders. Modern texts often examine how it is reinterpreted by younger people living abroad.

The beliefs and expectations a culture holds about family roles, obligations, and closeness. These assumptions shape how characters behave and how audiences read their choices.

The process by which different cultural groups or practices blend over time. It may involve adopting new customs while retaining older ones, and is rarely one-directional.

A preformed judgement about a person or group that is not based on sufficient evidence. In texts, it is often exposed through irony or through a character's changing perspective.

The growing interconnection of economies, media, and cultures worldwide. It spreads ideas and products quickly but can also pressure local traditions and languages.

Channels such as newspapers, television, social platforms, and podcasts that distribute information to the public. Media choices shape which voices are heard and how issues are framed.

The prevailing views and opinions held by the public on a topic. It can be measured through surveys, shaped by media coverage, and sometimes pressured by online discussion.

The origin of information used in research or reporting, such as interviews, official statistics, or social posts. Judging credibility means checking who produced it and why.

Numerical information collected for analysis, such as percentages, rates, or survey results. In an essay, data should be interpreted and linked to an argument, not merely listed.

A general direction in which something is developing over time, such as rising urbanisation or declining birth rates. Trends are usually described using comparison and time expressions.

A condition widely seen as harmful to a community, such as unemployment, pollution, or an ageing population. Discussion usually covers causes, effects, and possible responses.

A plan or set of rules adopted by a government or organisation to address an issue. Evaluating policy requires considering its aims, implementation, and unintended effects.

Benefits provided by the state or an employer to support people's wellbeing, such as healthcare, pensions, or parental leave. Debates often concern funding and fairness of access.

The rising average age of a population caused by longer life expectancy and lower birth rates. It creates pressure on pensions, healthcare, and the size of the workforce.

The process by which populations shift from rural areas to cities. It brings economic opportunity but can also produce housing shortages, congestion, and pressure on services.

The natural surroundings in which people live, including air, water, land, and ecosystems. Discussion of environmental issues often involves causes, consequences, and responsibility.

Able to continue over the long term without exhausting resources or harming future generations. The idea is applied to development, consumption, and transport planning.

The act of examining similarities and differences between two or more things. In Chinese, comparisons use structures such as 比, 跟…一样, and 越来越.

A rhetorical and analytical technique that sets two things side by side to highlight difference. It can be used both to organise an argument and to create emphasis.

The position a writer or speaker argues for in a text. A clear argument states it early and supports it with reasons and evidence.

The evidence used to support an argument, such as examples, statistics, expert opinions, or personal experience. Strong evidence is relevant, accurate, and clearly connected to the claim.

The process of reasoning from evidence to a conclusion. It involves explaining why the evidence supports the claim rather than simply placing the two side by side.

The way a piece of writing is organised, such as introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Clear structure helps the reader follow the argument and locate key points.

Words and phrases that show relationships between ideas, such as 因此, 然而, 此外, and 总之. They signal cause, contrast, addition, or conclusion and improve coherence.