Mandarin Monday: Spring Is Here So Make Your Chinese Blossom Too

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After a long wait, spring is finally here! Well, technically. Today marks the  — or you guessed it right, the start of spring in the northern hemisphere. Many of us, though, had begun celebrating the season of rebirth quite a few weeks early due to a noticeably "warm" winter. And as we begin springtime today, we should experience .

But anyhow, as the greenery begins to grow and flowers start to sprout, so do your Chinese should blossom too. So ring in spring with this week's Mandarin Monday… and let's start with asking others,

"Is it officially the start of spring? I thought it started last month!"
春天已经开始了吗？我以为是上个月呢！(Chūntiān yǐjīng kāishǐ ma? Wǒ yǐwéi shì shàng gè yuè ne!)

Though the weather has gradually become warmer, you still have 朋友 who don thick jackets.
"Ask her if she's cold. She dresses herself."
问她她冷不冷，她为自己穿衣服。(Wèn tā tā lěng bù lěng, tā wèi zìjǐ chuān yīfú.)

And since pollen from trees elsewhere start flying around, people sneezing should be a normal sight. If someone asks why your child seems crying, you can tell them…
"My child doesn't have a cold, she/he has allergies.”
我家孩子没有感冒，她/他  过敏。(Wǒjiā háizi méiyǒu gǎnmào, tā/tā  guòmǐn.)

Or when they politely ask you why there are tears in your eyes…
“I'm not crying, pollen just reached my eyes.”
我不是在哭，只是 有花粉在眼睛里。(Wǒ bùshì zài kū, zhǐshì yǒu huāfěn zài yǎnjīng lǐ.)

Sometimes, pollen can be everywhere that the whole place will look like a fantasy land. Your child asks,
"We see fairy dust!" but, "No, it's pollen dear."
我们看到了仙女灰! 亲爱的，那只是花粉… (Wǒmen kàn dàole xiānnǚ huī! Qīn'ài de, nà zhǐshì huāfěn…)

Well, aside from that bad smog, there’s no reason not to enjoy springtime and be active. Why not walk around or exercise… to the point that…
"I've already had 3 liters of water today, thanks."
不用了，我今天已经喝过了3升水。谢谢! (Bùyòngle, wǒ jīntiān yǐjīng hēguòle 3 shēngshuǐ. Xièxiè!)

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