***************Key words of the day
Today we’ll continue talking about the weather. 刮风, to blow. 春天北京经常刮风。It’s often windy during the spring in Beijing. 下雨, to rain. 下雪, to snow. All in today’s Chinese Studio.
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Yajie: 刮, g-u-a, the first tone, means blow.
Cam: 刮(guā).
Yajie: 风, feng, the first tone, wind.
Cam: 风 (fēng).
Yajie: 刮风.
Cam: 刮风(guā fēng).
Yajie: So in Chinese “Today it’s windy” is 今天刮风。
Cam: 今天刮风 (jīntiān guāfēng).
Yajie: It’s often windy in Beijing during the spring.. 春天北京经常刮风。
Cam: 春天北京经常刮风 (chūntiān Běijīng jīngcháng guāfēng).
Yajie: 春天 means spring. And summer is 夏天(xiàtiān), ,fall is 秋天and winter is冬天(dōngtiaān)
Cam: chun tian, xia tian, qiu tian, dong tian.
Yajie: Very good. 经常means often.
Cam: 经常 (jīngcháng).
Yajie: Could you read with me again the phrase刮风 (guāfēng)?
Cam: Sure, 刮风 (guāfēng).

Conversations (1)

Yajie: In recent years it’s becoming hotter and hotter in the summer of Shanghai, and it rains a lot there. So in Chinese we say, 夏天上海经常下雨。
Cam: 夏天上海经常下雨 (xiàtiān Shànghǎi jīngchaáng xià yǔ)。
Yajie: 经常 means often.
Cam: 经常 (jīngcháng).
Yajie: 下雨means to rain.
Cam: 下雨 (xià yǔ).
Yajie: 下, x-i-a, the fourth tone, to fall.
Cam: 下(xià). And 雨 is rain, yes?
Yajie: Right.

Conversations (2)

Yajie: 雪, x-u-e, the third tone.
Cam: 雪(xuě).
Yajie: We just learned下雨,which means to rain. Can you guess how to say, today it’s snowing?
Cam: Well, I think it should be 今天下雪, because the snow is also falling down from the sky, just like the rain. Am I right?
Yajie: yes, very descriptive. For example, 哈尔滨冬天下很大的雪。It snows heavily in Harbin in the winter.
Cam: 哈尔滨冬天下很大的雪 (Hāérbīn de dōngtiān xià hěn dà de xuě)。
Yajie: 很大. 很, h-e-n, third tone means very.
Cam: 很(hěn).
Yajie: 大, d-a, the fourth tone, big or large. 
Cam: 大 (dà).
Yajie:哈尔滨冬天下很大的雪。It snows heavily in Harbin in the winter.
Cam: 哈尔滨冬天下很大的雪 (Hāérbīn de dōngtiān xià hěn dà de xuě)。

Conversations (3)

***************Key words reminder
刮风, to blow. 春天北京经常刮风。It’s often windy during the spring in Beijing. 下雨, to rain. 上海夏天经常下雨。It rains a lot during the summer in Shanghai. 下雪, to snow. 哈尔滨冬天下很大的雪。It snows heavily in Harbin in the winter. 
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Yajie: Cam, did you know that there is an annual Ice Festival in Harbin? Each year, the festival attracts a large number of visitors. Besides, people could go skiing in Harbin.
Cam: I hope I have the chance to visit Harbin one day.
Yajie: Me too. Ok, that’s all for this time. Our question of the day is: In Chinese, how do you say “It’s windy today”?
Cam: You can send us your answers to chinese@crifm.com. That's chinese@crifm.com.  Or you can visit us on our website at en.chinabroadcast.cn. Click “Learn Chinese”. You can enjoy free Chinese-learning programs.
Yajie: Bye for now. See you tomorrow. 明天见
Cam: 明天见(mingtian jian)!

(Written by Zhao Pingping)