ChinaPulse.com

Note: The spoken Chinese Mandarin language has 4 spoken tones. We have attempted to re-create those below where after each syllable we tell you (1), (2), (3), or (4) as they correspond to each of the 4 tones. We encourage you to complement your Xianzai.com Emergency Chinese newsletter with a good offline study program.

Cigarettes: xiang(1) yan(1)

NEW WORDS:
Cigarettes: xiang(1) yan(1)
Lighter: da(3) huo(3) ji(1)
Cigars: xue(3) jia(1)
Ashtray: yan(1) hui(1) gang(1)

LESSON:

• Do you sell cigarettes?
  ni(3) mai(4) xiang(1) yan(1) ma?
  
• How much are cigars?
  xue(3) jia(1) duo(1) shao(3) qian(2)?
  
• Does this lighter work well?
  zhe(4) ge(4) da(3) huo(3) ji(1) hao(3) shi(3) ma?
  
• Please bring me an ashtray.
  qing(3) gei(3) wo(3) na(2) yi(1) ge(4) yan(1) hui(1) gang(1).

* Tip: China is the world's largest producer and consumer of cigarettes. Each year Chinese residents smoke more cigarettes than all of the USA and Europe out together! A nation of smokers indeed!

As well as being able to buy most foreign brands easily, China has numerous domestic brands including a brand named after the compound that is home to China's leaders (Zhongnanhai) and a wonderful brand - Double Happiness - that are common at weddings.