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Usages of nián
我 这 个 帽子 戴 了 很 多 年 了， 觉得 比 新 帽子 更 舒服。wǒ zhè gè màozi dài le hěn duō nián le, juéde bǐ xīn màozi gèng shūfu.
I’ve worn this hat for many years; I feel it’s more comfortable than a new one.
在 外国 留学 一 年 的 学费 比 在 这 个 城市 上 大学 贵 很多。Zài wàiguó liúxué yí nián de xuéfèi bǐ zài zhè gè chéngshì shàng dàxué guì hěn duō.
A year of tuition for studying abroad is much more expensive than going to university in this city.
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“How do tones work in Chinese?”
Mandarin Chinese has four main tones plus a neutral tone. The same syllable can mean completely different things depending on the tone — for example, "mā" (mother), "má" (hemp), "mǎ" (horse), and "mà" (scold). Mastering tones is essential for being understood.
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