Unit 1: Class 1 – Vocabulary — TTM 342 Chinese Language Study Notes

Pass path: Master definitions of Mandarin Number Logic, Date Formatting Rule, and Jiǔdiàn vs. Fàndiàn in Part 1. Top path: Diagram Chinese Mandarin Pinyin Phonetics & Four Tones, contrast Class 1 – Vocabulary core distinction table in Part 3, and solve the Stating Travel Schedules in Mandarin ladder in Part 4.

Part 1: Core Concepts (2 Marks)

★ Mandarin Number Logic: Mandarin counting is strictly decimal; numbers 11 to 19 are formed by Shí (10) + digit (e.g., $15 = \text{Shí-wǔ}$ ); multiples of ten are digit + Shí (e.g., $30 = \text{Sān-shí}$ ).
Date Formatting Rule: Mandarin dates follow the strict hierarchical order from largest to smallest unit: Year (Nián) $\to$ Month (Yuè) $\to$ Day (Rì / Hào).
Jiǔdiàn vs. Fàndiàn: Common Chinese words for commercial hotels: Jiǔdiàn (modern hotel/resort) and Fàndiàn (hotel/grand dining establishment).
Hùzhào (护照): The Chinese term for Passport, universally requested by hotel receptionists during guest registration.
Diǎn and Fēn: Time markers: Diǎn means hour/o’clock (e.g., Bā diǎn = 8 o’clock); Fēn means minute (e.g., Bā diǎn shí fēn = 8:10).

Part 2: Structural Frameworks (10 Marks)

Chinese Mandarin Pinyin Phonetics & Four Tones

Mandarin Number and Date Architecture

MANDARIN NUMBERS & CALENDAR STRUCTURE

NUMBERS 1 TO 10
1: Yī (一) | 2: Èr (二) | 3: Sān (三) | 4: Sì (四) | 5: Wǔ (五)
6: Liù (六) | 7: Qī (七) | 8: Bā (八) | 9: Jiǔ (九) | 10: Shí (十)
LARGER DENOMINATIONS
100: Yī-bǎi (一百) | 1,000: Yī-qiān (一千) | 10,000: Yī-wàn (一万)
DATE STRUCTURE (Year + Month + Day)
Example: October 15, 2026
2026年 10月 15号 (Èr líng èr liù nián, shí yuè, shí-wǔ hào)

Part 3: Distinction Tables

Basis of Comparison (Hospitality Domain)	English Tourism Term	Pinyin Transcription	Chinese Characters (Hanzi)
Lodging Facility	Hotel	Jiǔdiàn	酒店
Identification Document	Passport	Hùzhào	护照
Aviation Gateway	Airport	Jīchǎng	机场
Travel Passage Paper	Flight Ticket	Jīpiào	机票
Room Access Security	Room Key	Fángkǎ / Yàoshi	房卡 / 钥匙
Guiding Service	Trekking Guide	Xiàngdǎo / Dǎoyóu	向导 / 导游

Part 4: Worked Problems & Exam Traps

★ Stating Travel Schedules in Mandarin

Wǒmen míngtiān zǎoshang qī diǎn bàn chūfā. (We depart tomorrow morning at 7:30 AM).
Fēijī xiàwǔ sān diǎn dǐdá Jiāmǎndǔ. (The airplane arrives in Kathmandu at 3:00 PM).
Nín de fángjiān shì sān líng bā hào. (Your room is Number 308).

TU Exam Trap: In Chinese, never write the day first! English says "15th October 2026", but Chinese MUST write Year first, Month second, Day last (2026 Nián 10 Yuè 15 Hào). Reversing this order is a major grammatical penalty.

Students lose marks here because they write the day first.

Chinese Language

Chapter notes

Unit 1: Class 1 – Vocabulary· 2 LHs· ~2 marks