Book 1, Lesson 3: Hobbies and Making Plans
The complete vocabulary list for A Course in Contemporary Chinese Book 1, Lesson 3—covering sports, hobbies, and how to make plans with friends in Mandarin.
Lesson 3 opens up your social life.
Note: This page serves as a companion to the A Course in Contemporary Chinese series by the Mandarin Training Center of the National Taiwan Normal University. You can use this post as a reference, but we strongly advise you to purchase the book to get the full didactic value it offers.
After learning to introduce yourself and discuss your family, Book 1 Lesson 3 of A Course in Contemporary Chinese (Dangdai) teaches you how to talk about what you do for fun—and how to invite others to join you.
This is the vocabulary of friendship. Within your first month in Taiwan, classmates will ask what you do on weekends. Someone will suggest watching a movie. A language exchange partner will invite you to play basketball. You need the words to participate.
The Theme: Leisure and Invitations
The scenario of Lesson 3 revolves around weekends and free time. People discuss their hobbies, suggest activities, and make plans together. It is the vocabulary of casual conversation—the kind that turns acquaintances into friends.
The vocabulary divides into several categories:
Sports and Activities
A rich collection of athletic vocabulary: basketball, baseball, tennis, soccer, swimming. Taiwan has a vibrant sports culture, and these words will appear constantly—in conversation, on television, and on university campuses.
Time Expressions
Words that anchor your plans in time: 週末 (weekend), 今天 (today), 明天 (tomorrow), 早上 (morning), 晚上 (evening). These allow you to move beyond the present moment into scheduling and planning.
Verbs of Action
How to describe what you do: 打 (to play/hit), 踢 (to kick), 游泳 (to swim), 看 (to watch), 聽 (to listen), 吃 (to eat). These action verbs form the backbone of describing activities.
Making Suggestions
The phrases that turn a conversation into a plan: 怎麼樣 (how about it?), 好不好 (okay?), 還是 (or), 吧 (suggestion particle). These are the social lubricants of Mandarin.
Food and Dining
Your first dining vocabulary beyond drinks: 吃 (to eat), 晚飯 (dinner), 菜 (food/cuisine/vegetables). Sharing meals is central to Taiwanese social life.
Vocabulary Table
Click any character to view stroke order, pronunciation, and example sentences in our dictionary.
| Character | Pinyin | Meaning | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 週末 | zhōumò | weekend | Noun |
| 聽 | tīng | to listen | Verb |
| 音樂 | yīnyuè | music | Noun |
| 運動 | yùndòng | sports; exercise; to exercise | Noun/Verb |
| 打 | dǎ | to play (ball sports); to hit | Verb |
| 網球 | wǎngqiú | tennis | Noun |
| 棒球 | bàngqiú | baseball | Noun |
| 和 | hé | and; with | Conjunction |
| 游泳 | yóuyǒng | to swim; swimming | Verb/Noun |
| 常 | cháng | often; frequently | Adverb |
| 籃球 | lánqiú | basketball | Noun |
| 也 | yě | also; too | Adverb |
| 踢 | tī | to kick | Verb |
| 足球 | zúqiú | soccer; football | Noun |
| 覺得 | juéde | to feel; to think | Verb |
| 好玩 | hǎowán | fun; interesting | Adjective |
| 明天 | míngtiān | tomorrow | Noun |
| 早上 | zǎoshang | morning | Noun |
| 去 | qù | to go | Verb |
| 怎麼樣 | zěnmeyàng | how about it?; how is it? | Phrase |
| 啊 | a | (exclamatory particle) | Particle |
| 做什麼 | zuò shénme | do what?; what are you doing? | Phrase |
| 好啊 | hǎo a | sure!; great! | Phrase |
| 白如玉 | Bái Rúyù | (Personal name) | Proper noun |
| 今天 | jīntiān | today | Noun |
| 晚上 | wǎnshang | evening; night | Noun |
| 看 | kàn | to watch; to look; to read | Verb |
| 電影 | diànyǐng | movie; film | Noun |
| 妳 | nǐ | you (female) | Pronoun |
| 想 | xiǎng | to want; to think; to miss | Verb |
| 還是 | háishi | or (in questions) | Conjunction |
| 吧 | ba | (suggestion particle) | Particle |
| 可以 | kěyǐ | can; may; okay | Auxiliary verb |
| 學 | xué | to learn; to study | Verb |
| 中文 | Zhōngwén | Chinese (language) | Noun |
| 一起 | yìqǐ | together | Adverb |
| 吃 | chī | to eat | Verb |
| 晚飯 | wǎnfàn | dinner; evening meal | Noun |
| 菜 | cài | food; cuisine; dish; vegetables | Noun |
| 越南 | Yuènán | Vietnam | Proper noun |
| 好不好 | hǎo bù hǎo | okay?; is that alright? | Phrase |
Key Grammar
打 vs 踢 — How to “Play” Sports
Mandarin uses different verbs for different sports, based on the physical action involved:
打 (dǎ) — literally “to hit” — is used for sports involving hands or implements:
- 打籃球 — to play basketball
- 打棒球 — to play baseball
- 打網球 — to play tennis
踢 (tī) — literally “to kick” — is used for sports involving feet:
- 踢足球 — to play soccer/football
Other sports use their own verbs:
- 游泳 — to swim (the verb is built into the word)
This is unlike English, where “play” covers most sports. Using the wrong verb sounds distinctly foreign.
想 (xiǎng) — Wanting and Thinking
想 is a versatile verb with multiple meanings depending on context:
To want to (do something):
- 我想去看電影。 — I want to go watch a movie.
- 你想吃什麼？ — What do you want to eat?
To think:
- 我想他是老師。 — I think he is a teacher.
To miss (someone):
- 我想我的家人。 — I miss my family.
In this lesson, 想 primarily appears in its “want to” sense.
還是 (háishi) — “Or” in Questions
Mandarin has two words for “or”:
還是 is used in questions offering alternatives:
- 你想看電影還是聽音樂？ — Do you want to watch a movie or listen to music?
- 今天還是明天？ — Today or tomorrow?
或者 (huòzhě) is used in statements (introduced in later lessons):
- 今天或者明天都可以。 — Today or tomorrow is fine.
For now, remember: questions use 還是.
The Suggestion Particle 吧 (ba)
吧 softens statements into suggestions or seeks mild agreement:
Making suggestions:
- 我們去看電影吧。 — Let’s go watch a movie.
- 吃晚飯吧。 — Let’s eat dinner.
Seeking confirmation:
- 你是美國人吧？ — You’re American, right?
吧 makes your speech sound less demanding and more collaborative. It is essential for polite suggestions.
好不好 and 怎麼樣 — Seeking Agreement
Both phrases turn statements into invitations:
好不好 (hǎo bù hǎo) — “okay?” / “is that alright?”
- 我們明天去游泳，好不好？ — Let’s go swimming tomorrow, okay?
怎麼樣 (zěnmeyàng) — “how about it?” / “what do you think?”
- 今天晚上看電影，怎麼樣？ — How about watching a movie tonight?
These phrases invite the listener to agree or suggest alternatives. They are fundamental to making plans in Mandarin.
可以 (kěyǐ) — Permission and Possibility
可以 indicates that something is permitted or possible:
Permission:
- 我可以進來嗎？ — May I come in?
- 可以。 — Yes, you may.
Possibility/Acceptability:
- 明天可以。 — Tomorrow works.
- 這樣可以嗎？ — Is this okay?
可以 is essential for polite requests and confirming arrangements.
也 (yě) — “Also”
也 must come before the verb:
- 我喜歡籃球，我也喜歡足球。 — I like basketball, and I also like soccer.
- 他也想去。 — He also wants to go.
Word order matters: 我也喜歡 is correct; 我喜歡也 is wrong.
常 (cháng) — “Often”
Like 也, the adverb 常 comes before the verb:
- 我常運動。 — I often exercise.
- 你常看電影嗎？ — Do you often watch movies?
- 我們常一起吃晚飯。 — We often eat dinner together.
Cultural Notes
Sports in Taiwan
Taiwan has passionate sports culture, though the popular sports differ from Western countries:
棒球 (Baseball) is Taiwan’s national sport. The Chinese Professional Baseball League draws large crowds, and Taiwanese players have reached Major League Baseball in the United States. Talking about baseball is an easy way to connect with locals.
籃球 (Basketball) is extremely popular, especially among young people. The NBA has a massive following in Taiwan, and outdoor basketball courts are everywhere.
足球 (Soccer) is less dominant than in other Asian countries but growing in popularity.
網球 (Tennis) gained prominence through Taiwanese players competing internationally.
妳 vs 你 — Gendered “You”
This lesson introduces 妳, the feminine form of “you.” In Traditional Chinese:
- 你 — you (gender-neutral or male)
- 妳 — you (specifically female)
In practice, 你 is often used universally, especially in casual writing. However, 妳 appears in formal writing, textbooks, and when the writer wants to specifically acknowledge addressing a woman.
In spoken Mandarin, there is no distinction—both are pronounced “nǐ.”
Weekend Culture
台灣的週末 (Taiwanese weekends) often revolve around food, family, and friends. Common weekend activities include:
- Going to night markets
- Hiking in the mountains surrounding Taipei
- Watching movies (Taiwan has a strong cinema culture)
- Eating out with friends and family
- Shopping at department stores or markets
When someone asks 你週末做什麼？(What are you doing this weekend?), they are often looking for an opportunity to make plans together.
Vietnamese Food in Taiwan
The vocabulary includes 越南 (Vietnam), reflecting the significant Vietnamese community in Taiwan. Vietnamese cuisine—particularly 河粉 (phở) and 春捲
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