Features
◇Level 1 words and expressions for teaching Chinese to speakers of other languages are selected.
◇404 groups of similar words and expressions, totaling 872 words and expressions, are included in the body of the book.
◇129 groups of similar words and expressions, totaling 283 words and expressions, are included in the appendices.
◇Four parts, similarities, distinctions, exercises and answers, are offered for each group.
◇Language used in explanations and example sentences is easy to understand.
◇Abundant examples and commonly used collocations are provided.
◇A vocabulary index to facilitate searching is available.
Target Users
Learners of Chinese language at elementary level
Candidates for the tests of NEW HSK
Teachers of Chinese as a foreign language
Different from synonyms in the common sense, “similar words and expressions” include words and expressions with similar meanings or similar/same forms or pronunciations. The concept is coined in consideration of the reality foreign students face when learning Chinese, thus being of real help to foreign students. The book is characterized by brief and accurate explanations on the distinctions, relevant example sentences, Level 1 words and expressions for speakers of other languages and abundant collocations. The book is a reference for teaching, self-study and HSK preparation.
This book is one of the research findings of a project supported by National Social Science Foundation. It includes over 400 groups of similar words and expressions, more than 800 in total, all of which are Level 1words and expressions for speakers of other languages. Similar in meaning, form or pronunciation, these words and expressions help learners master Chinese vocabulary and put them in use more efficiently and accurately. The similarities and distinctions are analyzed from different aspects, such as meaning, usage and (a large number of) collocations; exercises and answers are provided for every group of words and expressions.
Fang Xujun, a Ph.D., is a professor of Shanghai Normal University whose postdoctoral research focuses on the subject Language Testing: Theory and Practice. Prof Fang has published more than 40 papers and books in total.