Hey fellow Mandarin learners, today we’ll break down a photo booth sign in Chinese. Lets focus on the area in red.
Native speakers see posts like this every day. If you want to be like them, read what they read.
Lets get started.
Step 1: Listen & Read
Listen to the speaker reading out the sign and follow along with the characters & pinyin below. Listen to as many times as you like.
This may seem intimidating because you may not understand much at first but don’t worry! This is to help you get used to the sounds. We’ll get into the translation in the next step.
shùwèi kuàizhào
数位快照
數位快照
15 miǎo lièyìn shíjiān
15秒列印时间
15秒列印時間
mǎnyì hòu zài tóubì
满意后再投币
滿意後再投幣
bùchénggōng bù shōufèi
不成功不收费
不成功不收費
Step 2: English Translations
Read the English translations and study the vocabulary list and check how much you understood.
shùwèi kuàizhào
数位快照
數位快照
Digital snapshot
15 miǎo lièyìn shíjiān
15秒列印时间
15秒列印時間
15 second printing time
mǎnyì hòu zài tóubì
满意后再投币
滿意後再投幣
Pay after if satisfied
bùchénggōng bù shōufèi
不成功不收费
不成功不收費
No fee if not successful
Vocabulary List:
Access the full lesson with vocabulary lists, a study tracker, audio pronunciation, real video examples, flashcard review and more here:
Step 3: Repetition
Most people stop after reading the translation, but they miss the most important step: repetition. This will help you improve your reading and speaking.
Read the characters out loud with the pinyin. Focus on getting the correct tones. Go back to the original audio in Step 1 if you need to hear it again.
shùwèi kuàizhào
数位快照
數位快照
15 miǎo lièyìn shíjiān
15秒列印时间
15秒列印時間
mǎnyì hòu zài tóubì
满意后再投币
滿意後再投幣
bùchénggōng bù shōufèi
不成功不收费
不成功不收費
Step 4: Final Test
Bring things full circle and read the original text one more time without pinyin. This will prepare you for the real world.
How does it feel compared to when you first read it?
Congrats! You just read a real-world Chinese sign!
I used this simple but powerful 4-step method to help me get fluent in Mandarin, consume native content and speak with locals confidently.
See you again next week for another real-world breakdown.
When you’re ready, here are some ways I can help you:
The Chinese Companion: An all-in-one Chinese study space to help you stay motivated, consistent and never forget what you study.
The Monthly Signs: Access full lessons of real signs with vocab lists, audio pronunciation, real video examples, flashcard review and more!
8-week intensive course: Take your Chinese to the next level with courses for beginner to advanced students using real-life material, live lessons & personalized feedback.