This is a must-have handbook for students of any level who are interested in learning the Mandarin language within a short period of time. The book emphasizes communicate with native Chinese speakers with a revolutionary system utilizing only 4 verbs ("to be/want/have/love") to generate thousands of phrases for daily conversation. Let this handbook ease you out of your fear of learning the Mandarin language and give you confidence in the classroom or for your stay in China. It took more than two years to complete this handbook. Pin The, a teacher and author, created and developed this easy system of language learning through years of experience and compiled her teachings into one useful handbook, so students could stay motivated and master the language in no time. Her revolutionary methods using the basic four verbs can generate thousands of sentences that enable students to communicate with native speakers without hesitation. Her methods range from the simple plug-in technique, to using shared characters, to a mnemonic system. She also creates many unique pictures and diagrams to aid the reader in their learning journey. There are many interesting chapters to learn about daily words and phrases that are not listed in many regular textbooks. Check out the list below for just a couple things you'll find in this handbook. *Numbers *Baby talk: for parents with adopted Chinese children *Homophones *Greetings *Food, How to Dine Out *Currency, how to exchange money *Culture and celebrations *Superstitions and taboos *Tech savvy words, Internet buzzwords *Slang *Chinese Kinship system *Complete measurement words *How to address others *How to ask for directions *Many, many more Illustrations in this book have been provided by Pin's daughter, Maya, whose art has been displayed nationwide. Scholastic has awarded her over 10 gold and silver keys for her artwork. The photos are taken by the author, Pin The, who is also an award-winning photographer. Pin The (Sally Gouw), M.A. University of Pennsylvania, Linguistics.