At Pistachio Mandarin Language Centre, we love celebrating special occasions while making language learning meaningful and fun. This Easter, our students explored new Mandarin phrases and deepened their understanding of how language works—through real-life application and a bit of chocolatey motivation!
We started by learning the Easter greeting:
- Fùhuó jié kuàilè (Happy Easter)
To help our students understand and remember this phrase, we broke it down into parts:
- Fùhuó = rebirth
- Jié = festival
- Kuàilè = happy
We explained that in Mandarin, “happy” usually comes at the end of a greeting, unlike in English. This insight into sentence structure helps students apply what they learn to other contexts in the future.
We also taught some fun Easter-related vocabulary:
- Fùhuó jié tùzǐ qiǎokèlì = Easter bunny chocolate
- Tùzǐ means bunny or rabbit
- Qiǎokèlì is chocolate (a borrowed word from English, making it easier to remember!)
- Fùhuó jié cǎidàn = Easter eggs
- Cǎi means colourful – perfect for describing decorated Easter eggs
- Shízì cānbāo = hot cross bun
Once the kids had learned their Easter phrases, it was time to apply their knowledge! Each student was given the opportunity to say:
- Fùhuó jié kuàilè (Happy Easter)
- Wǒ xǐhuān fùhuó jié tùzǐ qiǎokèlì (I like Easter bunny chocolate)
- Wǒ bù xǐhuān fùhuó jié tùzǐ qiǎokèlì (I don’t like Easter bunny chocolate)
As a fun reward, Yatchun handed out chocolate Easter bunnies to all students who participated. Parents were also invited to join in the celebrations, making it a warm and inclusive event.
Celebrating as a Team
After class and festivities with the children and parents wrapped up, the Pistachio team enjoyed a lovely staff lunch together. We shared home-cooked dishes including chow mein made by Yatchun, sushi prepared by Andrea, and plenty of snacks. It was a great opportunity for the team to relax, connect, and celebrate. Even our tutor Yui, who is currently in Thailand, joined us virtually via Zoom – bringing a special sense of togetherness across the miles.
After lunch, we had some Easter fun of our own! Tutors were invited to say the Easter phrases just like the students had done. In return, Yatchun gifted everyone Easter chocolates and cookies. We wrapped up the day with cheerful staff photos and filmed Easter greeting videos. All in all, it was a day filled with language, laughter, and connection—both in and out of the classroom.
Want to learn some of these Easter phrases yourself?
Check out our Easter learning video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA18GsJFB1U