A while back, I visited a place called Dafen (大芬) — an art village in Shenzhen that’s often referred to as “the world’s largest Oil Painting center”.
Watch the video below to get a peek into the colorful village and listen as three people share some thoughts on what makes it special.
BONUS: Download MP3 + PDF to Review This Lesson Anytime
7 Useful Sentence Patterns for Describing a (Special) Place in Chinese
In the video I highlighted 7 sentence patterns that were used to express facts, opinions and feelings about Dafen Village. Below you'll find a couple more sample sentences for each one.
Tip: Try to make sentences with some of these patterns based on a place that’s special to YOU!
______________ 有什么特别之处？
_________ yǒu shén me tè bié zhī chù?
What's special about _________?
Example 1 (from the video):
大芬油画村有什么特别之处?
dà fēn yóu huà cūn yǒu shén me tè bié zhī chù?
What's special about Dafen Oil Painting Village?
Example 2:
北京故宫有什么特别之处?
běi jīng gù gōng yǒu shén me tè bié zhī chù?
What's special about Beijing's Forbidden City?
Example 3:
丽江古城有什么特别之处?
lì jiāng gǔ chéng yǒu shén me tè bié zhī chù?
What's special about Lijiang Old Town?
______________ 是一个______________ 。
_________shì yī gè __________.
_________ is a __________.
Example 1 (from the video):
大芬油画村是一个原创和复制油画的艺术基地。
dà fēn yóu huà cūn shì yī gè yuán chuàng hé fù zhì yóu huà de yì shù jī dì.
Dafen Oil Painting Village is a base for original and reproduction oil painting art.
Example 2:
上海是一个现代化的大都市。
shàng hǎi shì yī gè xiàn dài huà de dà dōu shì.
Shanghai is a big modern city.
Example 3:
桂林漓江是一个值得去的地方。
guì lín lí jiāng shì yī gè zhí dé qù de dì fāng.
Guilin's Lijiang River is a place worth going to.
A number + 多 duō
Over/more than + a number
Example 1 (from the video):
居住在这里的油画家画工大概有八千多人。
jū zhù zài zhè lǐ de yóu huà jiā huà gōng dà gài yǒu bā qiān duō rén.
Over eight thousand oil painters and workers live here.
Example 2:
苏州现在有60多个园林。
sū zhōu xiàn zài yǒu 60 duō gè yuán lín.
There are over 60 gardens in Suzhou now.
Example 3:
黑龙江的人口是3800多万。
hēi lóng jiāng de rén kǒu shì 3800 duō wàn.
The population of Heilongjiang is over 38 million.
近 jìn + a number
Nearly/Close to + a number
Example 1 (from the video):
在这里经营的门店有近一千余家。
zài zhè lǐ jīng yíng de mén diàn yǒu jìn yī qiān yú jiā.
Nearly a thousand stores operate here.
Example 2:
南京路上有近100家的饭店。
nán jīng lù shàng yǒu jìn 100 jiā de fàn diàn.
There's nearly 100 restaurants on Nanjing Road.
Example 3:
上海1月份的平均气温近 5 ℃。
shàng hǎi 1 yuè fèn de píng jūn qì wēn jìn 5 ℃.
The average temperature in January is nearly 5 ℃.
我认为 ______________ 。
wǒ rèn wèi __________.
I think __________.
Example 1 (from the video):
我认为是有很多传统的建筑物都可以体现在这个大芬油画村里面。
wǒ rèn wèi shì yǒu hěn duō chuán tǒng de jiàn zhù wù dōu kě yǐ tǐ xiàn zài zhè gè dà fēn yóu huà cūn lǐ miàn.
I think it's that there are many traditional buildings that can be seen inside Dafen oil painting village.
Example 2:
我认为北京的空气太差了。
wǒ rèn wèi běi jīng de kōng qì tài chà le.
I think the air in Beijing is really bad.
Example 3:
我认为香格里拉是中国最美的地方。
wǒ rèn wèi xiāng gé lǐ lā shì zhōng guó zuì měi de dì fāng.
I think Xianggelila is the most beautiful place in China.
______________ 有很多不同的 ________________。
__________ yǒu hěn duō bù tóng de ___________.
There are many different __________ in ___________.
Example 1 (from the video):
芬油画村里面有很多不同的画家的作品。
dà fēn yóu huà cūn lǐ miàn yǒu hěn duō bù tóng de huà jiā de zuò pǐn.
There are many different works of art in Dafen oil painting village.
Example 2:
成都有很多不同的小吃。
chéng dū yǒu hěn duō bù tóng de xiǎo chī.
There are many different snacks in Chengdu.
Example 3:
中国有很多不同的方言。
zhōng guó yǒu hěn duō bù tóng de fāng yán.
There are many different dialects in China.
______________ 感受一下 ________________。
_________ gǎn shòu yī xià ___________.
__________ experience ___________.
Example 1 (from the video):
自己来自己感受一下油画的感觉。
zì jǐ lái zì jǐ gǎn shòu yī xià yóu huà de gǎn jué.
I come here to "experience" the oil paintings in person.
Example 2:
我来这里感受一下中国的生活。
wǒ lái zhè lǐ gǎn shòu yī xià zhōng guó de shēng huó.
I come here to experience the life in China.
Example 3:
我来四川感受一下火锅的味道。
wǒ lái sì chuān gǎn shòu yī xià huǒ guō de wèi dào.
I come to Sichuan to experience the flavor of hotpot.
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Is there a special place that you have visited/would like to visit in China? I'd love to hear about it 🙂