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The fourth Chinese Corner of the semester drew 44 Chinese and international students to the School of International Culture at South China Normal University on Thursday evening, April 9.
The evening opened with "Color Reaction", where the host called out colors and participants matched actions to images on the screen. Indonesian student Brian recalled the game: "I knew some colors before, like '红色 (red)', but words like '紫色 (purple) '— I'd heard them but forgotten them. Tonight's game really helped me remember them."
Students strike poses during "Color Reaction."
As the fun continued, "Charades" took center stage, instantly ramping up the atmosphere. Students took to the stage and used only body language to convey words while the rest of the room guessed. When one student hopped across the stage with hands raised above their head, mimicking long rabbit ears, the room erupted: "兔子！兔子！(Rabbit!)"
A Thai student acts out "rabbit."
The pace shifted to "Musical Pass". As the music played, a SCNU mascot plush toy was passed rapidly from hand to hand around the room until the music stopped — leaving the person holding it to introduce themselves and answer questions in Chinese. Students from Thailand, Russia, Indonesia, and Central Asia shared personal stories at varying levels of Chinese proficiency, drawing some of the night's warmest applause.
Russian student Olga introduces herself.
Two Truths and a Lie sparked lively interactions. Each participant shared three statements about themselves — two true, one false — and the audience tried to spot the lie. One Thai student grinned and said: "我是韩国人(I'm Korean),""我是泰国人(I'm Thai)," "我是男生(I'm a boy)." Russian exchange student Lera called this game one of her favorites: "It was really interesting-like learning more about different people in such a short time." A Chinese student from the School of Foreign Studies, who has attended five or six Chinese Corners, highlighted the self-introduction parts as his most memorable: "For international students, it's a great chance to practice speaking. And for friends who already know each other, it becomes a chance to joke around."
A Thai student says three things about himself.
In "Guess Who?", the host offered three descriptive clues about someone in the room -"I wear glasses," "I’m a boy"-and participants raced to identify the mystery person. Heads swiveled, eyes scanned the crowd, and triumphant shouts of recognition echoed across the atrium, turning simple descriptions into a fun vocabulary exercise.
Students scan the room to identify the mystery person.
After the structured games, participants split into small groups to chat about campus food, travel, cultural differences, and the challenges of learning Chinese.
Chinese and international students exchange cultural experiences.
As the evening wound down, all 44 participants gathered on the steps for a group photo. "3, 2, 1 —!" With the click of the shutter, beaming faces from many countries were captured in a single frame.
Group photo of all the participants.
Chinese Corner is a long-standing tradition at the school. Lei Zijun, a first-year graduate student at the School of International Culture and the event's chief organizer of this semester's event, noted that participants come from Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Russia, Central Asian countries, Turkey, and elsewhere, with proficiency levels ranging from HSK 1–2 beginners to advanced Level 5–6 speakers. Chinese graduate students served as guides and icebreakers, proactively engaging with quieter international attendees. "We want to give international students a real, relaxed space where they can practice Chinese, socialize, and set aside the pressure of exams," Lei said.
Lei Zijun, the event's chief organizer.
For many participants, the evening left them eager for more. Looking ahead, Russian student Olga shared her hopes: "I want to make more friends and get more chances to chat in Chinese." Her sentiment resonated with many, as the Chinese Corner sessions will continue every Thursday night throughout the semester.
Lei offered a warm invitation to anyone interested: "Don't worry if your Chinese isn't perfect. This is a safe place—a place for mistakes and laughter. I hope everyone who comes can make true Chinese friends, hear authentic Chinese beyond the textbook, and fall in love with life in Guangzhou."
Written by Chen Bao, Luo Fengyi, Zhong Yiting, Tang Ying
Proofread by Edwin Baak
Edited by Li Ning
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