Today we chat about something super useful — how to be more efficient in studying and working! We shared our methods of taking on the challenge of language exams and what kept ourselves motivated. Also, everyone has their own learning style and it’s okay to learn things your way!
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免费的全文内容（汉字，拼音，英语翻译）在这里. Free transcript of the entire podcast with characters, pinyin and English translation: https://www.yaya.press/doc/259f839f-3646-4c41-80bb-3b0e3b2a7cf6
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丧心病狂
sàng xīn bìng kuáng
utterly ruthless; insanely bold (often joking to mean “wildly ambitious / outrageous in a funny way”)
要面子
yào miànzi
to care about saving face; to care about pride/reputation
动机
dòngjī
motivation; driving reason
忐忑
tǎntè
anxious; uneasy and nervous
丢脸
diūliǎn
to lose face; to be embarrassed
框架
kuàngjià
framework; structure
模板
múbǎn
template; model pattern
衡量标准
héngliáng biāozhǔn
evaluation standard; criteria for judgment
体面的
tǐmiàn de
respectable; decent; dignified
自我实现
zìwǒ shíxiàn
self-actualization; fulfilling one’s potential (Maslow’s highest need)
归属感
guīshǔgǎn
sense of belonging
安全感
ānquángǎn
sense of security/safety
牌照
páizhào
license; certification required to practice a regulated profession
拖沓 / 磨叽
tuōtà / mōji
to procrastinate; to be slow, dilly-dally (磨叽 is very colloquial / Northern)
磨磨唧唧
mó mo jī jī
to dawdle; to drag one’s feet and put things off
一跺脚
yī duò jiǎo
(to do something) after finally making up one’s mind; “screw it, I’ll just do it”
花钱让我心痛
huā qián ràng wǒ xīntòng
spending money hurts me emotionally (used as motivation not to waste effort)
截止日期
jiézhǐ rìqī
deadline
期限
qīxiàn
time limit; period; deadline window
效率
xiàolǜ
efficiency; productivity
生产力
shēngchǎnlì
productivity; output capacity
高效
gāoxiào
highly efficient; effective
集中的学习
jízhōng de xuéxí
focused / intensive study
要强
yàoqiáng
determined to excel; unwilling to be seen as weak
好面子
hào miànzi
to care a lot about saving face / reputation
体会
tǐhuì
to personally feel/experience and understand (often emotionally or insightfully)
洞见
dòngjiàn
insight; deep understanding
本质
běnzhì
essence; fundamental nature
深挖
shēn wā
to dig deep; to probe in depth
本能的反应
běnnéng de fǎnyìng
instinctive reaction
心流体验
xīnliú tǐyàn
flow state; feeling of total immersion and focus
惰性
duòxìng
laziness; inertia; tendency not to act unless pushed
定制化
dìngzhì huà
customized; tailored
监督
jiāndū
to supervise; to keep accountable
开小差
kāi xiǎo chāi
to zone out; to get distracted; to daydream in class
走神
zǒu shén
to lose focus; to let one’s mind wander
沉浸式
chénjìn shì
immersive (teaching/learning fully in the target language/environment)
母语教学
mǔyǔ jiàoxué
instruction conducted in the target/native language only (no translation)
实证基础
shízhèng jīchǔ
evidence base; empirical foundation
循序渐进
xúnxù jiànjìn
to proceed step by step; gradual and orderly progress
逐步提升
zhúbù tíshēng
to improve gradually, step by step
自信
zìxìn
self-confidence
自我了解
zìwǒ liǎojiě
self-understanding; awareness of oneself
高标准
gāo biāozhǔn
high standards; demanding expectations
衡量自己
héngliáng zìjǐ
to assess oneself; to measure one’s own performance
挑战自己
tiǎozhàn zìjǐ
to challenge oneself
证明自己
zhèngmíng zìjǐ
to prove oneself
要命的（压力）
yàomìng de (yālì)
extreme; killing; “this pressure is killing me”
丢脸的压力
diūliǎn de yālì
the pressure / fear of embarrassment
权威
quánwēi
authority; authoritative figure/expert
条条框框
tiáo tiáo kuàng kuàng
rigid rules; fixed constraints; inflexible requirements
坚持
jiānchí
to persist; to stick to something
自我驱动
zìwǒ qūdòng
self-driven; internally motivated
动机来源
dòngjī láiyuán
source of motivation; where motivation comes from
体面的收入
tǐmiàn de shōurù
respectable income; decent earnings
归属
guīshǔ
to belong to; affiliation / sense of belonging
自我实现的需求
zìwǒ shíxiàn de xūqiú
the need for self-actualization (Maslow’s top level)
心痛难忍
xīntòng nánrěn
so painful it’s hard to bear (emotionally painful, e.g. wasting exam fee)
忐忑不安
tǎntè bù’ān
to feel nervous and unsettled; on edge
