Did you know that a white pattern in blue cloth can tell you about an action? In Dali's tie-dye craft, folding, stitching and binding help shape the result. A pagoda and a lakeshore offer other stories. Choose the scene that delights you and learn the words that let you explain it.
These 100 expressions connect Dali's pagodas, Erhai surroundings, Bai courtyards and textile craft. Place names and short descriptive expressions sit beside single words. Start with one group, then use a question and a short English paragraph to make the vocabulary your own.
eduKateSG → Vocabulary → China Learning Hub → Dali. For everyday directions, payment and other basic exchanges, open shared Mandarin essentials.
Choose your reading route
Jump to 100 city expressions, pronunciation, five practical questions, places and history or English writing practice.
The list uses simplified Chinese and standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin. Names and short descriptive phrases sit beside single words because each has a useful travel purpose. These expressions are learning aids, not a promise that every sign uses the same wording. Save the full Chinese destination name and verify its address on a current official map.
1–10: Dali places and historical names
Keep the ancient city, wider city and prefecture names distinct when you read an address.
| No. | English word / expression | Chinese writing | Hanyu Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dali Ancient City | 大理古城 | dà lǐ gǔ chéng |
| 2 | Chongsheng Temple Three Pagodas | 崇圣寺三塔 | chóng shèng sì sān tǎ |
| 3 | Qianxun Pagoda | 千寻塔 | qiān xún tǎ |
| 4 | Cangshan mountain range | 苍山山脉 | cāng shān shān mài |
| 5 | Erhai Lake shoreline | 洱海岸线 | ěr hǎi àn xiàn |
| 6 | Xizhou Town | 喜洲镇 | xǐ zhōu zhèn |
| 7 | Zhoucheng Village | 周城村 | zhōu chéng cūn |
| 8 | Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture | 大理白族自治州 | dà lǐ bái zú zì zhì zhōu |
| 9 | Dali Kingdom history | 大理国历史 | dà lǐ guó lì shǐ |
| 10 | Nanzhao Kingdom history | 南诏国历史 | nán zhào guó lì shǐ |
11–20: Looking closely at the Three Pagodas
Notice the arrangement of the towers before adding a historical explanation.
| No. | English word / expression | Chinese writing | Hanyu Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | three-pagoda arrangement | 三塔布局 | sān tǎ bù jú |
| 12 | tall central pagoda | 高大的主塔 | gāo dà de zhǔ tǎ |
| 13 | paired smaller pagodas | 成对的小塔 | chéng duì de xiǎo tǎ |
| 14 | pagoda eaves in a photograph | 照片中的塔檐 | zhào piàn zhōng de tǎ yán |
| 15 | brick pagoda silhouette | 砖塔剪影 | zhuān tǎ jiǎn yǐng |
| 16 | temple restoration explanation | 寺院恢复建设说明 | sì yuàn huī fù jiàn shè shuō míng |
| 17 | pagoda reflection in water | 水中的塔影 | shuǐ zhōng de tǎ yǐng |
| 18 | heritage boundary on a plan | 平面图上的遗产边界 | píng miàn tú shàng de yí chǎn biān jiè |
| 19 | dated pagoda conservation record | 注明日期的古塔保护记录 | zhù míng rì qī de gǔ tǎ bǎo hù jì lù |
| 20 | view between pagodas and mountains | 古塔与山脉之间的景观 | gǔ tǎ yǔ shān mài zhī jiān de jǐng guān |
21–30: Erhai and lakeshore observations
Use a public path or a reliable image to name one shoreline feature.
| No. | English word / expression | Chinese writing | Hanyu Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Erhai lakeside village | 洱海边的村落 | ěr hǎi biān de cūn luò |
| 22 | lakeshore ecological corridor | 环湖生态廊道 | huán hú shēng tài láng dào |
| 23 | reeds along the lake margin | 湖缘的芦苇 | hú yuán de lú wěi |
| 24 | mountains across the lake | 湖对面的山 | hú duì miàn de shān |
| 25 | shoreline curve on a map | 地图上的岸线曲线 | dì tú shàng de àn xiàn qū xiàn |
| 26 | reflections beside a lakeside path | 湖边步道旁的倒影 | hú biān bù dào páng de dào yǐng |
| 27 | marked lake-protection area | 标示的湖泊保护区 | biāo shì de hú pō bǎo hù qū |
| 28 | village drainage near the shore | 岸边村落排水 | àn biān cūn luò pái shuǐ |
| 29 | lake observation from a public path | 从公共步道观察湖泊 | cóng gōng gòng bù dào guān chá hú pō |
| 30 | compare lake and sea vocabulary | 比较湖泊与海洋词汇 | bǐ jiào hú pō yǔ hǎi yáng cí huì |
31–40: Bai tie-dye actions
Connect the cloth pattern with an explained making step. Ask a maker to confirm the process.
| No. | English word / expression | Chinese writing | Hanyu Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Bai tie-dye craft | 白族扎染工艺 | bái zú zā rǎn gōng yì |
| 32 | cloth tied before dyeing | 染色前扎好的布 | rǎn sè qián zā hǎo de bù |
| 33 | stitched resist-dye pattern | 缝扎防染图案 | féng zā fáng rǎn tú àn |
| 34 | folded cloth before binding | 捆扎前折好的布 | kǔn zā qián zhé hǎo de bù |
| 35 | undyed pattern on blue cloth | 蓝布上的未染图案 | lán bù shàng de wèi rǎn tú àn |
| 36 | thread securing a fabric fold | 固定布褶的线 | gù dìng bù zhě de xiàn |
| 37 | untying a dyed bundle | 拆开染过的布束 | chāi kāi rǎn guò de bù shù |
| 38 | cloth rinsed after dyeing | 染后漂洗的布 | rǎn hòu piǎo xǐ de bù |
| 39 | drying tie-dyed fabric | 晾晒扎染布 | liàng shài zā rǎn bù |
| 40 | ask about the dye material | 询问染料原料 | xún wèn rǎn liào yuán liào |
41–50: Courtyards and screen walls
Look at the relationship between a house, a courtyard and a screen wall.
| No. | English word / expression | Chinese writing | Hanyu Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | Bai courtyard layout | 白族庭院布局 | bái zú tíng yuàn bù jú |
| 42 | screen wall facing a courtyard | 面向庭院的照壁 | miàn xiàng tíng yuàn de zhào bì |
| 43 | painted detail on a screen wall | 照壁上的彩绘细部 | zhào bì shàng de cǎi huì xì bù |
| 44 | three houses and a screen wall | 三坊一照壁 | sān fāng yī zhào bì |
| 45 | four-sided layout with five light wells | 四合五天井 | sì hé wǔ tiān jǐng |
| 46 | household doorway in Xizhou | 喜洲民居门洞 | xǐ zhōu mín jū mén dòng |
| 47 | decorative writing above a gate | 门上方的装饰题字 | mén shàng fāng de zhuāng shì tí zì |
| 48 | carved panel in a Bai residence | 白族民居中的雕刻板 | bái zú mín jū zhōng de diāo kè bǎn |
| 49 | restored facade on a village street | 村街上修复的外立面 | cūn jiē shàng xiū fù de wài lì miàn |
| 50 | residential privacy beyond a doorway | 门内的居住隐私 | mén nèi de jū zhù yǐn sī |
51–60: Food and tea conversations
Use the dish name to begin a question about the actual serving.
| No. | English word / expression | Chinese writing | Hanyu Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 51 | Dali rushan milk fan | 大理乳扇 | dà lǐ rǔ shàn |
| 52 | Xizhou filled flatbread | 喜洲粑粑 | xǐ zhōu bā bā |
| 53 | Bai three-course tea | 白族三道茶 | bái zú sān dào chá |
| 54 | sweet or savoury flatbread filling | 粑粑的甜馅或咸馅 | bā bā de tián xiàn huò xián xiàn |
| 55 | milk ingredient in rushan | 乳扇中的牛奶成分 | rǔ shàn zhōng de niú nǎi chéng fèn |
| 56 | thin milk sheet on a skewer | 签子上的薄乳片 | qiān zi shàng de báo rǔ piàn |
| 57 | flatbread browning in an oven | 炉中粑粑的上色 | lú zhōng bā bā de shàng sè |
| 58 | tea served in three stages | 分三道奉上的茶 | fēn sān dào fèng shàng de chá |
| 59 | ask about the flatbread filling | 询问粑粑馅料 | xún wèn bā bā xiàn liào |
| 60 | describe a milk fan's texture | 描述乳扇的口感 | miáo shù rǔ shàn de kǒu gǎn |
61–70: Cangshan and lake orientation
Find the lake and mountain range on a map before describing direction.
| No. | English word / expression | Chinese writing | Hanyu Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61 | cloud belt along Cangshan | 苍山沿线的云带 | cāng shān yán xiàn de yún dài |
| 62 | mountain and lake orientation | 山湖方位 | shān hú fāng wèi |
| 63 | changing light over Erhai | 洱海上变化的光线 | ěr hǎi shàng biàn huà de guāng xiàn |
| 64 | tree line beneath a mountain ridge | 山脊下的林木线 | shān jǐ xià de lín mù xiàn |
| 65 | mountain-path access notice | 山路通行告示 | shān lù tōng xíng gào shì |
| 66 | verified mountain-route starting point | 核实过的山地路线起点 | hé shí guò de shān dì lù xiàn qǐ diǎn |
| 67 | distance from old city to lakeshore | 古城到湖岸的距离 | gǔ chéng dào hú àn de jù lí |
| 68 | weather notice for a mountain visit | 山地游览天气告示 | shān dì yóu lǎn tiān qì gào shì |
| 69 | lake-facing village lane | 朝向湖泊的村巷 | cháo xiàng hú pō de cūn xiàng |
| 70 | map showing mountain-lake relationships | 显示山湖关系的地图 | xiǎn shì shān hú guān xì de dì tú |
71–80: Reading an ancient-city streetscape
A street may contain old fabric, restored buildings and modern uses. Let the label help you distinguish them.
| No. | English word / expression | Chinese writing | Hanyu Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 71 | ancient-city gate opening | 古城门洞 | gǔ chéng mén dòng |
| 72 | street name inside Dali Ancient City | 大理古城内的街名 | dà lǐ gǔ chéng nèi de jiē míng |
| 73 | modern shop in a historic streetscape | 历史街景中的现代商店 | lì shǐ jiē jǐng zhōng de xiàn dài shāng diàn |
| 74 | old-city wall conservation sign | 古城墙保护标志 | gǔ chéng qiáng bǎo hù biāo zhì |
| 75 | public square within the old city | 古城中的公共广场 | gǔ chéng zhōng de gōng gòng guǎng chǎng |
| 76 | pedestrian route beyond a city gate | 城门外的步行路线 | chéng mén wài de bù xíng lù xiàn |
| 77 | building age verified from a label | 从说明牌核实的建筑年代 | cóng shuō míng pái hé shí de jiàn zhù nián dài |
| 78 | former city plan in an exhibition | 展览中的旧城平面图 | zhǎn lǎn zhōng de jiù chéng píng miàn tú |
| 79 | ask whether a courtyard welcomes visitors | 询问庭院是否接待访客 | xún wèn tíng yuàn shì fǒu jiē dài fǎng kè |
| 80 | notice a doorway's orientation | 留意门洞朝向 | liú yì mén dòng cháo xiàng |
81–90: Learning from people and labels
Invite an explanation and attribute it. One household or maker need not represent every Bai practice.
| No. | English word / expression | Chinese writing | Hanyu Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 81 | listen to a Bai-language explanation | 听白语解说 | tīng bái yǔ jiě shuō |
| 82 | Mandarin name of a Bai craft | 白族工艺的普通话名称 | bái zú gōng yì de pǔ tōng huà míng chēng |
| 83 | craftsperson describing a stitched pattern | 工艺师说明缝扎图案 | gōng yì shī shuō míng féng zā tú àn |
| 84 | permission to photograph a dyeing step | 拍摄染色步骤的许可 | pāi shè rǎn sè bù zhòu de xǔ kě |
| 85 | learner copying a fabric-fold sequence | 学习者复现折布顺序 | xué xí zhě fù xiàn zhé bù shùn xù |
| 86 | ask who made the displayed cloth | 询问谁制作了展出的布 | xún wèn shuí zhì zuò le zhǎn chū de bù |
| 87 | labelled example of local architecture | 标示的地方建筑实例 | biāo shì de dì fāng jiàn zhù shí lì |
| 88 | compare two courtyard plans | 比较两张庭院平面图 | bǐ jiào liǎng zhāng tíng yuàn píng miàn tú |
| 89 | source explaining a tea custom | 解释茶俗的来源 | jiě shì chá sú de lái yuán |
| 90 | recognise variation among household practices | 认识家庭习俗的差异 | rèn shí jiā tíng xí sú de chā yì |
91–100: Writing a Dali scene
Add an action or spatial relationship that your evidence supports.
| No. | English word / expression | Chinese writing | Hanyu Pinyin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 91 | write a lakeshore observation sentence | 写一句湖岸观察记录 | xiě yī jù hú àn guān chá jì lù |
| 92 | link a cloth pattern to its process | 将布纹与制作工序联系 | jiāng bù wén yǔ zhì zuò gōng xù lián xì |
| 93 | describe the space between three towers | 描述三座塔之间的空间 | miáo shù sān zuò tǎ zhī jiān de kōng jiān |
| 94 | replace a vague lake adjective | 替换含糊的湖泊形容词 | tì huàn hán hú de hú pō xíng róng cí |
| 95 | explain which Dali place you studied | 说明你研究的大理地点 | shuō míng nǐ yán jiū de dà lǐ dì diǎn |
| 96 | compare a photograph and a craft account | 比较照片与工艺叙述 | bǐ jiào zhào piàn yǔ gōng yì xù shù |
| 97 | attribute a courtyard explanation | 注明庭院解说的来源 | zhù míng tíng yuàn jiě shuō de lái yuán |
| 98 | ask how the screen wall changes the view | 询问照壁如何改变视线 | xún wèn zhào bì rú hé gǎi biàn shì xiàn |
| 99 | record one uncertain historical detail | 记录一个尚不确定的历史细节 | jì lù yí gè shàng bù què dìng de lì shǐ xì jié |
| 100 | finish a paragraph with a Dali question | 用一个大理问题结束段落 | yòng yí gè dà lǐ wèn tí jié shù duàn luò |
Pronunciation: listen to the whole expression
Dàlǐ, Ěrhǎi and Cāngshān have different tone patterns. 周城 is Zhōuchéng and 喜洲 is Xǐzhōu. 千寻塔 is Qiānxún Tǎ. In 三坊一照壁, 坊 is fāng. The guide's Mandarin pronunciation is separate from Bai-language speech.
Tone marks show pitch: mā is high and level, má rises, mǎ is low and may dip then rise in isolation, and mà falls. An unmarked neutral syllable is lighter. Names generally retain dictionary tones; short ready-to-say phrases may mark common connected-speech changes, including 不 → bú before a fourth tone and changes to 一. The first of two third tones usually rises in speech. Practise a whole short expression, not just isolated sounds.
Five friendly questions to practise
| English question | Chinese writing | Hanyu Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| How was this white pattern protected from the dye? | 这个白色图案是怎样防染的？ | Zhè ge báisè tú'àn shì zěnyàng fángrǎn de? |
| Which tower is Qianxun Pagoda? | 哪座塔是千寻塔？ | Nǎ zuò tǎ shì Qiānxún Tǎ? |
| What is the purpose of this courtyard screen wall? | 这个庭院的照壁有什么作用？ | Zhè ge tíngyuàn de zhàobì yǒu shénme zuòyòng? |
| Is this Xizhou flatbread filled with something sweet or savoury? | 这个喜洲粑粑的馅是甜的还是咸的？ | Zhè ge Xǐzhōu bāba de xiàn shì tián de háishi xián de? |
| Which public path lets us observe this part of Erhai? | 哪条公共步道可以观察这一段洱海？ | Nǎ tiáo gōnggòng bùdào kěyǐ guānchá zhè yí duàn Ěrhǎi? |
Choose the question that fits your situation, listen to the answer and ask for clarification when needed. A vocabulary list supports communication; it cannot confirm an ingredient, opening arrangement, transport route or permission on somebody else’s behalf.
The Three Pagodas make arrangement visible
Dali's official heritage account identifies Chongsheng Temple's Three Pagodas as a landmark associated with the region's history. Start with the visible relationship: one tall central tower and two smaller towers. A plan or photograph helps you practise spatial language.
Use 'between', 'beside' and 'behind' carefully. Your viewing position changes what appears behind a tower. Add a date or an account of restoration only when a reliable source supplies it; the historic pagodas and the restored temple setting should not automatically be assigned one age.
Dali city government: Chongsheng Temple Three Pagodas
A tied cloth holds a sequence of actions
China Culture's account of Zhoucheng connects the village with Bai tie-dye practice. The process gives you useful verbs: fold, stitch, bind, dye and untie. The pattern is a result of skilled work rather than a picture that simply appears on cloth.
Study a demonstration or a reliable process image. Ask which areas resist the dye and which take colour. Then write a sequence of three steps using 'before' and 'after'. Attribute the maker's explanation and avoid assuming that every piece uses the same dye or technique.
China Culture: Bai tie-dye in Zhoucheng
Cangshan and Erhai help you orient a scene
Dali prefecture's Three Pagodas profile places the site north of the ancient city at the eastern foot of Cangshan. It connects the heritage setting with the mountain-and-lake landscape. That is a good invitation to read a map before writing a view.
Choose a public lakeshore image and point out the water's edge, the visible mountain line and the camera's position if known. 'Across the lake' explains a relationship. 'Near the pagodas' needs a map or an identified location. A beautiful photograph still deserves precise geography.
Dali prefecture government: Three Pagodas setting
A courtyard is a relationship among spaces
Dali's published heritage practitioner register includes Bai residential construction as well as textile and food practices. It reminds learners that a house is also something people know how to make and maintain. The courtyard vocabulary helps you ask about that work.
Draw the positions of a doorway, a courtyard and a screen wall from an authorised plan or visible public view. Ask how the arrangement works instead of guessing what a motif means. Respect the people living there and obtain permission before entering a household space.
Dali government gazette: local heritage practitioner register
Food words return the lesson to everyday life
Dali's heritage register includes rushan-making, while the Three Pagodas tourism website introduces local tie-dye culture. Together they offer two manageable learning scenes: a food process and a textile process. Their methods and materials are different.
For food practice, ask about a milk ingredient or a flatbread filling, then describe the serving you actually encountered. For craft practice, ask about a folded cloth. The useful habit is the same: attach a word to a concrete action and let the person responsible explain it.
Three Pagodas official website: Dali tie-dye culture
Turn one city moment into clearer English
Try this imagined ladder: 'I saw cloth.' → 'I saw white shapes on blue cloth.' → 'The maker explained how binding kept some areas from taking dye.' → 'I connected the white pattern with the folded and tied areas in the demonstration.' Each addition clarifies a feature, an action or an explanation. Use the maker sentence only if you heard or read that account.
Use eduKate’s Fencing Method to test each addition: what has it clarified, and does the evidence support it?
Compare a pagoda arrangement with a tie-dye sequence. One helps you explain where things stand; the other helps you explain how a result is made. Carry that precision into an English composition about a museum, a craft lesson or a familiar Singapore scene.
A real journal should distinguish what you observed from what a label or source explained. Mark an imagined account as imagined. The Trip to China writing guide helps you connect one incident into an account; the English 200-word bank supplies meanings and original examples for the English writing itself.
Before, during and after: a small learning plan
Before: choose ten tower, courtyard or textile expressions. During: record one arrangement or process. After: write a paragraph with one spatial relationship and one attributed explanation, then ask a reader which detail made the scene clearer.
For parents, ask what the child noticed before supplying a new word. For teachers, ask learners to label an observation, a sourced explanation and an open question. At home, use an adult-selected photograph or official museum page. No purchase or overseas journey is required, and the task is not an exam or fluency guarantee.
Questions travellers often ask
Do I need to learn all 100 entries?
No. Choose ten that fit one scene. Use the shared essentials for basic exchanges and return to this list when your question becomes more specific.
Is this the local dialect?
No. Pinyin here represents standard Mandarin. Bai language has its own pronunciation; ask a local speaker or reliable language source for Bai wording.
Are all the entries single words?
No. The list includes single words, proper names and short contextual expressions. The English column identifies what each means; the Chinese and pinyin help you recognise or say it.
Can I use this guide from home?
Yes. Study a reliable photograph or official collection page, attribute the source and write a short account. Do not invent a personal journey when your evidence comes from a picture.
Does a pagoda visit cover all of Dali?
No. The pagodas, ancient city, lakeshore and villages are distinct places. Check the address and journey for each chosen scene.
Sources and further reading
Dali city government: Chongsheng Temple Three Pagodas
China Culture: Bai tie-dye in Zhoucheng
Dali prefecture government: Three Pagodas setting
Dali government gazette: local heritage practitioner register
Three Pagodas official website: Dali tie-dye culture
Historical explanations use the sources above. Check the attraction or operator directly for current visits, access and reservations. This learning guide does not fix ticket prices, opening hours, transport schedules or temporary exhibition dates.
Continue learning with eduKateSG
Return to the China city directory and choose a contrasting scene. Follow the Vocabulary Learning Hub for retrieval and transfer, or the English Learning Hub for the wider reading-to-writing route. Bring back one question and one paragraph that sound like you. For a closer comparison, try the Suzhou–Dali activity: describe a courtyard or textile detail, then compare the words with a Suzhou garden arrangement.