Foreign learners should learn different words in different language learning levels. The words for the students of intermediate level are more confusing than that of the elementary level. Therefore, foreigners who learn Chinese in China should pay more attention to the more difficult words to lay a form foundation to the better Chinese language learning.

The three words “长久”, “长期” and “长远” are often used to express the time is very long. “长久” is an adjective describes the time is long-lasting. The time it indicates can be the past, the present and the future. The point that learners who study in China should notice is that it can be the attribute and adverbial. We often hear people say “长久之计” and “长久打算”.

However, “长期” is a noun to express a period of long time. The phrase we often say is “长期合作”. This word is easy to understand for those who learn Mandarin in China. They should realize that the word “长远” is also an adjective, but the time is often the future time and it usually can’t be functioned as the adverbial. We can say “长远利益” and “长远规划”.

Another group of words foreigners who study Chinese should clearly know are “功绩”, “功劳” and “成绩”. “功绩” often implies the very great progress including the merits and achievements such as “伟大的功绩” and “不可磨灭的功绩”. While “功劳” is usually the contribution to the business has a lower degree than that of “功绩”. We can say“ 大家不会忘记你的功劳”.

“成绩” is a neutral word means the ordinary results achieved in work or learning. For instance, “学习成绩”. Besides, learners in Mandarin learning courses should know that it can be used together with the word to describe big, small, good, bad and excellent and so on. For example, “良好的学习成绩”.

Let’s move our attention to the differences of the words “充实”, “充足” and “充分”, meaning adequate. As an adjective, “充实” means “rich and sufficient” like “内容充实”. When used as a verb, it means to make something rich and sufficient like “充实自己”. Teachers in Chinese language school may also tell you that it often used to describe abstract thing like content, knowledge, power and so on.

“充足” indicates things are so adequate in number that it can satisfy the needs or requires. It can be used both for specific things and abstract reason. We can say “光线充足” and “经费充足”. However, learners wholearn Chinese language should remember that “充分” is often used to express the abstract things like “感情充分” and “理由充分”.

To express the continuing things, learners should learn the words “连续”, “继续”, “持续” and “延续” when they go to school to study Mandarin. The first one is an adverb means one follows another without break like “连续阴雨”. While “持续” is a verb in written form indicates the actions last for a long time without break. We say “持续犯罪”.

When you study Mandarin in Yunnan, teachers will tell you that “继续” is an adverb, implying the actions and activities have interruptions and it will continue the same thing after a pause. It emphasizes to continue. So we can say “继续努力” and “我讲完了，大家继续学习吧”.

Last but not least, when teachers teach Mandarin language, they will tell you the word “延续” often used to make things go on as it does in the original form. It often takes time complements and numbers complements. For examples, “延续生命”, “世代延续”.

The meanings of the words like this are usually confusing for those students of the intermediate level. What they should do is to learn carefully with the help of examples.