Teacher Liu, when I watched a TV drama yesterday, I heard many strange words like 'ding-dong' and 'hua la la'. What do they mean?

Those are onomatopoeic words! They imitate sounds from real life. 'Ding-dong' is the sound of a doorbell or metal clinking, and 'hua la la' is the sound of heavy rain or flowing water.

I see! No wonder they sound so vivid. Are there other common onomatopoeic words?

There are many! For example, 'weng weng' is the buzzing of bees, and 'gu lu gu lu' is the sound of a growling stomach or drinking water. Using these words makes speech lively, like adding sound effects!

That’s so interesting! I also noticed words like 'man tun tun', which don’t sound like noises but rather describe an appearance?

You’re very observant! 'Man tun tun' is a mimetic word — it doesn’t imitate sounds but describes a slow movement. There’s also 'xiao mi mi' for a smiling face, and 'qi chong chong' for an angry expression.

Wow, Chinese is really fascinating! With these words, I can vividly describe what I see and hear.

Exactly! Onomatopoeic and mimetic words are part of the charm of Chinese. They give the language sound and imagery — that’s one reason Chinese poetry and literature are so beautiful.