Confucius Institute at Victoria University of Wellington

✂️ 薅羊毛 (Hāo yángmáo)
“Pluck the wool”

In internet slang, this means hunting for every discount, coupon, cashback, and freebie you can get. Just like plucking wool from a sheep – but much more satisfying. 🛍️💸

Ask your friend: “今天薅羊毛了吗？Jīntiān hāo yángmáo le ma? (Did you score any deals today?)

Exciting to see our CI Wellington regional teachers, Zoe and Kweiyi, recognised for their fantastic work! Congratulations to all the Chinese teachers awarded this year.

2026.6.19 🐉 Dragonboat Festival
🐉 Happy Dragonboat Festival! | 端午节快乐 (Duānwǔ jié kuàilè)

Today is the fifth day of the fifth lunar month – time for sticky rice dumplings, dragon boat races, and remembering the poet Qu Yuan. 🌾🛶

However you celebrate, we hope you enjoy a warm zòngzi (or two) and take a moment to soak in this beautiful tradition.

🎋 Watch the video below – Li Ziqi making zòngzi by hand. A quiet, beautiful glimpse into the heart of this festival.

Dragon boat zongzi~龙舟枕头粽，端午记得回家吃粽子 丨Liziqi Channel Please subscribe to 【李子柒 Liziqi 】Liziqi Channel on YouTube if you like my videos: https://goo.gl/nkjpSx #李子柒 #李子柒粽子 #李子柒端午节...

⚡ 特种兵旅游 (Tèzhǒngbīng lǚyóu)
“Special forces travel”

Packing 10 attractions into one day, sleeping on overnight trains, eating breakfast in one city and dinner in another – that’s “special forces tourism”. Young people in China love it for its intensity and low budget. 🚄🏃‍♀️

That's the reality of Chinese-style "special forces" travel – and it's going viral. Read on 👇
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqiN1Vz3sL0&list=PLKdZ4FC4xtqzOX70Ij3-b_cAFAi2W20eI&index=3

Are you a tèzhǒngbīng traveler? Or a slow wanderer?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vf4CDHYmzP8&t=35s

🎤 Song Contest Launch – Your voice, your stage!

Think you can sing in Mandarin? Or just love Chinese pop? Our annual Song Contest kicks off today! 🎶🔗 Link in bio to register:https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/ci/scholarships-and-competitions/nz-school-students-chinese-song-contest

🌿 What a fragrant noon!
Thank you to everyone who came to our Herbal Hammer (养生锤 / Yǎngshēng chuí) workshop – we loved making these traditional TCM wellness tools together.

In Chinese medicine, tapping your body with a herbal hammer helps relieve muscle tension, improve circulation, and promote relaxation. Each hammer was filled with dried herbs like mugwort (艾叶 ài yè) and other natural botanicals known for their soothing properties.

See you at the next one!

#养生锤

🐉 What a fantastic Dragon Boat Festival celebration!

Thank you to everyone who joined us at Mandarin Corner last Saturday– we learned about Qu Yuan, tested our knowledge, and made beautiful herbal sachets together.

See you at the next one!

💰 来财，来财 (Lái cái, lái cái)
“Bring the fortune, bring the fortune”

You’ve probably heard it on Douyin: “来财，来财～” – a catchy, hypnotic chant from Lanlao’s rap song 八方来财Bā Fāng Lái Cái (Stacks from All Sides). 🎤💥

It started as a track about hustling and manifesting wealth, but now it's a meme – people say it when they spot money, get a win, or just want to invite good vibes. Try it next time you find a coin on the street 😉

🎧 Search “来财” and thank us later.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuqluRrSvPM&list=RDuuqluRrSvPM&start_radio=1