Confucius Institute at Victoria University of Wellington

29/05/2026

A heartwarming MLA vlog from Wellington — don't miss it! 🎥

25/05/2026

电子榨菜 (diàn zǐ zhà cài)
吃饭时看短剧就是我的电子榨菜。
Chīfàn shí kàn duǎnjù jiùshì wǒ de diànzǐ zhàcài.
"Watching short dramas while eating is my digital pickled vegetable."

In China, 榨菜 (zhà cài) is a salty, flavorful pickle that makes plain rice taste better. 电子榨菜(diàn zǐ zhà cài) (digital zha cai) refers to short videos, podcasts, or shows you watch during meals—they add flavor to your food and make solo dining less lonely. It's the perfect bite‑sized entertainment: addictive, easily digestible, and almost essential for modern eaters.

24/05/2026

🎉 That's a wrap on the 2026 "Chinese Bridge" Wellington Regional Competition! 🎉

A huge thank you to everyone who took part — from our youngest speakers in Primary, all the way through to our Tertiary contestants. You brought energy, courage, and some truly impressive talents to the stage today. 👏

Whether you performed a song, played an instrument, shared a speech, or showed off your calligraphy or martial arts — we are so proud of every single one of you.

🌏 This competition is about building bridges through language and culture, and today you showed exactly what "One World, One Family" means.

Special congratulations to our winners in each category — you will now have the opportunity to represent the Wellington region at the global finals in China! ✈️🇨🇳

To everyone who came along, cheered, helped behind the scenes, or simply supported a friend — thank you. We couldn't do this without you.

📸 For now, rest up — you've earned it.

A big jiā yóu (加油come on) to all of you on your Chinese learning journey. We can't wait to see where it takes you next.

More stunning professional photos are on the way — don’t miss out!

#汉语桥

21/05/2026

🌍 Happy International Tea Day! ✨
Best lunch break ever — tea tasting, new friends, and a whole lot of knowledge.
workshop! Tag yourself if you see your tea cup. 😉🍵

21/05/2026

Today is International Tea Day🍵. An opportunity to celebrate the cultural heritage, health benefits and economic importance of tea, while working to make its production sustainable “from field to cup” ensuring its benefits for people, cultures and the environment continue for generations. Enjoy this video of the traditional Chinese gongfu tea ceremony☕

134 likes, 6 comments. "Gongfu Tea 功夫茶 Chinese Tea Ceremony"

18/05/2026

班味 (bān wèi)
下班后我身上的班味怎么都洗不掉。
Xiàbān hòu wǒ shēnshang de bān wèi zěnme dōu xǐ bù diào.
"After work, I just can't wash off the 'office smell'."

Literally "office scent," 班味 (bān wèi) is the tired, lifeless aura you carry after long work hours—dark circles, hunched shoulders, a blank stare, and zero social energy. Young Chinese use it to joke about how work slowly drains your vitality. It's not a real smell, but everyone recognizes it instantly.

17/05/2026

📸 HSK test for May done and dusted! Proud of everyone who showed up – you've earned a good nap 😴
If you're interested in taking the HSK, head to our website for all the details on upcoming test dates and registration. 🔗Check our website for details: [https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/ci]

12/05/2026

内卷 (nèi juǎn) – a word you'll hear everywhere in China right now.

现在的职场太内卷了。
Xiànzài de zhíchǎng tài nèi juǎn le.

Where does it come from?

Originally, "involution" was an academic term used by economists and anthropologists to describe a society that keeps working harder but doesn't actually grow or improve.

Then Chinese university students started using it to describe their own lives – studying till 2am just to stay average, doing extra assignments not to get ahead but just to not fall behind.

And then it exploded. Now neijuan is everywhere – work, school, even hobbies.

What it means now:

Everyone works harder and longer, but nobody gets ahead. You're just running to stay in the same place.

Ever felt like that? 👇

11/05/2026

🎭 Peking Opera masks – done! Thanks everyone for coming along and getting creative. Look at these amazing designs 😍
Hope you learned a bit about the colours and characters behind each mask. See you at the next workshop!

09/05/2026

Come along with one of our MLAs for a day of teaching and cultural sharing in NZ 🎥