Note: The spoken Chinese Mandarin language has 4 spoken tones. We have attempted to re-create those below where after each syllable we tell you (1), (2), (3), or (4) as they correspond to each of the 4 tones. We encourage you to complement your Xianzai.com Emergency Chinese newsletter with a good offline study program.

NEW WORDS
(1) Cigarettes: xiang(1) yan(1)
(2) Lighter: da(3) huo(3) ji(1)
(3) Marlboro: wan(4) bao(3) lu(4)
(3) Mild Seven: rou(2) he(2) qi(1) xing(1)
(5) How much: duo(1) shao(3) qian(2)

LESSON

• Do you sell cigarettes?
  ni(3) mai(4) xiang(1) yan(1) ma?
• Can I have a lighter please?
  neng(2) gei(3) wo(3) yi(4) zhi(1) da(3) huo(3) ji(1) ma?
• Do you have Marlboro cigarettes?
  ni(3) mai(4) wan(4) bao(3) lu(4) pai(2) xiang(1) yan(1) ma?
• What other brands do you have?
  ni(3) hai(2) you(3) shen(2) mo qi(2) ta(1) de pai(2) zi(4)?

* Tip: Cigarettes and China go together like dim sum and tea or baseball and hotdogs. China is the world's largest cigarette market with around 400 million smokers and an annual output of almost 1.7 trillion (yes trillion!) cigarettes. China produces more cigarettes than all of Europe and North American combined.

Although most of the world's major brands are readily available, why not be a little adventurous and try some of the Chinese brands. The Zhongnanhai brand seems to be the most popular among the younger smokers these days while Double Happiness are definitely the gift for the groom who smokes (the double happiness symbol is associated with newlyweds).

Expect to pay around five yuan (wu kuai) for decent locally made cigarettes and about double for a foreign brand.

But then again, it's always best to keep your lungs healthy!