Describing People You Know pt. 1 (simple terms)
Posted on 31. Dec, 2008 by Transparent Language in Culture, Vocabulary
There are many ways to describe people using Chinese. Some ways use 4-character idioms, and in other cases you can simply use 2-word phrases. Here are a couple of my favorites which I have encountered during my time thus far in China. A person who doesn’t keep promises very well is referred to as being 不靠谱. A person who is somewhat restrained in public company is referred to as 收敛. A conservative person is referred to as being 保守， whereas a more open or liberal person is referred to as being 开放. However, it is possible to become too open and freewheeling- a person like this is usually referred to as being 随便. A person who is able to tell how to treat people is said to 有心眼. Finally, a person who is very closed-off to the world and has very limited social contact is said to be 自闭. If you know this word, then you can also describe a person with 自闭症(autism).
收敛 shou1lian3 – restrained in public, reserved.
靠谱 kao4pu3 – keeping promises.
保守 bao2shou3 – conservative
开放 kai1fang4 – liberal
随便 sui2bian4 – freewheeling, careless
有心眼 you3xin1yan3 – able to read how to treat people
自闭 zi4bi4 – closed-off, shut off from the world
自闭症 zi4bi4zheng4 – autism
I like:
厚脸皮【hòuliǎnpí】 thick-skinned; brazen; cheeky.
keep up the good blog!