Archive for February, 2009
Differences between Chinese and English Posted by Transparent Language on Feb 28, 2009
Over the past few months, I’ve collected some of the differences I’ve observed between Chinese and English, of which I will outline here: 1. 东西 2. 大家 3. 一般 4. 应该 东西 means “thing,” but you should watch out how you use it. If you were trying to tell somebody that they weren’t an object and you said…
Buying a Hammer Posted by Transparent Language on Feb 28, 2009
The other day, I wanted to go buy a sledgehammer. I hopped in a cab to my local 建材城 (construction material city), made my way past the 地板 (flooring) and the 地毯 (carpeting) until I got to the 五金 (hardware) section. I set aside 螺丝刀 (screwdrivers) and smaller 锤子 (hammers) until I relented and just…
Chinese New Year Traditions Posted by Transparent Language on Feb 28, 2009
As evidenced by my recent posts, the Chinese New Year is no small affair. What do people in China do during the new year celebrations? Children are among the happiest, as they collect 红包 (red envelopes) which have money from relatives and family friends. The money inside the envelopes is referred to as 压岁钱 (keep…
A Little Business Chinese Posted by Transparent Language on Feb 28, 2009
In the workplace, there are a lot of different terms to become familiar with. Use some of these, so the next time you 开会 (have a meeting), you won’t be at a loss. Some meetings will go over 预算 (budget) and 业绩 (work achievements). Those who don’t have enough may be required to 离职 (leave…
Fire in Beijing Posted by Transparent Language on Feb 28, 2009
Walking out from work the other day in Beijing’s Central Business District, I noticed among the fireworks for the lantern festival that one 摩天大厦 (skyscraper) in particular had 着火 (caught fire). The next question was of course how this 火灾 (fire disaster) would be dealt with and how long it would be before the 消防队(fire…
Chinese Zodiac: The Rat Posted by Transparent Language on Feb 25, 2009
Hello Readers! Today’s topic is the Rat. The 鼠 (rat) is the first sign of the Chinese zodiac. They are known for being 聪明 (smart), 节俭 (thrifty), and 灵巧 (handy). Moreover, they are marked by their 魅力 (charm), ability to speak in a 坦率 (frank) manner, and their personality’s 开朗 (carefree) nature. In their later…
Chinese Zodiac: The Pig Posted by Transparent Language on Feb 25, 2009
Hello readers! Today’s topic is the Pig. People born in the year of the 猪 (pig) are known to maintain a 冷静的头脑. (cool head). They are also known for being able to take care of business in a 恰当 (appropriate) manner. They want people to know about their high 品味 (taste). Unfortunately for the Pigs…