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Regional Differences in Pronunciation Posted by Transparent Language on May 24, 2010
Today I’m going to discuss some regional differences in pronunciation and how people generally characterize accents in China. Here are some broad differences between north and south. Between north and south, 知 zhi1 吃 chi1 and 是 shi4 all lose the “h” component, leading them to sound like zi1, ci1, and si4, respectively. This change…
What about 呢? Posted by Transparent Language on May 15, 2010
You may hear a lot of sentences ending with the particle “呢 (ne),” but what is it and what does it mean? 呢 can be used at the end of statements and questions to different effects, see below: Form: 我才不/没有呢 wo3cai2 bu4/mei2you3 ne Example: 我才不是呢! wo3cai2bu4shi4 ne! – “I’m sure not the one!”/”It sure wasn’t…
When Being Strict Is Good Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 30, 2010
If someone in China asks you 老师严不严? (lao3shi1 yan2bu4yan2 – is the teacher strict?), what kind of answer answer is the “good” or “better” answer? If you answer that the teacher is not strict, you might think you’re emphasizing that the teacher is very down to earth and doesn’t use authority to assert control. In…
A Glimpse of Shenzhen Nightlife Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 30, 2010
Earlier I went to 乐巢 (le4chao2 – [lit. happy nest]) – a club in Shenzhen – after the 装修 (zhuang1xiu1 – renovation) which lasted for about a month. It reopened today before 劳动节 (lao2dong4jie2 – Labor Day). There were 跳舞表演 (tiao4wu3biao2(3)yan3 – dance performances) where Chinese dancers as well as dancers possibly from 东欧 (dong1ou1…
Fate Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 30, 2010
In the States, it’s rare to bring up the topics of “fate” or “destiny” when first meeting people, but you may find that this is not the case in China. Don’t be surprised to hear any of the following when you meet someone: 我们认识了就是缘分 wo3men2 ren4shi4le jiu4shi4 yuan2fen4 – Our meeting was fate/destiny. 我们认识就是个偶遇 wo3men2ren4shi4le…
Great Wall Follies Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 29, 2010
At different times, I have been to different parts of the Great Wall with my landlord, a national rowing team, my friends, and my parents. The Jiankou 箭扣 (jian1kou4 – arrow nook) section of the great wall is unrestored, and the only hint that it is still accessible lies in the careful placement of 梯子…
Entertainment and Nightlife Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 27, 2010
I’ve never been to a bar in the states that didn’t have a deck of cards on hand, and I’ve only once been to a bar in China that didn’t have a few cups for playing dice games. This is, of course, to participate in one of the numerous 酒令 (jiu3ling4 – drinking games) in…