Archive for 'Vocabulary'
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…
A Phrase to Avoid Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 24, 2010
Sometimes when you’re speaking Chinese- especially when you’re at the beginning or intermediate level- it’s easy to get caught up in trying to express your meaning by directly translating your thoughts from English without fully considering what the listener understands. Here is an example of where that can go awry: I once was with a…
Urban Transport in China pt. 2 Smart Cards Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 22, 2010
When you’re riding public transport in China, you may go some time without seeing people using 现金 (xian4jin1 – cash), opting instead for their 智能卡 (zhi4neng2ka3 – smart card), maybe just 刷 (shua1 – swipe) their 钱包 (qian2bao1 – wallets) without even taking the card out. Where can you get these cards? In cities that…
Urban Transport in China, pt. 1 Posted by Transparent Language on Apr 21, 2010
How do people get around Chinese cities, and what does it usually cost? One common method for getting around the city is 出租车 (chu1zu1che1) taxis, but depending on where you are in China, the prices and availability can vary. The 上海起价 (shang4hai3qi3jia4) Shanghai starting price is 12 RMB. While in Shenzhen it fluctuates. Formerly it…
Getting Grammatical (语法）Who, What, When, Where Posted by Stephen on Apr 15, 2010
Many followers of this Blog have requested some basic grammar rules with explanation, so today lets focus on the basics of a sentence: Who (谁 shéi) What (什么 shénme) When (什么时候 shénme shíhou) Where (在哪儿 zàinǎr) *Note Why is not among this list, because it is a little more complicated in terms of grammar* Let’s…
Macau Posted by Transparent Language on Mar 30, 2010
Yesterday I went with some friends to Macau, one of China’s 特别行政区te4bie2xing2zheng4qu1 (special administrative regions). There, we saw some of the 痕迹 hen2ji4 (traces) of Macau as a 殖民地 zhi2min2di4 (colony). Macau has become a supreme tourist attraction in East Asia, attracting more tourists last year than even Hong Kong! This may have to do…