<![CDATA[Comments on: A Lot of Sisters]]> 2009-07-26 18:00:00 <![CDATA[By: blubberingfool]]> Excellent job, John!  Nice to see you're just as good a host at the lower level as you are at the upper levels.

 

So, does this numbering system work "down" as well? That is, can you have a 二妹 三妹 etc.?  Would it then be 小妹 for the youngest sister?

 

]]> Excellent job, John!  Nice to see you're just as good a host at the lower level as you are at the upper levels.

 

So, does this numbering system work "down" as well? That is, can you have a 二妹 三妹 etc.?  Would it then be 小妹 for the youngest sister?

 

]]> <![CDATA[By: John]]> Thanks! It's always a bit awkward to adapt to a different level, but it's also a lot of fun.

]]> Thanks! It's always a bit awkward to adapt to a different level, but it's also a lot of fun.

]]> <![CDATA[By: cassielin]]> 哈哈 (hāhā)， I have a younger brother弟弟 (dìdi). He always call my name instead of 姐 (jiě). And I get used to call his name too. I am only one year older than him.

My father side has 7 children and my mother side has 5 children. So, i have many uncles and aunties.(叔叔 (shūshu) 姑姑 (gūgu) ——father side/舅舅 (jiùjiu)、阿姨 (āyí)——mother side/). And I have a lot of cousins.（堂兄弟 (tángxiōngdì)、堂姐妹 (tángjiěmèi)——father side/表兄弟 (biǎoxiōngdì)、表姐妹 (biǎojiěmèi)——mother side）.

]]> 哈哈 (hāhā)， I have a younger brother弟弟 (dìdi). He always call my name instead of 姐 (jiě). And I get used to call his name too. I am only one year older than him.

My father side has 7 children and my mother side has 5 children. So, i have many uncles and aunties.(叔叔 (shūshu) 姑姑 (gūgu) ——father side/舅舅 (jiùjiu)、阿姨 (āyí)——mother side/). And I have a lot of cousins.（堂兄弟 (tángxiōngdì)、堂姐妹 (tángjiěmèi)——father side/表兄弟 (biǎoxiōngdì)、表姐妹 (biǎojiěmèi)——mother side）.

]]> <![CDATA[By: jennyzhu]]> Oh, bad news for the guy in the dialogue...

]]> Oh, bad news for the guy in the dialogue...

]]> <![CDATA[By: jennyzhu]]> @blubberingfool,

Yes, the 'numbering system' does work "down" as well, e.g. 大妹 (dàmèi)、二妹 (èrmèi)、三妹 (sānmèi)、大弟 (dàdì)、二弟 (èrdì)、三弟 (sāndì), etc. And yes, 小妹 (xiǎomèi)/小弟 (xiǎodì) means the youngest sister and brother.

]]> @blubberingfool,

Yes, the 'numbering system' does work "down" as well, e.g. 大妹 (dàmèi)、二妹 (èrmèi)、三妹 (sānmèi)、大弟 (dàdì)、二弟 (èrdì)、三弟 (sāndì), etc. And yes, 小妹 (xiǎomèi)/小弟 (xiǎodì) means the youngest sister and brother.

]]> <![CDATA[By: John]]> Hey guys, don't forget to use pinyin when you introduce new vocab in the comments of Newbie lessons. (I went ahead and added it in for Jenny's and Cassie's comments.)

Happy learning!

]]> Hey guys, don't forget to use pinyin when you introduce new vocab in the comments of Newbie lessons. (I went ahead and added it in for Jenny's and Cassie's comments.)

Happy learning!

]]> <![CDATA[By: cassielin]]> Thank you John, I will be more careful next time!Oops,sorry, I just used all chinese discussion on another newbie lesson, just can't help!^_^

Happy learning~~~

]]> Thank you John, I will be more careful next time!Oops,sorry, I just used all chinese discussion on another newbie lesson, just can't help!^_^

Happy learning~~~

]]> <![CDATA[By: pearltowerpete]]> Hi cassielin,

We are always happy for your contributions! Don't worry.

]]> Hi cassielin,

We are always happy for your contributions! Don't worry.

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> Why would John be worried about a day of girly talk? I hear he's pretty good at it,hehe ;)

So,just to clarify how the 大姐 [dàjiě] in this dialogue would address her sisters:

Does:

二姐 in this dialogue equate to 三妹【sānmèi]...3rd youngest sister?

三姐 equate to 二妹[èrmèi]...2nd youngest sister

B equate to 小妹【xiǎomèi] ..youngest sister? or do you use 妹妹【mèimèi]...for youngest sister?

..or is the counting the other way around?

talking about universal whoa's,wa's,wow's [I agree...perhaps it has something to do with the expression on the face when one is surprised],I've noticed the same with words for mum,dad,and baby to some extent.

]]> Why would John be worried about a day of girly talk? I hear he's pretty good at it,hehe ;)

So,just to clarify how the 大姐 [dàjiě] in this dialogue would address her sisters:

Does:

二姐 in this dialogue equate to 三妹【sānmèi]...3rd youngest sister?

三姐 equate to 二妹[èrmèi]...2nd youngest sister

B equate to 小妹【xiǎomèi] ..youngest sister? or do you use 妹妹【mèimèi]...for youngest sister?

..or is the counting the other way around?

talking about universal whoa's,wa's,wow's [I agree...perhaps it has something to do with the expression on the face when one is surprised],I've noticed the same with words for mum,dad,and baby to some extent.

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiaophil]]>

Although I fully support ChinesePod's efforts to encourage the use of pinyin at the lower levels, I think it should mentioned that lower-level learners need not rely on others to use pinyin.  Firefox users can use the Chinese perapera-kun translator add-on (although, sadly it hasn't been updated for the new version of Firefox), or if you don't use Firefox, you can use the Google/Kingsoft Chinese/English dictionary (I think this is for PC users only).  Both of these are free. 

 

 

]]>

Although I fully support ChinesePod's efforts to encourage the use of pinyin at the lower levels, I think it should mentioned that lower-level learners need not rely on others to use pinyin.  Firefox users can use the Chinese perapera-kun translator add-on (although, sadly it hasn't been updated for the new version of Firefox), or if you don't use Firefox, you can use the Google/Kingsoft Chinese/English dictionary (I think this is for PC users only).  Both of these are free. 

 

 

]]> <![CDATA[By: jacob]]> Yes, for thoe most part, these browser mouseover tools are much more useful than relying on what people type for pinyin, especially since people some times don't type the tones, or don't spell it right.

If you have not tried one of these web browser tools, I highly recommend it. When you get to higher levels, it really helps with other things such as reading newspapers as well.

]]> Yes, for thoe most part, these browser mouseover tools are much more useful than relying on what people type for pinyin, especially since people some times don't type the tones, or don't spell it right.

If you have not tried one of these web browser tools, I highly recommend it. When you get to higher levels, it really helps with other things such as reading newspapers as well.

]]>