<![CDATA[Comments on: Beijing Olympics: Opening Ceremony]]> 2006-10-10 18:00:00 <![CDATA[By: ]]> Connie
Supplementary vocab for this lesson: 闭幕 (bìmù) officially close 闭幕式 (bìmùshì) closing ceremony 发言 (fāyán) make a speech 节目 (jiémù) program 火炬 (huǒjù) torch 预订 (yùdìng) book; place an order 订票 (dìng piào) order tickets 错过 (cuòguò) miss (an occasion or opportunity) 你一定不能错过开幕式。 (Nǐ yīdìng bùnéng cuòguò kāimùshì.) You can't miss the opening ceremony.]]> Connie
Supplementary vocab for this lesson: 闭幕 (bìmù) officially close 闭幕式 (bìmùshì) closing ceremony 发言 (fāyán) make a speech 节目 (jiémù) program 火炬 (huǒjù) torch 预订 (yùdìng) book; place an order 订票 (dìng piào) order tickets 错过 (cuòguò) miss (an occasion or opportunity) 你一定不能错过开幕式。 (Nǐ yīdìng bùnéng cuòguò kāimùshì.) You can't miss the opening ceremony.]]> <![CDATA[By: ]]> Mike in Jubei
John I hope it is ok to post something from the Expanded Section. Perhaps as a tease to those not able to see. 我有一点 糊塗 I am a bit confused? 1st this is correct usage from yesterday? In the expanded section the use of 從 開幕式從什麼時候開始？ When will the opening ceremony start? 運動会什麼時候開幕？ When does the sports meet commence? In both cases (English) WHEN + N(ceremony or event) + (start, begin) In Chinese N(ceremony or event) + WHEN + (start, begin) but in the first case 从 When is used does this mean a specific time as opposed to a date? So if I were to ask 晚飯什麼時候開始 When will dinner start? 結婚式從什麼時候開始 When will the wedding ceremony begin? Which is possibly correct? btw : I see 售 all the time as I bike to work on New and Used Cars as well as signs for new housing estates. Mike in Jubei]]> Mike in Jubei
John I hope it is ok to post something from the Expanded Section. Perhaps as a tease to those not able to see. 我有一点 糊塗 I am a bit confused? 1st this is correct usage from yesterday? In the expanded section the use of 從 開幕式從什麼時候開始？ When will the opening ceremony start? 運動会什麼時候開幕？ When does the sports meet commence? In both cases (English) WHEN + N(ceremony or event) + (start, begin) In Chinese N(ceremony or event) + WHEN + (start, begin) but in the first case 从 When is used does this mean a specific time as opposed to a date? So if I were to ask 晚飯什麼時候開始 When will dinner start? 結婚式從什麼時候開始 When will the wedding ceremony begin? Which is possibly correct? btw : I see 售 all the time as I bike to work on New and Used Cars as well as signs for new housing estates. Mike in Jubei]]> <![CDATA[By: ]]> Andrew M
开张 (kāi zhāng) opening of a business or store, grand opening Is this the word that Jenny was hinting to during the podcast?]]> Andrew M
开张 (kāi zhāng) opening of a business or store, grand opening Is this the word that Jenny was hinting to during the podcast?]]> <![CDATA[By: ]]> ChinesePod
Mike in Jubei, Argh, you're making me use TRADITIONAL CHARACTERS! (Too much text to bother retyping.) It is painful, but I'll do it for you. I hae to increase the font size, though. Traditional characters are just too much of a pain to read when they're small.
我有一点糊塗
Yes, yes can say this. It's by no means the only way to say it, though. It would also be very common to say: 我還是不太明白。 有幾個地方我不太懂。 Now let me address your other sentences. I added alternative versions and numbered them to make it clearer.
1a. 開幕式從什麼時候開始？ 1b. 開幕式什麼時候開始？
Both of these are OK. The 從 (从) is optional.
2a. 運動会什麼時候開幕？ 2b. 運動会從什麼時候開幕？
Both of these are OK. The 從 (从) is optional.
3a. 晚飯什麼時候開始？ 3b. 晚飯從什麼時候開始？ 3c. 晚飯從幾點鐘開始？
All of these are OK. 3c is also very common because dinner doesn't last long. In 2b, for example, it might last for days.
4a. 婚禮從什麼時候開始？ 4b. 婚禮什麼時候開始？ 4c. 婚禮從幾點鐘開始？
The word for wedding ceremony is 婚禮 (hūnlǐ), not *結婚式. For the same reason as 3c, I added 4c. I hope this helps clear things up. (Everyone else: I hope the traditional characters don't confuse you. If anyone wants them, I can add simplified versions of these sentences.) -John]]> ChinesePod
Mike in Jubei, Argh, you're making me use TRADITIONAL CHARACTERS! (Too much text to bother retyping.) It is painful, but I'll do it for you. I hae to increase the font size, though. Traditional characters are just too much of a pain to read when they're small.
我有一点糊塗
Yes, yes can say this. It's by no means the only way to say it, though. It would also be very common to say: 我還是不太明白。 有幾個地方我不太懂。 Now let me address your other sentences. I added alternative versions and numbered them to make it clearer.
1a. 開幕式從什麼時候開始？ 1b. 開幕式什麼時候開始？
Both of these are OK. The 從 (从) is optional.
2a. 運動会什麼時候開幕？ 2b. 運動会從什麼時候開幕？
Both of these are OK. The 從 (从) is optional.
3a. 晚飯什麼時候開始？ 3b. 晚飯從什麼時候開始？ 3c. 晚飯從幾點鐘開始？
All of these are OK. 3c is also very common because dinner doesn't last long. In 2b, for example, it might last for days.
4a. 婚禮從什麼時候開始？ 4b. 婚禮什麼時候開始？ 4c. 婚禮從幾點鐘開始？
The word for wedding ceremony is 婚禮 (hūnlǐ), not *結婚式. For the same reason as 3c, I added 4c. I hope this helps clear things up. (Everyone else: I hope the traditional characters don't confuse you. If anyone wants them, I can add simplified versions of these sentences.) -John]]> <![CDATA[By: ]]> Mike in Jubei
Thanks John On Chinese Characters , I Do Live in Taiwan. And in America I would be a conservative. But I am also a pragmatist so I will try to use both for your benifit as well as others. Mike in Jubei]]> Mike in Jubei
Thanks John On Chinese Characters , I Do Live in Taiwan. And in America I would be a conservative. But I am also a pragmatist so I will try to use both for your benifit as well as others. Mike in Jubei]]> <![CDATA[By: ]]> Bazza
So the start date is 08/08/08, that's pretty cool.]]> Bazza
So the start date is 08/08/08, that's pretty cool.]]> <![CDATA[By: ]]> ChinesePod
Bazza, Yeah, 8 is a lucky number in China, so 888 is triple lucky! (666 is also lucky.) -John]]> ChinesePod
Bazza, Yeah, 8 is a lucky number in China, so 888 is triple lucky! (666 is also lucky.) -John]]> <![CDATA[By: ]]> Don in Vancouver, WA USA
John, When speaking the year is it necessary to repeat ling two times? So the sentence would be er ling ba nian... is this proper? Thanks, Don]]> Don in Vancouver, WA USA
John, When speaking the year is it necessary to repeat ling two times? So the sentence would be er ling ba nian... is this proper? Thanks, Don]]> <![CDATA[By: ]]> Bob Mrotek
John, It is my understanding that people who live in Beijing actually pay more money just to have numbers 8 and 6 in their telephone number because these numbers are associated with good luck and money. Can you confirm this?]]> Bob Mrotek
John, It is my understanding that people who live in Beijing actually pay more money just to have numbers 8 and 6 in their telephone number because these numbers are associated with good luck and money. Can you confirm this?]]> <![CDATA[By: ]]> 海宁 / Henning
John & Mike in Jubei, thanks for again adding a Grammar lesson that adds a new dimension to seamingly easy dialogue! This should become a Premium feature. With respect to the traditional characters: I often have to look up even the easiest of them - but that is fine. It forces me to learn them. Unfortunatelly even in the Mainland you often find those 该死的 traditional characters everywhere - often for rather unclear "esthetic" reasons. E.g. it took me forever to find out that the characters 怪獸 on the comic book of my nephew simply ment 怪兽 (guai4 shou4 - monster).]]> 海宁 / Henning
John & Mike in Jubei, thanks for again adding a Grammar lesson that adds a new dimension to seamingly easy dialogue! This should become a Premium feature. With respect to the traditional characters: I often have to look up even the easiest of them - but that is fine. It forces me to learn them. Unfortunatelly even in the Mainland you often find those 该死的 traditional characters everywhere - often for rather unclear "esthetic" reasons. E.g. it took me forever to find out that the characters 怪獸 on the comic book of my nephew simply ment 怪兽 (guai4 shou4 - monster).]]>