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Lesson Introduction
They’re handed out for any and every reason…but what do you say? “Thanks” might seem a little bland, but then again, “WOW! You’ve such fine taste in paper!” might be a bit over the top. So then what? Better find out--you’ll be doing it about 12 times a day. In this podcast, learn to do the ol’ card exchange, in Mandarin Chinese.
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Al WingateSeptember 28, 2006
A few months ago I travelled to the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles to get my Visa. A Chinese gentleman handed me his card and I said, "Thank you." Now after having been on Cpod now for a few months, I find that I should have received the card as a gift, with two hands. In the meantime, there was an American, irate because of a perceived slight was making an ass out of himself because he was not recieved at the teller line in the fashion he expected. The Chinese gentleman said, "You had better take a number."
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Bob MrotekSeptember 28, 2006
Jenny, I clearly hear you say "Zhè shì wǒ de míngpiàn", however I hear the other female speaker say "míngpieh" instead of "míngpiàn". Is this just a problem with my hearing or is there a regional dialect or variation in pronunciation involved similar to what I ran into with shéi and shuí?
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ChinesePodSeptember 28, 2006
Bob, It's definitely 'pian'. Ken Carroll
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ChinesePodSeptember 28, 2006
Supplementary vocab for this lesson: 交换 (jiāohuàn) exchange 我们能交换名片吗？ (Wǒmen néng jiāohuàn míngpiàn ma?) Can we exchange business cards? 地址 (dìzhǐ) address 联系地址 (liánxì dìzhǐ) contact address 邮编 (yóubiān) zip code 电话 (diànhuà) telephone 手机 (shǒujī) mobile phone 传真 (chuán zhēn) fax 电子邮件 (diànzǐ yóujiàn) e-mail 常联系。 (Cháng liánxì.) Keep in frequent contact. ~Connie
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FrankSeptember 28, 2006
Great lesson today! I'm a big fan of business cards, so this will come in really handy. I do have a quick question for you, though, which relates to a prior lesson: business card = 名片 photograph = 照片 The "片" (pian) is the same. I'm assuming it means "card," since I know that "名" is "name" and Jenny said that they say "name card" instead of "business card." So how does "照片" translate literally?
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ChinesePodSeptember 28, 2006
Frank, 照片 literally means "photograph." If you want a character-by-character breakdown, you could think of it as something like "photograph card". -John
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ChinesePodSeptember 28, 2006
An interesting little linguistic phenomenon in China: In China, people tend to call 名片 "name cards" in English, presumedly because it's such an easy character-for-character translation. What makes it interesting is that even native English speakers, after living in China for a while, stop saying "business card" and start saying "name card" when speaking English! (I have been guilty too.) -John
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DarylSeptember 28, 2006
It's interesting. I always think of "pian" as being a slice--a "photo slice" or a "name slice." I guess I think of it this way because the character seems to mean a "slice or chip of wood" and "pian" can also mean an instant in "pianke" or an episode in "pianduan."
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FrankSeptember 28, 2006
Awesome. Thanks for the feedback and clarification.
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ChinesePodSeptember 28, 2006
Daryl, Well, 片 definitely does mean "slice" as well, so if it works for you to think of it that way, by all means, do it! -John
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AntonioSeptember 28, 2006
thank you for this podcast. I had the same doubts for 'name card' and 'business card' but you have already answered my question.
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PhilSeptember 29, 2006
The conversation and transcript prompts a question on business etiquette. In making a new business acquaintance, should you use the polite form of "you" ( as in "nin you mingpian ma?"), or is that overly formal or old-fashioned under the current social conventions?
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MarianoSeptember 29, 2006
I want to know how to use the word 带 because I used this word to describe when a person is using aditional thins like a wacht or something like that. 为什么你没带你的手表。 你太太给你带绿帽子吧。 I know this is a terrible example but is part of the language sorry if anyone dont liked. 谢谢
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FredSeptember 29, 2006
Mariano: Some examples I have come across that may help: Used as a verb : zhèngjiàn wàng le dài le 证 件 忘 了 带 了。 I forgot to bring my ID. wǒ dài le zhōngfàn 我 带 了 中 饭。 I brought lunch. zhè běn shū dài lùyīndài 这 本 书 带 录 音 带。 This book comes with an audio tape. Used as a noun meaning belt, tire, ribbon, region : lùyīndài 录 音 带 audio tape lùxiàngdài 录 象 带 video tape pídài 皮 带 leather belt (worn around waist) yāodài 腰 带 belt (worn around waist)
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Art Kho 许冠俊September 29, 2006
After seeing the Cpod movie foster, cpod business cards should include the following advert line: "你来，你听， 你说中文." :-)
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ChinesePodSeptember 29, 2006
Phil, That's a hard question. The unfortunate answer is that "it all depends." I only use 您 (nín) in a very formal setting, or when I'm trying to be extra polite. In a business setting, I might use it for a very important client, or for an extremely respected guest. But not for the average business card exchange. -John
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ChinesePodSeptember 29, 2006
Mariano, 带 (dài) means both "bring" and "take." 我没带 (Wǒ méi dài) I didn't bring [it]. 你带雨伞吧 (Nǐ dài yǔsǎn ba) Take an umbrella. I think you are confusing 带 (dài) with 戴 (dài), though. Different words, same pronunciation. 戴 (dài) is used to mean "put on" or "wear" an accessory, such as glasses, a watch, a necklace, etc. -John
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Hans - Nyon/SwitzerlandOctober 3, 2006
Hi Ken, Long time not added my 'comments' here ... but simply have no time, a pity. You say: "It’s definitely ‘pian’." - Ken Carroll Have you ever listened to her recordings, she swallows - it becomes nasal instead - innumerable (most of the) final 'n'-endings, and as Bob says it's maybe some regional influence. My conclusion was that this so non-standard pronunciation was on purpose so as to have get us prepared for all types of non-standard Chinese speakers. ChinesePod has become so huge, literally and figuratively ...
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PhilOctober 4, 2006
John, Thanks for the insite. Phil
goulnik says
I'm planning to have my business cards reprinted when I go to Shanghai, with Chinese on the flip side. Any suggestion where to go and how long this would take?September 2, 2007
amber says
hi goulniky, There are a ton of little places to get it done. The biggest problem may be getting the quality you want. the ones i got look great, but upon closer examination i found that the spacing is off in one place, arg. That being said, they are super cheap. Like about $6 US for a few hundred cards.September 2, 2007
endurance says
There is an error in this exercise module. It says dui bu qi represents "I," not, "sorry"March 23, 2008
hekaiwen says
October 15, 2008
Were did you get yours amber?
amber says
October 15, 2008
hi hekaiwen,
I found a new printer lately, he is really good. His name is Johnny. I will send you his number by private message!