<![CDATA[Comments on: Flying a Kite]]> 2010-03-07 18:00:00 <![CDATA[By: pretzellogic]]> I bought a kite for my daughter from a veteran kite flyer/seller.  He was able to get the kite flying in about 5 seconds in about 5-10 mph winds.  Kite flying seems an art, as we inexperienced kite flyers took about 10 minutes to get it to stay up for about 20 seconds.   

]]> I bought a kite for my daughter from a veteran kite flyer/seller.  He was able to get the kite flying in about 5 seconds in about 5-10 mph winds.  Kite flying seems an art, as we inexperienced kite flyers took about 10 minutes to get it to stay up for about 20 seconds.   

]]> <![CDATA[By: putao]]> 我偶尔去潍坊做生意。 They are very serious about kites there.

]]> 我偶尔去潍坊做生意。 They are very serious about kites there.

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiaophil]]> This is a very cute lesson.  Nuff said.

]]> This is a very cute lesson.  Nuff said.

]]> <![CDATA[By: jennyzhu]]> 潍坊(Wéifǎng) in Shandong Province is the heartland of kites in China. They have an annual kite festival there, 风筝节/fēngzhēngjié).

]]> 潍坊(Wéifǎng) in Shandong Province is the heartland of kites in China. They have an annual kite festival there, 风筝节/fēngzhēngjié).

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

我记得，大约十年前我在北京天安门广场为儿子买了一只鹰风筝。

I remember that I bought an eagle-shaped kite for my son at Tiananmen Square （天安门广场） in Beijing about ten years ago.

http://images.google.cn/images?hl=zh-CN&newwindow=1&q=%E9%B9%B0%E9%A3%8E%E7%AD%9D&oq=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

]]>

我记得，大约十年前我在北京天安门广场为儿子买了一只鹰风筝。

I remember that I bought an eagle-shaped kite for my son at Tiananmen Square （天安门广场） in Beijing about ten years ago.

http://images.google.cn/images?hl=zh-CN&newwindow=1&q=%E9%B9%B0%E9%A3%8E%E7%AD%9D&oq=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

]]> <![CDATA[By: shanghai_helios]]> An advanced lesson on the six styles of Chinese kites would be good. The Nantong kite museum is excellent.

www.cn-kite.com

]]> An advanced lesson on the six styles of Chinese kites would be good. The Nantong kite museum is excellent.

www.cn-kite.com

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> Interesting Jenny that in your comment you have zheng as 1st tone which I was about to comment on as my online dictionaries have it as first tone also,but the podcast and the vocab tab has it as neutral tone.I suppose this is another case of where either is fine.Is there regional variation,or is one more oral and one more formal or bookish or something?

I was going to ask whether there were any famous kite festivals.Shandong hey,first Confucius now another famously Chinese thing..kites.

]]> Interesting Jenny that in your comment you have zheng as 1st tone which I was about to comment on as my online dictionaries have it as first tone also,but the podcast and the vocab tab has it as neutral tone.I suppose this is another case of where either is fine.Is there regional variation,or is one more oral and one more formal or bookish or something?

I was going to ask whether there were any famous kite festivals.Shandong hey,first Confucius now another famously Chinese thing..kites.

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> 你需要去到哪里风开始

]]> 你需要去到哪里风开始

]]> <![CDATA[By: go_manly]]> There is a problem with the 5th Expansion sentence:

孩子早恋是个不大不小的问题。(Háizi zăoliàn shì ge bú dà bù xiăo de wèntí.)  Kids falling in love early isn't a huge problem, but it certainly can't be ignored.

The mouseover definition for 早恋 says "early". The definition according to MDBG is "puppy love".

]]> There is a problem with the 5th Expansion sentence:

孩子早恋是个不大不小的问题。(Háizi zăoliàn shì ge bú dà bù xiăo de wèntí.)  Kids falling in love early isn't a huge problem, but it certainly can't be ignored.

The mouseover definition for 早恋 says "early". The definition according to MDBG is "puppy love".

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> 我开玩笑。。。想起来从小看过这个：

http://www.tv.com/happy-days/fonz-meets-kat/episode/20624/recap.html

。。神秘的一位女人名叫“加德满都”的引用

]]> 我开玩笑。。。想起来从小看过这个：

http://www.tv.com/happy-days/fonz-meets-kat/episode/20624/recap.html

。。神秘的一位女人名叫“加德满都”的引用

]]> <![CDATA[By: changye]]> “筝” means “古琴” (a harp), so it's interesting that “风筝” (a wind harp) indicates "a kite" in Chinese. Actually, some kites had a small bamboo whistle on them and they made sounds like a harp in the sky, and this is the reason a kite is called "风筝" in Chinese. I don't know why it's not called “风笛”, hehe.

P/S. Probably China also has a kite fighting. "Fight" is "争" (zheng1) in Chinese, and I guess it might also has something to do with the name “风筝” (feng1 zheng). In other words, the “筝” in “风筝” implies two things, namely a musical instrument and fighting. Just a guess.

]]> “筝” means “古琴” (a harp), so it's interesting that “风筝” (a wind harp) indicates "a kite" in Chinese. Actually, some kites had a small bamboo whistle on them and they made sounds like a harp in the sky, and this is the reason a kite is called "风筝" in Chinese. I don't know why it's not called “风笛”, hehe.

P/S. Probably China also has a kite fighting. "Fight" is "争" (zheng1) in Chinese, and I guess it might also has something to do with the name “风筝” (feng1 zheng). In other words, the “筝” in “风筝” implies two things, namely a musical instrument and fighting. Just a guess.

]]> <![CDATA[By: zoey_counselor]]> 我最近买了一件新衣服，不肥不瘦，真合适~

]]> 我最近买了一件新衣服，不肥不瘦，真合适~

]]> <![CDATA[By: changye]]> 我希望你几年后还能穿那件衣服！我五六年前买的衣服，现在都穿不了了，这不是因为我胖了，而是因为我瘦了十二斤。

]]> 我希望你几年后还能穿那件衣服！我五六年前买的衣服，现在都穿不了了，这不是因为我胖了，而是因为我瘦了十二斤。

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> 看来你的胖狗在你的家里得到狮子食品份额，呵呵

]]> 看来你的胖狗在你的家里得到狮子食品份额，呵呵

]]> <![CDATA[By: changye]]> 很遗憾，我家狗狗的减肥总是失败。

]]> 很遗憾，我家狗狗的减肥总是失败。

]]> <![CDATA[By: zhenlijiang]]> 我叫过她外号儿，就是 Princess 胖！真可爱！

]]> 我叫过她外号儿，就是 Princess 胖！真可爱！

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> 哦，长夜的胖狗是女性吗？我从来没有深思过这个问题。长夜朋友，你肯定她没有怀孕?

真，我同意，那么可爱。

]]> 哦，长夜的胖狗是女性吗？我从来没有深思过这个问题。长夜朋友，你肯定她没有怀孕?

真，我同意，那么可爱。

]]> <![CDATA[By: waiguoren]]> I've also heard that 潍坊 is very famous for its 煎饼果子。。。

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjQ2NTk4Njg=.html

]]> I've also heard that 潍坊 is very famous for its 煎饼果子。。。

http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjQ2NTk4Njg=.html

]]> <![CDATA[By: kostang]]> I have a question: why is there a 不过 in the second line? The English translation doesn't have "but" or "however", and I can't think of a reason to have that word in this sentence and , especially given the previous sentence

]]> I have a question: why is there a 不过 in the second line? The English translation doesn't have "but" or "however", and I can't think of a reason to have that word in this sentence and , especially given the previous sentence

]]> <![CDATA[By: dahouxiaohou]]> great sound production on this episode!

]]> great sound production on this episode!

]]> <![CDATA[By: changye]]> 我家的小胖狗是母的，名字叫“芭迪”(Patty)，自称是西施犬，今年八周岁，体重十八斤，单身，处女，当然没下过崽子，现在急觅一条健壮的公狗，品种不限，年龄不限，婚历不限，非诚勿扰！

]]> 我家的小胖狗是母的，名字叫“芭迪”(Patty)，自称是西施犬，今年八周岁，体重十八斤，单身，处女，当然没下过崽子，现在急觅一条健壮的公狗，品种不限，年龄不限，婚历不限，非诚勿扰！

]]> <![CDATA[By: changye]]> Hi kostang

In fact, the previous sentence “看你高兴的” is the very reason why “不过” is used there. Let me give you a more explanatory translation of the line,

看你高兴的。不过，今天风不大不小，很适合放风筝。

You look really happy, but (it's understandable), because the wind is just right today, and it's really good for flying a kite.

For the record, “不过” is often simply translated as "but", but it sometimes connotes "having said that".

]]> Hi kostang

In fact, the previous sentence “看你高兴的” is the very reason why “不过” is used there. Let me give you a more explanatory translation of the line,

看你高兴的。不过，今天风不大不小，很适合放风筝。

You look really happy, but (it's understandable), because the wind is just right today, and it's really good for flying a kite.

For the record, “不过” is often simply translated as "but", but it sometimes connotes "having said that".

]]> <![CDATA[By: bill]]> 芭迪可以打开 http://www.wellbredpets.com/dog-breeders-in-china.html 吗？

Bill

]]> 芭迪可以打开 http://www.wellbredpets.com/dog-breeders-in-china.html 吗？

Bill

]]> <![CDATA[By: changye]]> Hi Bill

That's an incredible website, thanks. My chubby dog never gets away from the PC now, hehe.

]]> Hi Bill

That's an incredible website, thanks. My chubby dog never gets away from the PC now, hehe.

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> 。。而且，有大大的眼睛，白白的皮肤，长长的头发 【是不是温柔善良，会做家务？】。。呵呵，听起来你放一个美狗的征婚广告。

要不这个帅狗：

http://www.doganswers.com/images/creepy.jpg

http://dailycontributor.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/human-dog-hybrid.jpg

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:qjKgpKkVfu_cbM:http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d11/witchyxpaige/Animals/creepy.jpg

http://fapipo.today.com/files/2008/08/samugliestdoglulu.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/133/377618924_669f91554b.jpg

]]> 。。而且，有大大的眼睛，白白的皮肤，长长的头发 【是不是温柔善良，会做家务？】。。呵呵，听起来你放一个美狗的征婚广告。

要不这个帅狗：

http://www.doganswers.com/images/creepy.jpg

http://dailycontributor.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/human-dog-hybrid.jpg

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:qjKgpKkVfu_cbM:http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d11/witchyxpaige/Animals/creepy.jpg

http://fapipo.today.com/files/2008/08/samugliestdoglulu.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/133/377618924_669f91554b.jpg

]]> <![CDATA[By: Tal]]> 嗯，早恋 means falling in love while still young.

It's the second half of the English translation I can't quite accept. Is the "...it certainly can't be ignored" implicit in the Chinese here?

]]> 嗯，早恋 means falling in love while still young.

It's the second half of the English translation I can't quite accept. Is the "...it certainly can't be ignored" implicit in the Chinese here?

]]> <![CDATA[By: JasonSch]]> @go_manly: 早恋 means 'falling in love young'. We'll get the pop-up changed.

@tal: The "isn't a huge problem, but it certainly can't be ignored." comes from the 不大不小. In the other expansion sentences, 不大不小 simply means, 'just the right size', but in this context, the meaning is quite different. It means that it's not a big problem, but it's not a small one either. (The connotation being that it's big enough to require attention)

]]> @go_manly: 早恋 means 'falling in love young'. We'll get the pop-up changed.

@tal: The "isn't a huge problem, but it certainly can't be ignored." comes from the 不大不小. In the other expansion sentences, 不大不小 simply means, 'just the right size', but in this context, the meaning is quite different. It means that it's not a big problem, but it's not a small one either. (The connotation being that it's big enough to require attention)

]]> <![CDATA[By: go_manly]]> Thanks Jason. I guess I'll have to be content with one response from CPod in the last few days. Meanwhile, I'll keep bumping my other questions until someone gets annoyed enough to reply.

]]> Thanks Jason. I guess I'll have to be content with one response from CPod in the last few days. Meanwhile, I'll keep bumping my other questions until someone gets annoyed enough to reply.

]]> <![CDATA[By: ryanchild]]> regarding the zhēng/zheng tone issue, jenny taught us in an earlier lesson that it is fēngzhēng, two first tones: http://chinesepod.com/lessons/a-walk-in-the-park (see jenny's comment with all the vocab). they must just be two different pronunciations used in different places. maybe someone from Cpod could verify this and perhaps tell us which pronunciations are used where?

]]> regarding the zhēng/zheng tone issue, jenny taught us in an earlier lesson that it is fēngzhēng, two first tones: http://chinesepod.com/lessons/a-walk-in-the-park (see jenny's comment with all the vocab). they must just be two different pronunciations used in different places. maybe someone from Cpod could verify this and perhaps tell us which pronunciations are used where?

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> thanks.Maybe it depends how high you can fly your kite [perhaps a modern stunt kite could even take on a third tone] :)

]]> thanks.Maybe it depends how high you can fly your kite [perhaps a modern stunt kite could even take on a third tone] :)

]]> <![CDATA[By: changye]]> 《现代汉语词典》 says it's "feng1zheng" (first + nuetral tone), and as far as I know, people in 东北 (northeast China) says "feng1zheng". As you say, it seems to have two different pronunciations in Shanghai and north China. I hear that 轻声 (neutral tone) and 儿化 are mainly heard in northern dialects, putonghua (普通话) included.

]]> 《现代汉语词典》 says it's "feng1zheng" (first + nuetral tone), and as far as I know, people in 东北 (northeast China) says "feng1zheng". As you say, it seems to have two different pronunciations in Shanghai and north China. I hear that 轻声 (neutral tone) and 儿化 are mainly heard in northern dialects, putonghua (普通话) included.

]]> <![CDATA[By: kroody]]> 我怀疑你是日本人么？ 为什么你汉语这么好呢？

]]> 我怀疑你是日本人么？ 为什么你汉语这么好呢？

]]> <![CDATA[By: kroody]]> 前几天看了一个影片，《忠犬八公的故事》 里面的狗是日本很出名的品种，读音和日语中的8很相近 haqi？

默默无语两眼泪～

]]> 前几天看了一个影片，《忠犬八公的故事》 里面的狗是日本很出名的品种，读音和日语中的8很相近 haqi？

默默无语两眼泪～

]]> <![CDATA[By: bary_shalev]]> 大家好！

请问， 合适和适合有什么区别呢？

]]> 大家好！

请问， 合适和适合有什么区别呢？

]]> <![CDATA[By: kimiik]]> 上周中级课程有您问题的答案。

http://chinesepod.com/lessons/lets-just-be-friends

]]> 上周中级课程有您问题的答案。

http://chinesepod.com/lessons/lets-just-be-friends

]]> <![CDATA[By: xiao_liang]]> I worry about you, bababardwan.

]]> I worry about you, bababardwan.

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> 呵呵，感谢你的关心我的朋友 ：）

]]> 呵呵，感谢你的关心我的朋友 ：）

]]> <![CDATA[By: matthiask]]> seems, this time grand-dad had more success with his grandchild ;-)(http://chinesepod.com/lessons/gone-fishing)

]]> seems, this time grand-dad had more success with his grandchild ;-)(http://chinesepod.com/lessons/gone-fishing)

]]> <![CDATA[By: luoqing313]]> 潍坊是中国风筝之乡啊！

]]> 潍坊是中国风筝之乡啊！

]]> <![CDATA[By: luoqing313]]> 中国古代公主喜欢放风筝，大家知道为什么吗/

]]> 中国古代公主喜欢放风筝，大家知道为什么吗/

]]> <![CDATA[By: luoqing313]]> 去中国内蒙古草原放风筝是多么快乐啊

]]> 去中国内蒙古草原放风筝是多么快乐啊

]]> <![CDATA[By: crystal_counselor]]> 你好，“ 合适”是形容词（adj），“适合”是动词(verb）。

所以你可以说“我觉得这件衣服很合适”。

"这件衣服很适合你"=the clothes suit/fit you very well.

]]> 你好，“ 合适”是形容词（adj），“适合”是动词(verb）。

所以你可以说“我觉得这件衣服很合适”。

"这件衣服很适合你"=the clothes suit/fit you very well.

]]> <![CDATA[By: dominic_au]]> One neat mnemonic that I've discovered with "合适" vs "适合" is to look at the tones. he2 shi4 looks like an A, for Adjective, and shi4 he2 looks like a V, for Verb.

]]> One neat mnemonic that I've discovered with "合适" vs "适合" is to look at the tones. he2 shi4 looks like an A, for Adjective, and shi4 he2 looks like a V, for Verb.

]]> <![CDATA[By: JasonSch]]> Great mnemonic!

]]> Great mnemonic!

]]> <![CDATA[By: ninhao_jen]]> 我每年都放风筝,我最近也准备放风筝啦.

]]> 我每年都放风筝,我最近也准备放风筝啦.

]]> <![CDATA[By: petuniaz]]> The original word for kite, many centuries ago, was paper hawk 纸鹰 zhi3 ling1. As the kite evolved, kitemakers attached noisemakers and the name became fengzheng, or wind zither. Zheng 筝 is the word for the musical instrument.

China is said to have invented the kite and has developed more styles than any other country. The most fascinating and unusual is the Nantong banyao which carries up to 100 whistles made from gourds 葫芦, "hulu". The banyao sounds like a ghost or a jet when it flies. I'll never forget hearing several flying in the farmlands on a windy day.

I am making a documentary about the traditional Chinese kite and have met some of China's best traditional kitemakers. Please forgive me for the shameless plug, but for those who are interested to see the many kinds of Chinese kites, including the Nantong banyao in flight: http://windabove.com/

]]> The original word for kite, many centuries ago, was paper hawk 纸鹰 zhi3 ling1. As the kite evolved, kitemakers attached noisemakers and the name became fengzheng, or wind zither. Zheng 筝 is the word for the musical instrument.

China is said to have invented the kite and has developed more styles than any other country. The most fascinating and unusual is the Nantong banyao which carries up to 100 whistles made from gourds 葫芦, "hulu". The banyao sounds like a ghost or a jet when it flies. I'll never forget hearing several flying in the farmlands on a windy day.

I am making a documentary about the traditional Chinese kite and have met some of China's best traditional kitemakers. Please forgive me for the shameless plug, but for those who are interested to see the many kinds of Chinese kites, including the Nantong banyao in flight: http://windabove.com/

]]> <![CDATA[By: kimiik]]> Hi Petuniaz,

In France the kite is called "cerf-volant" which is a déformation of the word "serpent-volant" (flying snake) that was used when the first kites were imported from China between the 13 and the 14 century.

It meens that this first imported kites flying in the sky were seen as snakes when they were, in fact, chinese dragons.

]]> Hi Petuniaz,

In France the kite is called "cerf-volant" which is a déformation of the word "serpent-volant" (flying snake) that was used when the first kites were imported from China between the 13 and the 14 century.

It meens that this first imported kites flying in the sky were seen as snakes when they were, in fact, chinese dragons.

]]>