<![CDATA[Comments on: Office Lunch Options]]> 2010-01-17 18:00:00 <![CDATA[By: pretzellogic]]> First time i've seen poor old Lanzhou mentioned in a lesson.

]]> First time i've seen poor old Lanzhou mentioned in a lesson.

]]> <![CDATA[By: helencao_counselor]]> Wow, 我最喜欢的番茄炒蛋盖浇饭!

wo3 zui4 xi3huan de fan1qie2chao3dan4 gai4 jiao1 fan4!  --- My favorite scrambled eggs with tomato over rice.

]]> Wow, 我最喜欢的番茄炒蛋盖浇饭!

wo3 zui4 xi3huan de fan1qie2chao3dan4 gai4 jiao1 fan4!  --- My favorite scrambled eggs with tomato over rice.

]]> <![CDATA[By: jennycrm]]> I think most Chinese know Lanzhou to the extent of the famous noodles.

]]> I think most Chinese know Lanzhou to the extent of the famous noodles.

]]> <![CDATA[By: jennyzhu]]> And most foreigners love 番茄炒蛋/fan1 qie2 chao3 dan4/scrambled egg with tomato. It should be featured more prominently in Chinese restaurants overseas.

]]> And most foreigners love 番茄炒蛋/fan1 qie2 chao3 dan4/scrambled egg with tomato. It should be featured more prominently in Chinese restaurants overseas.

]]> <![CDATA[By: chanelle77]]> This is my husband's favorite. He even makes it himself sometimes!

我们 / 老外也喜欢扬州炒饭， wo3men / lao3wai4 ye3 xi3huan1 Yang2zhou1 chao3fan4, We / foreigners also like Yangzhou fried rice.

]]> This is my husband's favorite. He even makes it himself sometimes!

我们 / 老外也喜欢扬州炒饭， wo3men / lao3wai4 ye3 xi3huan1 Yang2zhou1 chao3fan4, We / foreigners also like Yangzhou fried rice.

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> Is there any similarity/link between these 盒饭 and Japanese Bento boxes？ [hey,maybe I could turn this into another box based joke somehow]

..ok,whaddya get when ya try and stuff a 盒饭 into an already full Bento box?

]]> Is there any similarity/link between these 盒饭 and Japanese Bento boxes？ [hey,maybe I could turn this into another box based joke somehow]

..ok,whaddya get when ya try and stuff a 盒饭 into an already full Bento box?

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

Sorry,that's on youtube.It seems much easier to find videos of pulling lanzhou noodles on youtube than it is on baidu video,perhaps because it is of more interest to foreigners and everyday mundane stuff to locals?

Who knows anything about this?:

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/DifuMEiid1M

labelled as 拦着拉面式格斗。。lanzhou pulled noodles style wresting.

]]>

Sorry,that's on youtube.It seems much easier to find videos of pulling lanzhou noodles on youtube than it is on baidu video,perhaps because it is of more interest to foreigners and everyday mundane stuff to locals?

Who knows anything about this?:

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/DifuMEiid1M

labelled as 拦着拉面式格斗。。lanzhou pulled noodles style wresting.

]]> <![CDATA[By: matthiask]]> I seriously wonder how they do it. Is there a trick in the preparation of the dough? Such dough is normally just water and flour, thus how to make it so stretchable?

]]> I seriously wonder how they do it. Is there a trick in the preparation of the dough? Such dough is normally just water and flour, thus how to make it so stretchable?

]]> <![CDATA[By: matthiask]]> 你说得对。我也太喜欢番茄炒蛋。

]]> 你说得对。我也太喜欢番茄炒蛋。

]]> <![CDATA[By: daofeishi]]> They apparently use high gluten flour which makes the dough really stretchy

]]> They apparently use high gluten flour which makes the dough really stretchy

]]> <![CDATA[By: matthiask]]> what kind of flour has high gluten? (never heard of it before)

]]> what kind of flour has high gluten? (never heard of it before)

]]> <![CDATA[By: daofeishi]]> Google and ye shall find ;)

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-gluten-flour.htm

]]> Google and ye shall find ;)

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-gluten-flour.htm

]]> <![CDATA[By: jennyzhu]]> 扬州炒饭/Yang2zhou1 chao3fan4/Yangzhou fried rice is yum. 中国人也喜欢。/Zhong1guo2ren2 ye3 xi3huan1. /Chinese like it too.

]]> 扬州炒饭/Yang2zhou1 chao3fan4/Yangzhou fried rice is yum. 中国人也喜欢。/Zhong1guo2ren2 ye3 xi3huan1. /Chinese like it too.

]]> <![CDATA[By: helenshen_counselor]]> I love 番茄炒蛋盖浇面，fan1qie2 chao3dan4 gai4jiao1 mian4, over noodles not rice! haha!

]]> I love 番茄炒蛋盖浇面，fan1qie2 chao3dan4 gai4jiao1 mian4, over noodles not rice! haha!

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

I'm quite partial to the 孜然土豆鸡丁盖浇饭 (zi1ran2tu3dou4ji1ding1gai4jiao1fan4) you can sometimes find in those Lanzhou hand pulled noodle places.

]]>

I'm quite partial to the 孜然土豆鸡丁盖浇饭 (zi1ran2tu3dou4ji1ding1gai4jiao1fan4) you can sometimes find in those Lanzhou hand pulled noodle places.

]]> <![CDATA[By: matt_c]]> 番茄炒鸡蛋 fānqié chǎo jīdàn or 西红柿炒鸡蛋 xīhóngshì chǎojīdan was the first dish I learned to cook in China. Pure gold!

]]> 番茄炒鸡蛋 fānqié chǎo jīdàn or 西红柿炒鸡蛋 xīhóngshì chǎojīdan was the first dish I learned to cook in China. Pure gold!

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> hehe,the mention of food and matt suddenly materialises.Good to see ya mate. :)

]]> hehe,the mention of food and matt suddenly materialises.Good to see ya mate. :)

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

In general Chinese people don't like to eat cold food, so they are not pariticular about bento (box lunch, 盒饭). On the other hand, Japanese love bento very much, and bento has already become a kind of "art/tradition" in Japanese society.

You can find countless kinds of tasty and colourful bento sold at railway stations, convenience stores and department houses. Of course, a lot of Japanese mothers put great energy into making bento for their children. Please look at this photo.

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=bento&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

]]> Hi bababardwan

In general Chinese people don't like to eat cold food, so they are not pariticular about bento (box lunch, 盒饭). On the other hand, Japanese love bento very much, and bento has already become a kind of "art/tradition" in Japanese society.

You can find countless kinds of tasty and colourful bento sold at railway stations, convenience stores and department houses. Of course, a lot of Japanese mothers put great energy into making bento for their children. Please look at this photo.

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=bento&btnG=Search+Images&gbv=2&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> thanks changye..amazing photos..the Japanese mums have raised the bar really high.I've seen these bento before but not seen the Chinese 盒饭 but I gather from what you're saying that two significant differences are that bento are generally cold whereas Chinese 盒饭 are generally hot and the artistic presentation of the Japanese bento.Yeah,I should have thought of that.

]]> thanks changye..amazing photos..the Japanese mums have raised the bar really high.I've seen these bento before but not seen the Chinese 盒饭 but I gather from what you're saying that two significant differences are that bento are generally cold whereas Chinese 盒饭 are generally hot and the artistic presentation of the Japanese bento.Yeah,I should have thought of that.

]]> <![CDATA[By: bababardwan]]> ok,no takers for:

whaddya get when ya try and stuff a 盒饭 into an already full Bento box?

..well for the answer you can highlight over this section:

a bento Bento box,boom boom !! ©bababardwan 2010

..I'd just like to thank John laoshi for his inspiration and teaching me everything I know about making jokes. :)

]]> ok,no takers for:

whaddya get when ya try and stuff a 盒饭 into an already full Bento box?

..well for the answer you can highlight over this section:

a bento Bento box,boom boom !! ©bababardwan 2010

..I'd just like to thank John laoshi for his inspiration and teaching me everything I know about making jokes. :)

]]> <![CDATA[By: matt_c]]> @babs hehe well of course :D I'm learning how to make a 骨头汤 gǔtóu tāng bone stock soup at the moment - yummy stuff for winter

]]> @babs hehe well of course :D I'm learning how to make a 骨头汤 gǔtóu tāng bone stock soup at the moment - yummy stuff for winter

]]> <![CDATA[By: bodawei]]> Ha ha. I could probably eat noodles every day but I've never tested that proposition.  拉面 làmiàn (pulled noodles) is the best known product of 兰州 Lanzhou restaurants but they do also make 米线 míxiàn (rice noodles), useful for people like me who do not eat gluten.  

A reality check on prices (our hosts live in Shanghai, the most expensive city in China). The dishes are often served with 小 xiǎo (small) and 大 dà (large) options.  Sit down or takeaway are normally the same prices.  But note that it is common (where I live) to have soup and 泡菜 (pickled vegetables) available free, to drink and eat respectively while you wait for your ordered meal. The free stuff is self-serve.   

拉面 làmiàn or 米线 míxiàn costs 4 - 5 RMB, 5 RMB would be a large bowl.  These come with meat and vegetables, but less than in a 盖浇饭.    

盖浇饭 (meat, vegetables on rice) costs about 5 - 10, even 20, RMB depending on quantity, ingredients and the restaurant.  盖浇饭 is, where I live, usually a very large serve (much larger than in the photo.)  My local serves  三鲜盖饭 for 7 RMB and there is always fried egg in our 盖饭.  

盒饭 héfàn (a boxed lunch) - I have never seen one! 

Another common lunch dish here is 三鲜汤饭 tāngfàn (soup and rice) - this is as the name suggests a bowl of meat and vegetable soup plus a separate plate of steamed rice.  Price 5 RMB.   

Some abbreviations:

盖浇饭 is always 盖饭 here  

便利店 is often 便利  

One final thing, Jenny referred to 兰州 as north-west China, but if you look on a map you'll see that it is near the centre of the country (I believe that it possibly east of the geographic centre.)  It seems to me that if you live in Shanghai anything west of Nanjing is considered 'west'.  Not that we mind. :-) 

]]> Ha ha. I could probably eat noodles every day but I've never tested that proposition.  拉面 làmiàn (pulled noodles) is the best known product of 兰州 Lanzhou restaurants but they do also make 米线 míxiàn (rice noodles), useful for people like me who do not eat gluten.  

A reality check on prices (our hosts live in Shanghai, the most expensive city in China). The dishes are often served with 小 xiǎo (small) and 大 dà (large) options.  Sit down or takeaway are normally the same prices.  But note that it is common (where I live) to have soup and 泡菜 (pickled vegetables) available free, to drink and eat respectively while you wait for your ordered meal. The free stuff is self-serve.   

拉面 làmiàn or 米线 míxiàn costs 4 - 5 RMB, 5 RMB would be a large bowl.  These come with meat and vegetables, but less than in a 盖浇饭.    

盖浇饭 (meat, vegetables on rice) costs about 5 - 10, even 20, RMB depending on quantity, ingredients and the restaurant.  盖浇饭 is, where I live, usually a very large serve (much larger than in the photo.)  My local serves  三鲜盖饭 for 7 RMB and there is always fried egg in our 盖饭.  

盒饭 héfàn (a boxed lunch) - I have never seen one! 

Another common lunch dish here is 三鲜汤饭 tāngfàn (soup and rice) - this is as the name suggests a bowl of meat and vegetable soup plus a separate plate of steamed rice.  Price 5 RMB.   

Some abbreviations:

盖浇饭 is always 盖饭 here  

便利店 is often 便利  

One final thing, Jenny referred to 兰州 as north-west China, but if you look on a map you'll see that it is near the centre of the country (I believe that it possibly east of the geographic centre.)  It seems to me that if you live in Shanghai anything west of Nanjing is considered 'west'.  Not that we mind. :-) 

]]> <![CDATA[By: eupnea63355]]>

I'm making my study materials for this lesson, and the word for umbrella (in an expansion sentence) is new to me. So, that brings up a question I've had for a long time about measure words. Starting today I am going to learn new nouns with their measure words. For example, on the back of the flashcard I will put

yī bǎ  sǎn

一把伞

rather than just 伞.

I found what I assume to be the measure word by looking at example sentences on nciku, but if not for that site, what would one do to find the measure word? My dictionaries do not always have them listed.

Lanzhou is new to me! I look forward to doing a little research, adding it to my "Geography Flashcards" and to my map. Sometimes I feel like a kid in a candy store when studying about China.

]]>

I'm making my study materials for this lesson, and the word for umbrella (in an expansion sentence) is new to me. So, that brings up a question I've had for a long time about measure words. Starting today I am going to learn new nouns with their measure words. For example, on the back of the flashcard I will put

yī bǎ  sǎn

一把伞

rather than just 伞.

I found what I assume to be the measure word by looking at example sentences on nciku, but if not for that site, what would one do to find the measure word? My dictionaries do not always have them listed.

Lanzhou is new to me! I look forward to doing a little research, adding it to my "Geography Flashcards" and to my map. Sometimes I feel like a kid in a candy store when studying about China.

]]> <![CDATA[By: bodawei]]> I have just checked a map myself - 兰州 Lanzhou is actually east of where I live! Holy cow - I do live in the sticks! I feel quite exotic now.

]]> I have just checked a map myself - 兰州 Lanzhou is actually east of where I live! Holy cow - I do live in the sticks! I feel quite exotic now.

]]> <![CDATA[By: frances]]> If you find a dictionary that is good about providing measure words, and a particular word has no mw given, then you can probably be safe using 个 gè with that word. 把 bǎ in this case is a general classifier for all kinds of things that you grip (often things with handles), but you'd get by using 个 gè if you didn't know it.

]]> If you find a dictionary that is good about providing measure words, and a particular word has no mw given, then you can probably be safe using 个 gè with that word. 把 bǎ in this case is a general classifier for all kinds of things that you grip (often things with handles), but you'd get by using 个 gè if you didn't know it.

]]> <![CDATA[By: alexyzye]]> 我发现了在上海,一碗盖浇饭比一杯星巴克咖啡还便宜。

(I discovered that in Shanghai, a bowl of rice is cheaper than a cup of Starbucks coffee.)

]]> 我发现了在上海,一碗盖浇饭比一杯星巴克咖啡还便宜。

(I discovered that in Shanghai, a bowl of rice is cheaper than a cup of Starbucks coffee.)

]]> <![CDATA[By: wenjong]]> OMG, this brings back memories... finding lunch at the Forbidden City, with my newly adopted 22 month old... we got a self-heating boxed chicken lunch... I took photos of the steam coming out the sides. It was sooo hot, but not only that, the jirou was interspersed with sharp shards of bone... pretty much impossible to feed to a toddler if you want the child to live. Definitely an experience! And fortunately I work at home, so I don't have to dai fan! Thanks for the great lesson!

]]> OMG, this brings back memories... finding lunch at the Forbidden City, with my newly adopted 22 month old... we got a self-heating boxed chicken lunch... I took photos of the steam coming out the sides. It was sooo hot, but not only that, the jirou was interspersed with sharp shards of bone... pretty much impossible to feed to a toddler if you want the child to live. Definitely an experience! And fortunately I work at home, so I don't have to dai fan! Thanks for the great lesson!

]]> <![CDATA[By: wenjong]]> To eupnea63355, you can get a measurewords dictionary... they are usually slim books with lots of measurewords, explanations of them, and a list of nouns they can be used with. Many nouns can have multiple measurewords depending on what you mean. A bowl of water yi wan shui, a cup of water yi bei shui, a drop of water yi dian shui etc... Once you understand what a measureword means or indicates (a lump (kuai), a long thing (tiao)) it helps a lot to remember them! :D

]]> To eupnea63355, you can get a measurewords dictionary... they are usually slim books with lots of measurewords, explanations of them, and a list of nouns they can be used with. Many nouns can have multiple measurewords depending on what you mean. A bowl of water yi wan shui, a cup of water yi bei shui, a drop of water yi dian shui etc... Once you understand what a measureword means or indicates (a lump (kuai), a long thing (tiao)) it helps a lot to remember them! :D

]]> <![CDATA[By: eupnea63355]]> I will have to get one of those I suppose. I hope the text is not too tiny.

]]> I will have to get one of those I suppose. I hope the text is not too tiny.

]]> <![CDATA[By: John]]> Ha ha... I'm afraid I can't take you very far. Maybe to the "groan" level...

]]> Ha ha... I'm afraid I can't take you very far. Maybe to the "groan" level...

]]> <![CDATA[By: pauley]]> west of lanzhou..you are definetely out in the sticks.....must be cold too....i have only been as far west as xining in qinghai...or maybe zhonglei in ningxia...but i loved it out that way..beautiful country and people were great...

]]> west of lanzhou..you are definetely out in the sticks.....must be cold too....i have only been as far west as xining in qinghai...or maybe zhonglei in ningxia...but i loved it out that way..beautiful country and people were great...

]]> <![CDATA[By: bodawei]]> Pauley

Yeh, I agree. Well I'm just off to have my daily Illy coffee. The sky is blue and its about 20 degrees. Life's not too bad in the sticks.

]]> Pauley

Yeh, I agree. Well I'm just off to have my daily Illy coffee. The sky is blue and its about 20 degrees. Life's not too bad in the sticks.

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

Most Americans have never heard of Lanzhou at all. You're perpetually telling them its in central China. I used to call Lanzhou the "Oklahoma City" of China.

]]>

Most Americans have never heard of Lanzhou at all. You're perpetually telling them its in central China. I used to call Lanzhou the "Oklahoma City" of China.

]]> <![CDATA[By: ousijia]]> 我喜欢吃牛肉泡馍!wǒ xǐhuan chī niúròu pàomó. I like to eat steamed bread dipped into beef soup (ok, the English description doesn't sound very appetizing...but trust me, it's 好吃!)

]]> 我喜欢吃牛肉泡馍!wǒ xǐhuan chī niúròu pàomó. I like to eat steamed bread dipped into beef soup (ok, the English description doesn't sound very appetizing...but trust me, it's 好吃!)

]]> <![CDATA[By: kimiik]]> Is the size of a chinese lunch box standard enough to associate it with the notion of food portion/serving per person (and per meal) ?

盒饭的大小是一个人食物的标准一部分。

Then 盒饭相等 would be an useful unit of measurement for chinese food.

]]> Is the size of a chinese lunch box standard enough to associate it with the notion of food portion/serving per person (and per meal) ?

盒饭的大小是一个人食物的标准一部分。

Then 盒饭相等 would be an useful unit of measurement for chinese food.

]]> <![CDATA[By: kaixin_in_tampa]]> MDBG shows the classifier for a given noun but it lists multiple ones in some cases, e.g.,

http://us1.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqb=gou3

lists 只 and 条 as classifiers (measure words) for 狗 (dog). You can then use ChinesePod's Glossary to see which one is most often used in daily speak.

http://chinesepod.com/resources/glossary/entry/狗

Seems like 只 is more common.

]]> MDBG shows the classifier for a given noun but it lists multiple ones in some cases, e.g.,

http://us1.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php?page=worddict&wdrst=0&wdqb=gou3

lists 只 and 条 as classifiers (measure words) for 狗 (dog). You can then use ChinesePod's Glossary to see which one is most often used in daily speak.

http://chinesepod.com/resources/glossary/entry/狗

Seems like 只 is more common.

]]> <![CDATA[By: bodawei]]> Perhaps because small dogs are more common here? I use 只 for a small dog (because with 只 I think of something the size of a stick) and 条 for a large dog (because 条 can be as large as a river.)

]]> Perhaps because small dogs are more common here? I use 只 for a small dog (because with 只 I think of something the size of a stick) and 条 for a large dog (because 条 can be as large as a river.)

]]> <![CDATA[By: bodawei]]> I've had an error pointed out to me.

It is always 盖饭 here but 盖浇饭 and 盖饭 are different things. 盖浇饭 has a thickened 浇 (as the name suggests.) In some places the dishes appear separately on the menu.

]]> I've had an error pointed out to me.

It is always 盖饭 here but 盖浇饭 and 盖饭 are different things. 盖浇饭 has a thickened 浇 (as the name suggests.) In some places the dishes appear separately on the menu.

]]> <![CDATA[By: jjinfrance]]> 兰州in the north-west of China, is just as Indian and Ohio are in the "Middle West" of the US--but they are actually in the North East, aren't they?

]]> 兰州in the north-west of China, is just as Indian and Ohio are in the "Middle West" of the US--but they are actually in the North East, aren't they?

]]> <![CDATA[By: jjinfrance]]> However, 一条鱼 is not as large as a river. ;)

]]> However, 一条鱼 is not as large as a river. ;)

]]> <![CDATA[By: xueny]]> In the US, 'Northeast' would be New York and Boston. Indiana and Ohio are in what is called the Midwest. A more accurate name would be Mideast...but that name's already taken elsewhere

]]> In the US, 'Northeast' would be New York and Boston. Indiana and Ohio are in what is called the Midwest. A more accurate name would be Mideast...but that name's already taken elsewhere

]]> <![CDATA[By: eupnea63355]]> shanghai_rocks, I've never used that site before. Looks like a keeper! 谢谢。

By the way, that 56.com site is addictive. I watched http://www.56.com/u76/v_MTk3OTY3MjE.html and really enjoyed it! In my very, very limited understanding of Chinese, that is.

]]> shanghai_rocks, I've never used that site before. Looks like a keeper! 谢谢。

By the way, that 56.com site is addictive. I watched http://www.56.com/u76/v_MTk3OTY3MjE.html and really enjoyed it! In my very, very limited understanding of Chinese, that is.

]]> <![CDATA[By: chrisheilong79]]> @changye, altough there is truth to what you say. I have found that people of the north do love cold dishes, from the cold meats and sausages like you may find in one of the many 一手点 shops to the Sushi, cold Korean style Noodles and salades they love to eat in Summer. That said I do know some Shanghai people that wont touch anything unless its at least warm.

]]> @changye, altough there is truth to what you say. I have found that people of the north do love cold dishes, from the cold meats and sausages like you may find in one of the many 一手点 shops to the Sushi, cold Korean style Noodles and salades they love to eat in Summer. That said I do know some Shanghai people that wont touch anything unless its at least warm.

]]> <![CDATA[By: Amesburygeorge]]> 我也喜欢饭的番茄炒蛋盖浇饭。 I also like tomato fried egg over rice.

]]> 我也喜欢饭的番茄炒蛋盖浇饭。 I also like tomato fried egg over rice.

]]> <![CDATA[By: egret]]> Impressive skills, these always get featured on documentaries but I hadn't known what they were called until now.

]]> Impressive skills, these always get featured on documentaries but I hadn't known what they were called until now.

]]>