2005-12-21 18:00:00 jenny zhu
Hey, Smelling Christmas right now? Last minute shopping and expecting some fat credit card bills that will keep you working hard in the new year to pay-off? Well, all the laowais here must feel so lucky that they can get posh gifts(eg, pearls, silk, pashmina,etc) for not much more than the cost of a UPS delivery back home. But that's of course dependent on how seasoned a shopper you are.(Attention: strictly for market shopping)。 You can't afford to not know some essential 杀价 /sha(1) jia(4)/bargaining terms. 1.太贵了/ tai(4) gui(4) le! /It's too expensive! 2.便宜一点/pian(2) yi(2) yi(1) dian(3)!/cheaper! 3. 我不要/wo(3) bu(2) yao(4)/I don't want it, then follow with the ultimate WMD-walk away. You'll be chased and eventually triumph!]]> jenny zhu
Hey, Smelling Christmas right now? Last minute shopping and expecting some fat credit card bills that will keep you working hard in the new year to pay-off? Well, all the laowais here must feel so lucky that they can get posh gifts(eg, pearls, silk, pashmina,etc) for not much more than the cost of a UPS delivery back home. But that's of course dependent on how seasoned a shopper you are.(Attention: strictly for market shopping)。 You can't afford to not know some essential 杀价 /sha(1) jia(4)/bargaining terms. 1.太贵了/ tai(4) gui(4) le! /It's too expensive! 2.便宜一点/pian(2) yi(2) yi(1) dian(3)!/cheaper! 3. 我不要/wo(3) bu(2) yao(4)/I don't want it, then follow with the ultimate WMD-walk away. You'll be chased and eventually triumph!]]> Bazza
I usually avoid the crowds and shop on ebay.]]> Bazza
I usually avoid the crowds and shop on ebay.]]> David
In Shanghai I watched a customer and bookseller bargaining, the customer walked away three times only to be called back to re-negotiate each time. Truely grueling, shopping is a pro-sport in China. mai bu liao 卖不了 can't sell it for that guo lai le 过来了 come back over suan le...hao de 算了...好的 forget it...ok (context: you can have it for that) Any others have some fun experiences about shopping in China?]]> David
In Shanghai I watched a customer and bookseller bargaining, the customer walked away three times only to be called back to re-negotiate each time. Truely grueling, shopping is a pro-sport in China. mai bu liao 卖不了 can't sell it for that guo lai le 过来了 come back over suan le...hao de 算了...好的 forget it...ok (context: you can have it for that) Any others have some fun experiences about shopping in China?]]> Robespierre
In the PDF download of the "Shopping" lesson, an incorrect character is used: 在上海我必须用现金付款吗？可不可以用信用卡. The dialogue uses 钱 not 款. :) RP]]> Robespierre
In the PDF download of the "Shopping" lesson, an incorrect character is used: 在上海我必须用现金付款吗？可不可以用信用卡. The dialogue uses 钱 not 款. :) RP]]> Lantian
LOOKY-LOO - In the US it's hard nowadays to find a salesperson to help you, well you can expect the opposite in China, you can't stop them from following you up and down, up and down, left and right, roundabout and every which way you go （I've tried the previously just described route). I don't know if it's a cheap five-finger discount survellience system, commission system, or just plain 'Chinese' courtesy...but sometimes it bugs me. I usually say this, it works ..sometimes, especially if I scowl a little, 光光一下, another website recommended this 光看不买 - (guang kan bu mai, looking-not buying) I'm just looking. The latter sounds a little put-offish to me, what does Cpod recommend. I'd like to be friendly but firm, the words are just lacking in me right now. 因该怎么说啊？有时候她们陪我太近了，我要说‘哎呀，太近了，给我多空间好吧。我有问题的时候我再叫你好不好？她们都不收听我的话，哎～以后我式一下别的方法，说“沉鱼落雁陪我看光我怎么能认真的买东西？”]]> Lantian
LOOKY-LOO - In the US it's hard nowadays to find a salesperson to help you, well you can expect the opposite in China, you can't stop them from following you up and down, up and down, left and right, roundabout and every which way you go （I've tried the previously just described route). I don't know if it's a cheap five-finger discount survellience system, commission system, or just plain 'Chinese' courtesy...but sometimes it bugs me. I usually say this, it works ..sometimes, especially if I scowl a little, 光光一下, another website recommended this 光看不买 - (guang kan bu mai, looking-not buying) I'm just looking. The latter sounds a little put-offish to me, what does Cpod recommend. I'd like to be friendly but firm, the words are just lacking in me right now. 因该怎么说啊？有时候她们陪我太近了，我要说‘哎呀，太近了，给我多空间好吧。我有问题的时候我再叫你好不好？她们都不收听我的话，哎～以后我式一下别的方法，说“沉鱼落雁陪我看光我怎么能认真的买东西？”]]> Ken Carroll
David, I beleive the term is "jie mu", rather than "jia mu". (It's always better to have a native speaker confirm these things, of course..Jenny!!!)]]> Ken Carroll
David, I beleive the term is "jie mu", rather than "jia mu". (It's always better to have a native speaker confirm these things, of course..Jenny!!!)]]> Jeff 傑夫
Hi Everybody, I was bored yesterday so I decided to revisit this golden classic cpod episode and remix it into an audio drill with practice pauses for repeating the phrases aloud. You should be able to download the file from the following link: http://www.mediamax.com/jeffreymather/Hosted Enjoy!]]> Jeff 傑夫
Hi Everybody, I was bored yesterday so I decided to revisit this golden classic cpod episode and remix it into an audio drill with practice pauses for repeating the phrases aloud. You should be able to download the file from the following link: http://www.mediamax.com/jeffreymather/Hosted Enjoy!]]> Mike in Ewshot
Hopefully some people may find this useful – ie some of the vocabulary from the discussion. I hope it is correct. The majority of the look ups is from the MDBG online dictionary one at http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php. 购物 gou4 wu4 shopping 节目 jie2 mu4 program / item (on a program) 预习 yu4 xi2 to prepare a lesson 单词 dan1 ci2 word 讨价还价 tao3 jia4 huan2 jia4 haggle over price 货物 huo4 wu4 goods / commodity / merchandise 货品 huo4 pin3 products 制度 zhi4 du4 (political or administrative) system or institution]]> Mike in Ewshot
Hopefully some people may find this useful – ie some of the vocabulary from the discussion. I hope it is correct. The majority of the look ups is from the MDBG online dictionary one at http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php. 购物 gou4 wu4 shopping 节目 jie2 mu4 program / item (on a program) 预习 yu4 xi2 to prepare a lesson 单词 dan1 ci2 word 讨价还价 tao3 jia4 huan2 jia4 haggle over price 货物 huo4 wu4 goods / commodity / merchandise 货品 huo4 pin3 products 制度 zhi4 du4 (political or administrative) system or institution]]>