Discussion
Not that you’d ever find yourself in a position to identify what something is (this said we we’re still recovering from the “calf brain” we unknowingly tried last weekend), but should you wish to identify before ingesting, you might (burp) benefit from a lesson on asking what something is. In this podcast, learn how to ask what something is in Mandarin Chinese.
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Some of my survival words in a restaurant: 1. 纸巾/zhi3jin1 or 餐巾纸/can1jin1 zhi3: serviettes 2. 倒茶/dao4 cha2/pour some tea 3. 倒水/dao4shui3/pour some water 4. 健怡可乐/jian4yi2 ke3 le4/Diet Coke's Chinese name 5. 轻怡可乐/qing1yi2 ke3 le4/Pepsi's diet version 6.鲜榨果汁/xian1zha4 guo3 zhi1/freshly squezzed juice Note: these seriously can break the bank (abt 80-100 rmb a jug) and honestly speaking, not worth it at all since the juice will most likely come with half glass of froth on top, yuck. I always determinedly say '不要/bu2yao4/don't want' when waiters tirelessly plug 鲜榨果汁 (and you can see why).
Do you like Chinese dishes? If you go to a Chinese restaurant, the first lesson given to you is how to use chopsticks. Now here is some supplementary vocab. 一双筷子 (yī shuāng kuàizi) a pair of chopsticks 碗 (wǎn) bowl 碟子 (diézi) plate, dish 盘子 (pánzi) plate, dish 勺子 (sháozi) spoon 刀叉 (dāochā) knife and fork 你会用筷子吗？(Nǐ huì yòng kuàizi ma?) Can you use chopsticks? 夹 (jiā) clip; place in between 用筷子夹菜 (yòng kuàizi jiā cài) use chopstick to get food 你想吃什么，自己夹。(Nǐ xiǎng chī shénme, zìjǐ jiā.) Get what you want.
Chinesepod HQ Tell me I am not crazy . But for a period of time today was Chinesepod HQ putting out secret code for Hanzi. Now Connie's Chinese is legible. Or was Bill Gates messing around with me. Although today's lesson is Newbie. It was good to hear these words again. For some reason I am not a big user of 這個. Not sure why everyone around me (Taiwanese) use it frequently. I think I will have to use 這個叫什麼？ more in my language exchange class. Might want to think about another lesson on the weather. There are two more typhoons spinning toward Taiwan which means China is next. The second might strike China closer to Shanghai unlike the previous two which caused so much death and trouble in Fujian Province. Mike in Jubei
I listen to the CCTV news also. This summer's weather is crazy and strange. It said, three typhoons will come. One maybe toward Japan, one towards Taiwan, and one towards Shanghai and Zhejiang. It's hot these days, so someone are waiting for it coming. -Connie
Jenny, So true about the fruit juice - always such a ripoff and usually topped off with tons of froth. Sometimes you get some wacky juice blends too: I had cucumber and lychee the other day at a business lunch (yeah, I wasn't paying...). For those who haven't lived in China much, may I offer this advice that popped in my head as I read Jenny's message. BEWARE CHINESE SERVICE STAFF (LIKE WAITERS, CLOTHES RETAILERS, ETC.) If you walk into a restaurant and say, "give me bottled water," you will undoubtedly receive a 30RMB 4 Oz. bottle of Evian (pre-opened, so you can't send it back!), when you wanted and would have been satisfied with an average 3RMB bottle of Wahaha (hahaha). Same with juice. Ask for a glass of orange juice, and you might get stuck with a freshly blended half juice/half froth OJ for 40RMB. A lot of places don't list prices for drinks (beers, etc.), and sometimes you'll order freely only to find each beer was like 40-50 RMB. I've been around for many years, and am "supposed" to be understanding of the culture, but I still get insulted and annoyed significantly when these people blatantly try to rip you off. Your Chinese friends (or the waiter) will tell you, "the waiter just wanted to give you - the foreigner - the best service or product to make you feel good here in China," but the reality is they just want to rip-off another rich lao wai. Ok, I'm a little sore on this subject... Long story short - - when you order ANYTHING in China, please be careful to clarify what you want (premium French mountain water or Nongfu spring water) or you might end up with a big shock at the end of a meal. I think a lot of restaurants rely on foreigners desire to "play nice" in a foreign country. They know 30 RMB isn't a lot to most foreigners, so you'll likely just say "whatever" rather than cause a big stink about. Don't be afraid to tell them to shove it if/when you forget, and they try to take advantage of you. Bitter Nick (don't worry, Nice Nick returns in future messages!)
Great lesson, thanks. Connie or Jenny, when you ask 倒茶/dao4 cha2, are you supposed to tap the table? Or is this just when you're served by your family....
I think tap the table is not a polite action . It happens in these circumstances, the elder ask the younger to do, the customer ask the waiter to do. Be careful, it can't happen when the guest ask the host to do. -Connie
Hi Nick, You're right on about ordering. I would just add that it's always best to clarify the price of something as you order, either you see it on the menu with the price or you ask. On the occassion that you don't ask, it will come back to shock you. Of course this is unnecessary at most mom-and-pop local eaterys, but any kind of restaurant in a big city, or in a tourist area can have sticker-shock prices. Just to give you an example, a typical plate of stir-fried vegetables in my area costs about 5-10 kuai. On a side trip to a touristy area my friend ordered three vegetable dishes, assuming a typical price of about 8 kuai. The dishes were each 25 kuai, and ...it was on the menu that we hadn't bothered to look at. About Tintin's question about tapping the table, I think it is polite, especially in southern China to make a small tapping, scraping like motion with your finger when someone has poured tea for you. However, it is not used to request tea, and one would hardly ever ask someone to pour tea for you. You should be looking to fill up other people's glasses. They will reciprocate in kind. In other words, if you want tea, first pour for someone else.
Thanks I always see this when we're at dim sum when tea is poured and I thought it meant thank you....
Tapping the table with two fingers after someone pours your tea is an old Chinese custom. Long ago, I was having dinner on an special island in the middle of Beijing, I don't remember the name, but it is suppose to be where the Ching Emperor went on a get away. The Government Host told us that one day, an Emperor was served tea, and he tapped the table with two fingers [ index & middle fingers] on his right hand, and from that point on, it became customary for Chinese people to tap the table with their when tea is poured for them. This was the best Chinese food that I've ever eaten. We had 10 courses, and after each course, the plates were changed, so that the previous dish would not affect the taste of the current dish. We were served a Chinese duck dish, and it was the best duck that I've ever eaten, Paris - bar none. The entire dinner was a special treat.
The finger tapping stems from a story in old China: An emperor (don't recall which dynasty) frequently liked to travel into his kingdom to see the people, problems, and (realistically) just get some fresh air. When he travelled out of the palace however, it would have been dangerous to travel as the emperor in his normal emperor clothes. So as a result, he travelled as a servant in plain street clothes. Of course he had a big entourage of people with him in case something went off, but he wasn't the head of the entourage as far as the public was concerned. ANYWAY, when they were outside and they would go to eat, occasionally the Emperor would serve someone (since he was pretending to be a servant). When the Emperor served you, it was custom to tap your finger. Tapping your finger represented that you were bowing on your knees and showing respect to the undercover Emperor. So, the story got out and that's why people still do it today. I've heard this same story for years all across China. Jenny / Ken - - your thoughts? As for tapping when you're served tea? Who is serving it? The waiter?? If it's a waiter, you definitely don't need to do it. If it's your friend of host, maybe. But like lantian said, I think its unneeded for tea. This seems to be more reserved for drinking beer, baijiu, etc.
It's quite interesting a story of how to have right behavior when being poured tea in China. It means very much to me, of course i learned this story of the same same content as of Nick's, told by a Taiwanese and didn't remind me that tapping the table while the host is pouring yr tea is an impolite action, as Connie's above alert.? I thought beside the old custom, tapping the table means you are paying attention to being poured (tea, beer,soft-drinks...), it's a polite indication?
In the expansion there is a sentence (shenme2 shi4 kuazi4), that translates to "what is 'kuazi4'?" and there is the sentence (wan3 shi4 shenme2) that translates to "what is 'wan3'?"
Why is the order changed? Is there a rule or are they both acceptable?
Hi mshu
Thanks for a good question.
We just provided two different types of sentence structure to expose you to the possibilities of Chinese. There is no difference in meaning.
@pearltowerpete you are great with answering questions! I always learn a lot from reading these forums when you respond.
Thanks!
K
Hi kennethshultz
You are too kind! Thank you.
Zhe4 ge - Sometimes pronounced like "jer ger" sometimes "jay ge"
Na4 ge - Also somtimes sounds like "nar ge" sometimes "nay ge"
It's the same thing right?
Also sometimes when Chinese people are thinking about what to say, they say something that sounds like "na ge na ge na ge" (much like English say "errrr") is that the same word? does anyone know what I'm talking about?:)
Thanks
@janmusi
Yes, yes and yes.
Zhei(er) ge/nei(er) ge are less formal.
@janmusi - Hi! re.your first point. yes, it's the same thing!
这个 = zhège / zhèige
那个 = nàge / nèige
Also Chinese people when thinking about what they're going to say will often repeat the 那个 (nàge / nèige) much as in English we'd say something like: 'Erm, well, er...'
Hello All,
Can anyone explain the following for me?
I currently have two versions of "This" in my vocab section. One says "zhège" and the other is just "zhè". Whats the difference?
vallance
'zhè' means 'this'. The 'ge' is a 'measure word' or 'classifier'. Do you need an explanation of measure words?
Just wondering, in the same way native speakers will say 那个 as a pause in conversation, (I've also heard 这个， 这个... quite a bit), is there a Chinese equivalent of 'um'?
I seem to use it a lot when trying to speak, but as an English word in a Chinese phrase it sounds pretty unnatural. Is there any equivalent interjection apart from those already mentioned?
@mrmilk,
这个...这个 is a conversation filler, the equivalent of 'um'. Actually, there is a word 嗯/en, which is the precise equivalent of 'um'.
hi
I still have much problem understanding how the characters are matched with the expressions and words. Is there any logic for it? I am a new learner of Chinese language.
@Jenny
But 嗯 can also be "yes" or 对 as well, right? I've always been confused, like typing with a friend online, and they will keep saying "嗯" "嗯" "嗯" when responding to what I say... at first I thought they were just doing the "um" meaning, and I kept saying soemthing like "well, are you going to answer?", to then being told 嗯 was their answer. I've thus tried to use "嗯" myself in conversation, but never feel comfortable with it, especially when I'm using it to mean "Yes"
这是课很好谢谢.
Hi canyurdaer,
We should say "这个课很好，谢谢！”
wow I learned some good phrases today!
这个 那个 ummmm excellent！ thank you all for sharing your Chinese language knowledge.
非常好 fēi cháng hǎo (very good)
n
The finger tapping stems from a story in old China: An emperor (don't recall which dynasty) frequently liked to travel into his kingdom to see the people, problems, and (realistically) just get some fresh air. When he travelled out of the palace however, it would have been dangerous to travel as the emperor in his normal emperor clothes. So as a result, he travelled as a servant in plain street clothes. Of course he had a big entourage of people with him in case something went off, but he wasn't the head of the entourage as far as the public was concerned. ANYWAY, when they were outside and they would go to eat, occasionally the Emperor would serve someone (since he was pretending to be a servant). When the Emperor served you, it was custom to tap your finger. Tapping your finger represented that you were bowing on your knees and showing respect to the undercover Emperor. So, the story got out and that's why people still do it today. I've heard this same story for years all across China. Jenny / Ken - - your thoughts? As for tapping when you're served tea? Who is serving it? The waiter?? If it's a waiter, you definitely don't need to do it. If it's your friend of host, maybe. But like lantian said, I think its unneeded for tea. This seems to be more reserved for drinking beer, baijiu
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呵呵，其实Ploopy was helping revive Nick's post above,and I'm glad this has been done because like you,I think it's an interesting story which I would likely have otherwise missed,so thanks ploopy [and of course Nick if you're still around].Having just had the Las Vegas lesson,it certainly springs to mind the habit 21 card players have of taping a finger or two on the table when they want the dealer to deal them another card.I suppose there is no connection here?
Oh my dog!
I would like to know where Ploopy drinks. I have never been to a place in China (or anywhere else) where they come around and top up your glass of beer. Or 白酒。 I always tap when my tea is topped up, especially when it is a waiter. It is, after all a way of saying thank you. Waiters do not get enough thanks - they are generally treated rudely by the people they serve. (Note to Barbs: one of the aspects of culture I find hard to swallow.) And I will keep an eye out for the places where the waiter tops up the beer and 白酒。 :)
dunno about keeping your eye out mate...sounds more like you need to keep your secret finger out,and do the right action [don't wanna attract the wrong secret people].Start practicing I say,hehe :)
Actually,now that I think about it ,I'm pretty sure I have seen this,and not just at the blackjack table.
Same story here:
http://chinesefood.about.com/od/chineseteaandliquor/f/finger-tapping.htm
Riveting youtube video on finger tapping here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_kfY06a8nQ
..not,hehe