How to describe using a Chinese washing machine using Chinese?
xiaophil
May 13, 2010, 02:58 AM posted in I Have a Question
My work has provided a fairly user-unfriendly washing machine. I always struggle to describe using it without caveman Chinese. I wrote down the steps for using it in English and Chinese. I'm hoping some of you can give me some input. I know there are big mistakes.
How to use an un-automated Chinese washing machine:
1. Pour water to the washing machine, add clothes and soap.
2. Use the ‘standard setting' on the ‘select drain/fill' dial, and select the maximum cycle time of fifteen minutes on the ‘wash cycle' dial.
3. After the cycle is finished, drain the water and then pour water again for the rinse cycle. Run the washing machine for fifteen minutes.
4. Repeat step three one more time.
5. Place the clothes into the spin-dry machine (I don't even know this word in English). Make sure the clothes are distributed evenly, otherwise the spinner cannot reach work effectively. Select the full 5 minutes on the ‘spin-dry' dial.
6. Pull out your clothes. Your clothes should be ready to dry.
用一台不主动的中国洗衣机说明：
1. 在洗衣机里倒水，放衣服和加点洗衣粉。
2. 用"洗择开关"标度盘的标准功能，然后在洗涤定时标度盘上选择最长的时间，十五分钟。
3. 洗衣服周期后，排水，然后为了冲洗衣服，又倒水。用洗衣机十五分钟。
4. 重复第三步一遍。
5. 把衣服放在脱水机器里。确定衣服摆均匀，否则机器不能工作。在"脱水定时"标度盘选择五分钟。
6. 把你的衣服拿出来，现在你应该能烘干你的衣服。
Note: terms I had particular trouble translating are highlighted.
Bonus question: how to say "spin it for five minutes"? 旋转五分钟?
bodawei
今天我的房东买了新的，换机！
changye
以旧换新，旧的不去，新的不来！
bodawei
房东已经给我们送来一个洗衣机，可是它是二手的， :-(
bodawei
Oh, good thinking, no I didn't think of that. Actually, when the landlord arrived with an obviously not new washing machine, he looked a bit sheepish, and then he told me that it is nine years old! It is actually their old machine - they must have gone and bought a new one for themselves. (I would have done the same thing I guess, fair enough.) As for being dirty, they keep a very clean house when we visit. I guess we could throw in some vinegar, good tip anyway. The main thing is that the machine works. And I got to hear new language during this saga. And made and received a lot of phone calls - always good language practice.
Thanks for new words like 细菌 (germ); probably useful in China? :) Actually I saw 细 recently in 细枝末节, which you can forget in favour of 八卦 bāguà, the more colloquial expression for 'trivia'.
helenshen_counselor
May 13, 2010, 07:38 AMxiaophil你好，你越来越专业了。这个spin dry machine, 我们一般说“甩干机”
这样的洗衣机是“半自动洗衣机”，就是洗好后要拿出来，然后放进另外一边甩干的。
"spin it for five minutes"，转五分钟！不过我一般会多转一会儿，这样衣服会更容易干。
xiaophil
May 14, 2010, 01:50 AMHi anybody who might know and has time,
I still would like to know a few things.
Is 标度盘 the best word for 'dial'? Do Chinese actually use this word much, or do they generally get around it somehow? (nciku was low on examples, so it made me pause.) How do we say "turn the dial"?
What is the word(s) for "wash cycle"? How about "rinse cycle"? The dictionary said 周期 means "cycle", but it just doesn't feel right to me, but maybe I am wrong.
Is 功能 the best translation for "setting"? I see them as two different concepts, but I couldn't figure out a better way to say it.
Thanks!
bodawei
Hi Xiaophil
There must be a dozen ways of saying some of these things - my machine for 'cycle' uses the term 过程 guòchéng (cycle as in fill, wash, empty and spin). I asked the the landlord for a run-through and he used the same terms but probably because they are on the machine. I can't guarantee that this is high frequency.
The cycle on my machine is from 浸泡 jìnpào (fill); 洗涤 xǐdí (wash); 漂洗 piàoxǐ (spin); 脱水 tuōshuǐ (drain).
Some other terms that I think are useful:
程序 chéngxù; program from 标准to 毛毯. Even though this last one says blankets I am pretty sure this is a delicate program.
水位 shuǐwèi; water level [水位选择钮 shuǐwèixuǎnzéniǔ; water level selector]
bodawei
Hi Xiaophil, as you've found this I should point out that 漂洗 piàoxǐ (rinse), I think, not spin. (Just looking at the characters again.) I was guessing when I wrote my first bit and it is not in my dictionaries. If anyone can confirm, that would be good.
changye
May 14, 2010, 02:26 AMHi xiaophil
http://www.zqlw.com/zypx/094415643.html
http://www.apinpai.com/b78548/
http://guide.it168.com/B/typebrand/0733_0224_1.shtml
xiaophil
Changye
You are amazing. I sometimes think you are actually a team of people working together to improve 老外's Chinese. Thanks!
changye
Hi xiaophil
There is no trick. I just googled (Chinese) using key words “洗衣机， 说明书”. If you want to see 洗衣机说明说 more thoroughly, please click the link below.
http://www.docin.com/p-4452511.html
xiaophil
May 18, 2010, 12:42 AMHi everybody,
I still have one question unresolved:
Is 标度盘 the best word for 'dial'? Do Chinese actually use this word much, or do they generally get around it somehow? (nciku was low on examples, so it made me pause.)
How do we say "turn the dial to (such-and-such function)"?
bodawei
May 13, 2010, 03:36 AMHi Xiaophil
最近我家中的洗衣机出了一些问题，这是自动地。。（不自动的我不可能帮助你！）
按下电源开关，并启动后，水一直不停的进入洗衣桶内.
而且不开始转动洗衣服。很麻烦。