User Comments - JasonSch
JasonSch
Posted on: Big Darn Crabs
May 31, 2010 at 6:22 AMWe have a lesson about numbers coming up, and it's pretty much this exact scenario. :) Gotta love the 阿姨s (and the occasional 叔叔) at the cornerstore.
You're right about 3, it's more like 'say', or 'sei'. That one always confuses me too.
Posted on: Big Darn Crabs
May 28, 2010 at 8:12 PMNot sure yet.
Posted on: Big Darn Crabs
May 28, 2010 at 7:20 AMWhy not both? : ) We're doing Cantonese next. Not sure on specific dates, but that's the plan.
Posted on: Sina's Microblogs
May 27, 2010 at 1:27 AMYeah, it's been blocked for about that long. (became blocked during the riots in 新疆 (xīnjiāng).
A Chinese 'version' is in the works though and if I remember correctly, it will launch next month.
Posted on: A New Jug for the Water Cooler
May 26, 2010 at 1:15 AMNo problem! :)
Posted on: A New Jug for the Water Cooler
May 25, 2010 at 11:51 PMThis brings up a good point:
自来水 is specifically unboiled tap water. After 自来水 (or any water, I guess) is boiled for drinking, it's called 白开水 báikāishuǐ -- boiled water) or simply, 开水 (kāishuǐ). So you could say,
我本来只要一杯白开水 (wǒ běnlái zhǐyào yībēi báikāishuǐ) I only wanted a glass of boiled drinking water. or,
我只点了一杯白开水 (wǒ zhǐ diǎnle yībēi báikāishuǐ) I only ordered a glass of boiled drinking water.
However, that is the hot/warm stuff. If you're looking for complimentary 冰水 (bīngshuǐ -- ice water), you'll just might have to ask if it's free. (免费吗? miǎnfèima? -- Is it free?)
Posted on: Lao Wang's Office 8: Trimming the Fat at the Office
May 25, 2010 at 11:28 AMYeah, sounds that way. You can chalk that up one of two things:
1) There's an error in the AMS causing the 就 to not show up. (an ', or an /, etc in the wrong place, and that's the result) Or,
2) When Connie read the sentence, a 就 felt natural there and it just slipped out.
Both sentences are OK. We'll sync them up though soon. Thx.
Posted on: Lao Wang's Office 8: Trimming the Fat at the Office
May 25, 2010 at 10:40 AM"Is the meaning actually that the employee quit first, before the boss had a chance to fire him?"
Yep, that's what it means. Must have gotten past the translator.
If you 'fry your boss's squid', your quitting. I don't think it has to be in the face of being fired, but I've only ever seen it this way meaning that someone quits without prior notice and walks out (maybe just not show up too...not sure), as opposed to formally resigning (辞职).
Posted on: A New Jug for the Water Cooler
May 25, 2010 at 7:04 AMIn China I've seen what we call 'pony kegs', (or a 1/4 barrel) in the U.S., in various 2nd-tier cities (厦门, 南京, 青岛) and the countryside quite a bit. Usually drank at a small table outdoors with plenty of 烧烤 to go along with it.
1/2 barrels, or 'normal-sized' kegs, are in any bar with draft beer on tap.
I just asked David what he would call a them, and he said 一桶啤酒 would work for all of em. (and then a 大, or 小 if you wanted to be descriptive.)
Bringing me back to my college years! :)
Posted on: Going on a Diet
May 31, 2010 at 9:24 AMHey Zhen,
没劲（儿）, can mean both 'boring' and 'to have no energy'.
The key is see if it's being used as an adjective or a verb. The Contemporary Standard defines 没劲 as such:
1. [动] 没有力气
累得没劲了。
2. [形] 没有意思；没有趣味(表示不满)
这种人真没劲
这阵子天天应酬，真没劲。
So, I think your first expansion sentence would be better translated as:
"I've been in a bad mood lately. I don't have the energy to do anything".
But, that being said, it's easy to make the mistake. For example, in the last sentence listed in the adjective definition, '这阵子天天应酬，真没劲。', it might seem like the person is implying they're 'out of energy' from all the 应酬.
Good word, btw! It comes up again soon in an Upper lesson a week or two down the road. :)