User Comments - Tal
Tal
Posted on: Lao Wang's Office 7: A Firing Afoot?
October 17, 2009 at 12:49 AM@kylie
I think you're being a little too analytical in your approach. Language is idiomatic, right?
Here, 等会儿 doesn't really mean 'wait a moment' - it means something more like 'for a moment'. Followed by 到我办公室来, you could translate it literally to mean 'for a moment come to my office.' Then of course the 一下 softens the tone and suggests brevity.
(In the podcast John remarks on how in English we'd say something like: 'can you come into my office for a second?' This is idiomatic, it might not be easy to explain it logically word for word to someone learning English. This first line is similar in my view. Perhaps best just to swallow it down, digest the meaning, notice similar usages.)
Posted on: Funny Business 5
October 16, 2009 at 10:22 PMI think they're considered to be "Premium Content". You can hear all of them on the Audio Review MP3 these days, but you have to be a Premium subscriber to get it. Basic subscribers can get the text version of the dialogue and vocab lists.
Posted on: Chinese Idol 2
October 16, 2009 at 12:33 PMThis is a good lesson. Too short though! I was especially disappointed not to hear 兰兰 sing all of
月亮代表我的心。 Totally sweet 吉他 accompaniment! Totally beguiling vocal! I think it might have been my all time favorite version.
如果兰兰在这个比赛没有获胜，我会哭了！
Posted on: National Day
October 14, 2009 at 1:20 AMConverting one? 
Turning to religion in your dotage miantiao? 
Posted on: Light and Dark Colors of Clothing
October 13, 2009 at 10:54 PM哈哈！Nicely executed simon, looks like I'm not the only poddie who enjoys Photoshop! ;)
Posted on: Light and Dark Colors of Clothing
October 13, 2009 at 10:22 AMAs well as meaning deep water
(这条河很深。Zhè tiáo hé hěn shēn. This river is very deep.)
深 shēn may mean difficult to understand
(这本书太深了，我看不懂。Zhè běn shū tài shēn le, wǒ kàn bu dǒng. This book is too difficult, I can't understand it.)
Conversely 浅 qiǎn may mean shallow water
(这条河很浅，可以走过去。Zhè tiáo hé hěn qiǎn, kěyǐ zǒu guòqù. This river is shallow, you can wade across it.)
and may also mean easy
(这本书太浅，你不用看。Zhè běn shū tài qiǎn, nǐ bú yòng kàn. This book is too easy for you, you needn't read it.)
I'll pass on the Photoshop this time baba, no way to improve on that pic!
I do like 力伟's mnemonic, but I'm a bit hung up on the 冖 component being a swimmer! I always like to think of it as a roof!
Apparently the etmology is that part comes from 穴 (xuě) hole, but it's missing the dot on the top.
Posted on: National Day
October 13, 2009 at 9:43 AM哈哈！A standing ticket? Luxury!! Don't forget the queue outside waiting for... well, maybe not a ticket, but the chance of one. *sigh* 'twas ever thus. Never mind, here comes the Chaoyang Militia!
Posted on: Dare to Use 敢
October 11, 2009 at 9:25 AMJenny, 你跟我老婆一样！有一天在香港我们俩坐过山车了，现在她再不敢坐！
Posted on: Dare to Use 敢
October 11, 2009 at 8:04 AMorangina, 我敢不敢说你的头像变成越来越引人入胜。；）
Posted on: Lao Wang's Office 7: A Firing Afoot?
October 17, 2009 at 1:31 AMKylie, I can assure you that 等会儿 doesn't mean 'wait a moment' here, (or at least not in the sense we use that phrase in English.) On reflection, it may also simply mean: 'in a moment'.
In Chinese, often phrases don't have a single, unalterable meaning. Context can change the meaning, context is pretty important in Chinese for determining meaning.
The English translations on CPod are generally best used just as a guide, they're often not literal translations, because it's usually not possible to translate Chinese into English literally.