User Comments - amber
amber
Posted on: Two 'Iffy' Words
September 25, 2007 at 7:23 AMHi pandda, 的话 (dehuà) just means 'if'... that simply. For the English equivalent of 'let's say', you can just use this kind of sentence pattern, however. There's not really a true Chinese equivalent for 'let's say' in the context you mention.
Posted on: Two 'Iffy' Words
September 25, 2007 at 2:00 AMHi Jeff, So sorry about missing your question. In the sentence you mention: 这次比赛你一定会赢 Zhècì bǐsài nǐ yīdìng huì yíng This 会 'huì' is the 'will' 会 'huì. Actually, you could substitute 要 (yào), but the meaning changes slightly: 这次比赛你一定要赢 Zhècì bǐsài nǐ yīdìng yào yíng You have to win this competition. I know the difference is hard to pinpoint, but through listening, you will slowly start to sense the difference in feeling between the two. 要 (yào) can take on numerous meanings--it's all about the context.
Posted on: Two 'Iffy' Words
September 24, 2007 at 5:12 AMhi aeflow, Yes, 要是 (yàoshi) can be used in the same way as 如果 (rúguǒ), although 如果 (rúguǒ) is the most commonly used 'if', i.e.: 要是天气不好的话，我就不去。 Yàoshi tiānqì bù hǎo dehuà，wǒ jiù bù qù. 假如 (jiǎrú) also means 'if, suppposing', but is more formal, and seldom used in spoken Chinese.
Posted on: Drinking Ability
September 24, 2007 at 3:49 AMAZERDocMom and user28541, Yes, please see Henning's link above, the perfect explanation to your question about the meaning of: 他不会吃你豆腐的. (Tā bù huì chī nǐ dòufu de..)
Posted on: Knowing the Teacher
September 24, 2007 at 3:43 AMfashengshou, 哪里 (nǎli) means 'where', and 什么地方 (shénme dìfang) means 'what place'. So, the following sentences: 你去过哪里? Nǐ qù guo nǎli? Where have you been before? 你去过什么地方? Nǐ qù guo shénme dìfang? What places have you been to before?
Posted on: Traveling and Chopsticks
September 24, 2007 at 3:36 AMhi wei1xiao4, Yes, I've seen people rinse their dishes in hot water at restaurants here as well. Connie tells me this is just for hygiene's sake... In some restaurants, the dishes may not be that clean, so they will first like to rinse them in hot water themselves before using them.
Posted on: Two 'Iffy' Words
September 24, 2007 at 3:28 AM大家好 (Dàjiā hǎo), Here is the link to the song Jenny talks about in today's Qing Wen: 如果爱 (Rúguǒ ài)
Posted on: Traveling and Chopsticks
September 24, 2007 at 12:06 AMJohn and AZERDocMom, Any linguist who uses the term 'linguisticky' is welcome on these pages. ;) haha
Posted on: Traveling and Chopsticks
September 23, 2007 at 1:11 AMI think this accent question would be a great one for our Practice Plan teachers, since they tutor Chinese students from all over the world. I am going to ask them!
Posted on: Eating Tofu
September 25, 2007 at 7:30 AMhi peterberlin1980, The expression 吃豆腐 (chī dòufu) refers to groping, it doesn't have any homosexual or lesbian connotations. Man2Toe, 吃豆腐 (chī dòufu) definitely refers to physically groping. There is an expression you could use for 'undressing someone with one's eyes' 色眯眯地看着她 Sè mī mī de kànzhe tā