User Comments - amber
amber
Posted on: Language Power Struggle
August 28, 2008 at 2:59 AMhi jiajie,
Here you wouldn't use '还没过关' (hái méi guòguān). 过关 (guòguān) is more used in the context of passing a specific grade or level, as in:
打游戏的时候, 第一关还没过。
(Dǎ yóuxì de shíhou, dì-yī guān hái méi guò.)
我想去中国的大学读书，可是中文还没过关。
(Wǒ xiǎng qù Zhōngguó de dàxué dúshū, kěshì Zhōngwén hái méi guòguān.)
Posted on: What size?
August 28, 2008 at 2:45 AMhi steeveepee,
'Can I try it on?':
可以试一下吗？
Kěyǐ shì yīxià ma?
Posted on: What size?
August 27, 2008 at 5:42 AMhi chris,
The 的 “de” in this sentence modifies the noun. However, in this case, the noun was omitted, since the speakers know what is being spoken of.
多大+的+鞋子
Duōdà + de + xiézi
Here is another example of the pattern:
这里有两个苹果，你吃大的 (苹果)，我吃小的 (苹果)。
Zhèlǐ yǒu liǎng ge píngguǒ，nǐ chī dà de (píngguǒ)，wǒ chī xiǎode (píngguǒ).
Posted on: What size?
August 27, 2008 at 3:55 AMmisterjess,
I'm told size 43 for men is available in China.
Posted on: Getting a Phone Number
August 27, 2008 at 2:14 AMhi macallus88,
Because generally a person is speaking of the company collectively, the plural is used.
Posted on: Language Power Struggle
August 27, 2008 at 1:34 AMhi sushan,
'This one really resonated.' In Chinese is:
这个话题确实能产生共鸣。
Zhège huàtí quèshí néng chǎnshēng gòngmíng.
Posted on: Language Power Struggle
August 27, 2008 at 1:26 AMchongzibide et al,
I think the statement:
'I think Chinese is very difficult for you'.
Is just a mistranslation from Chinese, because when I have this conversation with someone who is actually speaking Chinese with me, they always say, in Chinese, "Learning Chinese must be very difficult".
Chinese people always tend to have the opinion that Chinese must be a very difficult language to learn for foreigners, that is why they say this.
Posted on: Discussing Eating
August 27, 2008 at 1:20 AMhi mbreakstone,
中菜 (Zhōngcài) and 西菜 (Xīcài) are not used. You can, however, say:
中国菜 (Zhōngguócài) Chinese food
法国菜 (Fǎguó cài) French food
意大利菜 (Yìdàlì cài) Italian food
It means the country's food in general.
Posted on: Finding a Taxi
August 28, 2008 at 3:05 AMhi hitokiri,
In other parts of China 出租車 (chūzūchē) is the more common term.