User Comments - anli1520
anli1520
Posted on: Looking for an Apartment in NYC (Part 1)
May 8, 2013 at 2:07 AM
Hey guys a little help!
In the vocabulary section you translate “呎” as square foot. Baidu has an interesting comment concerning the character:
“呎”是近代新造的字，借用中国传统的长度单位“尺”，并加口旁以示区别。
But as far as I know 呎or 尺, when used by itself, is associated with the measurement of length not area. Something like 平方英呎would be square foot or feet.
Posted on: The Legend of the White Snake (Part 2)
March 31, 2013 at 7:35 PMAccording to the dictionary (not always the most reliable source) 收服 is
defined as to conquer or subdue synonymous with 制服 or 征服. In the dialog 收服 is translated as "to take revenge". Perhaps in Chinese if one conquers,it is naturally assumed that revenge will be exacted. Any comments on usage?
Posted on: Annual Meeting Raffle
January 19, 2013 at 2:26 PMHaving to have had to often listen to lengthy corporate bombast, I found the funniest part of the dialog to be the way the MC quickly terminated the manager's speech. As for the following case, we should all be so lucky.
中央八项规定出台后，领导对秘书说，把这次会议讲话材料修改一下，去掉套话空话废话大话，留下实话就行。秘书仔细斟酌推敲，去掉了套话500字，去掉了空话400字，去掉了废话300字，又去掉了大话200字。改完后交给了领导。领导一看，整篇材料就剩一句话：会后，请大家到三楼餐厅用餐。
Posted on: New Traffic Regulations
January 11, 2013 at 10:13 PMThis seems apropos.
男子一夜未归，第二天早上才匆匆到家，妻问何故，
男答：昨夜路口遇一黄灯，闪烁不停，一直等到今天早上六点才恢复正常，闯
黄灯扣6分，路口倒车扣9分。妻又问为何不打个电话？丈夫又答：开车打电话扣3分
啊。
妻又问为何不下车打电话？丈夫又答：下车属于违章停车也要罚款。
妻又问为何不绕路离开？丈夫再答：该路段禁止掉头，开车逆行扣12分啊！
妻子又问 让你去接孩子 孩子怎么回来说在后斗里呆一夜。
男子说 咱家的车是单排 未满14岁不让坐前排。
妻子又说不让闯黄灯 你不会右拐上高速 找服务区过夜啊！
男子哭了：媳妇啊， 我是新手 头一年不让独自上高速。
该男子冻得直哆嗦，妻问：在车内，何故冻成这样？
答：下了一夜的大雪，我在外不停擦号牌，遮挡号牌据说扣12分啊！
Posted on: The Mysterious Metric System (Part 1)
January 6, 2013 at 4:55 AM
It is not the metric system (SI units) which is mysterious; it is the Chinese
units of measurement. The measurements of length 里 and 尺 were commonly used in ancient China, and not surprisingly took on a number of different values throughout history. As John said, in recent years the Chinese government then standardized the traditional units to the metric system. Here are some
examples of length.
毫 33 1/3 μm
厘 1/3 mm
市分 3 1/3 mm
市寸 3 1/3 cm
市尺 33 1/3 cm
市丈 3 1/3 m
引 33 1/3 m
市里 500 m
A 里 then is 1/2 of a 公里, which is not too far off from the historical
里. The Chinese foot 尺 is actually close in length to the English foot. The Chinese inch 寸 is 3.333 cm while the English inch is 2.54 cm.
A similar Chinese system also exists for the measurement of mass and has been standardized to the metric system.
市厘 50 mg
市分 500 mg
市钱 5 g
市两 50 g
市斤 500 g
市担 50 kg
The 斤 is also referred to as a catty or Chinese pound, and formerly 16
两 = 1 斤. The 两 is also called a tael or Chinese ounce and was often
encountered in the measurement of silver. Luckily now we can just rely
on the simple metric system.
Posted on: Time for a Holiday
November 1, 2012 at 1:31 AMIn the supplementary vocabulary you list 万圣节 as Halloween. Halloween is
the eve before All Saint's Day. Is 万圣节 Halloween or All Saints's Day
(as a literal translation might suggest) or do the Chinese simply not distinguish between the two?
Posted on: Sensitive Topics
July 24, 2012 at 12:58 AMAn awesome write up! Thanks for the effort.
Posted on: Ferocious Tiger Idioms
July 24, 2012 at 12:09 AMMine too. 毛泽东 was a master of this strategy.
Posted on: Sensitive Topics
July 17, 2012 at 2:59 AMI really like your explanations. In this lesson to die was brought up. I have
often wondered why Chinese has so many words meaning to die. A few of them are listed, but there many more： 死，殂，身亡，身故，故去，故世，亡故，
逝，逝世，呜呼，物故，谢世，殒，丧生，作古，殁，等。Any comments or etymological insights you may wish to share would be greatly appreciated.
Posted on: English Letters Make Chinese Words
May 13, 2013 at 12:38 AMFrom my experience in the United States the term “going Dutch” is widely understood to mean to split the bill. I am not sure of its origin. In addition, I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for all of your hard work in producing transcripts.