User Comments - bill
bill
Posted on: Chinese Money Denominations
June 17, 2007 at 2:56 PMlai4ha2ma, I use http://www.mdbg.net/ for character sounds. They also have charater writing with stroke animation that is very beautifully done. They teach you the radicals for each character by painting them in red. Very very useful tool. Use their "Free online Chinese-English Dictionary." 和平， Bill
Posted on: I can't buy my size
May 30, 2007 at 2:31 AMHey Piers, I agree. I'm thinking they are trying to say something like, "Nike sells them." Really, Nike manufactures them. Even, 运动有的做 （yun4dong4you3dezuo4), or, some sports brands make them, might have been better. I would've preferred: 运动店有的卖 (yun4dong4dian4you3demai4). Some sports stores sell them, and goes better with the last sentence. 还是很好谈话 （hai2shi4hen3hao3tan2hua4), 打网球！ Bill
Posted on: What's that smell?
May 22, 2007 at 5:11 AMSeems you forgot the expression, 狗屁！Fits right in here. 和平， Bill
Posted on: Cold Beer
May 16, 2007 at 3:40 PMOops. That's intermediate lesson #51.
Posted on: Cold Beer
May 16, 2007 at 3:39 PMI immediatly thought about the intermediate lesson #15, "Buying a drink." It is one of the easier lessons at this level with lots of fun vocabulary. I prefer draft beer or 生啤 (sheng1pi2). But, please, not “on the rocks ” (加冰块儿) jia1bing1kuair4). Bill
Posted on: Where's the bus stop?
May 14, 2007 at 3:53 AMWith respect to Dave, Hanyu and Dan's comments on the elementary leap to intermediate, I actually like how this is done. It is very real world. It's called immersion from my perspective. The more I listen to Jenny's chit chat the more I understand. It's a really important step to drop the native language crutch when learning any new language and just do mandarin. The translations are always misleading in any case since mandarin is not some special encoded form of english (where english can be replaced with your maternal language). So, sit back, listen, and slowly but surely what Jenny is saying will begin to reveal itself. It's like a wonderful self-solving puzzle for our enjoyment. That's my take. 和平， Bill
Posted on: She's Easy
June 26, 2007 at 12:44 AMNo question that as long as I can remember having an interest in women and that goes back 60 years now, "She's easy," means easy for sex. Really an inappropriate title. Also, with respect to 荡妇 (dang4fu4) or nymphomaniac, why is it that a woman with a sex strong drive is given some kind of insulting name throughout history while for a guy it's cool expected behavior? Seems outmoded and sexist to me. 和平， Bill