User Comments - bodawei

Posted on: Common Measure Words

hi stephen fox

量词 liǎngcí (a measure word) means that 量词 is a part of speech called, in English, 'measure word'. All measure words are 量词. So you can ask 这是量词吗？ (Is this a measure word?)

汽车 qìchē car or vehicle (because in English we sometimes refer to a car as a vehicle). But it does refer to just those vehicles that are cars.

Posted on: I don't smoke

I have smoked twice in my life, that is two (or nearly two) cigarettes. So I can remember some of the details. :) The first was when I was 8 or 9 years old, in the boys change sheds at Ela Beach, Port Moresby. Back in the days. The brand was Kool. It was so bad I did not smoke again for about another 19 years. A cigarette while lounging on the new bridge over the Todd River, Alice Springs. One starry evening. I threw up violently before I finished that one (hence nearly two cigarettes in my life), but it may have been the flagon wine we had with us.

Posted on: Detective Li 2： The Mysterious Text Message

John - I think skyover meant it looks like 138 (1:38) - it would be a very bad looking 13. :) If they didn't mean that I'm not sure what they meant. Oh, hang on, I see: 1 3 or 1 8. Gotcha. Very bad looking one. And a bit too cryptic if referring to time, there being not enough numbers. But as we had already canvassed 562 options above we had already jagged that 138 option.

'is going to be more analog' ..

Any good reason why? China is way digital - phones, laptops, kitchen appliances, clocks, street light countdowns, floor numbers in lifts ...

If it comes down to it, 两点 fits better into a digital world than an analog one because it looks like the 冒号 in a readout.

Posted on: Switching Seats on a Plane

Hmmm, I have never before checked the 'rule' before, being just aware for example that it is dropped say when referring to someone or something close to you. A reference text I have says that when you have 定语 + 名字 there may or may not be a 的 between them. The rule is that when the 定语 means:

(1) 什么 (what) - no 的

(2) 谁的 (who) - 的 or no 的 [??? I'm not clear on the rules here myself - I think this is where the closeness of the relationship allows you to drop the 的.]

(3) 怎么样的 (how) - 的

Examples given:

世界地图 - no 的， what map? 世界地图，不是中国地图

男朋友 - no 的， what friend?

玛丽的地图 - 的, someone's map。 是玛丽的地图， 不是别人的。必须用“的”

老师的哥哥 - 的, someone's brother

真诚的朋友 - 的 (a friend who is sincere and honest - what other kind is there??) 是怎么样的朋友， 是真诚的朋友，必须用“的”。如果问什么朋友，那就不能加“的”，如例 (2) above, 再如：老年朋友/泰国朋友。注意：“泰国朋友” 和 “泰国的朋友”不一样，“泰国朋友”是说这位朋友是什么人呢？他是一位泰国人。“泰国的朋友”是说这位朋友是谁的朋友呢？ 是泰国的朋友，如：中国是泰国的朋友。

明亮的眼睛 - 的 (shining or brilliant eyes)

See that wasn't too bad - but I guess you could also say that complexity [and I stopped - there is a couple more pages of explanation] is why we have ChinesePod to guide us!!

Incidentally the 中文名字 case seems to be covered under the 什么 case above - no 的 required. Like 世界地图.

Posted on: iPhone vs Android

It's true, Gmail in China opens quickly every time on an Android (or IPhone, Ipod) - why is that?? Simultaneously it takes ages to open on a laptop. 

As for apps - Android has pptv - we can watch feature movies for free on the phone, lying in bed at night, for free. 

I think the HTC is currently a better phone than IPhone - looks and feels better. 

Posted on: Switching Seats on a Plane

There are quite a few situations where "的" is not required even though the standard rule would suggest that it is; this is one of those situations. :)

Posted on: Gao Kao

哈哈， best to block it out, unless you enjoy doing exams of course.

Posted on: Detective Li 2： The Mysterious Text Message

哈哈，我不过。。只做我分内的工作，我是黑猫警长！

我也很喜欢这个课程。。

Posted on: Gao Kao

Hey xiaoluoyu

My post gives you a little info on format (see link in first post above.) the most recent gaokao was apparently run over four days, but I'm not sure how many hours of exams each student has. You do a science stream or an arts stream in grade 12, you have to sit exams for both in Grade 11.

Posted on: I don't smoke

'I inferred that young Chinese generally think it's perfectly cool not to smoke. Not enough really to infer that they think it's uncool to be a smoker.'

Perfectly okay inference, based on my experience. We are talking about several hundred million people, but hey, what are inferences for if not to make a few generalizations to simplify our lives somewhat? :) Y'now - here's another generalization: in that 19-25 year old range, male, I reckon that foreigners here tend to smoke more than the Chinese people I see! I think maybe price is a factor? 'Wow - they're so cheap!' Stress? Away from home, teaching. Maybe a socializing thing where you need to get on with new people all the time? Or, I see them in cafes, bars, etc, places where you expect people to smoke if they're going to smoke, perhaps with a drink. Anyway, it seems more young foreign men smoke here than what I'm used to back home.