User Comments - changye
changye
Posted on: 起名要小心
October 4, 2008 at 2:17 PMHi shalmaneser,
I don't know why, but in China and Japan, we say "raise (举) an example (例子)", but not "take (取) an exmaple." If you raise an example high, other guys can see it very well.
Let me show you a super-high frequency phrase that includes the character "取", "什么时候能取?" (When can I pick it up?) You can use this expression at a photo shop, a dry-cleaner, and even at 公安局 when renewing your visa.
Posted on: 起名要小心
October 4, 2008 at 9:05 AMHi shalmaneser,
Both 起名 and 取名 are the same, at least, for us foreign learners!
我给小狗起名叫"Patty".
我给小狗取名叫"Patty".
Posted on: Recovering a Cell Phone Number
October 4, 2008 at 4:37 AMIn China, when you make an ominous remark, your friend might ask you to say “呸,呸!(pei1 pei1!)”, a kind of quasi-spitting.
Posted on: Recovering a Cell Phone Number
October 4, 2008 at 4:10 AMHi Chris,
Thanks for the intriguing phrase "Touch wood". I didn't know it at all. Interestingly, just oppsed to "Touch wood", East Asian people usually hate to say something unlucky before friends and family, because some people believe that it might tempt fate. There is a joke that says it's the very reason why you don't find many "emergency clauses" in contracts in Asian countries.
旧的不去,新的不来
jiu4 de bu4 qu4, xin1 de bu4 lai2
The new one will come only after the old one leaves.
Posted on: Recovering a Cell Phone Number
October 4, 2008 at 3:34 AMHi chris,
I've never had my mobile phone lost or stolen in Shanghai yet
You are just great, but there is a Chinese saying (or slogan?) that goes like this, 旧的不去,新的不来. Please do not apply this Chinese wisdom to your wife!
Posted on: Getting a Driver's License
October 3, 2008 at 2:06 PM中国人的开车技巧就像楼上说的那样超级厉害,简直是超越一般,超越常识,超越法律,超越国际标准的高级驾驶技术。开车速度当然超快,汽车如果有翅膀马上就会飞起来。但是很奇怪,中国人的停车入位技术差劲得要命,汽车停得太乱,可能是中国国土辽阔的原故吧。
Posted on: Introducing a Friend
October 3, 2008 at 12:22 PMHi Cassie,
In short, "你给你们介绍一下" (Please, introduce yourselves) is correct both grammatically and semantically, isn't it? Is it natural Chinese?
If so, I think that "让我给我们介绍一下" is also a correct Chinese sentence. Am I right? Please help us poor stray sheep in the sea of Mandarin, hehe!
Posted on: Introducing a Friend
October 3, 2008 at 10:13 AMHi Cassie,
It's in the expansion. It says "你给你们介绍一下"
(Please, introduce yourselves.) Thanks.
Posted on: I'm pregnant!
October 4, 2008 at 3:55 PMHi huibert,
"吃坏肚子" is actually a little strange phrase to us learners, but you can easily find similar usages such as "弄坏手机" (nong4 huai4 shou3 ji1, break a cell-phone), and "宠坏孩子" (chong3 huai4 hai2 zi, spoil a child). This 坏 is a compliment for making a serial construction, as you pointed out above. The usage is similar to famous 看错,卖完,or 做好, but not to 去上海买东西.