User Comments - chris

Posted on: Simple Electrical Stuff

On the price comments above, it's the same for a lot of high-end items, e.g. cars, luxury clothes, etc.  I too understand that it is because of the VAT and, particularly, the Import Taxes that the government levies.  For example, branded non-fake fashion items such as Gucci, Armani, etc in the many shopping centres here in Shanghai are a good 30-40% more than back in London (even after allowing for Sterling's recent crash against the RMB).  I suspect the same holds for electrical goods.

Chris

Posted on: New Year's Cash

I gave a hongbao to my secretary for new year, my nephews (all still kids) and my wife, but that's as far as it goes.  I work with quite a large number of staff and I'd like to have hongbao'd them all as well, but it would bankrupt me quickly if I did so!

Chris

Posted on: Happiness Candy

Pete,

Yes, I think we were slightly done-over by the specialist wedding shop we used - a keen eye for a profit opportunity the Quanzhounese businesspeople have!  However, to put in context, I think we ended up giving candy bags to over 500 people in the end, so it's easy to see how quickly the cost can add up.  It was definitely a cultural eye-opener for me since we were giving bags to people with only the most tenuous links to us!

What was also interesting was the relationship between family hierarchy and the amount of candy we gave.  For example, my wife's maternal grandmother (god bless her - never learnt Putonghua and only speaks the local min nan hua dialect!) received what seemed like several kilos of candy!

All part of the fantastic China experience I've had over the past several years!

Chris

Posted on: Happiness Candy

I can totally relate to this, having got married in Quanzhou, Fujian a few months ago.  I know the wedding candy thing is slightly different between regions in China, but what I found amazing was (a) quite how many people we were expected to give candy too and (b) the mark-up that wedding candy stores make!  I'm too polite to mention the amounts, but let's just say that the candy was more expensive than a full banquet for 200 people.

Also, regarding Jenny's comment about dishing out ciggies - yes, this happened at our wedding too.  The most bizarre thing I've experienced in a while.

I won't go into the fact that yours truly was made to try and dip chopsticks into bowls of chicken soup at each table - at the same time as the guests at the table tried to stop me from doing so.  The only way they'd let me do the dipping was if I drank a shot of baijiu.  Let's just say after 18 tables I was somewhat inebriated.  All part of the wedding ritual apparently.........

Chris

Posted on: Will you Marry Me?

Hi all, quick Expansion query.  In sentence 4(a):

他比我想象中的好

Ta1 bi3 wo3 xiang3xiang4 zhong1 de hao3

"He's better than I imagined".

What is the "zhong1 de" doing?  Why is it not simply:

他比我想象好

Ta1 bi3 wo3 xiang3xiang4 hao3

Thanks, Chris

Posted on: Outrageous Power Bill

I live in a place called Top of City in Shanghai.  It has a very strange central air-con system for the entire apartment complex, which I've never quite managed to work out.  Anyway, the high cost of air-con in my first summer here totally amazed me (and I'm not that easily amazed, being originally from "Rip-Off Britain"!).  In the summer, I don't take the temperature too low, in order to try and conserve power.  I usually take it to around 24 degrees.  However, during July and August, this averaged 60-70 kuai PER DAY.  And during the working week, it was only on late evening till early morning!  All I can say is that I'm glad these costs are reimbursable.  Chris.

Posted on: Don't push that button

Wande, Chiongzibide,

I was also thinking about that Expansion sentence.  I don't actually think it's an example of the "shi.....de" construction.  I actually think it is an example of the object following the "de" being omitted, since the "de" itself makes it redundant.  By this, I mean that the word "shape" has been omitted from the sentence, i.e. a fuller translation would be:

"Is Earth a round (shape)?".

Would appreciate any clarification from CPod team or native speakers though!

Thanks, Chris

Posted on: All the Things You Can Hit: 打 (dǎ)

Hi Calkins, today (Sunday) is actually a standard working day here in China.  My understanding is that most companies gave their staff 1-3 January off.

Posted on: I want coffee!

In terms of coffee drinking habits on moving to China - I'd always been a Starbucks/Cafe Nero/Costa/etc fan back in London (sucker for the big brands....).  When I came to SH two years ago, my consumption increased, mainly I think because the likes of Starbucks were comparatively cheap compared to London (I'm still paid in Sterling).  However, with my home country's currency somewhat crashing in the last 6 months, I'm now essentially paying 40% more for my daily shots.  I'm now on the Nescafe 2+1s!

Posted on: The Perfect Sandwich

Is the actor playing the hubby in the dialogue native Chinese?