User Comments - chris
chris
Posted on: Bumming a Smoke
January 14, 2008 at 2:18 AMIt's certainly true that the most intolerant anti-smokers are those who themselves used to smoke but have given up! I gave up several years before moving to Shanghai and I must admit that the omnipresence of ciggie smoke in every cafe/restaurant/public building is the single most offputting thing about this country. I have learned to just grin and bear it. Having said that, there are plenty of positives about China offsetting this downside! C.
Posted on: Too Picky
January 12, 2008 at 5:10 PMCPod, a quick question on the third sentence of the "La4" section of the Expansion. The Chinese is 你喜欢吃辣吗? (Ni3 xi3huan chi1 la4 ma?). This has been translated as "Do you like to eat spicy food?". My understanding from the lesson is that "la4" means "spicy". So, surely in the Chinese, you need to also have the word for food (cai4?), e.g. Ni3 xi3huan chi1 la4 de cai4 ma? Or is it ok just to have "la4" since the question is obvious in the context? Thanks. C
Posted on: After You
January 10, 2008 at 9:28 AMSorry, another question. In the final sentence of the expansion you have the translation "If I go first, is that polite?". However, there is no "if" (ru2guo3) in the Chinese. Should there be, or is this just another example of the efficiency of the Chinese language over English?! Thanks.
Posted on: After You
January 10, 2008 at 9:22 AMI have the same question as Christian above. Presumably there needs to be a "le" at the end of the sentence to make it mean "he spoke first" rather than "he speaks first". I do struggle with "le"!!
Posted on: Interviewing an Ayi
December 11, 2007 at 9:27 AMGoulniky, I'm in downtown Shanghai and pay my Ayi RMB500 per month. She comes twice a week (not sure how long each time since I'm always at work). My flat is 120 sq mtrs, so guess it takes about 3hrs each time. Probably works out quite expensive per hour - but she does do washing and ironing which is worth its weight in gold!
Posted on: Hold the MSG
December 10, 2007 at 8:50 AMApologies for my ignorance, but is MSG the same as "trans-fats" that have been in the headlines a lot recently? Thanks
Posted on: Too Fat
October 3, 2007 at 2:44 AMGood lesson. My better half's colleagues here in SH all call me "xiao pang", which at first I found quite offensive, but now realise (as K and J explained) that it isn't meant to be! However, it has spurred me on to go to the gym a little more.
Posted on: Too Much to Drink
September 5, 2007 at 6:46 AMKyle, I know what you mean about the Chinese apparently not being into perfume too much. I was away on business recently and hadn't had time to buy my better half a gift. At the airport I managed to buy her a nice Chanel - but she's never worn it! Pity, I really liked the fragrance!
Posted on: Too Much to Drink
September 5, 2007 at 4:09 AMI'm fond of the odd beer or 10 and isn't it always the way that your perceived ability at speaking Mandarin seems to grow exponentially with the number of beers consumed.... I always pity the poor taxi driver who drives me home after a good Friday or Saturday night, since while I'm jibbering away to him in what I think is perfectly fluent Mandarin, he is just sat there not understanding a word of it!! A useful lesson - thanks team.
Posted on: No Kidding
January 17, 2008 at 1:44 AMLustchinese, great word play. I like it.