User Comments - cinnamonfern
cinnamonfern
Posted on: A Simple Tour of the Office
February 14, 2012 at 11:43 AMIn the US, toilet usually just refers to the pedestal. Bathroom or restroom are more commonly used for the room. It comes across more polite to refer to the room rather than the implement. :)
Posted on: Spending Money in Hong Kong
February 7, 2012 at 1:51 AMWow! Connie, you spent more than my monthly salary when I lived in Hong Kong! 很多钱啊！很厉害！哈哈。 :)
Posted on: Asking for Sick Leave
February 3, 2012 at 3:04 PMHow do you politely decline medicine from someone? When I was visiting my friend's family I caught a cold and had a hard time convincing her mother-in-law that I didn't need any medicine. It was just a virus and I would get over it in a few days. And I was uncomfortable because I didn't know what was in the pills she was trying to give me. 谢谢，但我只是感冒了？不用吃药? It doesn't seem polite enough though...
You should have a lesson where an ayi forces medicine and advice on how to get better on the bewildered foreigner. :)
Posted on: Finding the Office Building
January 27, 2012 at 3:03 AM:) But I don't think it was! It was the elevator you had to take to get in the main entrance of the company headquarters.
Posted on: Finding the Office Building
January 26, 2012 at 3:44 AMYep...One time I got really lost and finally had to ask for directions to my elevator (36th floor) that ended up being in a completely different part of the building from the main bank of elevators, down an escalator, and in the basement. ????Why????
Posted on: Finding the Office Building
January 26, 2012 at 3:31 AM香港的大楼就是这样啊！一些电梯上去单号的楼 (odd-numbered floors?)，一些上去双号的楼 (even numbered floors?). 也一些在一楼，一些在地下室。我是有点儿糊涂和迷路了。
(Xiānggǎng de dàlóu jiùshì zhèyàng a! yīxiē diàntí shàngqù dānhào de lóu (odd numbered floors?), yīxiē shàngqù shuānghào de lóu (even-numbered floors?). yě yīxiē zài yīlóu, yīxiē zài dìxiàshì. wǒ shì yǒu diǎnr hútu hé mílù le.)
Posted on: Buying a Prepaid Cell Phone Card
January 23, 2012 at 2:15 PMThanks byron! So I guess most people just say SIM card?
Posted on: Buying a Prepaid Cell Phone Card
January 20, 2012 at 3:40 AMJust wondering if anyone can clarify for me. The 充值卡（chōngzhíkǎ) is not the SIM card, right? I've gotten the SIM card and it is much longer process than in the dialogue (including picking a phone number that was not hugely expensive yet had a few auspicious numbers...that I didn't care anything about but the person who was helping me thought was very important). If I make it back to China - I guess I'll have to do it all over again. :D
Anyway, is there another word for SIM card? Or is it just SIM 卡?
Posted on: Teaching English to the Neighbors
January 16, 2012 at 2:27 PMYa - That's very true. But they live in a part of China where there are very few foreigners. I doubt his parents knew that most people from Sweden speak very good English. :D
Posted on: A Qing Wen to Our Listeners
March 10, 2012 at 3:49 AMMaybe you could cover some common terms describing how foods are cooked. For example, What is the difference between a 羹 and a 汤？ Or 炒, 煸, and 熘? Or 焖, and 爆? I found these all on a menu and learned how to say them, but I don't really know what the difference is between them.