User Comments - daizi

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daizi

Posted on: Saying Sorry
June 29, 2007 at 4:52 PM

And there's also another, related use of 不好意思 bù hāoyìsi: still as an adjective (stative verb, actually) meaning, to feel embarrassed or ill at ease, or to find it embarrassing to do something.

Posted on: ChinesePod on the iPhone
June 29, 2007 at 4:52 PM

And there's also another, related use of 不好意思 bù hāoyìsi: still as an adjective (stative verb, actually) meaning, to feel embarrassed or ill at ease, or to find it embarrassing to do something.

Posted on: Please Speak Chinese
June 29, 2007 at 4:33 PM

That guy's not nearly evil looking enough to be Cheney. He's even kinda smiling.

Posted on: 教书育人
June 29, 2007 at 12:16 PM

AZERDocMom, I show that film, and other Chinese films, to my U.S. high school students.

Posted on: I forgot your name
June 28, 2007 at 4:31 PM

And, for all you Mac users out there (OS 10.2 and above): Using the U.S. extended or Asian Extended keyboard (these you simply add by opening international): Option+key sequence (dead keys): Type the option+key combination first, then the base character. Option+a for first tone option+e for second tone option+v for third tone option+` for fourth tone Shift+option+key sequence (combining diacritics): Type the base character first, then the tone mark. Shift+option+a for first tone shift+option+e for second tone shift+option+v for third tone shift+option+` for fourth tone. For characters with ü: type "u" then "shift+option+u" then the tone.

Posted on: Mild Swearing
June 28, 2007 at 4:11 PM

I'm sure you're probably right, henning, at least on your second point. Even Google had to kowtow (磕头kētóu) to the Chinese censors.

Posted on: Where's the bathroom?
June 28, 2007 at 3:52 PM

yes.

Posted on: Mild Swearing
June 28, 2007 at 2:41 PM

How about a lesson on not-so-mild swearing. Chinese insults are a genre all to themselves. Especially is this so in some of the rural areas, where people say the most colorful things imaginable. And as I suggested in another lesson post, how about a premium-level adults-only set of lessons (for intermediate and above)? This would allow for the use of real language about real topics that adults care about, without offending children and others who like to avoid such subjects.

Posted on: She's Easy
June 28, 2007 at 2:30 PM

Based on the fact that we're already up to 108 posts on this barely provocative lesson, I'd say there was a need and a demand for it.

Posted on: She's Easy
June 28, 2007 at 1:21 PM

fran1942, I agree with you that we need to expand subjects for lessons to include some of the more unsavory (or savory, depending on your bent) aspects of society and culture. I especially love the way they swear up in Harbin, dropping the f-bomb (c-bomb in Chinese) with impunity. Swearing is one of the most interesting aspects of language for me. And nobody can outdo the Chinese in colorful swearing. Let’s just say turtles are often involved (as are mothers). Ken Carrol opened up a blog discussion early last year about possible lesson subjects. I suggested some rather salacious subjects that weren't picked up. I suspect it's because of C-Pod wanting to keep everything fairly accessible to all ages of learners. However, if they opened up an adults-only section, that might take care of the problem. Maybe also make it a premium-level area.