User Comments - jinkeli

Posted on: No Hot Water

Wow, funny! This morning I had no hot water in my house! Seems the pilot went out. What a coincidence!

-c

Posted on: First Snow of the Winter

So, John's question on: 北京下雪了? (that Dilu ignored)

Did it snow or is it snowing? Obviously from context in this case it is: Is it snowing in Beijing. I assume that it could mean: did it snow...?

Is context the only way or is there a better way to say that?

To be clear, in English, we could say:

Did it snow in Beijing?

or

Is it snowing in Beijing?

Posted on: This Needs to be Dry Cleaned

Sometimes I wonder if John really came from America! :) I guess he had an aiyi in the USA too. LOL!

I can't speak for large cities (but I am sure they have them) but every small to medium sized town will have one or more laundromats.

Where I live there are about 30,000 people and two colleges. I bet we have 7-8 laundromats.

-c

Posted on: Thanksgiving

Being from Minnesota, I am proud that we are the turkey capitol of America! haha

Old article but according to this, there are a few turkeys raised in China:

http://mdjnkj.china.com.cn/english/business/232672.htm

Posted on: Practicing Kung Fu

My wife is always using the word 功夫（gong fu) when playing with my eight year old son who imagines he knows kung fu.

Is that not a common word for what we call kung fu?

Edit: ok, I listened to the last part of lesson on gong fu usage. Not sure I buy it when Jenny says gong fu has many meanings :-) but wushu is more specific! Show me one chinese word that does NOT have many meanings. LOL

Oh oh! My son is up. Gotta to practice my 老虎爪

Posted on: Utensils in the New Kitchen

I maintain that a cleaver is a distintly different tool than the 'chinese knife' 菜刀' and though we westerners might use a caidao like a cleaver, that is not its primary purpose. (Yes, it does snap those chicken bones nicely)...

According to my dictionary, 切肉刀 (qieroudao) is a meat cleaver but though my wife knows the word she says it is not a common word in China. But I think it describes the 'American Cleaver' nicely.

-c

Posted on: Your First Mooncake

We have similar custom here in Minnesota. You set your Christmas fruitcake outside so that it freezes and then retrieve it the following spring in order to pass on to the next family. LOL!

Posted on: Your First Mooncake

If your near Chinatown in DC you can definitely get a taste. Just go down and ask the locals for a Chinese Bakery. -c

Posted on: Buying Sandals

You will find that Chinese shoe sizes won't typically be exactly the same as the European system. I use a 46 (US 12) typically but this will tend to be around a 47 (if you find them) in China.

But let's face it, if I try 3 brands in the US, I might be a 12 but sometimes have to go to 12 1/2 or 11 1/2. Then throw in the width which to be honest, I don't think Chinese use.

-c

Posted on: Shanghai Expo Pavilions

We waited nearly an hour and to be honest was disappointed and left wondering if that was the best we could do. (I am American...)

Still not as bad as I make it sound and I had to at least see it.

-c