User Comments - martyzcp

Posted on: Where is the Supermarket?

I think the level is fine. To echo an earlier comment, I prefer that the lessons at a given level have some spread in difficulty. Otherwise it's too hard to move up levels.This is easier to see with the Elementary lessons than with the Newbies.

Not sure I agree with the comment in the lesson about there being nothing like a Super Walmart in China. There's an Auchan in Suzhou on the SIP boundary - I've never seen anything like it in the US. There must have been over 100 checkout lines. I was there just before Spring Festival began and it was completely packed, no idea how many thousands of people were in there.

Posted on: China Street Smart with John Chan

Another potential advantage for using even limited Chinese in a business discussion is giving face. If you start in English and the other side has to switch into Chinese at some point, they may feel that they've lost face by exposing their weaker language skills. But if you start in Chinese and then switch to English, they have gained face by accomodating the foreigners.

Posted on: Hungry Traveler: Dongbei

I have a lot of 东北人 coworkers in Suzhou, so I've been to 东北 restaurants a lot, particularly in the winter, when the filling food really hits the spot. My favorite dish is the apples with carmelized sugar (bing de?). I'll have to pay more attention to the method of address next time.

In terms of the translation, I interpreted the 大哥，点采吗？ as something that in the SE US might become "What'll it be, hun?" a phrase known to anyone who has ever eaten at a Waffle House. Purposely informal in the extreme, but not gutter or disrespectful, except maybe to a snob. IMO some of the back and forth in the Discussion helped to dial this in more clearly than the lesson itself could do in the limited time.

In terms of 小姐 I was told that its OK in restaurants but I should be careful of the context - I try to stick to 服务员anyway.

Posted on: Why are You Studying Chinese?

I've always had an interest in China and Chinese culture. Studying as an engineer, particularly in California, many of my friends were Chinese-Americans. 3 years ago I was made a manager and inherited a number of Chinese direct reports whom I was expected to visit regularly. I decided to make an effort to learn more about Chinese culture in order to do a better job as a mentor and manager. This led to the conclusion that I needed to learn the language to at least some extent to understand the people and culture (also I didn't like having to rely on someone else to help with communication). I really enjoy the fact that CPod tends to focus on what I call "real-life" language, rather than the school-centric language and situations that I have seen in many textbooks and software programs. And it gives me something useful to do on my long commute!

Posted on: Funny Rice

I tried this joke out today on a group of Chinese coworkers. Not only did some of them shout out the answer before I could finish, they then asked if I knew the rest of it. So apparantly there is a much longer version of this joke. I think this relates to what guo2bao3 said about a colleague trying to remember other 'children of the rice'.

Anyone know the longer version of this joke?

Posted on: Xinjiang Delicacies

小盘鸡 and 羊肉串儿 are a must when I am in Suzhou (luckily there are Xingjiang restaurants next to both the hotels I frequent). I agree that the nang bread is always soft as long as its fresh from the oven. There's also a great eggplant dish that served in foil with a sweet and spicy sauce. Anyone know the name of that?

Posted on: Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs

I like this series. My Chinese friends, used to 10+ years of English study, can't figure out how I can study Chinese every day without passing out from boredom. Lessons like this are the reason why.

Posted on: Toilet Types

bababardwan asks about children's toilets. On a recent shopping trip with a Chinese coworker in Suzhou, we went into a mall to look for a toddler toilet for his 1 year old. It looked like one of those kiddy rides (think the CPod video "Trip to the Hair Salon") that was shaped like a duck. The child sits on the duck's back, and holds on to handles that sticks out of the duck's neck. There is hole in the back of course and a catch-basin drawer beneath that pulls out from under the duck's tail for easy cleaning. I had a photo on my iPhone, but can't seem to find it now. Cost 30 RMB. I asked about an adaptor, but he was worried that his daughter was still so small that she'd fall into a regular toilet.

Posted on: Table for Three

Hi,

I'm always a week behind on lessons. If you wanted a private room 包房， could you just substitute 包房 for 桌子 in the initial sentence?

Posted on: Working Hours

Hancock,

Based on my observations (about 3 months elapsed time in China in the past two years), the high-pitched female voices are the reality of what you often hear in China. Not every woman certainly, but there are a significant number of young women, especially in the 100 lb/45 kg weight class, who speak with a pitch that I rarely hear in the U.S. So I don't think there is any theater-acting here, it's just the people that they are choosing to do the reading.