User Comments - rods

Posted on: The Red Spectrum of Meaning

Wow! I thought I knew all Billy's classic stuff. How'd I miss that?

Good thing it's yellow and blue coming up and not gold and green. Otherwise I might have had to bring up the Culture Club.

Posted on: The Red Spectrum of Meaning

Just another glam rock power ballad from my teenage years.

I was about to say, I'd never heard of Split Enz. But I listened to the song you mentioned (right on!) and then "I got you." I definitely remember that chorus.

Can't help but think I'm forgetting a really good "red" song ... Red red wine; Lady in red (meh); 99 Red Balloons (99 Luftballons); ?

Youku seems to load okay for me, but I haven't used it enough to really say. The videos I've watched have all been low quality too.

Posted on: The Red Spectrum of Meaning

Maybe Warrant's I saw red (youku) would be more to everyone's liking. ;-)

Posted on: Choosing a New Pair of Glasses

I've never heard that expression in Canada, and I think I'd have heard it if it was common in the US (American TV you know), but then I'm neither deep nor meaningful. ;-) We might say, someone is having a "heart to heart" with someone else, but that's a bit dated.

I noticed that my dictionary defines the verb shēn tán as to "have intimate talks." Good question lincond!

Posted on: Slippery Ground

Thanks Helen! We do a lot of slipping and sliding in Canada this time of year--Very useful lesson.

Posted on: Slippery Ground

Are either of these okay? 路 真 滑 (lù zhēn huá) The road is really slippery! or 路上都是冰 (lù shàng dōu shì bīng) The road is covered in ice! Can xuě (snow) be substituted for bīng (ice)? I mean, if I wanted to warn somebody about to leave by car.

Posted on: Slippery Ground

Chē lái le was one of the first phrases I learned. It's in the Newbie Lesson "Catch the Train," and a similar phrase, Nǐ lái le, is in another Newbie called "A late Knock." In that one, Nǐ lái le is translated as "You're here!"

I am also puzzled by the two uses, but I assume, it's just one of those little things we will get used to.

Posted on: An Invitation to the God of Wealth

Mammon: Another god of wealth. Usually with negative connotations.

Posted on: The Black Spectrum of Meaning

Hi oxygem, The term, 黑五类, when used to describe political enemies, reminded me of the mid-twentieth century anti-communist term "Red Menace," used in America to describe the so-called Soviet, or international communist, threat.

I hope I didn't offend anyone by mentioning this term. I found it while leafing through the 黑- section of my dictionary. As you say, though, using such a negative term to describe a successful business person in modern China would be pretty strange.

Posted on: The Black Spectrum of Meaning

I'll bet, your bet, is a 红心 hóngxīn--bull's eye.