User Comments - rods
rods
Posted on: The Black Spectrum of Meaning
February 13, 2010 at 3:07 AMLots of neat 黑 words, like this one:
黑五类 hēiwǔlèi <pol> general designation of landlord, rich peasant, counterrevolutionary, bad element and rightist.
Posted on: Return to the Hometown
February 12, 2010 at 2:18 AMI think it's worthy of note. For sure. I find it a kind of counterintuitive. We might say, "Well, I'll see you (around)," which would end the conversation the same way lái wǒ jiā wánr seems to.
Posted on: Return to the Hometown
February 12, 2010 at 2:00 AMThis 孙 (Sūn) is the same one as in the famous general's name, right? Sūn Zǐ. Sun Tzu is a household name in the west. I couldn't find a lesson about him, but there's an Upper Intermediate lesson about Sun Yatsen
Posted on: Choosing a New Pair of Glasses
February 9, 2010 at 2:16 AMThat answers my questions jimijames.
Many Thanks.
Posted on: Choosing a New Pair of Glasses
February 8, 2010 at 7:53 PMI suspect John may have been thinking of the more common visual acuity measurement (20/20 etc.) when he mentioned that the American lens prescription system differed from the Chinese. But I may have misinterpreted.
Thanks for the "clarification." ;-) Sorry, lame joke.
Posted on: Canceling Dinner Plans
February 1, 2010 at 2:14 PMThat makes sense, I imagine China's huge population determines many cultural norms. The funny thing is, the other westerners here may disagree, I think this idea of having to provide a detailed excuse to anyone and everyone asking is a new one. Simply saying, "Sorry, I'm afraid I can't make it. Something's come up. (How about a rain-check?)," used to be good enough. Maybe not for missing a class, or dinner with one's family... but generally speaking.
All this western "nosiness" has led to is more elaborate, less believable excuses. We've just become better liars in order to protect our privacy.
By the way, keep all the cultural stuff coming. It's great!
Posted on: Canceling Dinner Plans
February 1, 2010 at 3:14 AMA Chinese classmate asked me if we could get together for a study session one evening. I told him that it wasn't really convenient, and before I could explain, he said, "okay, no problem" and off he went. Since then, I'd always wondered whether I'd somehow offended him. Now I see, he was probably just following this Chinese custom, and not asking me to provide a detailed excuse. I wish we westerners shared this custom.
Chinesepod, relieving long term guilt one customer at a time!
Posted on: Canceling Dinner Plans
February 1, 2010 at 2:50 AMCongratulations! The new lessons usually show up about 10 p.m. local time, so I often find a blank comment section, but can never think of anything to say.
;-)
Great lesson!
Posted on: Choosing a New Pair of Glasses
January 28, 2010 at 8:19 PMAccording to Yahoo Answers, the only difference between the US (Canadian, European system) and Taiwanese system is the multiplication factor of 100. My first prescription was - 1.25, when I was 16, often read out as 'minus one twenty five.'
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091230055318AA0AgGH
I assume in Taiwan (or China) my old prescription would have read - 125 instead. After all, physics is physics.
Posted on: The Black Spectrum of Meaning
February 13, 2010 at 3:17 AM黑秀才 hēixiùcai, the vicious hack writer who wrote the 黑帖 hēitiě, an anonymous notice, posted on a wall/etc (usually) to degenerate somebody. :-/ (Probably in the employ of a 黑五类.)