User Comments - timlb

Posted on: Using a Character Dictionary

I understand that 急性子would carry a somewhat negative connotation, right? And so would 慢性子?(someone kind of "slow").

What would be used to describe a relaxed character in a positive way? I tried 松性子but my online dictionary didn't like that one!

I'm sure there are many ways to describe an unflappable personality, but specifically I'm asking if there's one using 性子。

Posted on: Hungry Traveler: Dongbei

changye, I have to disagree with this: " If you travel to China, forget about Dongbei."

Dalian is absolutely beautiful.

Posted on: Negotiating Rent

I agree with previous comments that there were a lot of new words in this lesson; however, I wouldn't say there are too many. Studying this lesson took a little longer than some others though, so it might be a problem for those on a schedule (I'm not one of them).

As for the "filler words" I also had some trouble with those as they do go by quickly, but I'd argue that getting them is part of understanding how the language is really spoken. Once you do get them, hearing them provides a brief breather for the brain, which is enjoyable... :-)

Posted on: Flexible, Not Reflexive

I noticed that in the lesson Connie would sometimes add 你 or 我 before 自己 （爱我自己）and sometimes not (告诉自己，怀疑自己）。Does this have something to do with that wonderful but elusive (to me) sense of expressive rhythm the Chinese have, something to do with preferring pairs of words? If not that, then why is 爱自己 wrong?

Posted on: Bargaining

This lesson is great, I really need to learn to bargain.

I was with my girlfriend this summer (she's from Liaoning) and she's a brutal bargainer. They (buyer and seller) sure act like they're having a knockdown dragout. She did always get good prices though...

Posted on: Anybody home?

bodawei: "an opportunity for littering, vandalism, wandering the streets extorting innocents, and generally behaving badly.  And serial killings."

Wow, 50 years of Hallowe'en in the USA and I've seen none of these things... 'guess I need to get out more!

simonpettersson: as soon as China adopts Lucia, I'll bet there'll be a lesson on it. Or else maybe as soon as Chinesepod is taken over by Minnesotans...

As some have said, in the USA at least, it's the younger kids who go out for candy (with parents) -- for adults, it's about dressing up and going to parties. Workplaces get adorned with spiders and pumpkins, too. It's all good fun. Some religious groups (from traditional Jews to fundamentalist Christians to wiccans) oppose it, but they're fighting an uphill battle so far.

I'm not sure I like China adopting all these foreign traditions, but they didn't ask me; people have a way of doing what they want despite my desires...

Posted on: Funny Business 3

At the end of the lesson, John and Jenny say there will be more examples of using 到 and how it affects some verbs. Have I missed those? I was looking forward to some other examples.

Posted on: Chinese Idol 2

Connie, if you google 打钢琴 you'll get pages of results; maybe it's what folks use for the piano if they don't know to use 弹? 

Posted on: Chinese Idol 2

Do you also use 弹 for stringed instruments that are plucked using a plectrum and not directly with the fingers?

Posted on: Chinese Idol 2

Fun lesson, thanks!

I wonder if there's a term for what we in the West call "folk guitar" or "steel-string guitar". Perhaps just using 吉他 implies that it's that one; 电吉他 is used for electric guitar, and 古典吉他 for classical guitar.

Also, I've seen 打 used for playing the piano, as well as 弹 (I guess they're as confused as we are about what kind of instrument the piano really is, as it's closest to being a percussion instrument).

If you don't know the correct verb to use, can you just use zou4 （奏）which can be used to say "play music" or "play a musical instrument" in a more general sense？ 奏音乐，奏乐器。

I love the PK term; I'm going to use that next time I play my Chinese friends in pingpong, just before they slaughter me...