Questions for Chinese
Tags : property, business, travel, technology
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jettt
Lurker
Joined: Apr 28, 2008
Posts: 26
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 Posted:
May 01, 2008 - 05:54 AM |
 
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Ouch how did you break your ribs?
I'm British born Chinese, but thought I'd have a go at answering them anyway..
1) Don't really feel this applies to me, I was always the odd one out over here.
2) With my dodgy mandarin (and pinyin) I'd say interesting = you chu
3) Never worn long johns.
4) From my observations of Chinese girls, it's either a famous celebrity or someone that's filthy rich.
5) Dunno |
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PG-30
Reacher
Joined: Mar 22, 2008
Posts: 345
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May 01, 2008 - 11:18 PM |
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| BONNIE wrote: |
| Couple of bruised/broken ribs are keeping me awake at night |
becuz of your melons?didnt your doctor warn you do not sleep on your back?  |
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sbergman
Veejay
Joined: Sep 12, 2007
Posts: 2139
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May 04, 2008 - 10:39 PM |
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Hey, I think this is my first sticky!
New questions:
What is a polite way to tell people that my children don't like to have their photos taken with strangers? What do people do with the photos they take with strangers? How do they explain them when they are going through their photo albums?
Why are Beijingren heavier than Shanghairen?
Are there any good books about what it was like for the first commoners who were able to go inside the Forbidden City? |
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PG-30
Reacher
Joined: Mar 22, 2008
Posts: 345
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May 05, 2008 - 12:28 AM |
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Dear Mrs.Bergman, your questions are getting more and more difficult to answer,let me try my best...
1. unlike in the states, in china there are still not a lot of foreigners. at least 80% of chinese people who dont live in major cities would feel novel to see foreigners. of course some foreign kids would be even cuter and rare to them. they take pics with foreigners then show off in front of their relatives and friends who have never(or rarely) seen foreigners in real life. Its like if you go to Africa, you would like to take some pics with those aboriginals, even if they are just strangers, wouldnt you?
i think you have to make up some excuses if you want to refuse them politely. tell them you have to go or sth,in mandarin.
2.Generally,to keep heat inside the body, people in colder areas have much fat and are bigger than people in warmer areas.
also, beijingren eat a lot of flour, which fattens people up in chinese people's eyes. because of the climate, people in southern china, inculding shanghairen, take rice as the food crop. i guess flour is more digestible, because it has been powdered.
3.by the first, you mean in Ming dynasty(1368-1662)? or the first tourist after 1949?how about "Twilight in the Forbidden City"? or maybe the paintings of Giuseppe Castiglione. |
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sbergman
Veejay
Joined: Sep 12, 2007
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May 05, 2008 - 08:23 AM |
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Thanks, PG-30. And thanks, especially, for the book recommendation. |
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PG-30
Reacher
Joined: Mar 22, 2008
Posts: 345
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May 05, 2008 - 10:19 AM |
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My pleasure. btw i assumed there should be Giuseppe Castiglione's paintings of architecture of the Forbidden City because he was initially appointed to do so. somehow i cant find any  |
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sbergman
Veejay
Joined: Sep 12, 2007
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May 05, 2008 - 11:27 AM |
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Didn't see it either. I love the clock collection and was very impressed with how they've improved the exhibit space for it. |
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ymm
Seeker
Joined: Apr 28, 2008
Posts: 45
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May 05, 2008 - 01:51 PM |
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| PG-30 wrote: |
| Its like if you go to Africa, you would like to take some pics with those aboriginals, even if they are just strangers, wouldnt you? |
That's true. When I was abroad, some people often asked me to have a photo together because of my long straight black hair and yellow skin. |
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genghis
Raver
Joined: Apr 02, 2008
Posts: 455
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May 06, 2008 - 04:31 PM |
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What?!?! People want pictures of me because I'm a foreigner?!?! I thought it was just because I was awe inspiring and awesome.
Hehehe... Kidding. |
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genghis
Raver
Joined: Apr 02, 2008
Posts: 455
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May 09, 2008 - 10:39 AM |
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OK, as I am studying more Chinese, I have worked out a mathmatical formula, based on the Pinyin initials and finals.
The initial and final sounds make a total of 56 basic sounds. Combinations of initials and finals plus the "special cases" result in 411 possible combinations. Applying the four tones of Mandarin Chinese to this, we get a total of around 1,600 unique syllables.
So, therefore, every possible combination of initials and finals should be this:
| Quote: |
* a, ai, an, ang, ao
* ba, bai, ban, bang, bao, bei, ben, beng, bi, bian, biao, bie, bin, bing, bo, bu
* ca, cai, can, cang, cao, ce, cei, cen, ceng, cha, chai, chan, chang, chao, che, chen, cheng, chi, chong, chou, chu, chua, chuai, chuan, chuang, chui, chun, chuo, ci, cong, cou, cu, cuan, cui, cun, cuo
* da, dai, dan, dang, dao, de, dei, den, deng, di, dian, diao, die, ding, diu, dong, dou, du, duan, dui, dun, duo
* e, ê, ei, en, er
* fa, fan, fang, fei, fen, feng, fo, fou, fu
* ga, gai, gan, gang, gao, ge, gei, gen, geng, gong, gou, gu, gua, guai, guan, guang, gui, gun, guo
* ha, hai, han, hang, hao, he, hei, hen, heng, hm, hng, hong, hou, hu, hua, huai, huan, huang, hui, hun, huo
* ji, jia, jian, jiang, jiao, jie, jin, jing, jiong, jiu, ju, juan, jue, jun
* ka, kai, kan, kang, kao, ke, kei, ken, keng, kong, kou, ku, kua, kuai, kuan, kuang, kui, kun, kuo
* la, lai, lan, lang, lao, le, lei, leng, li, lia, lian, liang, liao, lie, lin, ling, liu, long, lou, lu, luo, luan, lun, lü, lüe
* m, ma, mai, man, mang, mao, mei, men, meng, mi, mian, miao, mie, min, ming, miu, mo, mou, mu
* n, na, nai, nan, nang, nao, ne, nei, nen, neng, ng, ni, nian, niao, nie, nin, ning, niu, nong, nou, nu, nuo, nuan, nü, nüe
* o, ou
* pa, pai, pan, pang, pao, pei, pen, peng, pi, pian, piao, pie, pin, ping, po, pou, pu
* qi, qia, qian, qiang, qiao, qie, qin, qing, qiong, qiu, qu, quan, que, qun
* ran, rang, rao, ren, reng, ri, rong, rou, ru, rua, ruan, rui, run, ruo
* sa, sai, san, sang, sao, se, sei, sen, seng, sha, shai, shan, shang, shao, she, shei, shen, sheng, shi, shou, shu, shua, shuai, shuan, shuang, shui, shun, shuo, si, song, sou, su, suan, sui, sun, suo
* ta, tai, tan, tang, tao, te, teng, ti, tian, tiao, tie, ting, tong, tou, tu, tuan, tui, tun, tuo
* wa, wai, wan, wang, wei, wen, weng, wo, wu
* xi, xia, xian, xiang, xiao, xie, xin, xing, xiong, xiu, xu, xuan, xue, xun
* ya, yan, yang, yao, ye, yi, yin, ying, yong, you, yu, yuan, yue, yun
* za, zai, zan, zang, zao, ze, zei, zen, zeng, zha, zhai, zhan, zhang, zhao, zhe, zhei, zhen, zheng, zhi, zhong, zhou, zhu, zhua, zhuai, zhuan, zhuang, zhui, zhun, zhuo, zi, zong, zou, zu, zuan, zui, zun, zuo |
(I think that's 411... Then add tones, it's about 1600)
Is this correct? Using the 4 tones, that should cover all the sounds of Mandarin. Am I missing anything? |
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PG-30
Reacher
Joined: Mar 22, 2008
Posts: 345
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May 09, 2008 - 11:06 AM |
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wow, its a lot of work, good for you. it should be correct and cover all the sounds in the dictionary, though i didnt go through all of them.
here is just a little reminder: in some cases there is the 5th tone, the 'offbeat'. for example, in 爸爸(dad), the pinyin is ba4ba5,妈妈(mom) ma1ma5. the second character doesnt need to be fully pronounced. (sorta like dad and daddy, mom and mommy) |
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the_captain
Lurker
Joined: Mar 05, 2008
Posts: 22
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May 10, 2008 - 11:02 PM |
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OK - I have a new question.
On the Labor Day weekend I was lucky enough to be invited to a workmates wedding. I felt very privileged to have been asked, as it shows that the boys at work are starting to accept me, which is all good.
So the day of the weeding I turn up, with my red packet and hand it over when the bride and groom come to our table.
The next monday at work, I get my money given back to me......WTF? I was told by my colleague that because he invited me he could not accept the money?????? I told him to keep it, as it was his wedding gift, but he was having none of it and would not take no for an answer, so I get my money back!
So what is going on here? |
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sbergman
Veejay
Joined: Sep 12, 2007
Posts: 2139
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May 11, 2008 - 09:46 AM |
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The only thing I can figure is that because the groom doesn't expect to be invited to your or your child's wedding, your giving him a gift won't fit into the long chain of reciprocity that's traditional. I'd be curious to hear a local's take on it, though. |
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ymm
Seeker
Joined: Apr 28, 2008
Posts: 45
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May 11, 2008 - 01:06 PM |
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Is your money in red packet too big to the groom accept? He may just going to show friendliness to you and not to gain the profit.
[quote="the_captain"]OK - I have a new question.
On the Labor Day weekend I was lucky enough to be invited to a workmates wedding. I felt very privileged to have been asked, as it shows that the boys at work are starting to accept me, which is all good.
So the day of the weeding I turn up, with my red packet and hand it over when the bride and groom come to our table.
The next monday at work, I get my money given back to me......WTF? I was told by my colleague that because he invited me he could not accept the money?????? I told him to keep it, as it was his wedding gift, but he was having none of it and would not take no for an answer, so I get my money back!
So what is going on here?[/quote] |
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maneo
Rocker
Joined: May 12, 2007
Posts: 757
Location: in a gadda vida
Status: Offline
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| Posted:
May 11, 2008 - 02:46 PM |
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| genghis wrote: |
OK, as I am studying more Chinese, I have worked out a mathmatical formula, based on the Pinyin initials and finals.
The initial and final sounds make a total of 56 basic sounds. Combinations of initials and finals plus the "special cases" result in 411 possible combinations. Applying the four tones of Mandarin Chinese to this, we get a total of around 1,600 unique syllables.
. . .
Is this correct? Using the 4 tones, that should cover all the sounds of Mandarin. Am I missing anything? |
Not all phonetic combinations get all the 4 (or 5) tones.
Furthermore, some seem to have only 1 or 2 words associated:
chua 欻,歘
rua 挼
There are also some strange entries in your list:
hm, hng, m, n, ng
Are there any characters associated with these vocalizations?
Is there a character for ê (assuming you're distinguishing from e as in 俄). |
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maneo
Rocker
Joined: May 12, 2007
Posts: 757
Location: in a gadda vida
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| Posted:
May 11, 2008 - 02:52 PM |
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| sbergman wrote: |
| I've always had a (theoretical) thing for carpenters - they're usually in good shape, are smarter than a construction worker, and usually a bit rebellious which is why they work for themselves. |
Reminds me of a song Tim Hardin wrote.
 |
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sbergman
Veejay
Joined: Sep 12, 2007
Posts: 2139
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May 11, 2008 - 04:10 PM |
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What did the line "would you miss your color box" mean? |
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PG-30
Reacher
Joined: Mar 22, 2008
Posts: 345
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May 11, 2008 - 10:17 PM |
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| maneo wrote: |
Is there a character for ê (assuming you're distinguishing from e as in 俄). |
婀e1 鹅e2 恶e3 饿e4 |
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maneo
Rocker
Joined: May 12, 2007
Posts: 757
Location: in a gadda vida
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| Posted:
May 11, 2008 - 10:20 PM |
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| sbergman wrote: |
| What did the line "would you miss your color box" mean? |
Think it's a make-up kit.
Being married to a miller would be a bit drab.
So, lady, "would you miss your color box and your soft shoe shining?"
(Loved the Four Tops version - saw them perform it live many years ago). |
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boredengineer
SuperStar
Joined: Oct 17, 2007
Posts: 1344
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
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May 13, 2008 - 08:11 PM |
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why do a lot of chinese guys roll up one pant leg, most often noticed when they are eating? |
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ymm
Seeker
Joined: Apr 28, 2008
Posts: 45
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May 14, 2008 - 10:40 AM |
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[quote="szwliew"]why do a lot of chinese guys roll up one pant leg, most often noticed when they are eating?[/quote]
pant leg? Do you mean sleeve? some people roll up sleeve to prevent it from dipping in the dish when take dish. |
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boredengineer
SuperStar
Joined: Oct 17, 2007
Posts: 1344
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
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May 14, 2008 - 12:43 PM |
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No, I mean pants leg, and only one leg. |
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ymm
Seeker
Joined: Apr 28, 2008
Posts: 45
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May 14, 2008 - 02:21 PM |
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[quote="szwliew"]No, I mean pants leg, and only one leg.[/quote]
Confused.Where did you find it? I haven't seen this scenery. |
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sbergman
Veejay
Joined: Sep 12, 2007
Posts: 2139
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| Posted:
May 15, 2008 - 10:25 AM |
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Someone posted this on the discussion of rudeness. The setting is a nice restaurant in the UK, the man described is British, and the wife who is reacting is Chinese:
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| Half way through the meal he took a handkerchief out of his pocket and blew a huge wet one into it then folded it up and returned it to his pocket. I didn't even notice but my wife almost puked. |
What would have been the proper thing for him to do by Chinese standards? |
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ymm
Seeker
Joined: Apr 28, 2008
Posts: 45
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| Posted:
May 15, 2008 - 10:45 AM |
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[quote="sbergman"]Someone posted this on the discussion of rudeness. The setting is a nice restaurant in the UK, the man described is British, and the wife who is reacting is Chinese:
[quote]Half way through the meal he took a handkerchief out of his pocket and blew a huge wet one into it then folded it up and returned it to his pocket. I didn't even notice but my wife almost puked.[/quote]
What would have been the proper thing for him to do by Chinese standards?[/quote]
He should do it in toilet.
If he is in public,he should just wipe off wet form his nose quietly instead of blowing. You may find many Chinese girls keeps wiping her nose with tissue when they got running noses without sound.It is a tough time before they find toilet or a private room. |
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