Questions concerned comprehension and understanding the finer aspects of individual words or phrases, with or without a context in which they are expressed.
1
vote
2answers
159 views
What does the character in this Naruto poster mean?
I dont know how to type that character, otherwise I would try it out through other means.
What does the character mean? It appears in a poster concerning the Japanese manga Naruto.
7
votes
2answers
1k views
What is the exact meaning of 吃豆腐, and where does the expression come from?
I'm not talking about eating tofu, but the expression that means something more like taking advantage of someone. What exactly does 吃豆腐 mean, and where does this expression come from?
3
votes
1answer
61 views
Why is 相 pronounced with a fourth tone in some cases?
I notice that 相 is pronounced xiang1 in most cases, but xiang4 in a few, mostly less-common words and phrases. The most commonly-used examples seem to be 照相 zhàoxiàng 'photo'; 照相机 zhàoxiàngjī ...
1
vote
2answers
179 views
Why in China do they use k instead of m for the slope of a line?
In china they write y = kx + b
Just wondering if there was a reason.
2
votes
2answers
192 views
The use of 上 (shàng) “on/above/over” in Mandarin and English
I'm interested in the the differences between English and Mandarin when they are talking about spatial preposition.
Can i assume that in Mandarin, they use the preposition 上 for most of the times ...
2
votes
4answers
214 views
清淡 (qing dan) usage: any food, or from a diet?
I ate with a Chinese who mentioned the soup was 清淡 (qing dan): clear, and bland. On Google all I found were acupuncture and "macrobiotic diet" websites.
Is 清淡 (qing dan) an adjective commonly applied ...
3
votes
3answers
114 views
Are 改正 and 纠正 interchangeable?
Both 改正 and 纠正 mean "to correct" or "to make right."
What is the difference between these words? Do they have different connotations? Are both words acceptable in sentences like the following?
...
2
votes
4answers
124 views
What is the difference between 秀才, 进士, 举人, and 甲第?
秀才、进士、举人、甲第那些单词有什么区别？好像它们都是指在中国古代科举制度下成绩特高的考生。准确的区别是什么？哪些至今还在使用？
(麻烦大家帮忙改正中文错误！)
What is the difference between 秀才, 进士, 举人, and 甲第? They all seem to refer to students who did particularly well ...
5
votes
2answers
171 views
What is the difference between 人民 and 民族？
What is the difference between 人民 and 民族, for example in 中华人民 vs. 中华民族?
1
vote
2answers
144 views
才 in the sense of “only”
What does 才 mean in this sentence?
妈妈说，鼻子长才是漂亮。
(Quote taken from a nursery rhyme.)
After looking in the dictionary my best guess is that it means "just" or "only", so as to make the ...
4
votes
6answers
223 views
How to parse 没得 + Verb constructions
I've heard phrases of the form 没得V, where V is a verb. Sometimes, the 没得 appears to function like 没, e.g.,
我没得选: I don't have a choice.
Sometimes, it appears to function like a softer, ...
2
votes
2answers
170 views
What is the difference between 别人 and 别的人?
What is there difference between these two expressions, or are they synonmyous?
0
votes
1answer
81 views
How to use 指 when giving a definition?
How is 指 used, what is it's role in definitions such as this (from Wikipedia):
研究生是*指*获得学士学位后继续深造.
2
votes
1answer
55 views
What does […] 给盯背过去 mean?
The full sentence was more or less:
差点没把人家给盯背过去
I was wondering if it was a phrase, or if it just meant that they were staring at the person's back.
1
vote
1answer
84 views
Meaning of 修养
The dictionary defines 修养 as:
accomplishment / training / self-cultivation
However many examples in context seem to have the sense of the development of being a gentleman / lady, or being ...
4
votes
2answers
88 views
Is the difference between and saying 有时 and 会偶尔 very big?
Does one imply a much greater frequency? What about register? Is the difference between and saying 有时 and 会偶尔 very big, or is it in all cases quite close?
6
votes
2answers
118 views
中东 - “Middle East” or “Eastern China”?
The dictionary lists both Middle East and Eastern China for 中东. Is one of these meanings more common? What would be a native speaker's first impression of the word? Does the meaning vary from ...
10
votes
1answer
214 views
Why use 非 and 亚 for continent names?
Why was 非 chosen for 非洲 (Africa) and 亚 chosen for 亚洲 (Asia)?
I can't find a particular reason to use these characters.
4
votes
1answer
85 views
What is the meaning of 不同而不同?
This is taken from the phrase:
口感依成分不同而不同
Sounds like it means "manifold" or something like that?
8
votes
2answers
131 views
Specifics of the idiom “四海一家”
There are several sayings and idioms similar to 四海一家 which reference "四海".
Does the 四海 actually refer to 4 specific oceans such as the Indian, Pacific etc. or is it more of a metaphor for all of the ...
8
votes
3answers
208 views
What is the difference between 通常，经常，and 常常？
What is the difference between 通常，经常，and 常常？
I hear them a lot in conversational Chinese, but I can't pick out the difference in meaning. The dictionaries I've checked don't seem to agree on their ...
4
votes
4answers
221 views
What does 厉害 mean, and in what context does it mean what?
This has to be one of the more ambiguous words I have struggled with.
厉害 can be:
very well performed = 玩得很厉害;
harsh = 骂得很厉害;
severe = 生病得很厉害;
probably a bunch of other stuff...
Can anyone give a ...
2
votes
2answers
114 views
What is the meaning and proper usage of 凭什么？
I was watching a TV show and heard them using the expression 凭什么 to say 'why' - I hadn't heard it with this exact meaning before, so I'm wondering what the proper meaning is in English, and what the ...
4
votes
1answer
115 views
What does 触控 mean in this sentence?
I was busy reading about Apple's new textbook announcement on Engadget China, and I came across the following sentence:
使用者将可轻松地以触控的方式浏览教科书内容.
What is the meaning of 触控 in this sentence? (My ...
4
votes
1answer
98 views
Meanings behind “吹牛” and “拍马屁”
I would like to find out more about the two sayings "吹牛" and "拍马屁".
How these sayings come about and get their current meaning?
吹牛 chuīniú meaning to brag
拍马屁 pāimǎpì meaning to excessively flatter ...
3
votes
1answer
134 views
When is it proper to use 托您的福?
I think it means that I succeeded in part because of your luck?
I've heard this used when I was in Beijing a few times.
7
votes
5answers
914 views
Special meanings applied to numbers 0 - 10
From what I understand:
4 or 四 means death
8 is similar to 发 as in 发财
9 is somehow related to the emporer or is the emporer's number
Can someone please provide the meanings (if they exist) for ...
1
vote
3answers
72 views
What is 猫舅 in the following sentence?
I assume this is a cultural thing that I am not aware of, but a friend just updated their status to say:
希望猫舅变成天使守护全家
Xīwàng māo jiù biàn chéng tiānshǐ shǒuhù quán jiā
Who or what is 猫舅?
5
votes
2answers
99 views
Difference between 对 and 双
For a pair of rabbits there is:
一对兔 yī duì tù
And for a pair of shoes there is:
一双鞋 yī shuāng xié
And for twins there is:
双胞胎 shuāngbāotāi
How can I be sure when to use 对 and when to ...
7
votes
2answers
156 views
Why does 有机 as in 有机食品 mean organic?
有 and 机 are some of the first characters we learn in Chinese, but I only recently found out that they mean "organic" when put together. Can anyone explain why this is?
3
votes
2answers
73 views
What exact breed of animal is a 金丝熊?
The 金丝熊 is easily available from local animal markets in my wife's home town. We asked the owners of different stores and they say it is not a mouse.
So what exactly is it, is it just a fancy name ...
5
votes
2answers
104 views
How did 舆论 come to represent Public Opinion?
How did the word 舆论 come to represent the concept of Public Opinion? I know the meanings of the individual characters but I just don't quite see how the combination of these two meanings leads to the ...
9
votes
5answers
420 views
How offensive is 他妈的?
How offensive is the expression 他妈的? What is an English expression with a similar degree of offensiveness? In what situations is this expression appropriate / not appropriate?
