Questions about two or more expressions with a similar meaning.
16
votes
3answers
321 views
What is the difference between 作 and 做?
作 and 做 are both translated as "do" or "make"; how can I tell when I should use one or the other?
11
votes
4answers
695 views
Are 明白 and 懂 synonymous?
Are 明白 and 懂 synonymous? If not, could anyone please elaborate on the difference along with some examples of usage?
10
votes
3answers
387 views
What is the difference between 狗 and 犬?
狗 (gǒu) and 犬 (quǎn) both mean "dog" and both seem relatively common, but is there any difference between them? When should I use one and when should I use the other?
9
votes
5answers
196 views
Difference between 如果 and 要是?
In the Pimsleur Mandarin course it uses 如果 (rúguǒ) to mean 'if', but the dictionary shows 要是 (yàoshì) to have a similar meaning:
如果: if; in case; in the event that
要是: if
Are there any ...
7
votes
2answers
126 views
Difference between 生前 and 死前
Literally, 死前 means before death while 生前 means before life. They seem to bear the opposite meaning. However, in most cases, they actually mean the same thing, i.e., when someone was still alive. ...
6
votes
3answers
114 views
Are there sentences where 跟 and 和 are interchangeable?
For example:
我跟朋友去公园了。
我和朋友去公园了。
Are both of these sentences correct? Are there any subtle differences in the meaning conveyed?
If they are not entirely interchangeable, how do we know which one ...
6
votes
4answers
239 views
What's the difference between 星期X and 周X?
When accepting an answer, I noticed that the example used the word 周三 for Wednesday, but in my grammar, the days of the week are 星期一, 星期二, etc...
They seem both correct but, what's the difference? ...
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?
5
votes
3answers
134 views
What's the difference between 遇到 and 碰到?
Both 遇到 and 碰到 can be translated to "come across/run into" in those sentences:
遇到大学同学了。
碰到大学同学了。
What's the difference between 遇到 and 碰到?
4
votes
3answers
217 views
What's the main difference between 为 and 是?
It seems like both 为 and 是 mean "to be". In which cases is one used but not the other? Is it something like the difference between "estar" and "ser" in Spanish and Portuguese? (In the sense that one ...
4
votes
2answers
56 views
Do 衣服 and 衣饰 carry different connotations or are they synonyms?
衣服 and 衣饰 both mean "clothing"; but are they truly synonymous or is the use of each term confined to its own specific context? Or is it simply a difference between colloquial and formal speech or ...
4
votes
1answer
90 views
Different nuances of words such as 进行, 实施, 执行, etc
Chinese has a number of words with meanings like 'implement, execute, carry out', etc. These include 进行, 实行, 实施, 行使, 落实, 执行, and possibly a few others. These words are commonly used in bureaucratic, ...
3
votes
3answers
66 views
Difference between 继续 and 接着
I learned 接着 a while ago, and the CEDICT definition is as follows:
to catch and hold on / to continue / to go on to do sth / to follow / to carry on / then / after that / subsequently / to proceed ...
3
votes
5answers
331 views
How to distinguish between rat and mouse in Chinese?
I know there are two words here: 老鼠 and 鼠. However, the dictionary states that 老鼠 (rat) can also mean mouse; how do you specify rat?
I imagine that 仓鼠 (hamster) and 沙鼠 (gerbil) are often abbreviated ...
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
2answers
136 views
Difference between 活 and 住?
I read that both 活 and 住 both refer to the verb "to live". Is there a difference between the two?
2
votes
2answers
141 views
What is the difference between 例子 and 榜样?
If I'm trying to say someone is a good example I often hear 例子, however, I have also heard 榜样, which seems to make more sense to me based on the meaning of the characters. What is the difference ...
2
votes
4answers
119 views
What is the difference between 餐馆 and 饭店? Is 饭店 used for restaurant or hotel?
饭店 and 餐馆 can both mean restaurant. My Chinese friend here in Dongguan tells me 饭店 is not commonly used to mean hotel. I want to understand in what contexts both of these words are used. 谢谢.
2
votes
1answer
71 views
Is 级 necessary in 优先级
From the dictionary I gather that 优先 by itself means "priority" and so 优先级 means "level of priority".
In a phrase such as 高优先级，or 最高优先级，is the 级 necessary to sound correct, or is it an optional ...
2
votes
2answers
60 views
山火 vs 野火 vs 丛林大火: Chinese for “bushfire”
I would imagine that 山火 meant "a fire in the mountains", but the dictionary lists "wildfire / forest fire".
Is 山火 then a generic word for an out of control fire? What about 野火? I saw 山火 on the news, ...
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 ...
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?
1
vote
3answers
92 views
What is the difference between 试验 and 实验?
Both 试验 and 实验 seems to be translated into "experiment". What is the difference between the two words? Can they be used interchangeably or not?
1
vote
2answers
83 views
Does the use of 就 and 便 vary by region?
就 and 便 are synonymous in many sentences:
这儿（就、便）是我们的学校。
我看了报纸（就、便）扔了。
如果你去，我（就、便）不去了。
I believe that 便 is more formal than 就; I've seen it in writing but never heard it in speech. However, ...
