Questions that concern the use of expressions, parts of speech, words, verbs, etc.
13
votes
2answers
287 views
How do I decide whether to use 還是/还是 or 或者
還是/还是 (háishì) and 或者 (huòzhě) seem to have very similar meanings:
還是/还是: or; still; nevertheless
或者: or; possibly; maybe
When I want to say 'or', how to I choose which to use, and are there ...
13
votes
1answer
177 views
What is the difference in use between 以及, 和 and 与?
I have a book with the following lesson titles:
中文以及中国
聚会和饮食
交通与环境
Why are these terms connected with 以及 / 和 / 与, why not always use 和 for example?
Are there any rules for proper use of these ...
12
votes
3answers
185 views
但是, 可是 and 不过 - how to know which one to use?
According to my dictionary, 但是, 可是 and 不过 all mean "but/however"? However is there any difference between them? Are there some cases, where one can be used but not another?
10
votes
2answers
142 views
How do I decide whether to use 可以, 会 or 能?
According to every dictionary I've seen so far, there is a big overlap in these:
可以 = can, may, be able to
会 = can, be able to, able
能 = can, may, able, capable
How do I properly choose which one ...
9
votes
6answers
337 views
When is it appropriate to address a lady as 先生？
Chairman Mao addressed Soong Ching-ling as 宋庆龄先生. Yang Jiang was also addressed as 杨绛先生 by the public. My dad used to tell me to address some of his female colleagues as 先生 too.
I wonder why a lady ...
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 ...
8
votes
1answer
138 views
When to use 了 and when to use 过 to express past actions or events
I kind of have an idea of when 了 and 过 should be used but it's mostly on a case by case basis, and I don't know the exact rules.
So if I want to express something that happened in the past, when ...
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 ...
7
votes
2answers
235 views
What's a precise definition of 人家
I've gathered from context, that “人家” can be used like “我” with the following differences:
"人家" seems more immature/cute. I often hear it in cartoons or children's shows or said by children in ...
7
votes
2answers
151 views
Implications of “旧的不去，新的不来”
I found this idiom while looking for another idiom my friend told me about like 回去回来 or 回来回去. I'm wondering about the implications of 旧的不去，新的不来 though. Can this be used for people who hold onto broken ...
7
votes
6answers
455 views
Which website/service can give good example sentences in Chinese? [closed]
Often when learning new words, I want to see them in context. It helps my learning process, and understanding how to properly use new vocab makes it stick in my mind that much more.
Does anyone have ...
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. ...
7
votes
3answers
366 views
Why do Chinese translations of English names sound very inaccurate?
I have noticed that most Chinese translation of English names sounds really inaccurate and weird.
For example, the common translation of person's name "Robert Wilson" is "罗伯特·威尔逊", which is not ...
7
votes
2answers
120 views
When do I use 着 to indicate action in progress?
It seems like for some verbs (正)在 is used to indicate action in progress, but I have also encountered 着 for some, like 穿着. When should it be used, is there a rule to follow?
7
votes
3answers
199 views
What's the actual difference between 文 and 语?
Both mean "language" with some other related meanings.
A friend of mine told me that while 文 refers more to the written language, 语 is more related to the spoken one.
Is this a difference and is it ...
6
votes
4answers
224 views
Is there a nuance 今天早晨 conveys that 今天早上 does not?
I have a feeling that one might mean slightly earlier. Is this right?
6
votes
2answers
284 views
Difference between 接受 and 接收
The first one (接受 jiēshòu) seems far more general and frequent:
我接受邀请。 I accepted the invitation.
他将接受口试。 He will take an oral examination.
他拒绝接受治疗。 He refused treatment.
The second one (接收 ...
6
votes
4answers
276 views
What is the difference in use between 完 and 了?
If I understood correctly, both 完 and 了 can be used to indicate a completed action, so what is the difference in use? How do we properly use 完 in a sentence? Which contexts would be valid?
6
votes
2answers
271 views
Address to women using 小姐 in Northen part of China
I heard that it is not appropriate to call women or girls "小姐" in northen China. It is considered rough and have meaning close to hooker.
So I never address girl or women "小姐" in north and even when I ...
5
votes
7answers
350 views
What is the difference between using 光 vs using 只?
What is the gramatical difference between 光 and 只?
光剩下2毛钱 does not have the same meaning/context as 只剩下2毛钱
It seems there is more emphasis to the part that comes after 光. When is the right time to ...
5
votes
3answers
222 views
“小王” 和 “老王” how to determine which to use?
This is something I still haven't mastered and still just go with the flow.
If I wanted to call someone a nickname, say for Mr. Wang, which one should I choose? What defines whether I should call him ...
5
votes
3answers
138 views
Difference between 曾经 and 已经
In this question I was asking about 曾经 and one answer says it means 'already'.
What's the difference between 曾经 and 已经?
Do the two sentences below have the same meaning?
他曾经在北京学过两年汉语。
...
5
votes
2answers
98 views
Where is the correct place to use 您 when addressing others?
Almost every foreign text book I've seen mentions 您 as a polite or formal address to others, however I rarely hear it said and rarely see it written except when addressing customers and occasionally ...
5
votes
2answers
66 views
How common is the use of “瞧” and which region?
I've seen 瞧 used every now and then in written Chinese, but I've rarely heard it said in spoken Chinese except for the occasional mention of 瞧不起.
A couple of days ago I was watching Kung Fu Panda and ...
5
votes
1answer
96 views
Correct usage for 跟。。。过不去
This question has two parts:
What's the precise meaning of this expression?
What is the correct usage?
Question (1) I understand it to mean that the person referred to (eg, 跟她过不去) is uncomfortable ...
5
votes
1answer
86 views
How euphemistic is 傢伙?
傢伙 (an example of a Chinese lexeme that does not map bijectively between simplified and traditional characters, the simplified word being 家伙) is translated, in the only translation Wang Xiaobo's work ...
5
votes
2answers
258 views
What is the difference between yǐqián (以前) and zhīqián (之前)?
I'd like to have some way to differentiate between yǐqián (以前) and zhīqián (之前), in order to help with memorising them both. Referring to Modern Mandarin Grammar (Claudia Ross, Routledge 2006), it ...
4
votes
5answers
212 views
In this sentence, what is the purpose of 的?
Consider this sentence:
你说的是什么？
I understand that 的 permits creating adjectives, like 我的 would be "my". But here, I can’t see how it works. What is its purpose?
4
votes
2answers
153 views
What is the proper usage of 而已 in Chinese?
I always hear Chinese people making sentences using 而已 - but I've never quite 100% how to use this in sentences myself. What is the correct way to apply it, and what is the English equivalent?
4
votes
3answers
116 views
Idiomatic expressions for attitude (agreement or disagreement)
I have recently seen two phrases which, in my understanding, looked very similar to each other:
再看吧 [zài kàn ba]
考虑考虑 [kǎo lǜ kǎo lǜ]
However, I've been told that the first one means almost ...
4
votes
3answers
88 views
Is 在瞬间 something like 'at some point'?
The phrase 在瞬间 zài shùnjiān seems literally to mean 'in an instant.' But usage-wise, is it more like 'at some point'? Or am I off the mark?
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
176 views
Difference between 两个都 and 我们俩
Pimsleur's Mandarin course teaches 'both of us' as 我们两个都 (wǒ men liăng ge dōu), but in another question I asked here I recently found that 我们俩 (wǒ men liă).
Are these always interchangeable, or are ...
4
votes
1answer
68 views
What does 些 mean when it's combined with 什麼?
I found this sentence on tatoeba.org:
我就是不知道說些什麼。
I just don't know what to say.
I understand most of the sentence, but what is "些" doing there? I've always seen it used to mean "a few".
4
votes
1answer
130 views
Connotation of 吗 questions vs. affirmative/negative questions
Is there any difference in connotation/region/modernity/etc. between questions ending in 吗 and affirmative/negative questions?
For example, does:
你很累吗？
connote something different than:
你累不累？
And ...
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?
3
votes
6answers
198 views
Should Chinese text be grid aligned in game dialogs?
Title says it all, should I have my text using a variable width font, or fixed width. I didn't know if it is easier to read if its aligned on a grid?
So here is my dialog with fixed width, one issue ...
3
votes
2answers
94 views
Correct usage of “behind schedule”
What I would like to know is the proper way to say "I am behind schedule" in the general sense similar to "I am running two hours late for the meeting", or "This project is two weeks overdue".
When I ...
3
votes
1answer
99 views
What is etymology for 沙龙?
I've noticed that hairdressing shops are usually called 沙龙 [shā-lóng].
Obviously, it's not a "sand dragon", but a direct transliteration of English "salon" instead.
What is the reason for using a ...
3
votes
3answers
61 views
When would 产生了 be used?
I don't really understand the meaning or usage of 产生了. Google translate gives 'had.' But it doesn't really seem to be widely-used. When would it be used, and why?
3
votes
3answers
133 views
Sentence structure “I'm [doing something] because [reason]”?
I am familiar with the sentence structure "因为。。。所以。。。", but what is the correct way to say "I am [doing something] because [reason]"?
For example, "I am asking this question because I am clueless."
...
3
votes
3answers
211 views
What is the function of 已 in 好像她已出去好几天了。
What is the purpose of 已 in the following sentence？
好像她已出去好几天了。
The English translation given is:
It looks as if she's gone away for a few days.
Or is this an incorrect-character, supposed ...
3
votes
1answer
66 views
What is the difference, if any, between 即使 and 無論？
Is a big difference between 即使 and 無論?
I was working on a couple of fill-in-the-blanks exercises and the following sentence came up:
你的畫很有特色，（blank）是畫家也不一定能畫德比你好。
I think the right answer ...
3
votes
2answers
70 views
Time periods relating to Chinese holidays (暑假, 寒假 etc.)
From my understanding most Chinese workers only have one major holiday around the time of Spring Festival.
So are holidays 暑假, 寒假 only for students? Roughly speaking how long are they and when do ...
3
votes
2answers
100 views
Why can't 了 be used to complement 到?
I have been taught that the sentence 我刚到了 (wǒ gāng dào le) is not correct because 了 cannot be used as a complement of 到. Is this true? If so, why?
2
votes
2answers
191 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
1answer
214 views
What's the difference between 舅舅 and 叔叔?
My favorite short story in modern Mandarin, 2015 by 王小波, is basically a long, humorous digression about the author's 舅舅:
...
2
votes
1answer
269 views
Why 福 is often used upside down?
On Chinese houses, people often place scriptures for luck, health, wealth, etc.
Often, they use the word 福 [fú] turned upside down, like this:
What is the reason for it?
2
votes
1answer
131 views
What's the difference between “问一下”，“查询”， “询问”？
In the context of phone conversations with vendors I often default to either:
我想问一下…
请问…
I'm looking for a possibly more appropriate way to address someone in this context. Would it be appropriate ...
2
votes
3answers
84 views
What is the difference between 演奏, 弹 and 奏?
There are several words that seem to be related to playing musical instruments (specifically 演奏, 弹 and 奏), and I would appreciate an elaboration on the nuances between them. Are some used in specific ...
