All Questions
12
votes
7answers
3k views
Is it easier to learn Chinese after learning Japanese or vice versa?
For those who speak both Chinese and Japanese, would first learning Chinese make it easier to learn Japanese?
Knowing that Japanese Kanji are derived from Chinese characters, how hard is it to do the ...
3
votes
2answers
178 views
How to (hand) write Chinese character faster
Are there any resources / how-to sources about how to write Chinese characters faster than normal while still being readable? It took me forever to take note while in class.
2
votes
4answers
320 views
Writing Chinese Characters is Sloppy
Since learning Mandarin through Rosetta Stone, Youtube videos, and friends, I've begun to keep a journal of mandarin characters and phrases.
I first draw the character, along with the pinyin and ...
1
vote
2answers
99 views
How do I know when I am “fluent”?
What in a common test for fluency in Chinese?
Is it when I can;
talk to a shopkeeper
converse meaningfully about a film
do business purely in Chinese
pass HSK6
When my friends ask I don't know ...
1
vote
3answers
127 views
Mixing of 你 and 您 a stylistic device?
I found this text on the ubuntu.com website. There are what seems to be 2 different levels of politeness mixed together. Or is this a stylistic device?
下载并安装Ubuntu桌面操作系统，你 只需要一张空白的光盘或U盘。无论 您 ...
4
votes
3answers
215 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 ...
-2
votes
1answer
88 views
How can we translate this sentence into chinese? [closed]
Can you tell me the structure and grammar of the sentence?
In the main new effort presented inthis paper, an approach is developed for integrating
the PSO algorithm as a driver at both the top ...
4
votes
1answer
138 views
Dissimilation of bilabial finals following Middle Chinese (法, 品, 凡)
Middle Chinese syllables with the shape CVP where C is a bilabial stop and P is a bilabial underwent dissimilation to CVF, where F = P[-labial]. For instance, Baxter's reconstruction of 法 is *pjop, 品 ...
1
vote
1answer
84 views
Translation of Chinese word is not an English word?
This is really strange. Dictionary.com says "obdurability" isn't a word in English, but it is the ONLY translation for "强韧" in Pleco (my Chinese-English dictionary). Google.com has tons of results, ...
5
votes
4answers
150 views
List of hanzi and their components
I would like to be able to compute the distance between 2 hanzi according to their components.
My idea is that a hanzi like 式 is made of 工 and 弋. 2 hanzi are close if they share common components.
...
2
votes
1answer
240 views
The origin of 鸡贼
I speak Mandarin Chinese, but it is the first time that I stumbled upon the word 鸡贼. According to 百度百科 (Baidu wiki), it means being stingy. The wiki page also says that it comes from the Beijing ...
1
vote
1answer
150 views
Is this a translation of 逍遥游？
I think this is from 逍遥游， but I'm not sure. I just can't locate the following sentence.
Thus, the wise man looks into space, and does not regard the small as
too little, nor the great as too ...
2
votes
1answer
100 views
Japanese 気分転換 in Cantonese?
Is there an expression in Cantonese with roughly the same meaning as the Japanese 気分転換 (I guess it's 氣分轉換 in Chinese characters)?
I would include an English translation but something might get lost in ...
6
votes
2answers
205 views
Is there a literal meaning of 对不起?
对不起 is one of the first phrases any student learns.
We learn it as a set phrase, and don't question why it has this meaning.
But we also learn the phrases;
听得懂 - "hear and understand"
听不懂 - ...
5
votes
9answers
436 views
Why Cantonese is considered as a dialect of Chinese?
Can someone explain why Cantonese is considered as a dialect of Chinese, instead of a language? It is also for any language exist in China, both land and Taiwan (Cantonese, Hunanese, Fujianese, ...
1
vote
1answer
74 views
Using 變音 when reading Classical Chinese poetry in Cantonese
The poem 《登鸛雀樓》 (Climbing Stork Tower) has the final line 更上一層樓.
If I were to read this in Cantonese, would I pronounce the final character as lau4 (without 變音), or lau2 (with 變音)?
My guess would be ...
4
votes
5answers
433 views
How to politely ask someone to please be quiet
There are particularly loud Chinese fellows working together in the university study room I'm working in. How do I politely ask them to quiet down?
I found a literal translation on Google Translate ...
1
vote
4answers
323 views
how to say ”(尤为)难得“ in English?
How would you say "难得“ and ”尤为难得“ in English?
For example,
他在自己生活困难的情况下，资助老弱病残，尤为难得。
Thanks！
4
votes
2answers
185 views
How can I skip characters I can't read when reading aloud?
As an example, I was at the cinema and I wanted to buy tickets for a film named
北京遇上西雅图
However, I can't read all of the characters.
In English I'd say;
Can I get a ticket for that film ...
3
votes
4answers
295 views
How would one say “my computer died”?
I know 关掉 to mean "turn off" but it doesn't seem to convey the sudden-ness or unwelcome connotation of "died". 突然关掉 is more precise but still seems to lack the negitivity. Also, as this is a common ...
6
votes
2answers
799 views
Why do the names of some Chinese companies consist of “repeated” words?
I'm referring to the repetition of names such as "Dangdang" and "Renren." Why is this the case?
3
votes
3answers
222 views
Translating the idiom “thinking outside the box”
I normally hate overused catchphrases in English, like "paradigm shift" and "out of the box thinking". But I was recently chatting (in Chinese) with a friend about an earlier situation in which ...
1
vote
3answers
192 views
Is it possible to use the verb particle 过 for future events?
I know it's possible to the use perfective aspect particle 了 for future events, eg:
你家少爷长大了准能当个二流子。
I have yet to find example of similar occurrences with 过. Is it even possible to use it in ...
1
vote
3answers
147 views
Translating the word “feelings” for conversational use
When I look for a dictionary translation of "feelings", I see two translations: 情怀 and 情面.
Which of these two would be better suited to translate the following sentence
The woman rhetorically ...
2
votes
3answers
124 views
Proper translation of the word “confidence”
What would be the proper way of translating
I don't have confidence in myself to dance on stage.
I understand that this isn't a translation service, but my difficulty arises from the many ...
13
votes
10answers
4k views
How to describe differences between Cantonese and Mandarin?
When I tell people I speak Cantonese I'm often asked, "What's the difference between that and Mandarin?". This inevitably leads to a very poor explanation that includes references to the differences ...
5
votes
2answers
233 views
Why does 首饰的饰 have the 饣radical?
According to my sources 饣 means "food" or "eat". Since when do people eat jewelry?
0
votes
0answers
232 views
What are the English words used to address oneself like “爷”, “老娘” and “哥/姐”? [closed]
There are so many interesting Chinese appellations to call oneself, for example:
不要跟哥比，哥只是个传说。
This is used to boast oneself about his great ability/talent in something, and the word 哥 refers to ...
4
votes
6answers
572 views
Could you explain the structure of this sentence?
The sentence 我吃饭的时候看了一本书。 apparently has two verbs (吃 and 看), but I can’t see how the two actions are correlated. Could anyone explain that?
3
votes
2answers
267 views
Difference between 喜乐 and 快乐？
Dictionaries lead me to understand 快乐 as happy. Whereas 喜乐 as delighted, happiness, joy. In English joy denotes a stronger, deeper emotion. Is the difference in meanings of 快乐 and 喜乐 great enough to ...
4
votes
2answers
199 views
Errors and Unnatural Language in a Translation Challenge
I was recently challenged to translate the following sentence from English into Chinese:
You should stay away from that bar. A friend of mine went there before, and he ended up in the hospital after ...
4
votes
5answers
326 views
What is that use of 得?
I have read the sentence: 你还记得我吗？
But I can’t understand the meaning of 得, here. I don’t think it belongs to the rules explained here
3
votes
1answer
90 views
Measure Words and their English Analogue
I was taught that the closest analogue in English of Chinese measure words are 'units', e.g. "a pile of wood", "a cup of water", etc.
What strikes me as a bit odd about this analogy is that the units ...
3
votes
9answers
473 views
How can I pronounce 绿 (lü4 - green)?
My wife gave up trying to correct me on how to pronounce green.
I find it very hard to get a distinct sound from the word for 绿 (lü4 - green), Lu, and, Liu (as in Liu Bei). Obviously, Lu is exactly ...
5
votes
1answer
131 views
How to say the term “招” and “式” in English?
It's used as a classifier, like this:
"亢龙有悔"是"降龙十八掌"中的*一招*.
and
*一招一式*他都记得清清楚楚.
So how to say it in English?
1
vote
2answers
332 views
American movies and TV shows dubbed in Chinese?
I've been studying Mandarin Chinese for a year now.
To improve my listening skills and to have fun at the same time I thought of watching famous american movies and famous american TV shows (such as ...
2
votes
2answers
112 views
Cantonese jyutping Tone 4 question “throat should be vibrating”
I was wondering whether anyone could help me distinguish how to pronounce tone 4 (mostly low flat) and tone 3 (mid flat).
I read in tone 4, you should feel your throat vibrate. Honestly, I have my ...
5
votes
3answers
272 views
我也住在這裡 or 我也住這裡
I'm quite confused with using 在 in a sentence. I learned that it usually indicates a place or a location. I'm trying to say "I also live here". I thought that since I'm referring to a place, maybe I ...
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 ...
4
votes
4answers
355 views
What is the equivalent of “make sense” in Chinese?
I am trying to explain the phrase "make sense" to my cousin, who is learning English. The dictionary suggests "有意义", but I believe that "有意义" is "meaningful" and that "make sense" should be "讲得通", ...
3
votes
4answers
186 views
央行行长会: Is the second 行 necessary?
央行行长会 - A Meeting of the Heads of Central Banks.
Is the second 行 necessary? If not why not? Does 央行长 mean "Head of a Central Bank" or is it necessary to say the equivalent of "Bank-Head of a Central ...
6
votes
2answers
313 views
Why does 三八 mean gossip?
I've heard in 广东 (guangdong) the term 三八 to mean "gossip", particularly for a woman who gossips.
Is this common throughout China,
and why does it have this meaning?
4
votes
2answers
217 views
What is the classical Chinese meaning of 或?
I am reading a text that uses the following phrase:
或謂鄭相曰
I understand it generally to mean that
someone told to the prime minister of Zheng saying
However, I don't understand exactly ...
4
votes
1answer
148 views
Pronunciation of 和 in Taiwan
This is something that I noticed in Taiwanese Mandarin TV series and films. It seems that they pronounce this character as hàn instead of the commonly accepted hé.
For example, 我和你 is pronounced wǒ ...
3
votes
4answers
268 views
Learning Traditional first with the goal of learning both
I found this in the Mandarin wikibook:
"It is considered easier for people who learn Traditional to read both sets than people who learn Simplified only, but Simplified characters are less ...
3
votes
3answers
146 views
Where can I find Chinese IPA transcriptions?
Since I have some experience of using IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet), I thought Standard Chinese transcriptions could be a good resource for practicing my pronunciation. Is such a resource ...
4
votes
4answers
155 views
How do I practise grouping characters into words? At which stage of learning should one expect to be good at this?
I just got the following sentence in a newsletter:
请问我可以跟你借支笔吗？
Being a beginner that I am, I read it as "Can I please get one pay-check in advance?" because I saw this in my dictionary:
借支 = ...
3
votes
2answers
94 views
Differentiating “to do a burnout” and “burning tyres”
"To do a burnout" is 烧胎, so I assume a reasonable sentence would be:
昨天晚上我在停车场烧胎。
How would one distinguish this activity from piling up tyres and setting fire to them, for example in this news ...
5
votes
6answers
418 views
Which fonts show the stroke order of all characters?
For academic purposes, I need to print out some pages of characters with stroke orders shown. Which computer fonts (e.g. TrueType or OpenType) are available which show the stroke order of each ...
1
vote
4answers
146 views
Better translation for 春节联欢晚会 than New Year's Gala
On the night of New Years Eve in China many people watch the annual New Year's Gala. This in Chinese is called 春节联欢晚会 in English this is translated as New Year's Gala.
So what exactly is a 联欢晚会? Can ...
