3
votes
2answers
183 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.
1
vote
2answers
103 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
128 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 ...
1
vote
1answer
86 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, ...
-2
votes
1answer
89 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
3answers
219 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 ...
6
votes
2answers
208 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 - ...
2
votes
1answer
101 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 ...
0
votes
1answer
148 views
Pronouncing pinyin “c” in Shanxi dialect
I had thought I knew how to pronounce pinyin "c," like the English "ts" in "cats." But on a trip to Shanxi it seemed like most of my friends were pronouncing it like pinyin "ch." Village names ending ...
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 ...
1
vote
1answer
75 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 ...
5
votes
4answers
151 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.
...
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 ...
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！
3
votes
3answers
226 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 ...
2
votes
3answers
125 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 ...
1
vote
3answers
148 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 ...
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 ...
0
votes
0answers
233 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 ...
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?
3
votes
1answer
95 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 ...
6
votes
2answers
801 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?
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?
2
votes
2answers
116 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 ...
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 ...
4
votes
5answers
437 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 ...
4
votes
1answer
150 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
3answers
149 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 ...
6
votes
2answers
315 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
3answers
117 views
What does 嘞 mean
I actually suspect that this character may be a typo for ”了“, but I'll ask nevertheless. What is the second character in this snippet?:
I managed to write it into my pocket dictionary, it simply ...
5
votes
9answers
441 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
110 views
What's the difference between 蝦 and 鰕?
I found there are two characters for "xia1" (ghra as in Middle Chinese), 蝦 and 鰕.
Could someone explain what the difference is?
4
votes
1answer
120 views
Is the traditional character for 雪 the same as itself?
Is the traditional character for ?
Or are both and considered the same character (汉字) with simply different font styles?
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 ...
0
votes
3answers
135 views
Chinese tattoo help [closed]
I want a tattoo saying 時間 (time). However I was told this is not suitable for a tattoo. I wanted to know how to say time in chinese with a deep meaning. Is there a way to add a character so that it ...
3
votes
1answer
76 views
馅饼 in Cantonese
In the Dim Sum place I usually go to (in the U.S), they call the pan-fried bun stuffed with Chinese chive and shrimp 韭菜馅饼. I came from Northern China and the shape and size of that bun are, by any ...
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 ...
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 ...
2
votes
2answers
152 views
Advice on Mandarin Chinese passive learning
What are the best Chinese online tv channels with english subtitles for passive Mandarin learning. I find Chinese a rather musical language and would love to watch subbed tv (news, documentaries, ...
3
votes
1answer
91 views
Is the expression 学识渊博 usually used in a pejorative sense?
For example, as a sarcastic remark in the sense of "pedantic" or "know-it-all"?
2
votes
2answers
103 views
Could 恭喜发财 sound inappropriate?
I sent new year greetings to my Chinese teacher last week, writing "新年快乐! 恭喜发财!". When I saw her today she thanked me, but said I should never write 恭喜发财 to a teacher, because it's a greeting only ...
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 ...
1
vote
1answer
75 views
'Simplification' of 夠
Why did 夠 get 'simplified' into 够?
I'd like to know whether these existed as orthographic variants before simplification (such that the first round simplifications just standardised on one variant) ...
4
votes
1answer
178 views
What is the etymology of 放我一马？
I've heard this a couple times now and most recently in a movie "钢的琴". It's an idiom that means "cut me some slack"; "let me off the hook". I couldn't make sense of the Baidu encyclopedia so I'm ...
2
votes
1answer
76 views
Origin of the word “娘惹”
I know what 娘惹 means (wikipedia), however, I couldn't find any reference on its origin. Is it a Chinese transliteration of a Malaysian word, a Cantonese/Hokkien word or a Mandarin word? What's the ...
1
vote
2answers
354 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 ...
3
votes
2answers
65 views
Is there a list of characters specifically used for western proper nouns?
When learning country/place names or reading about non-Chinese people in the media I see the same characters used for similar phonemes (see these celebrities). What rule or list do the writers follow ...
