9
votes
3answers
210 views
Use of 十年中 to express duration
Does 十年中 mean "in ten years"? I found it in this sentence from tatoeba.org:
他十年中第一次回家。
He returned home for the first time in ten years.
It seems like I could use the same pattern to say, ...
9
votes
4answers
543 views
How to pronounce “下载”
How to pronounce the word "下载", "xià zǎi" or "xià zài"？
Most Chinese people pronounce it "xià zǎi", but there are some people insist on pronouncing it "xià zài". There are different also different ...
9
votes
3answers
208 views
When do the tones change?
Sometimes, in certain combinations of tones or words, the tones change. Where can I find a complete list of all tone changes that occur in Mandarin?
9
votes
5answers
175 views
Learning how to use measure / count words properly
Chinese has measure (or count) words like “个” (一个人), “部” (三部车), etc.
These always get me confused, and there way too many of them. Are there any general rules that can help me memorize them?
Also, ...
9
votes
6answers
684 views
What's the meaning of 缘分 in English?
I asked a similar question on English Language & Usage site, but no one seems to come up with a good answer for me. I have decided to give our Chinese site a try.
Bonus: how will you describe the ...
9
votes
2answers
213 views
How do you emphasize unformatted Chinese text?
In English, one can write, "I am mad at you!" as "I AM MAD AT YOU!" for greater emphasis; on the internet, it's seen as "yelling". Absent the ability to format text (say, bold or italics), what is ...
9
votes
2answers
78 views
Is the usage of European punctuation acceptable in Chinese writing?
Chinese punctuation is a little different from European punctuation, for example:
The full stop is "。" instead of "."
The ellipsis are six vertically centered dots (… …) instead of just three (…)
...
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 ...
9
votes
5answers
293 views
When should you use 尽管 (jǐnguǎn) instead of 虽然 (suīrán)?
虽然 and 尽管 can both be translated as "despite" and "although". I've been familiar with 虽然 for a longer time already but I recently came across 尽管 for the first time. Is 尽管 a more formal or poetic term? ...
9
votes
2answers
191 views
Why is it possible to replace 都 with 也 in 什么都没有?
I know 也 only as "also", but I see it now and then used in ways difficult to understand, especially in some negative statements. Why is this so? Does 也 have some meaning not mentioned in dictionaries ...
9
votes
4answers
248 views
Can Chinese readers scan large amounts of text faster/more accurately than their alphabet-using counterparts?
I was browsing one day and came across this comment in this discussion(italics mine):
I feel English is a reading language, if you are reading an English book, you watch the word and make sound in ...
9
votes
4answers
287 views
How is 就 (jiù) used?
Pimsleur's Mandarin course teaches "I'm leaving very early tomorrow morning" as:
我明天早上很早就走 (wŏ míngtiān zăoshàng hĕn zăo jiù zŏu)
It says that 就 (jiù) doesn't have a corresponding meaning in ...
8
votes
5answers
386 views
Is any simplified character also a traditional character?
I don't mean traditional characters that weren't simplified, thus being the same in traditional and simplified.
What I ask if there is any simplified character which in turn has the same form of ...
8
votes
5answers
2k views
How to say “cool” in Chinese
Basically I am looking for words in common usage which are roughly synonymous with English "cool", "wicked", "awesome", "sweet", and related positive slang adjectives.
I would also like to know how ...
8
votes
5answers
296 views
Translation for “sorry” as in “I am sorry to hear that”?
In English we can say "sorry" as an abbreviation for "I am sorry to hear that"/"I feel sorry for you" to express sympathy. Is there a Chinese word or phrase that bears the same meaning?
I know one ...
8
votes
4answers
356 views
How do I say “damn!” or “bloody hell” in Chinese?
The phrase 他妈的 has been explained in this question. Since I'm a no-expletives guy, I don't feel comfortable so close to the f-word. :) I was wondering what would be the correct way to use some of the ...
8
votes
4answers
136 views
The question about “很好”
I've read that when asked the simple question 你好吗？ ("how are you?"), answering 我很好 is the standard form, while 我好 is simply not used.
很 means "very", but 我很好 is simply translated as "I'm fine." and ...
8
votes
3answers
141 views
Which regions use 计算机 for computer?
Where is 计算机 used for "computer", and where does it mean "calculator". In regions where it means "calculator" what is the word for "supercomputer" (assuming that there, 超级计算机 is not used)
8
votes
4answers
464 views
Effective and polite way to end a phone conversation
What are some ways that I can let the other speaker know I want to finish a phone conversation and am going to hang up.
I frequently come across as too abrupt. Usually something along the lines of ...
8
votes
3answers
569 views
How do native Chinese greet each other on daily basis?
I have read somewhere that "你好" and "你好吗？" are mostly textbook greetings and are not used by native Chinese, at least not on daily basis. I would also find it hard to believe that two friends who know ...
8
votes
6answers
387 views
Are there word games in Chinese?
Do Chinese characters make it a lot harder to create or play word games in Chinese than it is in English? I have seen a few Chinese crosswords, but it seems like they aren't as densely cross-linked as ...
8
votes
3answers
214 views
When and why is right to left writing used?
I have encountered horizontal right to left characters on signs (at the top of a gate) and on vehicles.
When is this used and why? Was this more common in the past?
Are the individuals characters ...
8
votes
2answers
109 views
Are there standard dictionaries for Chinese?
Standard dictionaries have had a profound effect on languages like English. They've helped normalize spelling and pronunciation and provide reference for meanings and disambiguation.
When thinking of ...
8
votes
7answers
841 views
How is the “r” sound pronounced?
One of the most trickiest sounds to pronounce correctly in Mandarin seems to be the "r" sound, as in 日本 (rì běn). It's not uncommon to hear people pronounce that like "urban."
I have been told it's ...
8
votes
4answers
164 views
How do Chinese people pronounce Latin characters?
I hear that "Windows XP" is commonly called "Chā P" because the letter "X" may be pronounced "Chā".
Are there other Latin characters that have similarly peculiar pronunciations?
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
2answers
232 views
Using 的 at the end of a sentence
I'm looking for confirmation of the way I'm parsing a sentence with 的 at the end, and I'd appreciate some background or other examples of this usage.
I found this sentence on tatoeba.org:
...
8
votes
2answers
110 views
Beginning of the week / end of the week
It is possible to say:
三月初 (the beginning of March)
三月底 (the end of March)
Example：
我三月底要回国
You can also refer to:
年初 and 年底
But is there something you can use to convey the beginning or end of ...
8
votes
1answer
158 views
Expressing the location: 哪里 or 哪儿?
Which one of these two expressions is the best one? Or are they both good, but for different situations?
For example:
你住在哪里？ VS 你住在哪儿？ = Where do you live?
Nĭ zhù zài nă lĭ? ——— Nĭ zhù zài ...
8
votes
2answers
261 views
Various ways to say “nice to meet you”
When I first started learning Chinese I knew the in order to say "Nice to meet you" or "Pleased to meet you", I had to use the following expression:
很高兴见到您。
But recently I've come across other ...
8
votes
2answers
190 views
What should a beginner be looking for when selecting a movie in Chinese? [closed]
To enhance my Chinese language skills I am looking for some Chinese movies or series that fit a beginner's level. Currently I know around 1000 Hanzi.
Is watching movies or series too early with this ...
8
votes
1answer
69 views
Chinese for “vote-up”, “vote-down” and “vote to close”
What is the correct Chinese words to use for the following:
Vote-up
Vote-down
Vote to close
I assume these will have been included in certain social platforms in China.
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 ...
8
votes
2answers
86 views
Authoritative source for translators
For translators, is there an authoritative source they go to where they can check translations are accurate?
For example say there was a political conference and someone wasn't sure if the word ...
8
votes
2answers
127 views
Is there a rule that tells what characters can be omitted?
I have a habit of using too many characters when I speak and write.
For example:
我回我的家。
我的 is not needed, and we can simply say 我回家。
Is there a grammar rule for when to cut characters? A ...
8
votes
1answer
152 views
Geopolitical History of Simplified Chinese
I've always been fascinated about the etymology of languages and believe that we are seeing a significant series of changes within chinese.
There are some fairly good technical references for the ...
7
votes
11answers
512 views
Techniques for learning and retaining characters
For many of us, memorizing characters is a difficult thing. In Chinese, just because you can speak the word doesn't mean you can read it. Just because you can read it doesn't mean you can write it. At ...
7
votes
5answers
585 views
Why were some letters like Q, X, C, chosen for Pinyin which confuse non-Chinese speakers?
A romanization system is basically a system in which roman (latin) letters are used for languages that use non-roman scripts. This has the obvious benefit that people who can (maybe only) read roman ...
7
votes
6answers
133 views
What etymology dictionaries are available?
What dictionaries (online, software-based or in paper form) explain the origins of a word and its evolution over time? E.g. how the character was once written, how the usage – and the meaning – ...
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
6answers
586 views
How to translate “你给我滚” properly
In a sentence like:
“你给我那一杯水” You would translate it something like: Get me a glass of water.
How is the "给我" in the sentence “你给我滚” supposed to be translated?
Should it just be "Get lost / P*ss ...
7
votes
3answers
154 views
Asking “what's the pinyin/character for X?”
How do we ask someone to "translate" a character or some pinyin into the other one? The expressions I'm referring to are:
What's the pinyin for this/that (character)/... ?
What's the ...
7
votes
4answers
164 views
How to translate/understand “还不” in “还不是因为爱”
Just realized 还不 part in such phrase as "还不是因为爱", "还不都怪你" is quite tricky. How do you translate it into English?
7
votes
5answers
912 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 ...
7
votes
3answers
185 views
Why are 成语 (idioms) four characters long? Are there 成语 with more or less than four characters?
I really enjoying learning 成语 (chéng yǔ) in Chinese, and I'm curious to know why they are often or always four characters long? Where does this tradition stem from?
And are there 成语 with more or ...
7
votes
6answers
654 views
What is the best way to teach a child Mandarin?
My son is almost 8 weeks old. I don't speak Mandarin (yet, currently in progress) and am looking for ways to start him on learning Mandarin early, maybe at about 1 year of age. What is the best way ...
7
votes
5answers
292 views
What's the difference between 学 and 学习?
I know both mean "to study" and I also know that while 学 (xué) is transitive, 学习 (xué xí) can be both intransitive and transitive, for example:
我学中文。 (I study «what?» Chinese) = transitive;
我在大学学习。 ...
7
votes
6answers
349 views
Do acronyms borrowed from English use neutral tone for all syllables?
I was just reading a Q&A here about Chinese words for DVD and the discussion also included other acronyms from English.
It struck me that nobody wrote the pinyin for any of the terms which made ...
7
votes
2answers
420 views
What software can detect the parts of speech of written text?
What software or On-line tools can detect the parts of speech in a piece of written text (e.g. to predict if a word is a verb, adjective, etc.)?
