All Questions
7
votes
2answers
150 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
2answers
112 views
Is 再过［时间］ the most common way of expressing “in [amount of time], something will happen”?
I ask after encountering the following sentence in Tatoeba:
再过两、三个月，你就能说得一口流利的英语了。
7
votes
2answers
152 views
Why does 有机 as in 有机食品 mean organic?
有 and 机 are some of the first characters we learn in Chinese, but I only recently found out that they mean "organic" when put together. Can anyone explain why this is?
7
votes
3answers
170 views
What is the equivalent of the English word 'Fail' in Mandarin?
Fail is a pretty popular term on the internet these days, and one I'm quite fond of.
Looking in my Chinese dictionary I can't find a great equivalent - is there a good way to say this? What would be ...
7
votes
3answers
165 views
Asking “how many cousins do you have?”
What is a collective term for first cousins?
Everywhere I've looked it is emphasized that the correct term for "cousin" depends on age, sex and whether the cousin is on father's or mother's side. But ...
7
votes
2answers
1k views
What is the exact meaning of 吃豆腐, and where does the expression come from?
I'm not talking about eating tofu, but the expression that means something more like taking advantage of someone. What exactly does 吃豆腐 mean, and where does this expression come from?
7
votes
6answers
450 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
1answer
128 views
Have any fonts been released that are based on slender gold?
I remember the first time I saw slender gold I had something like an 'am I dreaming?' moment. That's not how characters were supposed to look! The lines aren't supposed to cross, etc., etc.
But ...
7
votes
1answer
90 views
When not to use 厕所 when asking for the toilet?
I've noticed sometimes when in polite company or in the company of strangers some people will saying they are going to wash their hands 去洗手 (qù xǐshǒu) instead of going to the toilet 去上厕所 (qù shàng ...
7
votes
4answers
301 views
Classical Chinese Literature - What languages could be written with it? And why?
I understand that classical Chinese (see Wikipedia) was very different from spoken Chinese (at least in the last centuries of its usage). Nevertheless, despite or maybe even because of this, it was ...
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
361 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
116 views
Using 一样 instead of 同一 for “the same school”
In my study software, I recently had the following sentence:
我想我们会上一样的学校.
The context (a girl speaking to another girl who had just moved into the neighborhood) made it seem like the correct ...
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
4answers
164 views
Equivalent expression to: “I don't give a f***”
Is there something in Mandarin like "I don't give a f***", something that expresses the same sense of "I don't care" but with more force.
7
votes
5answers
484 views
What software can correct pronunciation?
What software is available which can record my voice and warn me about problems with my pronunciation and tones?
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 ...
7
votes
1answer
67 views
Are there any style guides for Chinese?
There are many different style guides for English, such as the The Chicago Manual of Style and MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing. Are there similar publications available for Chinese? ...
7
votes
1answer
167 views
Rules for saying numbers
I just wondered what are the rules of saying numbers...
For example:
10 = 十
19 = 十九
100 = 一百
1,000 = 一千
10,000 = 一萬
but
119 = 一百一十九
then
110 = 一百一
1,100 = 一千一
11,000 = 一萬一
and then
10,110 = ...
7
votes
2answers
186 views
Where can I find recordings of people reading things now that mp3.baidu.com is dead? [closed]
Baidu's MP3 search engine used to be my first stop when studying anything Chinese. Absurdly, even recordings of relatively rare poetry (for instance) were easy to find. These recordings were not ...
7
votes
1answer
183 views
How do native speakers structure their essays?
When analyzing Chinese speeches or essays, I often have difficulty understanding how their the authors organized their ideas.
In North America, for example, a common template for writing an essay is ...
7
votes
2answers
235 views
Academic explanation for rhyming fillers with irrelevant meaning in doggerel
在打油诗、顺口溜、儿歌里经常有纯粹是为了押韵或节拍而插入的和文意无关的词汇。在北方话、传统北京/天津评书相声里尤甚。我想知道在语言学专业里这种情况是怎么解释的，有没有术语或相关资料。
例如北京顺口溜：
嗝屁着凉大海棠，脚不丫子蘸白糖。
里“大海棠”完全是为押韵，无意义；蘸白糖虽然略有意义，但选词十分随机，更多是为了一种插科打诨的效果。
Brief translation:
...
6
votes
8answers
906 views
Difference between 是不是喝酒了? and 喝酒了没有？
What is the difference between
是不是吃了蛋糕？ and 吃蛋糕了没有？
or
是不是喝酒了? and 喝酒了没有？
6
votes
4answers
259 views
What does the expression “孤男寡女” mean?
What does the expression "孤男寡女" (gū nán guǎ nǚ) mean, exactly? Does it have inherently negative connotations?
As an aside, why does Google translate it as "Needing"?
6
votes
2answers
169 views
Neverending 你好 exchange, is it normal?
When should exchanges of the phrase "你好" end? I regularly see a Chinese person who greets me with "你好". If I respond with "你好" he immediately says "你好", and so on. I normally end it with "Yes, I'm ...
6
votes
5answers
470 views
How were Chinese characters taught to Chinese children before the introduction of pinyin?
Before schools started to use pinyin for teaching characters to Chinese children, how and/or what was used to teach it instead? And what about how dictionaries showed the pronunciation of characters?
6
votes
3answers
327 views
爱老虎油 - is it slang?
Seen this phrase written by a Chinese person:
爱老虎油
[ài lǎohǔ yóu]
What does it mean? Failed to find it in dictionaries.
Is it some slang or 白话?
6
votes
3answers
298 views
Difference between 与，和 and 跟?
Do the following three sentences mean the same thing, that is, can they be used interchangeably?
她的父母就来我们家与我的家人见面了。
她的父母就来我们家和我的家人见面了。
她的父母就来我们家跟我的家人见面了。
6
votes
3answers
254 views
Why does Chinese lack some level of abstraction in some idioms? (e.g. 兄弟姐妹)
Example: in Chinese, you can't * speak of siblings in a general term, and in turn you have to enumerate all 4 combinations of sex and age: 兄弟姐妹 ( older brother, younger brother, older sister, younger ...
6
votes
3answers
174 views
“Actually” as a sentence-starter of speech filler
When casually speaking English I use the word "actually" a lot when beginning of a sentance, or as part of the flow of my speech. e.g.
Actually, next semester doesn't start for a month.
...
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
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 - ...
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?
6
votes
10answers
489 views
What is the Chinese equivalent of English idiom “As if!”?
The English idiom "as if!" is used to express the speakers rejection that something is possible:
A: "In a few years I'll be driving a Ferrari."
B: "As if you'll ever have a Ferrari!"
Here, B, ...
6
votes
4answers
229 views
Pronounce ellipsis 《●●● ●●●》 in Mandarin
When I'm reading ellipses in English out loud I usually say et cetera or and so on. What should I say in Mandarin? 等等?
6
votes
2answers
168 views
Difference between 许多 and 很多
What's the difference between 许多 and 很多?
For example, in this sentence I found on Jukuu both terms are used:
After years of teaching, I have many memories to dwell on in idle moments.
...
6
votes
2answers
283 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
3answers
265 views
What is the difference between 一只狗 and 一条狗?
I've been told by native speakers that the former refers to little dogs while the latter is for bigger dogs. I also have been told that the latter has a negative connotation. I'm wondering:
how ...
6
votes
5answers
1k views
Tips for pronouncing X vs SH in Mandarin?
I'd like to think my Mandarin pronunciation is generally pretty reasonable, but I often get tripped up with X and SH - for example words like 雪 and 水, or 虾 and 莎. Even with different tones, I find ...
6
votes
5answers
218 views
What is the meaning of 真是的
What is a meaning of 真是的. I heard for many times in context something like 你真是的！ And yet I have doubts about proper meaning of this expression.
6
votes
2answers
176 views
How to explain 讲 in 讲礼貌 and 讲卫生
In my understanding 讲礼貌 translates as 'be polite' and 讲卫生 is something like 'be clean', but how should I explain the 讲 to a new speaker? I take this as a set phrase, but is there a way to translate ...
6
votes
4answers
139 views
Why 又 is used there instead of 再?
In this dialogue:
A: 现在恢复得怎么样了？
B: 没问题了，又可以爬山了。
Why is 又 used there and not 再?
As far as I know (I might be wrong), both 再 and 又 are used for describing recurring actions, but 又 refers to ...
6
votes
6answers
282 views
What is the status of 什么来的 and 什么来着 in standard and colloquial Mandarin Chinese?
When I first moved to the south of China, I was surprised to hear the phrase "什么来的" used to mean "what," as in
这是什么来的？: "What is this?"
As far as I could tell, in many cases there was no ...
6
votes
1answer
144 views
Meaning of 这么多好吃
I want to get the correct meaning of this sentence:
我恨不得一下子把这么多好吃的都吃完。
I understand this sentence as "I wish to eat up all those delicious things, all at once". I don't fully understand the ...
6
votes
2answers
334 views
How will translate “谁让你” into English?
How will translate "谁让你" into English? For example,
我不得不服从你的安排。 谁让你是我的老板呢？
6
votes
2answers
117 views
Which ma belongs in the phrase 我 “ma” 好的
This may be a SE dialect thing, but plenty of my friends say 我 "ma" 好的 to mean 我很好 or "ma" 好的 to mean good or I agree with you.
Can someone tell me which character (if there is one) is supposed to be ...
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?
6
votes
3answers
307 views
Dog radical (犭) for non-Han ethnic groups
As far as I understand, the dog radical (犭) was used for all non-Han ethnic groups before the Chinese Communist Party took power on the mainland. Is there truth to that? If so:
Why did the CCP stop ...
6
votes
2answers
307 views
What font size for reading simplified characters on screen?
I realize this sounds like a very subjective question, so I will try to ask it very carefully:
I'm learning to speak, read, and write Mandarin. A lot of times (particularly on the web or in e-mail) I ...
6
votes
2answers
118 views
中东 - “Middle East” or “Eastern China”?
The dictionary lists both Middle East and Eastern China for 中东. Is one of these meanings more common? What would be a native speaker's first impression of the word? Does the meaning vary from ...
