Questions tagged [mandarin]
Mandarin is a group of Chinese dialects that are considered the official language in many Chinese-speaking communities. The Beijing dialect is considered as standard pronunciation of Mandarin. Thus, when people say the "Chinese language", they implicitly refer to Mandarin.
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What are the differences between 违犯 and 违反?
Both 违犯 and 违反 share the meaning to violate. What are the differences between these two?
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Differences between 移民 and 移居
The two words 移民 and 移居 are really confusing to me, I’ve searched the dictionary but they are still vague to me. Can someone help me with the use of these 2 words and add some examples?
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Why do we use 做 in this sentence as “being”?
Sentence:
我太喜欢和他做朋友了
How can we use 做 in this meaning in other sentences?
Where can I read more about it and what is the name of this "rule"?
And what is the meaning of the 了 in this sentence?
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What's the difference between 主任 and 主管?
As per title, what's the difference between these 2 terms?
My teacher said that in China, 主任 is considered as low position, and 主管 is higher.
But looking at the translation 主任 means director, which ...
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What book is this passage from?
I found this passage on 北京大学's website but I can't even go back to the page of contents. I want to know the name of the book。it's the 阅读 section of the site.
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Is this translation English to Chinese translation correct or close?
An unprecedented look into the food and culture of ice, from Iceland's premier chef and the owner of Reykjavik's Restaurant Dill.
一个史无前例的食物和冰岛的文化，从冰岛总理厨师和雷克雅未克的所有者迪尔餐厅。
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Is there a proverb that means “the squeaky wheel gets the grease”?
Is there a Chinese (Mandarin or Classical Chinese) proverb equivalent to the American proverb "the squeaky wheel gets the grease"?
I looked it up in the Cambridge English-Traditional Chinese ...
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Asking for right answers for 中级 questions
I just wanted to ask for the right answers for these questions...
In these 2 paragraphs, are my 标点符号 right?
我家有五口人，爷爷 、奶奶、爸爸、妈妈和我。爸爸在电脑公司工作，他是一名工程师；妈妈在一所学校教数学，爷爷和奶奶早就退休，但他们也有很多活动；爷爷在老年大学学习书法，...
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Are the “h” in pinyin always pronounced as “[x]” in IPA?
Chinese (Mandarin) use [x] to pronounce h sound. It does not have any sounds such as [h] and [ɸ].
However, I'm not sure if it is fine to assume that all the h in pinyin are pronounced as [x]. ...
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How to say job offer in Mandarin/Cantonese?
Google Translate says job offer is 工作機會.
This doesn't feel right.
How do you say job offer in Cantonese and Mandarin?
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82 views
Is referring to Mandarin as just “Chinese” problematic?
I am living in Taiwan learning Mandarin Chinese (with traditional characters). When speaking in English I try to refer to the language as Mandarin both for clarity, and because I imagine people who ...
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Is there any study on the relative difficulty of native Chinese speakers with different dialects learning another dialect?
I wonder if there is any research conducted in Chine, on the relative difficulty of Chinese speakers learning different dialects. I'm looking for something like the research by the Foreign Service ...
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What is the idiomatic way to say “clothing fits”?
There are various ways to express the verb "fit" in Mandarin, such as 適合，配合，對 and so on. I'm not sure which one to use when expressing sentences like:
The clothes no longer fit me.
I need clothes ...
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64 views
Error in Book? Need help
I was reading Assimil Chinese with Ease and came across this.
你见过他？
Since this is a question, is 吗 necessary for the question? Perhaps an error? Or can you omit 吗？
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What derogatory terms are there for Chinese people?
What derogatory terms are there for Chinese people in Mandarin?
In particular, I am looking for derogatory terms that apply to any person of Chinese ancestry regardless of birthplace, nationality, ...
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Differences between 访问，面试 and 采访
All 3 words seem to mean to interview, interview but what are the differences between them?
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Differences between 条 and 根
Both of these two words 条 and 根 in the dictionary are said to be measure words for long and thin objects. What are the differences between them?
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1answer
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What 蛋 is referring to in “完蛋了”
完蛋了 means: Done for; ruined; finished; goose is cooked. It is the Mandarin counterpart of a Cantonese term "玩完" (game over)
I am curious about what 蛋 is referring to. Without any reference, I can ...
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1answer
48 views
Touch: difference between 碰，碰觸，觸碰, and 觸
There appear to be multiple ways to say touch according to YellowBridge.
1) Is there a difference between 碰，碰觸，觸碰, and 觸, or are they interchangeable?
2) In Cantonese, 點 seems to be the right way to ...
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2answers
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Does Taiwanese Mandarin have the neutral tone?
So I'm trying to learn Taiwanese Mandarin, and apparently they don't really use the neutral tone, but if that's the case how do you say things like 子,了, and 的?
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Which is used more often, 日没 and 日落
Both 日没 and 日落 express sunset but which one is often more widely used?
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Difference between 小吃 and 零食
Both of these words in the dictionary have themselves defined as “snack” but what are the differences between these 2 words?
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1answer
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What is this proverb?
I met someone who told me a proverb which in English read as follows:
Wake up late and you lose the morning. Wake up early and you lose the
whole day.
She repeated it in Mandarin very quickly ...
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How can I ask for extra ingredients in a dish?
How can I ask for more of an ingredient in a dish? like add extra cheese, extra meat, etc. Not that it matters but I specifically want to know this for 手抓餅.
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Differences between 摔，落 and 掉
The 3 words all have a meaning of fall but what are the differences between the 3 of them?
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Abbreviations for Parts of Speech
I learned in another thread (Chinese Dictionary Question) that 助, 形 are abbreviated forms of 助动词, 形容词.
Is there a reference, online or in print, that lists all parts of speech and their corresponding ...
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Chinese Dictionary Question
What do the characters in angle brackets signify?
Examples:
http://www.zdic.net/z/15/xs/4E48.htm
"〈后缀〉" "〈助〉"
http://www.zdic.net/z/16/xs/54C1.htm
"〈形〉" "〈名〉" "〈动〉"
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1answer
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Curious about different ways of swearing in Mandarin
I'm not sure if this is considered an appropriate conversation or question but I've had conversations with Cantonese speakers before who've mentioned that it's so easy to swear in Cantonese, but there ...
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when is the suffix 边/面 required?
I have learnt location words such as 上/下/前/后etc. and understand they can modify a noun such as -桌子上，宿舍前 . I also know the suffix 边 or 面 can be added (doesn't really change the meaning). When do i need ...
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'To revise for an exam' idiom
In English, its natural to say the following sentence:
'I will revise for my exam.'
In the above case, it could be argued that the word 'for' is being used as an idiom since you are revising for ...
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Identify Mandarin word - “kiāng”
Have seen this word in video comments and cannot find a reference for it anywhere??
Some details:
Always rendered in zhuyin (ㄎㄧㄤ) even in otherwise ideographic text
Doesn't appear to be a native ...
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1answer
225 views
Which is better, 其他所有 or 所有其他？
其他所有 or 所有其他，which word order is more natural and ”合乎中文的习惯” ？
For example, as in 其他所有内容 or 所有其他内容， 其他所有人 or 所有其他人， etc.
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How do I use 着呢 correctly?
So 着呢, from the book I am currently studying (汉语教程) says it uses it at the end of a sentence to express “very”. However, my teacher said this is incorrect and said 着呢 is used to express something is ...
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4answers
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What is 了 doing in the sentence 我出发了?
Consider the sentence
我出发了。
with the translation
I'm leaving.
This was given to me in a list of examples demonstrating the putting 了 after a verb expresses a completed action (perfect aspect, I ...
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Difference between 很 and 挺
As far as I know, both means “very”. I would like to know if there are any further differences that exist between them
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Using phrase 打不死
I recently encountered 打不死 as the title of a column in a US Chinese language newspaper. Asking my Chinese language teacher, she gave the literal translation of "beaten but not dead", meaning something ...
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3answers
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Difference between 厉害 and 利害
I see they have the same pronunciation but does they bear any differences. It seems like 利害 can be pronounced lìhài or lìhai while 厉害 can only be pronounced lìhai.
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Why 你在笑什么？, why not 你笑在什么？
In English, you say
What are you laughing at?
I'm laughing at this situation.
Here, the preposition "at" refers to "this situation" and "what", respectively. In German it's more clear, since the ...
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The difference between 规范，规则，规章，规矩，规定，规律
After seeing in class these words (规定，规律，规范，规矩，规章）, I’m in trouble to recognize the difference between them. I’m aware that some are used for country law, some for rules in society etc but I need a ...
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What's the difference between 逼, 迫, and 逼迫? Do they all carry the same connotation of “to force?”
1) 逼, 迫, and 逼迫 all seem to mean "to force." Is there a difference?
2) If there's a difference, when should you use each one?
3) Which is the most common to use in speaking and writing?
4) Is there ...
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3answers
140 views
Difference between 必 and 一定
Both words kinda mean “must, necessarily, certainly”. Can someone explain the differences between the two?
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Proper Way to Address a President in a Formal Letter
I am supposed to write a formal letter in Chinese addressing a president concerning the rise of hunger in the country. I am not sure how to address someone in the said position but I have knowledge ...
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Is 受得了 the Mandarin equivalent of 頂得住 in Cantonese?
Is 受得了 the Mandarin equivalent of 頂得住 (cannot stand this) in Cantonese?
If not, what is?
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Understanding how to use 以後
This grammar article says 以後 must modify some time, action, or event.
However, one of the examples is: 以后再也不来这里吃饭了，又贵又难吃.
1) In the above example, 以後 starts the sentence and modifies nothing. Why is ...
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Why is 就 needed in 美國國務院稱華府仍未就卡舒吉案下定論? If it's needed, shouldn't it precede 仍未?
This news article contains the following title: 美國國務院稱華府仍未就卡舒吉案下定論
1) Why is the 就 needed? If it's needed, shouldn't it precede 仍未?
2) Is 仍 the literary version of 還？ In other words, if you were to ...
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Asking close friends what they like as souvenirs/gifts
I want to ask close friends (both in Cantonese and Mandarin) what they'd like for souvenirs.
“What/do you like anything from (Japan)?”
How do I say this in both languages?
Thanks
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How do non-Mandarin speakers type Standard Chinese Writing System?
As far as I know, people in Hong Kong speak Cantonese but use Mandarin when writing official documents or homework using Mandarin. 粤语白话字 is not allowed in such cases.
How does this work? Does this ...
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Grammar for 看來妳忘了發一個訊息。還是妳有用一些避忌的說話所以中國政府阻擋的
This message was not understood by a friend:
看來妳忘了發一個訊息。還是妳有用一些避忌的說話所以中國政府阻擋的。
The goal was to say this:
It looks like you forgot to send a message. Or else you used some taboo words blocked by the ...
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Best translation for “confused”: 迷惑，困惑，弄混，搞亂，搞混？
This page lists multiple entries for confused:
https://www.yellowbridge.com/chinese/dictionary.php
What's the best translation for confused in these contexts:
1) English: "What you just said ...
