Questions tagged [mandarin]
Question specifically about the Mandarin dialect. (Not for arbitrary questions that happen to involve Mandarin.)
623
questions
0
votes
2answers
115 views
What is the difference between 碰，触，碰触 and 触碰
difference between 碰，触，碰触 and 触碰？The dictionary differences are not clear.
Thanks!
1
vote
1answer
127 views
Who knows the most number of characters in Chinese?
I am mainly just curious as to the answer. And it would be interesting to hear if it is different for simplified and traditional.
I know there are 80,000+ characters and most native speakers will ...
1
vote
4answers
77 views
Phrase or idiom for “vocal minority”
How do you say "vocal minority" in Chinese? Specifially, in Mandarin?
0
votes
1answer
83 views
How do you answer the following question when someone asks: 我想认识一个美国朋友，你给我介绍一下，可以吗？
我想认识一个美国朋友，你给我介绍一下，可以吗？
My Chinese teacher asked me the question above ^. Am I supposed to say:
这是我的中国老师, 王朋.
or
这是我的美国朋友, Rodger Smith.
Basically, should I be introducing my Chinese teacher who ...
0
votes
1answer
87 views
Help with expanding on a Chinese character's name (in headcanon)
(To clarify: I'm a white American, trying to make fanlore for a canonically Chinese character from a Korean game. There's several different levels of possible lost-in-translation here. If you need any ...
0
votes
2answers
114 views
How can I answer the question “你什么时候开始学中文的?”
How can I answer the question "你什么时候开始学中文的?"
I cannot answer the "什么时候" questions. Can anybody help me please?
2
votes
2answers
92 views
呢 meaning “where”, is it possible?
Is it true that 呢 can mean "WHERE"??? If so, then what is the difference between 呢 and 哪儿???
I've seen those sentences and they made me wonder:
"我的杯子在哪儿? - where is my cup?" and &...
0
votes
1answer
42 views
Air quality meter name
I have an air quality detector meter.
It has the name of the manufactures written on the bottom.
What's the english translation?
Does this manufacturer have a web page?
Thanks
EDIT:
In the web page ...
2
votes
1answer
112 views
Month-on-month and Quarter-on-Quarter
I know that 同比 is “year over year”, while 環比 is “month over month”, but can also mean “quarter over quarter”. In reality, the latter is used to compare two different periods. Therefore, if one says 環比,...
0
votes
1answer
57 views
What are some popular Engish songs that have Mandarin translations?
I know a few like:
Perfect by Sophie Chen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjKumvgMy7s
Call Me Maybe by Dawen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grWp1KzmTYM
Are there any others?
2
votes
3answers
716 views
Does 没有办法 have the same idiomatic meaning in Chinese that “No way” does in English?
"No way" in English has a couple of meanings.
Like, it can be used to express surprise. Does 没有办法 also carry some idiomatic meanings?
1
vote
1answer
71 views
How do I ecourage my spouse, in Mandarin, to fly free in her job, and assure here we are supporting her and welcoming her home
My spouse just landed their dream job! They start next week and I am going to celebrate their first day.
Their dream is to be able to fly free, and high and to always be welcomed home in a warm and ...
3
votes
3answers
353 views
What’s the difference between 吃上饭 and 吃下饭?
I think one means it hasn’t happened yet and the other means it’s already happened, but I don’t really understand what that means when trying to translate into English or when trying to think of it in ...
4
votes
2answers
149 views
Are there any multi-syllabic words in Chinese without a glottal stop?
Are there any words in Chinese of 2 more syllables where there isn't a glottal stop between the syllables such that each syllable is not pronounced clearly, that a final consonant and initial ...
1
vote
2answers
130 views
What does “我牛起来” mean?
I know what each of the characters mean, but I'm confuse on how to put it into a sentence.
我 - I
牛 - ox
起来 - up
1
vote
1answer
55 views
Can someone translate what is written in this photo please?
Please i need help translating this into english. I have no idea what it says.
0
votes
3answers
81 views
How to discuss preferences / ask which do you prefer in Mandarin
How does one discuss preferences/ask what someone prefers out of a series of options?
Do you just list each option followed by 好不好？
Thanks
1
vote
1answer
96 views
what does 上疾 mean in this sentence (她在网球场上疾如闪电。)
I have the sentence 她在网球场上疾如闪电。I know that it means "she is as quick as lightning on the tennis court" What role does 上疾 have in the sentence it clearly doesn't mean, on disease!
Are there ...
2
votes
4answers
128 views
What is the difference between 没 and 不 when used with 又?
What's the difference between these sentences:
他又没来上课
他又不来上课()
Here: https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22again%22_in_the_past_with_%22you%22#Negative_Form
it says both 没 ...
3
votes
1answer
94 views
What tone for retroflex r?
The retroflex r is not the consonant r in a word (pinyin) like in 人 rén.
The retroflex is added as a suffix in the Beijing area, or as a diminutive suffix.
Would it be pronounced with the second tone,...
0
votes
2answers
73 views
Is 摆有 a word in MSM?
桌上摆有一卷书
(source: example sentence in a publicly available flashcard deck - no other context provided).
None of the 40+ dictionaries I consulted carry this lemma, and google offers precious little too....
1
vote
1answer
115 views
Chinese-characters learning software for Ubuntu (Linux)
I am looking for a software that shows a Chinese alphabet/word on my desktop with its pinyin and meaning in English, and each day it will give a different word.
Since I am using a Linux (Ubuntu 18.04) ...
0
votes
3answers
112 views
Hello! Can someone please translate: 'My Little Ghost' to Chinese?
I'm creating a story with this title and the setting I'm supposed to have is in ancient China. It would be helpful if you can show me how it is spelled and if the translated version sounds more like ...
0
votes
1answer
88 views
There is this song that I can't find the Pinyin lyrics to on Youtube
Can someone help me find it please? This is just copied and pasted from what should be the songs title 凌震 尤金 多看一眼
1
vote
3answers
345 views
Exactly how bad is it to call a family member by their given name?
I hear it is taboo to call any family member by their given name, especially if you are speaking to an older relative. Or if not taboo, then at the very least it is extremely rude. Do people ever call ...
0
votes
1answer
68 views
How to say financial trader in Mandarin?
How does one say "trader" in Mandarin. I am meaning a financial trader who invests in the stock market. Would it be 股民？
谢谢
1
vote
1answer
85 views
How to say “What was your favourite subject” and “tell me something interesting about you”
I want to know how to say "What was your favourite subject" (i.e. school subject when younger) and "tell me something interesting about you" in Mandarin.
Would it be something like:...
0
votes
1answer
106 views
Can someone translate these lyrics in English?
爱恨廉价 似苍苍蒹葭
苦艾后劲 皆贪共与他
望光亮 两世皆行走潇洒
破万枷 散馀霞 众相皆渡他
Ref 众相渡他·2020肖战生贺原创曲
I used Google Translate and a dictionary to find the meaning, but it doesn't make sense.
4
votes
2answers
116 views
In a 还是 question, do I need to repeat the verb?
I'm learning Chinese from a book, and there are some examples regarding the use of 还是. In some cases, the verb is repeated, like in 你喝茶还是喝咖啡？ (note the two 喝 here). In other places, the second ...
3
votes
1answer
119 views
Are there any Mandarin dialects with three tones?
有只有三个声调的官话方言吗？东干语有四个音素的声调，但是在没有变调的上下文只有三个不同的声调, 例如在短语的末尾。有没有在每个上下文都用三个声调的方言？
Are there any Mandarin dialects with three tones? Standard Dungan has four phonemic tones, but only has three in contexts ...
2
votes
2answers
145 views
Translating as Past or Present tense
I am translating an excerpt of a Chinese short story. In general, do any indicators in Chinese grammar exist that would require the usage of past tense (in English) instead of present tense? In this ...
2
votes
1answer
71 views
What are some examples of stative -le and iterative aspect in Mandarin?
I'm a graduate student studying how bilinguals interpret certain aspectual expressions in Mandarin. I'm currently preparing all of my stimuli, but I'm hoping for some help from native speakers since I'...
0
votes
1answer
87 views
Usage of negation 没 with 在 and 着 particle?
Hello I start learning Chinese since not long, after I fell in love with the Expanse book series. (Chinese explorers are one of the first to colonise Mars planet).
I studied that 在 and 着 are particles ...
1
vote
3answers
66 views
How to say “can/can’t use” in Chinese?
How can I say “my wechat is not working, I can only use alipay.”
Is this right?
我的微信坏了， 我只用支付宝。
I wanted to know what are the other ways to say can or can’t use?
0
votes
2answers
108 views
2
votes
4answers
129 views
How to say “free yourself” in Mandarin"?
I'm going to do a tattoo, so I'd like to know how to write "free yourself" in mandarin; I'd like to write it in mandarin, first because I'm a mandarin student, so I'll know how to read it ...
-2
votes
2answers
408 views
Hokkien name to Mandarin
A friend of mine has a Hokkien name of 'eng leng' (leng is long and means dragon). However, I have no idea of this 'eng'. This name was given by her ancestor who is really passed. So I am helpless ...
9
votes
1answer
267 views
How did Middle Chinese “hæwk” evolve into Mandarin “xué”?
So I was wondering why the on'yomi reading of Japanese 学 was "gaku" and the Korean reading of 學 was "hak", since I knew that in Mandarin, 学 was "xué", which is radically ...
0
votes
4answers
198 views
Which one is correct? 他们是我的老师们/他们是我的老师
家好
请问一下，这些句子哪个对，哪个不对 ?
Which one is correct and which one is wrong?
他们是我的老师们 (两个以上的老师)
他们是我的老师 (两个以上的老师)
他们是我老师们 (两个以上的老师)
他们是我老师 (两个以上的老师)
他们是我的朋友们 (两个以上的老师)
他们是我的朋友 (两个以上的老师)
他们是我朋友们 (两个以上的老师)...
0
votes
2answers
770 views
Which one is correct? 给我打电话/打电话给我
can you help me which one is correct and which one is wrong?
你给我打个电话
你给我打电话
你给我电话
你打给我个电话
你打给我电话
你打电话给我
Thank you.
2
votes
1answer
260 views
Besides the radical, what meaning does the rest of a Chinese character have (especially when it was originally created)?
I am a beginning student of Mandarin Chinese. There is a key thing about Chinese characters that I am trying to understand. Besides the radical, what purpose does the rest of a character have? Was it ...
2
votes
4answers
552 views
How do you refer to multiple people with the same surname?
I was wondering if Chinese people ever get confused addressing multiple people with the same last name.
For example, let's say you are at a gathering and you meet many people who are from the same ...
2
votes
1answer
104 views
Is “就快下雨了” correct Mandarin?
I've been watching Peppa Pig to improve my Mandarin, but here at 1:59, the mama pig says “就快下雨了” meaning to say that it will rain soon. However I thought that the phrase "就快" was Cantonese ...
2
votes
1answer
81 views
Is it normal to not use abbreviation for titles in Mainland China?
I notice people in mainland China use abbreviation for almost all titles.
Example:
習總裁 --> 习总
郎(平)教練 --> 郎教
任隊長 --> 任隊
This kind of abbreviation even appears in Hong Kong's TV dramas.
...
1
vote
3answers
151 views
Is this a valid riddle in Mandarin?
I came up with this 看图猜謎 based on Cantonese jyutping. Is it a valid riddle in Mandarin?
猜一句詩 (guess a verse in a poem)
Answer:
3
votes
3answers
1k views
Does Chinese require more context to avoid ambiguities than English?
After some time learning Chinese, I feel Chinese language is more ambiguous than English or Spanish, in the sense that a single sentence without some context can easily have multiple distinct meanings,...
-1
votes
1answer
68 views
Resources for Chinese in formal situations [closed]
I am looking for a comprehensive guide of formal Chinese for business emails, memos, laws, newspapers, etc. I am aware that some sentence patterns are only used in a formal context. For example, ....均....
0
votes
2answers
99 views
How would I say 'what …' in Mandarin
I think the French ce qui/que says it better. This is what I mean:
I do what I want. (Je fais ce que je veux, in French)
How would the 'what' be translated?
1
vote
3answers
60 views
“Still better than” informal translation — X 还是比 Y 好 abbreviation
I want to say "X is still better than Y :)" in a kind of joking/offhand manner. This is just a simple text message, so I would further like to abbreviate it like: "still better than Y :)"
My ...
1
vote
1answer
187 views
Is there a difference between 夂 and 夊, radicals 34 and 35 and 攵, Kangxi 66?
The excellent Olle Linge asked the similar question "Is there a difference between 夂 and 夊?" about seven years ago. The learned answers at that time missed the fact that 攵 appears more commonly in ...
