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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Could you please correct my sentences?
Could you please correct my text ?
虽然我会说一口流利的法语，但是我想说一口流利的汉语。
我的职业 是律师。
律师 的责任很大，因为他必须解决严重得实情。然后压力大。
可是在巴黎 律师逐渐增加。 因此招聘越来越少。
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65 views
What to use when referring to the character 格
In Chinese, you can use 博士的博 to indicate the character 博 instead of other bó. Like a for apple or b for baby.
What about for the character 格, what do most Chinese people commonly use in practice to ...
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1answer
59 views
Mandarin Chinese Alphanumerical Ordering
I'm attempting to create a small, multi-lingual multiplayer game that uses a single-character alphanumerical ordering system. For example, the player's rank would start at their language's first ...
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1answer
54 views
Is “光轮” for “Nimbus” as in “Nimbus 2000 broomstick” just a transliteration?
In a translation of the second Harry Potter book:
"All Harry's spellbooks, wand, cauldron and top-of-the-range Nimbus 2000 broomstick had been locked in a cupboard under the stairs by Uncle Vernon ...
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3answers
111 views
Do many Taiwanese self identify as Mandarin speakers and if not, why?
I was chatting with a Taiwanese student the other day and asked him what language they speak there. He just answered "Chinese" and didn't know about a dialect or variant of Mandarin. Even the words ...
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47 views
Why is Cristiano Ronaldo Known as C罗 in Chinese? [duplicate]
The 2018 FIFA World Cup is the 21st FIFA World Cup is an international football tournament contested by the men’s national teams of the member associations of FIFA once every four years. It is ongoing ...
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4answers
118 views
你 vs. 妳 for second person
When writing to a female, is it appropriate to use 妳 for “you”?
Could it be misunderstood as a reference to breasts or milk?
Example:
我见过你面带笑容，我见过你面带愁容。
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2answers
87 views
How to say, “Could you please move over?” (Cantonese and Mandarin)
Assume Bob is sitting on the couch.
In Mandarin, how would Alice politely ask Bob to move over and make room for her?
Is this different for Cantonese?
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1answer
55 views
Question about the use of “零” in money
If I spent 100.50, would I have to say, "一百块零五毛" if yes, why do I have to put the "ling" after the "kuai" since "yibaikuai" already establishes the number 100?
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2answers
105 views
Question words at the end or beginning? Shei (very confusing)
So far, question words in Chinese have always appeared at the end.. but with "shei" I saw sentences like "Shei shi nide baba?" So it can be used at the start or end of a sentence? We could say, "Nide ...
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94 views
Where are you? What are you doing?
So I translated it like: "Ni zai nar? Ni zuo shenme?" But I found "Ni zai zuo shenme?" online... How is it zai zuo (in + to do)??? And is it correct if I just say zuo (to do)?? Does it express the ...
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2answers
54 views
How can I improve my translation?
拥有豪华的住宅和一批在菲律宾。 开放的外国护照持有人。 拥有您梦寐以求的房子在该国的，而不仅仅是一座公寓式的！
ENGLISH
Own luxurious house and lot in the Philippines. Open for Foreign passport holders. Own you dream house in the country and not just ...
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85 views
How do you say “Where is Beijing?”
In Chinese will we say, "Beijing zai nār/nali?". Because I just learned to say, "Lundun zai Ying Guo." Plus, "Where is your home?" is, "Nide jia zai nar?" So using these rules, is it acceptable?
...
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3answers
66 views
Are they in Britain?
In Chinese it will be "Tamen zai ying guo ma?" But I studied that we use shi to connect nouns, so can we also say: Tamen "shi" zai ying guo ma? Is it also grammatically correct?
It's just easier for ...
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2answers
54 views
Difference between “游泳” and “游水”
I've been learning with a course, and one of the lessons said: 这个男人在游泳, but the same sentence with a dog was: 这只狗在游水.
I presume that both were doing the same thing: swimming. So, can I use 游泳 with ...
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2answers
53 views
What are these Chinese character stamps?
I found these stamps in an old book, what are they I can hardly make them out? And what do they mean.
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4answers
138 views
“How are you this morning” in Chinese?
Is "Ni jin tian zao shang zen me yang?（你今天早上怎麼樣？）" ok?
Can we also say, "Ni zhe ge zao shang zen me yang? （你這個早上怎麼樣？）" Cux we do say, "Ni zhe ge xing qi zen me yang? （你這個星期怎麼樣？）" for how are you ...
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2answers
81 views
Mandarin: tongue placement when pronouncing ü words like 學 and 去 that begin with q, x, j?
Many Mandarin pronunciation guides suggest pronouncing the ü vowel with a tense tongue in mid-mouth as when pronouncing the "yi" sound.
However, for words starting with q, j, x, many sites suggest ...
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4answers
69 views
Natural translation for “Everything worth doing requires self-discipline and effort”
What would be the most natural way to say, "Everything worth doing requires self-discipline and effort?"
每個值得的事情都需要磨練和努力 feels like English crammed into Chinese.
Would 每件值得的事都需要磨練和努力 be better？
1) ...
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0answers
26 views
Which is correct: 一 (yao1) or 幺 (yao1)? [duplicate]
In many sources I have come across the explanation that 一 is pronounced yao1 instead of yi1 when used in things like telephone numbers. For example, my HSK textbooks use 一 (yao1), and I have seen it ...
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3answers
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“Aren't you both also Americans” in Chinese ?
Nǐmen dōu ye bù shì měi guó rén ma?
Is it correct? I am comfortable with this word order. Is it acceptable?
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634 views
Jin tian ji hao?
I learnt to ask weekday as, "Jin tian xing qi ji?" With an optional "shi" after jin tian. So I want to know if the shi in "Jin tian shi ji hao?" is also optional. Also, can I say, "Jin tian ji ri?" ...
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4answers
85 views
Mandarin equivalent to 話事?
In Cantonese, people often say 話事 to indicate someone is "the boss" (e.g., 你話事) or can decide some matter (e.g., what to eat, what to watch).
This page says the Mandarin equivalent is 作主, but 作主 ...
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5answers
171 views
Duoshao vs shenme
Is it ok to ask,
"Nide dianhua haoma shi shenme?" (What is your telephone number)
Or do I have to say,
"Nide dianhua haoma shi duoshao?" which is the translation on duolingo.
Also,
Can I just say,
...
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2answers
72 views
Is the position of 都 in a sentence important？ (example inside)
In this instance i'm trying to communicate "every" or "each"
What do you usually do on weekends?
你週末通常都做什麼
Vs
你週末都通常做什麼
Is there a meaningful difference in the position in this sentence? or is ...
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What is the word to emphasize the 最~ (“by far the best”) in Mandarin?
I would like to know an equivalent word for "by far" in Mandarin, when it comes to the superlative degree (最～）.
For example:
有的人之所以不吃早餐是大概为三种理由而划分了。第一个是来不及，第二个是减肥，而第三个是很麻烦。但是第一个理由是最多的。
In this ...
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What Chinese languages are spoken in South East Asia?
With the abundance of immigration and emigration in Asia it would be interesting to know where the Chinese languages moved to as well.
The effect of Chinese characters on Japan and Korea goes ...
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1answer
74 views
Where can I find a list of chinese characters and their transcription in the 5 stroke classes used in the 五笔画 (wǔ bǐhuà) and Wubixing input method?
For a personal project I want to create a (huge) graph that contains some (as many as possible) chinese characters along the paths of their corresponding keyboard input using the 5 stroke classes ...
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3answers
121 views
Why does 他没看书 use 没 and not 不 in this dialogue?
I was reviewing some old Anki cards that I created from HSK Standard Course 1 by Jiang Liping and I came across this dialogue:
A: 喂你在做什么呢
B: 我在看书呢
A: 大卫也在看书吗
B: 他没看书。他在学做中国菜呢
A: Hello, what are you ...
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382 views
Is 个 acceptable for all nouns?
My Chinese teacher says she doesn't care. But for future reference, is 个 acceptable as a measure word for all nouns?
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52 views
Correct grammar for “While speaking Cantontese with my mom, I accidentally said one half of a sentence in Mandarin and the other half in Cantonese.”?
The goal is to translate the following:
Mandarin has sure enough affected my Cantonese. "While speaking
Cantontese with my mom, I accidentally said one half of a sentence in
Mandarin and the ...
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5answers
151 views
What does 老外 mean if the Chinese speaker is in a foreign country?
In the following answer over 知乎 to the question 在西班牙生活是怎样的体验?:
8-中西文化差别很大，前几天，我废了好多力气去解释什么是mianzi，还有因为文化差距，也很难跟老外走的很近，大部分都是中国人跟中国人，老外跟老外。老外很喜欢夜店，迪厅，什么的，答主还是不喜欢这些。这里karaoke 都是中国人开的，打不过的顾客也是中国人
I ...
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Is it acceptable to omit the main clause in 只要～ phrase?
Is the following sentence over 人民網:
朝鲜最高领导人金正恩在20日举行的劳动党中央委员会第七届第三次全体会议上宣布，朝鲜将从21日开始，不再进行任何核试验和洲际弹道导弹发射，废弃朝鲜北部核试验场。只要朝鲜不受核威胁挑衅，朝鲜绝对不使用核武器，不泄露核武器和核技术。
When you use 只要～, it needs a main clause, ...
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What does 的 mean in 表示对某人某事的亲近和关心?
In the following sentence which explains the usage of ～长～短 phrase:
中间嵌入两个相同的名词，表示对某人某事的亲近和关心。
I don't understand what the 的 here means. Does it refer to "of ~" but what should be after 的 is ...
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Using those characters only/with out adding, replacing, or removing is my sentence structure and grammar correct?
Can someone please help me? I suck at forming sentences in Chinese. I know if I practice I would get better but I have no one to check if my sentence structure is correct. Hopefully, it is!
一）...
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How to say, “Let's test your sense of direction. How do we get to the car from here?”
Would the following be the appropriate translation for "Let's test your sense of direction. How do we get to the car from here?"
It feels awkward, like English grammar forced into Chinese grammar. :)
...
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1answer
84 views
Is the pinyin of 「操」in「情操」and「步操」the same in Mandarin？
Originally posted at http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/phorum/read.php?4,130404
由細到大，自己同身邊嘅人都將「劉備」個「備」字讀成與(比)字同音
而「曹操」個「操」字就讀成與(粗)字同音
但最近睇港版，『三國 』(2013)
「劉備」個「備」字讀成「預備」個「備」
而「曹操」個「操」字就讀成「...
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Usage of 的要 in this sentence
I am having difficulty understanding how 的要 is being used in the second sentence
頭髮太長囉
該剪的要剪一剪了
The first sentence makes sense,
[Your] hair [is] too long
However I don't understand at all how 的 ...
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2answers
108 views
Mandarin equivalent of 轉行 (zyun3 hong4), which means to switch industries?
In Cantonese, you often say 轉行 (zyun3 hong4) to say "switch industries". What's the Mandarin equivalent?
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68 views
When should I use 地 on an adjective and when not as an use for adverb (and why do some adverbs require 地)?
I got quite confused these days with the grammar rule that adds 地 to an adjective to make it work as an adverb. My basic understanding is that you must add 地 to make an adjective work as an adverb, ...
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1answer
53 views
Difference between 大兄弟 and 小伙子
Difference between 大兄弟 and 小伙子.
Under which condition should we use one of them?
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2answers
98 views
Why is Húnán pronounced with an F?
I traveled to Hunan province and stumbled across something interesting.
I was speaking to a taxi driver and asked him, 'where are you from'? He responded, 'Funan'. I then realized he actually meant '...
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2answers
63 views
Usage of 與 in this sentence
I was curious about this sentence:
對我來說她的存在是與現實之間的邊界綫
I don't quite understand the meaning of 與
The dictionary I use gives the following definitions:
與 yú variant of 歟|欤
與 yǔ and; to ...
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3answers
62 views
招待人 for “host” of guests or visitors (e.g., our “host” was kind)?
主持人 means the host of a show or event.
What is the right word for someone who entertains or hosts guests? 招待人？
For instance, assume this sentence:
Alice thought Bob was a kind and hospitable host.
...
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1answer
83 views
Can you say "好久不看“ in written conversation?
大家好,
I know the expression "好久不见". In written conversation (chatting to Chinese people I have never met in person but am regularly chatting with), is it possible to use "好久不看" (~"long time no read")? ...
2
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1answer
52 views
Mandarin dialect pronouncing sizzling consonants differently
Sometimes when people speak Chinese they pronounce "zh" more like "z", "ch" like "c", "sh" more like "s", etc. In other respects (sentence structure, words), it seems to be proper mandarin. An example ...
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2answers
123 views
Is there any proof that learning ones own dialect will improve ability in Mandarin?
There were many topolectical surveys done and data collected in the 70’s and 80’s under the reasoning that a person more familiar with their own dialect would be readily more proficient at Mandarin.
...
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1answer
51 views
Meaning of 祝愿 as wishing or congratulating
I wrote 哇，祝愿碰运气，能碰上这个组啊. By this I meant I wish I can be lucky and end up in that group. I am worried it will be taken as congratulations on you being lucky ending up in that group (which sounds like "...
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1answer
105 views
What is the difference between 妳 (nǐ) and 他 (tā)
Wiktionary gives the meaning "you" for the character 妳 (nǐ), and tā (either 他 or 她).
Is there a formal / informal difference? Which should I prefer in general usage?
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2answers
203 views
How to say “small cat”, when 小猫 is “kitten”?
I would like advice on how to properly say phrases like
"little kitten", "small cat". While I can say "小猫", as I understand it that either means "kitten", or is ambiguous. And to me saying "小小猫" seems ...
