Questions tagged [phrase]
A phrase is a group of words that form a single unit in the syntax of a sentence.
235
questions
2
votes
1
answer
85
views
Why “to drink water” in Shanghainese is 吃茶?
While listening to two people speaking Shanghainese （沪语）I realized that they have two different ways to say “water”.
Based on the pronunciation I heard:
the first is /sɨ/ similar to 死 in Mandarin, ...
- 5,432
0
votes
1
answer
39
views
Keeping up with the Joneses
What is the best Chinese proverb or translation that would best capture the meaning of the English idiom "Keeping up with the Joneses"?
- 125
0
votes
1
answer
59
views
感同身受 English equivalent
As the question says, Im wondering if this 成語 has an English version.
The best I could come up with is "I feel you" in English, but I feel the Chinese version has a deeper meaning. Any ...
user31212
1
vote
1
answer
88
views
Word order and such for saying complex phrases without verbs in Chinese?
I am starting to understand how to say basic noun phrases and such in Chinese, and have seen this article on Chinese word order, showing word order with verb being something like:
But how do you ...
- 1,132
3
votes
2
answers
88
views
How to say complex adjective/noun phrase in Chinese
I am learning about de in Chinese a little, 的 (de) vs. 得 (de) vs. 地 (de).
Noun + 的 + Noun
Attribute + 的 + Noun
Verb + 得 + State
Adj + 地 + Verb
Adj + 地 + Adj
So combining all of these together, how ...
- 1,132
-1
votes
1
answer
105
views
How does Chinese handle the -ing and -ed in common names, like "Black-bellied whistling duck"?
After learning some more about how Chinese generally handles -ed and -ing from English, I am still confused as to how it deals with -ed and -ing (and even -er) in common names of things. Like these ...
- 1,132
2
votes
2
answers
72
views
Which makes more sense when calling myself a fool / foolish?
A girl that I like frequently calls me 笨蛋. I want to confess my feelings to her and wasn't sure if saying 我知道我很笨蛋。 or 我知道我是笨蛋。makes more sense gramatically.
- 21
2
votes
2
answers
61
views
Whats the difference between 客户反馈 vs 客户评论 vs 用户评论?
Trying to say "customer reviews" in Mandarin but don't know what the correct term is for online course student/user reviews. Please help!
- 21
4
votes
1
answer
523
views
What do people in Hong Kong say when you are approaching a counter to buy something?
I've often found myself at the typical 7/11 waiting in line to ring out, and almost every time the cashier will say something right before I am to purchase. It sounds something like "lao wei"...
user31212
2
votes
4
answers
120
views
How should I understand 我可活什么劲?
双腿瘫痪后，我的脾气变得暴怒无常。望着望着天上北归的雁阵，我会突然把面前的玻璃砸碎；听着听着李谷一甜美的歌声，我会猛地把手边的东西摔向四周的墙壁。母亲就悄悄地躲出去，在我看不见的地方偷偷地听着我的动静。当一切恢复沉寂，她又悄悄地进来，眼边红红的，看着我。“听说北海的花儿都开了，我推着你去走走。”她总是这么说。母亲喜欢花，可自从我的腿瘫痪后，她侍弄的那些花都死了。“不，我不去！”...
- 14.9k
1
vote
2
answers
165
views
meaning of the phrase 听你的 and purpose of 的
What does it mean to say 听你的 when someone tells you to do something. And what is the purpose of 的 in this structure?
- 1,261
1
vote
3
answers
160
views
What does 折腾 mean in this context?
I've been trying to translate two sentences for days but cannot find a suitable English word to translate 折腾.
Here's the context:
以前有段时间，他很喜欢养花，开始折腾各种盆栽。
Because of this, I also cannot translate the ...
4
votes
3
answers
423
views
Usage: ”没关系“ vs ”没问题”
What are the fundamental differences between ”没关系” and ”没问题“ in usage and meaning? I know they both could be translated as a colloquial “no problem”, but how do they differ in usage?
- 171
1
vote
5
answers
183
views
What is the most polite way to say "I beg your pardon"?
Say you are talking to an emperor (or anyone with high social status), what is the most polite way to say "I beg your pardon" in Chinese?
- 1,985
0
votes
2
answers
107
views
Chinese phrase meaning 钓到凯子了
I am still reading a Chinese book and found something I cannot translate. Possible you can help me. Thanks in advance. The phrase: "钓到凯子了".
P.S. thanks all helped me last time.
- 5
1
vote
1
answer
84
views
How to say “All right” in Chinese using 好
The word 好！ in Chinese is used to say "All right" and "OK". But I often see some other suffixes with it. So far, I have noticed the following versions:
a) 好！
b) 好啊！
c) 好的！
d) 好吧！
e)...
- 1,261
0
votes
4
answers
246
views
When do people say 祝你工作快乐?
What does 祝你工作快乐 mean in Chinese and when do people use this phrase?
I googled it, but I couldn't find out when it is used.
- 1,261
0
votes
5
answers
194
views
How do I interpret 者 in 如是者有年，一日偶然…?
我自读书识字以来，就想为英雄豪杰，求之四书五经，茫无所得，求之诸子百家，与夫廿四史，仍无所得，以为古之为英雄豪杰者，必有不传之秘，不过吾人生性愚鲁，寻他不出罢了。穷索冥搜，忘寝废食，如是者有年，一日偶然想起三国时几个人物，不觉恍然大悟曰：得之矣，得之矣，古之为英雄豪杰者，不过面厚心黑而已。
李宗学，厚黑学全集，p.21. (photo)
I don't understand 如是者有年 ...
- 14.9k
2
votes
2
answers
124
views
Is it possible to topicalize quantifiers in Chinese?
So I know you can topicalize proper names, you could say something like 小明，我喜欢他。or something like 书，我买了。
I want to ask if you can do the same for quantifiers - 很少人，很多人，每个人，没有人 for example.
- 49
2
votes
2
answers
200
views
What does 丑八怪 mean?
I have a gaming group in which this term "丑八怪" is being used a lot along with the 眼皮底下, anyway all the letters look similar.
0
votes
5
answers
94
views
What literary device would we associate with the aforementioned Chinese old fashioned way of greeting? ( (Chī le ma) ? )
Credit Reference: http://blog.tutorming.com/mandarin-chinese-learning-tips/why-do-chinese-people-ask-have-you-eaten
"吃了吗 (Chī le ma)?" (also "吃饭了吗 (chī fàn le ma)"
Many ...
- 101
1
vote
3
answers
254
views
Why don't Chinese people use 又紅又專 any more?
又紅又專 means being both socialist-minded and professionally competent and this phrase used to be popular in China. Since the People's Republic of China is still a socialist country, why don't people use ...
- 1,985
2
votes
2
answers
175
views
该讲不该讲 vs. 当讲不当讲
有句话不知该讲不该讲。 In 古代 dramas they used it quite a bit. But I have also heard the 当讲不当讲 version. It has always been in a situation where a lower ranking personnel was addressing a higher.
Are there any ...
- 489
0
votes
3
answers
100
views
Does this phrase 斩草除根 exist in dramas only?
So, I have been watching quite a bit of 古代 dramas。 I will say most if not all of them have the situation where this phrase comes up.
Does this phrase exist in the dramas only or did this actually ...
- 489
2
votes
4
answers
801
views
How would I say "change the laundry"?
I use the phrase "change the laundry" to mean "move the laundry from the washing machine to the dryer." I would like to know how to say this in Chinese.
I checked Pleco, and found ...
- 309
2
votes
1
answer
221
views
How to ask the other to speak shorter?
I talk with a voice assistant 小爱同学.
When I ask it: 今天是几号？
It answers: 今天是9月30号，周四，衣历辛丑年八月二十四。
It is difficult for me to understand this phrase.
I want a shorter answer: 今天是9月30号 or 30号 or 三十.
小爱同学 is ...
5
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Wo de ming zi SHI vs Wo de ming zi JIAO
I always thought that "wo de ming zi shi ..." is the only correct form but today I found (and also a quite a few hits on Google" "wo de ming zi jiao ...". Is the latter ...
- 217
1
vote
4
answers
296
views
What are the characters for "qiu qiu", which means: "check this out"
Regulars of this community might recognize me as the guy who asks for random phrases that I remember from my childhood, and this is another one that I can't find on Google Translate
The phrase is &...
- 670
1
vote
1
answer
73
views
Slogan 社会……方何 on a Maoist poster
What is the slogan, mostly obscured by the typist, on the poster that hangs behind him, on this poster from 1956?
Since the artist chose to obscure the poster, it must have been easily recognizable at ...
- 121
2
votes
4
answers
161
views
What's the most idiomatic translation of ". . . than you think"?
For example, how would one translate "this is harder than you think"? My initial thought would be something like 这个比你想更难, but I don't know whether that sounds idiomatic in Chinese
- 309
9
votes
4
answers
3k
views
The meaning of 感到鸭力
I am trying to understand, what is the true meaning of 感到鸭力 translated to English as to feel the duck power
As I noticed, it is often used in memes along with images expressing that feeling. But only ...
- 193
3
votes
4
answers
424
views
What does 敢于亮剑 mean?
I read this in a notice put on a wall that calls on all Party members in the neighborhood to 监督表率敢于亮剑 in the endeavor to make the city cleaner and tidier (looks like an inspection team from the higher ...
- 1,960
1
vote
5
answers
195
views
What does 大型纪录片 mean?
I only know about 大型设备 or 大型机械, but I saw a phrase 八集大型纪录片《强军》, but don't understand what 大型 means in this context.
If it means the long hour, it has only 8 episodes, and if it means the big size of ...
- 1,960
1
vote
5
answers
471
views
Precise meaning of 马到成功
So I just happened to watch a youtube video that has displayed in the background an artwork with horses and the phrase 马到成功.
Google Translate offered these: It's a success. Gain an immediate victory....
- 489
1
vote
4
answers
584
views
What does 一地鸡毛 mean?
I often meet the phrase in my reading of news reports, the latest one being 中超重新开赛在即，但仍然一地鸡毛. What does the writer imply?
- 1,960
1
vote
4
answers
326
views
What does 有情有义 mean?
情 could be passion, emotion, feeling, so 有情 is not hard to understand, but what about 有义？Meaning, intention, interest?
我对你有情有义= I have a good feeling and an interest in you?
In Hong Kong singer Alan ...
- 1,960
3
votes
7
answers
329
views
What does 汉学家 really mean?
According to its face value, 汉学家 should mean someone who has made great accomplishments in the research of subjects in relation to the Han people, like John King Fairbank （费正清）or even the former US ...
- 1,960
0
votes
4
answers
166
views
Is there a Chinese phrase equivalent to "difficult to eat"?
I wonder if there is a Chinese word or phrase equivalent to "difficult to eat" or "hard to eat".
For example, someone said that pomegranates and artichokes are among the 19 most ...
- 123
0
votes
3
answers
106
views
Immanuel Kant quote
Immanuel Kant once said something along the lines of ''You can judge a man's character by the way he treats animals''.
I can find many different versions/paraphrases of this quote in English online ...
- 1,976
1
vote
2
answers
73
views
How do the words 我主張制止不了就放任 piece together?
The phrase is: "我主張制止不了就放任".
Initially I tried to break the sentence and thought the translation would be something like:
(1) "In my viewpoint, if you can't stop it, just let it go&...
- 13
0
votes
2
answers
90
views
difference between 人缘儿 and 谈得来
What is the difference between these two words, or are they the same?
人缘儿 and 谈得来
Am I supposed to use them at different times?
- 109
1
vote
3
answers
254
views
How to ask in Chinese Mandarin: What do you want me to say?
When someone tells me to say something and I don't know what to say, I want to ask that person "What do you want me to say?"
How can I ask that question in Chinese Mandarin? Below is what I ...
- 589
2
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Why 他妈的 means (swear word)
Why 他妈的 means fuck
I just started learning Chinese and kinda understood why many combinations of character means that in English but here
ˋˋ<他><妈><的>ˋ ˋ<He><mother><...
- 55
0
votes
2
answers
138
views
Is there a common idiom equivalent to "tomato tomahto" in mandarin?
I'm being very nitpicky with a coworker (20s, first language is mandarin) and I'm trying to tease myself playfully by saying something along the lines of "tomato tomahto" in mandarin.
I'm ...
- 125
1
vote
4
answers
108
views
What four directions which are not described by 四处 are described by 八方?
I have a hunch about the difference between 八方 and 四处.
四处 includes north, south, west and east. 八方 includes these four + up, down, forward, backward.
Three questions:
Is my assumption correct?
Do ...
- 850
1
vote
2
answers
49
views
Is 令人 necessary in 最令人满意. vs 最满意
This came from a native speaker : 在广州生活最令人满意的是这一点.
But if I formed the sentence myself, it probably would not include 令人 as in 在广州生活最满意的是这一点.
Google translated both are the same.
So, would my ...
- 489
0
votes
3
answers
78
views
How to translate "engage in healthy behavior"?
The full sentence is
.... there are 40 building blocks every child needs to grow and
mature. And the more of these Assets a child has in her life, the more
likely she is to engage in healthy ...
- 223
1
vote
3
answers
241
views
“Are you up to the challenge? “ phrase
Let’s say I want to ask someone if he is up to the task (swimming in freezing temperature, climb the mountain, etc.)
Google Translate gives this 你准备好挑战了吗？ Is this correct?
- 489
0
votes
1
answer
104
views
How should I rewrite 我昨天卖了我的电脑给他 using 把 and 了?
The goal is to re-write the sentences using 把.
Example 1
那个字，他写错了。
Rewrite: 他把那个字写错了。
Example 2
你的学生证，你没有给我。
Rewrite: 你没有把你的学生证给我。
Question
我昨天卖了我的电脑给他。
Rewrite: ?
Should it be 我把我昨天卖了我的电脑给他? It ...
- 385
0
votes
2
answers
559
views
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Which of the following is better to use? Or it depends on the context of the conversation?
美在旁觀者的眼睛
情人眼里出西施
So just to clarify, I am looking for something generic as close to as possible to the ...
- 489