Questions tagged [phrase]
A phrase is a group of words that form a single unit in the syntax of a sentence.
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What does the phrase "这才是快给我住手" mean?
I just have a quick question about a phrase I've come across twice now, but I'm unsure of it's meaning exactly, I found it in this sentence:
「这才是快给我住手。我可没那个意思陪你去自杀喔」
I feel like it would translate ...
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Use of 书 or 书籍 for 'books'
I admit I was not familiar with the phrase 书籍, until I used Google translate now to translate 'I like reading all sorts of books' (of course, I take the Google translate translation with a pinch of ...
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What is a polite response to 《很高興認識你》？
I usually say 《我也是》， but it feels like an awkward response, and maybe a bit cold. Is there a common friendly or colloquial response? Thank you!
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What are people saying when I buy something using the exact change?
When I buy something and give the exact change, the cashier will almost always say "[something] hǎo", but I'm not sure what [something] is.
Question: What are people saying when I buy something using ...
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How to give a thinly veiled threat?
I want to know a phrase in Chinese that most native speakers would immediately understand to be a (thinly veiled) threat to their physical safety, very similar to "You had better watch your back" in ...
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Words and phrases related magic(like in fantasy movies&MMO games)
I searched through dictionaries to understand magic related words and phrases, like in MMORPG games or Fantasy books/movies. But I'm so confused how to construct a sentence and I really want to learn. ...
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How many different types of adverbials exist in total?
At first I learned:
The most frequent sentence pattern in Chinese is S V O
e.g.
你 打 我
Next I learned:
There are fixed places within this pattern, where one can put adverbials,namely ...
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The question is about 问讯
(I am learning Buddhism/dharma in Chinese.)
为什么合掌鞠躬叫"问讯"？
或是说：
为什么现在的"问讯"不是用讲的？
"问"和"讯"都是动词吗？还是动词+名词？
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What does the following phrase mean “扈江离与辟芷兮，纫秋兰以为佩.”?
I think its a line written by the poet Qu Yuan that maybe symbolizes a persons nobility?
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How to say "increase the food price" in Chinese?
学校餐厅的开支增加了，这样一来，餐厅就会 increase the food price.
How do I say "increase the food price" in Chinese?
Thank you!
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What does the following phrase mean: 故虽有珉之雕雕,不若玉之章章——《荀子》
The character 珉 from the original phrase is said to mean "an apple of Sodom"...is that true? If so, what does that even mean? I though the character 珉 meant a jade-like stone as it has the particle ...
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Is there a Chinese saying similar to “Once two men share a woman, they’re brothers.”
I read about the phrase in the title and traced it back to the following article:
http://www.chinafile.com/reporting-opinion/postcard/bro-code?utm_content=buffer2c3cb&utm_medium=social&...
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What is the Chinese equivalent of “to pick up a girl” or “to hit on girls”?
How do you say "to pick up girls" in Chinese? I would like to say: I'm going to go and pick up some girls!
Disclaimer: Question inspired by https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/40214/what-is-...
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Care yields fine products
Is there a 成语 saying that care yields fine products (eg. care as in cheerfulness)?
I have heard 慢工出细货, but I would like a 成语 to express something like 小心出细货, not sure if this expression id's even ...
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How would one say: "You should be ashamed of yourself." in Mandarin and Cantonese?
I would like to know what Chinese people say in general when saying "you should be ashamed of yourself". In Google translate I get the following:
你应该为自己感到羞耻
In my opinion this is way too formal. Is ...
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来不及爱你 Too late to love you
why the phrase 来不及 is translated into too late?
why not use 太迟？ 太迟爱你.
what is the different between them?
and why does 来不及 mean too late in the first place?
来=come
不=no
及=？？
Makes little sense ...
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synonyms/phrases/poems related to: 情深恭敬少
ABC Proverbs
情深恭敬少 ,知己谈笑多
Lit [When] friendship [is] deep, formalities are few; [for] close confidants, chats [and] laughter are many.
Fig Intimate friends don't stand on ceremony.
What synonyms/...
Mou某♦
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Explain the phrase "都不嫌多"
Could you please explain how to make sense of "都不嫌多". How is the meaning composed from the characters. I cannot make the connection between the literal translation of "all not suspicion many" and ...
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Where did the phrase, 太牛了 come from?
Where did the phrase, 太牛了 come from?
I'm guessing it doesn't have anything to do with cows...
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Phrase "to make your bed" in Chinese?
How do you say to "make your bed"? I've tried with Google translate but I don't believe it (zuo4 seems very wrong). Also searched this place but seems nobody asked this question yet.
is zhengli (整理) ...
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Would you use 为 or 给 (or neither) as a dedication?
I'm wondering how to write a dedication (in a book or on a memorial, for example). In English I would inscribe "For my friend." I like the somewhat ambiguous and all-encompassing meaning of this ...
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Understanding "當地的頭腦"
What does "當地的頭腦" mean? I saw a shirt with that written on it. I'm pretty sure it has something to do with the earth and brain.
Does "当地的头脑" mean the same thing? Even if it doesn't make sense, would ...
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What is the phrase for "sounds like" as in "it sounds like your dad is getting better"?
At first I thought I could use 听起来, but if I'm not mistaken this is only used for actual sound, not "you just told me your dad is back from the hospital, it sounds like he's getting better each day". (...
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Could saying "慢慢吃" to a stranger cause offence?
I learned that the equivalent to "bon appetit" in Chinese is "慢慢吃" (perhaps also "请慢用"). This is a polite thing to do in English.
But since it literally means "eat slowly", I'm wondering if some ...
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How to say "see you this weekend?"
My Mandarin teacher told us “星期四见” to say "see you on Thursday." How would I say "see you this weekend"?
“这个周末见” or “末见这个周”? Or something else entirely? This is being used to end a letter, so I don't ...
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Is it correct to say '较出色‘?
Is '做得较出色‘ good Chinese?
Seems to me that it means that something is outstanding, remarkable, or it is not, in which case it is commonplace. I suppose this begs the question 'Where does remarkable ...
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洗尘: why is a welcome banquet "washing dust"?
洗尘 refers to the traditional Chinese custom of holding a banquet to welcome visitors from afar. However, the literal translation is "to wash dust", which has nothing to do with eating, and I'm also ...
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Correct/natural way to say "在我的咖啡可以加糖吗？"
I'm wodering about the correct, or natural, way to say "could you please add some sugar to my coffee?"
My unnatural-sounding way would be 在我的咖啡可以加糖吗, but I feel like a Chinese speaker is unlikely to ...
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How to say "That looks delicious"
In company, or at someone's house, how might I say "That dish looks delicious?" or "That looks good"?
My inclination is to say 那看起来好吃, or maybe 那看地好吃, but both seem like too much of a direct ...
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phrase for "It happened just as you finished talking about it"
I was pointing at a thundercloud and saying that lightning may strike, and my Chinese friend said a 4-syllable phrase that meant that it happened just as I finished talking about it.
Do you know this ...
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Are there any Chinese phrases that have embarrassing meanings if their tones are mispronounced? [closed]
For example:
"问(wèn) ask" and "吻(wěn) kiss"
我可以问你吗？ wǒ kěyǐ wèn nǐ ma? It means "Can I ask you?"
我可以吻你吗？ wǒ kěyǐ wěn nǐ ma? It means "Can I kiss you?"
Could you please give me more examples?
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Meaning of 所 in "有所..."
As far as I know, 所 has the following meanings:
a place, as in 派出所 (police office).
a counter, as in 一所科學中心 (a science center).
a passive voice indicator that pairs up with 被（為）, as in 被（為）愛所糾纏 (...
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What is a proper explanation of "working knowledge" in Chinese?
Though I myself am a native Chinese speaker, up to now I still have not yet figured out an appropriate explanation of the phrase "working knowledge" to any one that is not highly educated.
The ...
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The slang(?) phrase "乾掉了"
As I remember, the phrase was used in response to a certain scenario. Unfortunately, as I tried to look it up on Google, all I find is drying out, which is certainly not the meaning I am looking for. ...
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What does "蕊屁" mean?
At https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyNNvgW1dSg&lc=z13jt1khfxr4zzw0k225sjfzzyn1hhebs04, someone wrote:
看完電影後整晚都在蕊屁OST
Another person wrote in reply:
+1 瘋狂蕊批
What does "蕊屁" mean?
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Why "保重" means "take care"?
As far as I have learnt, for each Chinese word with more than one character, its meaning is formed from that of each character which it comprises. However, I cannot understand how the meaning of 保重 is ...
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What is the meaning of "拜了个拜"？
I heard this phrase from some Chinese-speaking stranger. I assume it's related to farewell since the stranger was waving hand to someone else, but what does it mean exactly? Is there a certain context ...
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What is an idiom that describes aiming for high achievement or success but not forgetting one's roots?
What is an idiom/phrase/saying that describes aiming for high achievement or success but not forgetting one's roots?
Something like 展翅高飞 and 饮水思源 combined
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Can someone translate "capital stacks" to Chinese?
This is a financial term, and I'm hoping for the most professionally used term.
Capital Stacks:
A description of the totality of capital invested in a project, including pure debt, hybrid debt, ...
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Origin: of the phrase 不让[能]踩门槛
Looking for something authoritative.
What is the origin of the 不让[能]踩门槛 phrase?
Earliest usage?
Mou某♦
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What does 唐乐乐 mean?
In the context of "唐乐乐睁开眼睛，看着头上陌生的天花板。" What would be the meaning of the phrase "唐乐乐"? While I understand the rest of the sentence perfectly, this bit makes no sense to me.
Thanks for any help!
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What's the different between 不好意思 and 对不起？ [duplicate]
What's the different between 不好意思 and 对不起？ Where should I use which?
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What is the Correct Sense of 隔空喊话 in English?
Baidu defines it literally as "not directly engaging with [someone/thing] when talking, rather talking with no person in mind." I'm curious whether it can be close to how we say in English, "[two ...
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What is the verbatim translation for "都什么时候了" ?
"什么时候" means verbatim "what time"
But, when i add 都 (adverb meaning "all") and 了(particle indicating either change of state or completion), i can not grasp what meaning is conveyed by this phrase.
...
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What is the order of different prepositional phrases?
Chinese Syntax is: S V O
there are different prepositional phrases, for instance:
p.p. that express a place, time, objective, mean ...
How do i know the proper order of the different prepositional ...
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"振聾發聵" in English?
This question is about possible translations of "振聾發聵" in English.
Figuratively, this phrase is used to describe someone's article is penetrating and insightful. I know this. Nevertheless, I am ...
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"做學問" in English?
This question is about the translation of "做學問" in English.
If I am asked to translate "做學問", then I would say "doing research". But somehow I feel that such translation of mine is insufficient to ...
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Is the phrase "on a scale of 1 to 10" used often if at all?
Just wondering since it does seem to me like a more western phrase, in Google translate it comes out as 上规模的1到10, I'm just wondering if there is a more common way to ask someone to rate a particular ...
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Is it 一些东西 or 一点东西?
I know that 东西 translates to "something" in English.
So I would like to know,
can both 一些东西 and 一点东西 be used? If so, what are their differences in meaning?
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Explanation for the meaning of 八竿子打不着?
The modern colloquial phrase "八竿子打不着" is used as an adjective to describe "very distant, unrelated". Example:
这是八竿子打不着的事情，怎么能联系上呢？
It literally means "couldn't hit with even eight poles". I can ...
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