Questions tagged [word-choice]
Questions about what word fits better in a certain context or situation.
889
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8
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What is the difference between 通常，经常，and 常常？
What is the difference between 通常，经常，and 常常？
I hear them a lot in conversational Chinese, but I can't pick out the difference in meaning. The dictionaries I've checked don't seem to agree on their ...
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13
votes
5
answers
453
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Why 又 is used there instead of 再?
In this dialogue:
A: 现在恢复得怎么样了？
B: 没问题了，又可以爬山了。
Why is 又 used there and not 再?
As far as I know (I might be wrong), both 再 and 又 are used for describing recurring actions, but 又 refers to ...
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11
votes
4
answers
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What's the difference between 舅舅 and 叔叔?
My favorite short story in modern Mandarin, 2015 by 王小波, is basically a long, humorous digression about the author's 舅舅:
我舅舅是个无照画家，和别人不同的是，他总在忙些正事。有时他在作画；有时他卖画，并且因此蹲在派出所里。他作画时把房门锁上，再戴上个防震耳罩，...
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4
votes
2
answers
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Correct word to use for a suburban fence?
What should I be using to describe a suburban fence?
Here is an image of what I am trying to find the right word for:
Author: Greg O'Beirne - source
I guess I might go with 篱笆 or 栏杆. Could I get ...
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9
votes
5
answers
1k
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What is the most common way to say 'indecisive' in Mandarin?
I have heard a range of different terms meaning 'indecisive' in Chinese - I'm not sure if they were in dialect, or there are several options for saying it in Mandarin, and so I'm curious to learn what ...
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vote
4
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Can 窝 be used for grouping any zodiac animal?
I have heard the saying 一窝猪 yī wō zhū when describing a family or group of people who are all 属猪 (have pig as their zodiac sign).
Is this something that can be applied to other animals e.g. 一窝龙 or 一窝虎?...
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7
votes
2
answers
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How to express a date in Chinese (lunar) calendar?
Many traditional festivals are observed on a given date on the Chinese (lunar) calendar(Actually, the Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar). For example, the Spring Festival falls on the first day ...
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1
vote
4
answers
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views
Better translation for 春节联欢晚会 than New Year's Gala
On the night of New Years Eve in China many people watch the annual New Year's Gala. This in Chinese is called 春节联欢晚会 in English this is translated as New Year's Gala.
So what exactly is a 联欢晚会? Can ...
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9
votes
3
answers
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Difference between 曾经 and 已经
In this question I was asking about 曾经 and one answer says it means 'already'.
What's the difference between 曾经 and 已经?
Do the two sentences below have the same meaning?
他曾经在北京学过两年汉语。
他已经在北京学过两年汉语。
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5
votes
2
answers
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views
Is the difference between and saying 有时 and 会偶尔 very big?
Does one imply a much greater frequency? What about register? Is the difference between and saying 有时 and 会偶尔 very big, or is it in all cases quite close?
- 1,207
3
votes
1
answer
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views
What are the uses of 什会 and from which area?
In restaurants in Australia we quite often have Chinese dishes which are combination for example Combination Satay or Combination Fried Rice. These contain several types of meat as opposed to ...
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4
votes
4
answers
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views
Correct terms for a roadside gutter and gutter on a roof
What is the correct terms for both a roadside gutter and a gutter on a roof?
For the sake of making me look bad, my guess would be 水沟 but I've seen that applied to a large canal so I'm not sure if it ...
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14
votes
7
answers
3k
views
What is the status of 什么来的 and 什么来着 in standard and colloquial Mandarin Chinese?
When I first moved to the south of China, I was surprised to hear the phrase "什么来的" used to mean "what," as in
这是什么来的？: "What is this?"
As far as I could tell, in many cases there was no ...
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14
votes
4
answers
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Difference between 对 and 双
For a pair of rabbits there is:
一对兔 yī duì tù
And for a pair of shoes there is:
一双鞋 yī shuāng xié
And for twins there is:
双胞胎 shuāngbāotāi
How can I be sure when to use 对 and when to use 双?...
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6
votes
2
answers
289
views
Why can't 了 be used to complement 到?
I have been taught that the sentence 我刚到了 (wǒ gāng dào le) is not correct because 了 cannot be used as a complement of 到. Is this right? If so, why?
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votes
5
answers
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When should you use 尽管 (jǐnguǎn) instead of 虽然 (suīrán)?
虽然 and 尽管 can both be translated as "despite" and "although". I've been familiar with 虽然 for a longer time already but I recently came across 尽管 for the first time. Is 尽管 a more formal or poetic term? ...
- 1,386
10
votes
3
answers
441
views
Is there any difference between 汤 and 羹?
Are 汤 and 羹 used to refer to different kinds of soup or is 羹 merely a part of the full word for soup (汤羹)? For example, is one used to refer to light soups while the other is reserved for heavy broths?...
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votes
6
answers
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What are the differences between 男女, 公母, and 雄雌?
In what situations would you use one of the following instead of the others?
男女 nán nǚ
公母 gōng mǔ
雄雌 xióng cí
Is it a matter of formality or is each term confined to a particular field (...
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28
votes
8
answers
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views
What's the difference between 学 and 学习?
I know both mean "to study" and I also know that while 学 (xué) is transitive, 学习 (xué xí) can be both intransitive and transitive, for example:
我学中文。 (I study «what?» Chinese) = transitive;
我在大学学习。 (...
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12
votes
2
answers
437
views
Using 一样 instead of 同一 for "the same school"
In my study software, I recently had the following sentence:
我想我们会上一样的学校.
The context (a girl speaking to another girl who had just moved into the neighborhood) made it seem like the correct ...
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9
votes
4
answers
10k
views
What is the correct way to say: "I thought you were somebody else."
In English if you mistake someone for another person it is common to say "I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else".
How should this be said in Chinese?
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12
votes
4
answers
4k
views
What is the difference between 一只狗 and 一条狗?
I've been told by native speakers that the former refers to little dogs while the latter is for bigger dogs. I also have been told that the latter has a negative connotation. I'm wondering:
how ...
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3
votes
1
answer
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views
Is 搏杀 used in jest in 今年剩下一个星期了，继续努力搏杀?
In December, I read this in a social network post:
今年剩下一个星期了，继续努力搏杀！
In English slang, one might say "killing it" to mean performing well. Is this use of 搏杀 figurative, literal, or humorous?
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votes
6
answers
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Writing "Please Recycle" in Mandarin
How can one write "Please Recycle" in the context of an office paper room?
I have tried: 请回收利用 but my friend says this is only for recycling batteries.
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votes
1
answer
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views
In what kind of scenarios are honorifics such as 大姐, 大哥, and 师傅 used, and when is it acceptable or polite to use them?
In Chinese films I've often heard characters refer to each other using some of these honorifics:
大姐 dàjiě (big sister; auntie)
大哥 dàgē (big brother)
师傅 shīfù (master)
In what kind of scenarios are ...
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2
votes
4
answers
779
views
Which tone is it (in pinyin)?
Following on from this question Asking "what's the pinyin/character for X?".
I've had difficulty previously asking native speakers which tone I should use for a particular character if ...
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5
votes
2
answers
143
views
Do 衣服 and 衣饰 carry different connotations or are they synonyms?
衣服 and 衣饰 both mean "clothing"; but are they truly synonymous or is the use of each term confined to its own specific context?
Or is it simply a difference between colloquial and formal speech or ...
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12
votes
2
answers
392
views
Beginning of the week / end of the week
It is possible to say:
三月初 (the beginning of March)
三月底 (the end of March)
Example：
我三月底要回国
You can also refer to:
年初 and 年底
But is there something you can use to convey the beginning or end of ...
- 10.2k
28
votes
6
answers
3k
views
How polite is too polite?
I've noticed in China that people don't tend to use as many 'polite' words as we do in western languages, like 'please' or 'thank you'. I want to make it clear that I'm not complaining about this; I ...
- 3,435
24
votes
1
answer
3k
views
What is the difference in use between 以及, 和 and 与?
I have a book with the following lesson titles:
中文以及中国
聚会和饮食
交通与环境
Why are these terms connected with 以及 / 和 / 与, why not always use 和 for example?
Are there any rules for proper use of these ...
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16
votes
4
answers
2k
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Difference between 想 and 要?
I know both of them mean "want to" but have usage in different contexts. When should I use each one?
For example:
我要去上海市 and 我想去上海市
What's the difference in the meaning between them?
Also, I've ...
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votes
3
answers
599
views
What is the difference between 做番 vs. 做返?
A friend (Mainland Chinese, living in Hong Kong) recently posted the following sentence on Facebook:
聖誕節買禮物?做番中國人啦!
As I had never seen the "做番" construction before, I asked if perhaps she had ...
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votes
2
answers
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How do I decide whether to use 還是/还是 or 或者
還是/还是 (háishì) and 或者 (huòzhě) seem to have very similar meanings:
還是/还是: or; still; nevertheless
或者: or; possibly; maybe
When I want to say 'or', how to I choose which to use, and are there any ...
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9
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What's the difference between 房子 and 屋?
It seems like "house" is usually translated as 房子 (fáng zi) in standard Chinese, although 屋 (wū) is also a common translation, especially in Cantonese.
Is there a difference between the two? When ...
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5
votes
4
answers
346
views
Differences between 蝉 and 知了?
What are the main differences between 蝉 (chán) and 知了 (zhīliǎo) both meaning cicada.
Do they both refer to the same species?
Will either saying be understood by the majority of native speakers?
Is ...
- 10.2k
16
votes
6
answers
2k
views
When not to use 厕所 when asking for the toilet?
I've noticed sometimes in polite company or in the company of strangers some people will saying they are going to wash their hands 去洗手 (qù xǐshǒu) instead of going to the toilet 去上厕所 (qù shàng cèsuǒ).
...
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7
votes
5
answers
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Equivalent expression to: "I don't give a f***"
Is there something in Mandarin like "I don't give a f***", something that expresses the same sense of "I don't care" but with more force.
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votes
5
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How widespread is the use of 妳?
When addressing a female, do I have to use 妳 instead of 你?
How common is the usage of 妳?
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votes
5
answers
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How to differentiate between "On Top" and "Above"
If I wanted to translate the prepositional phrase "on the bed" to Chinese, I know to say "床上", but I don't know what the translation would be for saying "above/over the bed".
From what I can gather, ...
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