Questions tagged [word-requests]
For seeking a Chinese word or phrase that fits a meaning. Please be specific about the intended use of the word, including context.
165
questions
2
votes
2answers
91 views
Ancient Chinese Saying #437: … 10,000 days for the sword
The English martial arts internet is awash in people reciting
100 days of bare hand, 1,000 days of spear, 10,000 days of sword,
unless it's
It takes 100 days to learn the spear, 1000 days to ...
1
vote
3answers
88 views
Is there an expression similar to the English “gut feeling” in Chinese?
Is there a metaphor or idiom that has a similar meaning to "gut feeling", as a metaphor for "intuition" or "instinctive feeling", in Mandarin Chinese?
0
votes
3answers
46 views
How to imply someone is terminally ill?
In English, you can say "My cousin is sick." And that sort of conveys a lot. Your cousin could have cancer and be terminally sick, but could also be crazy ("sick" as in slang for cool), or sick as in ...
1
vote
1answer
58 views
Different types of rain in Chinese?
Inspired by this question on the Spanish stack exchange
Things like drizzle, mist, or downpour?
3
votes
2answers
77 views
How to express among in chinese?
I've encountered myself quite a few times trying to express the word among in chinese and the meaning that it carries, just like in these two senteces:
He's vey popular among the students.
...
1
vote
2answers
80 views
Homemaker in Chinese
I've looked up homemaker, a generic and gender neutral term for house husband house wife or a person who stays at home and looks after the family and does house chores, in the Pleco dictionary, but ...
0
votes
3answers
219 views
Different way of saying “throw rubbish” in Cantonese?
Looking at the dictionary, I see that "throw rubbish" in Cantonese is "掉垃圾". However, in the past, I remember hearing something different for "throw rubbish": "wang垃圾".
I need some help:
What is ...
1
vote
1answer
66 views
马耳他屿, 为什么这个岛屿用了这些字？
I have relatives in Malta. I want to know why in Chinese people in Malta are from 马耳他屿. Are they seen as (residing in an island where people would be) having ears like that of horses, perhaps due to ...
5
votes
4answers
638 views
Vegetarian and vegan in Chinese
I'd like to know whether there is a way to distinguish vegetarian from vegan in Chinese or is the only word available 素食者？
5
votes
5answers
190 views
How to say “make money”?
I'm trying to say "the Song Dynasty used this invention to make paper money". So far I've got "宋朝用了这个发明做纸钱“。 The "make money" part is messing with me- I know "做钱“ can mean to print counterfeit money, ...
1
vote
1answer
82 views
Chinese phrase for residency program
I am looking for a phrase in Chinese which means the residency program that physicians go through after graduation from medical school. SEe here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Residency_(medicine)
0
votes
3answers
63 views
Metaphorical “opening” translation
I'm writing about certain historical leaders of China, and I'd like to say something along the lines of "he opened China to foreign investment" or "he opened China to foreign influence", etc. I can ...
0
votes
2answers
65 views
衰落：decadence or decline?
I'm trying to describe the plot of the work 红楼梦 using the phrase "the 贾 family's decline". The word for decline, though is confusing me. After putting "decline" through a few online translators, I've ...
4
votes
2answers
77 views
“One” (eg. one must) in Chinese?
I'm trying to write a recipe in Chinese, in which I'd like to be able to say something along the lines of "first, one must..." (I know , since a recipe is more informal, I could probably use "you" and ...
3
votes
2answers
976 views
How do you say 头大 in English?
英语太难了，学得我头大。
I just don't want to use "head exploding" which scares me.
4
votes
2answers
230 views
What is the character for romantic love in classical Chinese?
In Mandarin, 愛 means romantic love. However, New Practical Primer of Literary Chinese by Paul Rouzer has this to say about its use in literary Chinese:
This character [愛] usually does not imply "...
2
votes
2answers
158 views
What derogatory terms are there for Chinese people?
What derogatory terms are there for Chinese people in Mandarin?
In particular, I am looking for derogatory terms that apply to any person of Chinese ancestry regardless of birthplace, nationality, ...
2
votes
2answers
96 views
What's the common Chinese term for a chest cold?
I can find 支气管炎 for "bronchitis" but I wonder if that's a bit too technical or medical or whether it's common in day-to-day conversation.
In English "bronchitis" is a bit technical so more often ...
2
votes
2answers
413 views
What words are used in Taiwan for a place or person that mends clothing?
On my last trip to Mainland China I saw a lady in a corner "mini shop" mending clothes with a sewing machine.
She mended my jeans for about $5. I don't think she had any kind of sign.
This trip I'm ...
2
votes
3answers
149 views
How to interpret 肉麻
Dictionaries define 肉麻 as nauseating; sickening; disgusting. But I don't think those are accurate because those words are showing disproval while 肉麻 could show approval depending on how you use it. ...
2
votes
3answers
99 views
How to say “martlet” in Chinese?
A martlet is:
... a heraldic charge depicting a stylized bird similar to a swift or
a house martin, with stylized feet.
"Martlet" is not present in my Chinese dictionary, and Google Translate ...
2
votes
2answers
233 views
How to say “oink!” in Mandarin in a family situation?
This may not be on-topic for the next 4383 days, but hopefully today someone will help me out.
Last year was the year of the dog, and a common way to write (in English) the Chinese version of what ...
3
votes
7answers
165 views
成语 or expression that one is speaking about a topic he knows nothing about
I am giving a presentation about topics in philosophy for my Chinese class, and unlike many of the students there, I have no formal education in the topic I am presenting. I feel it would be ...
2
votes
1answer
2k views
How to say “where else”, “who else”, or “what else” in Chinese?
I have looked for some references regarding how to say "where else", "who else", and "what else" but I still can't find one that's dependable enough. Furthermore, it seems like there are quite a lot ...
1
vote
1answer
233 views
Requesting something to be done for me in cantonese
How do you request something to be done for myself in cantonese?
For example: can you ask him (to get playing cards) for me?
5
votes
7answers
2k views
What do you call your father's twin brother?
I'm a mid-level Chinese student. I have two younger brothers, who are twins. One brother is married to a Chinese woman, and they have a young son.
The son calls me 姑姑 and my husband 姑丈. My sister-...
0
votes
2answers
139 views
How to say: “screwed it up”
How can I express that someone "screwed [something] up?" For example:
"They really screwed up the code with the last changes they made"
"I gave him one little task and he still managed to screw it ...
4
votes
6answers
2k views
Obscene: translate 下流 or 輕佻?
I want to describe people wearing clothing as totally indecent and obscene, for instance because the clothing doesn’t remotely cover the buttocks. I am not talking about ordinary mini skirts or hot ...
1
vote
1answer
72 views
Descriptors for moody teenagers?
There are few common ways to describe moody teenagers, albeit not overly precise:
(很)叛逆(期)
or
青春(期)
I'm wondering if there is anything more colorful to describe these cranky kids?
2
votes
2answers
98 views
What is the meaning of 妖星?
I'm trying to make sense of the word 妖星 ("demon star") which I have encountered in a Japanese phrase. This word does not appear in any Japanese or Chinese (English) dictionaries I've run across, but ...
8
votes
1answer
164 views
What's the English equivalent of “闺蜜”
闺蜜 in Chinese means two girls have very good relationship, and much closer than normal good friends but they are not lesbians.
The best I can get is the term intimate relationship, but it could be ...
6
votes
5answers
122 views
How to express “Now, …” in Chinese (the usage of “now” to draw attention to a particular statement)?
In the following example sentence in English:
Suppose that you buy the product in $10 in the store A. The store A is located in 3 miles away.
Now, you found out that the store B sells the same ...
1
vote
2answers
97 views
“Perverse” for movies and scenes
What word can we use to say a movie or scene is perverse? I am thinking of sadistic and violent scenes as this:
perverse scene from game of thrones
I found 邪僻, but it seems it may only describe ...
1
vote
1answer
99 views
Word for banana blossoms in Chinese
This Web Page shows that banana blossoms correspond to what a Chinese friend of mine from Beijing used to call "tall skinny Chinese person" or "long skinny Chinese person". Upon stumbling upon this ...
1
vote
1answer
50 views
What is “skate ramp” in Chinese?
What is "skate ramp" in Chinese? I can't seem to find this in any dictionaries, and most skate parks in Taiwan are called "Extreme Sports Training Park" or simply "Sports Park", so I don't really know ...
3
votes
3answers
294 views
Courtesy name or?
My middle name that everyone has always called me by, is Wesley. Since my parents said I was named for that English preacher, I looked up how he is normally called in Chinese. But a Chinese friend (...
4
votes
4answers
380 views
How do I write “One can …” / “You can …” (general personal pronoun) in Chinese?
Which personal pronouns can I use in an instruction in Chinese to replace the English "one" or "you" when used as meaning "you, we or anyone else":
Examples in English:
"One can always be sure to ...
3
votes
2answers
515 views
Gender and age neutral word for partner (not married) in Mandarin?
I'm looking for a gender neutral word for a person that you are in a romantic relationship with, but not married to. Similar to "partner" in English.
I also want it to be fairly neutral regarding age ...
0
votes
2answers
45 views
Conjunction to express extension (of area) “In Moscow and also in the whole Russia there are…”
What conjunction could be used to express extension (of area):
In Moscow and also in the whole Russia there are lots of folk festivals being held.
So I need construction for: "In A and also in the ...
3
votes
4answers
118 views
What is the antonym of 不如?
What is the antonym of 不如? E.g.:
今年我旅游很少, 不如去年 (situation is worse than last year)
And I need a word for the reverse situation:
今年我旅游很多, ???去年 (situation is better than last year)
不如 has a ...
0
votes
1answer
108 views
Why can't I use 我的 in Classical Chinese?
almost all words are stand alone in classical texts. Only modern Chinese tend to use multi characters to form a word. Your examples would be 明身/明体， 明心. But 明我的心 is not a traditional way.
Why can't ...
-1
votes
1answer
55 views
If a word is used in 成语, does it mean the word could stand alone in Classical times?
明 as in 明火执仗, in Modern Mandarine, I can't use 明 alone (e.g. not 明我的身， 明我的心), but could it stand alone in Classical Chinese?
0
votes
3answers
318 views
“If you can't beat them, join them” 成语 or 俗语
There is an English expression, "If you can't beat them, join them."
For example,
After competing with Microsoft for so many years, he finally accepted the lucrative offer and joined as their ...
1
vote
2answers
103 views
Hand and Fist gesture of gratitude
What is the gesture called where you put a fist in a flat hand and slightly shake it to show gratitude? Here is an example: https://youtu.be/cB59VmnK52I?t=15m47s
Do you have any other examples where ...
0
votes
1answer
54 views
Where should I put a neutral tone in 雪白雪白?
雪白雪白
(1) xuě-bai-xuě-bái (such as 漂漂亮亮)
(2) xuě-bái-xuě-bai
If ABB and AAB adjectives also have neutral tones, please let me know where tones should be.
0
votes
1answer
46 views
Is it true that a word that consists of two adjective words has a neutral tone on the second word?
Do the words, such as 冰凉冰凉, 雪白雪白, and 通红通红, each have a netural tone on the second word?
e.g. 漂漂亮亮 [piào piao lìang lìang]
3
votes
1answer
182 views
Hakka equivalent of 把
I was wondering if there is any Hakka word that functions the same as Mandarin 把, that is, marks the direct object when it is placed before a verb. For example:
我把我的电脑放在桌子上了。
Hakka:
...
0
votes
2answers
46 views
How are postal notifications called in Chinese?
When the postal worker arrives at your doorstep, but can't deliver your package - usually because you are not home and it is too big for your mailbox - you receive a notification asking you to ...
2
votes
2answers
68 views
Translations of “to try”
Can someone please help me clarifying all the possible ways to say "try" in Chinese. As in "try sth" or "try to do sth". I can come up with many translations but it's very hard for me to use them in ...
3
votes
3answers
238 views
How to say “backup (option)”?
In day to day conversation, I frequently use the word "backup" to refer to a dependable but perhaps slightly less desirable option. For example,
When applying to college, you should apply to 10 ...
