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.
195
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44 views
A Translation of, “A Forgotten,Yet Deeply Engraved Memory, Left It’s Mark In The Depths Of My Mind.”
So, I have an assignment due where i have to write an short poem in chinese... It's for a test grade so it HAS to be as accurate as possible.
But, since i've only been studying chinese for about 3-ish ...
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0answers
38 views
How do you use “a” in the chinese language? [duplicate]
For example, If i wanted to say, "A sandwich" or "A car tire" in chinese, How would i say that, and where does the "a" go? At the end of the sentence, or at the beginning ...
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1answer
93 views
what is the Two-Block Haicut called in Chinese(Mandarin)?
does anyone know what is the Chinese name for the Two-Block Haircut? I heard it can also be called the Dandy Two-Block haircut.
It is the one that is popularized by Korea and is shown in many Korean ...
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2answers
262 views
How do you say “allowance” in mandarin?
Google Translate says it is 津贴, but my mom says it is 零用钱. Apparently 津贴 doesn't mean allowance, so what does each character mean? My book and google translate say 零用钱 is pocket money. How does that ...
2
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1answer
51 views
How to translate “blouse” to Chinese?
I'm researching names for many different clothes in Chinese, and when I reached the word blouse, seems like I've reached a dead end and, consequently, a need of an explanation. Just to make myself ...
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2answers
858 views
Chinese names for zeptoseconds and yoctoseconds
While compiling a list of names for fractions of seconds which are in the International System of Units, I stumbled upon two curious fractions of seconds whose names I'm unable to locate anywhere, and ...
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2answers
94 views
How do I use 乱?
For the sentence, 你别乱闹.
I think it means "do not randomly complain," but that doesn't sound right.
I can't pinpoint what 乱 means.
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2answers
76 views
How to ask the flight attendant for more airplane meals if there are still leftovers?
Can anyone help me? I want to emphasize the word "leftover" so I do not sound so greedy. I also felt that it would be a waste since most of the meals needed to be thrown away if it is not ...
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1answer
73 views
What are other words worth learning that follow this pattern with 象?
Today I realised that:
象 means "elephant" which is the biggest land-dwelling animal,
亻+ 象 = 像 means "statue" which is the biggest person (I mean, a statue is the biggest ...
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3answers
402 views
What is 心血 in English?
What is 心血 in English may I ask? The full Chinese sentence is 我花了许多心血在房间的摆设上。整间房子里面，随处都可以发现我的心血。 I try to think about some alternatives, but haven't find out a perfect translation. One alternative is ...
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3answers
222 views
How to say 孝 in English?
How to say 孝 in English? It is be nice and somewhat comply to parent. But how to say it in English? Former discussion mentions about filial piety, but I am not sure. It looks like a rare and unpopular ...
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4answers
344 views
How to say 公德心 in English?
How to say 公德心 in English? I am not looking for explanation. I am looking for translation.
Similar words for 没有公德心 is selfish, thoughtless, disregard, and don't care about other people. But none of ...
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2answers
315 views
Is there a word for Chinese songs that rhyme like Jay Chou's 迷迭香 and JJ Lin's 伟大的渺小?
Every single line in Jay Chou's song "Rosemary" ends with the "ao" sound:
ni de zui jiao
wei wei shang qiao
xing gan de wu ke jiu yao
xiang xiang bu dao
ru ci xin tiao
ni de ...
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1answer
100 views
Does the distinction between speak and say have any equivalent in Mandarin?
In English "to speak" and "to say" typically cannot be used interchangeably. You can speak a language but you cannot say a language. Similarly, you can speak with someone but you ...
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3answers
503 views
How can I say “grade on a curve”?
The Future for Chinese/English Dictionaries mentioned that MDBG doesn't have "grading on a curve", and it seems that it's still rather hard to find a translation for this. A rather literal ...
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1answer
54 views
Cant find the characters to a phrase I heard growing up, “Gen Men”, used as “totally” or “definitely”
like let's say you're full, you could say
"gen men 没办法吃饭“
I think similarly gen men would be used as 完全
"完全没办法吃饭"
But I can't find the characters for "Gen Men". I think I have ...
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2answers
131 views
Difference between 问 and 让 “to ask”
How do 问 and 让 differ in meaning and in what sort of situations would you use either of them?
In chinese.yabla.com there are a lot of different verbs with the meaning 'to ask'.
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2answers
82 views
In which dialect of Mandarin can I see or hear 乳酪?
In this website they write "乳酪 ru3 lao4" is a word which is used in Taiwan to describe cheese.
But my Taiwanese friend told me they don't use this word, they use "nai3 lao4" or &...
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2answers
97 views
How would I say 'what …' in Mandarin
I think the French ce qui/que says it better. This is what I mean:
I do what I want. (Je fais ce que je veux, in French)
How would the 'what' be translated?
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2answers
117 views
What do you call these cold pickled cucumber skewers in Chinese?
Is it correct or understood if I call these cold and pickled cucumber skewers "冰泡黄瓜"?
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5answers
204 views
“How's that sound?” in Mandarin
What would be an appropriate way to end a sentence after making a suggestion/offering an opinion in anticipation of the response? For instance, while talking to a friend, I share something with them ...
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2answers
100 views
Is there a word to indicate incorrectness?
In English we have the prefix mis- that conveys this. I misread, I misspoke, I made a mistake, etc. A misrepresentation, a mistranslation, a misuse, etc.
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2answers
148 views
How do you say weekend in Chinese using the 星期 form?
I know that weekend in Chinese is generally translated as 周末.
Is there a way to say weekend by adding something to 星期 like 星期末? Or the only phrase for weekend is 周末?
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1answer
92 views
How do you say “none available”?
How do you say "none available"? As in: "There is none available" (without the "there is". Or not.).
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2answers
471 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 learn ...
2
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3answers
224 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?
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3answers
49 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 ...
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1answer
130 views
Different types of rain in Chinese?
Inspired by this question on the Spanish stack exchange
Things like drizzle, mist, or downpour?
3
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2answers
122 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.
Quite a ...
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2answers
164 views
Does Chinese have a gender-neutral term for “homemaker”?
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 ...
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3answers
605 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 ...
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1answer
67 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 ...
6
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4answers
849 views
Is there a way to distinguish “vegetarian” from “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？
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5answers
201 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, ...
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1answer
423 views
Chinese phrase for a physician's “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)
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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 ...
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2answers
71 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 ...
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2answers
85 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
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2answers
1k 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.
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2answers
341 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
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2answers
677 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, ...
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2answers
109 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
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2answers
421 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
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3answers
176 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. ...
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3answers
122 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
299 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 ...
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votes
7answers
585 views
如何把名词形式的 'Nothing' 翻译成中文 How to translate the English noun form of Nothing into Chinese?
Here are 2 English sentences, both have the word 'Nothing' in it in the noun form. I am wondering if it can be translated into Chinese while preserving as much of its original meaning as possible.
...
3
votes
7answers
184 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 ...
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1answer
268 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?
