All Questions
10,817
questions
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Does 指鹿为马 = Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining?
I'm teaching idioms to university students in China. I wonder if 指鹿为马 could be used as a translation / explanation of "Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining." Yeah, that's not a high-...
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23
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Books which only includes senteces each of which only using specified vocabs for hsk4
I want to use a book of vocabs for hsk4, which book generally only uses vocabs which are in range of hsk4. It is ok that some terms or expressions inside the sentences are out of range of hsk4 due to ...
- 283
4
votes
2
answers
167
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What are the Cantonese to English transliterations for 俊傑, 俊熙, 俊健, and 俊文? I found zeon3 for 俊. That does not sound right
What are the Cantonese to English transliterations for 俊傑, 俊熙, 俊健, and 俊文? I found zeon3 for 俊. That does not sound right.
- 171
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3
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47
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How is 都是 used here?
他现在都是卡着时间准点开会
Does 卡着时间 mean stop time right? I remember being told it is slang for 卡点 which means to like check the time but whaf I am confused about is 都是 卡着时间 is a verb and object right? How come 是 ...
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4
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601
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我放这个东西在这里 or 我在这里放这个东西
I have a little bit confusion on when to put the location of which the action is taking place, which is before or after the verb.
From what I know, if for example we want to say "I want to eat ...
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1
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5
answers
603
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Does this sentence make sense? 我打算工作在一个网站会完了在四月十五
I thought something like: 我打算工作在一个网站会完了在四月十五.
Pinyin Wǒ dǎsuàn gōngzuò zài yīgè wǎngzhàn huì wánliǎo zài sì yuè shíwǔ.
English: I'm working on a website that will be finished by April 15th.
Even ...
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2
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67
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除了你我谁都不相信 or 除了你我谁也不相信 which is correct 都 or 也?
I read that when we have two different meanings in a sentence with 除了we should use 都 and not 也(还)。 So from the two sentences above correct is like this
除了你我谁都不相信 means I believe only you
除了你我谁也(还)相信 ...
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1
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4
answers
59
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他一叠声应着 How does 叠 work here?
for 他一叠声应着
I know what yidiesheng means repeat the sound, but I just wanted to know the structure is die a measure word here? A pile of sounds? It doesn't actually say anything like that in the ...
- 2,133
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vote
1
answer
64
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Identifying Chinese Artist of Two Beautiful Artworks (c. 1980s)
I've recently come into possession of two beautiful works of Chinese art, seemingly by the same artist as the seal and artistic style are a definite match. I'd like to identify the artist but have ...
- 14k
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votes
2
answers
66
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What is Chinese word for nostil flaring?
Straightforward question. I want to say that I can do a nostril flaring or I can nostril-flare. Googling this pointed to the flare that caused by a disease or kind of that but here I can do it ...
- 36
1
vote
2
answers
74
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Sequence of Chinese characters for keeping track of days of the year
I wonder whether anyone has knowledge of any sequence of Chinese characters used for describing such a list (one character for each of the 365 days in a year).
Such a list could be memorized by people ...
- 2,133
1
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2
answers
48
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What's the word ma(i) in 喺mai一齊 in Cantonese?
I always catch a syllable sounds like mai between 喺 and 一齊. I could get the exact syllable wrong but it should sound similar. The whole thing means 在一起, and 喺 means 在, 一齊 is 一起. So 1) what's the ...
- 3,922
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3
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709
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How does a foreigner's handwriting look to a native?
How do Chinese characters foreigners or beginner Chinese learners write appear to natives? Is there a difference? Does it depend on how long they have been learning, or are they all different from a ...
CommunityBot
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votes
4
answers
634
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Where can I find Codecademy for Written Chinese?
Recently, my wife has been learning to program JavaScript using Codecademy. I like how it walks people through exercises step by step, and builds up concepts, etc. All the marking is automated, and ...
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6
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319
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How do you refer to a non-binary sibling in Mandarin Chinese?
I am a very new Chinese student, and as part of my class we are introducing and listing our family members (mother, father, and older and younger brothers and sisters).
However, one of my older ...
- 136
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3
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59
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在《恰似你的溫柔》這首歌歌詞裡面，什麼是「浪花的手」？
歌詞
但願那海風再起
只為那浪花的手
恰似你的溫柔
什麼是「浪花的手」？
我有初步研究過，似是指 海風 ，是只是為了掀起浪花的手，這海風，恰似是你的溫柔。但網上搜查，卻說浪花，恰似是你的溫柔。到底是海風還是浪花，並且加上「浪花的手」，是否有比較確切的意思？
The question in English is, what is "wave / tide bubble hand&...
- 2,133
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1
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47
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Using 那叫 can 叫 be a 量词？
Today I am having trouble getting to grips with 那叫。
Can 叫 be a 量词？
According to zdic.net 叫 can also be used as by:
叫：让;被 [by]。如:你叫雨淋了吗?;叫你猜对了
In each of these 3 examples, is 那叫 a phrase?
Is 那叫 being ...
- 9,701
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3
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69
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What's the difference between 不能，买不到，不用？
Recently i saw such sentences as "火车站的东西真不能买” and " 以后的事，以后再说；而不能肯定的事不要说” 。 I know that 能 means " be able to... " but I'm confused in these sentences . Can you explain its meaning ...
- 106
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1
answer
100
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Popular Chinese language science / engineering video content for children
What are the most popular Chinese language video programs / online video channels that pertain to science, chemistry, math, robotics, etc. with a focus on kids as the audience?
Equivalent to English-...
CommunityBot
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4
votes
2
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942
views
How old is the "你吃飽了嗎" greeting in Chinese?
How old is the "你吃飽了嗎" greeting in Chinese? Has it been around for just about one century or does it go back thousands of years in history?
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39
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How to translate 狂拽炫酷吊炸天 to English?
I know it's an internet slang and meme, the rough meaning is “particularly cool”, however, how to properly translate it with especially equal rhetorical level? Here's some context:
...
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0
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32
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Unknown reference in Taiwanese manhua “日和迷因”
In a manga, I have seen a note
Apparently, somethings "comes from" something else - from 日和迷因。Is it a meme (迷因)？What kind of meme? Is it from something different?
Probably a reference to ...
0
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1
answer
45
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Chinese speaking and vocabulary
大家好
Can anybody help with recourses that I can make my speaking and vocabulary better? Is there anybooks that can help me?
- 151
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6
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81
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Help me break down this 將 sentence
我傾向於認為，將大部分人工智慧恐懼解讀為資本主義恐懼最為恰當
I believe 將 is acting like 把 in this sentence. My understanding is that that form is
S + 將 + O + Verb Phrase, but I'm having trouble identifying the parts of speech ...
- 106
2
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1
answer
68
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Is there a dictionary or database of Chinese morphemes and Chinese words with morphological information?
Linguistics textbooks on Chinese morphology identify the morpheme (词素/语素) and word (词) as linguistic entities. In addition, they propose a classification system for morphemes (词素/语素) as:
自由 eg. 地 牛 走
...
CommunityBot
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0
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28
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Kangxi input only letting me type two keys before moving on? E.g I type RMMR for m4, but it gives me 叼可 instead?
This is presumably a simple issue with my keyboard usage. A dropdown for characters is offered after typing RM, but I should be able to type RMMR and have it know I mean m4, right? I am using ...
1
vote
1
answer
53
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What is meant by the comma in the Chinese Wiktionary terms?
I am browsing the wiktionary data for the Chinese terms, and found 一子失著，滿盤皆輸. What does that mean, is that two words that have the same definition? Or some sort of orthographic thing I am not aware of ...
- 9,701
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0
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17
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Game 四加一 or 四紮 rules or origin unknown
I have read about this variant in the context of weiqi, however, I cannot find anything about it online. It's something about placing a combination of up to four stones as one move, but what about ...
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3
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134
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Can separable verbs be with 得?
I have two question involving 得. Please help me out.
I wonder if separable verbs (verb + object) can be with 得 without repeating the first verb. For example,
她吃饭吃得很多。or 她饭吃得很多。
Because 吃饭 is a ...
- 2,133
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1
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45
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6
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5
answers
2k
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Does 我在家说英语 mean "I speak english at home" or "I'm at home speaking english"?
我在家说英语
if this means "I speak english at home"
then why doesn't this 他在那里说英语
mean "he speaks english over there"
instead according to a translation I have, it means "he's over ...
- 111
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1
answer
78
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轉子 In the context of Danganronpa…?
I was playing Danganronpa v3, the version from Taiwan. Tenko says “因為到這裡來以後,就沒什麼機會活動筋骨 所以轉子剛剛去體育館稍微嫩餘一下! “. What does “轉子“ mean in this context? I know “大轉子“ means trochanter in the context of ...
CommunityBot
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4
votes
2
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329
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Is there any proof that the Taishanese language is related to Gan? Is it from a linguistic perspective?
The Taishanese language is known to be a branch of Siyi (Sze Yup or Seiyap) which is part of the Yue subfamily branch of the Sino-Tibetan family, and related to Cantonese. This article that I was ...
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1
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42
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Decode Chinese Address
I'm trying to contact a person in China. He needs to pick his item from Customs, or it will be shipped back to me. I only have his address (he is not responding to my messages for some reason). Could ...
- 1,008
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2
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79
views
typing iteration (repetition) symbols
Is there a convention for typing the 匕-like iteration symbol seen here (several times near the center of the page, excluding the header)?
This is one of five iteration symbols I've come across in ...
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3
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55
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的 in the “你们是坐飞机来北京的吗？”
Some sites said 来的 can be used for an emphasis but here it s separate. Can it have the same meaning or something other here?
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1
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120
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How to parse 轉所依識?
From the Lankavatara Sutra:
sūkṣmamabhivijñānaparāvṛttikuśalānāṃ
Bodhiruci: 能轉一切微細識
Śikṣānanda: 能以妙慧轉所依識
Suzuki: to cause a revulsion in the depth of the mind fittingly by means of an exquisite ...
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1
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36
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Does 纬哲/纬喆 mean 'threads of wisdom', 'weaving widsom' or something similar?
纬 seems to mean latitude or weft/woof but I am not sure if it would work in this way with the second meaning
As an additional question, would 炜喆 mean brilliant wisdom? Is the character 炜 a character ...
- 9,701
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vote
1
answer
38
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Adding 你, 你們, 您 after interjections
So I've noticed that for 謝謝 and 歡迎, it is common to put 你 or another 2nd person pronoun afterwards, though it's not required.
謝謝 vs 謝謝妳
歡迎到佛蒙特 vs 歡迎你們到佛蒙特
I'm assuming that because these expressions ...
- 9,701
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1
answer
44
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1
vote
4
answers
167
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How did Chinese develop so many different classifiers?
One of the weirdest things about Chinese is the classifier. It's 一栋楼, not 一个楼, and 一只鱼, not 一个鱼. My question is: how (and why) did Chinese develop so many different classifiers? It makes sense to me ...
- 6,063
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1
answer
261
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Can you please help to read this seal?
Can you please help to read this seal?
I have already tried this:
Installed 說文小篆字體 .ttf font from http://www.guoxuedashi.net/zidian/xz/swxz.ttf
And searched http://www.guoxuedashi.net/zidian/xz/ ...
12
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Why does Mandarin Chinese have a smaller inventory of unique syllables?
From How languages compare with the number of different syllables from all words?, considering the 20,000 most frequent words in each language, Mandarin Chinese has 1274 different syllables (see also ...
- 2,133
1
vote
3
answers
65
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If there is no adverb for time, what are the possible tenses of a verb?
For example 我不去 could mean “I don't go” or “I'm not going”. Is the rule that verbs without any time information like this, it either means present simple or present continuous tense?
Could it mean ...
- 1,164
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3
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53
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In 我哪个都要 how is subject object verb structure valid?
Looking at this sentence
我哪个都要
How is subject object verb structure valid? If its topic comment structure, then why is the subject 我 first instead of object 哪个都 （everything). Seems weird
- 1,164
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2
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49
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Is 貴 (your) a productive morpheme?
Is 貴 a productive morpheme in Mandarin, or is it only used in fixed expressions that one should just learn?
Like, can I say «貴杯» for «your cup», or is that not allowed.
- 1,491
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2
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220
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How to determine the right pronunciation of names?
The recent news shows that the name of a high-ranking official 谌贻琴 is pronounced Shen4 Yi2 Qin2, but as far as I know, a famous writer 谌容 and a famous badminton player 谌龙 are called Chen2 Rong2 and ...
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1
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54
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Where to find official documents that introduce the four-corner input method?
Table of contents
The context
Information about the input method
The questions
The context
I'm interested in learning how to use the Four-Corner Method. I've started making some graphics of the ...
CommunityBot
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0
votes
1
answer
48
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Is 那 often used as a conjunction?
Still forwarding on my lexicon, i am wondering about the use of 那 as a conjunction meaning " then, in that case ".
Is it really often used in that usage in modern Chinese ?
There are other ...
- 36
4
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1
answer
315
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Can you read this, or at least help me identify the characters?
Can you help me read these, or help me identify the characters? They're written on the backing paper of a scroll painting, probably from my great grandmother from about 1925. I’ve tried two different ...
CommunityBot
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