Tag: the teacher

Chinese phrase translation: 飞毛腿 (fēimáotuǐ) fleet-footed runner

飞毛腿 (fēimáotuǐ) fleet-footed runner Usage: “飞毛腿”来源于古代的邮务系统。古代的紧急军事信件的信封一角黏着一根羽毛,表示需要尽快送到。送这种信的时候,在马匹无法到达的地方,会派出善于快跑的人想办法将它送达。后来人们就把那些健步如飞的人称为“飞毛腿”,也说跑得快的人长了“飞毛腿”。 “飞毛腿 (fēimáotuǐ)”originated from the ancient postal system. In ancient China, urgent military letters always

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Lesson 053 Where Do You Live?

Cam: 大家好, 我是Cam. Welcome to Chinese Studio.
Yajie: 欢迎收听《欢乐汉语》, 我是YJ. Cam, I’ve heard you rent a bigger apartment. Is that true?
Cam: Yes. And I’ll hold a party in the new flat this weekend. Do you want to join us?
Yajie: Of course. Tell me 你住在哪儿?
Cam: What does that mean?
Yajie: The answer is just in Key Words of the Day.  

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Chinese Idiom 歧路亡羊

歧路亡羊       学者杨子的邻居丢了一只羊,叫了亲戚朋友又请了杨子的仆人一起去找羊。      杨子问:“丢了一只羊,为什么要找这么多的人去追呢?”      邻居说:“因为路上有很多岔路啊!”      过了一会儿,人们回来了。“找到羊了吗?”,杨子问。     “没有”,大家回答,“路上有岔路,岔路上又有岔路。我们不知该往哪儿找,只好回来 了。”    

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Lesson 018 Expressions of the Directions in Chinese

Yajie: Perfect Chinese your way, in only five minutes a day. Welcome to Chinese Studio. Glad to have you with us again. I’m Yajie. 早上好.
Cam: And I’m Cam. 早上好(zǎoshang hǎo). What shall we learn today?
Yajie: Well, today we’ll continue learning directions. First let’s check keywords of the day!
***************Key words of the day
Today we’ll learn four words of directions, and they are: 前面,后面, 左边 右边。All in today’s Chinese Studio.
****************
Yajie: First let’s take a look at “前面” qiánmian, front. 前, the second tone. It means front or ahead. 面, the neutral tone. We can say: 在前面 which means “in the front ” or “in front of”.
Cam: 在前面 (zài qiánmian).
Yajie: 在 means “at”. Let’s look at an example. “老师在前面”, The teacher is in front.
Cam: 老师在前面 (lǎoshī zài qiánmian)
Yajie: Sometimes we can say 在something 的前面。For example: 我在你的前面, I’m in front of you.
Cam: 我在你的前面 (wǒ zài nǐ de qiánmian).
Yajie: And the opposite of 前面is 后面 hòumian. We can say 在后面 which means at the back.
Cam: hòumian.
Yajie: We also say 在something 的后面。For example: 我在你的后面, I’m behind you.
C: 我在你的后面 (wǒ zài nǐ de hòumian.)
Yajie: We already have 前面and后面, now let’s see the other two words: 左边 and右边. They are quite easy.
Cam: 左边(zuǒbian), 右边(yòubian).
Yajie: 左边 means the left side, zuǒbian. 左, third tone. 边has the neutral tone. So it’s左边(zuǒbian).
Cam: 左边(zuǒbian).
Yajie: 右边 means the right side, yòubian. 右, the forth tone.
Cam:  yòubian.
Yajie: We can also say: 在左边means on the left;
Cam: 在左边(zài zuǒbian).
Yajie: 在右边 means on the right.
Cam:在右边. (zài yòubian.) Yajie在我的左边 (zài wǒ de zuǒbian.), yajie is on my left side.
Yajie: Well done, Cam. I think you’ve made great progress in learning Chinese!
Cam:  Xie xie.
***************Key words reminder
Today we’ve learned four words of directions, and they are: 前面, 后面,  左边, 右边. All in today’s Chinese Studio.
****************
Yajie: OK, Maybe it’s confusing for you to learn so many new words a day.  Now let’s take a quick review of what we’ve learned today: 前面 the front, 后面the back,
Cam: 前面(qianmian), 后面 (houmian).
Yajie: 左边 left side,  and 右边 right side。
Cam: 左边 (zuobian),  and 右边 (youbian).
Yajie: And also 在前面,in the front. 在后面,at the back.
Cam: 在前面(zai qianmian),在后面(zai houmian).
Yajie: 在左边, on the left side; 在右边on the right side。
Cam: 在左边(zai zuobian),在右边(zai youbian)。
Yajie:我在你的右边 (wǒ zài nǐ de yòoubian.),
Cam: And你在我的左边 (nǐ zài wǒ de zuǒbian.), yajie is on my left side.
Yajie: Right! Well, that’s it for today. Don’t forget you can win a gift by answering the question of the day in Chinese: Where is Beihai Park? Is it somewhere behind the Forbidden City, or in front of the Forbidden City?
Cam: Just make a sentence in pinyin, or the Chinese alphabet!  You can send us questions or comments to Chinese@crifm.com.  That’s Chinese@crifm.com.  Or you can visit us on our website at en.chinabroadcast.cn. Click learn Chinese, where you can enjoy other free Chinese-learning programs.
Yajie: Well, class is over. 再见!
Cam: 再见!

(Written by Zhao Pingping)

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Chinese phrase translation: 放鸽子 (fàng gēzi) to fail to keep an appointment

放鸽子 (fàng gēzi) to fail to keep an appointment; to stand sb. up Usage: “放鸽子”既指释放鸽子,又指不遵守约定。古代人们都是用鸽子送信。据说有一次,两个人约定通信,可是其中一个人只放了鸽子,却没有写信,违背了约定。所以,后来放鸽子指不遵守约定,尤其是指失约。经常使用的结构是“放某人鸽子”和“被某人放鸽子”。 “放鸽子” means both releasing pigeons

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声声中国语:我就知道。(Wǒ jiù zhīdao.)I indeed figured (that) before.

我就知道。(Wǒ jiù zhīdao.)I indeed figured (that) before. Explanation “我就知道”这个短句通常用来表示说话人已经猜测到某种情况会发生或是事实与说话人所猜想的一致。“就”有表示强调的意思。这个短句后面通常要叙述说话人所猜测的内容。 “我就知道” often indicates that the speaker has speculated what would happen

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