Although a debate currently rages amongst Chinese academics, linguists and lexicographers over English’s place within the Chinese dictionary, English speakers all over the world continue to use bits and pieces of the Chinese language on a daily basis, through various phrases and loanwords previously “borrowed” from Chinese. Here are the top 10 Chinese phrases that made it over the Great Wall and into the vocabularies of English speakers everywher, with a few that might just surprise you.
Tag: Chinese phrases
第十一课 去农家院 Lesson Nine: Visiting the Farmyard(3)
Andrea: And for our final phrase today, 我从来没见过这个 which means I have never seen that before.
第九课 王府井小吃街 Lesson Nine: Snacking on Wangfujing Street (1)
(At Wangfujing Street)Stephy: Wangfujing is located in the Dongcheng District of Beijing. It’s an area increasingly considered the heart of the city because of its easy accessibility. Remember we got here by simple subway train ride on Line One. But perhaps for most foreigners, Wangfujing is best-known for its snack streets. There is a popular Chinese saying, “一样东西四条腿，只要不是桌子，就能吃！“If it has four legs and it’s not a table, you can eat it. And such is proven hoofing along this snack street. The rare occasion of gnawing away on a centipede attracts many adventurous eaters. But if consuming wiggling parts just aren’t part of your agenda, surely one of the many food stalls here will satisfy your bite. Eating here is a chance to learn some Chinese phrases to describe how food tastes as well as to order some traditional Chinese snacks.
第八课 找工作 Lesson Eight: Looking for a Job (2)
(Nillah opens door and Dominic enters.)Nillah: Hi Dominic, nice to see you and come in. Hey, why don’t you make yourself comfortable?
Dominic: OK.
Dominic: So, how are you feeling?
Nillah: I’m nervous! You know for you guys it’s ok, because all you have to dress up is just in a suit, but for us girls, it’s a little more complicated, dressing up for an important event. But anyway I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.
Dominic: OK.
第七课 上健身馆 Lesson Seven: Going to a Gym (3)
PK: 教练，对不起，我的跑步机怎么停了？
GRAPHIC FLASH: 对不起，我的跑步机怎么停了？对不起 means excuse me，我的 my, 跑步机 treadmill, 怎么 why, 停了 means stop, 对不起，我的跑步机怎么停了？Excuse me, why does my treadmill stop?
Coach: 让我看看。
(The coach inspects the machine.)
Coach: 对不起，这个机器坏了，用不了了。
PK: I guess that’s it. The treadmill has refused. I guess I should try something else to do. What about Tai Chi?
(PK turns to the coach.)
PK: 你们这里教太极拳吗？
GRAPHIC FLASH: 你们这里教太极拳吗？你们 you, 这里 here, 教 to teach, 太极拳 Tai Chi or shadow boxing, 你们这里教太极拳吗？Do you teach shadow boxing?
Coach: 是的，在五号厅。
第七课 上健身馆 Lesson Seven: Going to a Gym (1)
PK: Are you ok? (Joanna doesn’t seem to be happy though.) (PK points to his left wher one of his
第三课 秀水街购物 Lesson Three Shopping at Silk Street (3)
Stephy: Let’ s put our tips and phrases to the text. Here we have Julianna and Toby. Anyone here a first-time silk market shopper?
Julianna: I am.
Stephy: You are? Any particular strategies you are going to try out?
Julianna: I think if I speak a little Chinese, I can get a good price.
Stephy: OK. And you?
Toby: Just gonna bargain hard and use a lot of patience.
Stephy: Ah, lots of patience. Well right now we have a little bit of bargaining competition. I’ m going to give you each 500 kuai, that’ s equivalent to about 75 US dollars. With this, you are going to try to bargain for this Qipao (旗袍).
Toby: For me?
Stephy to Toby: Yes, well, for your girlfriend maybe.
Stephy: The rules, one, bargain for the lowest price possible. Two, use the Chinese phrases we’ve learned today. And three, you have ten minutes. Beginning now! Ready? Set? Go!
第三课 秀水街购物 Lesson Three Shopping at Silk Street (1)
Stephy: Whether it’ s getting souvenirs for your friends or you need to find a warmer jacket, the silk market located in Beijing’ s Chaoyang District should be a definite stop. Here the shopping mall holds 1,200 stalls on its seven floors and basement level. Let’ s head on in.
Growing up with Chinese Lesson 96
Growing up with Chinese（成长汉语） is an entertaining, fun and easy Chinese series. This series teaches 300 of the most commonly spoken Chinese phrases to teenagers. It is hosted by Charlotte MacInnis, known to the Chinese audiences as Ai Hua.
Key words:
歪 wāi:crooked
梨 lí:pear
高 gāo:above average
分梨 fēn lí:to split a pear
分离 fēnlí:to separate
年糕 niángāo:sticky rice cake
吉利 jílì:lucky
迎接 yíngjiē:to meet
其中 qízhōng:among
越来越红火 yuèláiyuè hónghuǒ:more and more prosperous
Color Me Confused: Colors and Meaning in Chinese
Green with envy? Feeling blue? Irrespective of whether you’ve been forced to pour over the symbolism of a certain shade of gray, perhaps as part of a Literature degree, most Westerners have a decent idea of which colors equate to which emotions. But the Chinese palette is an entirely different animal, with the potential to ruin the best intentions – just try giving your Chinese girlfriend a white rose on Valentine’s Day.
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