Chinese Lessons

[dec4rhapsody]

dec4rhapsody
Sorry I have to reply to your post in English haha coz it's a lot faster and easier for me. I will post some of my Chinese New Year pictures here and in some of the FCs that I am in. Let's share our CNY photos alright? It doesn't have to be pictures of yourself if you are camera shy (like me haha!), you can just take pictures of the goodies, the yusheng, the steamboat, the ang pows, decorations in your house or outside.:nod

That's a nice idea~
I'll try to upload some pics after the winter holidays, since I don't have my usb-line with me:cry...

[choco bao bao]

Cocomint chocy :yell chinese nursery rymes NOW!!!
Haha, The only one I can think of now is 三只老虎. :sag

dec4rhapsody
I will post some of my Chinese New Year pictures here and in some of the FCs that I am in. Let's share our CNY photos alright? It doesn't have to be pictures of yourself if you are camera shy (like me haha!), you can just take pictures of the goodies, the yusheng, the steamboat, the ang pows, decorations in your house or outside.:nod
Sounds fun!! :nod Lots of stuff to take pics of! :laugh

[dec4rhapsody]

Haha, The only one I can think of now is 三只老虎. :sag


Shouldn't it be two?

[choco bao bao]

Shouldn't it be two?
:facepalm You're right.

:scry

[chocy]

Lol! But I have seriously forgotten most of my nursery rhymes too.

CNY is coming! My bank account is going to see happier days again!:LOS

[dec4rhapsody]

Lol! But I have seriously forgotten most of my nursery rhymes too.

CNY is coming! My bank account is going to see happier days again!:LOS

Lucky money is THE tradition that rarely fades away. I remember those days in Germany...*switching to nostalgic mode*

[makeoutparadise]

is vit the same with you guys the money train stops flowing when your married?

[PlayStation]

Happy Chinese New Year guys!

Gong Xi Fa Cai :awesome

[choco bao bao]

Lol! But I have seriously forgotten most of my nursery rhymes too.

CNY is coming! My bank account is going to see happier days again!:LOS
:LOS

is vit the same with you guys the money train stops flowing when your married?
Yes, when you get married, you give out red packets instead of receiving them. :doh

Happy Chinese New Year guys!

Gong Xi Fa Cai :awesome
Happy CNY! :iria Although there are 2 more days to go! :iria:iria

[chocy]

Speaking of marriage my friend's friend who is my age (turning 23 this year) just got married! Bad timing, does that mean she has to give out ang pows? She should have waited till after CNY.:LOS

[choco bao bao]

Speaking of marriage my friend's friend who is my age (turning 23 this year) just got married! Bad timing, does that mean she has to give out ang pows? She should have waited till after CNY.:LOS
She should have. :laugh But it's better for your bank account you if you know her, isn't it? :LOS

I wonder if my colleagues would give me angbaos. :plot

[dec4rhapsody]

Huh, I won't be here tomorrow~
So, happy CNY, everybody~~

先给大家拜个早年～

[makeoutparadise]

do the teachers give you money :yell I will never except candy

[chocy]

So far no teacher has ever given me an ang pow. Guess it's coz we have to maintain that professional student teacher relationship heh. Yay, steamboat dinner tomorrow night!:LOS

[makeoutparadise]

you andn your cold relationship with your teachers
my daddy keeps teasing us that its tradition for the kung fu teachers to give us money

[chocy]

I don't know about the other Chinese countries, but here in sg, stuff like that is related to bribery. So it's actually taboo here.

I should get a kung fu teacher though, if that's the case haha!

[makeoutparadise]

wait do you guys have your birthday by the chinese calender?

[chocy]

Yeah we do, but I don't know mine! I will ask my parents later, so that I can demand for presents on that day too.:LOS

[makeoutparadise]

good plan......

I just ate some newyear dumplings redbean brown dumpling and white meat ones

[makeoutparadise]

I am looking for a Anime store ?
Wo yao
Where can I find an Anime store?

please drive me there taxi driver?

what kind of anime do you have?

we have....

Where is your naruto section?

[choco bao bao]

Huh, I won't be here tomorrow~
So, happy CNY, everybody~~

先给大家拜个早年～
新年快乐!!!

do the teachers give you money :yell I will never except candy
No, teachers usually give candy. If they do give out money, they would have to give every student they have! And that's a lot! smile-big

wait do you guys have your birthday by the chinese calender?
I'm not sure.. *goes off to check*
My birthday according to the Western calendar: 25 Oct 1989
Year in Reign Title: 78
Cyclical Year: 己巳 (ji3 si4)

Lunar Month: 9
Cyclical Month: 甲戌 (jia3 xu1)
Leap month: No

Day of Month : 26
Cyclical Day: 戊午 (wu4 wu3)

Which means 26 Sep 1978. Gosh, I feel old! :amazed

I am looking for a Anime store ?
Wo yao
Where can I find an Anime store?

please drive me there taxi driver?

what kind of anime do you have?

we have....

Where is your naruto section?
Do you want the translation? :huh

[chocy]

Gregorian Date of your Gregorian Birthday: Tuesday, October 29, 1985
Chinese Date of your Gregorian Birthday Anniversary this year: cycle 78, Chinese Year Wu-Zi (25), year 2008, month 10, day 1 (2008-10-01)
Gregorian Age today: 22 years old
Chinese Date of your birthday: cycle 78, Chinese Year Yi-Chou (2), year 1985, month 9, day 16 (1985-09-16)
Gregorian Date of your Chinese Birthday Anniversary this year: Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Chinese Age today: 23 years old

Choco, I think the year should be 1989 for you, just a month or so earlier than your Gregorian birthdate.

I went to this website btw:
http://www.est-direct.com/china/cncaps.php

Yay double birthdays in October. That's why I love Octobers.:amuse

[choco bao bao]

Choco, I think the year should be 1989 for you, just a month or so earlier than your Gregorian birthdate.

I went to this website btw:
http://www.est-direct.com/china/cncaps.php

Yay double birthdays in October. That's why I love Octobers.:amuse
:iria No wonder I thought the year turned out weird.

So mine is: cycle 78, Chinese Year Ji-Si (6), year 1989, month 9, day 26 (1989-09-26) -- 26 Sep 1989.

[chocy]

Choco!:hug There is a CNY thread at the Chatterbox section! Let's semi- spam that thread lol. I got some early ang pows, and I have taken some pictures, will upload them later yeah? Need to take a shower first.

[choco bao bao]

Choco!:hug There is a CNY thread at the Chatterbox section! Let's semi- spam that thread lol. I got some early ang pows, and I have taken some pictures, will upload them later yeah? Need to take a shower first.
:hug Yeah, I saw that thread! I got some early angbaos too. :LOS My reunion dinner was at my house.

Sigh... I think my relationships between my relatives are becoming more tensed and strained. :(

[chocy]

With your uncles and aunties? It shouldn't be that bad with your cousins right? I am alright with everyone on my paternal side, but my relationship with the people on my maternal side is really tensed.

Edit

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff46/chocy1/Photo0417.jpg
Steamboat stuff. Abalone and some pig innards. I accidentally ate one innard thinking that it was an abalone. Argh!
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff46/chocy1/Photo0421.jpg
Springrolls and steamboat!
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff46/chocy1/Photo0433.jpg
Early red packets from my parents, my grandma and one auntie. Much more to come tomorrow.:LOS

[makeoutparadise]

新年快乐!!!





Do you want the translation? :huh
Yes PLz


:nod :ruri X3 I'm listening to Chinese music all day today

[Inarigo]

Happy Chinese New Year! (Eve.)

mandarin: gung hay fat choy

um aw mann, i forgot the other ways

vietnamese: juk mung nam muoy?

hm..

[makeoutparadise]

Fang ci fa sai

[dec4rhapsody]

I am looking for a Anime store ?
Wo yao
Where can I find an Anime store?

please drive me there taxi driver?

what kind of anime do you have?

we have....

Where is your naruto section?

forgive my Beijing-dialect and the hooligan-tone LOL

爷在找卖动漫的地方
请问哪儿有动漫店啊
把爷载那儿吧
你们这儿都有啥动画啊
我们这儿卖……
火影周边有没

[choco bao bao]

新年快乐!!
希望大家心想事成，万事如意!:iria:iria

forgive my Beijing-dialect and the hooligan-tone LOL

我要在找卖动漫的地方
请问哪儿有动漫店啊
把爷载到那儿吧
你们这儿都有啥动画啊
我们这儿卖……
请问《火影人者》的动漫在哪?

Fixed. :del

[dec4rhapsody]

同祝同乐

another version (not a direct translation)

我想买点动画片/漫画/动漫周边 (pick one)
请问这附近有卖动漫的地方吗？
就到那里……
你们这儿都进哪些动画片/漫画/周边啊？
我们这儿有……
请问这里有卖《火影忍者》吧


---------------------------
呵呵，汉语真是丰富啊~~

[chocy]

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff46/chocy1/1-5.jpg

Siew Ma (pork + mushroom dumpling)
Sea Cucumber dish (loh han chye?)
Century eggs (According to a persistent myth, century eggs are or once were prepared by soaking eggs in horse urine. However, this is not plausible since urine is usually acidic or very weakly alkaline, and the myth may arise from the ammonia smell created during some production processes.)
Curry

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff46/chocy1/2-4.jpg

Soy eggs
Steamboat
Kueh Lapis + plum (Kuih lapis (layer cake) is a rich kuih consisting of thin alternating layers made of butter, eggs and sugar, piled on top of each other. Each layer is laid down and then steamed separately, making the creation of a kueh lapis an extremely laborious and time-consuming process.)
Cheng Tng (Cheng Tng a refreshing soup with longans, barley, agar agar strips, lotus seeds, white fungus and a sweet syrup, served either hot or cold.)

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff46/chocy1/3-3.jpg

New year tidbits
Pineapple tarts and cornflake cookies
fried fish balls
bak kua (Bakkwa, or rougan is a Chinese salty-sweet dried meat product similar to jerky, made in the form of flat thin sheets. It is normally made from pork)

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff46/chocy1/7-1.jpg

Satay (chunks or slices of dice-sized meat (chicken, goat, mutton, beef, pork, fish, etc.) on bamboo skewers. These are grilled over a wood or charcoal fire, then served with various spicy seasonings
Satay dipped in spicy peanut sauce
steamboat stuff
steamed fish

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff46/chocy1/8-1.jpg
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff46/chocy1/9.jpg
Decorations
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff46/chocy1/10.jpg
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff46/chocy1/11.jpg
My guinea pig and my elder bro’s turtle. No we didn’t cook turtle soup haha!

[makeoutparadise]

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z184/Sun-wu/gonghey002.jpg


http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z184/Sun-wu/DSC00084.jpg

[chocy]

:omg that a really cute rabbit!!!!!

Rabbits are my fav animals.:love I like big and fluffy ones.

[makeoutparadise]

Yep :nod And I Ate him for newyears He's about 5 years old now

[chocy]

Yeah my parents keep joking about wanting to cook my elder bro's pet turtle. It's really big now, about 25cm.:omg

[choco bao bao]

Yeah my parents keep joking about wanting to cook my elder bro's pet turtle. It's really big now, about 25cm.:omg
:omg that's big! I had pet terrapins before, but they always got 放生 (fang4 sheng1) by my mum cos they started to smell after some time. :doh

[mr_shadow]

What's mandarin for "dessert"? Me and my brother went out for chinese food yesterday on account of the newyear, and my mind went totaly blank when he told me to order him some icecream :laugh. Since I don't usualy order dessert when I'm there alone, I've never learned what it's called :(

Throw in the word "icecream" too while you're at it.

[dec4rhapsody]

What's mandarin for "dessert"? Me and my brother went out for chinese food yesterday on account of the newyear, and my mind went totaly blank when he told me to order him some icecream :laugh. Since I don't usualy order dessert when I'm there alone, I've never learned what it's called :(

Throw in the word "icecream" too while you're at it.

甜品 (tian2 pin3) or 甜点 (tian2 dian 3) would be ok~

[chocy]

Ice Cream is 雪糕. Yummy!

[Sasori]

How do you say:

lol I saw Edison's dick

[chocy]

lol = 嘻嘻(giggle) or 哈哈(haha)

I saw Edison Chen's penis = 我看到了陈冠希的阴茎

lol!

[makeoutparadise]

wha????.....

[chocy]

Oh he asked for a translation of that, so I translated it.:sweatdrop

[dec4rhapsody]

Oh he asked for a translation of that, so I translated it.:sweatdrop

speechless...
you may do that in a less direct and scientific way.....

................
................................
...............................................
.................................................. ........
.................................................. ......................



PS:
厚着脸皮来开讲坛~
There are subtle differences between 雪糕 and 冰棍, while 冰淇淋 (or 冰激凌) is the relatively generic term...

[chocy]

The ice cream question was asked before, and Johnlusf said that 雪糕 is kinda better haha.

About that Edison Chen part, actually I found several words for it and didn't know which to choose. So I googled to see how some of it was used and decided upon that structure and word, lol. Prior to that, I only knew the Hokkien term for it.:LOS Thus, I was enlightened in a way.:del

[dec4rhapsody]

The ice cream question was asked before, and Johnlusf said that 雪糕 is kinda better haha.

About that Edison Chen part, actually I found several words for it and didn't know which to choose. So I googled to see how some of it was used and decided upon that structure and word, lol. Prior to that, I only knew the Hokkien term for it.:LOS Thus, I was enlightened in a way.:del

无止境黑线中……

中国人讲究含蓄的说~你那个主要在医学里用……

[Sasori]

lol = 嘻嘻(giggle) or 哈哈(haha)

I saw Edison Chen's penis = 我看到了陈冠希的阴茎

lol!:lmao .

[makeoutparadise]

hey I took the nf member quiz and I got you sasori

[chocy]

I always get Sasori in those member quizzes, haha. Though I like Deidara, I prefer Sasori's notion of art.

[mr_shadow]

While the discussion is "below the belt", I have to say I can't stop smiling at Cao Cao's name in Romance of the Three Kingdoms:laugh

Poor guy

[dec4rhapsody]

While the discussion is "below the belt", I have to say I can't stop smiling at Cao Cao's name in Romance of the Three Kingdoms:laugh

Poor guy

And what about his son? Cow-Pee :laugh:laugh

PS: I don't like his English VA in Dynasty Warrios 5...as a Canna fan.

[choco bao bao]

情人节快乐!

Happy Valentine's Day! :iria

[mr_shadow]

And what about his son? Cow-Pee :laugh:laugh

PS: I don't like his English VA in Dynasty Warrios 5...as a Canna fan.

I've never played Dynasty Warriors. I started by reading the book ^^. Which might have been a bad move, since it's quite hard to tell apart the characters when you don't know the characters or even tones for their names.

At last it does look like the namesake Three Kingdoms are forming anyway. Sorry to say it, but the first 30 chapters weren't all that fun because of the millions of subplots (and subplots within those) you had to keep track of.

[makeoutparadise]

While the discussion is "below the belt", I have to say I can't stop smiling at Cao Cao's name in Romance of the Three Kingdoms:laugh

Poor guy

:yell The english dub is wrong you say it like SAO SAO

[dec4rhapsody]

:yell The english dub is wrong you say it like SAO SAO

MUCH better than COW COW

[Inarigo]

I like that game. :oh

[chocy]

Yeah I have seen the game demo several times and I think it looks really cool!:nod

[mr_shadow]

:yell The english dub is wrong you say it like SAO SAO

What? His name is 曹操 (Cao2 Cao1), and my chinese friends tell me you also use the character 操 to write the "cao1" that means "fuck".

"Fuck" was the first meaning of cao1 i learned, and therefore I lol at 曹操's name. I'm uncertain what's funny about Dynasty Warriors, since I didn't play it.

Edit: Pinyin "C" = Ts, therefore Cao Cao = Tsao Tsao.

[makeoutparadise]

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z184/Sun-wu/san130.png

[chocy]

What? His name is 曹操 (Cao2 Cao1), and my chinese friends tell me you also use the character 操 to write the "cao1" that means "fuck".

"Fuck" was the first meaning of cao1 i learned, and therefore I lol at 曹操's name. I'm uncertain what's funny about Dynasty Warriors, since I didn't play it.

Edit: Pinyin "C" = Ts, therefore Cao Cao = Tsao Tsao.Haha that was the first meaning of 操 that you learned? The first meaning of 操 I learnt was for 体操(ti3 cao1) (gymnastic / gymnastics) or 操场(cao1 chang3) (playground / sports field).:laugh
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z184/Sun-wu/san130.pngThat's really funny!:lmao Do you have any more cool Chinese comic strips?

[makeoutparadise]

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z184/Sun-wu/c_san147.png
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z184/Sun-wu/san006.gif

[chocy]

Thanks for the comics makeoutparadise! Lol Zhang Fei has man boobs.:amuse

Have you guys seen this fan colouring? (Spoilers for anime only watchers)
http://forums.narutofan.com/showthread.php?t=332394
http://pic.yupoo.com/348868016/624265120b46/psojbs8r.jpg
Notice the Chinese New Year hint there? Haha!

[choco bao bao]

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z184/Sun-wu/c_san147.png
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z184/Sun-wu/san006.gif
:lmao:lmao


Have you guys seen this fan colouring? (Spoilers for anime only watchers)
http://forums.narutofan.com/showthread.php?t=332394
http://pic.yupoo.com/348868016/624265120b46/psojbs8r.jpg
Notice the Chinese New Year hint there? Haha!
Yes! :wtf

[makeoutparadise]

no....I don't understand

[chocy]

Do you see an upside down 福 in the fan colouring? Usually people hang or paste an upside down 福 on their walls and/or doors during Chinese New Year. Coz 倒 (dǎo), or "upside down", sounds similar as 到 (dào), or "arrive". Therefore, it symbolizes the arrival of luck, happiness, and prosperity.

[dec4rhapsody]

What? His name is 曹操 (Cao2 Cao1), and my chinese friends tell me you also use the character 操 to write the "cao1" that means "fuck".

"Fuck" was the first meaning of cao1 i learned, and therefore I lol at 曹操's name. I'm uncertain what's funny about Dynasty Warriors, since I didn't play it.

Edit: Pinyin "C" = Ts, therefore Cao Cao = Tsao Tsao.

Actually, it's "肏" (cao4, symbolically "into the flesh") that means "fuck". But since this character is rarely used, people tend to use "操" instead, which is also pronounced cao4.

[mr_shadow]

Thanks for the comics makeoutparadise! Lol Zhang Fei has man boobs.:amuse

Have you guys seen this fan colouring? (Spoilers for anime only watchers)
http://forums.narutofan.com/showthread.php?t=332394
http://pic.yupoo.com/348868016/624265120b46/psojbs8r.jpg
Notice the Chinese New Year hint there? Haha!

How can he not have manboobs? I'd say it's in his character ^^

[chocy]

Yeah, it's just that I find it really amusing when I see man boobs haha!

[Tatsuki]

XD
*cough*
Hi, just wanted to ask something. peng dao means to run into something right? well if you change the tone of dao, does it change the meaning?
I'm learning x.x

[Rinnegan]

XD
*cough*
Hi, just wanted to ask something. peng dao means to run into something right? well if you change the tone of dao, does it change the meaning?
I'm learning x.x

Yeah, I guess it means that. Although my dictionary only lists pèng (碰) (to bump into), I suppose dao adds something to the meaning or whatever.

And if it changes the meaning, yes. I don't know if there are other expressions that are pronounced pengdao but with different tones, but chinese has a large share of homophones, so I guess so. In any case, whenever you change the tone it changes the meaning. Phonologically it has the same effect as changing the "p" in "pad" into "m", it means something else, in this case "mad", or it amy mean nothing although it could be a word, like "vad"

[mr_shadow]

Yeah, it's just that I find it really amusing when I see man boobs haha!

Oh, bisexual perhaps? If you like men with boobs :amuse

[chocy]

XD
*cough*
Hi, just wanted to ask something. peng dao means to run into something right? well if you change the tone of dao, does it change the meaning?
I'm learning x.x
碰到 = peng4 dao4, to come across / to run into / to meet
碰倒 = peng4 dao3, to knock sth over:)Oh, bisexual perhaps? If you like men with boobs :amuseOh no I find it amusing as in funny amusing not intriguing amusing haha.

[Inarigo]

This is off subject but...what's with our usernames?

[mr_shadow]

Haxed, perhaps? In either case I kinda dig it ^^

[RoomBurnerZ]

lol so ham sap.

[chocy]

Lol my mum likes to say ham sup!:laugh She's kinda annoying actually. When she reads the tabloids, she will laugh at the person being ridiculed, and say that he is a ham sup lo.(Did I get that right?)

[makeoutparadise]

Hey we're sexing in konoha

[mr_shadow]

If so I call sexing Tenten :laugh

[Inarigo]

lol i still remember the phrase "ham sup" i think it kinda means perverted or embarrasing. i cant think of a direct definition.

[chocy]

Ya I think it means perverted haha!

[makeoutparadise]

how do you say "stupid American thinks he can fight."

[Inarigo]

choon maygokyun numgi hooy hoyi da

wow i remembered. i hope you can understand it though. :sweatdrop

[makeoutparadise]

sweeet canto
now in mando

[watashi-ai-neko]

lol i still remember the phrase "ham sup" i think it kinda means perverted or embarrasing. i cant think of a direct definition.
i speak cantonese and chinese (mum and dad are asians) and ham sup does mean pervertedness. ^^

[watashi-ai-neko]

sweeet canto
now in mando
canto: so guai low, im siek dim da gao
mando: sha guai ren... bu zhi dao zhe me da jia

[watashi-ai-neko]

you guys can just mail me if you need any help in cantonese, chinese/mandarin and japanese! ^^

[makeoutparadise]

thanks :glomp

[Inarigo]

guai low also means caucasian man right?

[choco bao bao]

guai low also means caucasian man right?
I have no idea. :laugh don't speak canto. hokkien and mandarin only.

I only know Caucasians are known as "ang moh" here, which means red hair. :lmao

[Inarigo]

lol how bout the other hair colors?

[choco bao bao]

lol how bout the other hair colors?
:lmao I dunno!

Here:
Literally meaning 'red-haired', [ang moh] carries a strong stigma at present amongst a large proportion of the Caucasian minority. The term implies that the person referred to is a devil, a concept explicitly used in the Cantonese term gweilo ('foreign devil').
I guess that answers your first question. smile-big

[Inarigo]

wow XD that's weird...

[choco bao bao]

It is, isn't it? :laugh

But the Caucasians who live here know that we refer them as "ang mohs" and gradually more of them are also calling themselves ang mohs. :)

[Inarigo]

lol it might be losing it's old meaning. :awesome

[choco bao bao]

lol it might be losing it's old meaning. :awesome
I think it already has. :lmao

It has become a synonym without any malice.

[chocy]

lol how bout the other hair colors?Haha I do know that Kim mor means golden hair i.e. blondes. Johnlusf mentioned something about the origins of the term Ang Mor some time back.
Red hair was supposedly a reference to the Dutch. The term arose out of the Fujianese's interaction with the Dutch in Fujian and Taiwan. The term did not originate in Singapore, since, as you mentioned, the British colonized Singapore. And, as you mentioned earlier, the 'red hair' term is used in your dialect, Hokkien (Fujian).

[choco bao bao]

Haha I do know that Kim mor means golden hair i.e. blondes. Johnlusf mentioned something about the origins of the term Ang Mor some time back.
oooo.. so now I know. Thanks for the info! :grin

[watashi-ai-neko]

why are we discussing on white people's hair?

[watashi-ai-neko]

i thought ang moh is hokkien? singaporeans refer white people to ang mohs. well...i think its hokkien. not cantonese or chinese

[watashi-ai-neko]

all i noe is, ang moh is hokkien. not cantonese. or chinese. singaporeans refer to eurasians/americans/people with 'white' skin as ang mohs

[makeoutparadise]

canto: so guai low, im siek dim da gao
mando: sha guai ren... bu zhi dao zhe me da jia

chars????....

[chocy]

why are we discussing on white people's hair?Coz Inarigo started the topic on the terms used for Caucasians. Yeah, we do know that Ang Mor is in Hokkien.:)

[makeoutparadise]

why are we discussing on white people's hair?

because he's keepen us down

[watashi-ai-neko]

oooooook.... heh :Dchars????....
any way.... what do you mean by 'chars???'?
sorry... during yoga lessons, they told us to clear our minds...and i did...heh

[dec4rhapsody]

Todally confused now...
What's going on here?
红毛鬼子?
I dunno, maybe it's referring to the european invaders/merchants in the early Qing/Tsing dynasty?

[makeoutparadise]

oooooook.... heh :D
any way.... what do you mean by 'chars???'?
sorry... during yoga lessons, they told us to clear our minds...and i did...heh

symbols???

[choco bao bao]

Todally confused now...
What's going on here?
红毛鬼子?
I dunno, maybe it's referring to the european invaders/merchants in the early Qing/Tsing dynasty?
Here (provided by chocy on the last page):

Red hair was supposedly a reference to the Dutch. The term arose out of the Fujianese's interaction with the Dutch in Fujian and Taiwan. The term did not originate in Singapore, since, as you mentioned, the British colonized Singapore. And, as you mentioned earlier, the 'red hair' term is used in your dialect, Hokkien (Fujian).

[dec4rhapsody]

Thx a lot~
I don't speak 闽南话 and the only time I noticed the term of "red hair" was in 金庸's novel 鹿鼎记...

[choco bao bao]

Thx a lot~
I don't speak 闽南话 and the only time I noticed the term of "red hair" was in 金庸's novel 鹿鼎记...
You're welcome.

I don't read Chinese novels. :sweatdrop I can't stand reading pages and pages of Chinese characters. I'll go crazy.

[Hattori~Hanzo]

I don't read Chinese novels. :sweatdrop I can't stand reading pages and pages of Chinese characters. I'll go crazy.
Same here. The only thing in Chinese I do read is Chinese mangas. :P

Oh, and the only Jin Yong wuxia novel I read before is Tian Long Ba Bu. Took me a freaking long time to finish all 5 books.

[Inarigo]

I can't even find Chinese Manhuo. :sweatdrop

[choco bao bao]

Same here. The only thing in Chinese I do read is Chinese mangas. :P

Oh, and the only Jin Yong wuxia novel I read before is Tian Long Ba Bu. Took me a freaking long time to finish all 5 books.
Me too. :sweatdrop

I only read Chinese manga with Simplified Chinese (no Trad Chinese pls :pek).

The only times I actually read Chinese books were during school when we were required to do Chinese book reviews.
I can't even find Chinese Manhuo. :sweatdrop
Manhuo? :huh Do you mean manhua?

[chocy]

Me too. :sweatdrop

I only read Chinese manga with Simplified Chinese (no Trad Chinese pls :pek).

The only times I actually read Chinese books were during school when we were required to do Chinese book reviews.

Manhuo? :huh Do you mean manhua?Oh but I thought most of the manga here are in Traditional Chinese? Where do you buy your simplified Chinese manga? Traditional Chinese hurt my eyes sometimes haha!:laugh

[dec4rhapsody]

I know that reading books Chinese could be paralyzing.
I have experienced that before and was nearly slapped by my mom for not willing to learn Chinese at all~
LoL, I've scored 5 pts (out of 100) in my Chinese school-transfer test.

[choco bao bao]

Oh but I thought most of the manga here are in Traditional Chinese? Where do you buy your simplified Chinese manga? Traditional Chinese hurt my eyes sometimes haha!:laugh
Oh, I buy Chuang Yi Comics. I think it's a local publisher that translates it into Simplified Chinese.
My friend's weird..she buys the Traditional Chinese manga because she says it holds higher comedy value. Like, what? :sag:sag:sag

Can you imagine: instead of characters like 龙, you have to read characters like 龍 the whole time!! :argh:argh
I know that reading books Chinese could be paralyzing.
I have experienced that before and was nearly slapped by my mom for not willing to learn Chinese at all~
LoL, I've scored 5 pts (out of 100) in my Chinese school-transfer test.
I'm sure you'll do well next time! :iria 加油!!

[watashi-ai-neko]

I actually hate chinese to the core... and im suppose to learn both trad and simp since my mum is a hongkonger. and cantonese is in trad chinese. in singapore, im suppose to be learnind simp chinese.

[dec4rhapsody]

Aesthetically, I do prefer trad, but don't make me to write that...

[chocy]

Oh, I buy Chuang Yi Comics. I think it's a local publisher that translates it into Simplified Chinese.
My friend's weird..she buys the Traditional Chinese manga because she says it holds higher comedy value. Like, what? :sag:sag:sag

Can you imagine: instead of characters like 龙, you have to read characters like 龍 the whole time!! :argh:argh

I'm sure you'll do well next time! :iria 加油!!Higher comedy value?:laugh Did she elaborate as to why?:laugh

[fantasydreams]

hm im cantonese born in hong kong
but raised in canada
my parents wanted me to learn mandarin cuz it was gonna be important in teh future.......lil did i know
they were right.
:P
so i took mandarin since i was a kid and then continued on from high school and university for extra credits :)

[choco bao bao]

Higher comedy value?:laugh Did she elaborate as to why?:laugh
Maybe it's more... "authentic"? *shrugs* I borrowed Vol. 34 from her cos it was out of stock at that time, and I couldn't make out half of the words inside. :argh

hm im cantonese born in hong kong
but raised in canada
my parents wanted me to learn mandarin cuz it was gonna be important in teh future.......lil did i know
they were right.
:P
so i took mandarin since i was a kid and then continued on from high school and university for extra credits :)
Yeah, although I don't really like Chinese, I'm thankful that the Singapore education system made me bilingual.

[Huike]

Yeah, although I don't really like Chinese, I'm thankful that the Singapore education system made me bilingual.

Yeah, you're lucky. I'd love to have been brought up bilingual. At least I can speak english, I guess.

[choco bao bao]

^are you learning Chinese now?

[Xiao_Sun]

Cool thread. I'm an American, studying Chinese (Mandarin, simplified). I took 4 semesters at college, but my studies really kicked off this year when I went to study abroad in China, at Peking University （北京大学）, in a language immersion program for the fall (completed) and both language and Asian studies courses in the Spring. If anybody wants any suggestions, help, questions, feel free to ask.

I use a pretty incredible online dictionary, too, if you all want. You can write in the characters on a window with your mouse and choose which one it is.

Oh... and if anybody wants a language partner, let me know. We can use Skype :-P

[Xiao_Sun]

canto: so guai low, im siek dim da gao
mando: sha guai ren... bu zhi dao zhe me da jia

Here it is for the person who asked for characters... and a slight correction on the Mandarin, Mandarin pinyin:

English: Stupid American, he thinks he knows how to fight.
Pin yin: Shaqi de meiguo ren, ta yiwei ta zhidao zenme dazhang.
Characters (simplified): 傻气的美国人，他以为他知道怎么打仗。

Every syllable is a character, I group them together in the Pinyin to show that it is a complete word by itself. Also, every syllable has its own tone.

Introduction/Explanation:

1st tone is a steady, flat tone at a higher pitch than all the rest: _

2nd tone is a rising tone, starting from low to high, like so: /

3rd tone dips and rises, starting below the pitch of the first tone, dipping slightly below where the second starts, and coming up again slightly yet very noticeably: v

4th tone is easiest, it's a very succint tone that cuts sharply downwards, like this: \

Finally, there's the neutral tone. It keeps an equal pitch below the first tone, and syllables with this tone are said quickly and directly after whatever comes before it. Any syllable without tonal notation is neutral.

Tones are really hard to get used to, only way to do it really is to practice with someone who speaks Chinese fluently or near fluently.

Vocab:

v
sha - shaqi - 傻气 - foolish, stupid -
\
qi

v
mei - meiguo ren- 美国人 - American (person) -
/
guo
/
ren

_
ta - ta - 他 - he, him

v
yi - yiwei - 以为 - to incorrectly assume
/
wei -

_
zhi - zhidao - 知道 - to know
\
dao

v
zen - zenme - 怎么- how, how to

me

v
da - dazhang - 打仗 - to fight
\
zhang

EDIT: Sorry that the tones don't line up perfectly. Apparently I can't put spaces before them. Ah well.

[chocy]

Xiao_Sun, thanks you your help. Next time, you can type the Chinese characters out using:
http://www.chinese-tools.com/tools/ime.html

And then generate the pinyin using this:
http://www.chinese-tools.com/tools/pinyin.html

That will help make the tone marks in line.:nod

[makeoutparadise]

Xie xie da ren

_____________

[Xiao_Sun]

Xiao_Sun, thanks you your help. Next time, you can type the Chinese characters out using:
http://www.chinese-tools.com/tools/ime.html

And then generate the pinyin using this:
http://www.chinese-tools.com/tools/pinyin.html

That will help make the tone marks in line.:nod

Thanks for the links! Those'll come in handy. :)

[Kairi]

*Looks. Ish Now confused* I would like to learn Chinese as well =O

[choco bao bao]

*Looks. Ish Now confused* I would like to learn Chinese as well =O

:iria people here will gladly teach you if you wanna learn. :)

[Kairi]

zomg Thanks you! :glomp Chinese sounds cool, de gozaru =D

[Rinnegan]

One question, for those of you who speak Cantonese. When you write in Chinese, do you actually reproduce the sentence patterns, syntax, etc., of Mandarin?

Because I've read some texts written in traditional chinese from HK and it seems like it mirrors Mandarin. I don't speak Canto, but from what I know about languages I should conclude that canto has different syntax. I don't know, for example, in Mandarin you use the particle 了 le for lots of things, or you have resultative verbs, like 看见, is it just the same in Canto, just that each character may be pronounced differently, or do you adapt the writing to something more closely related to Mandarin, while if you wanted to reproduce Cantonese in writing it would be difficult to understand for Mandarin speakers?

[Kairi]

What? What you say? =O

[choco bao bao]

One question, for those of you who speak Cantonese. When you write in Chinese, do you actually reproduce the sentence patterns, syntax, etc., of Mandarin?

Because I've read some texts written in traditional chinese from HK and it seems like it mirrors Mandarin. I don't speak Canto, but from what I know about languages I should conclude that canto has different syntax. I don't know, for example, in Mandarin you use the particle 了 le for lots of things, or you have resultative verbs, like 看见, is it just the same in Canto, just that each character may be pronounced differently, or do you adapt the writing to something more closely related to Mandarin, while if you wanted to reproduce Cantonese in writing it would be difficult to understand for Mandarin speakers?
Well, according to my mum, Canto's syntax may jump around a bit, at least more so than Hokkien.

Well, let's wait for a Canto speaker and see. smile-big

[Kairi]

Who here can speak Chinese? If so, could you help me?(I need it)

[choco bao bao]

Who here can speak Chinese? If so, could you help me?(I need it)
I can help you if you want. Just PM me, or you could just post your questions here. Someone will help you. :amuse

[Inarigo]

This is my favorite place on NA now. :oh

[choco bao bao]

This is my favorite place on NA now. :oh
Really?! 真的? :iria

[Hattori~Hanzo]

I already created a thread in the Job Center but I'll ask here too. Anyone interested in joining my fansub team to sub Wuxia dramas?

[choco bao bao]

I already created a thread in the Job Center but I'll ask here too. Anyone interested in joining my fansub team to sub Wuxia dramas?
I'd love to help!! Wait, let me PM you. :awesome

[chocy]

Wow wuxia dramas.:omg Is it tougher than translating Chinese scanlations?

[choco bao bao]

Wow wuxia dramas.:omg Is it tougher than translating Chinese scanlations?
I think so. :omg

I've recently started watching 天地传说之鱼美人, and I imagined subbing it with the thousands of 台词, and what's more the actors speak it very rapidly. :oh You don't get that in manga. A least the words are there, you won't miss them.

[Hattori~Hanzo]

Wow wuxia dramas.:omg Is it tougher than translating Chinese scanlations?
I would say it's generally more difficult than translating Chinese scanlations but there are some mangas that are harder to translate than Wuxia dramas. One good thing about subbing dramas is that you get to hear the audio instead of relying totally on the text.

@chocomint: Cool. I'll wait for your pm. :)

[choco bao bao]

I One good thing about subbing dramas is that you get to hear the audio instead of relying totally on the text.

I thought reading instead of listening is better...? :huh

[chocy]

Lol I prefer reading to listening. Good luck with the subbing Choco, I shall stick to translating Chinese scanlations heh.

[Hattori~Hanzo]

I thought reading instead of listening is better...? :huh
Almost all Chinese dramas have Chinese subtitles too so you can read AND listen at the same time. smile-big

[choco bao bao]

Lol I prefer reading to listening. Good luck with the subbing Choco, I shall stick to translating Chinese scanlations heh.
Thanks. :laugh Good luck with your scanlations too. :iria

@Hattori: :argh reading Chinese.. most of them are Traditional; I prefer Simplified. :D:

[Hattori~Hanzo]

Thanks. :laugh Good luck with your scanlations too. :iria

@Hattori: :argh reading Chinese.. most of them are Traditional; I prefer Simplified. :D:
Only Taiwanese and Hong Kong dramas use Traditional Chinese. Dramas from Mainland China use Simplified Chinese.

@chocy: What manga are you scanlating?

[choco bao bao]

Only Taiwanese and Hong Kong dramas use Traditional Chinese. Dramas from Mainland China use Simplified Chinese.
I see, I see. Well, I'm willing to give it a try. :)

[chocy]

I sometimes scanlate Naruto! Have only done it twice though, coz I only get the opportunity when the Chinese scanlation leaks 1 week before the official Japanese release.

[Hattori~Hanzo]

I sometimes scanlate Naruto! Have only done it twice though, coz I only get the opportunity when the Chinese scanlation leaks 1 week before the official Japanese release.
I see. That's cool. ^^

@chocomint: Check your pm. Btw, I'm known as Ueda Jiro in the team.

[Inarigo]

Really?! 真的? :iria
Yeah! :awesome

[Kairi]

*sulks in corner and draws circles on floor* I have no clue what people are saying in chinese :sweatdrop

[chocy]

You can ask any questions about Chinese over here if you don't understand the stuff that we are saying.:)

[makeoutparadise]

Gaun YUUUU!

[choco bao bao]

I see. That's cool. ^^

@chocomint: Check your pm. Btw, I'm known as Ueda Jiro in the team.
All right. :)

Yeah! :awesome
:awesome

*sulks in corner and draws circles on floor* I have no clue what people are saying in chinese :sweatdrop
I answered your PM. :)

[Kairi]

=D I feel special now! Chinese rules!

[choco bao bao]

=D I feel special now! Chinese rules!
Glad to be of help. :grin

[Kairi]

I'm glad to be helped :D

[choco bao bao]

what else would you like to know? :iria

[Shoddragon]

whats easiest to learn to speak/more common, mandarin or cantonese? and whats easiest to write, traditional or simplified ( because although simplified DOES sound easier, I know some people find it easier to do traditional)

[Shoddragon]

Whats the closes chinese words for " How big are your boobs"? serious question. I am trying to learn to ask that question in at least 10 languages :)

[Kairi]

lol wtf? Well anyway how do you say Bye in Chinese? =O

[choco bao bao]

whats easiest to learn to speak/more common, mandarin or cantonese? and whats easiest to write, traditional or simplified ( because although simplified DOES sound easier, I know some people find it easier to do traditional)
I don't speak Canto, so I can't answer that question.

Simplified is much easier to write. :zaru
Whats the closes chinese words for " How big are your boobs"? serious question. I am trying to learn to ask that question in at least 10 languages :)
你的胸部有多大?
ni3 de4 xiong1 bu4 you3 duo1 da4?

btw, try not to double post in NF, use the EDIT button. :)



@HinataAnkoTentenRul: bye is 再见 zai4 jian4

[Kairi]

Chinese uses numbers in there language? =O

[choco bao bao]

Chinese uses numbers in there language? =O
Actually, those are numbers for tones of the Chinese pinyin, which govern how each character is pronounced.

Symbols-
tone 1: ā
tone 2: á
tone 3: ǎ
tone 4: à
tone 5 (neutral tone): a

[Kairi]

So in "Zai4" '4' lets you know how to pronounce it? =O

[choco bao bao]

yeah.. there are some websites around that teaches you how to pronounce the words. i remember chocy posted some of them quite a number of pages back.

wait, let me think of some english words that have the same tones...

i can only think of "cat" which has the same tone as tone 4.

oh, i found this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin
there's an audio sample on the tones. :)

[chocy]

I will post the url to the text to speech engine later, I am not using my usual com now heh. Maybe those can be added to the first page? Along with several dictionaries, pinyin to Chinese editors etc.

[Kairi]

Okey so 4 sounds like "cat" then what does 3 sound like? =O

[choco bao bao]

I will post the url to the text to speech engine later, I am not using my usual com now heh. Maybe those can be added to the first page? Along with several dictionaries, pinyin to Chinese editors etc.
I don't think the person who created this thread is very active. :sag:sag

Okey so 4 sounds like "cat" then what does 3 sound like? =O
ermmm.. i think it sounds like when you say "happy" in a statement (not in a question), the "py" is tone 3.

[Kairi]

Oh!! Chinses sounds so complicated >_<
But its fun =D

[choco bao bao]

^it is complicated. :sweatdrop but you'll get used to it.

[Kairi]

Hai, I shall study but I might get things mixed up because I'm studying Japanese and Italian too. But I have to go now!
Ja Ne! :glomp

[choco bao bao]

Zai Jian!

See ya. :)

[chocy]

Chinese text to speech
http://www.sinovoice.com.cn/e-voice.asp

[Kairi]

Ni Hao, Hai hao ma chocomint, chocy? =D

[Inarigo]

Numbers are for the tones right?

[Hattori~Hanzo]

Numbers are for the tones right?
Yes. Besides learning the tones, you also need to learn how the Chinese pronounce the alphabets as it is slightly different from the English language. When I played Koei's Dynasty Warriors, the way they pronounce the names always crack me up. :laugh

[chocy]

Ni Hao, Hai hao ma chocomint, chocy? =DHi there, lol I am replying in English coz I am rather tired. I am quite tired today coz I was really busy trying to finish an essay yesterday. Feeling burned out now haha.

[choco bao bao]

Ni Hao, Hai hao ma chocomint, chocy? =D
我很好! 你呢?
wo3 hen2 hao3! ni3 ne1?
I'm very good! How about you?
:iria

[Kairi]

Hi there, lol I am replying in English coz I am rather tired. I am quite tired today coz I was really busy trying to finish an essay yesterday. Feeling burned out now haha.
I'm glad you replied in english XD I not that good with chinese just yet.
我很好! 你呢?
wo3 hen2 hao3! ni3 ne1?
I'm very good! How about you?
:iria
*Copies everything you just said down.*
Fine Fine. May I proceed with my lessons? :ano

[choco bao bao]

*Copies everything you just said down.*
Fine Fine. May I proceed with my lessons? :ano
Yes you may. :)

[Kairi]

Okey how do you say Thank you? =O

[choco bao bao]

Thank you = xie4 xie4.
谢谢

[Kairi]

Okey I got a good one:
Good morning, Goo afternoon, goodnight, Love and I love you.
Thats not to much is it? :ano

[choco bao bao]

No it's not. :amuse


Good morning = zao3 an1 早安

Good afternoon = xia4 wu2 hao3 下午好

love = ai4 爱 (this is Simplified Chinese. Traditional = 愛, which is written exactly like Gaara's kanji tattoo)

I love you = wo3 ai4 ni3 我爱你

[Kairi]

What about Good night? I would also like to know
Whats you name?
My name is...
Nice to meet you.
How are you?
You look pretty today.

Then Sentence in my sig. The one thats Quoted =D

[choco bao bao]

Good night = wan3 an1 晚安

What's your name? = ni3 de4 ming2 zi4 shi4 shen3 me4? 你的名字是什么?
OR ni3 jiao4 shen3 me4 ming2 zi4? 你叫什么名字? [what are you called?]

My name is... = wo3 de4 ming2 zi4 shi4... 我的名字是...

Nice to meet you = hen3 gao1 xing4 jian4 dao4 ni3 很高兴见到你

How are you? = ni3 hao3 ma1? 你好吗?

You look pretty today = ni3 jin1 tian1 hen3 piao4 liang4 你今天很漂亮

You're just jealous that we can act retarded in public and people still love us!
= ni3 zhi3 shi4 du4 ji4 wo3 men2 neng2 zai4 da4 ting3 guang3 zong4 xiang4 bai2 chi1 si4 de4, er2 da4 jia1 hai2 shi4 reng1 ran2 di4 ai4 wo3 men2!
你只是妒忌我们能在大庭广众像白痴似的，而大家还是仍然地爱我们!

Phew, the last one's kinda tough. :sweatdrop

[Kairi]

Xie4 Xie4! :glomp you are awesome. How do you say Your welcome?

[choco bao bao]

No problem. :amuse

You're welcome = bu4 ke4 qi4 不客气
OR bie2 ke4 qi4 别客气

[Kairi]

Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?
And
No
Yes
Good
My
Women
Men
Children
Adults
Naruto

Thanks you so much :ano

[choco bao bao]

Who = shui2 谁

What = shen3 me4 什么

Where = na2 li3 哪里

When = ji3 shi2 几时 OR shen3 me4 shi2 hou4 什么时候

Why = wei4 shen3 me4 为什么

And = he2 和 OR yu3 与

No = bu4 不

Yes = shi4 是

Good = hao3 好

My = wo3 de4 我的

Women = nü3 ren2 女人

Men = nan2 ren2 男人

Children = hai2 zi3 孩子

Adults = da4 ren2 大人

Naruto = ming2 ren2 鸣人 (I don't get this at all. :facepalm)

[Kairi]

Xie4 Xie4 :glomp But I gotta go D=
Wan3 An1!

[choco bao bao]

zai4 jian4! :iria

[makeoutparadise]

he is american
Ta shi mei gou ren
you and me are both chinese
Ni he wo shi (both?) zhong guo ren

[Hattori~Hanzo]

he is american
Ta shi mei gou ren
you and me are both chinese
Ni he wo shi (both?) zhong guo ren
American = Mei3 Guo2 Ren2 (not Gou)

Ni3 He2 Wo3 = You and I (Both of us)

Shi4 = is/are

It is good to differentiate b/w Zhong1 Guo2 Ren2 (Chinese Nationality) and Hua2 Ren2 (Chinese Race).

[mr_shadow]

he is american
Ta shi mei gou ren
you and me are both chinese
Ni he wo shi (both?) zhong guo ren

We're both chinese = women dou shi zhongguo ren. I think you can also say "women lia", but I'll have to check.

[choco bao bao]

We're both chinese = women dou shi zhongguo ren. I think you can also say "women lia", but I'll have to check.
Yes, you can. :amuse

我们俩是中国人。
wo3 men2 lia3 shi4 zhong1 guo2 ren2.

OR

我们都是中国人。
wo3 men2 dou1 shi4 zhong1 guo2 ren2.

[Kairi]

Ni Hai :awesome! Hai hao ma?
Sorry I haven't been on in a few days my internet was gone =O

[mr_shadow]

In my timezone it's Women's Day now (March 8). Let's talk about Hua Mulan!

[choco bao bao]

Ni Hai :awesome! Hai hao ma?
Sorry I haven't been on in a few days my internet was gone =O
Wo hao! Hello! :glomp
In my timezone it's Women's Day now (March 8). Let's talk about Hua Mulan!
:wtf I love her story!! :wtf

[Kairi]

Xie4 Xie4
Can I ask you more words? =O

[choco bao bao]

Xie4 Xie4
Can I ask you more words? =O
当然可以!
dang1 ran2 ke2 yi3!
Of course!

Btw, it's not necessary to capitalise the pinyin words. :amuse

[Kairi]

May I do it anyway? Its like a force of habit for me to capitilise :ano

[Inarigo]

Wow i missed a lot.

[choco bao bao]

May I do it anyway? Its like a force of habit for me to capitilise :ano
Sure. :amuse

[Kairi]

I need the basic words now XD

I
Me
You
So
And
Now
Tomorrow
Yesterday
Today
May
It
Anyway
Like
Force
For
A?

[choco bao bao]

I and Me = 我 wo3

You = 你 ni3

So = 那么 na4 mo

And = 和 he2 OR 与 yu3 OR 以及 yi3 ji2
(used in different context)

Now = 现在 xian4 zai4

Tomorrow = 明天 ming2 tian1

Yesterday = 昨天 zuo2 tian1

Today = 今天 jin1 tian1

There's another one for the Day After Tomorrow = 后天 hou4 tian

And the Day Before Yesterday = 前天 qian2 tian1

May
In the context of 'May I?" which is similar to "Can I?"
我可以吗? wo3 ke3 yi3 ma?
NB: If there are two Chinese characters with the 3rd tone together, you have to pronounce the first word in the 2nd tone, so as not to make the tones sound weird. :amuse

It = 它 ta1
He = 他 ta1 and She = 她 ta1
all three have the same pronunciation, but the characters are different.

Anyway = 无论如何 wu2 lun4 ru2 he2 OR 不管怎样 bu4 guan3 zen3 yang4 (Actually, these words literally mean 'no matter what'. I can't think of a direct translation of 'anyway'.)

Like = 像 xiang4

Force = 力 li4 (also means 'strength')
- 兵力 bing1 li4 = military strength
- 压力 ya1 li4 = pressure
- 说服力 shuo1 fu2 li4 = persuasive skills
- 暴力 bao4 li4 (closest meaning to 'force', in the violent sense) 暴力 can be a noun or an adjective.
She's very violent = 她很暴力 ta1 hen3 bao4 li4
Her violence = 她的暴力 ta1 de4 bao4 li4

For = 给 gei3
Used in: 这是给你的 zhe4 shi4 gei3 ni3 de4 = This is for you.
If you're thinking of 'for' in other usages, please let me know in which sense you're looking for.

A = 一个 yi1 ge4
一个 is the generic term for 'a'. For different items, there are different Chinese words for 'a'. Like animals, normally we use 一只 yi1 zhi1 instead of 一个.

[Zhugeliang98]

I and Me = 我 wo3

You = 你 ni3

So = 那么 na4 mo

And = 和 he2 OR 与 yu3 OR 以及 yi3 ji2
(used in different context)

Now = 现在 xian4 zai4

Tomorrow = 明天 ming2 tian1

Yesterday = 昨天 zuo2 tian1

Today = 今天 jin1 tian1

There's another one for the Day After Tomorrow = 后天 hou4 tian

And the Day Before Yesterday = 前天 qian2 tian1

May
In the context of 'May I?" which is similar to "Can I?"
我可以吗? wo3 ke3 yi3 ma?
NB: If there are two Chinese characters with the 3rd tone together, you have to pronounce the first word in the 2nd tone, so as not to make the tones sound weird. :amuse

It = 它 ta1
He = 他 ta1 and She = 她 ta1
all three have the same pronunciation, but the characters are different.

Anyway = 无论如何 wu2 lun4 ru2 he2 OR 不管怎样 bu4 guan3 zen3 yang4 (Actually, these words literally mean 'no matter what'. I can't think of a direct translation of 'anyway'.)

Like = 像 xiang4

Force = 力 li4 (also means 'strength')
- 兵力 bing1 li4 = military strength
- 压力 ya1 li4 = pressure
- 说服力 shuo1 fu2 li4 = persuasive skills
- 暴力 bao4 li4 (closest meaning to 'force', in the violent sense) 暴力 can be a noun or an adjective.
She's very violent = 她很暴力 ta1 hen3 bao4 li4
Her violence = 她的暴力 ta1 de4 bao4 li4

For = 给 gei3
Used in: 这是给你的 zhe4 shi4 gei3 ni3 de4 = This is for you.
If you're thinking of 'for' in other usages, please let me know in which sense you're looking for.

A = 一个 yi1 ge4
一个 is the generic term for 'a'. For different items, there are different Chinese words for 'a'. Like animals, normally we use 一只 yi1 zhi1 instead of 一个.

哇！朋友，你解释得那么够仔细啊．．　:P

[mr_shadow]

A = 一个 yi1 ge4
一个 is the generic term for 'a'. For different items, there are different Chinese words for 'a'. Like animals, normally we use 一只 yi1 zhi1 instead of 一个.


The correct term for this is a "measure word".

In english you don't say "a coffe", "a potato chips" or "a flowers". You have to say "a cup of coffe", "a bag of potato chips" and "a pot of flowers.

In chinese this applies to all object. Whenver you are talking about a number of something, you have to measure it in one unit or another. Most of the time it's all logical (coffe is measured in cups), but it can be a pain if you find yourself at Starbucks in Beijing and discover you don't know the word "cup" :laugh

"Ge", meaning I guess "a unit of", is the most common measure word and can be used in emergencies when you've forgotten the real one. Ordering "a unit of coffe" sounds a little strange, but hopefuly you get your point across.

[choco bao bao]

哇！朋友，你解释得那么够仔细啊．．　:P
要解释的话，就干脆解释地详细一点. :amuse

[Girl, I don't care]

很麻烦，光是当面教就已经够累人的了。祝你们成功！！！
its pretty tiring business, though i must compliment on those who have the spirit to teach.

[choco bao bao]

^谢谢你. :amuse

Thank you.

[Inarigo]

Did this place just die all of a sudden? :oh

[makeoutparadise]

I haven't being doing my job

[choco bao bao]

Did this place just die all of a sudden? :oh
:zaru:zaru

I haven't being doing my job
Your job? :huh

[chocy]

Yes, we need Chinese questions. Or would you all rather read Chinese gossip?:LOS Well, posting it here may be good, read more Chinese, and entertaining too.

[makeoutparadise]

Your job? :huh

spaming this place with chinese crap

[choco bao bao]

Yes, we need Chinese questions. Or would you all rather read Chinese gossip?:LOS Well, posting it here may be good, read more Chinese, and entertaining too.
Chinese gossip? *coughEdisonChenscandalcough* :zaru:zaru
spaming this place with chinese crap
Spam more then. :LOS

[Inarigo]

sayy lo We need to spam for often. :zaru

[makeoutparadise]

I uhhh wha?......
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z184/Sun-wu/463778046_84a9bbbfb9.jpg

Ummm yeah
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z184/Sun-wu/beijing_airport_sign.png
I see....
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z184/Sun-wu/01-funny-chinese-sign.jpg

[choco bao bao]

^:arg :arg

:lmao

[makeoutparadise]

nothing makes sense anymore

[Fleecy]

This is my first time here, and I'm interested in learning.

I'm Chinese and speak fluent Cantonese, but I don't know much Mandarin at all and can't read or write the language. So how does this work?

[choco bao bao]

This is my first time here, and I'm interested in learning.

I'm Chinese and speak fluent Cantonese, but I don't know much Mandarin at all and can't read or write the language. So how does this work?
Hello! :iria

Traditional and Simplified Chinese
Basically, Mandarin has various characters in both Traditional and Simplified Chinese. Simplified Chinese is used by countries like Singapore and Mainland China, while regions like Taiwan and Malaysia use Traditional Chinese.

Here's a simple difference between Traditional and Simplified Chinese characters.

Take "dragon" for example:
Traditional: 龍
Simplified: 龙

There are usually, if not always, less strokes for Simplified Chinese characters, hence the term "simplified". There are also many characters that are the same in both systems, like 南 (South).


Pinyin
On top of having to memorise thousands of characters, most people find Mandarin challenging because of the tones, which we call pinyin. Pinyin dictates how each character is pronounced, and in addition, some characters share the same tone. There are five tones in total, if you include the neutral tone.

Using "dragon" as an example again,
龙: lóng
It has the 2nd tone.

The stroke above the vowel indicates which tone in which the character is pronounced.
1st tone: ō
2nd tone: ó
3rd tone: ǒ
4th tone: ò
5th tone/neutral tone: o (no stroke)
If you're interested, chocy posted links to some audio samples of tone pronunciation some pages back.

Of course, all the vowels play a part in pinyin, not just the letter 'o'.
In the case of 南 (South), it's pronounced nán, also in the 2nd tone.

Usually, for convenience, we just put it as nan2, with the number indicating the tone for the character.

If the character has two vowels in its pinyin, then we put the stroke above the vowel that comes first in the alphabet.
Eg: Turn - 转 zhuǎn
Exception - if the two vowels are "i" and "u", with "i" preceding "u", then the stroke goes above "u". (Don't ask me why. 0.o)
Eg: Old - 旧 jiù


I mentioned above the some characters tend to have the same pronunciation.
Eg: 龙 and 聋
Both have the same pinyin lóng/long2, but the first means "dragon" and the second means "deaf". I suppose that's the reason why people find Mandarin difficult. You need to learn to select the appropriate word, from a mass of words with the same tone, to use it in context.

That's all I have to offer. Hope it helps. :)

[Inarigo]

Maybe you can help me out too Fleecy. :amuse

[choco bao bao]

Hello Inarigo. :iria

[Inarigo]

Hello chocomint! :awesome

[choco bao bao]

^How are you? :glomp

I feel like I'm in a FC. :awesome

[Inarigo]

Good. How about you? ^^ :amuse

We kinda are in a FC I guess. :squish

[choco bao bao]

I'm fine. :iria

:gar:gar

[Inarigo]

hong yew cookies.

that was attempt to say "i want cookies" in canto. how do you say cookies? :sweatdrop

:zaru

[choco bao bao]

I don't speak canto. :sweatdrop

But cookies in Mandarin is 小甜饼 xiao3 tian2 bing3 (I think).

[Inarigo]

That's long. :amazed

[choco bao bao]

Or you can use 饼干 bing3 gan1 if you want, though 饼干 is actually "biscuit".

[chocy]

Yeah 饼干 can also be used for cookies, though the first thing that pops to mind is biscuit when I hear that word.

[choco bao bao]

^Yeah, I tend to associate 饼干 with biscuit too. :sweatdrop

[Inarigo]

Is there a tone guide somewhere?

[Back-side Attack]

lesson 1..........wo ai che kang shi fu hong shao niu rou mian

[Back-side Attack]

it means....I like to eat Kang Shi Fu (brand) red seared beef ramen btw

[makeoutparadise]

Liang Zhi lao hu Laing zhi lao hu pao de Kuai Pao de kuai
Yi zhi mei you er do Yi zhi mei you yi ba Zhen qi guai Zhen Qi guai! :amused

two old tigers two old tigers run fast run fast
one without a ear one without a tail is this not strange? is this not strange?

[choco bao bao]

^that's a nice and adorable childhood song! :iria

[makeoutparadise]

I know I wuv it

[Back-side Attack]

shi jie mei you ma ma hao (the world has no better person than mom) <-------------most adorable song eva

[choco bao bao]

^I know the song as shi4 shang4 zhi2 you3 ma1 ma hao3. :nod (Mother is the only good person in the world)

[chocy]

Yeah me too, reminds me of the Fernleaf milk advertisement eons ago.:argh

[makeoutparadise]

san lun che pao de kuai
shang main zuo ge lao tai tai
yao wu mao Gei yi kuai
Ni Qi guai bu Guai

Three rick saw wheels run really fast
upon seat sits and old lady
ask for fifty cents
she gives a dollar
you think this is strange?

[choco bao bao]

^I know that one too! :iria