User Comments - John

Posted on: Picking things up: 拿、带、取

paulinurus,

It's overly simplistic to think of -着 as simply meaning -ing.  Rather then thinking of it as -ing, think of it as a continuation of a state.

So if 拿 is to go from nothing in your hands to something in your hands (which we normally call "picking up" or "getting" something), then 拿着 is the continutation of that "in your hands" state (which we normally refer to as "holding").

Does that clear it up any?

Posted on: Jason and Sarah

chas33735,

Yes, the flashcards have been updated. It sounds like maybe you have "Auto" on? (Simply uncheck it if you don't want it on.)

Could you tell me your system (Win/Mac/Linux) + version, and your browser + version?

Thanks...

Posted on: Picking things up: 拿、带、取

Thanks for the support, everyone!

We'll make sure not to overdo it with the "aggressive banter" -- there's something about being on the mic together that brings it out in Liliana and me. (It's never planned.)

I'm less tempted to sass Connie because, well... she's packing that heat.

Posted on: Jason and Sarah

mikl124,

You'll be happy to know that we already have an 二锅头 lesson in the pipeline! :D

Posted on: A Thanksgiving Phone Call

silktown,

the Chinese "r" sound is created in almost the same way as the "leisure" sound, your tongue is in almost the same position. 

That's right. The Chinese "r" sound often has a "buzzy" quality to it, unlike the American "hard r" sound.

Posted on: Stopped at the Gate

stevemisch,

Where do you mean?  In the PDF, the exercises, and text elsewhere on the site, you can increase the text size in your browser for an easier viewing experience. (This is typically done by pressing "CTRL +", but you can also do it from your browser's "View" drop-down menu.)

But yes, it is difficult to change the size of just the tone marks, because they're part of the text, which we want to be copyable, resizable, etc., which means it has to be plain text, and we can't change the proportionate size of the tone marks.

Posted on: Playing Wii

user5737,

Rereading your comment, I realize that you were probably thinking of a word like 球赛 (qiúsài), which literally could be translated as "ball game," but normally you can't use 赛 (sài) to mean "game."  It's not typically used as a word on its own.

Posted on: Introducing Catherine

amesburygeorge,

Just use "Service Suggestion."  Thanks!

Posted on: Expressing Location with 边 and 面

bodawei,

靠边 (kàobiān) is a verb, as is 停车 (tíngchē).  So you should think of 靠边停车 as two sequential actions: "pull over to the side, then stop."

路边摊 (lùbiān tān), on the other hand, is a noun (phrase): "roadside stand."

So no, you wouldn't have a reason to mix 靠边 and 路边. Hope that helps!

Posted on: Using a Character Dictionary

roderick1234,

There's no shame in dipping into the Upper Intermediate lessons if you have the interest!  We hope to see you back here more often in the future. :)