User Comments - John
John
Posted on: Illegal taxis
February 7, 2009 at 9:36 AMbababardwan,
Heh, I suppose you're right. I have extensive experience hitchhiking in Japan, but I think that's the only country I would feel it's safe (and partly because I'm a pretty big guy).
I think I remember reading in the Lonely Planet China guidebook once that hitchhiking in China, while definitely not recommended, usually means that you have to pay the driver something. So it's not really "hitching" as we know it.
Posted on: A Day at the Races
February 6, 2009 at 10:25 AMCome on guys, let's keep it civil. I think it's easy to be misunderstood online, and especially online in a second language.
reigau,
Miantiao may seem a bit "boorish," but I think it's all meant to be playful. Assume that people's intentions are better than they are, and everything should be fine...
miantiao,
You're here to practice Chinese, and I applaud that, but you may also want to try practicing tactful Chinese. :)
Posted on: A Day at the Races
February 6, 2009 at 7:06 AMchinkerfly,
Sorry to reply a little late, but I have to say that not every lesson is for every student. If I were just a student, "horse racing" is probably a lesson I would skip. But certainly it is useful to some users!
Posted on: Illegal taxis
February 6, 2009 at 7:02 AMI think I once made a 黑车 driver out of an honest man. I was in Hangzhou, it was raining, I was in the middle of nowhere, and I really needed to get to the train station. There were no taxis anywhere, and I must have looked really pathetic, because a random nice guy with a van stopped and agreed to take me to the train station. He didn't seem to know what to charge me, but I paid what I would have normally paid for a taxi.
Posted on: Mexico City
February 5, 2009 at 10:08 AMHa ha, 小驴卷 (xiǎolǘ juǎn)... That's pretty good.
BTW, I just checked our neighborhood convenience stores, and the name they use for the microwave "burrito" they sell is 布里多卷 (bùlǐduō juǎn). Not that you really need that information...
Good to see Leo from SpanishPod dropping by and giving us more Mexican perspective. (Incidentally, I have seen him eating the Chinese microwave burritos... I wonder what his take on them is?)
Posted on: Sign Here, Please
February 5, 2009 at 9:49 AMThanks, calkins.
We're working hard on a new version of the exercises which will fix a number of problems, including this one. I'll be posting on that next week on the blog.
Posted on: Mexico City
February 5, 2009 at 4:02 AMphilren,
I know some places in Shanghai that offer burritos translate it as something like 百利多卷 (bǎilìduō juǎn). They add the 卷 (juǎn) just to make sure you understand that it's a roll of some kind. I'm sure Jenny can tell you what the other ingredients are called.
I really like Mexico a lot. I'm glad I was able to go in 2008, and I hope I can go again soon.
Posted on: Making Dumplings
February 3, 2009 at 3:46 AMhelandou,
A "skit" is like a short play, usually humorous. A contemporary American example would be the short performances on Saturday Night Live. We call each one a "skit."
Posted on: 中国崛起
February 3, 2009 at 3:19 AM很遗憾，我来晚了，这篇课程的讨论非常有意思。我是比较赞同这种看法的：
但是我以为我们在讨论如何看待这份学习资料，它到底应该不应该被作为对外汉语的教材这个问题。我说它应该，是因为它真实地展示了现在中国年轻人的想法，对外国学习者很有价值。
当然，对话当中表达的看法值得辩论。
另外，我发现Pete太有外交官潜能了！
Posted on: Drinking Alone Under the Moon 月下独酌
February 10, 2009 at 3:27 AMWow, all those translations are great to see. This kind of thing really helps one appreciate how difficult and what an art the translation of poetry is.