User Comments - John

Posted on: Arriving in China on Business

Bob,

If you understand the basics of how 着 (zhe), there's nothing new happening here. So why 有着 (yǒuzhe) and not just 有 (yǒu)?

Our native speaker teachers say both are correct, but 有着 sounds better here. This is because it's two syllables.

This is a rather fine point, and definitely not something you need to attach too much importance to at the Intermediate level.

Posted on: A Trip to the Dry Cleaner's

This is one of those words where the Chinese see it all as one meaning, but we foreigners take a little bit of head scratching to really get it.

Anyway, Bababardwan's understanding is correct.

Posted on: Chinese Fruits

In a weird coincidence, someone offered me 山竹 just last night after I got off work at ChinesePod. I'd never had it before then.

Not bad!

Posted on: 人家: Other People and Pouty Girls

Ha ha... nice!

Posted on: Renting an Apartment through an Agent

True, Shanghai is more expensive than most other places in China.

This guy never said he was living alone, though. If living with a few friends, it's not so bad. I once lived in a 三房两厅 place here in Shanghai with two roommates for a similar monthly rent.

Posted on: Renting an Apartment through an Agent

"Demands," "requirements," sometimes even "requests."

Context is key!

Posted on: Love Tangle 9: The Divorce

Glad you liked it! I'm sure your comment made Jiaojie's day (she was the main writer for that series).

The 啊 there is the "list 啊," used to name items in a non-exhaustive list.

Posted on: Chinese Fruits

Weird, I'm not familiar with that at all. At first I thought you meant 山楂 (shānzhā), but no, you got the name right.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_Mangosteen

Posted on: World Cup Talk

Ha ha... I guess I'll take that as a compliment?

Posted on: Rain, Fruit and the Post-Wedding Jitters

Cool! I will "see you" on that lesson, then...