User Comments - auntie68
auntie68
Posted on: Hungry Traveler: Hong Kong
June 23, 2008 at 1:07 AMOops, sorry, that first definition should have been:
(名）鸟 (*not 鸡!)，兽的脚趾(zhi3)甲或脚
Posted on: China Fruit and Pre-Marital Sex
June 23, 2008 at 12:50 AM@penben: heh heh
Posted on: China Fruit and Pre-Marital Sex
June 23, 2008 at 12:26 AM@billbag: Chilling a durian does help to keep the "pong" down, but you may never be able to use the fridge again!
A few years ago, I made my own kimchi; the result tasted great but I still find myself asking friends who visit whether they can smell kimchi in my fridge.
Posted on: Hungry Traveler: Hong Kong
June 23, 2008 at 12:16 AMHi. @Newbie/ Ele users, I'm afraid that my explanations below aren't pinyinized, but I honestly don't think you're missing anything that's useful which could will be worth your (or my) time. Just remember that 爪 is zhao3 in the name of the famous dish (凤爪), and that it can be zhua3 in others.
@lordstanley, pulosm: I don't believe in looking up everything single thing, but I thought that these explanations in my little print dictionary cleared up the 爪 zhao3/zhua3 thing really well. The hanyu pinyin below was supplied by the dictionary, it wasn't added by me:
爪 as zhao3:
(名）鸡，兽的脚趾(zhi3)甲或脚
Eg. 前兆，后爪，双爪，鹰(ying1)爪
爪 as zhua3:
(素）意思同”爪“ (zhao3), 用在一些口语词中。
爪儿 zhuar3: (名）动物的小爪(zhua3)子。
Eg. 看那小猫，拿小爪儿洗脸呢，多好玩儿。
爪子 zhua3zi (名）动物带尖趾甲的脚。
Eg. 小狗的爪子把地板都踩脏了。猫爪子把我的书都抓破了。你知道餐馆里卖的“凤爪(zhao3)”是什么呢？原来就是鸡爪(zhua3)子。
HTH. Three Cheers for good print dictionaries!
Posted on: Bangkok
June 22, 2008 at 5:02 PMHello acorrigan (the most beloved programmer on this BB today... !). Although I'm not Thai, here is my "take" on the questions you raised:
One possible reason why Thai Chinese seem to be better assimilated is that their host country has been relatively welcoming. I think the worst climate was between the late 1920s through to the 1950s, when they were viewed harshly for being "Jews of the East", and were first required by law to take Thai names.
But the key word is "relatively". Unlike the overseas Chinese in many parts of Southeast Asia, they weren't systematically excluded from any areas of social or economic life. This helped them to put down roots in Thailand.
In fact, they enjoyed the patronage of the Royal Family, receiving the lion's share of the monopolies and concessions representing control over the economy. I suspect that this was well-tolerated because the Thais were astute enough to want their economy to be built up using "Chinese business acumen" at a time when gunboat diplomacy had just forced open Thailand's trade. They were -- literally -- reeling from the implications of the Bowring Treaty.
I think that the Thai Chinese must be the only Chinese minority in SE Asia which has married into every level of the host society. Prominent businessmen and politicians like Thaksin Shinawatr, Abhisit Vejajjiva, and Sondhi Limthongkul are all Teochews or Hakkas.
Even the reigning King, Rama IX, has Chinese blood, a fact which not emphasized, but neither is it hidden in any way. The King's daughter, Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who is immensely popular, has spent a lifetime studying Mandarin in addition to Pali, English, and French.
Another possible reason is the degree to which Thai culture emphasizes harmony and assimilation. You wouldn't think so, the way they are slugging it out in politics at the moment! But it's actually an incredibly united country, given the size of the population (70m?). Eg. virtually all schoolchildren are members of the World Scout Movement, and most schools set aside a day each week when the kids will come to school in their scout uniforms. The teachers too! I guess it's not surprising that the Chief Scout of Thailand is... their beloved and revered King.
Ouf. Sorry for the long spiel!
Posted on: Instant Noodles
June 22, 2008 at 2:29 PM@cassie: Thanks for the explanation! We really miss you here on CPOD, now that you don't have time to post so much! Take care...
@billm: That "dog meat" story was certainly worth waiting for. Thank you very much. Imagine that... you ate your way through a full dog meat "dégustation" menu. At the risk of upsetting our friend changye, the "profile" of dog meat as described by you sounds like: Tender and very flavourful red meat. Not too gamey. Not sure if I could do it, although it does sound good. Again, thanks!
Posted on: Instant Noodles
June 22, 2008 at 7:07 AMOops. You're right. I think 方便你 is better translated as, "Whatever is more convenient for you". And like you, I've only used 随便你 or 随你的便 before. Thanks, changye. Hope evasiege got that...
P/s: I don't know if my guess is correct, but 方便你 seems to be perfect for a situation where you totally leave the choice up to the other person, because you don't want to put them out. Whereas 随你的便 / 随便你 is often used in the sense of willingly conceding to a suggestion or wish already made by that person (Eg. sort of, "if that's the way you want to go, then sure"). ?
Posted on: Instant Noodles
June 22, 2008 at 5:32 AM@evasiege: My little dictionary gives two definitions for无所谓. They're in Chinese only, so here is my own translation:
One is essentially the same as 方便你 ie. "whatever you wish". The other meaning of 无所谓 means something like "regardless" or "having no relevance to". I think it's best if I just give you the examples for this other meaning, with my own rough translations; I apologize for not pinyin-izing it:
这只是个人爱好，无所谓对不对。
＝This is simply a matter of personal preference, nothing to do with being right or wrong.
我只是认识他，无所谓朋友不朋友。
＝ I just know who he is, it's not a question of being friends with him.
我不过是比较熟练，无所谓精通。
＝ I've simply had more practice; it's not like I'm so good at it.
我吃饭只要能吃饱就行，无所谓爱吃不爱吃。
= I just eat to fill my stomach, whether I like the food doesn't enter the picture.
HTH, evasiege!
Posted on: Instant Noodles
June 22, 2008 at 4:10 AMYeah, "heaty" is impeccable Singlish. Now go catch your beauty-sleep, and I'll be expecting the dog meat story in about 7 or 8 hours... Thanks!
Posted on: Do you have a menu?
June 24, 2008 at 2:27 AMHi ardillachina, according to this Upper-Intermediate lesson ("All You Can Eat Restaurant", #0779), a buffet-style restaurant meal is 自助餐 (zi4 zhu4 can1):
http://chinesepod.com/lessons/all-you-can-eat-and-drink
All the best for your Chinese studies!