User Comments - aylish

aylish

Posted on: Finding a Street Number

November 25, 2009 at 12:01 PM

Has anybody else found that if you ask directions in China and the person clearly doesn't know, they don't simply tell you that they don't know, but will just make something up instead?

Is this to avoid appearing unhelpful, a face-saving tactic or something that only happens to me?

Posted on: Playing Wii

November 25, 2009 at 1:23 AM

Tennis is 网球 - wǎngqiǔ.

I rediscovered Red Alert yesterday! I'm not convinced that 红色警诫 is a legitimate translation. Great game in any language!

Posted on: Using a Character Dictionary

November 23, 2009 at 2:53 PM

tvan,

Thanks for your comment, I have actually been using yellowbridge's table, but have only just realised how good it is when you use the expansion section.

Clicking on a radical will open another window which has info about the etymology, colloquial names and even look alikes to be aware of.

I find studying radicals really useful for remembering how to write characters - interesting too. One example I like is 休息的 “休”。It's just a person having a rest against a tree.

Posted on: Using a Character Dictionary

November 22, 2009 at 6:09 PM

If anybody is struggling with 查ing字 and is looking for a coward's way out, www.nciku.com has the answer!

You may all know this already, but incase you don't, it has a hand writing dictionary which allows you to just draw characters in skritter style and then 查 them at the click of a mouse.

You can also download a toolbar which places the dictionary in your browser; very useful!

Does anybody know of a place where one can study radicals/义符, their names and the meanings they commonly carry? My paper dictionary includes one, but it only covers about 60 of them.