User Comments - bodawei

Posted on: 城管与小摊贩

看起来现实生活的事件如下： http://news.kunming.cn/km-news/content/2010-03/27/content_2110724.htm。 

Posted on: Buying a Bouquet of Flowers

oh, 'back to happy days'

No, this doesn't imply that I am currently unhappy; it suggests that I am an old person, frequently given to reminiscences. :) Now you'll want to know my age! Just older than most of the people on these boards.

Sometimes Chinese people I meet cannot believe my age - it seems to me that in Chinese culture you conform to certain norms about behaviour at a certain age. Older people behave like older people (I am generalising again!) But most Chinese men my age are retired, many of them compulsorily (perhaps the majority have been retired for a few years already) - they are toting the bird to the park, looking after grandchildren, playing majiang 8 or 10 hours a day, that kind of thing. But generally they seem to know how to enjoy themselves in retirement. In Australia it would not be unusual to have people in their 70s working (by choice) - here in China it is very rare.

The women on the bus - well one was younger than me and one was probably about my age. the older one was doing the alighting. they were both equally profane.

Posted on: Which is better: China or the USA?

Chris, have you tried the gmail app - it seems to be just as good as skype.

Posted on: Flu Vaccination

Hi david

I'm interested in that comment about the schedule differing according to risk; makes a lot of sense. Now about 乙肝 yǐgān (hepatitis B) I have a little vaccination experience: in 2006 I came to China without my vaccination schedule completed so asked how to get it completed in China. I was directed to a baby health clinic, and the comment was made to me: 'we only give this to babies; we don't give Hep B vaccinations to adults'. (That comment didn't come from an expert.) Anyway, they gave me a shot alright, no questions asked; I just lined up with the mothers and babies. It was slightly different to Australia too - in Aust I was given a HepA/Hep combined; in China it was just HepB.

Posted on: Flu Vaccination

Baba

Take your point, but words can also completely change (even reverse) their meaning, can't they? The reversal becomes real - one needs to take heed of the real meaning rather than the original literal meaning. My 'mate' example is probably not such a good one, because the word carries the possibilty of friendship as well as the opposite, as well as an agnostic position - neither friendship nor antagonism. So, even though there is a literal meaning (which can't be forgotten) doesn't mean that the real meaning has been reversed over time.

But I'm not saying that 小朋友 has reversed its meaning! (In fact I don't know the origins of the current word use.)

PS. I've got a feeling you'll ask me for examples, and the only ones I can think of off-hand carry some ambiguity, like 'terrific' in English and 厉害 in Chinese.

Posted on: Flu Vaccination

Hey Baba

I think your Australian identity is showing through. And there is nothing wrong with that! :)

In Australia I can walk up to a complete stranger and say 'Hey mate' .. there is no connotation of actual friendship, although it is usually considered friendLY to greet someone like this. Of ocurse, in certain quarters you would be wise to make yourself scarce after someone calls you mate. :)

Now, my point: I would normally counsel anyone to stop thinking in English, but this 'mate' word we have is actually a nice analogy.

In China you would USUALLY apply 小朋友 when the child is a complete stranger (and therefore there is no connotation of actual friendship, except of the instantaneous kind.) Although, you can say it anytime really.. it's kind of cute.

Posted on: Buying a Bouquet of Flowers

Oh, Channelle, I'm sorry we didn't answer your question at the time. But Zhenlijiang's link takes you to the answer as well as some lively conversation featuring the old crowd including Changye! Yes 把 is the most common MW for a bunch of flowers tied with lacky bands (in my experience).

Posted on: Buying a Bouquet of Flowers

Zhenlijiang

Your link above (re. flowers) took me back to happy days! We have had some fun with these conversations haven't we?

This reminded me of the time I heard a woman swearing at the bus driver. And that reminded me that just a couple of days ago I was between two women on a bus (they were separated by a couple of metres) who were screaming obscenities at each other. The only swear word I could understand I can't write here, this being a family web-site. But it made me wonder .. wow! That is REALLY rude. People in the bus were either looking away or looking faintly amused. The bus was very crowded and one woman was trying to get to the back to 下车 and the other woman was not getting out of the way. The obstruction then told the alighter that she should 'prepare' to get off a little earlier. Then it was on for young and old.

Posted on: Buying a Bouquet of Flowers

Hi zhelijiang

I would think your distinction between 束-把 bouquet-bunch SOUNDS right to me, but that is because a bouquet to me suggests something that does not look much like a bunch! (A bouquet is an arrangement, usually splayed in shape, that is worn or held in the hand by a woman for a formal occasion, isn't it?) In other words I am looking at the English; I am not sure what a Chinese speaker thinks of when they see 束.

I am a fan of 把 - you will always be understood if you use this word when buying flowers. It is the word used by all the flower sellers I have met here. It is a bunch of flowers wrapped together with two or three elastic bands.

Posted on: The Glory of Labor

I saw 'The Glory of Labor' and thought it must be about the Australian Labor Party.  Disappointed to see that it is about 'labour'.  Labour is spelled labour by Australians, but in a little quirk of history, the labour party is spelled Labor.

I will have to go elsewhere to find out about the glory of Labor.