User Comments - bodawei

Posted on: Fasten that Safety Belt

shanghai_rocks

I wish I could do your question justice (he he) - lets hope someone knowledgeable sets us right. At a very broad level the terms are interchangeable but the subject is quite complicated if you want an exact answer. For what it is worth, some police cars have 警察 painted on them. We would normally say 警察来 referring to flesh and blood approaching us.

A little story: Yesterday I saw someone taken away in a police car and they didn't go quietly. Literally. There was a lot of screaming and argument - she definitely did not want to get in that car. I think she was a small business person at the market - probably some fairly minor misdemeanor, hadn't paid her licence fees or something. In Australia the long arm of the law would have used a bit of muscle - here the police seemed somewhat embarrassed.

Posted on: Job Shopping in Modern China

I agree, very apt. My mate here thinks it's a borrow word; see my post above, a few days ago.

Posted on: Job Shopping in Modern China

And I thought just the same - 'ass' sounds (to us) a silly way of pronouncing 'arse'. Interesting you think 'arse' sounds polite; I thought 'ass' was a euphemism used because you were too polite to say the actual word.

Actually we do say 'ass', but it means 'stupid'; as in "what an ass!". It is a very light insult though; maybe that's why I assumed your 'ass' is a euphemism.

Posted on: Dealing with 管 (guan)

the Chinese say 看孩子 ..

今晚我要看孩子.. (tonight I'm babysitting)

I'm not sure how you turn this around to speak of a 'babysitter' as such. Maybe it is 爷爷，奶奶 .. :)

Posted on: Job Shopping in Modern China

'Oh and Bodawei, I havent learned anything (learnt :p)'

What I asked was 'have you learnt anything?' And I take it you think that 'learnt' is incorrect? And you find that amusing.

In fact, 'learnt' has long been the correct form; it is only in recent times that 'learned' has become acceptable. I was surprised to learn this myself (I have no pretensions about my knowledge of English grammar.)

I don't think we can afford to be too precious about what is 'correct' (in any language). The greatest thing about language learning in my opinion is the potential for learning tolerance.

Posted on: Fasten that Safety Belt

Yes, done that. In my province there are horrific posters promoting wearing of seat belts, with real photos of accident victims. The graphic approach doesn't work here.

Posted on: An Introduction to Chengyu

The “叶问”系列的成功(successful series of films based on Ye Shifu, Bruce Lee's master)，让甄子丹Zhēn Zǐdān家喻户晓 jiāyùhùxiǎo (a household name)。

Just keeping the chengyu or suyu thing ticking along.  

Posted on: Fasten that Safety Belt

I had a giggle about this 'fishing down between the seats' - public places in China are often not very clean, we've spoken of this before I think. :)

I could imagine some guy spitting down there, someone a little too fastidious to spit straight on the floor. I don't think anyone would go to the effort of putting food down there. John mentioned an i-Phone - yes, I agree, or maybe a Mokia. They would slide in comfortably. My wallet could be there. But my money goes on the spit.

PS. There is a risk of needlestick injury in China (one of my photos in 'Signs' featured a warning poster), but I have seen more risks in the better Sydney suburbs.

Posted on: Job Shopping in Modern China

'I just googled cpod bad mandarin and it seems there are a bunch of other people who agree with my critique'

er,,, RCK, this is called 'confirmation bias'. Google that..

Actually I would agree with Jason that you do have a lot of enthusiasm for your chosen topic. Doesn't mean that you have persuaded anyone of anything, but you have got us talking. That is good. We haven't been fired up on ChinesePod for some time. Your style is abrasive, but who am I to talk? You are learning Chinese, that's a good thing. Good luck mate.

Posted on: Job Shopping in Modern China

'OK and I have ranted enough about this'

Agreed, but have you learnt anything?

Your story about the taxi driver is revealing (I am a keen collector of stories), but it has a culture message more than anything useful for Chinese learners. This is actually not an unfamiliar experience in China. I would not so much prefer to learn from taxi drivers than 'upper and middle class Chinese' as learn from both - I learn what I can from whoever I come in contact with.

I understand that you want to learn Chinese as well as you can, but seriously you don't want to cut off your nose to spite your face.

'ask any Chinese broadcaster'

This is a broad church - I don't think you will find much support down that path. I think I must watch more Chinese TV than you. :)