User Comments - bodawei

Posted on: Renting an Apartment through an Agent 4

Hi Jen_not_jen

Perhaps we should explain that you are talking about Shanghai, and you are talking about expat apartments. Expensive expat apartments. The normal (statistically average) Chinese family does not rent apartments in this price range you are quoting, even in Shanghai. It is simple arithmetic - the average monthly income in China is around 1,200 RMB. Somebody is renting cheap apartments. Sorry to bring everyone down to earth with the facts.

Posted on: Can't Get a Taxi

I have taken the 黑车 a few times but I agree with keruise it should not be your first option, you are asking for trouble. It is a business and normally you are okay. A reasonable 黑车 fare will be about 15% over the standard fare in my experience here where I live. Have never had alleged confusion about the amount agreed.

However.. worst experience (in a far off land but still in China) the guy wanted to add another 20 to the agreed 20 fare as we neared the destination. While mid-argument I threw the agreed 20 in his lap and leapt out just as the taxi stopped. But my mate was in the back seat and the driver locked his door and held it while demanding more money. The mate did a swan dive over to the front seat and out my door head first. Pretty funny. If you want to guarantee that you are able to exit from your own door in the taxi with dignity you should stick to the legit.

With those bicycle sanlunche taxis, donkey carts, motorbike taxis and the little 3 wheeled cars you also settle a fare before leaving. (Bit hard if you don't know the city but generally people are honest.)

Posted on: Doing Business in the Bath House

Hi John

Thanks for the feedback - I take your point about the level of luxury, but the translation problem remains - we don't have this thing in Australia, full stop.

And in Australia some 'resorts' are just hotels re-badged or, amazingly, old caravan parks with trampolines and a swimming pool (no luxury at all.) I agree the term can mean just about anything.

On 温泉 the situation can be a little more complicated. First let me say that there are basically three kinds of bath house here (and probably generally in the south?). There are two main categories: 浴场 and 浴室. These are differentiated by size - 浴室 are 小的 and 浴场 are 大的. The facilities can be the same.

Then 浴场 are either 温泉 (with 自然水）and 浴场 (with 人工水). 浴室 are usually 人工水, but you can get little 浴室 in hot springs areas that use 自然水 (eg. at 长白山).

The complication I referred to is that 温泉 can use 人工水, or so people say - it's a bit controversial.

Also, apparently the 特殊服务 you identify in this lesson can be associated with all three types of bath house - in the case of 浴室 it might be next door.

I've been doing some anthropological research :)

Posted on: An Introduction to Chengyu

Yes, I think that is a reasonable interpretation of this observed behaviour. (From my experience.)

Posted on: An Introduction to Chengyu

I am not the one to draw the distinctions but the view is often expressed by others (including John in this lesson maybe?) that common expressions like 乱七八糟 are not considered 'genuine' chengyu. Maybe it is the use of the word 'chengyu' that is being debated. Let's say that it means 'idiom'? In English if we use an idiom we do so to create a powerful image. When an expression is so fully absorbed into the language and culture that it fails to convey a powerful image then maybe it is no longer a 'genuine' idiom. So when someone says 乱七八糟 you just hear 'mess' - you don't conjure up an image that relies on the four characters. You don't say to yourself 'wow, that use of 七八 in there creates a powerful image in my mind of dozens of things flying around out of control'. [BTW I like it that the Chinese up the ante on our English 'sixes and sevens' - in the sense that 'she was all at sixes and sevens'.] I'm sure though that for learners of Chinese it IS a genuine idiom - because we are still impressed by the picture of 'sevens and eights' flying around.

Posted on: An Introduction to Chengyu

If you've ever wondered why Chinese TV is so crap, one reason is that it is really easy to get on screen, even if (or particularly if?) you are a foreigner. Okay there is a shortage of 'roles' for foreigners, but someone has already suggested to me that I just write my own script and they'll work it into a series. And make sure I write a role for myself. Relax, it ain't going to happen.

A lot of people on Chinese TV are genuine amateurs*. Well, there is a lot of TV time to fill.

There are all the countless 'pay TV channels', now there are new mobile channels, and there are all the channels provided for special customers like bus companies, airlines, airports. Lucky most Chinese people are not really into TV?

* I mean they do it in a part-time capacity - they would usually get a bit of money for the effort.

Posted on: An Introduction to Chengyu

'Monkey syndrome' is.. (okay I sort of made this up - but given my recent experience with Chengyu with Changyu I am not entirely sure) .. it is when a native speaker says to you "Oh, your Chinese is SO good". Usually in the midst of an ultra simple conversation. I get the feeling that we are viewed as performing monkeys. The native speaker shrieks and claps their hands if we get a sentence out, rather like the classic reaction when a monkey peels and eats a banana, or hangs upside down from the cage.

Posted on: An Introduction to Chengyu

Hi xiaophil

I can just see you there through a fog of flaterry..

And I am seriously starting to see your point. You MAY get points for sprouting chengyu with some people. I wish you well in your endeavour.

But I reckon that at least one or two genuine chengyu appear each week on average already - that is, say 50 - 100 per year, four years of ChinesePod - 200 - 400 plus in-context chengyu are in the lesson content already. That's about 390 more than you actually need to impress most people.

So you are spoiled for choice. Learn those yourself - yes I know you want ChinesePod to do more work, but many of these chengyu are already explained in existing lessons.

If you are good enough to sprout chengyu you are good enough to use the content already provided and 自己学。　What do you reckon?

And when you get them down pat you'll be so excited you will share them with the rest of us.

Posted on: Doing Business in the Bath House

Well, not exactly secret:

In today's local newspaper, 昆明读本。城事 （2010年10月19日）A34, there is an article headed: 娱乐洗浴场所设“暗访”要停业.

Posted on: Walking the Bird

Those birds just need to learn by immersion (see separate post to Jen_not_Jenny).