User Comments - bodawei

Posted on: Some uses of 些

thanks zhenlijiang, I see changye has endorsed your effort below. :)

my dictionary has 当中 meaning just 'in public' and 'in the presence of all' - this is why we need the ChinesePod community. Or better dictionaries.

Posted on: Some uses of 些

I think this would work too Barbs.. but Jenny's neatly emphasises the singularity. While looking at your sentence (and mine) I've noticed how characters APPEAR different sizes when you would expect them to be the same, eg. 课是 and 课里 - I wonder if a character boffin can tell us about this. When writing characters I understand that they do not all end up the same height (some of mine are embarrassingly tall) but these seem odd and I think that it is optical illusion.

Posted on: Some uses of 些

Thanks Jenny.. got it. :)

- i have another question (if anyone wants to have a go):

从这些QingWen播课里，你最喜欢哪一个课？ ( out of these [QingWens] which one is your favourite?)

Is 从。。。。里 the right construction here?

Posted on: Some uses of 些

The sample sentence: 

你最喜欢哪些课？    (which lessons do you like the most?)  

causes me to wonder how you specify in Chinese that you want to know the favourite lesson, not lessons plural.  This sentence seems to me to be ambiguous - it could be asking lesson or lessons.  (The singular answer of course is Qing Wen.)   

Posted on: Ordering Pizza

The Chinese probably love the grits because it is very common here - at least corn ground to a meal is common (I eat it often myself - okay, nearly every day.) Corn is a staple in China, and it is sold in the supermarket with the description 玉米糊 yu4mi3hu2 (lit: corn paste). It no doubt has a different texture to grits but it would still be familiar.

Posted on: Ordering Pizza

Good idea kimiik - I get caught out in China on what is appropriate dress. Though I think the Chinese themselves are not quite sure themselves - this is one part of their culture where there does not seem to be clear rules. Generally they are more relaxed than we are in the West, but there are exceptions (that I would like to know more about.) I have bought my 'western suit' which looks incredibly Chinese so I am prepared for 'formal'.

Posted on: Ordering Pizza

thanks for that.

Posted on: Ordering Pizza

we usually say spring onion based on the above intelligence, :)

have to say that Australians are just as uncertain about what to call many vegies as the Chinese. The name police have recently regulated what we call fish and other seafood - it will eventually do the same for vegetables.

Posted on: Renting an Apartment through an Agent

Hi richnirish

By 'embassy' I believe you mean the US consulate. :) Behind all the razor wire and guard dogs? That one?

But I digress.. I know what you mean about the 5/6 floor walk ups being replaced by 20 storey apartment buildings. What 'western' means here I am not sure - is that your assessment? What do you think makes them more Western than the ones they replace?

Posted on: Ordering Pizza

Haha, nice list. But you can't have too many lessons on food. There are lots more topics to cover. :)