User Comments - bodawei

Posted on: Voucher Promotion at the Mall

@monix

我觉得‘咖啡馆’和‘咖啡厅’都可以说。 而且我觉得可以说‘你们都写’咖啡馆‘， 不要'得'。 (Verb)得(something that modifies the verb). 

Posted on: I Want a Thick Blanket

@jgwilson

 毛毯 máotǎn is woollen blanket; you could have other materials.  Note that this 毛 is second tone.  'mao4zi' could be 帽子 màozi (hat)?  I don't know if 毛子 máozi is another term for blanket.   

@channelle

We have the silk filled doonas as well. Hmmm. :-)  Plus two doonas they gave us free (buy two get two free); they called them summer doonas (but being free they are probably not silk.)  I just thought of another word for doona - quilt (is that word used in Europe?)  In America they have quilts that are more like we would call a bedspread.  

Posted on: Voucher Promotion at the Mall

Ha Changye - I agree the discount system is confusing at first blush but it makes perfect sense, once your mind has been 'reprogrammed'.   :-)     

Posted on: I Want a Thick Blanket

Thanks for another good lesson, but despite the attempts to clarify definitions in the lesson I think you may have left some listeners confused!   

The 被子 bèizi is a doona (or duvet etc.), not a blanket.  The 'blanket' is usually one thickness of material, although the Chinese version can have two (see below.)  The doona and the blanket serve the same function but in design they are chalk and cheese.  A blanket where I live is called a 毯子 tǎnzi.  I see that you have that listed this as 'rug' - Chinese is delightfully vague, but if you ask here for a 被子 bèizi you will be shown a doona, not a blanket. Ask for  毯子 and you will be shown blankets.   

Maybe this is a regional difference in the language. Or maybe blankets are growing in popularity to the extent that more precision is now required in the language.  In previous years I only saw 被子 bèizi but there is a wide range of blankets available this Winter.    

BTW I have recently bought blankets, doonas of different wieght, electric blankets etc.  I am a big fan of Chinese 毯子 tǎnzi (blankets).  Sold in various sizes (eg. 200cmx240cm) rather than bed sizes, and the weight is also quoted in kilograms.  My 'double thickness' 9kg blanket is nice and warm.  It is as warm as a doona.  :-)    

Posted on: Paying the Bill

@Calkins

Nice find. I still can't get over being told that if I say 哎哟 it sounds 'girlie'.  So unfair.  

Posted on: Voucher Promotion at the Mall

@david，helen 

是的，中国人喜欢用积分卡。  我说错了。。:-) 可是为外国人用这种卡比较难。 二三年以前我有超市的会员卡，申请很麻烦！（表格我看不懂）  

在澳大利亚我们也有银行发的信用卡有积分功能，他们可以‘送给’我们礼物。但是，如果你要加入这个‘俱乐部’应该每年付50澳币（320人民币多.）我不知道是否参加，还我不一定。 

Posted on: Voucher Promotion at the Mall

@monix

我同意。。在悉尼我最爱的咖啡馆没有积分卡，可是悉尼有用积分卡的咖啡馆很多。 大概最好的咖啡馆不要积分卡。 

Posted on: Voucher Promotion at the Mall

@helen, david 

谢谢你们。 我觉得在中国这种卡你叫 “积点卡“ 或者 ”记分卡“不多，对吧？在这里除了在一个咖啡馆以外我没看过。三个外国人拥有这个用记分卡的咖啡馆。 外什么中国人不喜欢用记分卡的？   

Posted on: Voucher Promotion at the Mall

In Australia we have cards at espresso bars that are stamped each time you buy a coffee; when you have eight or ten stamps you get a drink for free.  这种卡，中文怎么说？  一个券和一个'coffee'卡相像的可是不一样。 

Posted on: Applying for a Loan

@Changye

Yes, lots of life's little problems have been solved by the Chinese.  Often they solve them in a different way to us in the West.  I didn't know that about my colleagues!  Actually all the ones I have met are unlikely to have followed this course as they seem to live rather modestly.  Maybe they should put the price up.  

But there are still a good number of problems still to be solved here .. :-)