User Comments - bodawei

Posted on: Two Tough Ladies

@rj,xiaophil

You can often find a literal translation of an expression like 'cat fight' that carries none of the metaphorical value of the original.  An authority on this (Ouyang Yu) says that English cats generate so many expressions and phrases about things 'feline, female and sexy'.  By comparison the Chinese cat lacks the power of expression; there are relatively few metaphors. He says he consulted one dictionary containing 6,800 idioms and only one referred to cats, the one following.  The cat in China is an object of contempt, as in 猫鼠同眠 (cats and mice are sleeping together - meaning collaborating and up to no good.)  眠 mian2 is in the expression 不眠之夜 (a sleepless night.)  Metaphors referring to dogs in Chinese are not much better.

Posted on: Getting Off the Metro

@Jenny

I don't believe that you can blame the 'Germans' for not getting the air-conditioning right. (Note that they were of course built to Chinese specifications!)   

A lot of German expertise has been employed in establishing metro systems in China.  Before I left Sydney I was working (on the Sydney Metro) next to a German guy who spent nine years working in China.  He gave me some useful 'inside knowledge' on Chinese railways. 

On a language learning front, I asked him one of my favourite questions: did he learn Chinese 'for his work?'  He said 'of course not!', confirming my expectation. For him, a love for Chinese language came first, and then later he saw the opportunity to work in China.  

I have never yet met anyone who learnt Chinese effectively with merely a work motivation - it seems to me that such a 'functional' motivation would not be enough to achieve any real success.  Perhaps there is a poddy out there to contradict me？    

Posted on: Jewish Holiday

@Rich

I like the way you put that about forgiveness, it has a nice ring to it.  But in my visits to schul (is that the word? it is a little in my past) I did not gain the impression that people were seeking forgiveness in the way that Christians have made it central to their religion.  I think that it is an important question of approach .. but I have passed the question on to a higher authority (someone I know who is engaged in discussion between Christians and Jews) for some comments.  

BTW, thanks for 耶和华 (Yēhéhuá) 

PS. I like your King David example - he had a lot to seek forgiveness about!  

Posted on: Jewish Holiday

Do Jews actually go to synagogue to ask God to forgive their sins?  That's kind of interesting on a couple of levels.  First, Jews generally don't use the word God, and its written form is G*d, like T*bet.  Question: how do you say Yarweh in Chinese? 

Second, I thought that it was the kind of religion that you were kind of born with, like it or not.  (I recognise that conversions are also possible - does that process involve asking for forgiveness?  For not being born into Jewry?)  What is the point of asking God to forgive your sins?  If you don't do this, what happens to you according to Jewish dogma?  Apart from these more phiosophical points, thanks  for a lesson that uses this kind of terminology.  

In case anyone thinks I am being disrespectful, my daughter attended a Yeshiva kindergarten - one of the most religious Jewish sects in Australia. She was the only non-Jew.  Let's just say our family is curious about lots of things.  But I don't remember anyone talking about asking for God to forgive our sins. 

Posted on: Is China Scary?

@yanjian

I come from Australia where we take particular pleasure in making fun of our political leaders - in fact lately our political leaders don't even need any help! When you say 'we also believe in our Government' I know that you don't think it is as funny as I do, and this is a cultural difference that I respect. Also, I am proud of my motherland and proud of my culture (these are things that are hard-wired when we are children - it is hard to do otherwise.)   

However, I agree with henning - while you don't necessarily have to laugh at your political leadership, a little skepticism is a healthy thing.    

Posted on: 小太监进宫五

@christine

I thought it was probably that, looking for confirmation - obviously I haven't followed this series in full.  I didn't hear it BTW; it's in the title of the program. Thanks anyway.  

Posted on: 小太监进宫五

翻译修了谢谢你。可是我还有别的问题，宫五什么意思？ 

Posted on: 小太监进宫五

在医院有一个五宫科 ，(ear, nose throat department) 宫五什么意思？ 

宫女有小姐的意思， 对吧？课文的翻译很奇怪。。

Posted on: Assembling IKEA Furniture

@dunderklumpen

In my experience such an expression is probably not expected; Chinese is much more compact.  Body language would probably tell them whether or not you understand (face to face.)  You can also say 不好意思，buhaoyisi (I'm sorry), 听不清楚 ting bu qingchu (I didn't hear clearly)，你说。。对吧？ They might say it again another way which they think will be clearer for you. Or I usually pick on the specific term that I didn't understand and just say 'XXXXX' 什么意思？This serves a double purpose: checking that you heard correctly, and asking what it means. The latter approach keeps the conversation going; if you say 听不懂 or 听不清楚 that might be the end of the conversation.     

Posted on: Antiperspirant in China

@shenyajin

I have not been to Taobao yet - I'm told I should buy the groceries there even if there is a supermarket next door! 

麻烦你， 可以说小晶的止汗露， 这是止汗药的东西?