User Comments - emberswift

Posted on: Lao Wang's Office 7: A Firing Afoot?

I learned 开除 as "fire," but this list is fantastic. What confused me was when I heard 开除 related to a student being asked to leave the class for bad behaviour. This made me realize that 开除 is more "dismissed" and a nicer way to say "fired" （which is more the 抄 equivalent). Did I assume correctly?

So, my question is, can "开除" be used in the same way that we use "dismissed" in English?

Furthermore, if someone could please answer "calicartel"'s question, I'd really appreciate it!

Thanks,

Ember

Posted on: Qipao Dresses and Marathons in China

Here's my contribution! These were promo shots for an album project (I'm a musician), but they were really well received in the West and I got a lukewarm response in China. Your podcast helped me to understand why. I guess if I'm wearing clothes that only hostesses wear in restaurants, then what is it saying about my music?! That's it's not modern? Hhm... thanks for the wardrobe tips!

-Ember

Posted on: Earlier and Later than Expected: 才and 就

Sometimes "才" and "就" DO HAVE the same meaning, like in this instance:

******************

Question: 你睡够了吗？

“我才睡了两个小时！”

“我就睡了两个小时”

They both mean "I only slept 2 hours!"

Question: 你吃饱了吗？

“我没吃饱，我才吃了两口”

“我没吃饱，我就吃了两口”

They both mean "I'm not full, I only ate two bites!"

**************

So, if it's before the verb and functioning as an "only" then it means the same thing.

(That has been confirmed by my 老公!)

Posted on: Will you Marry Me?

Hi there,

I was really surprised by the absence of 结婚 in this podcast. What I heard was the simple: “你想不想和我结婚?" and the answer being "我想”。。。

At least that's how it went with me... maybe he was just using my limited vocabulary ;-) But, grammatically, is it wrong?

Anyway, I have also been told that proposals aren't common nowadays and that this is a very Western idea. In my case, I insisted that without a formal 求婚 there would be no discussion. Since then, however, I did some research and found that, traditionally, the proposal and engagement period is very important and sometimes lasted for years. Perhaps the current trend to treat it like a business transaction is an extreme response to rejecting tradition, being "modern"?

Whatever the reason, I am happy to say that I experienced a formal 求婚 and now 我们定婚了！

Final question: why are there two ways to say engaged? 我们订婚了 and 我们定婚了？Same pronunciation and tones, different characters.

Thanks!

- Ember

Posted on: Chinese New Year Plans

你们从来都不给我。。

what does the 都 function as here?

I would have just said (to translate: you never give it to me) 你们从来不给我。

Thanks,

Ember

Posted on: Chinese New Year Plans

老一套：

Can you say this when someone keeps bringing up (saying) the same thing. Like: "not this again" or "same old thing" (you're complaining about)?

If not, what would work in that case? Thanks!!

- Ember

Posted on: Getting Your Hair Done

Hey there,

How do you say: "the last time I went to a hairdresser, he dyed my hair the wrong colour."

Here's my attempt:

"下次我去了理发师，他把我的头发染错了颜色。”

wrong不wrong? ;-)

E

Posted on: Lao Wang's Office 5: Wang Tries to Excel at the Office

Hey, I actually have some questions about the lesson! LOL

I always use 软件 for programs but I realize that this is "software".... but it seems to make sense to people when I say “打开那个写信的软件吧！” But, I think a better way to say it is probably something like the English for "open the desktop publishing program"? In this case, we would probably use 程序， but what else? If you could help me sound less like a foreigner speaking Chinese I'd appreciate it!

Also, when Julia asks him if he “看到Microsoft Office了吧，” is this a question or is it a suggestion? In this case, I would have said: "你看到MS Office了吗?" to ask if he could see it there... but then if it's a suggestion, it's more of a "you see it there, eh?" <-- Canadianism coming through! Anyway, some clarity on this would be great. Those little words at the end of sentences catch me up constantly.

Finally, is 说不清 simply a shortened version of "说得不清楚“？

Thanks. Three questions are enough, I think!

All the best to you all,

Ember

子玉

Posted on: The 是...的 (Shì...de) Pattern

One thing that you didn't mention in this (excellent) podcast was that sometimes 是。。。的 is used to emphasize something. Like: 你是特别重要的。 Which to me is a way of saying "you're really IMPORTANT" rather than "you're really important."

Am I wrong? I often use this pattern to emphasize things in speech but I'm wondering now if I overuse it.. which is entirely possible! Anyway, please confirm that this is also a means to put the 是。。。的 pattern to work!

Thanks!

Posted on: Sound Check

P.S. Not all of us smoke!!! ;-) Even several of my Chinese musician friends have long quit the nasty habit...