User Comments - helandou

Posted on: Making Dumplings

A 'skit' is that something like a serial on TV? Is it drama or comedy? On google.com/translate I can't translate the word 'skit'. 

 小品 is translated as: 'an essay' or 'a sketch' but those words are about writing or theatre play.

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

Why are there so many words for 'getting fired' or 'firing someone'? Is it because people more often get fired, or is it because bosses were looking for less painful words to express the inevitable?

Posted on: I want coffee!

In a lot of situations, 'wo yao' is ok. In the negative form I always felt it sounded a little bit more blunt, so I used 'bu yong' (don't need) a lot.

In a restaurant the waitress won't ask you: 'ni yao shenme?' but will probably say something like 'ni he shenme?' (literally: what do you drink?) So if you feel 'wo yao cafe' is a bit rude (which it isn't) you could say: 'wo he kafei' (I drink coffee.)

You can be more polite using 'xiang', but that makes it more complex and difficult. Example: 'ni xiang dian shenme?' (what would you like to order?) wo xiang he kafei, or, wo xiang chi baozi (I would like to eat baozi) also 'wo xiangyao' is also a form of 'would like'

Posted on: City Stats

renny : well, John said he was born in Kentucky (which he didn't seem to be very pleased with, but fortunately no kentuckiers on chinesepod I guess ;-) And also, I don't think that is very interesting for the conversation, since that is one of the first thing you learn when you arrive in China (to learn how to say where you come from and from what city),   cause everybody will ask you about it...

Posted on: The Perfect Sandwich

Oke, I'm going to be very off-topic here (but I didn't find a better place to post it): I just checked frenchpod, spanishpod and englishpod and I concluded that Chinesepod is the best! The other one's were also good though, but I think since they started a little later they are now on the level were chinesepod was a year or 2 ago, in terms of level adjustment and chemistry between the discussion partners.

One thing I suggest you take over from spanishpod: add some topics that not necessarily have anything to do with China or the life in China. (For example they have a lesson on Oprah and one about the US eleccions). As long as we learn chinese from it it's useful.

Posted on: The Perfect Sandwich

btw, another nice sandwich that you can definately make anywhere in the world: bread with homemade eggsalad.

For the bread, take the best one you can find..

For the salad: cook 4 eggs and cut them in small pieces (the best is if they are still a tiny bit soft inside) add some salt & pepper, 2/3/4 spoons of mayonaise (take the red kewpie one), half an onion (raw, cut in small pieces),and if the taste is not heavy enough, add a little bit of vinegar OR soya sauce. Put it in the fridge if you like for about 20 minutes and then..enjoy! 

Posted on: The Perfect Sandwich

Why are cucumbers so strange to be found on a sandwich? I think everywhere in Europe they do that too!? (At least in Holland..). Is that an American fobia? Or is it just the 因人而异吧?

Posted on: Chinese New Year Plans

hmm, this is all new to me. I thought the chinese calendar (the lunar calendar) just started after spring festival, so in january or february. Could have known that the LUNAR calendar stood for something related to the moon, but no, didn't go that far..

Posted on: The Perfect Sandwich

Pearltowerpete: Where can I find the Marco Polo's 北欧核桃面包 Walnut bread? Is Marco Polo a store? I live in Hangzhou, never heard of it.

And I love 芥末酱, but on a sandwich? Btw, was it your sandwhich from the picture? It looks like there's a little 芥末酱 on it ;-)

Posted on: The Perfect Sandwich

最好的三明治的 ingredients: 西红柿，黄瓜，butter, melted cheese,鸡蛋，生菜，cutted sausage 和一点点蛋黄酱。