User Comments - jennyzhu

Posted on: Scheduling a Time

I think we hardly ask "why" or "what" when a boss asks us to do something. But you could say ＂您有什么事＂．

Posted on: Measure Words for Animals

凶 means having a mean and aggressive attitude and often verbally abusive. It's used to describe people.

Posted on: Essential Math Terms

That's correct.

Posted on: Where is the Supermarket?

超市 is used more than 超级市场 in mainland China. I am not entirely sure about Taiwan though. It is not easy to know most of the words that are used differentlty without having lived there. I will try my best.

Posted on: The Seven Year Itch 3: Extramarital Involvement

When describing something as 值钱 or 不值钱, it means it has value or no value. You don't need a passive marker. They can both mean value in the abstract sense (as in the expansion) or monetary value, e.g. 这个戒指很值钱。(This ring is worth a lot of money.)

If you want to say "do not know the value of money", it's 不知道钱的价值。"

Posted on: Hate is a Very Strong Word

I sincerely apologize for the stereotype. It was insensitive. We can take it out if you wish.

Posted on: Taking the Train to Beijing

Sometimes somewhere in the world there is an expression but not in English. http://jennyzhu.com/2011/10/26/10-wonderful-chinese-words-without-english-equivalent/

Posted on: Taking the Train to Beijing

I think in order to learn a language, you need comprehensible and relevant input, study and review resources, feedback and practice. The online components of ChinesePod help students do the first 2 parts but with the third one, you need a supportive native speaker or a teacher. I often have this discussion about ChinesePod. We are not replacing teachers. On the contrary, we empower them and students. Think of a traditional classroom where most of your input and study are on a book. How likely are you to interact with the book outside the classroom? This means that a big portion of class time spent with teacher is spent on learning input which we replace with engaging podcast, online and mobile study tools to help students study on their own first. So when a student does spend time with a teacher, they can focus on practice and feedback and ponder on the intricacies of the language which you highlighted. I am quite convinced that the future of language learning is this blended model.

Posted on: How to Eat a Hairy Crab

公 and 雄 both mean male for animals. 母(mǔ) and 雌(cí) both mean female.

Posted on: How to Eat a Hairy Crab

MSG is bad and many Chinese are forgoing it. (My mom hasn't used it in 10 years). What I meant is that the flavor and sensation of hairy crabs is like MSG only if it were natural.