User Comments - light487
light487
Posted on: Pearl Tea
May 15, 2008 at 10:34 AMI commented on this phenomenon in a conversation about a month ago. The brand we have in Sydney are called "EasyWay" stores from Taiwan. My cousin, who lived in Taiwan for about 4 years, first introduced me to it and I have been intrigued by it ever since. I have never tried it with the "pearls" in it.. because I am scared I won't like it and waste my money.. I don't like weird textures in drinks. I once had one of those Aloe Vera drinks, which had the pearls in it and I had the reaction I thought I would.. it's just too strange for me. I do enjoy the Milk Tea immensely though. I usually get a Sesame Milk Tea, which is sweet and has a unique flavour. They used to have Caramel as well but it wasn't very popular so they removed it from the product list.. I liked the caramel one :(.. Every time I go past the EasyWay store near my work there is a big line of people waiting to be served, mainly Asian people but a lot of westerners too. The only problem with ordering Milk Tea using Mandarin in Sydney is that the people behind the counter expect that you will speak English.. even though they can speak Mandarin.. May be I could try wearing my 请讲普通话 t-shirt and then asking in Mandarin.. still I think the automatic thing people do when they see a westerner is expect them to speak English.. I don't know..
Posted on: What's that smell?
May 14, 2008 at 2:56 AMWhat about the other question? :) I know it's a bit weird but there was a Chinese stage-comedian show where they would light their farts as part of the show.. so it's not just something out of nowhere.. So ai am still curious how someone would say "light my fart" or similar..
Posted on: What's that smell?
May 13, 2008 at 10:14 AMVery useful lesson.. It's another lesson I somehow missed up till this point.. I really love the picture for this lesson as well.. I love looking at pictures and trying to work out what is going on without anything being said.. It's pretty obvious that everyone thinks it was the blonde lady in the middle.. :) Just curious how you would say: Light my fart on fire.. or similar. If the verb for "emit" is the same as for lighting a firecracker.. then lighting a fart on fire might be an interesting thing to analyse. I'm confused that 好 hǎo is being used to make 臭 chòu "more". I have always associated hǎo with "good".. So I would have automatically interpreted 好臭 hǎo chòu as meaning "good smell" but obviously it doesn't.. I would have naturally used 很臭 hěn chòu to make it "really smelly".. Can someone explain why this is?
Posted on: Sing and Dance
May 13, 2008 at 10:01 AM??
Posted on: Lo and La （咯 & 啦）
May 13, 2008 at 9:57 AMWhat does Amber say when Clay asks her to get him a cup of coffee? :) What I really mean is.. how do you say the opposite of 当然咯！ Dāngrán lo?
Posted on: Sing and Dance
May 13, 2008 at 9:40 AMI think the most useful word in this lesson is 会 huì. For some reason I have not come across this word up till this point in my studies. It's such a basic-level word in the sense that it is extremely useful and can be used in so many instances of conversation. Not sure why I haven't come across this word, especially since I have been using text-based resources as well.. or may be I did see it but overlooked it.. I don't know.. but this is definitely the first time I have "noticed" it being used. The verbs "sing" and "dance" are ok.. but kind of useless by themselves.. and since there are so many possible verbs they are kind of just "filler" words for this lesson. So if you don't want to ask if or say that you can sing/dance, then you still need to learn the other verb required to ask the question you want to. I notice here the use of 不 bù before the adverb (I am assuming hui is an adverb?? anyway..).. Could I simply say, 没有 méi yǒu, instead? Or do I really need to use the negative form of the adverb?
Posted on: Lo and La （咯 & 啦）
May 13, 2008 at 9:17 AMYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!! Qing Wen returns!! :) And I get to hear my pal Clay talk some more! :) And cute Connie too!! :) As well as nice and helpful Amber! :) YAAAAAAAAAAY!!! :) I'm so happy.. now to listen to the podcast... :)
Posted on: Hawaii
May 11, 2008 at 12:37 PMI thought the Ronin were warriors in Japan..?
Posted on: Saved by the Gong: Geology
May 11, 2008 at 5:32 AMI studied Geology, Sociology, Archaeology and Psychology at University.. :) Pity I can't understand this lesson so well, it would surely have things I could relate to.
Posted on: The Doggy Bag
May 15, 2008 at 10:43 AMFrom my meagre research I think that the doggy-bag is a mixture of two (or more cultural concepts): 1. When you are finished eating in Chinese context, it is expected that you leave some food on your plate/serving-platter to say that your host has given you a great meal and you have eaten more than enough. 2. The idea to not waste food.. even to the point of storing it in the fridge until it goes off and then chucking it out seems to be quite common also. Merge these two concepts together and the most obvious thing would be to have a "doggy bag" situation where you have eaten all that you can and still have "left overs" remaining but take the remains with you so that you are not wasting it either. This may not be the real reason the doggy bag exists but it makes sense in this context..