User Comments - luobinzhenmei

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luobinzhenmei

Posted on: A Robotic Solution?
February 13, 2014, 05:49 PM

They actually do a pretty good job getting into corners because they have a spinning brush that protrudes far enough to get into many confined spaces. The problem is longevity. We've had two and both had circuit board failures very soon after the warranty expired.

Posted on: Bumming a Ride
January 02, 2014, 09:31 PM

The mystery of the 搭 that once appeared in a dialog in first year Chinese when we were told it was another word for 坐 in 坐车, and then it never appeared again.  But now I think it is something like the English variants of take a train, take a cab, take a plane--catch a cab, catch a bus, catch a ride, or get a ride, get a plane.  Even if the meaning is slightly different, by thinking of the English variants I can appreciate that 搭 sometimes substitutes for 坐。  

Would you Chinesepod gurus, Greg and Connie, explain more about 搭 so I can use it properly when I'm not hitchhiking?  Thanks.

Posted on: On a Wok-About
December 08, 2013, 11:28 AM

There was a movie called "Walkabout". A very good one and way before the "Crocodile" ones.

Posted on: Lost in the Mall
November 03, 2013, 01:52 AM

IKEA does it big time in the US, spiraling the main walkway throughout the store. There are short cuts along the way, but those are really easy to get you lost. We just go with it, after all, how often are people in a hurry in IKEA?

Posted on: How to Eat Crawfish
October 21, 2013, 12:44 AM

What I meant to say is that 弄 isn't like 说 or 做 . What it takes as an object is a bigger chunk: a thing and how it has been made worse. 弄your hands dirty, 弄a plate broken, etc. We should use that 把 particle and our problems would be solved. Then the physical thing comes first and how it has been 弄ed after. 我把手弄脏的。 I'm afraid I barely know what I'm talking about I hope I didn't 弄 you even more confused.

Posted on: How to Eat Crawfish
October 21, 2013, 12:34 AM

Good question and I have absolutely no right to even try to answer, but I'm going to try anyhow. 弄 essentially means "make something worse than it was before". It doesn't just mean "make something" So we can't say 我弄手 subject-verb-object, the way we can say 我说汉语。

The way I understand it is that Chinese verbs can't take too many complements the way English verbs can, so we have to say stuff like 我说汉语,说得不太好。and repeat the verb 说 once for the object 汉语 and then again for the complement 不太好 . In your sentence 他汉语说得很好 , you moved the object in front of the verb. I guess you could also do that with 弄, and say 你手会弄得很脏。 I guess I might try 你的手会弄得很脏。 I guess I'm already in over my head. Chinesepod teachers, HELP.

Posted on: Custom-Made Furniture
October 20, 2013, 10:53 PM

You guys mentioned Ikea (宜家)as if you had a strong opinion about its products.  你们觉得质量不太高吗?  I love Ikea, both the stores and the stuff.  

Posted on: Broken Bone
September 05, 2013, 05:50 PM

Way back in 1986 I was sent to several hospitals like and0709 was. The medical staff didn't say much except 哎呀 and I didn't have to 付钱 at all. Maybe those were the good old days. I kind of liked the way crowds of people would congregate to see me examined which I chose to think of as concern for my well-being rather than just curiosity/nosiness about foreigners. In the end I was charged for my meals.

Posted on: Broken Bone
September 05, 2013, 05:43 PM

Very good question. Maybe there will be a Qing Wen on which terms

are themselves measure terms as well as verb complements (if that's what they are).

Posted on: B.O. in the Library
August 31, 2013, 03:41 PM

我觉得汗臭跟狐臭不一样。我锻炼,跑步,等 就发汗臭。

一定有的中国人,比如有的穷人,很久没洗澡,他们的味道很臭。汗臭,口臭,别的臭,都混了。