User Comments - pearltowerpete
pearltowerpete
Posted on: Lao Wang's Office 13: Wang Meets the Big Boss
July 20, 2009 at 1:35 AMHi blubberingfool
We have intentionally kept Lao Wang's exact duties mysterious. Stay tuned to future episodes to learn more about the ethical grey areas that our hero is skirting...
Hi mandarinkoala,
I'd argue that Lao Wang is not a loser. He's had a couple of tough blows-- losing his original job and falling out with his wife. But he's a fighter, and he's a long way from giving up.
Hi jamiemayo
"Big boss" is da4 lao3ban3.
Posted on: Asking for Leave
July 20, 2009 at 1:27 AMHi mdaniel,
Literally, all the phrase 好的，我知道了 means is "OK, I see （or even more literally "Now I know.") So the reply is non-commital.
Very likely, the speaker is going to check with his superiors or give the matter some more thought before granting or refusing the request.
A more unequivocal answer might be "好的，没问题."
Posted on: Big Bed
July 18, 2009 at 8:34 AMHi desluo919
Good question. The expansion sentence is correct, because 间 can function as a measure word for rooms. This is an unusual looking sentence, though, as it includes the reverse of the common "房间."
Posted on: Pregnancy Series 8: About to Give Birth
July 18, 2009 at 12:15 AMHi dubyruby,
The consensus online seems to be that 顺产 simply refers to vaginal birth, and you could indeed use painkillers, epidural, etc.
I will check in with the rest of the team about this on Monday.
As a side note, it is possible to use acupuncture for pain relief during childbirth. In my (fairly limited) experience, giving birth with no pain medication at all is not very widespread in China.
Posted on: Pregnancy Series 7: Choosing a Name for the Baby
July 18, 2009 at 12:08 AMHi goulnik,
So many marriages end in divorce these days that perhaps the marital arts should include the martial arts.
But this is an honest mistake. I will make the correction as soon as our beloved new system allows me to do so ;-(
Posted on: Bringing it All Back Home With 回去 and 回来
July 18, 2009 at 12:01 AMHi rj,
No problem. I was out partying with some monks last night (as wild as you can get over stir-fried bamboo and no beer) and so it was an early night and I'm up early. I'm not kidding, by the way.
Hi changye,
This lesson is dedicated to your chubby little dog.
Posted on: A Family of Teachers
July 17, 2009 at 11:59 PMHi mark_k
You can add or remove the "de" 的 in the phrases you mentioned without affecting their meaning. But people generally leave them out when talking about things with which they have a close or intimate connection-- friends, parents, etc.
Hi frances,
I have definitely heard adults refer to their parents as 爸爸 and 妈妈, although 爸 and 妈 are even more common. I'd recommend thinking of these not as "daddy" and "mommy" but just "mom" and "dad." Thinking of 父母 as "mother" and "father" might help you decide when to use these appropriately.
If you're an upper-class toff who has a "mater" and "pater," I'm afraid I can't help you :-)
Posted on: Bringing it All Back Home With 回去 and 回来
July 17, 2009 at 11:48 PMHello all:
Courtesy of Connie, here are today's sentences.
回家huíjiā
To return home
回老家huí lǎojiā
to return to one's (ancestral or childhood) home
你的老家在哪儿？
Nǐ de lǎojiā zài nǎr?
Where is your (ancestral or childhood) home?
我的老家在衢州。
Wǒ de lǎojiā zài Qúzhōu.
My (ancestral or childhood) home is in Quzhou.
坐汽车要5个小时。
Zuò qìchē yào 5 ge xiǎoshí.
It takes five hours by car.
回娘家huí niángjia
a married woman returns to her parents' home
回国huíguó
to return to one's home country
你准备什么时候回国？
Nǐ zhǔnbèi shénme shíhou huíguó?
When are you planning to go back to your home country?
现在还说不清楚。
Xiànzài hái shuō bu qīngchǔ.
It's hard to say for sure right now.
你回国要多久？
Nǐ huíguó yào duōjiǔ?
How long does it take for you to get back to your home country?
在路上，大概二十几个小时。
Zài lùshang, dàgài èrshí jǐ gè xiǎoshí.
It takes about twenty-odd hours.
回公司huí gōngsī
To go back to one's company (office).
回学校huí xuéxiào
To go back to one's school.
你什么时候回上海来？
Nǐ shénme shíhou huí Shànghǎi lái?
When are you coming back to Shanghai?
我下个月回上海去。
Wǒ xià ge yuè huí Shànghǎi qù.
I'm going back to Shanghai next month.
我下个月回上海。
Wǒ xià ge yuè huí Shànghǎi.
I'm returning to Shanghai next month.
我下个月回去。
Wǒ xià ge yuè huíqu.
I'm going back next month.
我刚从美国回来。
Wǒ gāng cóng Měiguó huílai.
I just got back from America.
老公，你什么时候回来？
Lǎogōng, nǐ shénme shíhou huílai?
When are you coming back, dear (husband)?
我马上就回去。
Wǒ mǎshàng jiù huíqu.
I'm going back right now.
我下个星期三回去。
Wǒ xià ge Xīngqīsān huíqu.
I'm going back next Wednesday.
你一年回老家几次？
Nǐ yī nián huí lǎojiā jǐ cì?
How many times do you go back to your (ancestral or childhood) home every year?
我一年回老家三次。
Wǒ yī nián huí lǎojiā sān cì.
I go back home three times per year.
过年的时候，十一，年假的时候。
Guònián de shíhou, shíyī, niánjià de shíhou.
During Chinese New Year, Chinese National Day, and on my yearly vacation.
你一年回美国几次？
Nǐ yī nián huí Měiguó jǐ cì?
How many times do you go back to America every year?
几乎不回去。
Jīhū bù huíqu.
I almost don't go back at all.
我一年回美国一两次。最多两次。
Wǒ yī nián huí Měiguó yī liǎng cì. Zuìduō liǎng cì.
I go back to America once or twice per year. At most, twice.
圣诞节的时候
Shèngdànjié de shíhou
At Christmastime.
我每天都回老家。
Wǒ měitiān dōu huí lǎojiā.
I go back home every day.
我一年回老家三百六十五次。
Wǒ yī nián huí lǎojiā sānbǎi liùshíwǔ cì.
I go back home three hundred and sixty five times per year.
因为我的老家就在上海。
Yīnwèi wǒ de lǎojiā jiù zài Shànghǎi.
Because my home is in Shanghai.
我从越南回来。
Wǒ cóng Yuènán huílai.
I came back from Vietnam.
你最想回的是什么地方？是你上海的家？还是你纽约的家？
Nǐ zuì xiǎng huí de shì shénme dìfang? Shì nǐ Shànghǎi de jiā? Háishi nǐ Niǔyuē de jiā?
Where would you most like to go back to? Your home in Shanghai or your home in New York?
落叶归根
luòyèguīgēn
Falling leaves return to the root (traditional idea that someone should be buried in their place of origin.)
Posted on: Pinyin Section 4: R
July 17, 2009 at 4:54 AMHi raygo and xiaophil,
I can neither confirm nor deny the existence of such a show. If it ever had existed, it might have been so funny that people forgot to laugh ;-)
Xiaophil, we welcome your suggestions and ideas, which are always well considered and useful. We can't make use of everything but please be aware that there is a big Google doc full of interesting ideas that we have culled from the boards (as well as those we've come up with in legendary brain-storming sessions).
Posted on: 沙漠寻踪四
July 20, 2009 at 1:43 AMHi mark,
谢谢你的建议。这节课的生词的却比较少。我们总要达到生词难度和数量的美好比例-- 生词难的话，少说一些，而生词容易，就多讲几个。好像这次我们没找到这个“黄金比例。”
第二，中川看那些人的样子和行为就看得出来他们被改造过--
他的观察力很强啊！