User Comments - pearltowerpete

Posted on: Two Poems about Music -- 弹琴 and 听筝

Hi grettir,user23093 and bill

So happy to hear that you enjoy these poems. It's a pity that so much of the accompanying music has been lost. We can only do our best to reconstruct the experiences that our poetry-loving ancestors would have enjoyed.

Hi Joachim

The Mercury team would make good 偶像 for tech teams everywhere. Interestingly, that program was a collaboration between our respective countries-- quite a few German scientists helped out at NASＡ after the war.

Hi darylk

I just listened to a few earlier lessons in the series and was surprised at the speed. I agree, the slower pace makes learning easier.

There was a wonderful piece in the Times a few days ago about memorizing poetry. Of course it's more difficult in our non-native languages. But there's no doubt that this is a great way to improve our appreciation of this art.

Posted on: Toilet Types

Hi green_leaf

Thanks for explaining even more about the meaning of the expression 算了. The examples you gave are great.

Hi ewong,

You could use the phrase that way. Often salespeople will ask you in to take a look at their merchandise, saying 买不买,没关系- it doesn't matter whether you buy anything or not.

Posted on: Toilet Types

Hi ewong,

It was great to see you in person. Our photo is now my backdrop on my work computer!

算了 means "forget it, I'm not interested." The speaker is going to try something else, because this option is no good.

Posted on: Toilet Types

Hi miantiao

Yes, that's exactly what I mean. And keeping the pigs there is both cheap and 环保, good for the environment.

The ancient Romans also socialized in that way.

Posted on: Does it Have Bones?

Hi nderrett

Fish bones are very small. They are called “鱼刺”yúcì.

It may be easier to remember this if you know that 刺 means "thorn." You can see the "knife radical 刂" on the right side which shows you that this is something sharp.

Posted on: Which Finger?

Hi nahan

green_leaf is correct, the word is 黑帮.

The most famous 帮s in Chinese history are:

青帮， the Green Gang, a crime syndicate in pre-1949 Shanghai that had close ties to the Nationalist party

四人帮 the Gang of Four, the four leaders who took the blame for the Cultural Revolution.

Posted on: Toilet Types

Hi chelsea21

算了  suànle means "Forget it," and often implies that the speaker is frustrated or disappointed.

没关系 is sort of like "No worries," or "it doesn't matter." You can use this when someone apologizes or when one choice is not so ideal but there is another equally good possibilty.

Posted on: Valentine's Special

Hi recep

The 吧 in this question makes this a gentle suggestion. There are a few ways to say this in English， such as "How about I give him a call?" or "Why don't I give him a call?”

Posted on: Toilet Types

My most urgent toilet experience was at 峨眉山 Mt. Emei a few years ago. For the last third of the descent, my stomach was churning and gurgling. Just when I 憋不住了, I got to bottom and found the facilities. 

There was a philosopher who said that we should socialize in toilets and eat in private. The idea is that eating and drinking is often a display of excess and weirdness. Getting rid of waste, by comparison, is simple and honest, and everywhere more or less the same.

This idea may have been partially adapted in many rural parts of China, where the toilet stalls have no doors.

Posted on: Two Poems about Music -- 弹琴 and 听筝

Hi questyn and ryanzus11

Cheers! Keep listening!

Hi Joachim

I completely understand your request. The intrepid tech team is working to satisfy you. We look forward to giving you some good news within a few weeks.

And xuchen, I am very open to the idea of modern poetry (but none of Chairman Mao's 詞）.