User Comments - pulosm

Posted on: I Can/Can't Afford it (...得起 & ...不起）

Clay,

I think artkho was just kidding re: zanbuqi.

I would point out that "bu qi" is not only a "complement" having to do with money or affording.  You can 看不起 (look down on) or 对不起 (mistreat).  These are all related.  I don't think that "not afford" is always a good way of understanding the 不起 concept.  It doesn't always, as Clay suggests, have to do with money.  The idea is that you are attempting the verb (whatever it may be), but are unable to accomplish it.  So, when you 买不起, you try to buy, but can't accomplish it (for lack of money).

Also, I'd listen to Connie or Amber, Clay's tones are often wrong.  (No offense, but for people just learning, they might not know).

Posted on: Feng Shui and Surgical Masks

Sorry, but Robert sounds kinda like a baby. What can you expect from a job where you ONLY qualification is that you were raised in an English-speaking country? On top of that, hourly workers don't usually get paid for breaks/lunch in the states either; that's why 8-hour days are actually 8.5 - 9.0 hours, usually. When I went to Beida, I taught coversational/business English in the evenings at a petrochemical company. They paid for my transportation by taxi, my dinner, and a good hourly wage (can't remember what it was). So, not all teaching English in China "sucks." I found the job myself, though, so maybe that has something to do with it.

Posted on: Feng Shui and Surgical Masks

Feng shui was killed by communism. Tons of buildings in mainland china are poorly positioned and designed. Hong Kong and Taiwan still implement it. Some speculate that it is why Hong Kong and Taiwan have been more economically prosperous than the Mainland. Indeed, according to Jenny's statement about southern Chinese being more into feng shui than northern Chinese also might explain the economic division there, as well. You know, if you buy that stuff.

Posted on: I Got Married

sapri: 妻子 is more formal. 老婆 is less formal and is usually used by a husband to describe his wife, not by other people to describe someone else's wife. To me, it sounds like "my old lady," which is used in English (in certain circles), but I don't like that either. It should be noted that 妻子 and 丈夫 are really only heard in the Mainland. Many Taiwanese (and Chinese in America, for that matter) would say 太太 (for wife) and 先生 (for husband). Oh, and 爱人 was a communist imposition (so as to make partners "equal" and not have titles that carry connotations). To many people, this word sounds a lot like "lover", which is a word that gives me the creeps

Posted on: Forget It

rsmith91: If that works for you, then go with it. But I don't think that's what I (at least was saying). The "le" makes the "suan" past-tense, or more specifically indicates that the status has changed from discussion, etc. to being over. The "ba" makes the rest (i.e., "suan le") a suggestion; it means "let's just call it even." To say it is just part of the phrase is to say that "let's just . . . " in English has no meaning. That's just not accurate.

Posted on: Forget It

Oh, also, I think this use of 算 makes sense, because it sounds like it comes from bartering or negotiations. For instance, if we are bartering over some fruit, I might say something like "add three more pieces, and it's settled" (i.e., I'll buy the fruit). You would say something like "zai4 jia1 san1 kuai4 jiu4 suan4 le." (sorry, no character-typing skills on this computer).

Posted on: Forget It

rsmith, I always think of 算了吧 like this. 算 means to "count." 算了 means, "it's been counted," or "it's over" or "it's settled." It doesn't really translate well into English, but the feeling is there. The 吧, as Amber says, softens it. It does so because the 吧 has the feeling of "let's just"...so when you say 算了吧, in a way you are saying, "let's just call it settled." Of course, you could just say 算了, but then you wouldn't be making a request/suggestion, you'd be unilaterally deciding that it's over. I didn't listen to the lesson, but it helps to know that 算了吧 is used mostly when there is an argument going on and the speaker just wants to "call it even" or say "it's over." "Let's forget about it."

Posted on: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes

aphaia, Actually, 脚 means the whole thing, leg and foot, but it is often used just to mean "foot" (so opposite from what you are saying). "Leg" is 腿 （tui3). If that helps. 足 is ancient Chinese for foot and leg. It is still used in formal contexts and in terminology, some examples that come to mind are 足踝 (zu2huai2) ankle and 足球 (zu2qiu2) football or soccer.

Posted on: Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes

amber, can I add a side note: 长颈鹿 (chang2jing3lu4) is a long-necked deer, aka a giraffe. ;-) I love that. Also, this lesson title reminds me of the song which we learned in Japanese as children (in California): Atama kata, hiza ashi, hiza ashi, Atama kata, hiza ashi, hiza ashi, Me to mimi to kuchi to hana, Atama kata, hiza ashi, hiza ashi. Yeah, I still remember that! (not sure it's right though!)

Posted on: Weather Forecast

Ha ha ha....I didn't notice that part of the post. That was hilarious. I would also wonder, when they say "all provinces" do they include Taiwan?