User Comments - toianw
toianw
Posted on: Chinese Baijiu and the Best of the Worst
February 14, 2011 at 4:49 PMInteresting how this word crops up in the Australian vernacular, however. I'm pretty sure nobody uses it in the UK. Mysterious things, languages! I do recall coming across a lager called Skol though.
Posted on: Chinese Baijiu and the Best of the Worst
February 14, 2011 at 4:28 PM哦，我现在才记起来了。在斯堪的纳维亚的一些语言里"Schaal" 是 “Cheers!"的意思。比利时人也说 "schol"。（我觉得这是任何一种语言最重要的词语之一！）好像真的是源于维京人的语言。但据这个网页，你的骨头杯子的解释只是一个常见的误解而已。原来的意思就是“贝壳”或者“碗"
Posted on: Dad behind the Video Camera
February 14, 2011 at 4:11 PMHi Chris,
写下来 is also OK and has the same meaning as 记下来。In addition to 'to remember', 记 can also mean 'to note down' (I guess in order to help you remember). You'll also see this character in the word 笔记本 (bǐjìběn - notebook). Here 笔记 just means 'notes'. If you want to say remember (as in to commit to your memory), you can use 记住 (jìzhu).
Posted on: Tea Refill
February 13, 2011 at 12:03 PMYes, 4th tone (I think this was mentioned by John in the lesson). As a convention, it's still written as 1st tone in pinyin.
There's also this lesson:
Posted on: How to Protect the Environment
February 13, 2011 at 6:42 AMthe 的 here goes with the 会. [会.... 的] expresses certainty (equating to the WILL in English). In it's simplest form, you can say 我会的 (I will) or 不会的 (no way!).
You're studying hard today!
Posted on: How to Protect the Environment
February 13, 2011 at 6:41 AMChris, I'm no grammarian, but I think this structure is a different use to the V +起来 construction.
As I understand it, you can think of 从....起 as meaning starting from ... / or starting with ... whatever goes in the middle.
For example:
从今天起, ... (starting from today, ...)
从下个月起, ... (starting from next month, ...)
从第一次见到她起, ... ((starting) from the first time I set eyes on her, ...)
让我们从简单学起 (Let's start (our studies) with the simple stuff)
Posted on: A Visit to the In-laws
February 13, 2011 at 5:14 AMHi Chris,
The 但 can be omitted, but is often used together with 虽然. This is OK in Chinese. In fact, because of this, many Chinese learners of English will often say something like your 2nd English sentence (using although and but together).
Posted on: Eating Idioms, Part 1
February 12, 2011 at 6:27 PMHi Zhenlijiang,
Ah, so your saying this stereotype is based on the way people's perceptions of Japanese man have been influenced by the export of various "products" from Japan into other Asian countries. Whereas, in reality, on the subway or crowded bus (for example) you're just as unlikely to come across any problems of 吃豆腐 -ing as any other country?
I'm aware of some general feelings many Chinese have towards the Japanese, but hadn't thought about this. In fact, I'd never even thought about where all the 黄片in China comes from.
Posted on: Bank Transactions
February 12, 2011 at 5:35 PMStopping wealth draining out of the country may be one reason, though I suspect the main reason is to make sure the money foreigners are taking out of China is acquired legally. As far as I'm aware, you can transfer any amount of money out as long as you can prove you earned it legally (and paid the relevant taxes) here.
Incidentally, this 200 USD per day limit on exchanging money (without a tax certificate) only applies to foreigners. The limit for Chinese nationals is much much higher. (So one other option is to transfer the money to a Chinese friend's account and let them transfer it on to your foreign bank account.)
Posted on: Movie Theater Seats
February 15, 2011 at 9:24 AMWhilst we're on the subject on romance, check out the Valentine's Day flower delivery service men in Beijing: