User Comments - toianw

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toianw

Posted on: New Employee in the Office
February 9, 2011 at 3:23 PM

Agreed! It's not an easy job to fill Jenny's shoes (so to speak) and I think Dilu has been doing a fantastic job.

Posted on: Of Kings, Emperors, and Presidents
February 9, 2011 at 3:15 PM

Thanks a lot for your insight, Tingyun. It's interesting to know how these terms were used in ancient China. I've picked up a lot of interesting info from your answers to other users as well. Really appreciate you sharing your knowledge with us.

Posted on: Of Kings, Emperors, and Presidents
February 8, 2011 at 1:51 PM

Here's what Wikipedia has to say on the matter (in a curious blend of both simplified and traditional characters). The general gist (if I've understood correctly) seems to be:

- There's often no hard and fast rules. It's just down to what term became accepted for a certain country.

- For members of the British Commonwealth, however, 总理 is the accepted Chinese term and not 首相. For the UK though it's 首相。

- For many countries both terms are used interchangeably (Thailand and Japan were given as examples (though I agree with you that 首相 seems to be the most commonly used term for the Japanese PM)

Posted on: Chinese Baijiu and the Best of the Worst
February 8, 2011 at 1:34 PM

You can also just use 请 or 请客 to mean treat. Here's some examples from the ChinesePod collection.

Posted on: Of Kings, Emperors, and Presidents
February 8, 2011 at 4:15 AM

Ah, just read your comment again. I suspect it has something to do with commonwealth countries, but it's just a guess.

Posted on: Of Kings, Emperors, and Presidents
February 8, 2011 at 4:01 AM

Hi John, I'm pretty sure I've always heard the prime minister of Canada (and Australia I think) referred to as 总理, not 首相 - but I could be wrong. Then, for the UK (which we also call prime minster) 首相 is often used. Are these words sometimes interchangeable, or are there any rules for how they're applied.

Posted on: Inside the Baozi Business
February 7, 2011 at 2:41 PM

I've never heard of pot sticker either (in the UK). Sounds like something a hippy might attach to their guitar case.

Posted on: Chinese Baijiu and the Best of the Worst
February 7, 2011 at 2:37 PM

... but you always feel better after that second tone.

Posted on: Chinese Baijiu and the Best of the Worst
February 7, 2011 at 2:33 PM

he he - I imagine the stuff going down the throat, staying down there in the belly for a while and then at some point during the evening ....

Posted on: Of Soldiers and Military People
February 5, 2011 at 6:05 AM

If you're really interested, you'll find the rankings of army, navy and airforce (in English and Chinese) from this page on the China Today website as well as pictures of weapons and general facts and figures.