User Comments - toianw

Posted on: Getting Taller (Not Fatter)

Hi Light, I'll have a go at these. Hopefully someone can help fill in the gaps in my knowledge.

1. 好久不见 (hǎojiǔbùjiàn) - Just think of this as an exception - a fixed chunk. I'm pretty sure I've also heard 好久没见 (hǎojiǔméijiàn) but it's not as common.

2. Yes it's the same character (长). Although the meanings in the two lessons are different (look like , grow) I'd say they're related.

她长高了很多 (tā zhǎng gāo le hěn duō) She's grown a lot taller [then before]

她长得真漂亮 (tā zhǎng de hěn piàoliang) She's [grown into a] really beautiful [girl] - in reality though, you're just saying "She's really beautiful"

3. 叔叔好 (shūshu hǎo - note: sh-, not x-) is just saying nǐhǎo, but replacing the nǐ with a title. I've never heard it used with people's full names. I think you're more likely to come across it with titles (e.g. 老师好 - lǎoshī hǎo; X阿姨好 - X āiyí hǎo (where X = name - not necessarily your auntie; could also be an older lady such as a neighbour/family friend).

"Zang Lei hao ma?" sounds weird to me. Maybe like you're talking to a small child, but perhaps someone else can confirm/deny this.

I usually use something like "zhang lei, nǐ zěnmeyàng? "

Hope this is of some help.

Posted on: A Rarely Washed Car

Hi lujiaojie, thanks for setting me straight.

So, it's just a difference of what they collocate with then?

I feel I hear 恭喜 more when actually giving congratulations and 祝贺 more when talking about the act of congratulating. Can I just check, are both of these OK, and is their any difference in the situations they would be used in？

1. 你怎么/为什么没恭喜他？

2. 你怎么/为什么没祝贺他？

Posted on: Don't Eat the Snow

The female urination device (FDU) may be the way to go. It's used by female mountaineers to ... (enough said).

There's even a wikipdia page about it including a fascinating section on how to make your own.

Good luck. :)

Posted on: Don't Eat the Snow

Cursive is the way to go.

Posted on: Of Kings, Emperors, and Presidents

Hi lujiaojie, I think Jaron is probably referring to 之类 (zhīlèi)

Posted on: A Rarely Washed Car

祝贺 can be used as a verb. 恭喜 can't.

Is this right?

Posted on: Lots of Musical Instruments

Hi alenelmore,

在中国爵士乐好像不是那么流行。除了北京、上海这样的大城市以外，找到现场爵士乐的表演真不容易。

中国最受尊崇的萨克斯风家就是 杜银鲛 (Du Yinjiao) 和 刘元 (Liu Yuan)

他们俩都是在八十年代对爵士乐产生了兴趣。那时候在国内不可能找到学爵士乐的教材。他们通过一些外国朋友的关系弄到几个美国爵士音乐家的磁带，使用这几个录音自己学的。

Forgive my bad Chinese. In English:

Although jazz music is not especially popular in China, there is a small jazz scene in a few cities. Two 'well-know' Chinese sax players are Du Yinjiao and Liu Yuan who both became interested in jazz in the 80s and are considered to be the founders of jazz in China. As China was not very open at the time, they could only get their hands on a few jazz records from the states and essentially taught themselves by listening and transcribing the music. Both still play regularly in Beijing.

Here is a recording of Du Yinjiao in concert this year if you want to hear some Chinese sax.

My dictionary gives "Big Band" as 大型爵士乐队, but in real life, I've only ever heard 大乐队. Again, not common in China but they certainly exist. The Karaoke places always have a few big band classics to choose from and I think many Chinese people familiar with the more famous Nat King Cole and Sinatra songs.

Posted on: Adjectives with 是 (shi)

what about 可 ke3; 才 cai2?

Still not listened, so hope I've not got the wrong end of the stick.

Posted on: Adjectives with 是 (shi)

not listened yet, but 十分 = 非常, maybe even a bit stronger (though a lot depends on tone of voice)

Posted on: How to Protect the Environment

Hi aofuran

"There are many air conditioners. "

I don't think you'd use the verb 是 (shì) in that sentence anyway. I'd be using the verb 有 (yǒu) - to exist。

e.g. 那里有好几个空调。nàlǐ yǒu hǎo jǐ ge kōngtiào

(There are quite a few air conditioners over there.)