User Comments - toianw

Posted on: What does she look like?

Not 4th tone?

Posted on: Second-hand Bicycle

Hi bodawei,

I was also interested in where this phrase came from, and did a bit of digging around online. It seems to be attributed to a 相声 sketch by a guy called 侯宝林 which was performed on the CCTV Spring Festival gala in 1956. The sketch is called 夜行记 and I think the actual line was,

"反正除了铃儿不响，剩下哪儿都响".

Posted on: A Short Haircut

Perhaps not, but at least we agree.

Posted on: A Short Haircut

Thanks for that, Zhenlijiang. "If you don't get here soon, I'm going to leave" was the first meaning that popped into my head when I heard that sentence so good to get it confirmed.

Posted on: What does she look like?

If anyone fancies some reading practice, here's a nice 'intermediate' level Chinese version of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" (金发姑娘和三只熊). Interestingly, nearly all the online Chinese versions of this story have several differences to the standard English version.

http://www.tom61.com/ertongwenxue/shuiqiangushi/2007-05-14/529.html

(Sorry, don't know how to make a proper link)

Posted on: What does she look like?

Hi xiao_liang,

Just think of 男的 as another word for man (or male). It's a very common way to say man in spoken language. Likewise, you can use 女的 for woman. The "another" is implied here (for obvious reasons).

Posted on: Transportation Card

Hi dimabear,

The 押金 is a deposit. You just need to pay this once when you first get the card. If you no longer need to use the card you can (in theory) return it and get the deposit back.

充值 here means to top-up (add balance).In the dialogue, the guy adds 80 to the balance so will now have 80 RMB available to spend on transport. When that runs out he will need to 充值 again.

Posted on: 飞机怎么了？

Jeepers! - 1970! Chanye's been around a lot longer than I thought!

Posted on: Trick or Treat!

So in Australia lollies don't necessarily have stick? Is that right or have I picked up the wrong end of the stick (so to speak).

Posted on: Trick or Treat!

Hi byronmeinerth, I believe Chinese churches usually refer to All Saints' day as 诸圣日 (zhū shèng rì)