User Comments - zaphekiah
zaphekiah
Posted on: 失言风波
April 12, 2015 at 12:26 PMBTW in the PDF 弱势 is translated as "venerable" instead of "vulnerable".
Posted on: 失言风波
April 12, 2015 at 12:19 PMHey Mark, I have exactly the same trouble with news reports. There is something about the different register, whether it is the vocabulary or the style of delivery, which really leaves me in a state of incomprehension. I know it is Chinese but at the first hearing I really struggle to make out anything, I almost feel like I have accidentally wandered into the wrong classroom. I am sure it is because nearly all my Chinese has been picked up from these podcasts and 90% of them are in a normal day-to-day register, as of course they should be. Even after reading the transcript I have to listen to the audio again and again to be able to be able to hear it in a natural way. For me this was definitely one of the most challenging lessons yet.
Posted on: 失言风波
April 12, 2015 at 12:03 PM纸牌 zhǐ pái = playing card
语体 yǔ tǐ = style of speech or writing; register
实地 shí dì = on-site
破浪 pò làng = to set sail; to brave the waves
回应 huí yìng = to respond, response
名望 míng wàng = renown; prestige
救灾 jiù zāi = to relieve disaster; to help disaster victims
加强 jiā qiáng = to intensify; to reinforce; to strengthen; to increase
联结 lián jié = to bind; to tie; to link
存亡 cún wáng = to live or die; to exist or perish
替换 tì huàn = to exchange; to replace; to substitute for; to switch
脱离话题 tuō lí huà tǐ = to change the subject
回馈 huí kuì = to give back; feedback
也不例外 yě bù lì wài = is no exception
考量 kǎo liáng = to consider; to give serious consideration to sth
忍不住 rěn bu zhù = cannot help; unable to bear
语病 yǔ bìng = faulty wording; mispronunciation due to a speech defect
路线 lù xiàn = itinerary; route; political line (亲民路线 - populist line)
做作 zuò zuo = affected; artificial; pretentious sounding
推崇 tuī chóng = to esteem; to think highly of; to accord importance to; to revere
Posted on: Sweet Burden
April 5, 2015 at 11:38 AM折磨 zhé mó = to persecute; to torture; to torment
保养品 bǎo yǎng pǐn = skin care product; beauty care
Posted on: That's Not Literature!
April 5, 2015 at 10:53 AMHa ha, a comic book version sounds great! Actually I did a bit more poking around and I found this comment on some website:
There are two major English translations, the Brewitt-Taylor and the newer Moss Roberts versions. Both make for a wonderful read. For the most part the Moss Roberts translation seems to flow better, has fewer errors, and contains wonderful footnotes and appendixes (more content in more expensive versions, naturally). On the other hand, some people consider the Brewitt-Taylor version to be more interesting in regards to major events; they say it paints a better picture... Nearly all Brewitt-Taylor translations are presented in Wade Gilles and the Moss Roberts translations are presented in Hanyu Pinyin.
It was that last point that decided me, I have ordered myself a Moss Roberts translation.
Posted on: 人间蒸发
April 5, 2015 at 10:43 AM幼稚 yòu zhì = young; childish; naive
绰号 chuò hào = nickname
服饰 fú shì = apparel; clothing and personal adornment
郊外旅行 jiāo wài lǚ xíng = daytrip, picnic
软体 ruǎn tǐ = software
批文 pī wén = (of documents) offical approval
大臣 dà chén = chancellor (of a monarchy); cabinet minister
便捷 biàn jié = convenient and time saving
代名词 dài míng cí = pronoun; synonym; byword
笼统 lǒng tǒng = general; broad; in general terms; broadly speaking
外号 wài hào = nickname
以免 yǐ miǎn = in order to avoid; so as not to
得罪 dé zuì = to offend someone; to commit an offense; excuse me! (formal)
餐桌 cān zhuō = dining table; dinner table
步调 bù diào = gait; marching order; step; pace
Posted on: That's Not Literature!
March 29, 2015 at 11:47 AMI Googled chengyu's in Romance of the Three Kingdoms and found a link to this edition of Beijing Standard Time: https://chinesepod.com/lessons/sayings-from-the-three-kingdoms, I really feel I must get my hands on this book. Does anyone have any strong recommendations about what is the best English language version to read?
Posted on: That's Not Literature!
March 29, 2015 at 11:43 AM资深 zī shēn = senior (in terms of depth of accumulated experience); deeply qualified
比不上 bǐ bù shàng = can't compare with
奖学金 jiǎng xué jīn = academic scholarship, award
文青 wén qīng = hipster (short for 文艺青年 wén yì qīng nián)
深度 shēn dù = depth; (of a speech etc) profundity; advanced stage of development
入迷 rù mí = to be fascinated; to be enchanted
白话文 bái huà wén = writings in everyday language
Posted on: 平行宇宙
March 21, 2015 at 4:17 PMI am definitely more with B on this one. The only reason I buy a lottery ticket each week is to reassure myself that in some parallel world there is a version of me that hit the jackpot (along with all the ones that got squashed by elephants falling off bridges but I try not to think about that).
Posted on: Chasing Stars
April 19, 2015 at 12:15 PM缩短 suō duǎn = to shorten
同乐 tóng lè = to join in the fun
被偷走 bèi tōu zǒu = stolen
啦啦队 lā lā duì = cheerleader squad
道具 dào jù = stage props
海报 hǎi bào = poster; playbill; notice; banner; propaganda poster
花俏 huā qiào = fancy; gaudy
形成 xíng chéng = to take shape or form