User Comments - zhenlijiang
zhenlijiang
Posted on: Flu Vaccination
January 14, 2011 at 7:01 AMBaba I haven't listened to the lesson so don't know what context this is in or who gave that explanation, Dilu or John, but I'm surprised, to hear you say you know you'll be shot down and told you're outright wrong. For what it's worth I think I see 小朋友 like you do. The word "friend" has a wide range of uses also.
I'd like to see how the teachers follow up on this comment.
Posted on: Buying a Bouquet of Flowers
January 14, 2011 at 3:41 AMCopy-pasting from Jiaojie's replies in that discussion:
一枝 (zhī) and 一朵 (duǒ) (one stem)
一朵 (duǒ) indicates a single flower, it can be just the flower (without the stem)
一束 (shù) and 一把 (bǎ) (one bunch) - The former is more formal.
Sorry, don't know if my impression of the 束-把 bouquet-bunch (handful) distinction holds true. No one answered to say I was off, but no one confirmed I was right either. I may be mistaken.
Posted on: Subway Announcements
January 13, 2011 at 3:16 PMOK no one else has come to set me straight, but here I am again.
本 isn't limited to reference to "self" as I would have had you believe. 本年 This Year, 本月 This Month, 本周 This Week can be seen on the tabs within "Rankings", when you opt to see the site in Chinese (new feature).
Posted on: Buying a Bouquet of Flowers
January 13, 2011 at 12:18 PMHi, I have no idea about any systematic way to learning MWs.
This one isn't really confusing though. A teacher may be better able to explain this using the correct terminology, but among what we call Measure Words some indicate unit of measurement, many do not. Just as in English we have those different words that get applied to "flower"--a bunch (bouquet), a handful, a vase, a pot--of, there are such words in Chinese, in addition to the basic MW if you will, for a single, individual flower. That is what 朵 is.
You might find this discussion helpful:
http://chinesepod.com/lessons/the-pen-and-paper-mystery#comment-173412
Posted on: This Needs to be Dry Cleaned
January 12, 2011 at 6:47 AMMy guess, close to yours--"The dry cleaner's around the corner from me is run by Koreans".
Posted on: Subway Announcements
January 11, 2011 at 10:08 AMRight. not only is 这条线 OK, it wouldn't work for you to refer to the line as 本线--unless maybe you're the proud guy who owns the subway system or is in charge of PR for it, or actually I suppose just any employee of the transit company (externally).
I was saying the 本 - 这 distinction is more than just a matter of formality or oldness. 本 is only used to refer to self. So even if you're speaking in a formal setting you wouldn't use 本 everywhere in place of 这. You use it when referring to things like "(our) company" 本公司, "(our) school", "(our) line", etc. Hope that's helped not confused!
Posted on: Subway Announcements
January 11, 2011 at 9:22 AMRight, I meant is only used in relation to the comparison we're discussing here, 本 - 这. As in, you can't apply 本 to all "this ~" situations you would the 这. Sorry if that wasn't clear.
The use you bring up is another meaning of 本, "original", as you said.
Posted on: Subway Announcements
January 11, 2011 at 9:05 AMI would add to that--trusting I'll be set right if I'm off here--my understanding that 本 is only used to talk about "this ~ of ours". For example 本校 "our school", in a speech, or formal address, a written public announcement etc. Also 本厂 "our factory" (showing a prospective business partner or such guest around the site), 本刊记者 a staff writer (= one of ours, by a publication). 本人 is among the many ways to refer to oneself in Chinese.
Whereas 这 "this" is what's apparently called a demonstrative determiner. You're talking about something that's right there before you, or was mentioned just now, often not yours (but also can be something you own or have on your person) and saying to someone--"this ~". So it would be strange if the subway announcement said 这条线, not only because of formality issues. That would sound like they were some third party, unconcerned, with "this line".
They both translate in this context as "this", but actually I think this is kind of an important difference in the meanings of 本 and 这 that should be clarified.
Posted on: National Day Holiday
January 9, 2011 at 5:41 PMI think it's by Connie. From her experience!
Posted on: So (adjective) that...
January 16, 2011 at 4:27 AMSighted in this recent post by modernnomad!