Chinese words in daily life

last SG · 2011-06-17T12:31:08+00:00

Came across a few words in Chinese. How do we say the following:Blossom (like a flower)To settle down (feelings)Concrete (wall, pavement etc)Trying to be unc...

Rock^Star SG

More typical chinglish sentences:

这个 weighing machine 不准的。

那个洗衣机的 pipe 破了。

那个 frying pan 的 handle 坏了。

把那个 spatula 交给我。 (spatula is the utensil used for frying...hope you all know!!)

把面包放进去 oven.

把碟子放进去 basin.

你的冰箱有很多 magnet 啊。

Kettle 里面的水滚了。

那个 stove 上面有一个 kettle.

洗完了碗碟就把它放进 dish holder.

饭桌已经有了 table mat.

Rock^Star SG

Sorry, we encountered an error while displaying this content. If you're a user, please try again later. If you're an administrator, take a look in your Flarum log files for more information.

Rock^Star SG

Wah jia lat....trying to copy the idioms from your PDF and so much crap comes out.

BanguIzai SG

Tks :) All are correct except just want to clarify a few points:

口沫橫飛 - talk until saliva splatter everywhere = very good talker

Based on the 爱 show, I think it means talking non-stop?

夥伴 = (business) partner

This 伙伴 can simply mean partner. If you say sex partner, then it's 性伙伴 haha. Fishing buddy - 钓鱼伙伴。Business partner would be 生意伙伴。

扳倒 - win the opponent in a match

Not just in a match, I believe. It actually means to topple. For eg: 这个奸诈的人，我一定要把他扳倒。

天方夜譚 - unimaginable story

A story so fascinating that it can be discussed from day to night. For eg: 说起当时的经验，可算是天方夜谭，三天三夜都说不完啊！

破局 - uncover a plot

Actually means that the plan cannot proceed anymore. For eg: 如果申请不到准证，这份计划也就破局了。

刀光劍影 - dunno meaning at all

Did some research and it actually means to be situated in a dangerous and explosive environment, as if constantly battling with knives and swords. For eg: 在这间公司上班等于是处在一个刀光剑影的环境里，无时无刻都得提防陷阱。

That's good. I was always thinking of 口沫橫飛 in terms of lawyers and salesmen oni. For sex partner, I am more used to saying 性伴侶 instead of 性夥伴 at this point of time. For 扳倒, I always think of table-tennis match oni, coz it's always during ping-pong match I hear this phrase. And I got 天方夜譚 & 破局 terribly wrong ! ha ha ha 刀光劍影 I learn from u liao.

BanguIzai SG

Can you tell me in brief, what this ang mo wrote? lol

This book cannot be found anywhere outside liao cos it is published after WWII that time I think. So I don't haf this book on hand. I first got hold of this book from the old National Library in mid-1994 dat time. Before I read this book, my general interest was mainly in non-Chinese orthography, Central Asian and Paleosiberian culturo-history & some Indian (mainly Indo-Aryan) linguistics. So happy was I after reading this book that I borrowed the book continuously for around 9 to 11 months with intensive reading (if you remember the old library system can renew unlimited sia). After that, I borrowed the book off-and-on when I needed to reference. I think I virtually memorized the whole book that time leh (I could know whatever info I want on around any page). When the old National Library was closed for renovation for a year in 1997, I lost touch with the book for around 1 year. However when the old National Library was reopened in 1998, the book has been removed from the borrowing shelfs and transfered to the reference section on the 3rd floor. The book might be there all the way up till when the old National Library closed its doors in 2004 (I seldom go coz v mafan liao). Then when the new National Library opened its doors in 2005, I tried to search the book again and this time the book is even removed from the reference section as it is deemed to be very very precious. To read the book now, one must pay $1.55 and ask them to retrieve it from the Archives in advance (The Repository) and can only read within the library. I haven't seen the book for years already.

The book starts off by describing the history of Chinese language, and the huge chunk of the book details the reconstruction of Proto-Ancient Chinese, Ancient Chinese, Middle Chinese and Modern Chinese. It refers heavily to works by Pulleybank, Bernhard Karlgren, Li Fang Kuei on it's reconstruction. Subsequently, he gives detailed analysis on all the Southern Chinese topolects and gives a synchronical and dichronical reconstruction of all the proto-Southern Chinese topolects. A huge part at the end of the book details the comparison of words tabled in consonant classes, vowel classes, and rime classes for the purpose of reconstructing Proto-Ancient Chinese as well as for all the Southern Chinese topolects. This is the most often referred-to section by me. This book also built all the basis required for me to handle phonetics, phonology, and morphosyntax. I think this is what as much as I can remember liao.

BanguIzai SG

More typical chinglish sentences:

这个 weighing machine 不准的。

那个洗衣机的 pipe 破了。

那个 frying pan 的 handle 坏了。

把那个 spatula 交给我。 (spatula is the utensil used for frying...hope you all know!!)

把面包放进去 oven.

把碟子放进去 basin.

你的冰箱有很多 magnet 啊。

Kettle 里面的水滚了。

那个 stove 上面有一个 kettle.

洗完了碗碟就把它放进 dish holder.

饭桌已经有了 table mat.

The variation from your versions that I use most and naturally:

BanguIzai SG

Wah jia lat....trying to copy the idioms from your PDF and so much crap comes out.

Huh, then how?

Rock^Star SG

You reading that book for 9-11 months just abouts says your broad passion for languages in China. Reminds me of when I used to read the Romance of the 3 Kingdoms and many other military stories about china. It's really addictive....and the more I read, the happier I am.

Rock^Star SG

The variation from your versions that I use most and naturally:

Anyone else? Besides me and bangulzai all the time haha. Is this what you normally say in the kitchen?

Rock^Star SG

Taken from last night's 你猜：

蓄势待发

跃升为搜寻榜的第一名

蛛丝马迹

打造

凹凸有致

牵扯

哪怕

晃

关节

脑部缺氧

慵懒

飘渺

激昂

酥麻

模仿的标的

包罗万象,琳琅满目

呛到

酥脆

辣酱放一起调味

内陷饱满

打鼾

打呵欠

BanguIzai SG

Getting the book together with me for so long, is only coz the book is very thick like a pillow lah so need to take so long to thoroughly finish, understand the book, and apply it. I learning from scratch mah. I forgot to add, a huge section of Forrest's book also deals with the reconstruction of Proto-Ancient Chinese and Ancient Chinese by studying through the relationship between Ancient Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese phonology and their phonotactics, and the reconstruction of Proto-Chinese Topolects by studying through the relationship between Proto-Austroasiatic, Proto-Tai-Kradai, Proto-Austronesian and Proto-Tibeto-Burman phonology, phonotactics, morphology and syntax.

This is why the book attracted my attention, coz I am not just doing Sinology, but as well as doing Japanology, Koreanology and Vietology (the 3 main non-Proto-Sinitic Sinocentric countries). Japanology and Koreanology is intrincately tied up with Altaicology and Altaicology is what it's about Central Asian as well as Paleosiberian culturo-historical influence (my original interest), and Vietology leads to opening up of Indo-China areal studies, which branches off to Tai-Kradai studies (which ultimately linked back to Sinology), Austronesian studies (which linked back to Tai-Kradai substratum and hypothetic Japanological substratum), Austroasiatic studies (which ultimately linked back to Sinology substratum) and Tibeto-Burman studies which is intricately tied up with Indo-Aryan culturo-lingistical influence (my original interest).

Therefore, everything is interrelated to each other and there is no way for me to only know one but not the other. I am so ashamed of myself that I did not read and did not cultivated the interest to have started reading the romance of the three kingdoms even until today. Paiseh.

Rock^Star SG

The variation from your versions that I use most and naturally:

My replies in blue and bold blue.

The variation from your versions that I use most and naturally:

BanguIzai SG

Taken from last night's 你猜：

蓄势待发

跃升为搜寻榜的第一名

蛛丝马迹

打造

凹凸有致

牵扯

哪怕

晃

关节

脑部缺氧

慵懒

飘渺

激昂

酥麻

模仿的标的

包罗万象,琳琅满目

呛到

酥脆

辣酱放一起调味

内陷饱满

打鼾

打呵欠

蓄勢待發 - all geared up and prepared to start (a plan / a mission)

躍升為搜尋榜的第一名 - rise to become (搜尋榜 is wat?)'s first-in-place

蛛絲馬跡 - traces here and there

打造 - revamp (someone)

凹凸有致 - ???? - (uneven surface got style?)

牽扯 - involve unrelated topic

哪怕 - 我要干這事，哪怕衹欠東風

晃 - ????

關節 - joints

腦部缺氧 - brain deprive oxygen

慵懶 - lazing (in a positive sense), like describing cats

飄渺 - not realizable

激昂 - 激昂唱國歌

酥麻 - ????

模仿的標的 - i know 模仿, wat is 標的????

包羅萬象，琳琅滿目 - includes everything, pau-kah-liau-liau, kuah-kah-hien-hien (in hokkien)

嗆到 - choked

酥脆 - crispy

辣醬放一起調味 - mix the chilli concoctment together to taste

内陷飽滿 - full of the 料 inside (eg. pau)

打鼾 - snore

打呵欠 - yawn

BanguIzai SG

My replies in blue and bold blue.

The variation from your versions that I use most and naturally:

For Chinese versions (when not mixed with English), my usual variations from your points noted are:

Rock^Star SG

For Chinese versions (when not mixed with English), my usual variations from your points noted are:

That's the great thing about mandarin, it's so flexible. No one can really stake a claim to what's the accurate word for it. Cheers :)

BanguIzai SG

That's the great thing about mandarin, it's so flexible. No one can really stake a claim to what's the accurate word for it. Cheers :)

It's different brought up. I was just discussing with a friend at coffeeshop past midnight yesterday on differences on special vocab perculiarly down to certain families only. One example she gave me was, she got a friend, until oni when my friend pointed out to her friend that there is no such common saying such as "別裏" to refer to "別的地方" dat her friend realized that was a saying that oni existed in her family. And also in Singapore, some families mix more Hokkien substratum, some mix more Teochew substratum, some mix more Cantonese substratum into the Mandarin that they speak depending on their dialect groups, therefore the difference. Example, I oni hear my friend whose family is Cantonese use the term "犯賤" very often but not in non-Cantonese friends.

BanguIzai SG

I upload this that I think would be great for you.

See whether this old book, can help you in your studies towards your goal.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=F7D4UHS3

Rock^Star SG

躍升為搜尋榜的第一名 - rise to become (搜尋榜 is wat?)'s first-in-place

打造 - revamp (someone)

凹凸有致 - ???? - (uneven surface got style?)

哪怕 - 我要干這事，哪怕衹欠東風

晃 - ????

慵懶 - lazing (in a positive sense), like describing cats

飄渺 - not realizable

酥麻 - ????

模仿的標的 - i know 模仿, wat is 標的????

包羅萬象，琳琅滿目 - includes everything, pau-kah-liau-liau, kuah-kah-hien-hien (in hokkien)

嗆到 - choked

内陷飽滿 - full of the 料 inside (eg. pau)

Tks for the attempt as usual and I shall only mention those in blue below. The rest are deemed indisputable haha.

躍升為搜尋榜的第一名 - rise to become (搜尋榜 is wat?)'s first-in-place

搜寻榜 refers to the search engine rankings.....

打造 - revamp (someone)

I think it can also mean "to create". For eg: 打造一个新的形象 or 打造一个新的未来

凹凸有致 - ???? - (uneven surface got style?)

Referring to the stylish curves of a woman.

哪怕 - 我要干這事，哪怕衹欠東風

That's right. If there's any English word to place on it, it should be "even if".

晃 - ????

As in 晃来晃去。。。。shaking here and there.

慵懶 - lazing (in a positive sense), like describing cats

According to 我猜, it means laidback / languid. Not so much of laziness.

飄渺 - not realizable

As in hardly discernable? Eg: 他的声音很飘渺 (piao1 miao2)，几乎完全听不到。

酥麻 - ????

Numb. Actually, well just a personal opinion, many chinese words are better said or heard when they come in twos. Just using 麻 would be fine too.

模仿的標的 - i know 模仿, wat is 標的????

Haha this one I'm not sure if it's china or taiwan but 标的 means 目的。Ok, maybe not as common as what we normally use: 目标 or 目的。

包羅萬象，琳琅滿目 - includes everything, pau-kah-liau-liau, kuah-kah-hien-hien (in hokkien)

Just to add....琳琅 means glittering jewels or accessories.

嗆到 - choked

I believe it can also mean the chili or wasabi getting into one's nasal path and causing discomfort.

Rock^Star SG

Yeh that's why. No one's to say who's really wrong. I believe the Chinese everywhere accept that....because if the chinese listen to taiwanese variety shows and vice versa, they will not understand all of the lingo used.

Reminds me of how Stef Sun said "半桶水" in 我猜 show many years back and Jacky Wu was stumped. Haha.

I wouldn't use 犯贱 personally. I'd probably use 很随便，放荡 or 奔放。

BanguIzai SG

Tks for the attempt as usual and I shall only mention those in blue below. The rest are deemed indisputable haha.

躍升為搜尋榜的第一名 - rise to become (搜尋榜 is wat?)'s first-in-place

搜寻榜 refers to the search engine rankings.....

打造 - revamp (someone)

I think it can also mean "to create". For eg: 打造一个新的形象 or 打造一个新的未来

凹凸有致 - ???? - (uneven surface got style?)

Referring to the stylish curves of a woman.

哪怕 - 我要干這事，哪怕衹欠東風

That's right. If there's any English word to place on it, it should be "even if".

晃 - ????

As in 晃来晃去。。。。shaking here and there.

慵懶 - lazing (in a positive sense), like describing cats

According to 我猜, it means laidback / languid. Not so much of laziness.

飄渺 - not realizable

As in hardly discernable? Eg: 他的声音很飘渺 (piao1 miao2)，几乎完全听不到。

酥麻 - ????

Numb. Actually, well just a personal opinion, many chinese words are better said or heard when they come in twos. Just using 麻 would be fine too.

模仿的標的 - i know 模仿, wat is 標的????

Haha this one I'm not sure if it's china or taiwan but 标的 means 目的。Ok, maybe not as common as what we normally use: 目标 or 目的。

包羅萬象，琳琅滿目 - includes everything, pau-kah-liau-liau, kuah-kah-hien-hien (in hokkien)

Just to add....琳琅 means glittering jewels or accessories.

嗆到 - choked

I believe it can also mean the chili or wasabi getting into one's nasal path and causing discomfort.

« Previous Page Next Page »