tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674533288609171573.post7457391121303618372..comments2023-08-25T22:42:44.422+08:00Comments on Mandarin Segments: Neither Coke nor WaterGreghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11197148648944758867noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674533288609171573.post-44598045526804134522011-02-13T21:09:51.211+08:002011-02-13T21:09:51.211+08:00James, I'm loving HK (although spending a fair...James, I'm loving HK (although spending a fair amount of time elsewhere in Asia on business). <br /><br />In terms of Heisig 2, I'm in a quandry. Because I'm in HK, I should be leading the traditional character set, although I learned simplified. I could either just get Simplified 2, and continue to 'integrate' traditional into my knowledge experientially only. Or I could buy Traditional 1 first, because I'll need to build up new stories right from the beginning.<br /><br />Decisions decisions ...Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11197148648944758867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674533288609171573.post-26185268385483365632010-12-30T08:46:56.995+08:002010-12-30T08:46:56.995+08:00Hi Greg,
How are things in HK? I'm going on t...Hi Greg,<br />How are things in HK? I'm going on through Heisig. Any word on when Book 2 will be ready?<br /><br />JamesCatvillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07747228925314254457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674533288609171573.post-35082200059080973032010-11-16T15:29:25.517+08:002010-11-16T15:29:25.517+08:00If you're in China and you don't want bott...If you're in China and you don't want bottled water you'll want to order 白开(水) baikai shui, plain boiled water. Some people call it liang baikai, if they want it cold, because some Chinese people like their water really hot (then you know it's been boiled and won't give you 'stomach flu').Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01834215388201281542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674533288609171573.post-21348024932796557052010-11-03T00:18:48.677+08:002010-11-03T00:18:48.677+08:00Don't feel so bad, Andy, I've seen the opp...Don't feel so bad, Andy, I've seen the opposite happen with Chinese friends of mine, at least a couple of times. They will be asking the waiter for 'spirits', and he (just like me) is thinking of whiskey or vodka, but what they're *actually* asking for is "Sprite".Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11197148648944758867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674533288609171573.post-75094066880994218852010-11-02T06:50:41.875+08:002010-11-02T06:50:41.875+08:00once I ordered 百事可乐 (Pepsi) at a chinese restauran...once I ordered 百事可乐 (Pepsi) at a chinese restaurant but the waitress thought I said 白色可乐 (white soda) so she brought me Sprite. lolAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08513133208266488723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674533288609171573.post-53707266671996490222010-10-31T19:31:45.791+08:002010-10-31T19:31:45.791+08:00Hey BtM, sadly drinking tea is an art around here,...Hey <b>BtM</b>, sadly drinking tea is an art around here, especially if you're talking milk tea. You gotta decide whether to have it hot or cold, if it's cold there is the decision how much ice to get, and you also decide about the sugar content (at the ordering stage). Sigh. So I'm crossing the tea's. (Oh no, that's a terrible joke, sorry!)<br /><br />Thanks <b>kungfudonut</b><br /><br />Ah <b>jp</b>, but since you moved back to the US, have people been able to understand your English??Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11197148648944758867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674533288609171573.post-5635886371145250562010-10-31T14:18:46.355+08:002010-10-31T14:18:46.355+08:00yah, i feel like this happened to me every day in ...yah, i feel like this happened to me every day in Shanghai as well. i'm still a little angry about it, haha.jp 吉平https://www.blogger.com/profile/15198270192000552582noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674533288609171573.post-12639807596256126182010-10-29T11:22:10.283+08:002010-10-29T11:22:10.283+08:00interesting bloginteresting blogwasabitoothpastehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12441425179083166810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674533288609171573.post-60210141817861383302010-10-29T05:12:50.529+08:002010-10-29T05:12:50.529+08:00yikes. maybe it's time to drink tea always ?yikes. maybe it's time to drink tea always ?Being the Mumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00448652828221949006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674533288609171573.post-22803204062555151872010-10-28T22:09:01.597+08:002010-10-28T22:09:01.597+08:00Cesar, actually tipping is an interesting differen...<b>Cesar,</b> actually tipping is an interesting difference - not expected in China, yet demanded in the US!<br /><br /><b>mouseneb,</b> I think I'd also forget "kuàngquánshuǐ", so I'll just stick with "bīng shuǐ". Which reminds me to mention that (and this is my experience only) it depends where in China you are. In some places it seems that "bīng shuǐ" just means cold water, and in others it literally means water with ice. If you're just looking for cold, then the latter places seem to expect you to say "lěng shuǐ". <br /><br /><b>Kara,</b> hello again. Yeah, it is a bit "duh" isn't it? Fluent? I don't remember claiming that! Even "almost fluent" makes me snicker to myself too. Good luck on the bible - rather a brave venture - you're certainly going to get challenged every step of the way. I don't doubt you can do it though. Bit by bit I'm settling in here, so I should be blogging more regularly again from now-ish!Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11197148648944758867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674533288609171573.post-49034763814180970942010-10-28T20:37:27.813+08:002010-10-28T20:37:27.813+08:00OMG GREEEG. This has happened to me SOOOOOOOOOO mu...OMG GREEEG. This has happened to me SOOOOOOOOOO much.<br /><br />I remember one time like three years ago I went to a Chinese store, and my mom knew the owner and TOLD me that she speaks Mandarin, so I picked up a pair of shoes that did not have a tag on it and was like:<br /><br />me: 多少钱? <br />her: UH?!<br />me: How much is it? <br />her: it's seven dollars.<br /><br />Um . . . duh. Really? I completely know how you feel. D:<br /><br />I think it just depends on who you're talking to, because my Chinese teacher from 12th grade didn't understand when I would stumble on a word, but my CHEMISTRY teacher did (and she speaks Mandarin, Canto, and English). What are the odds?<br /><br />Anyway, glad to hear that you're almost fluent. I swear, you're probably better than me now :)<br /><br />My university doesn't provide Chinese so I've been trying to find a good drama, but I'm not a TV person so I've seriously realized how picky I am when I come to that kind of thing. I keep telling myself I'm going to go back to LiveMocha but I never do it. :) One of my latest goals is to read the Bible in Chinese! (ironically, I'm an agnostic, but I figured, that is some feat!) so lolz. Here I am. I might do study abroad in China over the next few years though . . . Hopefully :)<br /><br />You have no idea how much I miss being in school with Chinese people. It's so weird!<br /><br />How are you Greg? It's been awhile. You need to post blogs more often. Clearly you can tell that you have some really loyal followers. Please keep it up! We love to hear from you! :)Karahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10960057016011606588noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674533288609171573.post-9644917736787192362010-10-28T12:49:31.557+08:002010-10-28T12:49:31.557+08:00Might work better if tipping was a concept the wai...Might work better if tipping was a concept the waitstaff were familiar with here in China :)<br /><br />I've had the ordering shuǐ, 水 problem at xiaomaibu, they responded with "what kind of shuǐ? And pointed to a Coke, a Fanta, a sports drink...<br /><br />I was so confused, didn't I say WATER? But apparently all those drinks are kinds of shuǐ (liquid really) in Chinese. <br /><br />I've found saying 矿泉水 kuàngquánshuǐ helps a lot. When I can remember how to say it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674533288609171573.post-58850354186047527382010-10-28T11:47:04.811+08:002010-10-28T11:47:04.811+08:00How do you say "No tip for you, you misunders...How do you say "No tip for you, you misunderstanding servant" in Chinese and Bostonian?imcesarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17422721168909161986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674533288609171573.post-80823195693974003632010-10-28T09:00:33.406+08:002010-10-28T09:00:33.406+08:00Hey Sara. Good observation - that happened in Shen...Hey Sara. Good observation - that happened in Shenzhen too. <br /><br />Surreal actually, because my colleagues was ordering water (shuǐ, 水) and the waitress didn't get it. (To be fair, he's new to Chinese, and his tones were wrong - but we're ordering drinks, can't be too bad, right?) Anyway, I interrupted by saying "bīng shuǐ" (冰水, ice-water), and she got it.<br /><br />Let me know how that works for you.Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11197148648944758867noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4674533288609171573.post-16922120257044364522010-10-28T08:29:33.325+08:002010-10-28T08:29:33.325+08:00My problem is that if I want water in China, I'...My problem is that if I want water in China, I'm not sure which word to use. When I say 水 shui, they say "Is coke okey?" Now I looked the dictionary and found 清水 qingshui, maybe I should try that next time.Sarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16856691519582315743noreply@blogger.com