How can I skip characters I can't read when reading aloud?

Question

As an example, I was at the cinema and I wanted to buy tickets for a film named

北京遇上西雅图

However, I can't read all of the characters.

In English I'd say;

Can I get a ticket for that film "北京*something*上西*something**something*", please?

Is there an equivalent way to do this in Chinese?

obviously this doesn't happen in the same way in English, but if a name is very long, it's not uncommon to forget some of it "lemony snickets: a series of something something" — Matthew Rudy 马泰, Mar 25 '13 at 16:59

孤影萍踪 · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-25T19:13:48.163

14

I would use 什么, or 什么什么 as the placeholder for the characters I can't read.

In your exmaple, I would say: 北京什么西什么, or 北京 什么什么 西 什么什么, or 北京什么西 什么什么, or 北京 什么什么 西什么.

什么 or 什么什么 can substitute any numbers of characters.

I am from Northern China, and I am not sure what words people in other regions in China would use for this purpose.

edited Mar 25 '13 at 19:13

answered Mar 25 '13 at 17:02

孤影萍踪

if there were two characters, would you repeat the "什么"? – Matthew Rudy 马泰 Mar 25 '13 at 17:03
@MatthewRudy马泰 As he says, "什么 or 什么什么 can substitute any numbers of characters". – Stumpy Joe Pete Mar 25 '13 at 18:40
@MatthewRudy马泰: I revised my answer after seeing your comment. – 孤影萍踪 Mar 25 '13 at 19:15
@孤影萍踪 yeah. I wrote my comment, then saw your update. Thanks. – Matthew Rudy 马泰 Mar 26 '13 at 05:43

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 26 '13 at 06:17

2

many people read:北京X（音：叉cha）上西XX

answered Mar 26 '13 at 06:17

user2642

that's an interesting suggestion, thanks. – Matthew Rudy 马泰 Mar 26 '13 at 07:44
I don't get it... :P – Alenanno Mar 26 '13 at 16:19
2

Probably more appropriate in writing. In speech, chā has other... more sexual connotations and should be discouraged in this context. – deutschZuid Mar 27 '13 at 04:48

2 Answers2