Chinese Language Stack Exchange
Chinese Language Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [phrase]

A phrase is a group of words that form a single unit in the syntax of a sentence.

Phrases in Chinese language oftentimes are idiomatic by nature.

In linguistics, idiomaticity is defined as the following:

Use of segmentally complex expressions whose semantic structure is not deducible jointly from their syntactic structure and the semantic structure of their components. -- Weinreich (1972:89)

See also:

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Regional variations of "柴米油盐酱醋茶"

When I was very small, my grandparents mentioned there are regional variations of the phrase 柴米油盐酱醋茶 which is widely known to the local population (instead of made up by nobody and only used by a small circle). The first 4 things are still 柴米油盐…
NS.X.
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The question is about 问讯

(I am learning Buddhism/dharma in Chinese.) 为什么合掌鞠躬叫"问讯"？ 或是说： 为什么现在的"问讯"不是用讲的？ "问"和"讯"都是动词吗？还是动词+名词？
Farnz Seager
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In this sentence "请问，哪里可以买到票？" is the character 到 necessary?

And can I just say: "哪里买票？"? This is what I used when I was in China and everyone seemed to easily understand. Is this shorter sentence incorrect or non-native sounding? How do native speakers ask this kind of question?
Angus Macrae
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Can I use 我的上一辈子 when talking about an earlier part of my life which I almost don't recognize as mine anymore?

Context: I posted a photo on WeChat of an event that happened a long long time ago to me. I was living a completely different life back then. Different country, job, I was much younger etc. It's surreal looking at the photo as it's just hard to…
Kantura
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荷兰猪、天竺鼠、豚鼠 ——What's the deal?

So these terms for Guinea Pig all seem to be fairly common and in use, at least as far as I know, but the question(s) are: where do the different terms come from? is there any actual difference between the terms? are the terms regional or not?!
Mou某
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What is the meaning of [你说什么是什么]?

A Chinese friend sent me this sentence with a smiley emoji. I feel like it means ''Whatever you say.'' or ''Sure'', sort of agreeing with someone in jest. But I could be completely wrong. What does it actually mean?
Kantura
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Correct/natural way to say "在我的咖啡可以加糖吗？"

I'm wodering about the correct, or natural, way to say "could you please add some sugar to my coffee?" My unnatural-sounding way would be 在我的咖啡可以加糖吗, but I feel like a Chinese speaker is unlikely to use 可以 in that direct of a way, and it seems like…
user11315
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Origin: of the phrase 不让[能]踩门槛

Looking for something authoritative. What is the origin of the 不让[能]踩门槛 phrase? Earliest usage?
Mou某
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"振聾發聵" in English?

This question is about possible translations of "振聾發聵" in English. Figuratively, this phrase is used to describe someone's article is penetrating and insightful. I know this. Nevertheless, I am seeking after a more succinct, pithy word in English to…
Yes
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Is "可以来 (ke3 yi3 lai2) ..." an idomatic way to say "please bring me ..."?

The vocabulary flashcard website "Memrise" has in one of its Chinese menu learning modules as entry: Word: 可以来... Definition: please bring... (food or dish) But one of the comments says: I thought this might mean something like "bring me a…
hippietrail
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What does 敢于亮剑 mean?

I read this in a notice put on a wall that calls on all Party members in the neighborhood to 监督表率敢于亮剑 in the endeavor to make the city cleaner and tidier (looks like an inspection team from the higher authority is coming). 敢于means "dare to do", but…
NanningYouth
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What does 汉学家 really mean?

According to its face value, 汉学家 should mean someone who has made great accomplishments in the research of subjects in relation to the Han people, like John King Fairbank （费正清）or even the former US Secretary of State Dr. Kissinger, who have made…
NanningYouth
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“管你是[surname] + [name]还是[same surname] + [different name]”

There's a set phrase that goes something like: (我)管你张三还是李四 I've seen variations on it like: 我管你张静还是李静呢 I'm trying to remember one where the surname stays the same though, something like: 管你是张飞还是张家辉 What common variants on this phrase exist…
Mou某
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"做學問" in English?

This question is about the translation of "做學問" in English. If I am asked to translate "做學問", then I would say "doing research". But somehow I feel that such translation of mine is insufficient to characterize the spirit of "做學問". Therefore, I have…
Yes
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Chinese: Old Wives Tales

A long time ago I heard someone say: "玩火会尿床" Which I instantly recognized is very similar to some 'old wives tales' in English. In English there are things like: from Wikipedia: Cracking knuckles gives arthritis. Don't go outside with wet hair or…
Mou某
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