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1500 questions
10
votes
5 answers
Which IMEs (input method editors) are actually most used in each of PRC, ROC, and Hong Kong?
Because there are many kinds of input method and many implementations of each kind of input method, it's not really practical to learn many.
PRC, mainland China uses simplified Chinese characters, as does Singapore. I assume most people in these…
hippietrail
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10
votes
6 answers
How to say "hope you'll have a great day"?
I was writing a card to a friend and wanted to finish with "Hope you'll have a great day" but realised what I could think of wasn't quite the same meaning, or just sounded odd/weird.
What I wrote in the end was:
希望你今天會很快樂
which, if I'm not…
pyko
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10
votes
4 answers
Which expressions should I choose to say “thanks for your help”?
If I want to say "Thanks for your help", which sentence is correct and which one is more commonly used?
谢谢你的帮忙
谢谢你的帮助
It seems that the first one is more uncommon but I'm not really sure.
dusan
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10
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4 answers
Is “文化” borrowed from Japanese?
Perusing the Wiktionary entry for 文化, I was not surprised to find the same character pair means “culture” in Japanese too. What did surprise me is that the entry for the Japanese word has this as its “Descendents” section:
→ Chinese: 文化…
Paul Tanenbaum
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2 answers
Questions on "的话"
What is the etymology behind "的话" in the common construct 如果...的话 or 要是...的话?
In addition to wondering about it's meaning, what exactly is the 的 doing? Is it modifying the 如果? Is it modifying the phrase in between? Or is it somehow a possessive…
musicnothing
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10
votes
3 answers
For video games terminology, what is the proper translation for "range"
I'm playing around with my mother tongue so I tried to translate sentences that I might write into Chinese. One of them was this sentence, in English.
"The great strength of Annie comes from the long range of her fire ball."
I put…
user2791656
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10
votes
7 answers
How can I translate 不客气 here?
I'm doing some translations of New Practical Chinese Reader 2. In lesson 17, there's a dialog between two people, and 不客气 appears as a reply to compliments rather than someone saying 谢谢。Is it supposed to be some kind of joke? I have left it as…
pg-robban
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10
votes
3 answers
What's the origin of 外子?
When I was young, I read Traditional Chinese Reader's Digest. I noticed that the translation of husband is 外子. That's the first time I noticed this usage.
Anyone has any clue about why this is being used? Could it have come from another language?…
james sa
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10
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2 answers
How to properly use 掉？
I am referring to the usage as defined on zdic.net
用在动词后表示动作完成：改～。戒～
Does 掉 often have the connotation of falling or missing？
What is the difference between (verb)掉 and （verb)了 and（verb）掉了？
I've heard this in the negative （擦不掉）。 How does that…
tao
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3 answers
我一字一字地学习汉语 OR 我一个字一个字地学习汉语
Which is the correct use of this grammar pattern?
我一字一字地学习汉语。
我一个字一个字地学习汉语。
The first one feels correct to me. The pattern is:
一{MW,N}一{MW,N} + 地 + V
JamesD
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10
votes
2 answers
漏拆 - Meaning & usage?
I tried several sources & can't find a translation that seems correct.
An example sentence & my attempt at translation:
嘴里漏拆了一根线怎么办？
mouth inside left behind remove a strip of thread what to do?
"There's a thread (of stitches?) left behind (not…
user3535
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10
votes
2 answers
Does a dictionary exist that goes from full word -> abbreviation? Many only offer abbreviation -> full word
My question is about 简称 ("abbreviations"). The question is simple: where can I find a dictionary that includes abbreviations in its definitions?
For example, the NDRC here in Beijing is technically 国家发展和改革委员会, but everyone here calls it 发改委. A…
EmceeinPRC
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votes
3 answers
What's the difference between "大衣" (dàyī), "外套" (wàitào), and "外衣" (wàiyī) - which can all be translated to "coat"?
As I need to buy some cold weather clothes now that I'm heading further north than Xi'an I tried to look up the word for "coat".
I found there are at least these three terms:
大衣 (dàyī)
外套 (wàitào)
外衣 (wàiyī)
What's the differences between them?…
hippietrail
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10
votes
8 answers
Can 您 to be used in plural form?
Can 您 be used as a plural form? For example, if a child tries to address to both parents at the same time: 请您放心.
EmilyJ
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5 answers
Why is 喂 used over 你好 when answering the phone?
The use of 拜拜 over 再见 at the end of a phone conversation is obvious as you haven't seen them so how could you see them again but I don't understand why 喂 is used as a greeting when answering the phone.
It also seems the other dialect in Chinese use…
50-3
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