Chinese Language Stack Exchange
Chinese Language Stack Exchange

Most Popular

more tags
1500 questions
6
votes
6 answers

Writing "Please Recycle" in Mandarin

How can one write "Please Recycle" in the context of an office paper room? I have tried: 请回收利用 but my friend says this is only for recycling batteries.
Gabriel Fair
  • 533
  • 1
  • 4
  • 10
6
votes
2 answers

What's the most accurate translation for "copping a feel"?

Absolutely the best first question I've ever asked on any site, ever. I've considered: 吃豆腐 (but I don't think this is limited to physical actions) 偷偷亂摸 猴子偷桃 (but I think this is too specific?) Is there a colloquial phrase or saying that approaches…
Blakomen
  • 183
  • 5
6
votes
1 answer

is 趁早 the same as saying as soon as possible? Can I use it by itself?

is 趁早 the same as saying as soon as possible in English? The dictionary defines 趁早 as "as soon as possible", but can I use it by itself in a sentence? For example , if someone asks me "你什么时候想去吃饭?" Can I just respond by saying "趁早". Or do I have to…
Baron Jon
  • 185
  • 1
  • 4
6
votes
4 answers

Are individual white hairs 髮 or 毛？

I wanted to talk about individual white hairs in a beard. I was taught that individual hairs where always 毛。So I said: 一些白毛已经出现了 This was immediately corrected to: 一些白发已经出现了 Shall I discard the rule that I learned from my professor? Is there a…
Ludi
  • 2,816
  • 1
  • 14
  • 31
6
votes
6 answers

What does "来" mean in "如果你不按照安全手续来的话，你可能会受伤的。"?

What does "来" mean in "如果你不按照安全手续来的话，你可能会受伤的. I usually have some sort of idea with these things, even when I'm wrong. But with this, I have no clue at all. Thanks so much!!! This is a great resource!!!
Joseph King
  • 271
  • 1
  • 7
6
votes
4 answers

How to indicate plurality/singularity

I'm aware that basic Chinese grammar tends to lack distinction between the plural and singular forms of many nouns. For example, 我的朋友是中国人 could either mean "my friend is Chinese" (singular) or "my friends are Chinese" (plural). While there could…
Tim Parenti
  • 167
  • 8
6
votes
1 answer

Strange pronunciation of 非常

I listen to podcasts from Taiwan for listening practice and I think I hear the word 非常 [fēichánɡ] often pronounced like 飛揚 [fēiyánɡ] in them. Am I hearing it right or am I confusing it with some other word? If the word is indeed pronounced that way…
aguijonazo
  • 438
  • 2
  • 13
6
votes
3 answers

Using this Cantonese particle to indicate past tense

I ran across this 'conversation piece' in a Cantonese study material. 填好地址未？ 填好晒。 郵票貼好未？ 貼好咗啦。 I found the usage of 晒 strange, because 填好 already indicated the action is done. The same is true with 貼好咗啦. 貼好 already indicates the action has been…
cgo
  • 1,052
  • 6
  • 9
6
votes
2 answers

Is there a reason why 午 and 年 look so similar?

These words don't have meanings that are similar, but why do they look nearly identical? Is it just a coincidence?
Redwood
  • 359
  • 1
  • 11
6
votes
1 answer

Is there any sun 日 in 昌?

I've been seeing conflicting explanations for this character 昌. Some sources say it comprised of two suns 日, some sources say it comprises of sun and speak 日 meaning flourish, though I don't really see what connection it has to the sun. And then…
Fishuman
  • 972
  • 4
  • 13
6
votes
2 answers

How did 漢 come to represent the Han people and civilization?

It appears that this character consists of a meaning part and a sound part: a water radical (i.e. section header for water in Kangxi dictionary) for meaning, and the character for sound. Radical - Meaning Element If the original "meaning" part of…
MikeLangStudent
  • 95
  • 3
6
votes
5 answers

What's the logic behind the word 从事?

Usually Chinese words are not made up of random characters, but instead have some kind of underlying logic. Moreover, understanding this logic makes it easier to remember and use the word. However, one common-ish (HSK5-level) word causes me…
Becky 李蓓
  • 16,291
  • 9
  • 49
  • 165
6
votes
2 answers

Would an ancient chinese be able to understand today's language?

In the movie "The Mummy: Tomb of the dragon emperor", an ancient chinese emperor is resurrected in 1946, and he wants to take over the world. The emperor in the film is the Dragon Emperor, or Qin Shi Huang, who lived 259 to 210 BC and founded the…
d4zed
  • 163
  • 7
6
votes
5 answers

Can someone logically explain why 在坐 is wrong and 坐着 is fine?

This question keeps me awake at nights. Please, don't suggest that I've made a mistake and mistook 在坐 for 在座. I know what 在座 is. I dont' care about it. I need to know a logical reason why 在坐 is never used in chinese. If it were used, I would have…
coobit
  • 2,073
  • 10
  • 18
6
votes
4 answers

Using 有 vs 是 to describe an object

I created a sentence earlier today stating "他是一点儿严厉," but I was told that it was better if I say "他有一点儿严厉”。They didn't really know why, but just that it made more sense - could someone elaborate when to use 有 vs 是 in the sense of describing objects…
starship006
  • 63
  • 4
1 2 3
…
99 100