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Are authors of Chinese fantasy novels able to create names for fictional creatures/races?

Like Dr. Seuss' Wickershams and Wockets; Final Fantasy's Bandersnatches and Moogles; or Dr. Who's Daleks and Chronovores, English works of fiction (most commonly fantasy) often contain fictitious creatures and races with creative names that aren't…
Question Marks
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What is the difference between 参加 and 参与？

I have been using these interchangeably, until today I was corrected, being told that one "参加活动”， not "参与活动“. I then looked up the definition, but it wasn't too helpful. How do I know when to use which?
TheRealFakeNews
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What is the role of 在 in 您要在关闭文件前保存吗？

I was using a text editor in Chinese, when I tried to exit without saving the currently opened file it showed me this sentence: 您要在关闭文件前保存吗？ What is the role of 在 here? Is it related to the usage of (some event)前? Or can be omitted without…
dusan
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Resources: Modern Chinese -> Classical Chinese (Dictionary/References/etc.)

There's a similar question here: what are some dictionaries about vocabulary of classical chinese? but I think my question is a little different. For instance if I want to find the classical equivalent of 您/你 what kind of resources are available…
Mou某
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Is the sentence "我们要怎么去机场？" ambiguous?

我们要怎么去机场？ The translation given is "How do we get to the airport?", but since 怎么 can also mean "why", can this sentence also be translated as "Why are we going to the airport?" I'm probably missing something which makes this a silly question.
dr Hannibal Lecter
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How is 马马虎虎 used?

I think it's used like 'so so' in English. Like 问题：你觉得怎么样？ 回答：马马虎虎。 Am I correct in this? Are there other ways to use it?
Friso
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Why ​摺 in Simplified Texts and not 折?

I've seen ​摺 (almost intentionally I would assume) written in numerous simplified texts, especially with the word ​摺叠​. Here's one example (emphasis is my own): 浙江在线 《以“色”诱人 专属定制》 浙江在线·住在杭州网3月3日消息…
Mou某
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How to type 辶 using 拼音

How does one type the radical 辶 using the standard method of entering 拼音 (as opposed to, for example, 五笔)? (Typing "chuo" does not seem to bring this choice up on Windows using Microsoft Pinyin, though it does when I try this on Google…
Jonathan Gleason
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How to spot (if possible) if a final 了 is part of an omitted 要 in a 要...了 construction or simply a past information?

There are some examples of sentence 了 that indicate future action which (seems to) have a 要 omitted: 我（要）走了，拜！ - I am going to leave, bye! I know context usually helps with the issue of time and, apart from that, 我走了 is a pretty common sentence that…
Enrico Brasil
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Did some people only have names like 张三?

Some novels seem to say that in village life (or within a hutong) poorer children often had no personal given name. Some characters in realistic seeming novels are known only by family name and birth order and have no other name. But I have only…
Colin McLarty
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Placeholder name for a Chinese person targeting foreign audience, ie. John Doe equivalent

Suppose I want to make up a story featuring an unimportant Chinese character. How do I give the name, so it sound like Chinese, but do not carry too much particular meaning? That said, the Chinese character is neither the protagonist nor the…
把友情留在无盐
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Difference between 别人 and 人家

Looking on Commercial Press' 现代汉语词典 we have the following definitions: 别人 - 人称代词。指自己或某人以外的人：~都同意，就你一人反对 人家 - 人称代词。指自己或某人以外的人;别人：~都不怕，就你怕 So, they are pretty much the same. Are there any subtleties between them? Thanks in advance!
Enrico Brasil
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An unknown Traditional Chinese character on a decorative piece for Lunar New Year (Characters identified: 招財進寶)

I'm a East Asian preparing to celebrate the Lunar New Year and have found this piece of decoration. The Chinese character on it is, I'm pretty sure, a Traditional one, literally full of strokes and pretty calligraphic. I've tried looking up this…
Vincent J. Ruan
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Is there any character with radical 月 that has a meaning of 月 (not 肉)?

Is there any character with radical 月 that has a meaning of 月 (not 肉)? What I can find is 期，阴，and 胜，
PdotWang
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What is Mandarin's conversational equivalent of English's "How interesting!" or "That's cool"

In the course of a conversation in (American) English, I often respond to casual observations and statements using a neutral phrase such as "Oh, interesting" "Oh, I see" or "That's cool." I've realized that I have never been able to translate this…
Pender
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