decodemandarinchinese-blog

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Some Very Frequently used polite expressions in Chinese III

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Polite form in Chinese

Polite expressions in Chinese

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费心 trouble; give a lot of care; take a lot of trouble     

借光 excuse me; ask for help [assistance; favour]   

 高寿  longevity; long life

斧正 (please) make corrections    

领情 feel grateful to sb.; appreciate the kindness 

赐教 condescend to teach; grant instruction

斟酌 consider; deliberate; weigh and consider; think over   

欠安 not very well in health; not feeling well physically  

包涵 forgive; excuse; bear with

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Derogatory term of "become" in Chinese

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Derogatory term of "become" "turn into" "change into" etc in Chinese

“沦为”，“成为”，“变为” and “变成” have similar meanings as you can see in the explanation above, but they can't be used interchangeably in any cases. “沦为” can only be used as a derogatory term 贬义词 to describe negative things, while "成为", "变为" and "变成" can be used either as derogatory or commendatory terms 褒义词. 

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Antonyms of set phrase II

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Antonyms of Chinese set phrase II  

 迷迷糊糊difficult to make out     清清楚楚 be absolutely clear    全神贯注give one's whole attention to     心不在焉be absent-minded

风平浪静be calm and tranquil     狂风恶浪fierce storm

[decodemandarinchinese-blog]

一些就错的成语，看看你能对几个？

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正确✔️

错误❌

破釜沉舟 名副其实 惹是生非 甘拜下风 安分守己 按部就班 莫名其妙 一脉相承 首屈一指 来势汹汹 金榜题名 诡计多端 以逸待劳 戴罪立功

破斧沉舟 名付其实 惹事生非 甘败下风 安份守己 按步就班 莫明其妙 一脉相成 手屈一指 来势凶凶 金榜提名 鬼计多端 以逸代劳 带罪立功

[decodemandarinchinese-blog]

Different kinds of "many" in Chinese set phrases

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In Chinese, you can simply use "很多", “许多”, “好多”, etc to describe a larger quantity of people, things, or abstract concepts, e.g. 广场上有好多人；我哥哥每天都有很多事情要去做；他的心里充满了太多的悲伤; etc, however, in this way you can't feel the vivid effects. Set phrases can express different kinds of "many 多" vividly to make people feel strongly and imaginably the effect of the related descriptions, e.g. 座无虚席 to describe a full audience/many people; 千军万马 to describe many troops; 五彩缤纷 to describe many colours; 人才济济 to describe many talents, 千辛万苦 to describe many hardships; etc.

[decodemandarinchinese-blog]

新编笔顺口诀

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写汉字要按照正确的笔顺规则才能写好、写规范、写漂亮。不管是粉笔字，钢笔字，毛笔字还是其他笔的书法，正确的书法是非常重要的。

[decodemandarinchinese-blog]

Double negation in Chinese

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Double Negation 双重否定

Double Negative mood is more strongly than the affirmative and strengthens the affirmative effect.

There are three forms for double negation:

1. Two negative adverbs used in the sentence.  

我得去那里。→ 我不得不去那里。  

2. One negative adverb and one negative verb in the sentence.

在中国出生的人都会说中文。→ 在中国出生的人当中没有一个不会说中文的。

3. A negative adverb or a negative verb in a rhetorical question.

我表哥的婚礼，我要去参加。我表哥的婚礼，我怎么能不去参加呢？

The following words are generally used in a doube-nenation structure: 不会不、不得不 、 不能不、不是不、不可能不 、 难道…不… 、 怎会不...、怎能不…、怎么会…不、 etc.

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必须 or 必需

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How to differentiate between 必须 and 必需

 必须 [bì xū] must, have to

can only be used before a verb or adjective to act as an adverbial and often used together with other verbs.

今天你必须上班。 Today you have to go to work.

这次考试我们必须及格。 We must pass the exam.

你必须好起来。 You have to be better.

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必需 [bì xū] essential, indispensable, necessary

usually used before a noun as an attributive, or used as a predicate or object, but can’t be used before a verb

这些是发展工业所必需的原料。 These are the raw materials essential for industrial development。

植物生长必需阳光和水。 Sunlight and water essential for plant growth.

这些参考书是我们所必需的。 These reference books are necessary to us.

 ☆☆☆☆☆ 必需 can form new words, e.g. 必需品, 必需营养素, 必需氨基酸, etc, but 必须 does not have this use.

[decodemandarinchinese-blog]

38 words for the internet in Chinese and English

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computer 电脑 IT/Information Technology 信息技术 computer电脑 screen 屏幕 device设备 internet互联网 network 网络 social network 社交网络 website 网站 home page 主页 URL/Uniform Resource Locator 网址 application 应用软件 photograph  照片 text 文本 video 视频 message 信息 noticeboard 布告栏 mail 邮件 spam 垃圾邮件

account 账户 password 密码 user用户 cyber-friend 网友 chat 聊天 contact 联系人 profile 个人简介 search engine 搜索引擎 privacy 隐私 search 搜索 share 分享 log on 登陆 to upload 上传 download 下载 comment 评论 publish 发布 send 发送 receive 接收 delete 删除

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Radical 方

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方, originally a flag, serves as semantic or phonetic component. When it serves as a semantic component(radical), it stands to the left of the other part. Characters composed of "方" have to do with "flag". E.g.  旋, return, come back from the war (flag was used in a war); 施, originally flag, its meanings were extended to "wave, give, set up"; 族, clan (every clan has a flag); 旅, troops; etc.

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How many ways to "die" in Chinese?

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Different terms for death in Chinese

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In Chinese, there are diverse terms to express “die”. Different terms for “death” are used according to different social classes (in old times e.g a emperor dies 驾崩 jià bēng), sex (A beauty passes away 香消玉殒 xiānɡ xiāo yù yǔn), age (die young 英年早逝 yīnɡ nián zǎo shì), places （die in a place other than one's hometown or in a foreign country 客死 kè sǐ）, causes (die a martyr’s/a hero’s death 英勇就义 yīng yǒng jiù yì), etc and also different terms are used depending on the occasion (formal, informal), intentions of the speaker (to express sadness 表达哀伤 or take pleasure in other people’s death 幸灾乐祸), and so on…

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You must be feeling dazzled, seeing so many words for death.  Don’t worry! A native chinese don’t even know many of these words, not to say all of them. Which are the commonest terms for death? “死” and ”去世” are the commonest for “death”. “死” is informal and kind of impolite if you say it directly to someone who suffered from the death of a family member, relative, or friend. “去世” is the safest way to express “death”, which is a formal and polite form. Most of the rest in the list are just used in literature or very formal occasions. 

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手心手背都是肉

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So difficult to choose between two equally important things

手心手背都是肉,  literally “both the palm and the back of the hand are made of flesh”, is used to mean that someone feels so difficult to choose between two things or persons that are equally important or valuable. 

[decodemandarinchinese-blog]

多亏 vs 幸亏 vs 幸好 vs 好在

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“多亏、幸亏、幸好、好在”

All are used for a situation: due to some favorable conditions, bad results are avoided. “多亏” is a verb and “幸亏、幸好、好在” are adverbs. “幸亏、幸好、好在” have very similar meanings and can be used interchangeably.

”多亏" is a verb, and often followed by someone or someone’s help thanks to which something bad or negative is avoided. It is used with a grateful tone.

E.g.

多亏近来的研究才有了有效的疗法。Thanks to recent research, effective treatments are available.

多亏了这些联系我通过了考试。I have passed the exam thanks to the exercises. 

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幸亏, 幸好

Due to accidental/coincidental causes, something negative or unfortunate does not happen, something positive or fortunate happens, or someone is lucky enough to escape a trouble or disaster. Both are used with a very lucky and fortunate tone. 

E.g.

幸亏/幸好你及时帮忙，我们才按时完成了任务。It was thanks to your timely help that we accomplished the task on time.

我幸亏/幸好选择得对，结果赢了！I made a fortunate choice and won!

幸亏/幸好你带了伞，开始下雨了。It's a good job you brought your brolly, it's starting to rain.

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"好在" 

Often used to mean that something negative or unfortunate happens, but luckily or fortunately the situation is not that bad/serious.

E.g.

好在他伤势不重。Luckily he was not very seriously wounded.

他出了车祸，好在只是擦破了一点皮。He had an accident, but fortunately it's only a scratch.

学费的筹措可能看似一个大难题，好在你可以获得许多帮助。Financing your studies may seem like a tall order, but there is plenty of help available.

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Case in which only “多亏”  can be used：

The commonest use is"多亏了 + object”

E.g.

多亏了你，工作很快就完成了。（1）

Thanks to you, I finished the work quickly.

 多亏了他的帮助，我成功地完成了这个项目。（2）

Thanks to his help. I finished it successfully.

 多亏了及时雨，农民们有了好收成。（3）

Thanks to the timely rain, the farmers had a good harvest.

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Case in which “多亏、幸亏、幸好、好在” can be used interchangeably

多亏（了）+ a short sentence

E.g.

多亏及时送医院， 再晚半小时他就没希望了。（4）

Fortunately he was sent to the hospital in time. If he had been delayed half an hour, he would have not been still alive.

 大楼突然起火了，多亏（了）消防员及时赶到，很快就把火扑灭了。（5）

The building burst into flames, thanks to the firefighters timely arrival, the fire were put out very soon.

 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ In (4) and (5), “多亏” can be interchangeably used with “幸亏、幸好、好在”， but “多亏” expresses more a grateful tone, and “幸亏、幸好、好在” more a fortunate tone.

[decodemandarinchinese-blog]

巧

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adverb

just right; coincidently; opportunely; as it happens; as luck would have it

恰巧 by chance; 他偏巧那天不在。As luck would have it, he was away that day.

她来时，我凑巧不在家。I happened to be out when she came.

 adjective

1. skilful; ingenious; clever

手巧 clever with one's hands; dexterous; 嘴巧 smooth-spoken; talk glibly; 能工巧匠 skilful craftsman; dab hand; 

2. opportune; coincidental; fortuitous; 

来得真巧 arrive at a most opportune moment

3. cunning; deceitful; artful:

花言巧语 honeyed words; deceitful talk

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醉

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adjective

1. drunk; intoxicated; tipsy:

半醉 be half drunk; 酩酊大醉 as drunk as a lord;

喝醉了酒 become intoxicated from wine

2. liquor-saturated:

醉蟹 liquor-saturated crab

3. be fascinated by/be crazy about

看到眼前的景色我的心都醉了。I am completely fascinated  by the scenery before me.

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verb

1. be addicted to; indulge in:

陶醉 be intoxicated (with success, etc.); 心醉神迷 be in ecstasies over

2. steep (crab, shrimp, etc.) in liquor:

醉枣 steep jujubes in liquor

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烈

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烈 liè

adjective

1.（fire）intense

烈焰冲天。Raging flames lit up the sky.

2.（extent）strong

他们过去习惯于狂饮烈酒。They were used to imbibing enormous quantities of alcohol

3.（disposition, temperament）staunch

她性情刚烈。She has a staunch disposition

noun

1. person who dies for a just cause

烈属, 先烈, 英烈 martyrs

2. exploits

功烈 merits and achievements

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搭配要正确！Match them well! Part I

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The collocation in Chinese is very strict. Verbs are very special and can't randomly collocate with nouns.