Download thesis on chinese language phrases and more Thesis Chinese Language in PDF only on Docsity!
Mandarin World Phrase Book
We hope this book will help you during your first few weeks or months in
China. We have written this book into sections that allow you to look for things
by theme or situation.
Contents
Chapter 1 - Pinyin-How to say it.
Chapter 2 - Basic Communication
Chapter 3 - Questions
Chapter 4 - Numbers and measurements
Chapter 5 - Colors and sizes.
Chapter 6 - Some adjectives
Chapter 7 - Some verbs
Chapter 8 - Some adverbs
Chapter 9 - At the airport
Chapter 10 - In a taxi
Chapter 11 - At the hotel
Chapter 12 - Giving/Asking for directions and being lost
Chapter 13 - Sick! At the hospital
Chapter 14 - Eating
Chapter 15 - Shopping-its too expensive!
Chapter 16 - At the pub
Chapter 17 - On Business/At the office/In the classroom
Chapter 18 - At the beach or up a mountain
Chapter 19 - Emotions!
Chapter 20 - At the bank.
Small Talk!
Chapter 21 - Family
Chapter 22 - Friends
Chapter 23 - Weather
Chapter 24 - My Country
Chapter 25 - Work
Chapter 26 - Hobbies
Chapter 1- Pinyin- How to say it.
Below is an overview of pinyin- the system used to write down how
Chinese words are pronounced. The following websites and links may help
you to learn the pronunciation. But it isn’t easy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin http://www.learnchineseabc.com/chinese-pinyin-initials.htm
The following will hopefully help you not mangle the language too much!
B: like in bag a: like in far iong: like in o + wrong
P: like in pack o: like in awe ua: like in water
M: like in mark e: like in mother uo: like in wall
F: like in far I: like in bee uai: like in wi fi
D: like in dark u: like in nude uan: like in one
T: like in tally : like in loo un: like in fun
N: like in navy er: like in are uang: like in o+ sung
L: like in lad ai: like in I e: like in loo + mother
G: like in gap ei: like in eight an: like in loo + man
K: like in karma ao: like in ow! n: like in loo + n
H: like in happy ou: like in over
J: like in jeans an: like in man
Q: likes in cheap en: like in then
X: like sh in share ang: like in angle
Zh: like‘j’ in Japan eng: like in sung
Ch: like in cheese ong: like in wrong
Sh: like in ship ia: like in Asia
R: like ‘r’ in leisure ie: like in air
Z: like ‘ds’ in reads iao: like in yell
C: like ‘ts’ in cats iu: like in ill
S: like in Sam ian: like in Ian
Y: like in yes in: like in pin
W: like in water ing: like in ping
My suggestion would be, when convenient, to simply point to the phrase in
this book than trying to speak too much!
In Chinese there are also four tones they change the meaning of the word-
in this book however I’m not going to bother you too much with the tones, from
the context hopefully people will work out what you are saying and vise-verse.
However with time, and some interaction you should find you will get an ear for
these tones. Listen to see how the locals say it.
She ta It ta Yes shi No bu Toilet cesuo
Chapter 3 - Questions
What is that? Na shi shenme?
What is this? Zhe shi shenme?
Where is XXX? XXX zai nali? XXX?
Who is he? Ta shi shui?
Who is she? Ta shi shui?
What do I call this? Zhe ge zenme shuo
How to say XXX? Zenme shuo XXX? XXX?
What’s your name? Ni jiao shenme mingzi?
My name is XXX Wo jiao XXX XXX
What’s the time? Jidian le (See number chapter for answer!)
Its XXX o’clock - XXX dian le. XXX
It’s half past XXX – XXX dian ban le. XXX
How much is this? Zhege duoshao qian? (See number chapter for answer)
Its XXX yuan. Zhe ge shi XXX kuaiqian XXX
business.
The word for "eight" sounds similar to the word which means "prosper"
or "wealth".
The number 9 is a homophone of the word for "long lasting" and as
such is often used in weddings.
Number 4 is considered an unlucky number in Chinese because it is
nearly homophonous to the word "death". In East Asia, some buildings
do not have a 4th floor.
Measurement
Kilo gongjin ie 2 kilos liang gongjin Pound jin Metre mi ie 3 metres san mi Kilometer gongli Foot yingli Liter sheng Centimeter limi millimeter haomi minute fenzhong second miao hour xiaoshi day tian week xingqi month yue year nian dollar yuan/kuai cent fen ten cents mao or jiao
Chapter 5 - Colors and sizes
Colors
Red
You may feel it’s quite interesting that many Chinese love to wear red
especially for weddings or birthdays of elderly people. While it stands for blood,
bad luck or even disaster in Western countries. However, red symbolizes good
fortune and joy in China. Red is found everywhere during the Chinese New
Year and other holidays and family gatherings. A red envelope is a monetary
gift which is given in Chinese society during holiday or special occasions. The
red color of the packet symbolizes good luck. Red is strictly forbidden at
funerals as it is a color of happiness.
Yellow/gold
Yellow, corresponding with earth, is considered the most beautiful color.
Yellow was the color of Imperial China and is held as the symbolic color of the
five legendary emperors of ancient China. In ancient china, ordinary people
were not allowed to use the color but everyone has the right to use it now.
Yellow often decorates royal palaces, altars and temples, and the color was
used in the robes and attire of the emperors.
Yellow also represents freedom from worldly cares and is thus esteemed in
Buddhism. Monks’ garments are yellow, as are elements of Buddhist temples.
Yellow is also used as a color of mourning for Chinese Buddhists.
Black and white
Black and white is used to represent the unity of Yin and Yang. Ancient
Chinese regarded black as the king of colors and honored black more than any
other color. In modern China, black is used in daily clothing. Black may also be
used during a funeral to symbolize the spirit's return to the heavens and people
wear black ribbons on their arms.
White is also the color of mourning. Unlike the Western meanings of purity,
chastity, holiness and cleanliness, white is associated with death and is used
predominantly in funerals in Chinese culture. Ancient Chinese people wore
white clothes and hats only when they mourned for the dead (Some places of
China still follow this tradition).
Chapter 6 - Some adjectives
Fat pang Thin shou Pretty piaoliang Handsome shuai
Ugly chou Old lao Young nianqing New xin
Expensive gui Cheap pianyi Good hao Bad huai
Chapter 7-Some verbs
Run pao Walk zoulu Jump tiao
Eat chi Drink he Sleep shui
Go qu Come lai Travel lǖyou
Play wan Sing change Dance tiaowu
Listen ting Talk shuohua Read du
Write xie Look kan Look for zhao
Swim youyong Climb pa Ride qi
Drive kaiche
Chapter 8-Some adverbs
Quickly kuai Slowly man Badly buhao
Well hao Loudly chao Quietly anjing
Chapter 9-At the airport
Airport feiji chang
Airplane feiji
Visa qianzheng
Passport huzhao
Immigration churu jingbianfang
jianchazhan
Quarantine haiguan
Waiting room jihoushi
Boarding card dengji pai
Plane ticket feiji piao
Luggage xingli
Information desk zixun chu
Flight hangban
Taxi chuzu che
Airport bus jicheng basi
Boarding gate dengji kou
Take off qifei
Arrivals daoda
Departures chufa
Security check anjian
Delayed tuichi wandian
Duty free products mianshui shangpin
Cancelled quxiao
First class toudeng cang
Business class shangwu cang
Economy class jingji cang
Luggage cart shoutui che
Where is the XXX? XXX zai nar li? XXX How long until my flight takes off? Wode hangban haiyou duochang shijian qifei?
Chapter 11-At the hotel
Passport huzhao Deposit yajin Key yaoshi Single room danren fang Double room shuangren fang Room service kefang fuwu Restaurant canting/fandian Credit card xinyong ka Cash xianjin Safe baoxianxiang I want to check in. wo yaokai yige fangjian I have a reservation wo you yuding I want to check out woyao tuifang I want a XXX woyao yige XXX XXX Is there a XXX here? Zheli you XXX ma? XXX Do you have a free room? You kongfang ma? My name is XXX Wo jiao XXX XXX I want to stay for XXX days. Wo yao zhu XXX tian. XXX How much a day? Yi tian duoshao qian? I want to change my room. Wo yao huange fangjian.
Chapter 12-Giving/Asking for directions and being lost
I’m lost! Wo milu le How do I get to XXX? zenme qu XXX? XXX? Where is XXX? XXX zai nali? XXX Take a bus zuo gongche Take a taxi zuo chu zuche Take the subway zuo ditie Go straight ahead wangqian zou Turn Left zuo guai Turn Right you guai Cross the road guo malu Is it far? Yuan ma?
Chapter 14-Eating
Table manners
We use chopsticks or sometimes even grasp rice directly with our hands.
The thin and long chopsticks cannot be used to cut food, so we usually use our
teeth to act as knives sometimes. We hold our food, meat or vegetables, with
the chopsticks, send them to our mouth to bite off a part of it and keep the
other part of food on the chopsticks. That’s the usual way we eat. We are also
used to holding up our bowls near our mouth when having rice or soup. It is
unfair that all these habits are considered rude in your eyes, please
understand it’s a different behavior and we use different tools to eat.
It is noted that we usually share all food in the middle of the table rather
than on individual plates
Interesting facts about chopsticks:
Do not stick chopsticks vertically into your food when not using them,
especially not into rice, as this will make Chinese people think of
funerals. Only at funerals are chopsticks (or sticks of incense) stuck
into the rice that is put onto the altar.
Do not wave your chopsticks around in the air too much or play with
them.
Do not stab or skewer food with your chopsticks. Pick food up by
exerting sufficient pressure with the chopsticks to grasp the food
securely and move it to your mouth or bowl. It is considered bad form
to drop food, so ensure it is gripped securely before taking it out of the
bowl. Holding one’s bowl close to the dish when serving oneself or
close to the mouth when eating helps.
To separate a piece of food into two pieces, exert controlled pressure
on the chopsticks while moving them apart from each other. This
needs much practice.
Some consider it unhygienic to use the chopsticks that have been near
(or in) one’s mouth to pick food from the central dishes. Serving
spoons or chopsticks can be provided, and in this case you will need to
remember to alternate between using the serving chopsticks to move
food to your bowl and your personal chopsticks for transferring the
food to your mouth.
Food Some Chinese eat snakes, frogs, even rats or insects, especially for people in Guangdong province. Another thing is that we eat animal’s necks, feet or even heads sometimes, especially for ducks and chickens. And when we cook meat, we usually do not take out the bone.
Eat chi Drink he Delicious haochi
Yuck! Buhaochi Restaurant fandian Western xifang Chinese zhongfan Snack xiaochi Breakfast zaofan Lunch wufan Dinner wanfan Menu caidan Waiter/waitress fuwuyuan Beer! Pijiu Tea cha Rice mifan Spicy la Sweet tian Sour suan Bitter ku Hot re Cold leng Salty xian Oily you Beef niurou Chicken jirou Fish yu Potato tudou Lamb yangrou Pork zhurou Egg jidan The bill please maidan
Chapter 15-Shopping-its too expensive!
In a lot of markets bargaining is to be expected, and if you look like a
foreigner, then there is a good chance prices are going to start of a little higher
than they should be. Don’t be shy to ask for a cheaper price, after all it doesn't
hurt to ask! Larger stores and supermarkets of course, are not places to try
and bargain down the price.
Shop shangdian Market shichang Supermarket chaoshi Shop Assistant! fuwuyuan Credit card xinyong ka Cash xianjin How much is this? Duoshao qian?? Can I have a cheaper price? Keyi you pianyi yidian ma?
It’s too expensive! Tai guile Can I have a look? Wokeyi Kankan ma?
Can I try it on? Wo keyi shiyishi ma?
Could I have a bag please? Wokeyi youge daizi ma?
Chapter 16-At the pub
Beer! Pijiu Wine! Putao jiu Red hong White bai Cocktail j iwei jiu Cold! Bingde Waiter/watress/barkeep fuwuyuan
Food shiwu Toilet cesuo Pool taiqiu Bottoms Up! Gan bei! Cheers! Peng bei! Drunk zuile Where is the toilet? Cesuo zai nail? I’m going to vomit? Wo yaotu Another bottle! Zailai yiping Another glass! Zailai yibei Do you want to play pool? Ni yao da taiqiu ma?
Do you want to play darts? Ni yao wan feibiao ma? Its my treat Wo qingke
No ice! Buyao bingkuai
