Archive for April 2nd, 2008

Chinese Conversation – lesson 34

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008

肉可以通过储藏在冰箱里保鲜。当然,还有别的方法可以让肉保持新鲜。比如,我们可以把盐搓在肉上,或是晒干,又或是用烟熏。这些方法在冰箱没有被发明以前很普遍,但已经不再那么常用。

Meat is kept fresh by storing it in refrigerators. However, there are other ways of keeping meat fresh. For example, it can be rubbed with salt or can be dried or smoked. These ways were popular before the refrigerator was invented, but they are no longer used as much.

(Source: wwenglish.com)

Cri – Lesson 94

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008

M: Dàjiāhǎo. Huānyíng nǐmen dào Xiànzài Xué Hànyǔ. Wǒ shì ML.

S: Wǒ shì Stuart. ML, 今天我们学什么? jīntiān wǒmen xué shénme?

M. Well, we’re cycling to the Summer Palace, so we’ll point out a few things, like traffic lights, and ring roads.

S. Hǎo zhúyi.

M. Now we’re on the 3rd ring road. 现在我们在三环路上。xiànzài wǒmen zài sānhuánlùshàng.

S. Ahead is the Suzhou Bridge. 前面就是苏州桥 qiánmiàn jiù shì Sūzhōu Qiáo.

M. There’s traffic lights at Suzhou Qiao. 在苏州桥有红绿灯 zài Sūzhōu Qiáo yǒu hónglǜdēng.

S. We’ll turn right at the lights. 我们在红绿灯那儿右拐 wǒmen zài hónglǜdēng nàr yòu guǎi.

M. We’ve arrived at the lights. Right turn! 我们已经到红绿灯了,右拐! wǒmen yǐjīng dào hónglǜdēng le, yòuguǎi.

S. Quickly, quickly, turn right. 快右拐 kuài yòu guǎi!

M. Stuart, you’re cycling too fast. Stuart, 你骑得太快了 nǐ qíde tài kuài le.

S. Wrong! You’re cycling too slowly. 不对, 你骑得太慢了 búduì, nǐ qíde tài màn.

M. 不对, 你骑得太快 nǐ qíde tài kuài.

S. 不对, 是你骑得太慢 bú duì, shì nǐ qíde tài màn.

M: Anyway!

S. Hǎo! Now let’s look at the new stuff.

M. 现在我们在三环路上。sān huán lù SAN HUAN LU。sān is three. Huán, 2nd tone, means ‘ring,’ and lu4, 4th tone, means ‘road.’ So what does sānhuánlù means? Duìle, 3rd ring road.

S. So how do you say 2nd ring road? Méi cuò. èrhuánlù, èrhuánlù.

M. And 4th ring road? Dá duì le. sìhuánlù, sìhuánlù.

S. And ML said:

M. Now we’re on the 3rd ring road. xiànzài wǒmen zài sānhuánlù shàng.

S. Ahead is the Suzhou Bridge. 前面就是苏州桥.

M. qiánmiàn jiù shì Sūzhōu Qiáo. 前面 QIAN MIAN qiánmiàn, in front, ahead, qián miàn4. 苏州桥 qiáo QIAO qiáo means ‘bridge,’ qiáo. Sūzhōu Qiáo, the Suzhou Bridge. Qiánmiàn jiù shiì Sūzhōu qiáo. Ahead is the Suzhou bridge. qiánmian jiù shì Sūzhōu qiáo. Say it with me, qiánmian jiù shì Sūzhōu qiáo. Hěnhǎo.

S. 在苏州桥有红绿灯。

M. zài Sūzhōu Qiáo yǒu hónglǜdēng. 红绿灯 HONG LV DENG, literally, red green light. So what does hónglǜdēng mean? Duìle! Traffic lights, hónglǜdēng.

S. And there’s nothing new in the rest of our chat.

M. Except for ‘too fast’ tài kuài, tài kuài.

S. And tài màn, too slow, tài màn.

S. Let’s finish with the dialogue again. 我们在红绿灯那儿右拐。wǒmen zài hónglǜdēng nàr yòu guǎi.

M. 我们已经到红绿灯了,右拐! wǒmen dàole hónglǜdēng, yòuguǎi.

S. 快右拐 kuài yòu guǎi.

M. Stuart, 你骑得太快了。nǐ qíde tài kuài le.

S. 不对,你骑得太慢了 búduì, nǐ qíde tài màn le.

M. 不对, 你骑得太快 nǐ qíde tài kuài.

S. 不对,是你骑得太慢. búduì, shì nǐ qíde tài màn.

M. Nǐ tài kuài!

S. Nǐ tài màn.

M. Oh dear! He NEVER listens. Zai jian

 

(Source:english.cri.cn)

Learn Chinese Podcast – Happy China 101

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008

         Click to Watch Video Podcast

(1月22日播出)

  旁白: 头枕贯穿全镇的

  Only by sleeping right over

  漕港河的水波入睡,

  the Caogang River that flows

  across the town,

  才会真正体验到

  can you truly understand

  朱家角这个千年古镇的

  the quiet and peacefulness

  of Zhujiajiao,

  静谧与安宁。

  a thousand-year-old town.

  清晨醒来,

  After getting up in the morning,

  捧着一把清末时期的老紫砂壶,

  sipping tea from a late-Qing

  purple clay teapot

  在茶楼里一口一口地品味

  in a local teahouse

  朱家角的民俗风情,

  while savoring Zhujiajiao’s

  folk customs

  该比在城市的喧嚣声中

  is more tasteful than

  听歌赏舞更有意境吧。

  listening to songs or watching

  dances in the noisy cities.

  韩佳: 快乐学汉语,万里海疆行!

  Learn Chinese the fun way and enjoy

  a Happy Journey across China!

  大家好,我是快乐的韩佳。

  Hello, I’m Merry Han Jia.

  王渊源:大家好,我是快乐的渊源。

  Hi, I’m Happy Yuanyuan.

  韩佳: 渊源,你也来这儿啦!

  Yuanyuan, you are also here!

  王渊源:来来来,我给你倒好茶了。

  Come on, I’ve already prepared

  a cup of tea for you.

  来朱家角的人,

  All visitors to Zhujiajiao

  谁不知道这儿有个阿婆茶馆。

  know the A Po Teahouse here.

  好多名人都来过这儿。

  Many dignitaries have visited here.

  韩佳: 那看来你是慕名而来的喽?

  You came here because

  it’s famous, right?

  王渊源:“慕名”意思是人或者事物

  ”Mu ming” means to

  名气大、名声好,令人敬仰。

  admire something famous.

  韩佳: 人或者事物名气大、名声好,

  ”Mu ming” means to admire

  令人敬仰就叫慕名。

  something famous.

  Wǒmen shì mùmíng ér lái de

  我们 是 慕名 而 来 的。

  We came here because it’s famous.

  这里天天都很热闹。

  There are always a lot of

  people here every day.

  有很多人到这里来喝茶、聊天。

  Many come here to drink tea

  or chat.

  那在这儿喝茶讲的是一种感觉。

  The pleasure of drinking tea here

  is the feeling you get.

  王渊源:是啊。

  That’s right.

  旁白: 越来越觉得

  I increasingly realize

  这里吸引我们的

  what attracts us

  不仅仅是这儿的美景,

  is not just the beautiful

  scenery here,

  更是这里有特色的生活。

  but more importantly, the

  unique lifestyle here.

  在这座古镇上,您仍然可以看到

  In this time-honored town, you

  can still

  古色古香的明清时期的街市、

  find quaint streets, stone bridges

  石桥和建筑。

  and houses from the Ming

  and Qing dynasties.

  就比如这里吧。

  Take this place for example.

  清朝时设立的邮局。

  It’s a post office built in

  the Qing Dynasty.

  您去过吗?

  Have you ever visited

  it before?

  这可是1903年

  It’s after all a post office

  就建立起来的邮局啊。

  built in 1903.

  韩佳: 哇,好大的雨啊!

  Wow, what a big downpour!

  王渊源:哎,直接给我吧。

  Hey, just give it to me.

  韩佳: 哎,渊源,你干吗呀?

  Oh, Yuanyuan, what are you

  doing here?

  王渊源:我今天客串一把邮递员。

  Today, I’ve been acting

  as a postman.

  不过,就是收获不太大。

  But so far I’ve barely collected

  any mail.

  取了半天,

  All I’ve got all this time

  就韩佳寄的这一张明信片啊。

  is this postcard sent by

  Han Jia.

  好。上船送信去了。

  Okay. I’m taking a boat to

  deliver the mail.

  终于到了。

  I’ve finally reached the address.

  没错,课植园就是这儿。

  Yes, Kezhi Garden should

  be here.

  不会吧。

  Maybe wrong.

  韩佳: 你总算来啦!

  You’re finally here!

  王渊源:来就来了呗,

  Yes, I’m here,

  非加个总算。

  but you don’t have to add a

  ”zongsuan” to your words.

  你嫌我邮递速度慢啊?

  Are you complaining that I

  delivered the mail too slow?

  韩佳: 我刚才说的“总算”是个副词,

  The word “zongsuan” I said

  is an adverb,

  用来表示经过相当长的时间,

  meaning at last

  某个愿望终于实现了。

  or finally.

  王渊源:“总算”用来表示经过相当长的时间,

  ”Zongsuan” can mean

  某个愿望终于实现了。

  at last or finally.

  韩佳: 那我们举个例子来说吧。

  Let’s explain with an example.

  Wǒ děng le nǐ bàntiān nǐ zǒngsuàn lái le

  我 等 了 你 半天, 你 总算 来 了。

  I waited for you for a long time,

  and you finally came.

  知道是你送这封信,

  As I knew it was you who

  would deliver the mail,

  我对你的邮递速度

  I didn’t harbor any hope

  根本就没抱什么希望。

  of getting the mail from

  you very soon.

  所以就亲自出来

  So I came out here

  迎接你和这封信了。

  to greet you and the mail.

  开玩笑,开玩笑。

  I’m kidding, I’m kidding.

  其实,我一直想

  As a matter of fact, I

  always wanted

  到这课植园来看一看,

  to take a look at Kezhi Garden,

  所以当时就没多想什么,

  so I didn’t think a lot

  写下了这个地址。

  when I wrote down this address.

  怎么样,这江南名园的风景

  Well, don’t you think the

  scenery of this

  就是不一般吧?

  famous garden is something extraordinary?

  王渊源:好是好,可是我不明白

  It is very good, but I

  don’t understand

  为什么这里要叫课植园呢?

  why it’s called Kezhi Garen?

  韩佳: 是这样的。

  The reason is this.

  这个“课”就是读书、教学的意思。

  ”Ke” refers to education.

  而这个“植”就比较好理解了。

  And “zhi” is relatively easier

  to understand.

  就是耕植的意思。

  It means to plough and plant.

  那园主当年取“课植”二字呢,

  The owner of this garden named

  it Kezhi

  就是想表明

  to indicate that

  读书、耕种都是非常重要的。

  both education and farming

  were important.

  王渊源:你这么一说我就明白了。

  Now I’m clear after your explanation.

  韩佳: 其实,你要是觉得

  Actually, if you find

  这个名字叫起来拗口的话呢,

  the name a bit hard to pronounce,

  干脆就叫它马家花园好了,

  just call it Majia Garden

  因为这个园子当年的主人就姓马。

  because the surname of its original

  owner was Ma.

  所以大家也这么称呼。

  Thus people also call it

  this way.

  王渊源:哦,马家花园?

  Oh, Majia Garden?

  这个名字好记。

  The name is a lot easier

  to remember.

  韩佳,我还听说

  I also heard

  这个园子里藏着很多

  there are many valuable things

  有价值的东西。

  hidden in this garden.

  韩佳: 哇,这你也知道啊!

  Wow, you also know that!

  那边就有。我带你去看看。

  There are some over there.

  Let me take you there.

  渊源,你看,

  Look, Yuanyuan,

  这就是马家花园的宝贝之一。

  these are parts of the treasures

  of Majia Garden.

  王渊源:这是?

  Are you sure?

  韩佳: 这几块碑

  These steles bear inscriptions

  都是依据明朝几位

  based on the works of

  several talented

  非常有名的才子的作品雕刻的。

  Ming Dynasty men of letters.

  王渊源:是吗?

  Really?

  韩佳: 你看,有文徵明的“游西山寺”十二首,

  Look, the inscriptions include the 12

  poems written by Wen Huiming,

  有唐伯虎的手札,

  letters written by Tang Bohu,

  有祝枝山的“梅花诗”,

  Zhu Zhishan’s poem on

  peach blossoms,

  还有刘天球的诗等等。

  and poems by Liu Tianqiu.

  都是非常珍贵的文物。

  All these are valuable cultural relics.

  王渊源:果然是很有价值。

  They are indeed very valuable.

  韩佳: 不仅如此,

  Not just that,

  在这个园子里,

  in this garden,

  还有一个堪称叫绝的亭子。

  there is also a very unique pavilion.

  一个园林中的亭子

  A pavilion in a traditional garden

  王渊源:有什么特别啊。

  is nothing unusual.

  韩佳: 就在那儿了。

  It’s right here.

  我们过去看看。

  Let’s go over and

  take a look.

  一般的亭子

  Pavilions normally have

  都是四角或者是八角形的。

  four or eight corners.

  而你看看它。

  But look at this one.

  王渊源:哎,五角亭很少见啊!

  Oh, it’s a five-corner pavilion!

  韩佳: 对啊。这“五角”就表示

  Yes. The five corners represent

  金、木、水、火、土。

  gold, wood, water, fire

  and earth.

  王渊源:你看这上面,

  And look,

  每个角上都挂着一个狮子。

  there is a lion dangling from

  each corner.

  韩佳: 对啊。

  Yes.

  这个亭子的名字

  This pavilion

  就叫“倒挂狮子亭”。

  is thus called Dangling

  Lion Pavilion.

  你再看看这顶上。

  And loot at its top.

  有很多“米”字花纹。

  There are many patterns in the shape

  of the character “mi” (grain).

  王渊源:看到了,看到了。

  Yeah, I see them.

  不过,亭子上面

  But why should there

  为什么要有这么多“米”字呀?

  be so many “mi” characters

  up there?

  韩佳: “米”不是表示粮食嘛。

  The character “mi” represents grain.

  米多就是粮食多。

  The more represent “mi” represents

  more grain.

  五谷丰登。

  Wu gu feng deng (an excellent harvest).

  王渊源:小小的一个亭子,

  A small pavilion like this

  竟然有这么多讲究!

  can have so many meanings

  in it!

  韩佳: 是啊。

  Yes.

  这朱家角镇实在有太多的东西

  There are indeed so many things

  in Zhujiajiao

  值得我们去品味了。

  that deserve to be appreciated.

  不如这样吧,

  Well, we’d better

  先休息休息,

  take a short break

  来看看我们今天的赏心悦目。

  to take a look at today’s Feast

  for the Eyes.

  赏心悦目:

  小桥流水天然景

  Little streams with dainty bridges

  原汁原味明清街

  and its well-preserved ancient streets

  dating from the Ming and Qing dynasties

  充分展现出朱家角古镇文化

  display Zhujiajiao’s deep cultural traditions.

  中西合璧的课植园堪称杰作

  The Kezhi Garden, a masterpiece of Chinese

  and Western architecture,

  集中体现了江南园林建筑的精华

  embodies the quintessence of Jiangnan gardens.

  红砖灰瓦的大清邮局

  The Qing Dynasty post office with red-bricked

  walls and a gray-tiled roof

  再现古镇邮驿的百年沧桑

  has witnessed the changes in postal service

  体会百年古镇的人文底蕴

  as well as in people’s lives

  感受古镇今日的新生

  over a period of 100 years.

  韩佳: 渊源,

  Yuanyuan,

  看来你真的是很喜欢

  it seems you really enjoy

  朱家角镇的生活呀。

  the life here in Zhujiajiao.

  王渊源:可不是嘛。

  That’s for sure.

  不过节目快结束了。

  Our program is about to

  come to an end.

  我们也该给大家

  And we should set

  出今天的有奖问答题。

  today’s award-winning question

  for our audience.

  韩佳: 好,今天的题目是这样的。

  Here is today’s question.

  (问题部分略)

  王渊源:还有,有时间的话,

  And also, if you have time,

  也别忘了经常登录我们的博客,

  don’t forget to log onto our blog

  把您的想法和建议也告诉我们。

  to let us know your thoughts

  or suggestions.

  韩佳: 同样可以获得纪念品哦。

  By doing so, you can also

  get souvenirs.

  好了,

  Okay,

  那我们今天的节目就到这里了。

  our today’s program has to

  end here.

  马上就又要继续赶路了。

  We’re going to hit the

  road again.

  王渊源:那在节目的最后,

  At the end of this program,

  还是别忘了我们的口号。

  still don’t forget our slogan.

  合: 学说中国话,朋友遍天下!

  Learn Chinese and make friends everywhere!

    (Source: cctv.com)