Archive for April 21st, 2008

Learn Chinese Podcast – Happy China 120

Monday, April 21st, 2008
 
 

                          Click to Watch Video Podcast

  (2月22日播出)

  旁白: 听别人说,

  Someone said it would be

  来绍兴不去那些古镇看一看

  a big pity for visitors

  to Shaoxing

  就太可惜了。

  to not see some its

  old towns.

  而在绍兴的古镇中,

  Among Shaoxing’s old towns,

  安昌古镇

  Anchang is

  是其中十分有代表性的一个。

  the most typical one.

  不知道这座古镇

  I have no idea

  有什么独特之处呢。

  how special this old town is.

  还好,刚到这里,

  Fortunately, soon after we

  got here,

  我就找到了一位最好的讲解员。

  I found one of the best

  tour guides.

  嘉宾: 我是土生土长的安昌人。

  I’m a native born and brought

  up in Anchang.

  韩佳: 渊源,找了你半天了。

  Yuanyuan, I’ve been looking

  for you for a long time.

  你怎么在这儿啊?

  How comes you are here?

  这位是?

  Who is this gentleman?

  王渊源:这位是安昌的形象大使,

  This is Angchang’s image ambassador,

  宝麟酒家的老板沈宝麟先生。

  Mr. Shen Baolin, owner of

  the Baolin Restaurant.

  我是专门来这儿

  I came here just

  向他打听古镇上的事。

  to consult him about this

  old town.

  韩佳: 那沈先生,

  Mr. Shen,

  能不能给我们介绍一下

  can you tell us something

  这安昌古镇啊?

  about the old town Anchang?

  嘉宾: 安昌古镇啊

  The old town Anchang

  这个历史有好几千年了。

  has a history of several

  thousand years.

  现在从我们浙江来说是

  It is one of the best preserved

  ancient towns

  保留得最完美的一座古镇。

  in Zhejiang Province.

  它的全程有1.72公里长。

  Its total length is 1.72 kilometers.

  韩佳: 那这条河它是通往哪里的呀?

  Where does this river

  lead to?

  这条河往东可以通到东海

  This river leads to the East

  China Sea

  宁波那边;

  and Ningbo in the east

  往北可以到北京,

  and to Beijing in the north

  通过京杭大运河。

  through the Beijing-Hangzhou

  Grand Canal.

  王渊源:怎么样?

  What do you think?

  这形象大使够称职的吧?

  Is this image ambassador

  quite competent?

  韩佳: 一进这个古镇

  It’s just great

  就能遇到一位

  to meet an old gentleman

  who is so familiar

  对安昌镇这么熟悉的老先生,

  with Anchang

  真是太好了。

  soon after we arrived

  in the town.

  我们应该多了解了解。

  We should learn more about it.

  旁白: 朴实的民居,

  The plain dwellings,

  古老的石桥,

  the old stone bridges

  还有从镇上缓缓流过的河水…

  and the slowly flowing streams …

  整个古镇就好像一幅水墨画。

  the entire old town seems

  to be an ink painting.

  韩佳: 刚才听说,这座古镇

  We heard just now this

  old town

  是明朝的时候建立起来的。

  was built in the Ming Dynasty.

  而我们现在走的这条老街呢,

  And this old street has

  also been

  也是那时候一直保留下来的。

  preserved from that period.

  王渊源:还挺热闹啊!

  What a bustling scene!

  韩佳: 那是当然的了。

  That’s for sure.

  安昌的过去可要比现在热闹得多。

  But in the past Anchang was a lot

  more bustling than it is today.

  王渊源:你为什么要在句子后面

  Why did you add “de duo”

  加上个“得多”呢?

  to the end of this sentence?

  韩佳: 我刚才说的“比…得多”。

  I said “bi … de duo”.

  这是一个比较句,

  This is a comparative sentence,

  在形容词后面加上“得多”,

  with an adjective followed

  by “de duo”,

  就是用来表示比较的程度很高。

  to indicate a higher degree.

  王渊源:“得多”用在形容词后面,

  So an adjective followed by

  ”de duo” in Chinese

  和“much”用在表示比较的形容词后面

  is similar to “much” followed by

  a comparative adjective

  用法一样。

  in English.

  Xiànzài zhè tiáo jiē yào bǐ guòqù ānjìng de duō

  现在 这 条 街 要 比 过去 安静 得 多。

  This street is much quieter now

  than it was in the past.

  韩佳: 安昌在过去,

  In the past, Anchang

  还是一个商品贸易中心呢。

  was a center of commerce

  and trade.

  附近的棉花、粮食、布匹等等

  The cotton, grain and cloth produced

  in the surrounding areas

  都是在这里集中交易的。

  were all gathered and sold here.

  王渊源:这个小镇

  It’s amazing this small town

  过去的商业那么发达呢。

  had such a thriving commerce

  in the past.

  韩佳: 不光它的商业贸易很发达,

  In addition to its thriving commerce

  and trade,

  这里的金融业也很繁荣。

  it also had a prosperous

  financial industry.

  王渊源:这样一个小镇

  Did this small town

  还有金融业呢?

  also have a financial industry?

  韩佳: 对啊。

  Yes.

  而且安昌每天的金融交易量

  And the volume of Anchang’s daily

  financial transactions

  还不小呢。

  was quite huge.

  王渊源:这我可不信。

  I don’t believe it.

  韩佳: 那我带你去个地方

  Let me take you to a place

  你就相信了。

  and you will believe it.

  渊源,就是这儿了。

  Yuanyuan, it’s just here.

  王渊源:中国银行?

  The Bank of China?

  韩佳: 对啊,就是中国银行。

  Yes, it’s the Bank of China.

  王渊源:光这么一家银行,

  With just one bank,

  就能说明安昌金融业发达了。

  you can’t prove Anchang had a

  prosperous financial industry.

  韩佳: 要知道,

  You must realize that

  当时中国银行

  the Bank of China

  只会在金融交易量

  would set up a branch office

  很大的地方设立分行。

  only at a place with big

  financial transactions.

  而安昌镇就有这么一家。

  And Anchang had a branch

  office then.

  王渊源:原来是这样的。

  Oh, I see.

  韩佳: 还不止呢。

  Not just that.

  虽然当时的绍兴城

  Although Shaoxing

  规模要比安昌镇大,

  was already bigger than Anchang,

  但是连那儿

  it didn’t have

  都没有中国银行的分行。

  a Bank of China branch office

  at that time.

  王渊源:那就是说,

  That is to say,

  当时这里的商业贸易

  the commerce and trade here

  比绍兴城还要发达了?

  were more thriving than those

  in Shaoxing?

  韩佳: 没错儿。

  Exactly.

  我们进去看看吧。

  Let’s take a look inside.

  渊源,你猜这是什么。

  Yuanyuan, guess what it is.

  王渊源:这个…

  This …

  韩佳: 这是人家的金库。

  This is the bank’s vault.

  王渊源:金库啊?

  A vault?

  那一个金库

  Why does a vault

  干吗要弄这么多小孔呢?

  have so many holes?

  韩佳: 你想,江南雨水多。

  Just imagine, there is a lot of

  rain in the Jiangnan region.

  装上了这些网状的铁板之后呢,

  After covered with the net-like

  iron plates,

  可以通风防潮,而且又安全。

  the vault becomes more drafty,

  damp-proof and secure.

  再加上它的墙都是双层的砖墙,

  And with the cavity walls,

  以前顶上还有五十厘米厚的黄沙,

  plus the former 50-cm-thick

  sand on top,

  这样还可以防火呢。

  it is also more fire-proof.

  王渊源:这么多安全措施。

  There took so many security measures.

  考虑得还真周到。

  They were attentive to

  all possibilities.

  韩佳: “周到”就是指各个方面都照顾到。

  ”Zhoudao” means to be attentive

  to all the different areas.

  王渊源:“周到”就是指各个方面都照顾到。

  ”Zhoudao” means to be attentive

  to all the different areas.

  那当时在这里设立一家中国银行,

  The Bank of China set up a here

  肯定给当时的老百姓

  must have brought a lot

  带来了很多方便。

  convenience to local people.

  旁白: 过去这里商业贸易的繁荣,

  The prosperous commerce

  and trade here

  说明了绍兴人的精明和能干。

  showed Shaoxing residents are

  quite intelligent and hardworking.

  不过,除了商业和金融业之外,

  But in addition to commerce

  and banking,

  还有一个行业能够充分表现出

  there was another trade which

  could fully

  绍兴人的才干。

  demonstrate the talent of

  Shaoxing residents.

  那就是师爷。

  It was the profession

  of counseling.

  王渊源:师爷?

  ”Shi ye”?

  师爷是什么呢?

  What was “shi ye”?

  韩佳: 过去的官员啊

  Officials in the past,

  都会在处理公务的时候呢,

  when dealing with official matters,

  请一些人当参谋,

  would hire people as advisers

  帮自己出出主意。

  for counseling purposes.

  那这些人就是师爷了。

  These people were called

  ”shi ye”.

  王渊源:我懂了。

  I see.

  是不是和现在的私人顾问差不多?

  Were they similar to the current

  private advisers?

  韩佳: 有点类似。

  Yes, quite similar.

  王渊源:类似?

  ”Leisi”?

  韩佳: “类似”就是大致相像的意思。

  ”Leisi” means similar.

  王渊源:“类似”就是大致相像的意思。

  ”Leisi” means similar.

  Zhè liǎngzhǒng zhíyè shífēn lèisì

  这 两种 职业 十分 类似。

  These two professions are

  quite similar.

  韩佳: 在师爷当中,人数最多、

  Of these private advisers,

  最出名的就是绍兴师爷。

  the most famous were

  from Shaoxing.

  在清朝有一句话

  There was a saying in the

  Qing Dynasty:

  叫“无绍不成衙”。

  ”There is no local government

  without a Shaoxing adviser”.

  就是当官的

  That is to say all officials

  一定要找一个绍兴师爷。

  would hire a private adviser

  from Shaoxing.

  王渊源:这是为什么呢?

  Why?

  韩佳: 因为当时有很多绍兴人

  Because many people in

  Shaoxing then

  都学习审判案件,

  studied judicial practice,

  而这个又正好是衙门里

  which was just all local governments’

  最主要的公事。

  most important official duty

  back then.

  所以官员们都喜欢找绍兴人帮忙。

  So all officials preferred to hire

  advisers from Shaoxing.

  王渊源:那这些绍兴人

  Why did so many people

  in Shaoxing

  为什么就愿意去当师爷呢?

  like to be private advisers?

  韩佳: 因为当时有很多绍兴人

  Because many people in

  Shaoxing then

  学习审判案件,

  studied judicial practice,

  而这正好是衙门里

  which was just all local governments’

  最主要的公事。

  most important official duty

  back then.

  再加上他们办事可靠,

  And also because they are reliable,

  所以官员们都愿意

  so these officials like to

  找这些绍兴人帮忙。

  ask for those people

  from Shaoxing.

  他们成为师爷之后,

  After they became the adviser

  for the officals,

  又会推荐自己的同乡给别的官员。

  they will recommend their town

  fellows to tht other officials.

  这样一来,从事这个行业的绍兴人

  Then more and more people

  就越来越多了。

  became the advisers in Shaoxing.

  正是因为绍兴师爷

  Just because Shaoxing advisers

  聪明能干、小心谨慎,

  were intelligent and discreet,

  所以才受到了很多官员的欢迎。

  they were welcomed by many officials.

  王渊源:聪明能干、小心谨慎?

  Intelligent and discreet?

  韩佳,这些条件我好像都有。

  Han Jia, I seem to have all

  these qualities.

  看来我也挺适合去当师爷的。

  I think I am also qualified

  to be an adviser.

  韩佳: 那我就将就将就

  Then I have to make do with

  让你当我的师爷吧。

  having you as my private adviser.

  赏心悦目:

  安昌古镇拥有上千年的历史

  The ancient town Anchang has a history

  going back more than 1,000 years.

  这是一个典型的江南水乡

  This is a typical Jiangnan waterfront town.

  民风淳朴 古韵犹存

  The centuries-old way of life and ancient charm

  几百年前的生活习俗还在延续

  have remained unchanged.

  历史上 这里曾经是绍兴地区的经济重镇

  It used to be an economic center

  in the Shaoxing area.

  不过时过境迁 昔日的记忆无法寻找

  But time has changed and memories

  of the past

  后人也只能在古老的建筑间

  are nowhere to find

  想象家乡的过去

  except these old structure.

  王渊源:欣赏了古镇风景之后呢,

  After enjoying this ancient

  town’s scenery,

  又到了我们的快乐问答时间。

  now again the happy question time.

  韩佳: 您听好了。

  Listen carefully.

  今天的题目是这样的。

  Here’s today’s question.

  (问题部分略)

  王渊源:别忘了明天同一时间,

  Don’t forget to continue to be

  with us

  继续和我们一起

  same time tomorrow

  “万里海疆快乐行”。

  for the Happy Journey across China.

  韩佳: 也别忘了我们的口号哦。

  And also 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)

Chinese Conversation – lesson 53

Monday, April 21st, 2008

流氓:嘿,你在指什么?
阿丹:对不起。他刚刚是说他喜欢你刺的龙。
流氓:我们要把你们拆成两半。
阿丹:听着,我们并不想打架。
流氓:只可惜我们想要打人。
阿丹:如果你不放过我们,我女朋友等会儿会揍扁你们。
流氓:你女友!哈哈!别让我笑掉大牙。
阿丹:我是认真的;她是合气道黑带。
流氓:好呀,咱们来看看她要如何一人对我们四个大男人。哈哈。

Thug: Hey, what are you pointing at?
Dan: We’re sorry. He was just saying he likes your dragon tattoo.
Thug: We’re gonna break you kids in two.
Dan: Look, we really don’t want to fight.
Thug: Too bad because we’re going to.
Dan: If you don’t leave us alone, my girlfriend will beat you up.
Thug: Your girlfriend! Ha-ha. Don’t make me laugh.
Dan: I’m serious; she has a black belt in aikido.
Thug: Well, let’s see how she does against four men. Ha-ha.

(Source: wwenglish.com)

Cri – Lesson 113

Monday, April 21st, 2008

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

S: Wǒ shì Stuart. Things are terrible! My wallet’s missing! 我的钱包丢了 wǒde qiánbāo diū le.

M: Did you leave it in the shop? 你把它落在商店了吗 nǐ bǎ tā là zài shāngdiàn le ma?

S: Left it in the shop? 落在商店了? Là zài shāngdiàn le? Let me think. 我想想 wǒ xiǎngxiǎng. A! Shìde. 我把它落在商店了 wǒ bǎtā làzài shāngdiàn le.

M: You must go back at once 你得马上回去。Nǐ děi mǎshàng huí qù.

S: 我同意,我马上回去 wǒ tóngyì, wǒ mǎshàng huí qù.

M: Hurry up, 快点儿 kuài diǎnr.

S: Ok, Ok!

S: I hope my wallet is still there.

M: Meanwhile, let’s look at the new things. I asked Stuart, 你把它落在商店了吗 nǐ bǎ tā . The bǎ in bǎ tā is the same bǎ as in bǎ something fàng zài somewhere. But here we use 落 LA là, instead of fàng. Là means ‘to leave accidentally’, as in ‘I left it in the shop’ là zài shāngdiàn le. So, did you leave it in the shop? nǐ bǎ tā là zài shāngdiàn le ma? Say it, everyone. 你把它落在商店了吗?

S: Now, remember 房间 ? Duìle. Room. So now everybody say, I left it in my room.

M: Completely correct. 完全正确 wánquán zhèngquè. 我把它落在我的房间了 wǒ bǎtá làzài wǒde fángjiā le.

S: Don’t forget, làmeans you left it accidentally, forgot it. If you meant to leave it, you use 留 LIU liú. So say, He left all the money in my room.

M: Wánquán zhèngquè! 他把钱都留在我的房间了 tā bǎ qián dōu liú zài wǒde fángjiān le.

S: Impossible! 不可能 bù kěnéng!

S: Back to the dialogue!

M: You must go back at once. 你得马上回去 děi, DEI, third tone, means ‘must’ or have to, děi. Mǎshàng, remember, means ‘immediately’, so, all together, nǐ děi mǎshàng huí qù, nǐ děi mǎshàng huí qù. Hurry up 快点儿 kuài diǎnr.

S: I’m sprinting!

S: Hǎo. Let’s finish with the dialogue. Yī èr sān, kāishǐ! 我的钱包丢了 wǒde qiánbāo diū le.

M: 你把它落在商店了吗 nǐ bǎ tā là zài shāngdiàn le ma?

S: 落在商店了 là zài shāngdiàn le? 我想想 wǒ xiǎngxiǎng. Shìde. 我把它落在商店了 wǒ bǎ tā là zài shāngdiàn.

M: 你得马上回去 nǐ děi mǎshàng huí qù.

S: 我同意,我马上回去 wǒ tóngyì, wǒ mǎshàng huí qù.

M: 快点儿 kuài diǎnr.

S: Does she think I’m going dawdle? It’s my money! Shì wǒde qián.

M: 再见!

S: Zàijiàn!

(Source:english.cri.cn)