Archive for May 22nd, 2008

Children Chinese – Monday – Sunday

Thursday, May 22nd, 2008

Weekdays
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

Topic: weekdays

(Source: www.chinese4kids.net)

Chinese Pinyin – Tone Mark Placement

Thursday, May 22nd, 2008

The tone mark is placed over the vowel if there is only one vowel letter.

If there are two vowels, the tone mark is placed on the first, unless the this first vowel is i or u.

kǎi hēi qiú tuī

If there are three vowels in a syllable, the tone mark is placed on the middle one.

qióng zhuāng chuán

When the tone mark is place on i, the small dot is removed.

lín huī

 

(Source: www.chineselearner.com)

Learn Chinese Podcast – Happy China 151

Thursday, May 22nd, 2008
 
 

                           Click to Watch Video Podcast

  (4月18日播出)

  旁白: 今天我们要去的地方

  The place we’re going to

  visit today

  是一座风景如画的滨海小镇,

  is a small picturesque, coastal town,

  这里有宁静的港湾;

  which has is a quiet harbor

  有古老的民居;

  as well as time-honored houses and

  还有着纯朴的渔家风俗。

  an unsophisticated fishermen’s way

  of life.

  每一个来到这里的人

  Every visitor to the place

  都会被它的美景所吸引。

  would be attracted by its scenery.

  说了这么多,

  Having talked so much,

  倒忘了告诉您了,

  I nearly forgot to tell you

  我所说的就是人们眼中的

  the picturesque town that

  I’m talking about is called

  “画中镇”温岭石塘。

  Shitang in the city of Wenling.

  韩佳: 快乐学汉语!

  Learn Chinese the fun way!

  王渊源:万里海疆行!

  And enjoy a Happy Journey

  across China!

  韩佳: 大家好,我是快乐的韩佳。

  Hello, I’m Merry Han Jia.

  王渊源:我是快乐的渊源。

  And I’m Happy Yuanyuan.

  韩佳: 我们现在来到了石塘镇的后山村。

  And now we’ve arrived in Shitang’s

  Houshan Village.

  说到这石塘啊,

  When talking about Shitang,

  就不得不提到这一座座

  we have to mention its numerous

  造型古朴的石屋。

  old and simple stone houses.

  你看它们顺着山势建造,

  Look, they are built on

  mountain slopes

  一幢挨着一幢。

  and all right next to

  each other.

  王渊源:哎,这“幢”

  Eh, is the word “zhuang”

  也可以做房屋的量词呀?

  used as a measure word

  for houses?

  韩佳: 对啊。

  Yes.

  房屋一座就叫一幢。

  Each house is considered

  ”yi zhuang”.

  Zhè xiē shíwū yízhuàng āizhe yízhuàng

  这 些 石屋 一幢 挨着 一幢。

  These stone houses are all

  right next to each other.

  这些石屋已经在这里

  And these stone houses

  屹立了一百多年了。

  have been standing here for

  over 100 years.

  王渊源:没想到它们已经有这么多年的历史。

  I never thought they have such

  a long history.

  肯定都特别坚固啊。

  I guess they must be still

  very solid.

  韩佳: 那当然了。

  That’s for sure.

  它们一般都是用内外两层

  They were normally built with

  two layers

  石头和泥浆砌成的。

  stone blocks and mortar.

  所以啊特别坚固。

  So they are very solid.

  王渊源:可是有必要把房子建得这么坚固吗?

  But is that nessary to bulid

  houses that solid?

  韩佳: 当然有必要啊。

  Surely, that is nessary.

  你想,这里靠近海边。

  You know, here is closed

  to the beach.

  经常会受到台风的袭击。

  So it often attacked by typhoon.

  只有坚固的石屋才能在这里屹立不倒啊。

  Only the solid houses like these

  can stay here stably.

  其实,除了坚固之外呢,

  In fact, in addition to being solid,

  这些石屋的好处还多着呢。

  these stone houses also have

  many other advantages.

  王渊源:那还有什么优点啊?

  What other advantages?

  韩佳: 冬暖夏凉、

  They are warm in winter and

  cool in summer

  建筑精巧啊。

  and built ingeniously as well.

  王渊源:冬暖夏凉,

  You can’t feel warm in winter

  and cool in summer

  那得住在这儿才能感受得到。

  unless you live here.

  那么这个建筑精巧

  But how can we tell

  我们从哪儿能看出来啊?

  they are ingeniously built?

  韩佳: 你看前面那幢四层高的石雕楼。

  Look at that four-storey stone

  house before us.

  它已经有一百多年的历史了。

  It has a history of more

  than 100 years.

  当时还没有水泥。

  There was no cement at

  the time it was built.

  全部都是用一块块雕凿的

  It was built completely with

  很精细的方形大石块儿堆起来的。

  finely chiseled stone blocks.

  王渊源:这些石块儿之间,

  Between these stone blocks,

  居然一点儿缝隙都没有啊。

  there isn’t any gaps at all.

  简直太妙了!

  It’s really amazing!

  韩佳: 嗯。用得也挺妙啊。

  Yes. You used the word

  also really well.

  “简直”是个副词。

  ”Jianzhi” is an adverb.

  表示完全如此,一点儿不错,

  It means really or simply

  带有夸张的语气。

  and is often used with a tone

  of exaggeration.

  那我们可以说,

  So we can say

  今天的天气简直太热了。

  today is really so hot.

  王渊源:“简直”表示完全如此,一点儿不错,

  So “jianzhi” means really or simply

  带有夸张的语气。

  and is often said with a tone

  of exaggeration.

  那我也来举个例子吧。

  Let me also give an example.

  这里的景色简直太美了!

  The scenery here is really

  so beautiful!

  Zhèxie shíwū jiǎnzao de jiǎnzhí tài jīngqiǎo le

  这些 石屋 建造 得 简直 太 精巧 了!

  The construction of these stone houses

  is really so exquisite!

  韩佳: 也正是因为它们建造得

  Just because these houses

  were built

  既精巧又牢固,

  both so exquisitely and

  so solidly,

  所以呢才能经受得住

  they can withstand

  海边台风的袭击。

  the onslaughts of typhoons.

  王渊源:哦。那那些屋顶上的石头

  Oh. Are those stones placed

  on the rooftop

  是不是也是为了防御台风的呀?

  also for protection against typhoons?

  韩佳: 嗯,没错儿。

  Yes, exactly.

  不过啊它们还有另外一个用途。

  But they have another function.

  王渊源:什么用途啊?

  What function?

  韩佳: 装饰屋顶啊。

  They also serve as rooftop decorations.

  你看,它们像不像

  Look, do they look like

  给屋顶装上了一圈石头的花边啊?

  a decorative stone rim for

  the rooftop?

  王渊源:还真是啊。

  Yes, indeed.

  韩佳: 我听说有的人家呢,

  I heard some families

  还会在屋顶用石头摆一个

  placed such stones in the shape

  大的喜字或者是福字。

  of “xi” or “fu” to symbolize happiness.

  那石塘的渔民们啊,

  Fishermen in Shitang

  就是用这种方式

  simply use this method

  来表达对生活的祝福的。

  to express their blessings

  for their life.

  王渊源:你看,那边好热闹!

  Look, what an exciting scene

  over there!

  咱们也过去看看吧。

  Let’s go over and take a look.

  韩佳: 好啊。

  Okay.

  王渊源:韩佳,他们这跳的是什么舞啊?

  Han Jia, what dance are

  they dancing?

  韩佳: 这就是石塘传统的

  This is Shitang’s traditional

  渔家舞蹈——大奏鼓。

  fishermen’s dance-Dazougu.

  每当逢年过节

  On New Year’s Day

  或者是其他喜庆的日子,

  and every other festive occasion,

  渔民们为了祈求平安和丰收呢

  fishermen here would dance this dance

  就会跳起这种舞蹈。

  to express their wishes for peace

  or good catches.

  那它最大的特点啊

  And its biggest distinction is that

  就是除了鼓手之外,

  except the drummer, who is

  also a man,

  其他演员都是男扮女装的。

  all performers are men dressed

  like women.

  王渊源:这倒是挺有意思的。

  That’s quite interesting.

  韩佳: 嗯。我还听说啊,

  Yes. I also heard

  这种舞蹈呢

  this dance originated

  最早是从渔家妇女迎接丈夫

  from rituals of housewives welcoming

  打渔归来的仪式发展而来的。

  the return of their husbands

  from a fishing trip.

  那到现在呢,

  Till now,

  已经有好几百年的历史了。

  it has a history of several

  hundred years.

  王渊源:哦,我明白了。

  Now I’m clear.

  他们现在跳的就是

  Now they are dancing to express

  妻子迎接丈夫回家,

  the happiness of wives upon

  the return

  欢天喜地的样子,对吧?

  of their husbands, right?

  韩佳: 嗯。“欢天喜地”这个成语啊

  Yes. The idiom “huan tian xi di”

  是用来形容非常快乐、

  is used to describe a happy

  高兴的样子。

  or overjoyed state of mind.

  用在这里很恰当。

  You used it perfectly.

  王渊源:“欢天喜地”就是高兴的样子。

  ”Huan tian xi di” means overjoyed.

  韩佳: 其实啊,表演大奏鼓呢

  As a matter of fact, the drummer plays

  鼓手非常关键。

  the key role in performing Dazougu.

  他是整个儿队伍的灵魂。

  He is the soul of the entire troupe.

  而且鼓声的轻重缓急啊

  The intensity, frequency and tempo

  也是非常讲究的。

  of the drumbeat is critically important.

  你仔细听听就能体会到了。

  You’ll understand if you listen carefully.

  王渊源:确实很有节奏感。

  It’s surely very rhythmic.

  跟着这个节奏,

  Following the rythm,

  我都忍不住想加入他们的队伍中了。

  I’m also itching to join them.

  韩佳: 哎,看来这大奏鼓还真有魅力。

  Hey, it seems Dazougu Dance

  is really appealling.

  您看,渊源也被吸引进去了。

  Look, Yuanuan was also

  drawn into them.

  那这样吧,

  Well,

  让我们在接下来的时间里,

  in the next segment,

  跟随着欢快的鼓点

  let’s follow the joyful drumbeat

  一起来看看今天的赏心悦目。

  and watch today’s Feast for

  the Eyes

  再来领略一下石塘的美丽风光吧。

  so as to get a glimpse of Shitang’s

  beautiful scenery.

  我们一会儿见。

  See you in a moment.

  赏心悦目:

  地处东南沿海的石塘镇

  Shitang is a coastal town in southeast China.

  居民世代以打鱼为生

  People here live by fishing for generations.

  独具特色的石屋民居古朴而精巧

  The stone houses here are simple

  but all ingeniously built.

  一幢幢 一排排形成了这里独有的景观

  They are tourist attractions in their own right.

  传统的渔家舞蹈 大奏鼓

  Dazougu is the fishermen’s traditional dance.

  是这里渔民祈求平安和丰收的形象表达

  It expresses their wishes for peace

  and good catches.

  造型美观 坚固实用的石屋

  These elegant, solid and practical stone houses

  体现着劳动者的聪明和智慧

  reflect the ingenuity and wisdom of the builders.

  王渊源:迷人的风光,

  Having seen the fascinating scenery,

  古朴的民居,

  the archaic houses

  还有原汁原味的渔家舞蹈。

  and the unadulterated fishermen’s dance.

  韩佳,我觉得

  Han Jia, I think

  咱们今天的收获可真是不少。

  our trip today is a most rewarding one.

  韩佳: 没错儿。

  Exactly.

  不过你呀还漏了一样。

  But you omitted one thing.

  王渊源:什么?

  What was that?

  还有新学的汉语知识,对吧?

  We also learned some new

  knowledge of Chinese, right?

  韩佳: 没错儿。

  Exactly.

  那现在呢就要给大家

  Now we’re gong to set

  出今天的有奖问答题了。

  today’s award-winning question.

  您听好了。

  Listen carefully.

  (问题部分略)

  在这里呢,要提醒您

  Here, we’d like to remind you

  别忘了明天同一时间,

  Don’t forget to continue

  to be with us

  继续跟我们一起

  same time tomorrow

  “万里海疆快乐行”啊。

  for the Happy Journey across China.

  王渊源:当然,我们的口号也不能忘。

  And of course, our slogan

  should not be forgotten.

  合: 学说中国话,朋友遍天下!

  Learn Chinese and make friends everywhere!

  韩佳: 明天见。

  See you tomorrow.

      (Source: cctv.com)