Archive for July 20th, 2008

Chinese Conversation – lesson 143

Sunday, July 20th, 2008

无可争议,牛顿的头脑是最高才智的头脑,然而当问到他是用什么方法获得惊人的发现时,牛顿谦虚地回答:“全靠对那些问题不断地深思。”牛顿的事例和其它事例一样,就是靠孜孜不倦的努力和坚持不懈的精神,他才获得了极大的声望。

Newton’s was unquestionably a mind of the very highest order, and yet, when asked by what means he had worked out his extraordinary discoveries, he modestly answered, “By always thinking unto them.” It was in Newton’s case, as in every other, only by diligent application and perseverance that his great reputation was achieved.

(Source: wwenglish.com)

Cri – Lesson 25

Sunday, July 20th, 2008
 
Cam: Perfect Chinese your way, in only five minutes a day. Welcome to Chinese Studio, I’m Cam. 早上好, Yajie.
Yajie:早上好(zǎoshang hǎo), Cam. Last time we learned how to say some words related to time. Cam, do you remember how to say “what time is it now?” in Chinese?
Cam: I sure do. It’s现在几点?(xianzai ji dian?)
Yajie: Then how do you say half past six in Chinese?
Cam: It’s六点半(liu dian ban).
Yajie: Today I will teach you what to say when you are shopping.
Cam: I definitely need that.  I always want to buy some street food, but I never know what it is, or how to ask the price.  How do you say “how much is it” in Chinese?
Yajie: Let’s find out in today’s Key words of the day.************Key words of the day
Today we’ll learn some expressions when you buy something.元、角、分. 这个多少钱?How much is it? 三块, three yuan. All in today’s Chinese Studio.  
***********

Yajie: Chinese currency is called Renminbi.  It is composed of 元、角, 分.
Cam: 元(yuan), 角(jiao), 分(fen).
Yajie: one元(yuan) equals ten角(jiao), and one角(jiao) equals10分(fen).
Cam: I heard that元 is also called 块(kuai) in Chinese. For example 六块 (liu kuai).
Yajie: Yes. You are right. And in colloquial Chinese, 角(jiao) is also called毛(mao).
Conversations:

Yajie: From the conversations you may hear “这个多少钱” ?
Cam: What does that mean?
Yajie: “这个多少钱” means how much is it? 这个means this in English. 这个. Or you can say zhèige. 
Cam: 这个(zhèige).
Yajie: 多少means how much. 多, d-u-o, the first tone; 少,s-h-a-o, the third tone. Literally, 多means “many or much”, 少 means “few or little”. But together it means “how much… ? or how many…?”
Cam: 多少 (duoshao).
Yajie: 钱 means money. 钱, q-i-a-n, the second tone. It’s the generic term for currency or money.
Cam: 钱 (qian).

Conversations:

Cam: So Yajie, If I want to buy some apples, how do I say“How much are these apples?”
Yajie: Good question. In Chinese “How much are these apples?” is pingguo duo sha chan?
Cam: 苹果多少钱 (píngguǒ duōshao qián)?
Yajie: 苹果 is apple.
Cam: 苹果 (píngguǒ)  So I can say pingguo duōshao qián?
Yajie: Great! pingguo duōshao qián?

Cam:  So Yajie, what would the answer be?
Yajie:  Well, let’s say the apples cost 3 yuan per half a kilogram.  In Chinese, this is:  pingguo san kuai qian yi jin. San kuai means three yuan.  Yi jin means half a kilogram.
Cam:  So the apples cost three yuan for a half a kilogram.  Pingguo san kuai qian yi jin.

Conversations:

************ Key words Reminder
Today we’ve learned the expressions when you buy something. 元、角、分. 您好,请问苹果多少钱?三块钱一斤。 
***********

Yajie: That’s all for today.  Next time you are buying something in China, make sure you practice these new phrases.  You can also win a CRI gift by answering the question of the day: How do you say “how much is it” in Chinese?
Cam: You can send us your answer along with questions or comments to Chinese@crifm.com.  That’s Chinese@crifm.com.  Or you can visit us on our website at en.chinabroadcast.cn. Click learn Chinese, where you can enjoy other free Chinese-learning programs.
Yajie: Well class is over. 再见!
Cam: 再见!

(Source:english.cri.cn)

China Travel – Tomb of Princess Yongtai

Sunday, July 20th, 2008
 

Princess Yongtai was the granddaughter of Emperor Gaozong (Li Zhi) and Empress Wu Zetian, the seventh daughter of Emperor Zhongzong (Li Xian). She died in the 1st year (701) of the Dazu reign at the age of 17. In 706, she was buried with the emperor’s son-in-law Duwei (captain) Wu Yanjin, the nephew of Wu Zetian, at the side of the Qianling Mausoleum.

 

The tomb is surrounded by walls. The wall is 275m from the north to the south, and 220m from the east to the west. There stand a couple of stone lions, a couple of ornamental columns and two couples of stone human statues outside the southern wall. The hillock is in the center of the mausoleum, and is 14 meters high with each side measuring 56 meters. The coffin chamber below the hillock consists of the slope-type tomb path, south path, the front and the back coffin chambers, and is 87.5 meters long, 3.9 meters wide, and 16.7 meters deep.

 

On the west of the rear room stands a kistvaen carved with images of maids-in-waiting images. The coffin chamber had been robbed in the early years, but there are still more than 1,300 pieces of valuable unearthed cultural relics, such as gold utensils, silver utensils, tri-color glazed pottery tomb figures, china and copper wares. The frescos are painted in the coffin chamber. The east and west sides of the tomb path are painted with black dragon, white tiger and honor guard; the east and west walls of the front room are painted with images of maids-in-waiting; the roof of the rear house is painted with the astronomical phenomena. The ladies in the frescos are plump and graceful. They are high-level works among the discovered frescos in the tombs of the Tang Dynasty.

(Source: chinaculture.org)