Learn Chinese

Y: This is exhausting but fun, dajia hao, zhe li shi huan le han yu, you’re listening to Chinese Studio Wo shi Y.
B: Not only are we perfecting our dancing, it’s also a great way to improve our Chinese, wo shi R. We’re suckers for punishment, put your glad rags on, and come and join the fun.
Y: Here are our key words of the day.

Key words of the day
Ballroom dancing,  交谊舞,Chacha 恰恰 Foxtrot 狐步舞, Samba,桑巴舞，Latin dance,拉丁舞， tap dancing, 踢踏舞，Hold me tight 你得抱紧我。All in today’s Chinese Studio.

B: Let’s start with something a bit gentler than that high energy yao2 guan3, rock and roll. How about some ballroom dancing, what do ya say Y?
Y: hao zhuyi, good idea. By the way, ballroom dancing is called jiao1 yi4 wu3,
B: jiao1 yi4 wu3, ballroom dancing.
Y: yi4 in Chinese means friendship, so it’s a dancing for friendship. 
B: and wu3 means dancing,
Y: jiao1 yi4 wu3
B: jiao1 yi4 wu3, ballroom dancing. We started the other day with the hua2 er3 zi1, the waltz. What else happens on the ballroom dance floor?
Y: There’s the foxtrot, which we simply call it hu2 bu4 wu3,
B: hu2 bu4 wu3,
Y: fox in Chinese is hu2,
B:  hu2,
Y: bu4 means steps,
B: bu4,
Y: wu3 is dancing,
B: wu3,
Y: hu2 bu4 wu3
B: hu2 bu4 wu3, the foxtrot,

Conversation 1
A: 你会跳狐步舞吗？
B: 不会。我只会跳华尔兹。

B: That foxtrot and waltz stuff are quite formal, let’s try some Latin.
Y: Ah, now that’s when the fun really begins, la1 ding1 wu3, Latin dance.
B: la1 ding1 wu3, and my favorite’s the samba, hot and spicy.
Y: It sure is, sang1 ba1 wu3, samba.
B: sang1 ba1 wu3, samba.
Y: and also there’s chacha, which we simply call it qia4 qia4.
B: Sounds similar, qia4 qia4, chacha.

Conversation 2
A: 你想学拉丁舞吗？
B: 想啊，我特别想学桑巴舞。
A: 我想学恰恰。

B: You know, with these Latin dances, you’ve gotta hold your partner tight, or it just doesn’t work.
Y: I get your drift R, you need to learn to say: ni2 dei3 bao4 jin2 wo3. Hold me tight.
B: ni2 dei3 bao4 jin2 wo3.
Y: ni3 means your partner,  
B: ni3,
Y: dei3, need to do something, 
B: dei3,
Y: bao4 to hold,
B:  bao4,
Y: jin3, tight,
B:  jin3,
Y: wo3 means I,
B:  wo3,
Y: ni2 dei3 bao4 jin2 wo3.
B:  ni2 dei3 bao4 jin2 wo3.Hold me tight.

Conversation 3
A: 跳拉丁舞的时候，你得抱紧我。
B: 好的。

B:  So what kind of dance would you like to learn, Y?
Y: tap dancing. ti1 ta4 wu3.
B: ti1 ta4 wu3,
Y: ti1 literally means to kick,
B: ti1, 
Y: ta4, literally it means to step,
B: ta4,
Y: wu3 is dancing,
B:  wu3,
Y: ti1 ta4 wu3.
B:  ti1 ta4 wu3. tap dancing.

Conversation 4
A: 你的踢踏舞练得怎么样了？
B: 还可以。踢踏舞还是挺有意思的。

B: The band’s having a little break, I think we might need one too. But before we do, what’s our question of the day Y?
Y: Remind us how to say, “tap dancing”.
B: And send your email answer to Chinese@crifm.com. Hurry along and you could win yourself that prize. Mingtian jian.
Y: Zai jian.

(Source:english.cri.cn)