Archive for March 6th, 2009

Learn Chinese Podcast – Happy China 439

Friday, March 6th, 2009

大牛:停车坐爱枫林晚,

“I stop the carriage, loving the

maple wood in the evening,

霜叶红于二月花。

The frosted leaves are redder

than the second month’s flowers.”

韩佳:跟我快乐学汉语。

Learn Chinese the fun way.

保您轻松又好记。

It’s much easier to remember.

大牛:韩佳,我这儿情绪正好的时候。

Han Jia, I’m in my best mood.

你怎么跑过来捣乱呢?

Why are you here to make trouble

with me?

韩佳:我还没说你呢。

I didn’t blame you.

都背了半天古诗了。

You have been reciting ancient

poems for a long time.

现在节目都开始了,

Now our program has already begun,

还没背完啊!

but you haven’t finished your reciting!

大牛:跟你说,我早就知道

Let me tell you that I knew

我们今天要去的地方跟红叶有关。

the place we are going to has something

to do with maple leaves.

所以想先背背古诗

So I decided to recite some

ancient poems

酝酿酝酿情绪。

to prepare my mood.

你看,你一跑过来捣乱,

You see as soon as you came

over to disrupt me,

什么情绪都没了!

all my mood has gone!

韩佳:酝酿情绪?

“yun niang qing xu”?

我觉得有必要先把酝酿

I think it necessary to explain

the meaning

给大家解释一下。

of the word “yun niang”.

“酝酿”原本是指造酒的发酵过程。

“yun niang” originally referred to the

fermentation process in wine making.

后来比喻事前做准备工作。

Later it was used to mean to prepare.

大牛:“酝酿”读四声,原本是指造酒的发酵过程,

“yun niang”, two 4th tones, originally

just meant to ferment

后来比喻事前做准备工作。

but is now used as a metaphor

for making preparations.

酝酿。

“yun niang”.

韩佳:好了。我们赶快走吧。

Enough. Let’s move.

大牛:走。

Let’s go.

这里的红叶果然是名不虚传哪,

No wonder red leaves here

真漂亮。

are so well known. They are

really beautiful.

再加上这山间云雾缭绕的

In addition, this misty valley

像仙境一样。

looks like a wonderland.

Shānjiān yúnwù liáorào,xiàng xiānjìng yíyàng.

山间 云雾 缭绕, 像 仙境 一样。

The clouds and mist drift trough

the mountains like a fairyland.

韩佳:听当地人说,

Locals told me that

我们来的正是时候。

we came here at the right time.

你看这一路上漫山的红叶。

We see red leaves everywhere

on our way.

看上去就像一朵朵红色的云彩。

They look like red clouds in

the distance.

这儿也是因为这红叶才得名的。

This place became well known

thanks to its red leaves.

大牛:听你这么一说

What you said

我倒是想起来了,

has reminded me that

我好像一直不知道这里叫什么名字。

until now I don’t know what this

place is called.

韩佳:啊?我没说过吗?

What? I didn’t say it?

瞧我这记性,真不好意思。

How could I forget it? I am sorry.

这条峡谷叫丹云峡。

This valley is called Danyun Valley.

怎么样,很好听吧?

Does this name sounds beautiful?

大牛:丹云峡,

Danyun (Red-Cloud) Valley, a name

把成片的红叶比作红色的云彩。

which compares the red leaves

to red clouds.

真形象。

It’s very vivid name.

我们难得来一次。拍拍照吧。

It isn’t easy to come here.

Let’s take some pictures.

韩佳:好啊好啊。来,拍红叶。

Good idea. Some pictures

of red leaves.

大牛:韩佳,我们现在去哪儿啊?

Han Jia, where are we going now?

韩佳:你跟着我就行了。

Just follow me.

马上就到了。

We’re arriving soon.

大牛:韩佳你总是这样。

Han Jia, you always treat me

like that.

韩佳,快来看。

Han Jia, come here and look.

我发现了一块巨大的石碑。

I’ve found a huge stone stele.

韩佳:别一副哥伦布发现新大陆的样子。

Don’t appear like Columbus having

found the New Continent.

我本来就是要带你

I actually took you here

来看这块石碑的。

just to see this stele.

Wǒ běnlái jiù shi yào dài nǐ lái kàn zhèkuài shí bēi de.

我 本来 就 是 要 带 你 来 看 这块 石 碑 的。

I had planned to bring you to

this stone tablet.

大牛:啊?白兴奋了半天!

What? I was excited for nothing!

韩佳:这可是一块很古老的碑。

It is after all a very old stele.

据考证,

According to textual researches,

它立在这里已经有1500多年了。

it has been standing here for

over 1,500 years.

大牛:历史这么悠久,

With such a long history,

那这块石碑有名字吧?

does this stele have a name?

韩佳:有啊。叫錾字碑。

Yes. It’s called the Zhanzi Stele.

大牛:这个“錾”字是什么意思呢?

What does “zhan” mean?

韩佳:“錾”是个动词,

“zhan” is a verb,

就是在砖石上凿

meaning to chisel in stone

或者在金属上刻。

or to engrave in metal.

錾字碑简单地说就是刻有字的碑。

The Zhanzi Stele means a stele

with inscriptions.

大牛:“錾”读四声,就是在砖石上凿

“zhan”, 4th tone, means to chisel

in stone

或者在金属上刻。錾。

or to engrave in metal. “zhan”.

我得好好看看。

Let me have a good look.

这个錾字碑上写了什么样的内容?

What’s written on this stele?

没准有关于宝藏的事。

Maybe, it’s about the hiding

of treasures.

韩佳:你又来了!

There you are again!

怎么又想宝藏了。

Always hoping to find treasures.

我觉得你还是想想美景比较实在。

I think it’s more realistic to concentrate

on the beautiful scenes.

大牛,你这是在干吗?

Daniel, what are you doing?

大牛:你看,那边有一个硕大的脚印。

Look, there is a huge footprint

over there.

我想量量看它到底有多大。

I want to measure its length.

韩佳:那个叫一步登天。

It’s called “yi bu deng tian”.

大牛:“一步登天”就是一下子就达到了

“yi bu deng tian”, climbing

into the heavens

最高的境界或程度。

with one step.

韩佳:对。一步登天

Yes. “yi bu deng tian”

就是说一下子就达到了

means to reach the high point

最高的境界或程度,

degree in one step,

比喻地位一下子就升得很高。

used as a metaphor to describe a

sudden rise in position.

一步登天。

“yi bu deng tian”.

Yí bù dēng tiān.

一 步 登 天。

climbing into the heavens with one step

人们在欣赏美景的同时,

When people enjoyed the

sights here,

加入了自己的想象。

they added in some of their

imaginations.

所以才有了一步登天这个景观。

That’s how the Yibudengtian scenic

spot came be known.

但一步登天终究只是人们的想象。

But it’s after all an imagination.

做任何事情都不可能一下子就成功的。

There is no success you can

attain in one go.

大牛:所以我们每个人都得坚持不懈地

Therefore, all of us should work hard

努力才行。

and perseveringly.

韩佳:说得好。不知不觉又到了

Nicely put. Before we know it,

今天赏心悦目的时间了。

it’s time again for today’s Feast

for the Eyes.

千万不要走开。

Please stay tuned.

美丽的风光之后

We’ll see you again

我们会再回来的。

after these beautiful scenes.

大牛:一会儿见。

See you later.

赏心悦目:

秋天的丹云峡

Danyun Canyon in the fall

枫叶红遍了山谷

is covered with red-leafed maple trees.

涧水飞溢 似飘逸的仙乐

The sounds of flying cascades are

like fairy music.

江水奔流 如游走的蛟龙

The stream rushes forward like a dragon.

漫山遍野的红叶

The omnipresent red leaves

仿佛天边的火烧云悄然而至

are like scarlet clouds landing

from the sky.

云雾缭绕的山间

The mist-enshrouded mountain valley

宛若神仙居住的世界

is like a fairyland.

穿行其间 仿佛行走于一幅绝美的山水画中

Walking through it is like visiting a

landscape gallery.

观众朋友们,欢迎回来。

Welcome back, viewer friends.

不知道丹云峡美丽的红叶和云雾

Did the beautiful red leaves and

misty clouds

有没有给您留下深刻的印象呢?

of Danyun Valley leave you a

deep impression?

这里山美水美。

There are beautiful hills and

rivers here.

如果您有时间的话一定要来这里看看。

If you have time, you should come

here for a visit.

韩佳:大牛,长话短说。

Daniel, make your long story short.

电视机前的观众朋友们

Our TV viewers must have been

肯定急着等你出今天的问题呢。

waiting for your question of today.

(问题部分略)

大牛:感谢您收看今天的节目。

Thanks for watching today’s program.

让我们明天同一时间不见不散。

We’ll see you tomorrow at

the same time.

我们的口号是:

Our motto is:

合: 学说中国话,朋友遍天下。

Learn Chinese and have friends everywhere.

(Source: cctv.com)

Cri – Lesson 254

Friday, March 6th, 2009

(mms://enmms.chinabroadcast.cn/new/lang/ch/studio/Lesson378.wma)

R: Welcome to Chinese Studio. Wo Shi Raymond
Y: And Wo Shi Yajie. Hey lets check out how you look.
R: What?
Y: I said we’re going to check you out?
R: I guess we’re going to look at my so beautiful hand, you know at one time I was a hand model.
Y: Right and pigs also flew over continents every weekend.

Key Words of the Day

Your skin is so good. 你的皮肤真好 “I have freckles” 我有雀斑 all in today’s Chinese Studio.

R: Wow my hands are just so nice.
Y: Whatever, but you know what’s weird?
R: What?
Y: My face reflects sunlight better than mirrors.
R: OH my gosh you’re right. Your skin is so good. 你的皮肤真好

Ni3 de pi2 fu1 zhen2 hao3
Ni3 de: your
Pi2 fu1: skin
Zhen2 hao3: very good
——————-

Y: Woa, there’s something wrong with your face.
R: Whatever, are you sure you’re looking at me, and not your own reflection?
Y: Yea, in fact there’s all these little, .. .things on you.
R: Oh ya? Like what?
Y: Oh gosh you have freckles.
R: Ya so what, they help me camouflage myself during sandstorms. Tell me how to say “I have freckles”
Y: I guess people can tell if they see you, anyways you can learn 我有雀斑
Wo2 you3 que4 ban1
Wo3: i
You3: have
Que4 ban1: freckles

————–
R: Well that concludes Chinese Studio
Y: Take care and make sure your face is clear.
R: Well here’s the quiz of the day, how do you say “Your face is so clear”
Y: Send your answer to Chinese@crifm.com
R: Website.

(Source:english.cri.cn)

China Travel – Niujie Mosque

Friday, March 6th, 2009

The Niujie Mosque is located on Niujie Street inside Guang’anmen in Beijing. It is the largest and oldest mosque in the city.

Built in 996 during the Liao Dynasty (916-1125), Niujie Mosque comprises a hall, the Bangge Building, the Wangyue Building and the stele pavilion. The hall’s wall is adorned with Arabic character carvings and various flower patterns. Color drawings on the fascia and the ceiling give the hall its unique splendor.

Shaped like a square pavilion, the Bangge Building, which stands in front of the hall, has a double-eaved gable and hip roof. From the building, a priest reminds churchgoers of the time.

The Wangyue Building is hexagonal in shape and has a double-eaved, pyramidal roof with decorations rich in Islamic colors. Two stone tablets with Arabic inscriptions and a bronze censer weighing 900 kilograms are kept in the mosque. Such cultural relics date back to the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties.

The Niujie Mosque is the site of the China Islamic Association.

(Source: chinaculture.org)