Posts from May 2009

Alcohol in China pt. 1

Posted by Transparent Language No Comments
May 31 2009
In China, many people do not prefer to drink 烈酒 (strong alcohol)  such as 伏特加 (vodka), 威士忌 (whiskey), 朗姆酒 (rum, also known as 甜酒).  Some people will drink  香槟 (champagne) or 白葡萄酒 (white wine) but this is more common among accomplished businesspeople.  More and more, people are learning more about things such as 红酒 (red wine) and other types of 洋酒 (foreign alcohol).  Nevertheless, there are very expensive (and highly esteemed) types of 白酒 (spirits).  Do any of the readers have Baijiu stories?

words-
烈酒 lie4jiu3 – strong alcohol
伏特加 fu2te4jia1 – vodka
威士忌 wei1shi4ji4 – whiskey
朗姆酒 lang2mu3jiu4 – rum
甜酒 tian2jiu3 – another word for rum, sweet alsochol
香槟 xiang1bin1 – champagne
白葡萄酒 bai2pu3tao1jiu3 – white wine
红酒 hong2jiu3 – red wine
洋酒 yang2jiu3 – foreign wine
白酒 bai2jiu3 – spirits

Setting Up a Party

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May 31 2009

For the surprise party, we had to prepare several different things- we needed to set out trays of 水果 (fruits), coolers with 啤酒 (beer) and 果汁 (fruit juice), bottles of  汽水 (soda), big bowls of 署片 (potato chips) and 意大利面 (pasta).  For the more health-conscious, we set out 沙拉 (salad) and for those more taste-conscious we put out 蛋糕 (cake).  游戏 (games) were played by all.  Simply stated- it was 爽 (refreshing/great).

水果 shui2(3)guo3 – fruits
啤酒 pi2jiu3 – beer
果汁 guo3zhi1 – fruit juice
汽水 qi4shui3 – soda
署片 shu3pian1 – potato chips
意大利面 yi4da4li4mian4 – pasta
沙拉 sha1la1 – salad
蛋糕 dan4gao1 – cake
游戏 you2xi4 – games
爽 shuang2- fun, cool

Long-Haul Flights

Posted by Transparent Language 1 Comment
May 29 2009

Hi readers!

I 刚才到家 (just got home) from Beijing for a week to see the 毕业典礼 (graduation ceremony) of my oldest sister.  Needless to say, when I knocked on the door she  吃惊 (was surprised).  On the flight over from Beijing, one of the 空姐 (stewardesses) was going to 退休 (retire) and this was her final 航班 (flight).  On the ride over, the 灯泡 (lightbulb) near my seat wasn’t working, so whenever I tried to read I’d practically 头晕 (get dizzy).

刚才 gang1cai2 – just now
到家 dao4jia – got home (also has another meaning to be discussed in another post)
毕业 bi4ye – graduate
典礼 dian3(2)li3 – ceremony
吃惊 chi1jing1 – be surprised
空姐 kong1jie3 – stewardess
退休 tui4xiu1 – retire
航班 hang1ban2 – flight
灯泡 deng1pao4 – lightbulb
头晕 tou2yun1 – dizzy

Beijing’s First Techno Festival

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May 24 2009

Yesterday I wen to a huge 音乐会 (concert) where the only music was 电子音乐 (electronic music).  It was held at a 广场 (plaza) in the 798 area, a place known for its new-age 艺术 (art).  Notably during the festival, there were very few 垃圾桶 (trash cans) near the areas where people were 跳舞 (dancing), leaving cups strewn all over the place.  Some people tried to jump up on stage, but a group of 保安 (guards) rushed over to move them away.  The afterparty was canceled owing to 考虑 (considerations) about security.  It’s not like this is the first time that Beijing has hosted an event with a large 观众 (audience).  Oh well, 下次吧. (next time)

音乐会 yin1yue4hui – concert
电子音乐 dian4zi3yin1yue4 – electronic music
广场 guang3(2)chang3 – plaza, public square
艺术 yi4shu4 – art
垃圾桶 la1ji1tong3 – trash can
跳舞 tiao4wu3 – dance
保安 bao3an1 – guard(s)
考虑 kao3lv4 – consider/concern
观众 guan1zhong4 – audience
下次吧 xia4ci4ba – next time

Meetings

Posted by Transparent Language No Comments
May 22 2009

Hi readers!

I’m at a 会议 (meeting) here in Beijing with a lot of high-powered companies present.  A lot of 互联网的创造者 (internet innovators) are here, as are 处理器公司 (processor companies), 股市代表 (stock market representatives), 交易平台公司 (transaction platform companies)等 (and more).  One of the main speakers was from 微软 (Microsoft), I wonder who’s eying whom here.

会议 hui4yi4 – meeting
互联网 hu4lian2wang3 – Internet
创造 chuan4zao4 – create
者 zhe1 – “er/or” like “创造者 (creator)”
处理器 chu4li3qi4 – processor
股市 gu3shi4 – stock market
代表　dai4biao3 – representative
交易 jiao1yi4 – transaction
平台 ping2tai2 – platform
微软 wei1ruan3 – Microsoft

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