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eChineseLearning Newsletter (Jun 17, 2009) |
忽悠 (hū you) Hoodwink
Where does it originate?
忽悠(hū you) is an often-used word in northern area of China and it originates from the word 胡诱(hú yòu), which means recklessly misleading. It became popular from a witty skit "selling crutches" 卖拐(mài guăi), which is created by the comic stars Zhao Benshan, Fan Wei and Gao Xiumin in the Spring Festival Gala Evening in 2001. Since then, it has been widely spread on the internet and in daily life.
What does it mean?
The word 忽悠(hū you) means "sway" in its literal sense. Figuratively speaking, it means "to hoodwink or sway someone into doing something with flattery or by boasting."
Where is it used?
According to the meaning of 忽悠(hū you),it is used in the following contexts:
(1) to doubt;
e.g.: 你别忽悠我了。(nĭ bié hū you wŏ le.)
Don't cheat me any more.
(2) to describe a great talker;
e.g.: 这个人可真能忽悠, 没事老忽悠人。(zhè ge rén kĕ zhēn néng hū you, méi shì lăo hū you rén.)
He is really a great talker and plays tricks now and then.
(3) to instigate and persuade.
e.g.: 我们去忽悠忽悠他。(wŏ men qù hū you hū you tā.)
Let's persuade him.
吃醋(chī cù) Jealous
Where does it originate?
As it is said that 吃醋 (chī cù) comes from the court of the Tang Dynasty. Emperor Taizong intended to arrange a concubine for his premier Fang Xuanling, but Fang's wife took great efforts to prevent this happening out of jealousness. In the end, Taizong had to force her to drink poisonous wine. Fang's wife preferred to dying than giving up. She eventually drank the poisoned wine. But it turned out to only be thick vinegar with sweet and sour flavor. Since then, people use 吃醋(chī cù) to refer to jealousness.
What does it mean?
吃醋(chī cù) contains two parts. The first part 吃(chī) means "eat" and the second part 醋(cù) is vinegar. It is well-known that the feeling of jealousness which often causes quarrel and fight in serious relationship is commonly referred as 吃醋(chī cù). But in daily life, 吃醋(chī cù) is also used to describe those who are jealous of others' achievements or rewards.
How is it used?
"吃醋(chī cù)"is usually used between those who are in serious relationships. People can use it to describe a bad feeling when they see their boyfriend or girlfriend and even spouse close to others, saying "你跟他∕她那么好，我吃醋了。(nĭ gēn tā ∕ tā nà me hăo, wŏ chī cù le.)" "I am jealous of your relationship with him∕her."Or when people see that their Mr. Right behaves abnormally, they can ask "你吃醋了？(nĭ chī cù le?)" "Are you jealous?"
“三”contains the horizontal stroke
拼音(pīn yīn) pin yin: sān
含义(hán yì) meaning: three
笔画(bĭ huà) number of strokes: 3
笔顺(bĭ shun) stroke order
“六”contains the dot stroke
拼音(pīn yīn) pin yin: liù
含义(hán yì) meaning: six
笔画(bĭ huà) number of strokes: 4
笔顺(bĭ shun) stroke order
“北”contains the rising stroke
拼音(pīn yīn) pin yin: bĕi
含义(hán yì) meaning: north
笔画(bĭ huà) number of strokes: 5
笔顺(bĭ shun) stroke order
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A：请问您这套公寓多少钱一个月？
qĭng wèn nín zhè tào gōng yù duō shăo qián yí gè yuè?
Excuse me, how much is the apartment a month?
B：每个月一千块钱，不含水电费。
fáng zū mĕi gè yuè yì qiān kuài qián, bù hán shuĭ diàn fèi.
The rent is one thousand yuan a month, not including water and electricity.
A：你好！我在网上看到您的广告，您这里是有一套公寓要出租吗？
nĭ hăo! wŏ zài wăng shàng kàn dào nín de guăng gào,nín zhè lĭ shì yŏu yí tào gōng yù yào chū zū ma?
Hello! I read your advertisement on the internet. Do you still have an apartment available now?
B：是的。一室一厅，带厨房和卫生间。
shì de.yí shì yì tīng,dài chú fáng hé wèi shēng jiān.
Yes. It is a one-bed room apartment with a kitchen and a restroom.
A：公寓里有网络吗？
gōng yù lĭ yŏu wăng luò ma?
Is there internet connection in the apartment?
B：有网络，每个月的网络费用是两百元。
yŏu wăng luò,mĕi gè yuè de wăng luò fèi yong shì liăng băi yuán.
Yes, there is internet connection and the fee is two hundred yuan per month.
厨房 chú fáng： n kitchen
卫生间 wèi shēng jiān： n restroom
网络 wăng luò： n internet work
A：这个小区的环境怎么样？
zhè ge xiăo qū de huán jìng zĕn me yàng?
How is the residential community?
B：周围很安静也很安全。公寓楼的西边是一个公园，穿过那条街道是一个图书馆。
zhōu wéi hĕn ān jìng yĕ hĕn ān quán. gōng yù lóu de xī biān shì yí gè gōng yuán, chuān guò nà tiáo jiē shì yí gè
túshū guăn.
The residential area is quite and safe. There is a park over the west apartment and crossing the street is a
library.
A：房租是按月交还是按季度交？
fáng zū shì àn yuè jiāo hái shì àn jì dù jiāo?
Is the rent paid monthly or quarterly?
B：一般都是按月交的。
yì bān dōu shì àn yuè jiāo de.
It is always paid monthly.
A：我什么时候可以搬进来？
wŏ shén me shí hou ké yĭ bān jìn lái?
When can I move in?
B：您随时都可以搬进来。
nín suí shí dōu ké yĭ bān jìn lái.
You can move in at any time.
A：公寓里有家具吗？
gōng yù lĭ yŏu jiā jù ma?
Is there any furniture in the apartment?
B：常用的家具都有，如衣柜，床，沙发和电脑桌。
cháng yòng de jiā jù dōu yŏu, rú yī guì, chuáng, shā fā hé diàn năo zhuō.
The commonly used furniture like closet, bed, sofa and computer table are prepared in the apartment.
A：我们需要签订租房合同吗？
wŏ men xū yào qiān dìng zū fáng hé tong ma?
Do we need to sign any contract?
B：对，我们是要签订出租合同的。
duì, wŏ men shì yào qiān dìng chū zū hé tong de.
Yes, we should sign the rental contract.
After accepting invitations from a friend, you must choose a special gift for the host. Many things could be on your present list: fruit, clothes, or books. However, in China, the Bell “钟”(zhōng) could never be given as a present.
In Chinese, “钟”(zhōng) has the same pronunciation as “终”(zhōng), which means "the end, the death." “送钟”(sòng zhōng) means giving a bell as a present to somebody and “送终”(sòng zhōng) means attending funerals. The two homophonic phrases are naturally connected.
To avoid the bad results which are brought by good intentions, do remember not to give a Bell “钟”(zhōng) as a present to your Chinese friends.
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In 2009, a movie called 孔子(kŏngzĭ) Confucius is being filmed in China. It claims that it will give a realistic portrayal of 孔子(kŏngzĭ) Confucius’ life. Famous Chinese Hong Kong actor Yun-Fat Chow will play the leading role. Despite the 争议(zhēngyì) controversy, surrounding this movie, many people eagerly await its release.
About his name
About 2500 years ago, 孔子(kŏngzĭ) Confucius was born in the 春秋时期(chūnqiū shíqī) Spring and Autumn Period. His real name is 孔丘(kŏngqiū) Kong Qiu. 孔子(kŏngzĭ) Confucius is the name modern people use. In ancient times, he was called 孔夫子(kŏngfūzĭ) Kung fu-tzu. 夫子(fūzĭ) means "teacher." He also acquired many other respectful names after his death such as 萬世師表(wàn shì shī biăo) the 10,000 Generation Model Teacher, 至圣(zhì shèng) the Greatest Sage which all show his greatness.
A great educator
孔子(kŏngzĭ) Confucius was a great 教育家(jiàoyùjiā ) educator. He taught students using the principle of 有教无类(yŏujiāowúlèi) teaching without discrimination and boundary. As long as one had 潜力(qiánlì) potential and 决心(juéxīn ) determination, he would take them all as 弟子(dìzĭ) students. Through his life, he took in a total as many as 3000 students, and 72 became 栋梁之材(dòngliángzhīcái) a person of great ability and tremendous potential in different States at that time.
A great philosopher
孔子(kŏngzĭ) Confucius's philosophy has exerted great influence on many philosophical aspects such as study, behavior, morality, etc. His 言论(yán lùn) discourses are all collected in the 著作(zhùzuò) masterpiece: 论语(lúnyŭ) The Analects of Confucius and many of them became classics, e.g. 三人行, 必有我师焉(sān rén xíng, bì yŏu wŏ shī yān) As three men are walking together, one of them is bound to be good enough to act as my teacher. These quotations have inspired many later generations.
有教无类 yŏujiāowúlèi： adj teaching without discrimination and boundary
教育家 jiàoyùjiā： n educator
潜力 qiánlì： n potential
决心 juéxīn： n determination
栋梁之材 dòngliángzhīcái： n a person of great ability and tremendous potential
著作 zhùzuò： n masterpiece
论语 lúnyŭ： n The Analects of Confucius
争议 zhēngyì： n controversy
cóng qián,yŏu sān zhī xiăo zhū líkāi mā ma,yào qù guò dú lì de shēng huó.
Long time ago, three pigs decided to leave their moms to live independently.
2. 猪老大用稻草盖了一间房子，他很得意。
zhū lăo dà yòng dào căo gài le yì jiān fáng zi,tā hĕn dé yì.
The oldest pig built a house with straws and he was very proud of it.
3. 猪老二用树枝盖了一间房子，他很满意。
zhū lăo èr yòng shù zhī gài le yì jiān fáng zi, tā hĕn măn yì.
The second oldest pig built a house with branches of trees and he was very pleased.
4. 猪老大和猪老二去找猪老三玩，看见猪老三正在和泥，他要盖一间砖头房子哦！
zhū lăo dà hé zhū lăo èr qù zhăo zhū lăo sān wán, kàn jiàn zhū lăo sān zhèng zài huó ní,tā yào gài yì jiān zhuān
tóufáng zi ò!
The youngest pig was preparing to build a brick house while his brothers were playing.
5. 傍晚，猪老大和猪老二玩累了都回家睡觉了。猪老三还在一心一意地盖房子。房子马上就要盖好了，他很兴奋。
bàng wăn,zhū lăo dà hé zhū lăo èr wán lèi le dōu huí jiā shuì jiào le. zhū lăo sān hái zài yì xīn yí yì dì gài fáng
zi.fángzi mă shàng jiù yào gài hăo le,tā hĕn xīng fèn.
In the evening, the youngest pig was still working on his house while his brothers had gone home to sleep after
playing for a whole day. The brick house was then completed, and he was very excited.
6. 这时，狼来了……
zhè shí,láng lái le…
At that time, a wolf came…
And then, what happened to these three pig brothers? More details will come in next issue. You are welcome to create stories for these three pigs and send to us at Jennifer.Zhu@eChineseLearning.com
Instructions: Fill in the blanks
Hints:
Horizontal:
①swine flu (a word occurring in the third issue of Newsletter)
②new words (part of the conversation in each issue of Newsletter)
③grammar
Vertical:
⑴popular words
⑵law
①举jŭ
②动dòng
③新xīn
④名míng
⑤典diăn
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Learn Chinese Tip I: Where to start? Chinese Pinyin should be the first step to learn Chinese. Pinyin contains all the Chinese phonetic alphabets where they are used in the pronunciation of Chinese characters. The earlier you start Pinyin, the easier to grasp the correct pronunciation. So the Chinese for children always works very efficient.
Learn Chinese Tip II: Get a Chinese tutor Whether take Chinese classes in a classroom or take an online Chinese lesson, do practice with your professional Chinese tutor's help.
More helpful tips will come in next issue.
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