Do you like spicy food?
Basic expressions
In this lesson we will encounter the words, expressions and sentences, which will be useful when you go to a Chinese restaurant. The dialogue in this lesson is between a waitress and Mr. Ding Ming who is taking a Western friend out for dinner.
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1. |
lǐbiān |
里 边 |
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inside |
in side |
a. lĭbiān yŏu hĕn duō shū.
里边 有 很 多 书 。
There are many books inside.
b. tāmen dōu zài xuéxiào lĭbiān
他们 都 在 学校 里边。
They are in the school.
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2. |
tuījiàn |
推 荐 |
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recommend |
push recommend |
a. lăoshi tuījiàn mălì qù Bĕijīng.
老师 推荐 玛丽 去 北京。
teacher recommend Mary go Beijing
The teacher recommends Mary to go to Beijing.
b. wŏ gĕi nĭmen tuījiàn jĭ bĕn hăo shū.
我 给 你们 推荐 几 本 好 书。
I recommend some good books to you.
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3. |
cài |
菜 |
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vegetable, dish |
vegetable |
hūncài 荤菜 meat dishes
sùcài 素菜 vegetable dishes
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4. |
tián |
甜 |
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sweet |
sweet |
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5. |
xián |
咸 |
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savoury |
salty |
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6. |
là |
辣 |
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spicy |
spicy |
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7. |
suān |
酸 |
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sour |
sour |
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8. |
guǎngdōng |
广 东 |
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Canton (Guangdong Province in South China) |
Canton |
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9. |
sìchuān |
四川 |
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Sichuan (Sichuan Province in West China) |
Sichuan |
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10. |
tì |
替 |
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to take the place of, to substitute for |
for |
tì 替 for is used as a co-verb which is followed by a noun to form a co-verb clause. A co-verb clause is placed before a main verb of sentence as in
a. wŏ tì nín zuò.
我 替 您 做。
I for you do
I’ll do it for you.
b. shéi tì tā măi shū ?
谁 替 他 买 书 ？
who for him buy book
Who will buy books for him?
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11. |
diǎn |
点 |
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to order ( dishes) |
point |
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12. |
píng |
瓶 |
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bottle |
bottle |
Here it is used as a measure word as in yì píng píjiŭ 一瓶啤酒 a bottle beer: a bottle of beer.
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13. |
píjiǔ |
啤酒 |
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beer |
PI alcohol |
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14. |
xiān |
先 |
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first |
first |
It is placed before a verb, modal verb or stative verb as in
nĭ xiān xuéxí yīngwén, zài xuéxí Zhōngwén.
你 先 学习 英 文，再 学习 中 文 。
You first study English, then study Chinese.
You learn English first, then learn Chinese.
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15. |
yìhuĭr/yíhuìr |
一会儿 |
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a little while |
a little while |
This expression can be used as a time word, which is placed before verbs or subjects of sentences as in: yìhuĭr wŏ hē chá一会儿我喝茶 in a while I drink tea: in a while I’ll have some tea; or it can be used as a time measure, which is placed after a verb, as in 我看一会儿书 I read a while books: I’ll read books for a while.
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16. |
hē |
喝 |
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drink |
drink |
qĭng hē chá .
请 喝 茶 。
Please have some tea.
tāmen hē guò píjiŭ le ma ?
他们 喝 过 啤酒 了吗?
Have they drunk beer?
wŏ xĭhuan hē shuĭ, bù xĭhuan hē chá.
我 喜欢 喝 水，不 喜欢 喝 茶 。
I like drink water, not like drink tea
I would like to have water, but not tea.