Lesson Twenty-four A

Welcome to my home

Basic expressions

Living standard in China has improved since the early 80s, but the living space is still comparatively crowded. A westerner will find difficult to stay with a Chinese family, although it is not too difficult for him to have find a chance to visit a Chinese friend at home. Today’s dialogue is carried out between Mr. Zhang Yuming and his visitor from West, Mr. Light. Let’s learn the new words in the dialogue first.

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We have learned the word zhèli 这里 here , nàli那里 there.

 lĭ 里inside and is often placed after a noun or pronoun to indicate inside a place (normally change to a neutral tone), such as:

      a. zhèli 这里 here

      b. jiāli  家里  in a family, home

      c. lóuli 楼里 in a building

      d. fàngguǎnrli 饭馆里 in a restaurant

lĭ 里 CANNOT be used after a name of place,  and it is wrong to say :

zhōngguó lǐ (中国里)

bĕijīng lǐ  (北京里)

lúndūn lǐ（伦敦里）

You have learned the structure ‘yìbiān  (一边)… yìbiān ( 一边)…’ which indicates two actions taking place at the same time. Here biān (边) has a noun meaning.

a. dōngbiān 东边     east side

b. xībiān 西边          west side

c. lĭbiān 里边            inside

d. lóuliăngbiān 楼两边            both sides of  a building

biān 边 is often used after some position words, such as:

e. qián 前 front +  biān 边=  qiánbiān前边

f. hòu 后 back +  biān 边  =  hòubiān后边

g. zuŏ 左 left  +  biān 边  =  zuŏbiān  左边

h. yòu 右 right +  biān 边 =  yòubiān  右边

i. shàng 上 up, above +  biān 边 =  shàngbiān 上边

j. xià 下 below, down + biān 边 =  xiàbiān 下边

k. páng 旁 side  +  biān  边 =  pángbiān 旁边

l. wài 外 out   +   biān 边 = wàibiān 外边

zuòkè 作客 to be guest

kètīng客厅 living room, sitting room

píngmĭ平米 square metre

a. zhè ge  yóujú         hé  nà ge   yínháng  zhījiān

    这 个   邮局        和  那 个    银行     之间

  this GE post office and that GE bank between

  Between this post office and that bank.

b. zhè ge  yóujú         hé  nà    ge   yínháng zhījiān yŏu  hĕn  duō    rén

    这 个   邮局         和  那    个  银行    之间   有   很   多      人 。

  this GE post office   and that GE  bank  between has very many people

  There are many people between this post office and that bank.

c. xīngqī yī dào xīngqī wŭ zhījiān 

    星期 一  到  星期   五   之间

    Monday  to   Friday    between

    From Monday to Friday 

d. xīngqī yī   dào xīngqī wŭ  zhījiān     wŏ  yŏu kòngr.

    星期 一   到  星  期 五  之间      我   有  空儿。

    Monday    to  Friday       between   I    have free time

    I will be free from Monday to Friday.

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nĭmen yígòng  xuéxi  le  duōshao   kè 

你们   一共  学习  了 多   少     课 ？

you     total    study LE how many lessons

How many lessons have you studied totally?

The combination of zuŏ 左 and yòu 右 can be placed after a number word and measures word, implies about. For instance, sān diăn zuŏyòu 三点左右 three o’clock about: about three o’clock.

wŏ  jiā       lí     shāngdiàn hĕn yuăn     wŏmen  măi dōngxi   hĕn  bù  fāngbiàn.

我   家     离    商店        很    远 。 我们    买    东西    很   不   方便。

my home from   shop        very  far.     We      buy   things  very  not convenient

My home is far from the shop. It is inconvenient for us to go shopping.

a. wŏ  yŏu  shì,     qĭng     nĭ dĕng yíxià

    我   有   事,     请       你 等   一下。

     I have matter   Please you wait a while

    I am busy. Wait for a moment.

b.  nĭ   bú  yào dĕng  tā.     tā   qù   zhōngguó le

    你  不   要   等    他 。他  去  中国      了。

    you no need wait him.    He go  China       LE

   Don’t wait for him. He has left to China.