Does the red one look nice?
Basic expressions
Mary is shopping in Beijing, looking for a coat. Today’s dialogue is carried out between a shop assistant and Mary. The shop assistant is trying to persuade Mary to buy a coat. Let’s learn the new expressions in the dialogue first.
1. |
shòuhuòyuán |
售 货 员 |
|
shop assistant |
sell goods person |
2. |
xiăojiĕ |
小 姐 |
|
Miss |
young sister |
A surnames is appeared before xiăojie小姐 Miss, such as
Lǐ xiăojiĕ 李小姐 Miss Li
Zhào xiăojiĕ 赵小姐 Miss Zhao
Wáng xiăojiĕ 王小姐 Miss Wang
3. |
jiàn |
件 |
|
[MW for top part of garment] |
JIAN |
4. |
hóng |
红 |
|
red |
red |
More colours are given below:
lǜ 绿 green
huáng 黄 yellow
lán 蓝 blue
zǐ 紫 purple
fěn 粉 pink
bái 白 white
hēi 黑 black
zōng 棕 brown
huāde 花的 mingle-colours
5. |
hăokàn |
好 看 |
|
beautiful |
good to look at |
Hăo好good can precede verbs of action to imply nice to as in hăotīng 好听nice to listen.
6. |
duō (me) |
多(么) |
|
how…. |
DUOME |
Duō多is followed by a stative verb to form an expression which shows speaker’s admiration, such as 多好看how beautiful!
7. |
biéde |
别 的 |
|
other |
other DE |
8. |
yánsè |
颜 色 |
|
colour |
colour colour |
9. |
shìshi |
试 试 |
|
try |
try try |
A duplicated verb is pronounced in neutral tone. A duplicated verb of action phrase implies that 1) an action which lasts for a short time, it is similar to V+一下such as in
wŏ kàn kan jiù gĕi nĭ.
a. 我 看 看 就 给 你。
I look look then give you
2) it is used to soften the tone of voice as in
ná qù gĕi tā kàn kan.
b. 拿 去 给 她 看 看。
take go give her look look
Take it to her and let her have a look.
The latter one is often used when a verb is placed at the end of a sentence. A duplicated verb is pronounced in neutral tone as indicated above.
10. |
tĭng |
挺 |
|
very |
very |
tĭng 挺 very is similar to hĕn很. tĭ
ng 挺 is more frequently used in spoken Chinese than hĕn很.
11. |
héshì |
合 适 |
|
suitable, fit |
fit suitable |
12. |
juéde |
觉 得 |
|
to feel, to think, consider |
conscious obtain |
The particle le 了for completed action is not used for verbs of feeling, such as juéde觉得.
wŏ juéde hĕn lèi.
我 觉得 很 累。
I feel/felt very tired.
13. |
yǒudiănr |
有点儿 |
|
a little bit |
have a little |
yidiănr 一点儿 proceeds a noun as in tā néng shuō (yi)diănér zhōngwén 她能说(一)点儿中文。She can speak a little Chinese. yǒudiănr 有点儿 proceeds a verb or a stative verb as in
wǒ yóu dián ér mánɡ 我有点儿忙。I am a little busy.
14. |
jĭn |
紧 |
|
tight |
tight |
a. zhè jiàn yīfu hĕn jĭn 这件衣服很紧。this clothe very tight: this top is very tight.
b. wŏ qián hĕn jĭn 我钱 很紧。 my money very tight: I am short of money.
15. |
ài |
唉 |
|
[sound sigh, used to express sadness] |
AI |
16. |
nán |
难 |
|
difficult |
difficult |
a.
zhōngwén nán中文难。Chinese is difficult.b.
yīngwén yĕ nán 英文也难。English is difficult too.
Nán 难can also be placed before a verb to indicate: difficult to…as in
c. zhōngwén nán xué
中 文 难 学。
Chinese difficult learn
Chinese is difficult to learn.
d. zhènli zhōngwén shū hĕnshăo. hĕn nán măi
这里 中 文 书 很 少,很 难 买。
here Chinese books very few very difficult buy
There are very few Chinese books here, so it is difficult to buy .
17. |
féi |
肥 |
|
fat. [It implies loose fitting.] |
fat |
18. |
yàngshì |
样 式 |
|
style |
shape type |
19. |
xīn |
新 |
|
new |
new |
20. |
mănyì |
满 意 |
|
satisfied, to be pleased |
full meaning |
21. |
huānyíng |
欢 迎 |
|
welcome |
joy to face |
a. wŏmen fēichang huānyíng nín
我 们 非 常 欢 迎 您。
we extremely welcome you
We welcome you warmly.
b. huānyíng nĭmen lái zhōngguó.
欢迎 你们 来 中国。
welcome you come China
Welcome you to China.