Mandarin Chinese-- Lesson 54 (Modest and honorific words in Chinese (II))

Chinese Language Learning Program

Lesson 54 – Modest and honorific words in Chinese (II)

Hello, everyone. Welcome back. This is Baixue’s Chinese Language Learning Program. Last time, we learn modest and honorific words in Chinese part I. Today, we will talk about some modest and honorific words in Chinese part II.

gōng xǐ

   恭   喜 (congratulations)

nǐ jià shǐ cè yàn hé gé le？gōng xǐ！

你 驾  驶  测  验   合  格 了？ 恭　喜！

(You've passed your driving test? Congratulations!)

qǐng wèn

  请    问 (please; would; could)

dǎ rǎo le，qǐng wèn dào yóu jú zǒu nǎ tiáo lù？

 打 扰  了，  请　 问　 到　邮  局  走   哪  条   路？

(Excuse me, could you tell me the way to the post office?)

  

cì jiào

赐 教 (grant instruction)

qǐng bù lìn cì jiào.

  请　不 吝 赐  教。

(Please favour [enlighten] me with your instructions.)

  

bài tuō

 拜  托 (request sb. to do sth; please; come on.)

wǒ zhēn xū yào nǐ shì yòng kàn kàn —bài tuō!　

 我　真　需  要   你 试　 用　 看　看  — 拜   托!　

(I really want you to put it to the test -- please!  )

nǐ yào shì zuò fàn de huà, bài tuō bié nòng dé yī tuán zāo.

你  要   是   做　饭  的  话,    拜   托  别　 弄　得  一  团　糟。

(If you cook, please just don't make a mess.)

  

gāo jiàn

  高  见 (brilliant idea)

nǐ duì zhè yī tí mù yǒu hé gāo jiàn？

你  对  这  一 题 目  有　何   高   见？

(What are your views on the subject?)

  

bài fǎng

 拜    访 (visit)

zhè gè shí jiān qù bài fǎng shì bù hé shì de.

  这  个   时   间　去  拜　访　 是  不  合   适   的。

(This is the wrong time to make a visit.)

shī yíng

 失   迎 (fail to meet (a guest))

zuó tiān shī yíng le，hěn bào qiàn.

 昨 天　失　迎　了，很　抱　 歉。

(Sorry I was out when you called yesterday.)

guāng lín

    光    临 (coming; visit; to presence)

huān yíng nǐ men guāng lín wǒ xiào.

欢　  迎   你   们　   光　 临  我　校。

(Welcome you to our school.)

fèng péi

  奉    陪 (keep sb. Company)

shù bù fèng péi.

  恕  不　奉　陪。

  

shī péi

 失  陪 (Excuse me for my leaving or my absence.)

shī péi yī xià，wǒ xiǎng shì mén líng (zài xiǎng le).

 失  陪  一 下， 我 　想　  是    门　铃   (在　 响　了)。

  

Ok, today’s idiom is

                         zuǒ sī yòu xiǎng

                          左  思  右    想

 ---means “keep thinking; Think over and over.”

Ok, that is all for today.

xiè  xiè!

 谢  谢 ! (Thanks!)

xià  cì  jiàn 

 下  次  见!  (See you next time!)

Mandarin Chinese-- Lesson 53 (Modest and honorific words in Chinese (I))

Chinese Language Learning Program

Lesson 53 – Modest and honorific words in Chinese (I)

 Hello, everyone. Welcome back. This is Baixue’s Chinese Language Learning Program. Last time, we learn a Chinese tongue twister. Today, we will talk about some modest and honorific words in Chinese.

Some American friends asked me a question about why Chinese people are not polite some times. For example, when they go to a restaurant, they will say:” wǒ xiǎng yào yí gè hàn bǎo bāo. (我想要一个 汉堡包)” (I want to have a hamburger.) My American friends will say just like this:“Could I have a hamburger, please?”

Well, I have to say that this is only a Chinese talking habit. This does not mean that Chinese people are not polite. They just do not know how to speak English politely. But we do have a lot of modest and honorific words you may not know. Ok, let’s talk about some of these Chinese modest and honorific words today. Some of these words are used long time ago, but we are still using them in China now.

lìng zūn

 令   尊 (your father)

zhè shì lìng zūn de dà bǐ.

  这  是   令    尊   的  大 笔。

(This is your father's handwriting.)

lìng tang

 令    堂 (your mother)

dài wǒ xiàng lìng táng wèn hòu，bié wàng le.

 代  我     向     令     堂    问     候，   别     忘   了。

(Say hello to your mother for me, please don't forget it.)

jiǔ yǎng

久   仰 ( be very pleased to meet someone.) When you first time meet someone, you say jiu yang.

jiǔ yǎng, jiǔ yǎng.

 久   仰,    久   仰

(I have heard so much about you.)    

 jiǔ wé

 久  违 (long time no see.)

hěn jiǔ méi jiàn miàn le,  jiǔ wéi le.

  很  久   没　见　面  了,  久 违  了。

(It is a long time since I saw you last.)

qiàn ān

  欠   安 (not feeling well physically)

wǒ de péng yǒu men gào sù wǒ shuō nǐ jìn lái shēn tǐ

 我  的    朋　 友　们　 告   诉  我　说　你 近 来  身  体　　

qiàn ān.

  欠   安。

(My friends told me that you've been unwell.)

zhǐ jiào

 指  教 (give advice or comments.)

qǐng nín duō jiā zhǐ jiào.

 请　 您   多   加  指   教。

(Kindly give us your advice.)

bāo han

  包   涵 (excuse, forgive)

yǒu shén me cuò wù，hái qǐng nǐ bāo hán.

  有　 什　么   错   误，  还　请   你  包　涵。

(Please excuse any mistakes there may be.)

láo jià

 劳  驾 (Excuse me；please)

láo jià bāng wǒ kàn yī xià xíng lǐ, hǎo ma？

 劳  驾   帮　 我   看  一  下   行  李,  好   吗？

(Will you please keep an eye on my luggage?)

jiè guāng

借    光 (excuse me; ask for help or favour; Please)

qǐng jiè guāng ràng ràng lù！

 请　借　 光　    让　 让   路！

(Please make a way for us.)

dǎ rǎo

 打 扰 (bother; interrupt)

duì bù qǐ，dǎ rǎo nǐ yī xià，wǒ néng gēn nǐ tán yī

 对  不 起，打  扰  你 一 下， 我　 能　  跟  你 谈  一

huì er ma？

 会  儿 吗 ？

(I'm sorry to disturb you, but can I talk to you for a moment?)

Ok, today’s idiom is

              duì niú tán qín

               对   牛   弹  琴

---means “play the lute to a cow; or cast [throw] pearls before swine. -- to have [choose] the wrong audience or to waste one's effort.”

Ok, that is all for today.

xiè  xiè!

 谢  谢 ! (Thanks!)

xià  cì  jiàn 

 下  次  见!  (See you next time!)