Eeny, meeny, miny, moe.

[Koneko]

Dear All,

What is the Mandarin equivalent of the above phrase, "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe", a children counting ryhme used for selection?

I have heard of the Hokkien version before, something like, "Di di duo tiap nor wei di tiap. Di di duo tiap di duo tiap" I don't even know how to write this out in Chinese!

Thanks!

K.

[againstwind]

小锅炒豆，越炒越臭，臭了扔房后．房后有条狗，被狗咬一口

which one is counted at 口, which one will be selected.

but I guess there are more versions in China.Different versions exist at different areas.

[Koneko]

小锅炒豆，越炒越臭，臭了扔房后．房后有条狗，被狗咬一口

Thanks!

So do you reckon that's the Beijing version?

[againstwind]

emm, I heard it from my friends from North China but not sure if it's Beijing version.

In fact, I also know the version from my hometown in the Southwest China, BUT I can merely speak it but do not know how to write. I reckon they're some syllables without meanings.

[Koneko]

Ha ha... Precisely! Just like the Hokkien version above. I don't even know how to write it down - it's just some saying passed down from the old generation, I think.

[Quest]

Cantonese: 点指兵兵点兵兵，点着谁人做大兵。

I used to knwo mroe when I was a kid... forgotten most of them... good times.

[Koneko]

Thanks Quest!

You know what?

I just remember this in Cantonese as well!

It's something like 点虫虫，虫虫飞... ...

Does it ring any bell to you?!

K.

[Quest]

点虫虫，虫虫飞，飞到荔枝基 is not minimo...

[elina]

I heard this:

泥锅，泥碗，你滚蛋

which one is counted at 蛋, which one will be removed.

[chenpv]

A little bit off topic. How is this 'Eeny, meeny, miney, moe' working? Alphabetically? Syllably? Or word by word? I just can't imagine how this rhyme works when a group has to select one for the good or the bad......

[Koneko]

点虫虫，虫虫飞，飞到荔枝基

So what is it then, Quest? Is it like a lullaby or something? I heard this when I was a kiddie.

泥锅，泥碗，你滚蛋

Do you use this to "choose" or to "get rid off" selection items?

The phrase seems to suggest the latter.

How is this 'Eeny, meeny, miney, moe' working?

I would use the short version, ie, "eeny, meeny, miney, moe" to select a short list of items, say maybe 4 to 5. Each count would be represented by one syllable.

For a long list of items, I would use the complete version of the ryhme:-

"Eeny, meeny, miney, moe,

Catch a nigg** but his toe,

If he squeals let him go,

Eeny, meeny, miney, moe,

And you are it."

And in this case, each count is represented by one word.

K.

[elina]

Do you use this to "choose" or to "get rid off" selection items?

The phrase seems to suggest the latter.

You’re right, yes, it’s the latter. I also wanted to express this meaning, but with a different way of “which one is counted at 蛋, which one will be removed” in my previous post, and obviously my English expression is not 地道的 as yours.

By the way, how to say “地道的”? Pure?

[Koneko]

my English expression is not 地道的 as yours.

Oh please don't say that since we're all living in this shrinking global village where boundaries no longer differ us from 道地 and 外地.

By the way, how to say “地道的”? Pure?

Perhaps, "native" or "local"?

Better consult your dictionary.

K.

[dalaowai]

I just ran a search on baidu.com as a translation I was doing had "eeny meeny miny moe" and chinese-forums.com was on the first page of results!

I also found another way of saying this:

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