zozzen Posted January 31, 2008 at 07:50 PM Report Posted January 31, 2008 at 07:50 PM What's 花街 to you, brothels? 花街 seems to be a red-light district for me, possibly due to "花街柳巷". A famous gift for the Spring Festival in Hong Kong is called "花街朱古力" . Quote
Quest Posted February 2, 2008 at 02:43 AM Report Posted February 2, 2008 at 02:43 AM Here's a song I found on youtube 行花街: http://youtube.com/watch?v=BRgtUnZW8EE I am surprised the word would have such connotations in HK, because I thought the tradition was inherited from Guangzhou immigrants. Although also used, 花市 sounds too formal. Quote
floatingmoon Posted February 2, 2008 at 04:24 AM Author Report Posted February 2, 2008 at 04:24 AM yeah, such as in HK people call air condition as 冷气，in GuangZhou they call it 空调。 HK flower market has many interesting 迎節products, but you have to be self control and not to buy too much 不太有實際用途 products. But buying one or two it's "okay". For me, Chinese New Year = it's mostly eating 年糕，马豆糕，萝卜糕。 Quote
studentyoung Posted February 2, 2008 at 05:05 AM Report Posted February 2, 2008 at 05:05 AM 花街 seems to be a red-light district for me, possibly due to "花街柳巷". 花街 means 花市一条街 in Guangzhou. According to your explanation, zozzen, I wonder if the word“花街”in “摆花街Lyndhurst Terrace” in Hong Kong might possibly mean “red –light district”in your mind? Cheers! Quote
skylee Posted February 2, 2008 at 06:00 AM Report Posted February 2, 2008 at 06:00 AM 花街 indeed reminds me of 花街神女 and 花街柳巷. Quote
studentyoung Posted February 2, 2008 at 06:11 AM Report Posted February 2, 2008 at 06:11 AM 花街 indeed reminds me of 花街神女 and 花街柳巷. I don’t deny it and I respect it as your freedom. I just wonder if 花街 just means "red-light district"? What does "花街" exactly mean in "摆花街"? Cheers！ Quote
Quest Posted February 2, 2008 at 06:39 AM Report Posted February 2, 2008 at 06:39 AM studentyoung, I don't think anyone is denying anything. Just different vocab. Quote
zozzen Posted February 2, 2008 at 06:52 AM Report Posted February 2, 2008 at 06:52 AM I don't think anyone is denying anything. Just different vocab. I'm wondering if 紅杏出牆 possibly refers to 盤景 to anyone who feels offended with the different interpretation on 花街 and 花市. Quote
studentyoung Posted February 2, 2008 at 07:24 AM Report Posted February 2, 2008 at 07:24 AM Just different vocab. I think the case is the same word has different meanings. It seems that even the word 花街 in Hong Kong has at least two different meanings, one is a red-light district, the other is “a street where there are many flower shops or flower booths”. I'm wondering if 紅杏出牆 possibly refers to 盤景 to anyone who feels offended with the different interpretation on 花街 and 花市. Please tell me what "花街" exactly means in "摆花街", at first. Cheers! Quote
zozzen Posted February 2, 2008 at 07:52 AM Report Posted February 2, 2008 at 07:52 AM Please tell me what "花街" exactly means in "摆花街", at first. A street to sell flowers. Is it supposed to be...critical? Wondering---would it also bother u if 大佛口 and 大口環 are the whole different things in hong kong vocab? Quote
Quest Posted February 2, 2008 at 08:26 AM Report Posted February 2, 2008 at 08:26 AM 唉～，唔叫花街咪唔叫花街啰，studentyoung，唔使咁劳气... 唔同地方唔同词汇好正常。 Wondering---would it also bother u if 大佛口 and 大口環 are the whole different things in hong kong vocab? 广州冇用呢两个词。 Quote
skylee Posted February 2, 2008 at 09:16 AM Report Posted February 2, 2008 at 09:16 AM It seems that even the word 花街 in Hong Kong has at least two different meanings, one is a red-light district, the other is “a street where there are many flower shops or flower booths”. For the "other" meaning, in HK we have a 花墟. 擺花街 is a street where flowers are placed and displayed. (Actually for me the street name also carries other meanings as somehow it is linked to 塘西風月, probably because of 胭脂釦). If I have to break the street name in two parts, it will be 擺花 and 街. It will not be 擺 and 花街. Like Quest said, we have different vocabs. I now know that in Guangzhou 花街 is the same as 花市. But I think most HK people interpret the term differently . It is no big deal really. Quote
studentyoung Posted February 2, 2008 at 09:27 AM Report Posted February 2, 2008 at 09:27 AM A street to sell flowers. Good! Is it supposed to be...critical? No, but I am here to point out that even in Hong Kong 花街 has different meanings. One of the meanings is similar to the 花街 in Guangzhou. Wondering---would it also bother u if 大佛口 and 大口環 are the whole different things in hong kong vocab? Sorry, I’m not so interested. Please keep them yourself. 唉～，唔叫花街咪唔叫花街啰， 你唔叫，我叫啦,好唔好，包冇映衰你啦。呢个系我地D传统。 studentyoung，唔使咁劳气... 唔同地方唔同词汇好正常。 正常，好正常！你千祈不要误会啊，我唔系劳气，我系长气。 Cheers! Quote
zozzen Posted February 2, 2008 at 02:44 PM Report Posted February 2, 2008 at 02:44 PM 擺花街 is a street where flowers are placed and displayed. (Actually for me the street name also carries other meanings as somehow it is linked to 塘西風月, probably because of 胭脂釦). If I have to break the street name in two parts, it will be 擺花 and 街. It will not be 擺 and 花街. Agreed. 其實呢篇文後面都幾令人莫明奇妙, 唔通香港人認為 "花街" 是煙花之地, 就等於陷廣州人於不貞麼? 毛管聳動. 正常，好正常！你千祈不要误会啊，我唔系劳气，我系长气。 同氣無關的, 係敏感症發作o者. 冬天來黎, 好乾燥, 唔好小小事都咁敏感. 新年快樂, 祝來年一切正常d. Quote
floatingmoon Posted February 2, 2008 at 03:32 PM Author Report Posted February 2, 2008 at 03:32 PM I think we are getting a bit off topic here. Please re-read the first post: post #1: What will you be doing this Chinese New Year? I like the food during Chinese New Year, so hehe, lots of eating. And I get to collect some red pocket money too. Quote
studentyoung Posted February 3, 2008 at 02:39 AM Report Posted February 3, 2008 at 02:39 AM Like Quest said, we have different vocabs. I now know that in Guangzhou 花街 is the same as 花市. But I think most HK people interpret the term differently . It is no big deal really. No, no, no, it is not a big deal really, but it is enough to cause cultural shock. Agreed. 其實呢篇文後面都幾令人莫明奇妙, 唔通香港人認為 "花街" 是煙花之地, 就等於陷廣州人於不貞麼? 毛管聳動. When my friend Ms.A (a Guangzhou girl) went to Hong Kong alone to enjoy her “free walk” at the eve of last lunar new year, she tried to ask a local man in Cantonese, “Excuse me, where is the Flower street in Hong Kong? 对唔住，借问声香港暨花街系边度？” With his odd but unkind smile, the man replied, “Mainland chick, if you want to go to a flower street, I will take you there. Hehehehehehe…… 大陆妹，如果你想去行花街，我带你去呀！呵呵呵呵呵……。”At that time, my friend was really “毛管聳動”. When she came back to Guangzhou, she told me that in her travel guide book, the explanation of 摆花街 is roughly like the texts as below: 摆花街 (Lyndhurst Terrace)，位于香港中环，是一条由威灵顿街通往荷李活道50号的两线东西单向行车的街道。该处之前有很多卖花的小贩，故得摆花街此名。而英文名Lyndhurst Terrace则是为了纪念英国政客John Copley, 1st Baron Lyndhurst。 http://baike.baidu.com/view/967561.htm She really don't understand why she talk about 花街, Hong Kong’s people looked at her in an odd way. “Isn’t there a street (used to sell flowers) called 花街? Why does Hong Kong people’s reaction to 花街 seem so odd?” At least, I think I know how to explain this to her now. A few years ago, when my elder cousin went visit Hong Kong also at the eve of lunar new year and asked a mid-aged woman where the Flower Street in Hong Kong.But his words definitely caused misunderstanding, because the woman looked annoyed and just walked straight away . 唔通香港人認為 "花街" 是煙花之地, 就等於陷廣州人於不貞麼? 毛管聳動. No, it is not that Hong Kong people take 花街 as red light district is equal to imply Guangzhou people are obscene, but sometimes it does caused misunderstanding and embarrassment, due to differnet cultures in different places. 同氣無關的, 係敏感症發作o者. 冬天來黎, 好乾燥, 唔好小小事都咁敏感. 新年快樂, 祝來年一切正常d. From the stories above, you might understand that both Hong Kong people and Guangzhou people suffered from the kind of sensitivity caused by cultural shock. Although it looks like a little thing, but if people don’t pay enough attention to this kind of “little things”, they might easy get into troubles or embarrassment. Do you agree? At least, I know that 花街 in most cases means red light districts in Hong Kong. If I have a chance to go visit Hong Kong myself at the eve of lunar new year, I definitely won’t ask “花街系边度”, but “花市/花墟系边度”, to avoid unnecessary misunderstanding and embarrassment. 新年快樂 You too! I think we are getting a bit off topic here. I feel sorry for getting a bit off the topic here, but I hope I have a chance to make some kind of cultural shock clear. I feel sorry for my long wind here. Please excuse me! Cheers! Quote
zozzen Posted February 3, 2008 at 06:44 AM Report Posted February 3, 2008 at 06:44 AM When my friend Ms.A (a Guangzhou girl) went to Hong Kong alone to enjoy her “free walk” at the eve of last lunar new year, she tried to ask a local man in Cantonese, “Excuse me, where is the Flower street in Hong Kong? 对唔住，借问声香港暨花街系边度？” With his odd but unkind smile, the man replied, “Mainland chick, if you want to go to a flower street, I will take you there. Hehehehehehe…… 大陆妹，如果你想去行花街，我带你去呀！呵呵呵呵呵……。”At that time, my friend was really “毛管聳動”. Are you sure you really have a friend called "Ms. A"? "大陸妹" is a word rarely used face-to-face. And when people heard the word 花街 it's hard for most people to link up words like 煙花之地 or 花街柳巷. They simply don't know what she's talking about. The common response is "what's this?" or assume that she's referring a street called "行花街" or simply ignore her and walk away. And for me, it's difficult to distinguish a guangzhou girl (dongguan girl as well )and hong kong girl today. They dress the same, they speak with lazy tones, and they're just Cantonese. If the conversation were really, your friend would possibly meet a pervert and she should yell "Police, help!". Quote
studentyoung Posted February 3, 2008 at 07:37 AM Report Posted February 3, 2008 at 07:37 AM Are you sure you really have a friend called "Ms. A"? Yes! And for me, it's difficult to distinguish a guangzhou girl (dongguan girl as well )and hong kong girl today. They dress the same, they speak with lazy tones, and they're just Cantonese. I think Guangzhou’s Cantonese and Dong Guan’s Cantonese are different from Hong Kong’s Cantonese.In fact, even in Guangzhou, people from 白云 area speak Cantonese with the accent which is diffferent from people from 东山 area do. What’s more, people from different places have different 气质. Maybe my friend’s 气质 or her accent made the guy believed that she is from mainland. If the conversation were really, your friend would possibly meet a pervert and she should yell "Police, help!". I’ll tell her your advice. Thank you! Cheers! Quote
Quest Posted February 3, 2008 at 07:37 PM Report Posted February 3, 2008 at 07:37 PM I don't think 白云区's cantonese is representative of gz. It was not part of gz proper until the end of last century, and it was mostly rural and spoke rural dialects, for example 三元里，黄石，下塘，石井，嘉禾，人和 etc. their dialects are all different from each other despite the close distances. People from what used to be gz proper pretty much speak the same accent. Also, I don't think these places used to have 花街s either, maybe it has changed. 我想问下，广州宜家过年可唔可以烧炮仗？ Quote
studentyoung Posted February 4, 2008 at 01:28 AM Report Posted February 4, 2008 at 01:28 AM Also, I don't think these places used to have 花街s either, 以前个几个区鬼影都冇只，宜家，旺咯！ maybe it has changed. Yes, it has changed. [广州的花街] 解放以后，市属八区除夕前三天均在一条主要街道上摆设一条花街。如越秀区的西湖、教育路；东山区的东华南路；荔湾区的荔湾北路，海珠区的江南西路；黄埔区的大沙地；天河区的天河南路；芳村区的花地；以及白云区的各个镇的马路。与此同时，越秀公园、广州文化公园、烈士陵园、流花湖公园、荔湾湖公园等广州各大主要公园，也都举办迎春花会和菊花展。 http://cache.baidu.com/c?word=%B9%E3%D6%DD%2C%BB%A8%BD%D6&url=http%3A//bbs1%2Epaipai%2Ecom/g40027c9i30318s0p0%2Ehtml&p=913dd41385cc40af08e2977f445da5&user=baidu 我想问下，广州宜家过年可唔可以烧炮仗？ No, you can’t burn firecrackers in urban areas, due to popularity density,building density and noise control. But if you want to have fun in rural areas like 黄埔、三元里，黄石, 人和, I think it is OK. And I think you can only get firecrackers in rural areas. Cheers! Quote
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