Help me do my homework :D

[Junior]

Could somebody please translate this for me - it's a translation exercise from a textbook and im not quite sure of the meaning...

我简直不能相信，丢了半年的车，自己回来了.

Thanks,

There will probably be a few more I need help with by the end of today!!

-Junior-

PS. I think the second character in 简直 is wrong but i cant fix it, its wrong right????

[Junior]

Also...

Would this be an accurate translation?

他那种骄傲的样子简直让人受不了。

People simply can't stand those with his conceited attitude.

OR

He has that type of arrogant attitude so people simply can't stand him.

[skylee]

"I could hardly believe it. The car which had been lost for half year came back on its own."

直 is not wrong, though the last stroke is usually a simple horizontal when you write it.

[Junior]

wow, that's a rather odd statement isn't it... crazy textbook writers...

thanks heaps!

[skylee]

Consider -

他那种骄傲的样子简直让人受不了。 -> His arrogant attitude is simply unbearable/insufferable.

[Junior]

ok.

how about this one? The point is to teach me 到底... Does it need to be translated to English??

1. 这份没有名字的考卷到底是谁呀？

- This part of the test paper doesnt have a name so whose could it be?

2. 爸爸到底什么时候才能回来呀？ （by the way I have huge problems with understanding 才)

3. 飞龙不知道爱珍到底是怎么记住那么多生词。

4. 今天的电影你到底看不看？ Have you seen today's movie? do i need to translate 到底？？？？

[Claw]

how about this one? The point is to teach me 到底... Does it need to be translated to English??

到底 is usually translated as "after all" or "in the end" in English. It doesn't usually change the meaning of a question much and is used to point attention to the information requested. In a statement, it can mean "actually." 究竟 is also sometimes used to mean the same thing.

1. 这份没有名字的考卷到底是谁呀？

This part of the test paper doesn't have a name so whose could it be after all?

2. 爸爸到底什么时候才能回来呀？ （by the way I have huge problems with understanding 才)

When will father finally be able to come back?

才 generally means "if and only if." So a sentence, A 才 B, usually means that the conditions of A must occur before B can occur. In this example, A is "what time" and B is "able to come back." Altogether, it means, "what time must it be before [father] is able to come back?"

3. 飞龙不知道爱珍到底是怎么记住那么多生词。

Feilong doesn't know how Aizhen actually is able to remember so many new words.

4. 今天的电影你到底看不看？

Will you see today's movie after all?

In this example, 到底 connotes a bit of impatience. The speaker wants to know soon whether or not you will go see the movie.

[yonglan]

Let Junior do his homework himself

[geek_frappa]

Let Junior do his homework himself

ummm.... unless we can all be magically moved to australia, i think junior IS doing his homework himself... these are all great answers. thanks for helping guys!!!

[Junior]

By the way, I'm a girl... But anyway - my homework is to learn the grammar point - if i cant understand the example sentences how do i learn to use the grammar??!!?? So you are actually helping me to be ABLE to do my homework. Thankyou all very much! Its much clearer now...

[geek_frappa]

By the way, I'm a girl... But anyway - my homework is to learn the grammar point - if i cant understand the example sentences how do i learn to use the grammar??!!?? So you are actually helping me to be ABLE to do my homework. Thankyou all very much! Its much clearer now...

Thank you for posting the questions!!

[yonglan]

Congratulations, you're a girl. If you want people to use gender specific pronouns, then you should post the fact that you're a girl or have a username that sounds like a girl's name. 100% of Chinese seeing my Chinese name think I'm a woman, though I'm a man. Who cares?

Anyway, from your questions I just felt you were trying something over your head, but maybe that's your teacher's fault.

Good luck

[geek_frappa]

JUNIOR, ignore him. we are all learning the language, even the native speakers. and remember ... 异曲同工; learn anyway you can. good luck!

YONGLAN, 小心点儿...养虎遗患

[yonglan]

Thanks for your arrogance, geekfrappa. I have made it clear that I posted in Junior's interest. You don't need to agree with me. I am simply of the opinion that it's important to try to figure things out. That way we learn more (especially when the answer is sitting right in the dictionary). But I can see by your signature that you feel you are better than me.

Good luck with your tiger

[geek_frappa]

才 generally means "if and only if."

my professors never taught me the traditional form of 才, which is 纔 。。。 is the simplified form always used? does it look wierd to use it in composition?

[jz87]

That is just ridiculous. How did anyone ever come up with such a complicated character?

[Claw]

I believe even traditional character writers use 才 instead of 纔 99.99% of the time.

[skylee]

I agree. But the word is not ridiculous. There's another word of a similar structure which is not uncommon - 饞.

[geek_frappa]

How did anyone ever come up with such a complicated character?

thanks for your help.

i'm discovering all these new/rare/strange characters in dictionaries that were made before i was born; history is so precious ... i'm glad i'm lucky enough to find so many older dictionaries...