Poker term for diamonds - 方塊 or 方片?

[chinesenewbie]

i was wondering how come in the dictionaries I always see 方塊, but when recently when chatting with friends they said it was 方片?

then also in this video http://xiyou.cntv.cn/video/467d8750-18cf-11df-8901-001e0bbb2430

at the 2 minute mark onwards

you can see they refer to diamonds as 方片..

so which one is preferred? I'm guessing I should just go with the more popular choice?

(this is the most frustrating part of learning chinese for me.....how the dictionary doesn't help in this case because it's not the term that seems to be commonly used)

[Daan]

Dictionaries are valuable sources sometimes, but always trumped by native speakers. Listen to your friends

[tooironic]

Never trust dictionaries. They are evil. (Says the Wiktionary editor. Hmm.)

Though of course they are useful at times. However language is a living, breathing thing and can only be learnt effectively by asorbing its use through native speakers in authentic communicative situations.

To answer your original question, I think both are used and it may be more of a personal preference as to which is "correct". You'll find this a lot in Chinese - one person will teach you one word, then another will say it's totally wrong and suggest a different one, then another will correct you again, and so on. It can be frustrating at times. Ultimately it probably comes down to regional differences. Still, it's always fun to experiment by using one or the other with different speakers and gauge their reaction. All part of the fun process of learning another language!

[Kenny同志]

Both OK

(this is the most frustrating part of learning chinese for me.....how the dictionary doesn't help in this case because it's not the term that seems to be commonly used)

It is the same situation as learning English.

Edited February 14, 2010 at 08:04 AM by kenny2006woo

[Inkfish]

here in Shanghai we say 方塊

but i think 方片 is also used elsewhere. (like in Taiwan and north China?)

[skylee]

In HK, we call it 街磚.

[brilight]

if you search google.cn for 扑克 方块 and 扑克 方片, you will find the first one is more common.

I think 方块 is more formal, and written in many game instructions. 方片 is like an oral word.

I prefer 方块.

[Inkfish]

hmm, i watched Spring Festival Gala on CCTV, They said 方片 in a card trick.

[brilight]

In written language, 方块 and 梅花 is most acceptable and authentic than its another saying.

In spoken language, you can use either. But I prefer the formal and authentic one.

Edited February 19, 2010 at 03:43 AM by brilight

[abcdefg]

I've heard it both ways in the casinos of 澳门，as well as something else I couldn't quite catch, perhaps the 街磚 which Skylee mentioned.

When I play blackjack or baccarat there, Chinese players often call for a "kong" from the dealer or croupier. It means a face card, but I have no idea what the Hanzi character is. Does anybody know?

[Kenny同志]

Both terms are well accepted in my hometown, Changde city in Hunan province. I think these two terms are almost equally accepted in most part of China.

[catmachine]

其實都可以

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