How do I say "return" and "came back" in

[website]

Ni hao!

I am a little confused about the the use of the phrases "return" and "came back".

How would someone say: "I want to return this pencil to you." .

How can I say "I came back." Maybe "wo huilai"???

Someone told me, but I forgot how to say it.

Thanks.

[Quest]

I want to return this pencil to you.

我想把这支铅笔还给你。

I came back.

我回来了。

[SassybutSweet]

In pinyin please!!! I just can't read characters!!!

[xuechengfeng]

Quest, wouldn't it be..

我想把這枝鉛筆還給你。

or is what you have just a variant form of that?

Sassy:

Wo3 xiang3 ba3 zhei4 zhi1 qian1bi3 hai2 gei3 ni3.

Wo3 hui2lai2 le.

[Azumanga]

Wo3 xiang3 ba3 zhei4 zhi1 qian1bi3 hai2 gei3 ni3.

xuechengfeng, should it be "Wo3 xiang3 ba3 zhei4 zhi1 qian1bi3 huan2 gei3 ni3."

[xuechengfeng]

Ahh..... I wasn't aware that also means to return.

[Azumanga]

Same character, when used in different situations, pronounced differently.

还 is pronounced hai2, when meaning "also, yet";

when meaning "return", it is pronounced huan2.

like 重

重要 zhong4 yao4, means important;

重新 chong2 xin1, means once again.

[Altair]

笨猪的四大理想：

世上屠夫都死掉，四周栏杆都烂掉，天上纷纷掉饲料，世界人们信佛教。

I have a few questions about this. First, Wenlin explains 四大 as the four elements as defined in Buddhism (earth, water, fire,and wind). It also says that it can refer in the PRC to the "four freedoms." The following three are listed: 大鸣大放,大辩论, and 大字报. For some reason, a fourth freedom is not listed. Could someone tell me what the fourth one is?

As for the rest of the quote, what in the heck does it mean? I do not understand the context or the reference.

[Quest]

四大 just means four great, and 四大理想 = four great wishes.

笨猪的四大理想:

A silly pig's 4 great wishes:

世上屠夫都死掉，四周栏杆都烂掉，天上纷纷掉饲料，世界人们信佛教。

All the world's butchers would die,

All the surrounding fences would break down,

Fodders would continuously fall down from the sky,

Everyone in the world would believe in Buddhism (vegetarians).

[Quest]

Quest, wouldn't it be..

我想把這枝鉛筆還給你。

yes and no. If you look in a dictionary, it should be 一枝铅笔, but more people write 一支铅笔。

[Azumanga]

thanks, Quest

[website]

Oh, I forgot to ask. How do you say "I have returned again"?

Maybe "Wo huilai zai le"?

[Quest]

I have returned again.

Wo you huilai le.

我又回来了。

[xuechengfeng]

Just to clarify..

我再回來。

Would this then be "I will return again."

I have some trouble with 又/再

[Quest]

我再回來。

Would this then be "I will return again."

I have some trouble with 又/再

yes, but "我再回來 wo zai huilai " is somewhat incomplete. Try 我会再回来的 wo hui zai huilai de。

[roddy]

Isn't the difference between 又 and 再 that 又 is used looking backwards, and 再 looking forwards. ie

He came last week and yesterday he 又 came

I have to go now, but I'll 再 come tomorrow

Roddy

[Azumanga]

I agree with Roddy, I was thinking of something like this, just don't know how to put it----my English needs improving.