RoyT Posted July 8, 2011 at 06:48 AM Report Posted July 8, 2011 at 06:48 AM Great idea, guys! I guess my chinese is not strong enough for contributing this list, but it is very much useful ^_^ Is there an online dictionary that after searching for a specific noun/verb, can give you a list of synonyms or similar meaning words? could be very helpfull too! Quote
heifeng Posted July 9, 2011 at 12:30 AM Report Posted July 9, 2011 at 12:30 AM ok, let me add to my nerdiness. I came across one way of saying this and then the other a few weeks apart in different articles sunspot 日斑, 太阳黑子 Quote
abcdefg Posted July 9, 2011 at 02:39 AM Report Posted July 9, 2011 at 02:39 AM sweet potato - 地瓜。紅薯。番薯。 Textbook I used earlier this year also had 白薯 for sweet potato，but I've never heard it in use. It shows up in MDBG as well. Seems counter-intuitive that the same thing would be called both 红薯 and 白薯。 Has anyone run into 白薯？If so, where? Quote
imron Posted July 9, 2011 at 03:29 AM Report Posted July 9, 2011 at 03:29 AM I was actually thinking of also putting 白薯 in that list but I wasn't sure if it was the exact same thing. It's definitely lighter in colour than 红薯 which is has a more orange colour to the flesh. It's quite common to find it for example in dishes such as 拔丝白薯。 Quote
heifeng Posted July 9, 2011 at 04:48 AM Report Posted July 9, 2011 at 04:48 AM 拔丝白薯Yummmmmm Ok, I'm going to post one that I hear alot* (umm basically everyday), I thought it was strictly dialect and not something I'd actually find in the dictionary, but apparently it is in the dictionary, so here it goes: slip-on shoes: 拖鞋， 拖拉版, *呱哒板儿 Quote
skylee Posted July 9, 2011 at 06:50 AM Author Report Posted July 9, 2011 at 06:50 AM Seems counter-intuitive that the same thing would be called both 红薯 and 白薯。 Cucumber is called both 青瓜 and 黃瓜. Quote
xiaocai Posted July 10, 2011 at 10:16 AM Report Posted July 10, 2011 at 10:16 AM Seems counter-intuitive that the same thing would be called both 红薯 and 白薯。 Why? I think it is pretty natural that the red one is called 红薯 and the white one 白薯? slip-on shoes: 拖鞋， 拖拉版, 呱哒板儿 We call them 鞋拖 here at my home town. Plastic bags: 塑料袋，胶袋，塑胶袋…… Cigarette filter: 烟蒂，烟头，烟屁股(!)，(过)滤嘴…… Quote
abcdefg Posted July 10, 2011 at 02:15 PM Report Posted July 10, 2011 at 02:15 PM I think it is pretty natural that the red one is called 红薯 and the white one 白薯? I thought they were two names for the same root vegetable, which is reddish in color. Was I mistaken about that? Looks like maybe I was: http://bj.sina.com.cn/danone/art/v/2007-01-18/1536410.shtml Quote
xiaocai Posted July 10, 2011 at 02:43 PM Report Posted July 10, 2011 at 02:43 PM That was interesting to watch. They are always sold separately here at my hometown and normally the vendors will ask you if you want red or white. I thought it is not too hard to tell the difference... Quote
skylee Posted July 10, 2011 at 03:14 PM Author Report Posted July 10, 2011 at 03:14 PM But they are the same thing, right? Like vanilla milkshake and strawberry milkshake are both milkshake, right? BTW, why did the woman have her gloves on when cutting the sweet potatos? To avoid allergy? It reminds me that my mom told me that she cannot handle taros 芋頭 because she gets allergic. Quote
xiaocai Posted July 10, 2011 at 03:20 PM Report Posted July 10, 2011 at 03:20 PM Yeah, I guess you can call them 薯/番薯(?) after all, without referring to the colours. But I could be wrong. The glove is to make it look more hygienic on a TV program, I think. Quote
ma3zi1 Posted July 10, 2011 at 10:35 PM Report Posted July 10, 2011 at 10:35 PM I got one for ya: "roller coaster" = 雲霄飛車，空中飛車，過山車 | 云霄飞车，空中飞车，过山车 oh! and this: "plastic bottle" = 寶特瓶，保特瓶，膠樽 | 宝特瓶，保特瓶，胶樽 oh oh, and: "space shuttle" = 太空梭，太空飛船，航天飛機 | 太空梭，太空飞船，航天飞机 Quote
skylee Posted July 13, 2011 at 08:07 AM Author Report Posted July 13, 2011 at 08:07 AM space shuttle is also called 太空穿梭機 or just 穿梭機. souvenirs (brought back from other places) - 紀念品 (most generic term)。土特產。土產。土儀。伴手禮。手信(this is mainly used in HK) Quote
skylee Posted July 13, 2011 at 11:26 PM Author Report Posted July 13, 2011 at 11:26 PM comics - 漫畫。連環圖。小人書。公仔書。 Quote
heifeng Posted July 14, 2011 at 06:00 AM Report Posted July 14, 2011 at 06:00 AM lipstick 唇膏，口红 blush 腮红,胭脂 you can see what terms Sephora uses here Quote
skylee Posted July 29, 2011 at 07:18 AM Author Report Posted July 29, 2011 at 07:18 AM More on fruits with different names – custard apple – 番荔枝。番鬼荔枝。釋迦。佛頭果。。。 guava – 番石榴。芭樂。。。 Quote
xiaocai Posted July 29, 2011 at 11:16 AM Report Posted July 29, 2011 at 11:16 AM I love custard apples. All of a sudden I realised that I still had one left in the kitchen pantry. Quickly ran to check it, and it was already black and half rotten... Avocado: 鳄梨、牛油果、油梨、樟梨、酪梨…… Quote
skylee Posted July 29, 2011 at 12:59 PM Author Report Posted July 29, 2011 at 12:59 PM These names are SO~~~~ CONFUSING ~~~~ :angry: Quote
Geiko Posted August 3, 2011 at 04:58 PM Report Posted August 3, 2011 at 04:58 PM What about the days of the week? 星期五、周五、礼拜五。 Quote
jbradfor Posted August 14, 2011 at 01:50 AM Report Posted August 14, 2011 at 01:50 AM How about same name, different things? Only one I know is 别墅. When I was in Taiwan, that referred to the shopping/dining area right near campus. In China, it seems to be used for "villa", and for fancy housing developments. In Hong Kong, it seems to refer to a red light district, or a place when one can bring a "friend" and rent places by the hour. [so imagine my wife's displeasure when, during my studies in Taiwan, I told her that I went to 别墅 almost every day....] Quote
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