Similes in Chinese

[website]

This is pretty simple. How do you make similes in Chinese

like "This is as soft as a pillow." or "Grapes are as

cheap as apples."?

[geraldc]

Can't you just use "X" gen1 "Y" yi1yang4 "Z" etc

[Claw]

Can't you just use "X" gen1 "Y" yi1yang4 "Z" etc

That should be yi2yang4 (一樣). 一 changes to tone 2 when it precedes tone 4.

I think you can also use 像 (xiang4) instead of gen1 (跟).

[geraldc]

That should be yi2yang4

Nuts! I knew I should have written it in characters.

我跟猪一样笨

Does that work as a simile?

[skylee]

That should be yi2yang4 (一樣).

You may wish to note the "Basic Rules for Hanyu Pinyin Orthography" 《中文拼音正詞法基本規則》 ->

11. 標調

聲調一律標原調，不標變調。

但在語音教學時可以根據需要按變調標寫。

我跟猪一样笨

不用妄自菲薄。

[Claw]

...but note that it also says right below that:

但在語音教學時可以根據需要按變調標寫。

This is especially so since the person who originally asked the question was a beginner and the characters were not provided.

[skylee]

I didn't say it was wrong (and that's why I quoted the second sentence here as well). I pointed that out just because I remembered I lost a lot of marks of my Putonghua exams because I marked the tone changes.

[in_lab]

It would be helpful if the pinyin standard was to have the tone change with the context. In the dictionary, they are all yi1, so sometimes I'm unsure if there is a tone change in words and phrases like 一般,一月,一無所得. Are there any simple rules for when the tone does not change?

[889]

Check your dictionary. There's probably an initial note explaining the change. Here's what the initial note to "一" says in 汉英词典 A Chinese-English Dictionary:

注意：在第四声 (去声) 字前念第二声 (阳平)，如 "一半" yi2ban4, "一共" yi2gong4。在第一，二，三声 (阴平, 阳平, 上声) 字前念第四声(去声)，如 "一天" yi4tian1, "一年" yi4nian2, "一点" yi4dian3. 本词典为简便起见，条目中的 "一" 字， 都注第一声 (阴平)。

Note: Before the fourth tone read second tone, thus "一半" yi2ban4, "一共" yi2gong4. Before the first, second and third tones, read fourth tone, thus "一天" yi4tian1, "一年" yi4nian2, "一点" yi4dian3. To simplify character look-up, this dictionary always lists "一" as first tone.

[in_lab]

My question was about when the tone doesn't change. When it is pronounced as first tone. The words and phrases where that rule does not apply. (For example yi1 ban1, 一般)

[Czech Cara]

Are there any frequently used idiomatic, possibly funny similes, such as “goodas gold, sleep like a log" etc. in colloquial Chinese ?

Thanks for Your contributions.