food(composition)

[Pravit]

My first attempt at writing anything longer than a couple sentences in Chinese. If anyone could help point out my mistakes, I'd really appreciate it!

我很喜欢吃中餐。在美国找不到好吃的中餐，都是给美国人做的。但是我去泰国的时候，能吃很好吃的中餐和泰餐。有时候我喜欢吃西餐。我最喜欢吃中餐。锅贴，北京烤鸭都我很喜欢。还有很多菜，但是我不知道叫什么。泰国里有很多“泰中”菜，因为那里有很多中国人。泰国人把中国菜取便一点儿。举例来说做辣一点儿。但是我都很喜欢。对印度残来说，我吃过只一次。我城里没有印度餐馆。但是我去德国的时候，我和我印度国朋友去了印度餐馆。好吃极了。

There are a couple places where I know I probably didn't get it right, so here's what I was trying to say:

给美国人做的 - made for Americans, or made to American taste.

还有很多菜，但是我不知道叫什么 - there are a lot of (other) dishes but I don't know what they're called.

泰国人把中国菜取便一点儿 - Thais changed some Chinese dishes a bit.

我吃过只一次 - but I've only had it once. I don't think it's right to put the "zhi yi ci" on the end, is it?

Thanks again for any help!

[Yuchi]

There are a couple places where I know I probably didn't get it right, so here's what I was trying to say:

给美国人做的 - made for Americans, or made to American taste. Don't know about this one, maybe "根据美国人的胃口"?

还有很多菜，但是我不知道叫什么 - there are a lot of (other) dishes but I don't know what they're called.

泰国人把中国菜取便了一点儿 - Thais changed some Chinese dishes a bit.

我吃过只一次 - but I've only had it once. I don't think it's right to put the "zhi yi ci" on the end, is it? You thought right "我只吃过一次"

[Pravit]

Thank you for the corrections, Yuchi! What else did I get wrong?

[florazheng]

我很喜欢吃中餐。在美国很难找到地道的中餐，很多的中国菜为适合美国人的口味改良了。但是我去泰国的时候，能吃很好吃的中餐和泰餐。有时候我喜欢吃西餐，可是我最喜欢的是中餐。锅贴、北京烤鸭我都很喜欢。还有很多菜，但是我不知道叫什么。泰国有很多“泰中”菜，因为那里有很多中国人。泰国人把中国菜稍加改变，举例来说做辣一点儿。但是我都很喜欢。我只吃过一次印度菜。我的城市没有印度餐馆。我去德国的时候，我和我印度国朋友去了印度餐馆。那里的印度菜好吃极了。

[Pravit]

Thank you, Flora! I can see where I made some mistakes now. One question - in 在美国很难找到地道的中餐, what exactly does 地道 mean? I know "地" means "place" and 地道 is modifying 中餐. But I can't figure out what 道 means in this context.

[florazheng]

You are welcome, Pravit.

地道=genuine

Some of Chinese words /phrases are set and you can not learn their meanings according to every character. Here is another similar example. 印度=India Though we know 印 is short for 印度 but there would be meaningless for the character of 度 here.

Your original sentence of 在美国找不到好吃的中餐 is OK. It is right grammatically and I can guess what your meaning is. Just touch it up for being more smooth.

Finally, more examples for地道

他的中文说得很地道,因为他在中国呆了很多年了。

我是一个地道的中国人。

[Pravit]

I see! My dictionary usually picks up the combinations of words, but this time it let me down and said it meant "tunnel" Thanks for explaining.

[florazheng]

Sorry, I forgot that there are more than one meanings for 地道.

One is what I said above and the other is “tunnel”.

地道：1）genuine 2) tunnel 3) standard, excellent etc

For the second meaning you can understand it by each character.

地=ground

道=road, path

There is a famous Chinese movie named 地道战 =Warfare of Tunnel

The example for the third meaning

他干的活儿真地道。=He does a good job

Chinese words are same with English. One word can have many meanings and it needs to be picked up the fit meaning according to context.

[skylee]

To avoid the confusion of 地道, you may also use 道地.

http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/cgi-bin/agrep-lindict?query=%A6a&category=wholerecord&boo=or&order=all

13. 地道 [di4dao4], n., (1) tunnel, underground passage; n., (2) also pr. [di4dao0], adv., thoroughly, (＝道地).

http://humanum.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/cgi-bin/agrep-lindict?query=%B9D&category=wholerecord&boo=or&order=all

6. 道地 [dao4di4], adj., genuine: 道地人參，官話 genuine ginseng, Mandarin.

[florazheng]

道地＝地道=genuine

[Pravit]

This is helping, guys, thanks!