flynnfrogg Posted December 29, 2011 at 10:37 PM Report Posted December 29, 2011 at 10:37 PM hello all this is my second post and I am just starting on my language journey so please forgive the fundamental nature of my query - I was trying to tell someone that there was a house lizard when I was visiting Singapore and I used 蜥蜴 (after looking it up in my dictionary of course) but I was told that I should use 壁虎 (wall tiger?) - Ha ha - - are there more 'funny' words like this? I like them - they are easier (by association) to learn Thanks Quote
Iriya Posted December 30, 2011 at 05:24 AM Report Posted December 30, 2011 at 05:24 AM Well, dolphin is 海豚, "sea pig". Panda is 熊猫, "bear cat". Not really funny, just the way it is. Quote
skylee Posted December 30, 2011 at 07:15 AM Report Posted December 30, 2011 at 07:15 AM Panda is also called 貓熊. Quote
Jose Posted December 30, 2011 at 10:05 AM Report Posted December 30, 2011 at 10:05 AM Another two: 河马 = riverhorse, hippopotamus 长颈鹿 (long-neck-deer) = giraffe Quote
johnk Posted December 30, 2011 at 11:10 AM Report Posted December 30, 2011 at 11:10 AM Chinese compound words are fun. caterpillar is a "hairy insect" or 毛毛虫 Of course a hippopotamus is derived from Greek and means "river horse". So the Chinese is in agreement with English there. Quote
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