carraimartina Posted April 24, 2012 at 08:01 AM Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 at 08:01 AM Dear all, I am transliting an article about wine, from Chinese to Italian language. I am having trouble with this sentence: 我们常说酒水酒水，意大利人真是把酒当水 。。Which is the best way to translate the expression 酒水酒水?? Thanks! Martina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carraimartina Posted April 24, 2012 at 08:13 AM Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 at 08:13 AM Are there, in Chinese, an official way to write with characthers names of grapes' varieties? Because I am finding for example Barbera or Sangiovese and so on written in 2 or 3 different ways.. Thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbradfor Posted April 24, 2012 at 02:11 PM Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 at 02:11 PM According to Baidu, 酒水 is a general term for beverages. Don't know for sure, but wouldn't be surprised if there isn't one terms for grape varieties. Is there any type of official wine organization in China? Might as well use what they use. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
陳德偉 Posted April 24, 2012 at 04:34 PM Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 at 04:34 PM Martina, the word 酒水 just means beverage/drink. Althought I think this particular sentence involves a play on words. Could you provide some more context? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
外国赤佬 Posted April 24, 2012 at 05:17 PM Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 at 05:17 PM 酒水、茶水、尿水，都是一种水。 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkhsu Posted April 24, 2012 at 06:35 PM Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 at 06:35 PM It seems like the term "酒水酒水" means that there's no difference between wine and water. Here are a couple of links that describe the term: http://www.dawenxue....65/6494409.html Excerpt: "酒水酒水，说穿了就是和白开水没多大区别的意思。" http://zwp1313.blog....m/83121434.html Excerpt: "酒水酒水，水中有酒，酒中有水，看起来是一家" Edit: I just realized the 2nd link was confusing as I left out the last part. It should read "酒水酒水，水中有酒，酒中有水，看起来是一家，其实分得很清。" Well, I'm baffled as well. I tried searching some more but didn't get much further. I'm curious to know the exact meaning as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daofeishi Posted April 24, 2012 at 11:15 PM Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 at 11:15 PM 我们常说酒水酒水，意大利人真是把酒当水 It's a pun, and it doesn't translate very well. It is something like: "We say 'wine-water' (meaning alcoholic beverage) all the time, but in Italy they really drink wine as if it were water". The reduplication of 酒水 is just a colloquial way of indicating the frequency, kind of like the reduplication of "blah" in "all I heard was blah, blah, blah". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carraimartina Posted April 28, 2012 at 10:01 AM Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2012 at 10:01 AM Thank you very much!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and select your username and password later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.