Word of the Day project 每日一词计划 (Day 12 updated)

[Meng Lelan]

Just wanted to drop in here and say I am really liking this thread.

[Ludens]

There has recently been a topic on the translation of power strip: http://www.chinese-f...ger-and-others/ Are all of these synonyms in common usage?

Also, when searching for images of 转换线 or 连接线, the image results show usb cables almost exclusively. Is there any word that is more specifically used for power cords?

Thanks a lot by the way for continuing this topic, a great source for practical vocabulary!

[Shelley]

I run a P.A. Hire business with my husband. This involves a lot of electronics.

There are lots of variations for a power extensions.

Power distribution or power distro

Mains extension

Power strip or board

Power extension cable (or lead) or cord but not used much in the UK

Plug to socket power cable (country specific name of plug and socket could apply here)

Male to female power cable (or lead) or cord but not used much in the UK

And any other combination of the above

Here's question sort of related, what would you call P.A. this is a term used to mean speakers, amplifiers , microphones etc. needed to amplify musians, singers, speakers etc. P.A. is short for Public Address and usually is a P.A. System.

Thanks

[skylee]

Consider 擴音系統.

[艾紫茉]

插座 is socket and 接线板 is power strip. Is there a specific term for a wall socket? or is it just 插座?

[malanting]

Meng Lelan

Just wanted to drop in here and say I am really liking this thread.

Welcome!

Ludens

There has recently been a topic on the translation of power strip: http://www.chinese-f...ger-and-others/ Are all of these synonyms in common usage?

As far as I know, we use 接线板 more often.

Also, when searching for images of 转换线 or 连接线, the image results show usb cables almost exclusively. Is there any word that is more specifically used for power cords?

Yes, when we say 连接线 we often think of USB cables because it's so commonly used. We tend to get more specific when talking about ...线. A USB cable would be ”USB连接线“. There's also 电视连接线 (those that connect a TV set and a computer). What do you mean by "power cords". Seems to be that they are 电源线 (插头 with a cord).

Shelley

There are lots of variations for a power extensions.

There're more ways of saying that in Chinese as well. So I just posted terms most used (at least for me). So power extensions is the most common term to you?

Here's question sort of related, what would you call P.A. this is a term used to mean speakers, amplifiers , microphones etc. needed to amplify musians, singers, speakers etc. P.A. is short for Public Address and usually is a P.A. System.

I think 扩音器 or 扩音设备 will do.

艾紫茉

插座 is socket and 接线板 is power strip. Is there a specific term for a wall socket? or is it just 插座?

墙壁插座 (qiang2 bi4 cha1 zuo4) or 入墙插座 (ru4 qiang2 cha1 zuo4), I think. Or perhaps 固定插座 gu4 ding4 cha1 zuo4. I prefer 固定插座. But normally I just say 插座 to indicate either a socket on a power strip or a wall socket.

[li3wei1]

wall sockets used to be called 'powerpoints', but in the UK only (and maybe Australia/India?), and this usage may have been pushed aside by the popularity of the Microsoft application.

[malanting]

wall sockets used to be called 'powerpoints', but in the UK only (and maybe Australia/India?), and this usage may have been pushed aside by the popularity of the Microsoft application.

That's interesting.

[prateeksha]

As far as I can say [from an Indian perspective], socket and "point" are commonly used. Powerpoint is well, PPT.

[imron]

In Australia they're still called powerpoints.

[malanting]

Day 7

It has been a week since I started the thread. Thank you for all of your support.

Today we have a look at a game arguably most popular around the world. No, not Angry Birds, but 石头剪刀布

石头剪刀布 (shi2 tou2 jian3 dao1 bu4) means rock-paper-scissors. It's interesting that in English it is "石头剪刀纸“ (布 being cloth). We throw "rock" or "paper" or "scissors" shouting ”石头剪刀布“. The action of throwing is called 出 chu1. Example: 他要坐地铁，我要坐公交车，最后只能用”石头剪刀布“来决定。他出了剪刀，我出了石头。Sometimes we call it 猜拳 cai1 quan2 Example: 要不这样，我们猜拳，谁赢听谁。

Of course one player would often 耍赖 shua3 lai4 (I don't know the its English equivalent, it just means someone reneging on his promise, in this case by ignoring the result of rock-paper-scissors) by saying 不算 bu2 suan4 (doesn't count). Example: 每次石头剪刀布，她输了都会耍赖，说刚才一局不算。/ 我们说好了谁赢听谁的，不许耍赖。

Another way of 耍赖 when you lose the first bout (or round?) is saying 三局两胜 san1 ju2 liang3 sheng4 (the best of three) or even 五局三胜 (the best of five). Example: 我们猜拳，我赢了，她就耍赖说三局两胜。我又赢了，她又说五局三胜，真让人受不了。

What do you say when playing rock-paper-scissors? How do you say 耍赖 in English? What about 谁赢听谁?

[skylee]

You might enjoy the song Scissors Cut.

http://www.93mp3.com/Mp3Play/1/mp3_6001.htm

[skylee]

Re the picture at #71. One of them is Doraemon, right? Poor kitten.

[imron]

I think in this context 耍赖, could be translated as "being a sore loser". If someone loses and they don't want to accept it and suggest to keep trying even after repeating losing, or if they don't want to do what was agreed upon, you could say something like "don't be such a sore loser", or "stop being such a sore loser".

[anonymoose]

谁赢听谁

what the winner says goes; we'll do what the winner says

I think in this context 耍赖, could be translated as "being a sore loser".

I don't think so, because being a "sore loser" implies admission of defeat, and being in a bad mood about it. But 耍赖 seems just to mean to pike out after losing.

[malanting]

skylee

You might enjoy the song Scissors Cut.

Thank you. I'll listen to it.

Re the picture at #71. One of them is Doraemon, right? Poor kitten.

Indeed. I didn't really know. Just thought it was interesting.

imron

I think in this context 耍赖, could be translated as "being a sore loser".

anonymoose

I don't think so, because being a "sore loser" implies admission of defeat, and being in a bad mood about it. But 耍赖 seems just to mean to pike out after losing.

Seems that sore loser means 输不起 shu1 bu4 qi3 . Example: 他这个人好胜心很强，一点都输不起。

So I agree that 耍赖 and "sore loser" are a bit different. What will you say if someone loses and says "That doesn't count. I wasn't ready" ?

[imron]

I don't think so, because being a "sore loser" implies admission of defeat

Not really, because it is something one is accused of, rather than something one admits to.

What will you say if someone loses and says "That doesn't count. I wasn't ready" ?

I think you can still say "don't be such a sore loser".

Seems that sore loser means 输不起

It can mean that, but it can also mean someone who doesn't like the fact that they lost, and refuses to honour previous agreements related to losing. Basically it's someone who after losing, doesn't behave in a sporting manner about it.

So I agree that 耍赖 and "sore loser" are a bit different.

I don't think they are equal in all contexts (hence the reason I used "in this context" in my original post), but often translation is not about providing a direct equivalent for a specific word, but rather coming up with how people would say things when encountering a similar situation. If I was playing rock-paper-scissors with someone and if after losing they didn't want to do what was previously agreed to, or if they kept continually trying to extend the number of rounds then "stop being such a sore loser" is probably something I would say to them.

[malanting]

imron

I don't think they are equal in all contexts (hence the reason I used "in this context" in my original post), but often translation is not about providing a direct equivalent for a specific word, but rather coming up with how people would say things when encountering a similar situation.

Absolutely right. English books translated into Chinese now tend to be too literal and don't read like Chinese. The translators here don't really think much before translating. I do think "Stop being such a sore loser" is a good translation in this context. My reply at #76 was just talking about 耍赖 the word itself separately. But I do like your way of putting it.

[艾紫茉]

malanting

哄 is a verb, which means to say something that would sooth sb. (usually a baby or your girlfriend).

I would definitely say that in America we would say "soothe" or "comfort" the baby. Between a boyfriend and girlfriend they would try to "sweet talk," although this phrase can have a negative or positive conotation. For example: He tried to sweet talk that girl into going out with him. He sweet talked me into making up with him. "Sweet talk," I think, would definitely be the equivalent of 甜言蜜语.

The English equivalent of 身闷气 would be "to give the cold shoulder," which means someone ignores someone they are mad at/won't talk to them. For example: She won't answer my phone calls, I think she's giving me the cold shoulder.

Great words malanting! Keep up the good work!

[jbradfor]

The English equivalent of 身闷气 would be "to give the cold shoulder,"

Similar would be "silent treatment". To me, the difference is that "cold shoulder" is more along the lines of not walking to talk with someone, while "silent treatment" is more of an active punishment.

Is there something similar to "silent treatment" in Chinese?