Y: Keeping pets of course cost a lot of time and energy, but I think it's totally worth it. Welcome to Chinese Studio, Wo shi Yajie
B: Da jia hao, wo shi B. And I've got a few more questions Y, if that's all right.
Y: Dangran, of course it is. Let's get started.
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Key words of the day:
Goldfish 金鱼, Parrots 鹦鹉,The water needs changing. 该换水了。I've also got a parrot. 我还有一只鹦鹉。to parrot 鹦鹉学舌. All in today's Chinese Studio.
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B: Do you have any other pets Y?
Y: Yes, I've also got a parrot. 我还有一只鹦鹉。
B: wo2 hai2 you3 yi4 zhi1 ying1 wu3,
Y: 我 wo3 means I,
B: wo3,
Y: 还有 hai2 you3 means also have,
B: hai2 you3,
Y: 只 zhi1 is the measure word for parrot, and 一只 yi4 zhi1 means one,
B: yi4 zhi1,
Y: parrot in Chinese is 鹦鹉 ying1 wu3,
B: ying1 wu3
Y: So I've also got a parrot in Chinese is: 我还有一只鹦鹉 wo2 hai2 you3 yi4 zhi1 ying1 wu3.
B: wo2 hai2 you3 yi4 zhi1 ying1 wu3,
Conversation 1:
A: 你还养了什么宠物?
B: 我还有一只鹦鹉。
B: I've also got some goldfish. What do we call them Y?
Y: it's 金鱼 jin1 yu2.
B: jin1 yu2,
Y: 金 jin1 means gold or the color of gold,
B: jin1
Y: 鱼 yu2 means fish,
B: yu2,
Y: 金鱼 jin1 yu2,
B: jin1 yu2, goldfish. I think the water needs changing. Bang bang wo, help me to say that in Chinese.
Y: 没问题. You can say 该换水了。
B: gai1 huan4 shui3 le.
Y: 该 gai1 means should do sth,
B: gai1,
Y: 换 huan4 means change,
B: huan4,
Y: 水 shui3 means water,
B: shui3,
Y: 该换水了 gai1 huan4 shui3 le
B: gai1 huan4 shui3 le The water needs changing.
Conversation 2:
A: 看看我的金鱼,不错吧。
B: 金鱼是不错。但是你该换水了。
Y: Actually there's an interesting Chinese expression, it's to do with the pet--- parrot.
B: Tell me then…
Y: It's 鹦鹉学舌 yīngwǔ xuéshé,
B: yīng wǔ xué shé,
Y: It literally means "parrot learn-tongue", and here it means to parrot. You know, to mechanically repet what someone else says.
B: I see… like what we're doing now?
Y: haha… Repetition is necessary while learning a new language… okay let's get back to business. 鹦鹉 Yīngwǔ parrot,
B: yīngwǔ
Y: 学 xue2 means to learn,
B: xue2,
Y: 舌 she2 means tongue,
B: she2,
Y: 鹦鹉学舌 yīng wǔ xué shé,
B: yīng wǔ xué shé, to parrot.
Conversation 3:
A: 我不能老是鹦鹉学舌!
B: 没关系。学习一门新的语言就是需要不断重复练习。
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Key words reminder:
Goldfish 金鱼,The water needs changing. 该换水了。Parrots 鹦鹉,I've also got a parrot. 我还有一只鹦鹉。mechanical repetition 鹦鹉学舌. All in today's Chinese Studio
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B: It's definitely time to walk my puppy Fido.
Y. Ok, but before we go, question time. How do you say, "The water needs changing" in Chinese?
