Cam: It's time to perfect Chinese your way in only five minutes a day. Welcome to Chinese Studio, wo shi Cam.
YJ: And wo shi Yajie. We are learning all about New Years this week… so Cam, how will you celebrate it?
Cam: Well, back at home I used to head down to the inner harbour and watch the fireworks. How do I say that in Chinese?
Yajie: Listen up!
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Key Words of the Day
countdown 倒数,Fireworks 烟花,Auld Lang Syne 友谊地久天长, New Year's Day 元旦 Happy New Year! 新年快乐 All in today's Chinese Studio.
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Cam: When you are at a party on New Year's Eve, you will countdown to the New Year. Countdown in Chinese is what, Yajie?
YJ: it's 倒数 dao4 shu3.
Cam: dao4 shu3.
YJ: 倒 dao4 means backwards,
Cam: dao4
YJ: 数 shu3 means to count,
Cam: shu3
YJ: 倒数 dao4 shu3.
Cam: dao4 shu3, countdown. Then after the countdown we will watch some fireworks. How do you say fireworks in Chinese, Yajie?
YJ: You can say 烟花 yan1 hua1.
Cam: yan1 hua1.
YJ: 烟 yan1 means the smoke.
Cam: yan1.
YJ: 花 hua1 means flower, since fireworks usually shape like flowers,
Cam: right, hua1
YJ: 烟花 yan1 hua1.
Cam: yan1 hua1, fireworks.
YJ: then watch the fireworks would be "看烟花 kan4 yan1 hua1"
Cam: kan4 yan1 hua1. kan4 means to watch, right?
YJ: yes, kan4 yan1 hua1
Cam: kan4 yan1 hua1, watch fireworks.
Conversation 1:
A：准备好,快要倒数了。
B：好的好的。
A：新年的时候会放烟花吗?
B：会放烟花。
Cam: You know Yajie, to mark the New Year, sometimes people sing Auld Lang Syne… I know it's very popular in China.
YJ: You bet. We have the Chinese name for the song. We call it "友谊地久天长"
Cam: what does it mean?
YJ: It means "everlasting friendship". You3yi4 友谊 means friendship,
Cam: you3yi4, right, like the Friendship Hotel where foreigners used to live.
YJ: 地久天长 di4 jiu3 tian1 chang2, means as long and enduring as heaven and earth,
Cam: it is everlasting. di4 jiu3 tian1 chang2,
YJ: 地 di4 means earth,
Cam: di4,
YJ: 天 tian1 means heaven,
Cam: tian1
YJ: 久 jiu3 and 长 chang2 both means everlasting,
Cam: jiu3, chang2.
YJ: 地久天长 di4 jiu3 tian1 chang2,
Cam: di4 jiu3 tian1 chang2, as long and enduring as heaven and earth,
YJ: so the Chinese name for Auld Lang Syne is 友谊地久天长 you3 yi4 di4 jiu3 tian1 chang2.
Cam: you3 yi4 di4 jiu3 tian1 chang2,everlasting friendship.
Conversation 2:
(1)A：你知道《友谊地久天长》这首歌吗?
B：知道啊。新年的时候经常会唱。
Cam: And finally, after all the festivities, we reach New Year's Day,
YJ: Get ready to say goodbye to the old and hello to the new!
Cam: Alrighty, Yajie, the first new Chinese word I want to learn is how to say "New Year's Day"
YJ: it's yuan2 dan4. 元旦。
Cam: yuan2 dan4.
YJ: 元 yuan2 means the first,
Cam: yuan2
YJ: 旦 dan4 means the day,
Cam: dan4,
YJ: 元旦 yuan2 dan4.
Cam: yuan2 dan4. New Year's day. Then how do you say Happy New Year?
YJ: it's "新年快乐 xin1 nian2 kuai4 le4"
Cam: xin1 nian2 kuai4 le4
YJ: 新 xin1 means new ,
Cam: xin1
YJ: 年 nian2 means year,
Cam: nian2,
YJ: 快乐 kuai4 le4 means happy,
Cam: kuai4 le4,
YJ: 新年快乐 xin1 nian2 kuai4 le4
Cam: xin1 nian2 kuai4 le4, Happy New Year!
Conversation 3:
A: 今天是元旦,祝你新年快乐!
B: 也祝你新年快乐!
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Key Words Reminder
countdown 倒数,Fireworks 烟花,Auld Lang Syne 友谊地久天长, New Year's Day 元旦 Happy New Year! 新年快乐 All in today's Chinese Studio.
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Cam: We've run out of time already!
YJ: Let's get to our question of the day. How do you say "countdown" in Chinese?
Cam: See ya tomorrow!
Yajie: Ming tian jian.
