Tag Archives: culture
Between Languages 017: How To Translate Chinese “Society” into English
Between Languages #17 Today we are dedicating a whole episode to discussing the translation of just one word: 社会 shèhuì, “society”. Like many modern concepts (economy, science, culture, etc.) the exact term did not exist natively in the Chinese language. As a result, it is used very differently in Chinese as compared to English, which […]
Between Languages 016: How to Translate China’s Cultural Heritage into English
Between Languages #16 In this week’s podcast on Chinese-English translation, I discuss some of the tricky terminology you’ll encounter when dealing with texts on China’s cultural heritage.
Random Word Trivia #11
Test your English and Chinese vocabulary level! See how many of these words you can guess. You take photos with a long stick. You make a promise with your shortest finger. You demand money for the person you just kidnapped. You look cute wearing a loose piece of clothing that covers your entire body. You […]
向“百年国耻”说再见 (Saying Goodbye to National Humiliation)
向“百年国耻”说再见 Saying Goodbye to National Humiliation 梁文道著 Text by Leung Man-tao 傅君恺译 Translation by Carl Gene Fordham 中国在过去十年之间走过的道路还真是奇怪，尤其自媒体取得相对开放的空间以来，明明我们看到中国有诸多问题和困难，但才一回头，却猛然发现自己突然之间竟成了一个叫人艳羡甚至嫉恨的大国了。明明我们是一个受了百年欺凌的发展中国家，这两年在国际媒体上看见的却是一片中国热。明明几年前我们还是那个被人妖魔化的国度，现在却目瞪口呆地看着中文成为各国学生的热门科目。 The road China has been going down over the past decade is really quite strange, especially since the relative liberalisation of the media. Yes, obviously, we can see China has a lot of problems and difficulties, […]
Random Word Trivia #10
See how many of these random words you can guess the English and Chinese for! 1. You have a bad habit, like smoking or gambling. 2. You have a tool that enables you to appear taller than what you are. 3. You look really similar to a celebrity. 4. You have an argument with someone […]
A Comprehensive Guide to Euphemisms in Chinese and English
I’ve always been fascinated with the concept of euphemisms in language – that is, words and expressions which allow you to express something without doing so in a direct way. In Chinese they are known as 婉辞, though in daily conversation it is more common to hear them described as 委婉语 or 委婉的说法. Here are […]
Random Word Trivia #9 – Marriage
See how many of these random words you can guess the English and Chinese for! This week’s topic is “marriage”! Enjoy! (Note: some of them do not have English equivalents!) 1. Getting married to someone you have only just met. (Chinese) 2. Getting married to someone without having first bought a house, car, or wedding […]
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