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.