Today's amusing Chinese language story
Posted by David on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at 9:31 AM.
I'm waiting for the bus to go to work this morning. A guy walks up to me and asks in a strong Chinese accent: "Excuse me, can you tell me where I can catch the number seventy bus?"
I of course answer in Chinese. Bus directions I can still handle.
"Nin dao nali qu? Hao, di qishe che keyi, qishier, qishesan liangge ye keyi. Tamen xia yige lu ting che."
No reaction at all. He chats with me in Chinese, thanks me in Chinese, and goes on his way.
As though it's the most natural thing in the world to walk up to a 6'2" , long-haired, haole guy in downtown Seattle and have him speak your own language.
Joshua Edelstein, on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at 10:16 AM:
你到哪里去？ 好，第七十车可以，七十二，七十三两个也可以。他们下一个路停车。
david adam edelstein, on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at 10:39 AM:
Ha ha ha, Mr. "I-can-type-in-Chinese". Thbttt.
Timothy, on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at 4:14 PM:
You both a bunch of show offs!
david adam edelstein, on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at 4:21 PM:
It's a good thing we're also handsome and modest, or we'd be insufferable.
Joshua Edelstein, on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at 8:19 PM:
Yeah, but I just noticed that you actually said "您," not "你." For shame on me. At least I'm still good looking.
David Adam Edelstein, on Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at 9:43 PM:
You can't help it if I'm more polite than you are.
I did realize on further consideration tonight that if I was -- or more accurately, when I have been -- on the street in a foreign country, and I tried to ask someone questions in an unfamiliar language, and they answered me in English, I probably wouldn't make a big deal out of it, either.
stacy, on Thursday, October 19, 2006 at 10:16 AM:
you should know this one...
Someone gave me a pendant with some chinese characters on it. It's from one of my homeless friends who doesn't speak Chinese. How do I find out what the characters mean? I don't want to walk around with something like "Hot stuff" around my neck in Chinese...or do I?