September 20, 2020 - Washington D.C. Taiwanese School, Advanced Mandarin Conversation Class Notes

 

September 20, 2020 - Washington D.C. Taiwanese School, Advanced Mandarin Conversation

·         We discussed the following issues:

• Hi, everyone! Today we jumped  to Lesson 60 (Visiting Grandparents,) - it's about our  life now- I hope you won't mind  (大家好！ 今天我們跳到第60課 (探望 祖父母)，這是關於我們現在的生活，希望您不會介意 - Dàjiā hǎo! Jīntiān wǒmen tiào dào dì 60 kè (Tànwàng zǔfùmǔ), zhè shì guānyú wǒmen xiànzài de shēnghuó, xīwàng nín bù huì jièyì)
• Joseph said,"my son, 4-year-old, called grandparents - Nai-Nai and Ye-Ye." Joseph說：“我兒子,4歲, 叫祖父母-奶奶 和 爺爺。”Joseph shuō:“Wǒ érzi, 4 Suì, jiào zǔfùmǔ Nai-Nai hé Yéyé.”  
• Steve said,"my daughter, 12-year-old, called grandparents (my parents) - Grandmi and Grandpa. But, she called my wife's parents - A-Ma and A-Gong." Steve (葛艾倫)說：“我女兒, 12歲, 叫祖父母 (我的父母) - Grandmi 和 Grandpa. 但是, 她叫我太太的父母 - 阿媽和阿公.” Steve (葛艾倫) shuō:“Wǒ nǚ'ér, 12 Suì, jiào zǔfùmǔ (Wǒ de fùmǔ) Grandmi hé Grandpa. Dànshì, tā jiào wǒ tàitài de fùmǔ - ā mā hé āgōng.”  
• Raymond said,"my daughters, 8 and 5 years old, called grandparents - Grandma  and Grandpa." (Raymond (書宗) 說：“我女兒, 8歲和5歲, 叫祖父母-Grqndma 和 Grandpa。”(Raymond (書宗) shuō:“Wǒ nǚ'ér, 8 Suì hé 5Shì, jiào zǔfùmǔ -Grandma hé  Grandpa.” 
  
• The teacher said, "my grand boys, 7 and 3 years old also called my husband and me - A-Ma and A-Gong.  They brag a lot even though they only know a little bit of Chinese." 吳老師說："我7歲和3歲的孫子也叫我先生和我-阿媽和阿貢。他們雖然說一點點中文，但常常說大話."
  Lǎoshī shuō:“Wǒ 7 suì hé 3 suì de sūnzi yě jiào wǒ xiānshēng hé wǒ-ā mā hé ā gòng. Tāmen suīrán shuō yīdiǎn diǎn zhōngwén, dàn cháng cháng shuō Dà huà.

   
•  Teacher Wu said, ("Could it be "cultural difference?" that we have different ways to call grandparents?") 吳老師說：(“可能是“文化不一樣嗎？” 我們有不同的方式叫祖父母嗎？”) Wú lǎoshī shuō:“Kěnéng shì “wénhuà bù yīyàng ma?” Wǒmen yǒu bùtóng de fāngshì  jiào zǔfùmǔ ma?”)
•  Raymond said,"Perhaps Yes!  My paretns live in America for a long time, they like "Pizza" instead of "Taiwan Local Food" when they visit Taiwan." Raymond (書宗)說：“大概是的！ 我的父母在美國生活了很長一段時間，去台灣時，他們喜歡的是“披薩”而不是“台灣當地美食”") Raymond (書宗) shuō:“Dàgài shì de! Wǒ de fùmǔ zài měiguó shēnghuóle hěn zhǎng yīduàn shíjiān, qù táiwān shí, tāmen xǐhuān de shì “pīsà” ér bùshì “táiwān Dāngdì měishí”")
• Teacher Wu asks, "Joseph, what is your best favorite food in Taiwan?" "I like them all! But, Tea, icycold soybean milk and Bubble Tea are my best favorites!" 吳老師問Joseph：“您在台灣最喜歡的食物是什麼？”我都喜歡，但是茶, 冰豆漿和珍珠奶茶是我的最愛。” Lǎoshī wèn Joseph:“Nín zài táiwān zuì xǐhuān de shíwù shì shénme?” Wǒ dū xǐhuān, dànshì chá, Bīng dòujiāng, hé Zhēnzhū nǎichá shì wǒ de zuì'ài.)
  
• Raymond said, "I like Bubble Tea as well.  But, it's too sweet, it's not good for our health!") (Raymond (書宗)說：“我也喜歡珍珠奶茶，但是，太甜了，對我們的健康不好！” Raymond (書宗) shuō,“Wǒ yě xǐhuān Zhēnzhū nǎichá, dànshì, tài tiánle, duì wǒmen de jiànkāng bùHǎo!”)
• Steve said, "I like Taiwanese food and coffee. But, my daughter, Jen-Jen likes Taiwanese/American food." Steve (葛艾倫)說：“我喜歡台灣菜和咖啡。Jen-Jen，我的女兒喜歡台美菜。” Steve (葛艾倫) shuō:“Wǒ xǐhuān táiwān cài. hé kāfēi. Jen-Jen, wǒ de nǚ'ér xǐhuān tái/měi cài.”
• Teacher Wu said: "Gang Bei" is commonly seen in Taiwan - especially during the family meal time. "吳老師 說: - 乾杯 "在台灣很常見-特別是在家庭用餐時. Wú lǎoshī shuō:(gǎngběi) - zài táiwān hěn chángjiàn-tèbié shì zài jiātíng yòngcān shí.
  
• Steve said "Trying not to be impolite to the family, I always use tea-drinking to show my Bottoms-up." Steve (葛艾倫) 說 "為了不對家人不禮貌，我總是用喝茶來乾杯." Steve (葛艾倫) shuō: "Wèi liǎo bùduì jiārén bù lǐmào, wǒ zǒng shì Yòng chá Lái gǎngběi."

We discussed Lesson 60 (Visiting Grandparents,) 第60課 (探望 祖父母)-dì 60 kè (Tànwàng zǔfùmǔ)

We explained the origins of Chinese Characters - Written words practice as follows: 

Joseph said, "I wrote my homework on the notbook that I bought at Muji in Taiwan." Joseph 說: "我把功課寫在台灣 Muji 買的筆記本上." Joseph shuō:"Wǒ bǎ Gōngkè xiě zài táiwān Muji mǎi de bǐjìběn shàng."

Raymond asked ,"What is Muji?" Raymond (書宗)問："Muji 是什麼?" Raymond (書宗)Wèn：“Muji  Shì Shénme?"

Steve said "I love the stuff from Muji." Steve (葛艾倫) 說"我愛 Muji 的東西." Steve (葛艾倫) shuō: "Wǒ ài Muji de dōngxī."

Muji - Wikipedia

 

安 (Ān) - A woman in a house - This is Peaceful

排 (pái) - Lining up with hand on the right and left by using a "hand" as radical of a word - This is "A Row - Lining Up.

探 (Tàn) - A hand searching a deep cave vault - This is Searching, and Visiting 

 

 

 

 

 

  

望 (wàng) - A man looking toward a direction of a moon - This is Longing for Something

The following 4 words are homework assignments to practice the words with "Heart" radical.

念 (niàn) - Inverted mouth muttering and heart pumping - This is Missing, Longing, and Craving

 

 

 

 

美 (Měi)

A person wearing an ornate headdress - This is Beautiful - 美 (Měi)  However, some others interpret the origin of "
美" differently; they say the character is made up of
羊 (yáng) sheep and 大 (Dà) big, thus this meaning "a large sheep is beautiful."

羨 (Xiàn) - a man with mouth-watered wanting to eat the roasted lamb or a man drooling for a beautiful woman with ornate headdress - This is "Envious."

慕 (mù) - The sun setting over a grassy field plus the heart on the bottom - This is also "envious."

想 (Xiǎn) - The eye looking at the tree and the heart at the bottom.

 

 

 

We plan to iscuss Lesson 61 (Traveling around the island (I) 第61課 (環島旅行)-dì 61 kè (Huándǎo lǚxíng) 

Please practice the following  4 words - Beautiful & heart radicle for the words.

羨 (Xiàn) 慕 (mù)    想 (Xiǎn)  念 (niàn) 

Teacher Wu asked," Before we end today's class, I would like to ask you,"what would you miss the most now?" " 吳老師問："在我們今天課程結束之前，我想問你：“你現在最想念的是什麼？” Wu Lǎoshī wèn: " Zài wǒmen jīntiān kèchéng jiéshù zhīqián, wǒ xiǎng wèn nǐ:“Nǐ xiànzài zuì xiǎngniàn de shì shénme?”

1. Raymond said, "I miss my mother and father who live in Tennessee!" (Raymond (書宗)說：“我想念住在田納西州的媽媽和爸爸！” Raymond (書宗) shuō,“Wǒ xiǎngniàn zhù zài Tennessee de māmā hé bàba!”)

2. Joseph said, "I miss my mother and father who live in Texas!" Joseph說：“我想念住在Texas州的媽媽和爸爸！” Joseph shuō,“Wǒ xiǎngniàn zhù zài Texas de māmā hé bàba!”)

3. Steven said, "I miss my mother who lives in Baltimore, Maryland! I would like to hug her so badly" Steve (葛艾倫)說：“我想念住在Baltimore, Maryland 州的媽媽！我要好好擁抱她!” Steve (葛艾倫)shuō,“Wǒ xiǎngniàn zhù zài Baltimore, Maryland de māmā ! Wǒ yào hǎohǎo yǒngbào tā”)