I've decided to learn Chinese.

[jiang bao]

Which chinese surname does your last name most resemble? Usually only the first syllable is used.

That name just means 'like serenity' and I like the sound of it (More in mandarin than cantonese). Your name has a peace theme right?

[sniffles]

Which chinese surname does your last name most resemble? Usually only the first syllable is used.

That name just means 'like serenity' and I like the sound of it (More in mandarin than cantonese). Your name has a peace theme right?

My real surname doesn't resemble any Chinese surname. I didn't even try putting my surname into the name generator on the website I mentioned.

My Chinese surname, given by my teacher, is Yuan 袁.

According to name dictionaries, my personal name means "peace". Although I also saw a name dictionary once that said my name means "ewe", as in female sheep.

I think my actual name would be difficult for Chinese speakers to pronounce.

[sniffles]

I'm trying to translate someone's blog to increase my understanding of sentence structure. I've been putting unfamiliar characters into mandarintools.

I'm having trouble with part of this sentence, though:

低头看自己穿着北洋军靴的双脚在山西榆次古城，
I think I get this first part: "Head bowed I see myself wearing Northern army boots at the ancient town of Shanxi Yuci".

《关中风云》片场的青砖地上踱着步
But the next bit is confusing me, and I'm not sure what the angle brackets signify. 关中 shows up as a place name in mandarintools.

And the rest: 陪伴我的是地面上我的影子。
I think I understand this as "my shadow accompanies me on the ground."

Am I even close?

[jiang bao]

I'm trying to translate someone's blog to increase my understanding of sentence structure. I've been putting unfamiliar characters into mandarintools.

I'm having trouble with part of this sentence, though:

低头看自己穿着北洋军靴的双脚在山西榆次古城，
I think I get this first part: "Head bowed I see myself wearing Northern army boots at the ancient town of Shanxi Yuci".

《关中风云》片场的青砖地上踱着步
But the next bit is confusing me, and I'm not sure what the angle brackets signify. 关中 shows up as a place name in mandarintools.

And the rest: 陪伴我的是地面上我的影子。
I think I understand this as "my shadow accompanies me on the ground."

Am I even close?

I think northern ocean boots refers to Russian... not positive about that, however.

Guan Zhong Feng Yun is probably a movie or a novel, most likely a movie. The blogger is talking about walking on the same brick-layered road where a scene in the movie was filmed.

Yes on the shadow part. He was probably alone.

Sniffles have you thought about hiring a private tutor?

Hell even I may have to think about tutoring part time. I am actually making well less now after grad school than I was before. (Btw, I am not suggesting you hire me or something. I am just jumping from one thought to the next.)

[HuangYushi]

... and I'm not sure what the angle brackets signify.

This type of angle brackets 《 》 are used to contain titles of movies, novels, books, stories, etc.
The other type of angle brackets 「 」 are used to contain verbatim speech, in the manner of quote-marks.

And the rest: 陪伴我的是地面上我的影子。
I think I understand this as "my shadow accompanies me on the ground."

Reworded slightly: That which accompanies me is my shadow on the ground.

[sniffles]

Sniffles have you thought about hiring a private tutor?

Next term the community college where I'm taking conversational Mandarin is offering a reading and writing course. I'm planning to enroll in that.

This type of angle brackets 《 》 are used to contain titles of movies, novels, books, stories, etc.

I suspected that, mainly because the blogger is an actor. But I wasn't sure.

But what is 风云, then? When I put it through Google translator it came back as "situation", but I know that Google's translator function is pretty poor for Chinese. Putting those two characters into mandarintools gets me "comic book series" as a definition.

Oh, and thanks as always for your help! I can see that I have a lot to learn about sentence structure in Chinese. The blog entry is fairly long and some of the sentence results I'm getting just don't make any sense to me, but I know it's because I don't understand how one character modifies another under some circumstances.

It probably doesn't help that the blogger seems to be waxing a bit philosophical here, which means he may not be using a colloquial writing style.

[jiang bao]

Wind and Rain is a metaphor for Drama and Action. Basically there’s lots of sith going on, in the context of that movie, likely a battle.

[sniffles]

Wind and Rain is a metaphor for Drama and Action. Basically there’s lots of sith going on, in the context of that movie, likely a battle.

Thanks! There was a photo with the blog entry and it looked like the actors were wearing 1930s or '40s military uniforms. Your explanation fits with the photo.

Idioms and metaphors are going to be a challenge for me too, I see. I probably shouldn't have tried translating this blog entry when I haven't finished working my way through The Lady in the Painting yet. I'm just too impatient. I hate knowing there are all these interesting websites out there that I can't read.

[Cesare]

I'm just too impatient. I hate knowing there are all these interesting websites out there that I can't read.

Exactly... Now, I'm not far enough to even consider reading a blog entry - or anything else for that matter. And it is awfully frustrating to think of all that stuff I'd like to read but cannot... Not just websites (though right now I can think at least of three blogs I would like to read...;-)), but also books...

[jiang bao]

Blogs could have informal words and terms that'll be confusing. I get confused sometimes cuz I am not familiar with the local Mainland or Taiwanese lingo. Start with short news articles.

[sniffles]

Exactly... Now, I'm not far enough to even consider reading a blog entry - or anything else for that matter. And it is awfully frustrating to think of all that stuff I'd like to read but cannot... Not just websites (though right now I can think at least of three blogs I would like to read...;-)), but also books...

Yes, especially books! Every time I look at all the Jin Yong novels available through Amazon I sigh...

Blogs could have informal words and terms that'll be confusing. I get confused sometimes cuz I am not familiar with the local Mainland or Taiwanese lingo. Start with short news articles.

That's a good idea. I was eyeing our local Chinese-language newspaper last night, but I didn't pick one up. I should do that.

[Cesare]

Yes, especially books! Every time I look at all the Jin Yong novels available through Amazon I sigh...

...Wen RuiAn...
(*sigh*)

[kidd]

This type of angle brackets 《 》 are used to contain titles of movies, novels, books, stories, etc.
The other type of angle brackets 「 」 are used to contain verbatim speech, in the manner of quote-marks.

May I know how to type these 2 symbols?

[jiang bao]

Yes, especially books! Every time I look at all the Jin Yong novels available through Amazon I sigh...


That's a good idea. I was eyeing our local Chinese-language newspaper last night, but I didn't pick one up. I should do that.

Why don't you just use chinese online newsites? You would be able to copy and paste characters into online dictionaries when needed.

Also, I think the NJStar chinese word processor would help you. It has pinyin and other input functions. It's helped me with mandarin.

[Huang Rong]

May I know how to type these 2 symbols?

I use the IME Pad which is already incorporated in the Microsoft Pinyin IME 3.0 of Windows. Test: 【１】 《２》　『３』 「４」〈5〉★■▲●〓㈤

[kidd]

I use the IME Pad which is already incorporated in the Microsoft Pinyin IME 3.0 of Windows. Test: 【１】 《２》　『３』 「４」〈5〉★■▲●〓㈤

I switched to Microsoft Pinyin IME 3.0 of Windows too when I watch to type simplified chinese. But, I don't know which key to type to get these symbols. Do you have a map for the keyboard when in Microsoft Pinyin IME 3.0 of Windows mode?

[Huang Rong]

I switched to Microsoft Pinyin IME 3.0 of Windows too when I watch to type simplified chinese. But, I don't know which key to type to get these symbols. Do you have a map for the keyboard when in Microsoft Pinyin IME 3.0 of Windows mode?

First, you have to open an application for typing such as Word, Notepad, or simply the quick reply box of this forum.

Second, you left-click on the small white triangle sign on the Language bar and choose IME Pad. The IME Pad window will pop up.

Third, in the IME Pad window you click on the "Symbol" tab, all the punctuations you need are in there. :P.

What a pity they cannot be typed out. You have to click on them to make them appear in the text.

[kidd]

First, you have to open an application for typing such as Word, Notepad, or simply the quick reply box of this forum.

Second, you left-click on the small white triangle sign on the Language bar and choose IME Pad. The IME Pad window will pop up.

Third, in the IME Pad window you click on the "Symbol" tab, all the punctuations you need are in there. :P.

What a pity they cannot be typed out. You have to click on them to make them appear in the text.

Thanks. I didn't use to the IME Pad but the built-in one in Windows XP. But, your instructions help me find my way to how to type these symbols with this built-in feature.

[sniffles]

Why don't you just use chinese online newsites? You would be able to copy and paste characters into online dictionaries when needed.

Also, I think the NJStar chinese word processor would help you. It has pinyin and other input functions. It's helped me with mandarin.

I could look at online sites, too, but the newspaper I can carry around with me and read on the bus on the way to work.

I do use NJStar at home to help with translation. I just don't have it with me at work. I'm not allowed to install software on my workplace computer.

I was going to spend a little time with the cd-rom for Lady in the Painting this morning when I got to work - I arrive early and there's no one else around. But sadly my work PC doesn't have a Shockwave Flash player.

[xianzai]

I'm not allowed to install software on my workplace computer.

I was going to spend a little time with the cd-rom for Lady in the Painting this morning when I got to work - I arrive early and there's no one else around. But sadly my work PC doesn't have a Shockwave Flash player.

If you have small hands, you might look at picking up one of those netbook computers with XP and install Chinese learning software on it. I've used my tablet PC on the bus to study using the Integrated Chinese software.