We're excited to announce that 席爱娜 Xi Aina (Diana) has just published "Cultural Differences: Nali Nali", a new Intermediate level Mandarin Chinese lesson, on Language Mentor! 

Lesson Script

Nali Nali
Na3li3 Na3li3
哪里哪里

A:

You speak Chinese really well.
Ni3 Zhong1wen2 shuo1 de zhen1 hao3!
你中文说得真好!

B:

Not really!
Na3li3 na3li3!
哪里哪里!
Note: Literally "Where? Where?" - a modest response.

A:

Previously, Chinese people often said, "nali, nali", ...
Yi3qian2, Zhong1guo2ren2 jing1chang2 shuo1 "na3li3 na3li3", ...
以前,中国人经常说"哪里哪里",……

however, now - people who speak this way - more and more rare.
bu2guo4, xian4zai4 zhe4yang4 shuo1 de ren2 yue4lai2yue4 shao3 le.
不过,现在这样说的人越来越少了。

Especially - is our young people. Seldom hear them say "nali nali".
Te4bie2 shi4 wo3men nian2qing1ren2. Hen3shao3 ting1dao4 ta1men shuo1 "na3li3 na3li3".
特别是我们年轻人。很少听到他们说"哪里哪里"。

B:

Oh, I'm very amazed to hear this!
O1, ting1dao4 zhe4ge4 wo3 hen3 jing1ya4!
噢,听到这个我很惊讶!

Why? Is because - received western cultural influence?
Wei4shen2me? Shi4 yin1wei2 shou4 le xi1fang1 wen2hua4 de ying4xiang4 ma?
为什么?是因为受了西方文化的影响吗?

A:

I feel that this is - among them - one reason.
Wo3 jue2de zhe4 shi4 qi2zhong1 de yi2ge4 yuan2yin1.
我觉得这是其中的一个原因。

At present in China, if you say to a young person ...
Xian4zai4 zai4 Zhong1guo2, ru2guo3 ni3 dui4 yi2ge4 nian2qing1ren2 shuo1 ...
现在在中国,如果你对一个年轻人说……

"wow, your cloths - really pretty." ...
"wa1, ni3de yi1fu zhen1 piao4liang." ...
" 哇,你的衣服真漂亮。" ……

many people - all will say "thank you".
hen3duo1 ren2 dou1 hui4 shuo1 "xie4xie".
很多人都会说"谢谢"。

If you say to them, "your English - not bad!" ...
Ru2guo3 ni3 dui4 ta1men shuo1 "ni3de Ying1wen2 bu2cuo4!" ...
如果你对他们说"你的英文不错!" ……

some people will say "thanks" ...
yi4xie1 ren2 hui4 shuo1 "xie4xie", ...
一些人会说"谢谢",……

some people will say "common" or "just so-so".
yi4xie1 ren2 hui4 shuo1 "yi4ban1yi4ban1" huo4zhe3 "ma3ma3huhu".
一些人会说"一般一般"或者"马马虎虎"。
Note: Literally, "some people will say common-common or horse-horse-tiger-tiger"

B:

What does "yibanyiban" mean?
"Yi4ban1yi4ban1" shi4 shen2me yi4si?
"一般一般"是什么意思?

A:

"Yiban" means "common".
"Yi4ban1" de yi4si1 shi4 "common".
"一般"的意思是"common"。

B:

"Mamahuhu" means horse and tiger?
"Ma3ma3huhu" shi4 ma3 he2 lao3hu3 de yi4si ma?
"马马虎虎"是马和老虎的意思吗?

A:

Yes.
Shi4de.
是的。

B:

Then why - can "mamahuhu" express - "do so-so"?
Na4 wei4shen2me "ma3ma3huhu" ke3yi3 biao3shi4 "zuo4de yi4ban1" ne?
那为什么"马马虎虎"可以表示"做得一般"呢?

A:

I guess you don't understand this.
Zhe4 ni3 jiu4 bu4dong3 le ba?
这你就不懂了吧?

Listen to me tell you a story.
Ting1 wo3 gei3 ni3 jiang3 ge4 gu4shi.
听我给你讲个故事。

Long ago, there was a painter - because careless, ...
Cong2qian2, you3 yi2ge4 hua4jia1, yin1wei4 cu1xin1, ...
从前,有一个画家,因为粗心,……

painted a tiger head - horse body - picture - hung in home.
hua4 le yi2ge4 hu3tou2 ma3shen2 de hua4 gua4 zai4 jia1 li3.
画了一个虎头马身的画挂在家里。

Later, his son - because ...
Hou4lai2, ta1de er2zi1 yin1wei4 ...
后来,他的儿子因为……

mistakenly took tiger to be horse - and killed by tiger.
cuo4 ba3 lao3hu3 dang1cheng2 ma3 er2 bei4 lao3hu3 sha1 le.
错把老虎当成马而被老虎杀了。

He very sad - felt son's death ...
Ta1 hen3 shang1xin1, jue2de er2zi de si3 ...
他很伤心,觉得儿子的死……

is self's fault - not serious - carelessly draw bad picture.
shi4 guai4 zi4ji3 bu2 ren4zhen1, cu1xin1 hua4 cuo4 le hua4.
是怪自己不认真,粗心画错了画。

From this moment on - "horse-tiger" thus changed into ...
Cong2ci3 yi3hou4, "ma3hu" jiu4 bian4cheng2 ...
从此以后,"马虎"就变成……

meaning - careless - not serious, ...
cu1xin1, bu2 ren4zhen1 de yi4si le, ...
粗心,不认真的意思了,……

Furthermore, horse-horse-tiger-tiger also came to mean - to do something in a so-so way.
Er2 ma3ma3huhu ye3 jiu4 bian4cheng2 zuo4de yi4ban1 de yi4si le.
而马马虎虎也就变成做得一般的意思了。

B:

Oh, also quite interesting.
O1, hai2 ting3 you3yi4si de.
噢,还挺有意思的。

Can I ask you another question?
Wo3 ke3yi3 zai4 wen4 ni3 yi2ge4 wen4ti2 ma?
我可以再问你一个问题吗?

A:

Of course can. What do you want to ask?
Dang1ran2 ke3yi3. Ni3 yao4 wen4 shen2me?
当然可以。你要问什么?

B:

Yesterday, one of my colleagues told me ...
Zuo2tian2, wo3de yi2ge4 tong2shi4 gao4su4 wo3 ...
昨天,我的一个同事告诉我 ……

she felt - can work with me - very lucky ...
ta1 jue2de neng2 he2 wo3 yi4qi3 gong1zuo4 hen3 xing4yun4 ...
他觉得能和我一起工作很幸运 ……

A:

Oh, it looks like you are a good work partner.
O1, kan4lai2 ni3 shi4 yi2ge4 hao3de gong1zuo4 huo3ban4.
噢,看来你是一个好的工作伙伴。

B:

but I didn't know - should say what.
dan4shi4, wo3 bu4 zhi1dao4 gai1 shuo1 shen2me.
但是,我不知道该说什么。

I felt a little embarrassed.
Wo3 jue2de you3dianr3 bu4hao3yi4si.
我觉得有点儿不好意思。

In this kind of situation what should I say?
Zai4 zhe4yang4 de qing2kuang4 xia4 wo3 gai1 shuo1 shen2me?
在这样的情况下我该说什么?

A:

Let me think. Yes... you can say ...
Rang4 wo3 xiang3xiang3. En... ni3 ke3yi3 shuo1 ...
让我想想。嗯…… 你可以说……

"Actually, I still have a lot of limitations, ...
"Qi2shi2 wo3 hai2you3 hen3duo1 bu4zu2zhi1chu4, ...
"其实我还有很多不足之处,……
Note: bu4zu2zhi1chu4 can be translated as "limitations", "shortcomings" or "deficiencies".

Hope - in the future you can - much advise."
xi1wang4 ni3 yi3hou4 neng2 duo1duo1 zhi3jiao4."
希望您以后能多多指教。"
Note: "Duo1duo1 zhi3jiao4" is a commonly used phrase. Literally it means "much ~ much ~ point (out mistake) ~ teach". Idiomatically it is a request for guidance and, perhaps, mentoring.

Or, you also can say, "I - also the same."
Huo4zhe3, ni3 ye3 ke3yi3 shuo1, "Wo3 ye3 yi2yang4."
或者,你也可以说,"我也一样。"

Actually - this - want to look at circumstances.
Qi2shi2, zhe4 yao4 kan4 qing2kuang4.
其实,这要看情况。

If she is - long-term employee, ...
Ru2guo3 ta1 shi4 lao3 yuan2gong1, ...
如果他/她是老员工,……

you'd like to show respect to her - first one - better.
ni3 xiang3 dui4 ta1 biao3shi4 zun1jing4, di4yi1ge4 geng4 hao3.
你想对他/她表示尊敬,第一个更好。

If your relationship - very good, ...
Ru2guo3 ni3men guan1xi hen3hao3, ...
如果你们关系很好,……

you'd like to show your confidence - also keep a good relationship with them, ...
ni3 xiang3 biao3xian4 ni3de zi4xin4 bing4 he2 ta1 bao3chi2 hao3de guan1xi4, ...
你想表现你的自信并和他/她保持好的关系,……
Note: Literally... you ~ want ~ show ~ your ~ confidence ~ and ~ with ~ them ~ preserve/maintain ~ good ~ relationship

the second one is better.
di4er4ge4 geng4 hao3.
第二个更好。

If it was twenty years ago, ...
Ru2guo3 shi4 er2shi2 nian2 qian2, ...
如果是二十年前,……

maybe - major part of people - will use the first response, ...
ke3neng2 da4bu4fen ren2 hui4 yong4 di4yi1ge4 hui2da2, ...
可能大部分人会用第一个回答, ……

but now - not the same.
ke3 xian4zai4 bu4 yi1yang4 le.
可现在不一样了。

B:

It looks like Chinese culture is changing very quickly.
Kan4lai2, Zhong1guo2 de wen2hua4 bian4hua4 hen3 kuai4 a.
看来,中国的文化变化很快啊。

A:

Right, definitely is like this!
Dui4, que4shi2 shi4 zhe4yang4!
对,确实是这样!


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