How do you say...

[griz326]

I could probably paste something together in Wenlin and learn to say it, but figured some one here actually knows the phrase - rather than giving a stinky google translation.

 

I am certain there is a customary expression to say that "I will take good care of them" and that's what I hope to say to my Chinese mother, father and her brothers when I see them next month.

 

I'd prefer the expression in Chinese characters for cut 'n paste into Wenlin.

 

TIA...

[amanda1969]

I could probably paste something together in Wenlin and learn to say it, but figured some one here actually knows the phrase - rather than giving a stinky google translation.

 

I am certain there is a customary expression to say that "I will take good care of them" and that's what I hope to say to my Chinese mother, father and her brothers when I see them next month.

 

I'd prefer the expression in Chinese characters for cut 'n paste into Wenlin.

 

TIA...

ÎÒ½«ºÃºÃÕÕ¹ËËûÃÇ¡£

wo jiang hao hao zhao gu ta men (pinyin)

 

Amanda

[A Mafan]

"jiang" (½«) may be a bit too formal. It's usually only in written language, at least in Mandarin. I guess sometimes Cantonese uses slightly different grammar rules.

But if you are going to speak to a Mandarin speaker, you should use "hui" (»á) or even "yiding hui" Ò»¶¨»á.

 

haohao zhaogu, as Amanda said, is 100% correct. Pretty much as good is "baohu hao" (±£»¤ºÃ).

Zhaogu is "to take care of", usually as in taking care of someone smaller/weaker; baohu is to "protect and care for". Just a slightly different emphasis, but both would work really well for what you want to say.

[griz326]

Thank you, I imagine these will work nicely.

[Randy W]

"jiang" (½«) may be a bit too formal. It's usually only in written language, at least in Mandarin. I guess sometimes Cantonese uses slightly different grammar rules.

But if you are going to speak to a Mandarin speaker, you should use "hui" (»á) or even "yiding hui" Ò»¶¨»á.

 

haohao zhaogu, as Amanda said, is 100% correct. Pretty much as good is "baohu hao" (±£»¤ºÃ).

Zhaogu is "to take care of", usually as in taking care of someone smaller/weaker; baohu is to "protect and care for". Just a slightly different emphasis, but both would work really well for what you want to say.

 

 

Do you realize that you are speaking to a native Mandarin speaker (Amanda) here?

[A Mafan]

"jiang" (½«) may be a bit too formal. It's usually only in written language, at least in Mandarin. I guess sometimes Cantonese uses slightly different grammar rules.

But if you are going to speak to a Mandarin speaker, you should use "hui" (»á) or even "yiding hui" Ò»¶¨»á.

 

haohao zhaogu, as Amanda said, is 100% correct. Pretty much as good is "baohu hao" (±£»¤ºÃ).

Zhaogu is "to take care of", usually as in taking care of someone smaller/weaker; baohu is to "protect and care for". Just a slightly different emphasis, but both would work really well for what you want to say.

 

 

Do you realize that you are speaking to a native Mandarin speaker (Amanda) here?

I didn't know whether she spoke Mandarin or Cantonese, no.

Does it matter?

[Randy W]

"jiang" (½«) may be a bit too formal. It's usually only in written language, at least in Mandarin. I guess sometimes Cantonese uses slightly different grammar rules.

But if you are going to speak to a Mandarin speaker, you should use "hui" (»á) or even "yiding hui" Ò»¶¨»á.

 

haohao zhaogu, as Amanda said, is 100% correct. Pretty much as good is "baohu hao" (±£»¤ºÃ).

Zhaogu is "to take care of", usually as in taking care of someone smaller/weaker; baohu is to "protect and care for". Just a slightly different emphasis, but both would work really well for what you want to say.

 

 

Do you realize that you are speaking to a native Mandarin speaker (Amanda) here?

I didn't know whether she spoke Mandarin or Cantonese, no.

Does it matter?

 

Aren't you telling her to say, "Surely can", instead of "will"?

[A Mafan]

"jiang" (½«) may be a bit too formal. It's usually only in written language, at least in Mandarin. I guess sometimes Cantonese uses slightly different grammar rules.

But if you are going to speak to a Mandarin speaker, you should use "hui" (»á) or even "yiding hui" Ò»¶¨»á.

 

haohao zhaogu, as Amanda said, is 100% correct. Pretty much as good is "baohu hao" (±£»¤ºÃ).

Zhaogu is "to take care of", usually as in taking care of someone smaller/weaker; baohu is to "protect and care for". Just a slightly different emphasis, but both would work really well for what you want to say.

 

 

Do you realize that you are speaking to a native Mandarin speaker (Amanda) here?

I didn't know whether she spoke Mandarin or Cantonese, no.

Does it matter?

 

Aren't you telling her to say, "Surely can", instead of "will"?

»á£¬ÄÜ£¬¿ÉÒÔ£¬¿ÉÄÜ£¬Òª all have overlapping translations. All are variations of "can", but all also have slightly different other meanings in other contexts. It confused me for a while, too.

Simply put, language is rarely a scientific one-for-one direct substition of sounds. It's an art where you have to be true to the original meaning, as well as the way it will impact on the listener.

 

I've encountered many of these sticky translation points over the years. My insight helps me to give advice. The listener can take my advice, or not.

 

In this case ÕÕ¹Ë certainly means "to care for", but it has an added sense of "...if something has gone wrong", like an illness, or infirmity, or inability to care for oneself (like a 4-year-old child). ±£»¤, on the other hand, means to look out for someone, protect them, cherish them (which is a different word). I felt I understood a little more what he was getting at.

 

Amanda didn't disagree. Maybe she thinks I'm an idiot, but was trying to save my face. Dunno.

 

But I will tell you this: in Beijing, (and different towns have different slang, even in the US, no?) "yiding hui" means "most certainly will". In either usage, Griz' in-laws will get the gist.

[Randy W]

Thanks for the clarification there - very much appreciated