sharing with some funny stories in Learning Chinese

[amanda1969]

English is our only language to talk, which we have not hard time to communicate with each other because at least my husband understands my English. ha ha ha...But after my husband's first traveling in China, I would like very much to teach him some simple Chinese which he will feel more comfortable when he returns to China again.Well, he has made great progress in learning Chinese.When we talk on cell or through MSN, he often says simple words in Chinese.I am very proud of being a good learner's wife.

In this thread I would like to share some funny stories with you about learning Chinese.(I hope he will not see this topic. I do not want in trouble. )

Here is one of them:

Last year when Richard called me on my home phone, my son answered him with "wei, wei" because son did not know it was Richard who called me. I told Richard "wei, wei" is equal to say hello.But in a faw days, he told me that once he went to a Chinese restaurant saying "wei,wei" to the Chinese chef but he responded nothing. Oh my, I forgot telling him "wei, wei" is only to say on phone call! In China, If you say "wei, wei" to someone in person even though you want to say hello, this word is VERY RUDE to say!That was why the chef ignored him, ha ha ha...

 

 

Amanda

[shushuweiwei]

English is our only language to talk, which we have not hard time to communicate with each other because at least my husband understands my English. ha ha ha...But after my husband's first traveling in China, I would like very much to teach him some simple Chinese which he will feel more comfortable when he returns to China again.Well, he has made great progress in learning Chinese.When we talk on cell or through MSN, he often says simple words in Chinese.I am very proud of being a good learner's wife.

In this thread I would like to share some funny stories with you about learning Chinese.(I hope he will not see this topic. I do not want in trouble. )

Here is one of them:

Last year when Richard called me on my home phone, my son answered him with "wei, wei" because son did not know it was Richard who called me. I told Richard "wei, wei" is equal to say hello.But in a faw days, he told me that once he went to a Chinese restaurant saying "wei,wei" to the Chinese chef but he responded nothing. Oh my, I forgot telling him "wei, wei" is only to say on phone call! In China, If you say "wei, wei" to someone in person even though you want to say hello, this word is VERY RUDE to say!That was why the chef ignored him, ha ha ha...

 

 

Amanda

 

I hope my Weiwei doesn't come here and tell about silly things I say in Chinese! Maybe Weiwei will tell Amanda some funny story of my crazy Chinese to share here.

 

Her Mama likes to talk to me for a long time in Chinese. She doesn't care if I can understand the word and she feels our hearts can know without words. I feel very close to my ayi from this. Sometimes when she talks to me I repeat some sentence back like a child just learning to talk, then everyone has a big laugh!

 

This is how I learned to say ni lei bu lei. After everyone laughed at my repeating it back to her, Weiwei taught me the meaning. I knew of the sentence structure of asking if I am or am not something, but weiwei told me what lei meant. This was after a very long busy day of photos!I turned back to her mom and said "Wo hen lei!" Then we all had a good laugh.

[IllinoisDave]

When my wife calls me at work sometimes I answer with "wei" because I've heard her do it so many times. She usually gets a chuckle out of it. But I had no idea it was meant only for the phone. Thanks for the heads-up Amanda. Might have saved me a big dose of red-face in the future.

[usaRichard]

(I hope he will not see this topic. I do not want in trouble. )

 

Oh my, I forgot telling him "wei, wei" is only to say on phone call! In China, If you say "wei, wei" to someone in person even though you want to say hello, this word is VERY RUDE to say!That was why the chef ignored him, ha ha ha...

 

 

Amanda

 

Wife I have seen and this could be trouble for you we will deal with this later....

 

But she also let me lose face where I frequently buy my lunch, I hope I will not be banned. Perhaps a generous tip is in order.

 

wife take note you will reimburse me for that tip in USA $ not RMB

 

Richard

Edited August 22, 2008 by usaRichard (see edit history)

[Dennis143]

In English it is endearing to introduce your wife as "my little wife."

 

I thought it would be even more so, since Leiqin is so much smaller than me. So, I had her translate...sha lao po. And, I merrily go about introducing her as my sha lao po for weeks, maybe months. That is until DavidZ's Lily told me that by my saying this it is showing Leiqin much disrespect, as sha lao po translates to meaning, not little, but inferior as in er nai or second wife.

 

Why did Leiqin just let me make a fool out of myself I will never know.

Edited August 22, 2008 by Dennis143 (see edit history)

[Guest Mike and Lily]

One of my favorite foods in China is Sheng Hao. I have been looking for it in the USA but have been unable to find it. Once we went into a Chinese restaurant and I asked the waiterif they had Sheng Hao. They said no, Gan Bei. I lifted my glass and said "Gan Bei!". I thought he was saying "cheers" in Chinese. But then he explained that Gan Bei was a shellfish similar to Sheng Hao.

[amanda1969]

(I hope he will not see this topic. I do not want in trouble. )

 

Oh my, I forgot telling him "wei, wei" is only to say on phone call! In China, If you say "wei, wei" to someone in person even though you want to say hello, this word is VERY RUDE to say!That was why the chef ignored him, ha ha ha...

 

 

Amanda

 

Wife I have seen and this could be trouble for you we will deal with this later....

 

But she also let me lose face where I frequently buy my lunch, I hope I will not be banned. Perhaps a generous tip is in order.

 

wife take note you will reimburse me for that tip B) in USA $ not RMB

 

Richard

I will teach you more Chinese so that you might talk with me in Chinese. ha ha ha

[amanda1969]

In English it is endearing to introduce your wife as "my little wife."

 

I thought it would be even more so, since Leiqin is so much smaller than me. So, I had her translate...sha lao po. And, I merrily go about introducing her as my sha lao po for weeks, maybe months. That is until DavidZ's Lily told me that by my saying this it is showing Leiqin much disrespect, as sha lao po translates to meaning, not little, but inferior as in er nai or second wife.

 

Why did Leiqin just let me make a fool out of myself I will never know.

My husband often calls me as silly wife and I do for him as silly husband, ha ha ha...

[amanda1969]

One of my favorite foods in China is Sheng Hao. I have been looking for it in the USA but have been unable to find it. Once we went into a Chinese restaurant and I asked the waiterif they had Sheng Hao. They said no, Gan Bei. I lifted my glass and said "Gan Bei!". I thought he was saying "cheers" in Chinese. But then he explained that Gan Bei was a shellfish similar to Sheng Hao.

I taught my husband how to say cheers in Chinese after we read your post.

[amanda1969]

English is our only language to talk, which we have not hard time to communicate with each other because at least my husband understands my English. ha ha ha...But after my husband's first traveling in China, I would like very much to teach him some simple Chinese which he will feel more comfortable when he returns to China again.Well, he has made great progress in learning Chinese.When we talk on cell or through MSN, he often says simple words in Chinese.I am very proud of being a good learner's wife.

In this thread I would like to share some funny stories with you about learning Chinese.(I hope he will not see this topic. I do not want in trouble. )

Here is one of them:

Last year when Richard called me on my home phone, my son answered him with "wei, wei" because son did not know it was Richard who called me. I told Richard "wei, wei" is equal to say hello.But in a faw days, he told me that once he went to a Chinese restaurant saying "wei,wei" to the Chinese chef but he responded nothing. Oh my, I forgot telling him "wei, wei" is only to say on phone call! In China, If you say "wei, wei" to someone in person even though you want to say hello, this word is VERY RUDE to say!That was why the chef ignored him, ha ha ha...

 

 

Amanda

 

B) I hope my Weiwei doesn't come here and tell about silly things I say in Chinese! Maybe Weiwei will tell Amanda some funny story of my crazy Chinese to share here.

 

Her Mama likes to talk to me for a long time in Chinese. She doesn't care if I can understand the word and she feels our hearts can know without words. I feel very close to my ayi from this. Sometimes when she talks to me I repeat some sentence back like a child just learning to talk, then everyone has a big laugh!

 

This is how I learned to say ni lei bu lei. After everyone laughed at my repeating it back to her, Weiwei taught me the meaning. I knew of the sentence structure of asking if I am or am not something, but weiwei told me what lei meant. This was after a very long busy day of photos!I turned back to her mom and said "Wo hen lei!" Then we all had a good laugh.

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[Sebastian]

ah ! muffins !!!!

 

i love to eat muffins !!! blueberry, bran, oat... preferably without a sugar coating on top...

 

but - with beijing accent, said fast, resembles 'horse shit' ..

i think is funny...

Edited August 22, 2008 by Darnell (see edit history)

[amanda1969]

ah ! muffins !!!!

 

i love to eat muffins !!! blueberry, bran, oat... preferably without a sugar coating on top...

 

but - with beijing accent, said fast, resembles 'horse shit' ..

i think is funny...

Yes, very funny.

[JimS.]

(I hope he will not see this topic. I do not want in trouble. )

 

Oh my, I forgot telling him "wei, wei" is only to say on phone call! In China, If you say "wei, wei" to someone in person even though you want to say hello, this word is VERY RUDE to say!That was why the chef ignored him, ha ha ha...

 

 

Amanda

 

Wife I have seen and this could be trouble for you we will deal with this later....

 

But she also let me lose face where I frequently buy my lunch, I hope I will not be banned. Perhaps a generous tip is in order.

 

wife take note you will reimburse me for that tip in USA $ not RMB

 

Richard

You are not the only one to make this mistake. Just by hearing her say it a couple of times answering the phone I picked it up..after all it's close to way, so easy for me. I only said it a couple of times to some of her friends..they giggled.