Misunderstanding in English expression

[tonado]

Last night my wife asked me to call her sister's husband to remind him to bring a heavy coat today (when he picks her up in JFK airport). Her sister went back to Nanning for 3 weeks. Since the weather is in the 50's, my wife worried about her sister that it may be too cold for her. So I told her sister's husband to bring a heavy jacket. Also, I told him that my wife worried too much. Since the temperature is only in the 50's, I said that she won't die. When my wife heard that, she threw a fit and said I was cursing her sister. She was so angry with me. I didn't even try to explain to her that it is common to use that expression.

 

So watch out about what you say to your Chinese loveone.

[ahhming888]

Let me add not only to what you say but what you video tape too to this thread. When I went to see Wen during the end of August/September I brought my video camera. I wanted to capture all the different things over there for family and friends to see here in the states. Well during one of the sight seeing tours in Beijing I though it would be interesting to get a clip of the restroom signs how they had the icon there and the chinese lettering. Well very bad move, as Wen noticed where I was pointing the camera. She totally freaked on me saying that is not good to film that kind of stuff. After arguing with her that it was just a sign. (which was also not a good move) The anger about me filming a sign increased. Throughout the rest of that day for me was total silence from her as she ignored me. Since during the argument I pointed out in the states people film everything and anything.

 

Ohh the reason filming such things was bad had something to do with feng shui.

[tonado]

Let me add not only to what you say but what you video tape too to this thread.  When I went to see Wen during the end of August/September I brought my video camera.  I wanted to capture all the different things over there for family and friends to see here in the states.  Well during one of the sight seeing tours in Beijing I though it would be interesting to get a clip of the restroom signs how they had the icon there and the chinese lettering.  Well very bad move, as Wen noticed where I was pointing the camera.  She totally freaked on me saying that is not good to film that kind of stuff.  After arguing with her that it was just a sign. (which was also not a good move) The anger about me filming a sign increased.  Throughout the rest of that day for me was total silence from her as she ignored me.  Since during the argument I pointed out in the states people film everything and anything. 

 

Ohh the reason filming such things was bad had something to do with feng shui.

Also, don't take photos or videos of memorials and graves.

[Robert S.]

I said something to Ping one time to the effect of "it won't kill you" to try eating something new and she thought I had said something bad. It is all right for them to mention mortal matters but when we do we are in the wrong somehow. These kinds of culture clashes are just going to happen sometimes.

[oregonknl]

Thanks for the "Heads Up" guys...

 

It'll be over my dead body before I tell Fei: "it won't kill you" --- "just try it, maybe you'll like it"

 

..... now, have to go practice...

[garagegodness]

My mother in law has a dog named" Princess". One day she told me princess had an accident when they moved to a new place; i thought princess was injured, then she told me it meant something different, eg "poop" .Another time my parents in law, my husband and I went for a short trip together, they left the dog in a pethouse playing with other buddies all day along. She said" Princess must be pooped out!". "what? she would poop in the pethouse?" They all laughed and told me "pooped out" means very tired.

I also learned some slangs here, eg, freaked out; pissed off.... and a lot more..

[Phil & Ningning]

I could see "over my dead body" causing more than a few misunderstandings....

[mtbdude]

4 = death

 

i had a japanese girlfriend a few years ago, straight from tokyo, who got very annoyed with me when we did some grocery shopping, because i kept picking out 4 pieces of fruit to buy. scowling, she asked me, "why do you always buy 4?" i asked her what's the big deal with 4? or something like that. she explained to me sarcastically, as if i should know, that the pronounciation of the chinese character for "4" sounds like the chinese word for death. and she asked me to stop doing it. being a cultural illiterate at the time, i just kept doing it as a tease cuz it just seemed so ridiculous. how can people believe that stuff? as it turns out, it didn't matter how or why. she got so mad and flustered that she just walked away from me and wouldn't talk for the rest of the evening.

 

when i met yan zi i asked her early on about that number 4 thing, and i got it in no uncertain terms, 4's are to be avoided. i took it to heart!

 

i also learned that 8 is pretty good, though, and so is 9. "good luck" and "love", respectively.

 

yan zi doesn't know about any of our colorful numerics yet...

[Chinese Wife!!!]

because i kept picking out 4 pieces of fruit to buy.  scowling, she asked me, "why do you always buy 4?"

Yeah, my automatic brain preload says two pieces each for that day or a piece each for two days. (Fruit doesn't seem to keep well here.)

 

Buy five and fight over the extra? No, you have it, NO, YOU have it.

 

Buy 8 and throw 4 rotten ones away? Now double death

[yyn701]

In China, you rather call your fiancee's parents as unkle and auntie than their names. it's regarded impolite while in the states it's totally alright.

 

Rosey

[jkobman]

Here in the US, I find it normal to talk to people who I really don't know. Sarah keeps calling me a "talkman" and that I talk, talk, talk. I told her that this is done in the US.

 

So, I guess I am a "talkman."