eChineseLearning Newsletter 35(B) (January 6,2010)


Highlights in This Issue
1.Chinese Pop Song For Teens--一千零一个愿望Yìqiān línɡ yíɡè yuànwànɡ One Thousand and One Wishes
2．Culture-- Popular TV Series “蜗居( wōjū) Dwelling Narrowness”
3.Idiom Story--雪中送炭Xuězhōnɡsònɡtàn To offer fuel in snowy weather
4.Business Etiquette--商务座次礼仪Shānɡwù zuòcì lǐyí Seating Arrangement Etiquette

Chinese Pop Song for Teens

一千零一个愿望(yìqiān línɡ yíɡè yuànwànɡ) One Thousand and One Wishes
This is a beautiful and inspiring song, especially among young people
in China.
明天就像盒子里的巧克力糖。
Mínɡtiān jiù xiànɡ hézi lǐ de qiǎokèlì tánɡ.
Tomorrow is like a box of chocolates.
什么滋味？
Shénme zīwè？
What is it like?
充满想象。
Chōnɡmǎn xiǎnɡxiànɡ.
It is full of imagination.
失望是偶尔拨不通的电话号码,
Shīwànɡ shì óu’ěr bō bù tōnɡ de diànhuà hàomǎ.
Occasionally, disappointment is to dial the phone number that is not
answered.
多试几次，总会回答。
Duō shì jǐ cì, zǒnɡ huì huídá.
If you try dialing several times, there must be an answer.
心里有好多的梦想，
Xīn lǐ yǒu hǎo duō de mènɡxiǎnɡ,
There are a lot of dreams deep in heart.
未来正要开始闪闪发亮。
Wèilái zhènɡyào kāishǐ shánshǎn fāliànɡ.
The future is going to glitter.
就算天再高那又怎么样，
Jiù suàn tiān zài ɡāo nà yòu zěnmeyànɡ,
The sky is too high but so what.
踮起脚尖，就更靠近阳光。
Diǎnqǐ jiǎojiān, jiù ɡènɡ kàojìn yánɡɡuānɡ.
If you tiptoe, you can be closer to the sun.
许下我第一千零一个愿望 (一个愿望),
Xǔ xià wǒ dì yìqiān línɡ yí ɡè yuànwànɡ (yí ɡè yuànwànɡ),
I express my one thousand and one wishes (a wish),
有一天幸福总会听我的话 (听我的话)
Yǒu yì tiān xìnɡfú zǒnɡhuì tīnɡ wǒde huà ( tīnɡ wǒde huà).
One day the happiness will always listen to me (listen to me).
不怕要多少时间多少代价,
Bú pà yào duōshǎo shíjiān duōshǎo dàijià,
I am not afraid of how long and how much it will cost,
青春是我的筹码。
Qīnɡchūn shì wǒ de chóumǎ.
Youth is my bargaining chip.
哦~~~
Ò~~~
Oh~~~
我只有这第一千零一个愿望 (一个愿望)。
Wǒ zhíyǒu zhè dì yì qiān línɡ yí ɡè yuànwànɡ (yí ɡè yuàn wànɡ).
I only have the one thousand and one wishes (a wish).
有一天幸福总会在我手上 (在我手上)。
Yǒu yì tiān xìnɡfú zǒnɡ huì zài wǒ shǒu shànɡ(zài wǒ shǒu shànɡ).
One day happiness will be in my hand (in my hand).
每一颗心都有一双翅膀。
Měi yì kē xīn dōu yǒu yì shuānɡ chìbǎnɡ.
Every heart has a pair of wings.
要勇往直前的飞翔。
Yào yǒnɡwǎnɡzhíqián de fēixiánɡ.
If I fly fearlessly forward.
没有到不了的地方。
Méiyǒu dào bù liǎo de dìfɑnɡ.
There is no place that I can’t reach.
(Once again)

Web Version:
link

Still have any questions? Take a Free 1-on-1 live online lesson with
our professional teachers from China:
link

More Newsletters:
link

Culture | Popular TV Series “蜗居( wōjū)Dwelling Narrowness”

“蜗居(wōjū) Dwelling Narrowness” is probably the most popular TV seriesin 2009. It is about a new couple struggling for buying their first“房子(fánɡzi) house.” The script expresses a confusion of all the houseless families--“the speed of saving money never catches up with that of 房价(fánɡjià) housing price’s上涨(shànɡzhǎnɡ) rise.”

Meanwhile the story puts forward a thought provoking topic--is it possible for young people ever to own houses given the high flying
real estate price? From ancient time to nowadays, Chinese people have a rooted tradition –they have always wanted to own their own houses.In Chinese people’s mind, if you want to have a family, you’d better own a house first. Now it is quite common for people to take mortgage loans, although everyone knows that it will take them many years to
pay off their “房贷(fánɡdài) housing loan.” People who have very tight budget but still bought a house with the help of loans are called“房奴(fánɡnú) mortgage slaves.” Chinese tradition of owning a houseleads to more and more mortgage slaves in China nowadays.

生词(shēnɡcí)

房价(fánɡjià) n housing price
房子(fánɡzi) n house
上涨(shànɡzhǎnɡ) v rise
房贷(fánɡdài) n housing loan

Web Version:
link

Still have any questions? Take a Free 1-on-1 live online lesson with
our professional teachers from China:
link

More Newsletters:
link

Idiom Story | 雪中送炭(xuězhōnɡsònɡtàn) To offer fuel in snowy weather
宋朝的时候，宋太宗赵光义是一个关心穷苦人的皇帝。
Sònɡcháo de shíhou, sònɡtàizōnɡ Zhào guāngyì shì yíɡè ɡuānxīn
qiónɡkǔrén de huánɡdì.
Zhao Guangyi was an emperor who cared a lot for the poor in the Song
Dynasty.
有一年下大雪，天气非常得寒冷，人们都躲在屋里御寒。
Yǒu yīnián xiàdàxuě, tiānqì fēichánɡ dé hánlěnɡ, rénmen dōu duǒzài
wūlǐ yùhán.
One year, it snowed heavily, and the weather was so cold that people
stayed in their houses to keep themselves warm.
宋太宗正在宫中休息，一边取暖，一边品尝各种美味佳肴。
Sònɡtàizōnɡ zhènɡzài ɡōnɡzhōnɡ xiūxi, yìbiān qǔnuǎn, yìbiān pǐnchánɡ
ɡèzhǒnɡ měiwèi jiāyáo.
The emperor Song Taizong was resting in the palace; he was tasting
variety of delicious food while keeping warm.
当他看到窗外的大雪时，忽然想起了那些可怜的穷人。
Dānɡ tā kàndào chuānɡwài de dàxuě shí, hūrán xiǎnɡqǐ le nàxiē kělián
de qiónɡrén.
When he saw the snow outside the window, he suddenly thought of those
poor people.
他们吃不饱，穿不暖，正在大雪中挨冻受饿。
Tāmen chībùbǎo, chuān bú nuǎn, zhènɡzài dàxuě zhōnɡ ái’dònɡ shòu è.
They didn’t have enough food to eat and enough cloth to wear; they
were suffering from the cold and hunger.
于是，宋太宗就派官员带上许多粮食和木炭，来到老百姓生活的地方。
Yúshì, sònɡtàizōnɡ jiù pài ɡuānyuán dàishànɡ xǔduō liánɡshi hé mùtàn,
láidào lǎobǎixìnɡ shēnɡ huó de dìfɑnɡ.
Then, the emperor Song Taizong sent his officials to take food and
charcoal to the place where his people lived.
官员们把粮食和木炭送给那些穷苦人和孤独的老人。
Guānyuánmen bǎ liánɡshi hé mùtàn sònɡɡěi nàxiē qiónɡkǔrén hé ɡūdú de
lǎorén.
The officials gave food and charcoal to the poor and the old.
让他们有米做饭，有木炭生火取暖了。
Rànɡ tāmen yǒu mǐ zuòfàn, yǒu mùtàn shēnɡhuǒ qǔnuǎn le.
Then they had rice to cook and charcoal to keep warm.
这件事当时轰动了整个京城。
Zhèjiànshì dānɡshí hōnɡdònɡ le zhěnɡɡè jīnɡchénɡ.
This event created quite a stir in the entire capital at that time.
后来，人们就用雪中送炭来形容：­在别人­急需帮­助时，­给予别­人物质­和精神­上的帮­助。
Hòulái, rénmen jiù yònɡ xuězhōnɡsònɡtàn lái xínɡrónɡ: zài biérén jíxū
bānɡzhù shí, jíyǔ biérén wùzhì hé jīnɡshenshànɡ de bānɡzhù.
Later, people use the phrase “To offer fuel in snowy weather” to
describe that one gives others help when others are in need.

生词(shēngcí) Vocabulary
皇帝(huánɡdì) n emperor
忽然(hūrán) adv suddenly
取暖(qǔnuǎn) v to keep warm

Web Version:
link

Still have any questions? Take a Free 1-on-1 live online lesson with
our professional teachers from China:
link

More Newsletters:
link

Business Etiquette | 商务座次礼仪(shānɡwù zuòcì lǐyí) Seating Arrangement Etiquette
At Chinese “宴会(yànhuì) banquets,” the seating arrangement is probably the most important part of Chinese dining “礼仪(lǐyí) etiquette,”especially in Chinese business banquets. Generally, round tables are used at Chinese banquets and the seat facing the entrance is the seat of honor. The seats on the left hand side of the seat of honor are second, fourth, sixth, etc. in importance, while those on the right are third, fifth, seventh and so on in importance. The seat of honor,“保留(bǎoliú) reserved” for the master of the banquet or the “客人(kèrén)guests” with highest status, is the one in the center facing east or facing the entrance. Those of higher position sit closer to the seat of honor. The guests of the lowest position sit furthest from the seat of honor.
生词(shēngcí) Vocabulary
宴会(yànhuì): n banquet
客人(kèrén): n guest
保留(bǎoliú)v to reserve

Web Version:
link

Still have any questions? Take a Free 1-on-1 live online lesson with
our professional teachers from China:
link

More Newsletters:link

Typical Students Profiles at eChineseLearning: the leader of IBM Shanghai branch, a famous singer from Canada, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to China, a host from Canada radio station... (Read More: link

Link to A Funny Video：link

If you want to subscribe our FREE newsletters, send email to:subscribe@echineselearning.com with subscribe newsletter in the subject line.