I have a Chinese question for you, if you have time.
It's about the structure 只差没（有）-- what does this mean? I
think it's something like... the only thing he didn't do, or
"almost to the point of"??
例：他饿得把菜吃个精光，只差没把盘子也吃下去。
问：他是如何得到诺贝尔奖的？
Laura
只差没（有） can be roughly translated to "except (pronoun)
didn't..." zhi只=only, 差cha=lack or with a difference of, 没mei=don't have
somthing. This phase is followed by an action phase. That is you need to
put a phase with a verb without a subject (noun). In your example,
例：他饿得把菜吃个精光，只差没把盘子也吃下去。
example: he is too hungry that he emptied all the dishes, except he
didn't eat the plates (direct translation => the only difference is that
[he] didn't eat the plates together [with the food]).
Notice after 只差没, you have an action 把盘子也吃下去 (eat the plate too). In
this case, you cannot say 盘子也吃下去 only, you have to use 把 and say
把盘子也吃下去. Because "把(noun)吃下去" makes it an action to a subject (盘子in this
case). Other examples are like, 他能拿到999元, 只差没拿到一千元, 他99分都能考到, 只差没考到一百分,
etc. As you see in the sample sentence, if you use the action 吃chi1 in
the first clause, you need to use chi1吃 in the second clause. Also
notice this 只差没 phase expresses a sense of remorse or regret that you
failed to achieve something.
问：他是如何得到诺贝尔奖的？
question: how did he earn his Nobel prize?
Usually I would answer things like "He worked hard for his research and
achived ABC that earned him his Nobel prize." But if I need to use 只差没,
I would say, "He has received so many titles, except the Nobel prize."
(but this answer wouldn't make sense with the question, because the
question is a "How" question)
So with the info from you, I would say
他拿到這麼多名銜， 只差沒拿到諾貝爾獎。
名銜ming2xian2=title
諾貝爾獎 = Nobel prize, this chinese name is more commonly used in Chinese
communities
#1 wasn't right. The problem is: if 小群
exists => 大我 doesn't exist. These two
things cannot co-exist, because the
parenthesis suggested:
只要小群觀念存在就不可能建立大我意識. So I would say the
opposite of what you have written.
小群觀念一天不削弱(weaken), 大我意識就一天不可能建立.
#2 didn't make sense to me, but it
should be grammatically correct. Try to
see if this maks sense to you in
English. The way you wrote it, it went,
"As long as I borrow money from the
bank, I would not want to pay any
interest." But it is not just when we
borrow money, then we don't want to pay
interest. We don't want to pay interest
all the time, no matter we borrow money
or not. So I would write
跟銀行借錢一天,就得付一天利息. 我可不想多付利息. (As long as I
borrow money from the bank, I have to
pay interests. I don't want to pay more
interests than I need to.)
#3 minor errors(chinese's yes/no is
different--->)
對，住在大城市里势必要跟很多陌生人打交道。if
you don't have 要yao in there, it doesn't
sound right. You can use 是shi, but dui
sounds better.
#4 -> the meaning is kind of tricky. I
see why you would have thought
the answer should be what you have
written(grammatically looks fine). But
you wrote things that are contradicting.
You wrote "Old novels emphasize on cause
and effect as well as creativities, so
the topics of cause and effect
are reduced." Well, I don't see how can
you emphasize cause and effect and
reduce the topic of cause and effect. I
would write: 舊小說為了強調因果報應, 相對地忽視了獨創新意.
(Since old novels wanted to emphasize on
cause and effect, they ignored
creativities)
#5 I am sorry, but this line cracked the
hell out of me. 低能=idiot or mentally
retarded, and you essentially wrote:
female social status always has been
idiot, this is all because of old
social/traditional thinkings. You
could have written 妇女的社会地位一直很低,
归咎于旧社会的传统思想 (but it sounds weird) so
better yet, 妇女的社会地位一直很低
, 這都归咎于旧社会的传统思想
ti2=cry, xiao4= laugh, ie1fei1=both false, the whole thing means you
don't know whether to cry or laugh
1.not to know whether to laugh or cry; to choke someone up
啼：哭；皆非：都不是。哭也不是，笑也不是，不知如何才好。形容处境尴尬或既令人难受又令人发笑的行为。
ti2xiao4jie1fei1
啼笑皆非
啼笑皆非
yi1jiao4=compare once, gao1xia4=high and low. It means fight and see who
is better
N/A
N/A
yi1jiao4gao1xia4
啼笑皆非
一较高下
This word sounds like a phrase, but I have never heard of this. It does
not exist in my dictionaries. Ge2=to separate by distance or interval,
cha4=the difference. I THINK it means after an interval or 3 or 5, then
you do something again repeatedly.
N/A
N/A
ge2san1cha4wu3
啼笑皆非
隔三差五
Phrase looking, but I don't think this is a phrase. Shi2guan1=time,
dao4=backward, liu2=flow. Time flowing back, go back in time
N/A
N/A
shi2guang1dao4liu2
港台沪
时光倒流
You hear this a lot, and I thought this is a phrase. Duo=lots, cai3=ｃｏｌｏｒ,
zi1=appearance. Lots of colors and appearances.
N/A
N/A
duo1cai3duo1zi1
韩国人
多采多姿
zheng3qi2=tidy, hua4=standard or uniform.
1.uniform
N/A
zheng3qi2hua4yi1
韩国人
整齐划一
1.festively singing and dancing; all singing, all dancing
边唱歌，边跳舞。形容尽情欢乐。
zai4ge1zai4wu3
韩国人
载歌载舞
Non-Phrase Vocabularies for Week 9 Articles
English
Chinese Pronunciation
Article
Chinese Character (Simplified)
hu4=shanghai上海,
tai2=taiwan台湾
hu4tai2
沪台通婚
沪台
Get married, usually means marriages between two people from different
countries
tong1hun1
沪台通婚
通婚
you hear this a lot in China, the politicians also claim
gai3ge2kai1fang4. gai3ge2=to revolte, kai1fang4=to open (for trading_)
gai3ge2kai1fang4
沪台通婚
改革开放
An American Guy. Lao3 is a vulgar man. A name with a sense of disrespect
mei3guo2lao3
啼笑皆非
美国佬
bing1=soldier, zhe3=person, gui3=to cheat, dao4(here means logic or a
principle), ye3=old day to finish a sentence with a noun, will use ye3.
ye3 here is similar to desu in Japanese.
bing1zhe3, gui3dao4ye3
啼笑皆非
兵者，詭道也
to inspect and learn from each other's work, to observe and emulate
guan1mo2
啼笑皆非
观摩
This is a bad way of using this word, you usually don't use it like
this. You usually say sa1shou3jian3撒手锏,
which mean your strongest or secret weapon. Sai1shou3 alone can mean let
go, and is often used to say someone died
sa1shou3
啼笑皆非
撒手
suo1shui3=to shrink. Suo alone means to shrink, shui3=water. This is
usually referred to clothes shrinks after washing. I laughed when I read
this because this is quite colloquial.
suo1shui3
港台沪
缩水
lift the anchor of a ship
qi3mao2
韩国人
起锚
9 Mar 2006
施恩(不)望报
(shi1en1(bu4)wang4bao4)
shi1en1施恩 means "to bestow favor" according to the dictionary, according to me,
it is just doing someone a favor. shi1en1 is quite literal, you don't say it
often. But when you use shi1施 or to give, people will think of
施比受更有福（shi1bi3geng1you3fu2）, which is a phrase that means "giving is better than
receiving, and you will be more fortunate because of that". When you use 恩en1 or
favor, people will associate en1 with yuan4怨, which is resentment, the opposite
of en1.
en1yuan4恩怨 is a word, means "feeling of gratitude or resentment" according to
the dictionary. According to me, it just means the good and bad things between
two people that make them love/hate each other.
You use en1yuan4 like this, 我和他的恩怨不是这么容易说的清楚的。
wo3he2ta1de5en1yuan4bu2shi4zhe4me5rong2yi4shuo1de5qing1chu3de5. (this is the
most common phrase I can think of) Like 轻重qingzhong or 高低gaodi, 恩怨enyuan is
talking about a measure of a quality.
wang4望=xi1wang4希望 or hope. 不望 = not hoping for something
报bao4 = bao4da2报答, to repay a kindness, or to treat someone well because that
person has done you a favor.
施恩不望报shi1en1bu4wang4bao4 is commonly used to praise others for being nice to
others and not hoping for returns.
以心相许
(yi3xin1xiang1xu3)
For this second one I got mixed results such as "with little intention" and
"give heart to someone" so now I am doubly confused.
I don't know where"with little intention comes from. But 以心想许yixinxiangxu is
giving your heart to another person, which means a complete trust. I think what
the metaphor implies is the same in English. You give your heart to another
person, what does it mean to you in English? That should be what it means in
Chinese. You will find this word in romantic novels, an example from an actual
love story would be 以心相许是一种灿烂的情感升华。 (灿烂can4lan4 = glorious, 情感qing2gan3 =
emotion, 升华sheng1hua4=to sublime)
1.to tremble with fear (or fright); to
shake with terror; to be in a blue funk
2.with fear and trepidation; with a shuddering awe; with the most
meticulous care; cautiously; gingerly; warily
战战：恐惧的样子；兢兢：小心谨慎的样子。形容非常害怕而微微发抖的样子。也形容小心谨慎的样子。
zhan4zhan4jing1jing1
4
战战兢兢
blushing
N/A
形容感情激动或害羞的样子。亦作“脸红耳热”。
lian3hong2er3chi4
8
脸红耳赤
1.to object to; to disagree; not to
approve
2.disapprobation
3.disapprovingly; deprecatingly
然：是，对。不认为是对的。表示不同意或否定。
bu4yi3wei2ran2
12
不以为然
to suffer from one's own actions; to
ask for the trouble
N/A
12
自找麻烦
any skills you possess to solve a problem, common phrase
(firewood, uncooked rice, oil, salt, generally means necessities.
You hear phrases like: Her family is so poor, she always needs to worry
about chai2mi3you2yan2)
N/A
泛指一日三餐的生活必需品
chai2mi3you2yan2
2
柴米油盐
(pot, bowl, wooden ladle, basin, not common at all, I guess it
refers to utensils you use everyday)
N/A
N/A
guo1wan3piao2pen2
2
锅碗瓢盆
(zhong4shuo1= everybody says, feng1=a lot of different, yun2=say,
together is: everybody says a lot of different opinions)
Opinions are widely divided
纷纭：多而姑乱。人多嘴杂，议论纷纷。
zhong4shuo1fen1yun2
3
众说纷纭
(ge4=each, zhi2=take, yi1=one, ci2=word. Everyone takes one
(different) word (or opinion), and doesn't agree with each other)
.Each sticks to his own version or
argument.
执：坚持。各人坚持各人的说法。形容意见不一致。
ge4zhi2yi1ci2
3
各执一词
(bi4men2=shut the door, du2shu1=study. Shut the door to concentrate
on studying.
N/A
关起门来在家里读书。原意是独自学习，而不与别人切磋。后也用以形容专心埋头苦读。
bi4men2du2shu1
4
闭门只读圣贤书or 闭门读书
(I don't know why they use zhen4zhen4, but this is a commonly used
phrase. you3ci2=have words(to say))
.to speak argumentatively; to speak
plausibly and at length; to assert eloquently
理直气壮的样子。形容自以为理由很充分，说个不休。
zhen4zhen4you3ci2
4
振振有词
(socialism)
socialism
N/A
she4hui4zhu3yi4
4
社会主义
(duo1lao2=work harder, duo1de2=get more)
more labor, more benefits; more pay for
more work; One who does more work will get more pay
N/A
duo1lao2duo1de2
5
多劳多得 or 多劳多得，少劳少得，不劳不得
(xiang2an1=both in peace, wu2shi4=no issues or no conflicts)
1.to live in peace with each other
2.at peace with each other
相：互相；安：安稳。指彼此相处没有什么争执或冲突，还过得去。
xiang1an1wu2shi4
5
相安无事
(when I heard this phrase, usually it has positive meanings, meaning
everyone lives together in harmony. You say this phrase during chinese
new year)
to keep on good terms with everyone at
the expense of principle; to keep on the right side of everyone; to be
full of goodwill toward one another
本指态度和霭可亲。现也指互相之间只讲和气，不讲原则。
yi1tuan2he2qi4
5
一团和气
(You hear this a lot, I was surprised this was not in the dictionary.
This means you are the only one getting all the benefits)
N/A
N/A
du2ling3feng1sao1
5
独领风骚
(sometimes you use this to describe weather, and is commonly used to
describe things (problems, issues, people relationships) change quickly
and suddenly. shun4xi1=a brief period of time, wan4bian4=ten thousand
changes)
to vary from minute to minute
瞬：一眨眼；息：呼吸。在极短的时间内就有很多变化。形容变化很多很快。
shun4xi1wan4bian4
5
瞬息万变 (风云=wind and cloud)
(feather of phoenix, horn of unicorn. something rarely exist)
be restricted to a narrow confine (very not common, I didn't know
this word)
you4yu2
4
囿于
surging, raging, tempestuous
xiong1yong3
4
汹涌
beeper (beeper is the official definition, I strongly believe this
is mainland Chinese. I have never heard of this word before)
BP ji1
4
BP机
(someone messaged him, but little mobile device. Not a mobile phone)
you3ren2chuan2hu1ta1
4
有人呼他or 有人传呼他
suddenly
mo4ran2
4
蓦然
hurricane
xuan4feng1
4
旋风
to roll up like a mat
xi2juan3
4
席卷
(professional household, mainland Chinese, not common. In China, a
family is considered as a hu4kou3, if you own a private business, you
are ge4ti3hu4.)
zhuan1ye4hu4
4
专业户
[Informal] profiteer; wheeler and
dealer (This is the official definition, but I honestly have never heard
of this word.dang1=to be (somebody))
dang1dao3ye2
4, 6
当倒爷
(narrow, kinda literal)
xia2ai4
5
狭隘
(I don't consider this as a phrase, but it could be. you1sheng4=good
one wins, lie4tai4=bad one lose)
you1sheng4lie4tai4
5
优胜劣汰
contrast
fan3cha1
5
反差
(I have never heard of others using this word, but
jie1xiao3=announce, make something publicly known)
jie1xiao3hui4
6
揭晓
or揭晓会
bright and beautiful; radiant and
enchanting
ming2mei4
8
明媚
Words not in the Readings
English
Chinese Pronunciation
Chinese Character (Traditional)
Chinese Character (Simplified)
a two-part common expression whose last
part is omitted; a tag line
xie1hou4yu3
歇后语
English
Word
Meaning
A cappella
(Italian) vocal music or singing without instrument accompaniment.
for
you to hear. And a google link
for
you to search. 
