Lesson 139 In the Office (3)

Yajie: Welcome to Chinese Studio on China Radio International.  Dajia hao, wo shi Yajie.
Cam: And wo shi Cam.  I am already becoming a little more organized this week Yajie, thanks to these lessons.
Yajie:  That is good news, Cam. Shall we continue more with Key Words of the Day?
Cam: Sounds good!

Key Words of the Day
schedule, 日程表 （ri4 cheng2 biao3）appointment. 约会(yue1hui4).  telephone.电话(dian4hua4)  fax machine. 传真机 (chuan2zhen1ji1) photocopier. 复印机(fu4yin4ji1)  All in today’s Chinese Studio.

Cam: Yajie, what’s the Chinese for schedule? Because when I make an appointment with others, I need to check it first.
YJ: Schedule in Chinese is, 日程表 （ri4 cheng2 biao3）
Cam: 日程表 （ri4 cheng2 biao3）
YJ: 日程（ri4 cheng2 ） means a program of planned events or appointments.
Cam:  日程（ri4 cheng2 ）
YJ: 表 (biao3) here it means list.
Cam: 表 (biao3).
YJ: 日程表 （ri4 cheng2 biao3）schedule.
Cam: 日程表 （ri4 cheng2 biao3）Then how do you say appointment in Chinese?
YJ: It’s约会(yue1hui4).
Cam: 约会(yue1hui4).
YJ: But it also means date in Chinese, although I know appointment is just for boring business events.
Cam: haha, I see. 

Conversation1:

Cam: Yajie, I remember that we have learned the Chinese for telephone. But I don’t know how to say it now. Could you please remind me of that again?
YJ: Sure. It’s电话(dian4hua4)
Cam: 电话(dian4hua4), all in the fourth tone. Got it. Then what’s the Chinese for fax machine? You know fax machine can also be used as a telephone.
YJ:  Right. it’s 传真机 (chuan2zhen1ji1)
Cam: 传真机 (chuan2zhen1ji1)
YJ: 传真(chuan2zhen1), fax.
Cam: 传真(chuan2zhen1)
YJ: 机(ji1), j-i, the first tone, which means machine.
Cam: 机(ji1)
YJ: So Fax machine is 传真机 (chuan2zhen1ji1)
Cam: 传真机 (chuan2zhen1ji1)

Conversation2:

Cam: Yajie, It’s much more efficient to photocopy some files than printing them out one by one. How do you say photocopier in Chinese?
YJ: It’s复印机(fu4yin4ji1)
Cam: 复印机(fu4yin4ji1)
YJ: Right. 复印(fu4yin4) means photocopy, all in the fourth tone. 
Cam: 复印(fu4yin4)
YJ: 机(ji1) means machine.
Cam: 机(ji1)
YJ: 复印机(fu4yin4ji1)
Cam: 复印机(fu4yin4ji1), photocopier. How do you say “can I use the photocopier” in Chinese?
YJ: You can say能用一下复印机吗？(neng2 yong4 yi2 xia4 fu4yin4ji1 ma?)
Cam: 能用一下复印机吗？(neng2 yong4 yi2 xia4 fu4yin4ji1 ma?)
YJ: 能(neng2), can.
Cam: 能(neng2)
YJ: 用(yong4), to use.
Cam: 用(yong4)
YJ: 一下(yi2 xia4) is used after a verb, and indicates the attempt.
Cam: 一下(yi2 xia4)
YJ: 复印机 (fu4yin4ji1), photocopier.
Cam: 复印机 (fu4yin4ji1)
YJ: 能用一下复印机吗？(neng2 yong4 yi2 xia4 fu4yin4ji1 ma?)
Cam: 能用一下复印机吗？(neng2 yong4 yi2 xia4 fu4yin4ji1 ma?) Can I use the photocopier?

Conversation3:

Key Words Reminder
schedule, 日程表 （ri4 cheng2 biao3）appointment. 约会(yue1hui4).  telephone.电话(dian4hua4)  fax machine. 传真机 (chuan2zhen1ji1) photocopier. 复印机(fu4yin4ji1)  All in today’s Chinese Studio.