Cam: Yajie, this is one of my favorite times of year. It’s Christmas, and everybody is busy shopping for gifts.
YJ: Yes, it’s a big holiday in the west. Welcome to Chinese Studio everyone, wo shi Yajie.
Cam: And wo shi Cam. Christmas is coming up this weekend, so we are going to talk all about it on Chinese Studio.
Yajie: Let’s get started.
Key Words of the Day
Christmas day 圣诞节, shopping 购物,血拼, Christmas present圣诞礼物, wrapping paper. 包装纸, What do you want for Christmas present?你想要什么圣诞礼物? All in today’s Chinese Studio.
Cam: Yajie, Christmas day is becoming more and more popular in China. I can feel the strong festive atmosphere here in Beijing.
YJ: That’s true. 圣诞节 is certainly the most anticipated festival in December. Christmas day, 圣诞节.
Cam: 圣诞节 (sheng4 dan4 jie2)
YJ: sheng4 dan4 means Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ.
Cam: sheng4 dan4
YJ: jie2, means festival,
Cam: jie2 .
YJ: sheng4 dan4 jie2,
Cam: sheng4 dan4 jie2, Christmas day.
YJ: Cam, Are you all ready for Christmas?
Cam: Well, I’m still busy shopping. Yajie, how do you say shopping in Chinese?
YJ: It’s gou4 wu4.
Cam: gou4 wu4.
YJ: gou4 means to buy
Cam: gou4
YJ: wu4 means stuff.
Cam: wu4.
YJ: gou4 wu4, shopping.
Cam: gou4 wu4.
YJ: another popular saying is 血拼(xue3 pin1)
Cam: 血拼(xue3 pin1)Is it because the pronunciation is similar to the English one?
YJ: Yep. And it also suggests that shopping can be a struggle.
Cam: That’s true. 血拼(xue3 pin1), shopping.
Conversation1:
(1)A:圣诞节快要到了。
B: 是啊,我正忙着购物呢!
(2)A:我这周末要去香港血拼。
B:血拼是什么意思?
A:血拼就是购物的意思。
YJ: Cam,one of the reasons I love Christmas is because I can get Christmas presents!
Cam: And buying presents is why I am out shopping all the time. What’s the Chinese for Christmas present, Yajie?
YJ: 圣诞礼物 (sheng4 dan4 li3 wu4)
Cam: sheng4 dan4 li3 wu4
YJ: sheng4 dan4 is Christmas,
Cam: sheng4 dan4
YJ: li3 wu4 means present.
Cam: li3 wu4. Now I’ve bought presents, I need to wrap them with beautiful wrapping paper. Yajie, what’s the Chinese for wrapping paper?
YJ: it’s 包装纸 (bao1 zhuang1 zhi3)
Cam: bao1 zhuang1 zhi3,
YJ: bao1 zhuang1, means to wrap something up
Cam: bao1 zhuang1
YJ: zhi3, paper
Cam: zhi3
YJ: 包装纸 (bao1 zhuang1 zhi3)
Cam: 包装纸 (bao1 zhuang1 zhi3), wrapping paper.
Conversation2:
(1)A: 你的圣诞礼物怎么没有包装纸?
B: 现在讲究环保,不应该用包装纸。
(2)A: 我该买多大尺寸的包装纸呢?
B: 这得看你的圣诞礼物有多大。
Cam: Yajie, I met this nice girl in the bar, and I really want to send her a Christmas present. But I don’t know how to ask her what kind of present she wants in Chinese!
YJ: Well you can ask her你想要什么圣诞礼物? (ni3 xiang3 yao4 shen2me sheng4 dan4 li3 wu4 )
Cam: (ni3 xiang3 yao4 shen2me sheng4 dan4 li3 wu4 )
YJ: ni3 means you.
Cam: ni3.
YJ: xiang3 yao4. want to have….
Cam: xiang3 yao4.
YJ: shen2me what…
Cam: shen2me
YJ: sheng4 dan4 li3 wu4 , Christmas present.
Cam: sheng4 dan4 li3 wu4
YJ: ni3 xiang3 yao4 shen2me sheng4 dan4 li3 wu4
Cam: ni3 xiang3 yao4 shen2me sheng4 dan4 li3 wu4. What do you want for Christmas present? Thank you, Yajie.
Conversation3:
(1)A: 你想要什么圣诞礼物?
B: 我想要一盒巧克力。
(2)A:你想要什么圣诞礼物?
B:什么都可以。
Key Words Reminder
Christmas day 圣诞节, Shopping 购物,血拼, Christmas present圣诞礼物, wrapping paper. 包装纸, What do you want for Christmas present?你想要什么圣诞礼物? All in today’s Chinese Studio.