Lesson 118 Position Words (2)

M: Dàjiā hǎo. Huānyíng shōutīng Xiànzài Xué Hànyǔ. Wǒ shì ML.

S: Wǒ shì Stuart.  What’s on our menu today.

M: Well, we must learn to say opposite to.

S: Opposite to. wo tong yi. And last lesson, we didn’t finish learning how to say the Great Wall of the People, museum of history and the Forbidden City in Chinese. Wrong names these. Mimicking practice is very important in language learning. So Man4li4, wher’s the Great Hall of the People? Ren2 min2 da4 hui4 tang2.

M: 人民大会堂在天安门的西边。Ren2 min2 da4 hui4 tang2 zai4 tian1 an1 men2 de3 xi1 bian1.

S: 人民，ren2min2, 人民 means people. 大，big. 会，hui4, 会，meeting. 堂，tang2, 堂, hall. People’s big meeting hall. The Great Hall of the People, Ren2 min2 da4 hui4 tang2

M: So everybody says the Great Hall of the People is to the west of Tian1 An1 Men2. Wan 2quan2 zheng4 que4. Ren2 min2 da4 hui4 tang2 za4i tian1 an1 men2 de4 xi2 bian1.

S: Hen3 hao3. And remember the word for building. Dui4 le, 楼。Lou2, 楼. Now listen out carefully for the … history and museum. Manli will now say, this building is the China History Museum.

M: 这栋楼是中国历史博物馆。Zhe4 dong4 lou2 shi4 zhong 1guo2 li 4shi3 bo2 wu4 guan3.

S: 栋，dong4, 栋 here is a measure word. zhong 1guo2 li 4shi3 bo2 wu4 guan3. 历史，li4 shi3, is history. 博物馆，bo2 wu4 guan3 What do you say bo2 wu4 guan3? Dui4 le, a museum. Bo2 wu4 guan3, here are the tones, right, second, fourth, third, bo wu guan. So everybody now says, now we are in front of the Chinese National History Museum.

M: Hen hao. 现在，我们再中国历史博物馆的前面. Xian4 zai4, wo3 men2 zai4 zhong1 guo2 li4 shi3 bo2 wu4 guan3 de4 qian2 mian4. 

S: We need a break after all that, and the break we’ll learn to say Forbidden City.

M: And we mustn’t forget opposite to.

S: Manli will say then you repeat.

M: The Forbidden City is on the north side of tian an men.

S: 故宫在天安门的前边. Gu4 gong1 zai4 tian1 an1 men2 de4 bei3 bian1.
故宫，gu4 gong1, 故宫. The gu4 means old of former; gong1 means palace. So literally former palace, gu4 gong1.

M: So everybody says the Fobidden City is in the heart, zhong1 xin1, heart of Beijing.

S: Complete correct. Wan2 quan2 zheng4 que4. Gong1 xi3 gong1 xi3. 故宫在北京的中心. Gu4 gong1 zai4 Beijing de4 zhong1 xin1.

M: And now listen to me say the Great Hall of the People is opposite the history museum. Pick out the word for “opposite to”. 人民的会堂在历史博物馆的对面。  Ren2 min2 da4 hui4 tang2 zai4 li4 shi3 bo2 wu4 guan3 de4 dui4 mian4.

S: And did you hear the word for “opposite”? mei2 cuo4. It’s 对面, dui4 mian4. 对面. And we have lots of dui4 mian4 in our next lesson. Zai4 jian4.

M: Zai4 jian4.