Yajie: And wo shi Yajie. This week we are going to learn how to talk about sports in Chinese.
Chris: Sounds good!
Key Words of the Day
Ice hockey 冰球. Ping pang 乒乓球. Basketball 篮球(Lan2qiu2). What sport do you like to play? 你喜欢什么运动？(Ni3 xi3huan shen2me yun4dong4?) What is your favorite sport? 你最喜欢什么运动？(Ni3 zui4 shen2me yun4dong?) All in today’s Chinese Studio.
Chris: Ok. Let’s start with some of my favorite sports in Chinese. One of the most popular sports in Canada is ice hockey. How do I say that in Chinese?
Yajie: It’s冰球(bing1 qiu2)
Chris: 冰球(bing1 qiu2). But I also hear some people say 冰上曲棍球(bing1 shang4 qu1gun4qiu2)…
Yajie: Well, that’s because hockey means 曲棍球(qu1gun4qiu2) in Chinese.
Chris: 曲棍球(qu1gun4qiu2).
Yajie: Yes, 曲 (qu1), q-u, the first tone, which means crooked.
Chris: 曲 (qu1)
Yajie: 棍 (gun4) means rod or stick.
Chris: 棍 (gun4)
Yajie: 球 (qiu2), the second tone means ball.
Chris: 球 (qiu2).
Yajie: 曲棍球(qu1gun4qiu2) the ball you play with crooked stick … which is … hockey!
Chris: I see. 曲棍球(qu1gun4qiu2)
Yajie: 冰上，means on the ice， together it’s 冰上曲棍球(bing1 shang4 qu1gun4qiu2) ice hockey。
Chris：冰上曲棍球(bing1 shang4 qu1gun4qiu2)
Yajie: Chris，do you know what’s the Chinese national sport?
Chris: Yes. I know. It’s ping-pong.
Yajie: Right. Ping-pong in Chinese is 乒乓球(ping1pang1 qiu2).
Chris: 乒乓球(ping1pang1 qiu2). That’s much easier to learn.
Conversation1:
Chris: Yajie, what sport do you like to play?
Yajie: You know what Chris, I like playing basketball.
Chris: Really, then how can I ask that in Chinese?
Yajie: Well, you may say: 你喜欢什么运动？(Ni3 xi3huan shen2me yun4dong4?)
Chris: 你喜欢什么运动？(Ni3 xi3huan shen2me yun4dong4?)
Yajie: 你 (ni3) meas you.
Chris: 你 (ni3)
Yajie: 喜欢 (xi3huan), like to.
Chris: 喜欢 (xi3huan)
Yajie: 什么 (shen2me), what.
Chris: 什么 (shen2me)
Yajie: 运动(yun4dong4), sport.
Chris: 运动(yun4dong4)
Yajie: 你喜欢什么运动？(Ni3 xi3huan shen2me yun4dong4?)
Chris: 你喜欢什么运动？(Ni3 xi3huan shen2me yun4dong4?) What sport do you like to play?
Yajie: Well, I just said that I like playing basketball, so in Chinese it’s我喜欢打篮球。(wo3 xi3huan da3 lan2qiu2)
Chris: 我喜欢打篮球。(wo3 xi3huan da3 lan2qiu2). I see. You put 打 (da3) before 篮球 (lan2qiu2).
Yajie: Yes, 打da3 here means to play. it’s also ok to say我喜欢篮球。(wo3 xi3huan lan2qiu2) for short.
Chris: 我喜欢篮球。(wo3 xi3huan lan2qiu2).
Conversation2:
Yajie: Chris, 你最喜欢什么运动？(Ni3 zui4 shen2me yun4dong?) What is your favorite sport?
Chris: 你最喜欢什么运动？(Ni3 zui4 shen2me yun4dong?)
Yajie: 你 (ni3) is you.
Chris: 你 (ni3)
Yajie: 最喜欢 (zui4 xi3huan), like something the best.
Chris: 最喜欢 (zui4 xi3huan)
Yajie: 你最喜欢什么运动？(Ni3 zui4 shen2me yun4dong?)
Chris: 你最喜欢什么运动？(Ni3 zui4 shen2me yun4dong?) What is your favorite sport?
Conversation3:
Key Words Reminder
Ice hockey冰球. Ping pang 乒乓球. sketball 篮球(Lan2qiu2)。What sport do you like to play? 你喜欢什么运动？(Ni3 xi3huan shen2me yun4dong4?) What is your favorite sport? 你最喜欢什么运动？(Ni3 zui4 shen2me yun4dong?) All in today’s Chinese Studio.
