Y: And, wo shi Y, it’s not always easy for a foreigner to get the tongue around Chinese sounds and tones, but it’s never difficult talking to the street vendor, come and join us as we try a few different snacks today.
B: And here are the keywords.
Key words of the day
I’m starving 我饿死了。Pickled duck eggs 咸鸭蛋soybean milk 豆浆 Mutton kebab 羊肉串Not too spicy please. 别太辣了 All in today’s Chinese Studio.
B: Most of us tend to exaggerate at times, especially when we feel like eating. So after a heavy-duty round of sightseeing, when it’s time for a break and a bite to eat, how do I say, I’m starving Y?
Y: We usually say wo3 er4 si3 le.
B: wo3 er4 si3 le.
Y: wo3 means I,
B: wo3,
Y: and er4 means hungry,
B: er4,
Y: si3 means die,
B: si3,
Y: so wo3 er4 si3 le literally means I’ll starve to death.
B: wo3 er4 si3 le. I’m starving.
Conversation 1
A: 我饿死了。
B: 马上就开饭了。
B: I’ve seen some wonderfully colored pickled ducks eggs Y, what do we call those?
Y: You mean, xian2 ya1 dan4.
B: xian2 ya1 dan4.
Y: xian2 means pickled or salted,
B: xian2,
Y: ya1 dan4, duck eggs,
B: ya1 dan4,
Y: xian2 ya1 dan4.
B: xian2 ya1 dan4. Pickled ducks eggs...
Conversation 2
A: 那是什么？
B: 咸鸭蛋。
B: All these delicious, haochi de savory snacks are making me a little thirsty. I’d love some of that fresh soya milk. What’s it called again Y?
Y: That’s dou4 jiang1
B: dou4 jiang1.
Y: dou4 means soybean,
B: dou4,
Y: jiang1 means liquid like milk,
B: jiang1,
Y: dou4 jiang1
B: dou4 jiang1, soybean milk.
Conversation3
A: 我要一杯豆浆。
B: 2块钱。
B: We can’t walk past those kebabs Y, and wher do the people making them come from?
Y: Firstly, those people are usually from the Xinjiang autonomous region in western China, and those tasty mutton kebabs are yang2 rou2 chuan4.
B: yang2 rou2 chuan4.
Y: yang2 rou2 means mutton,
B: yang2 rou2,
Y: chuan4 means shish kebabs,
B: chuan4,
Y: yang2 rou2 chuan4.
B: yang2 rou2 chuan4. , mutton kebabs. Now, they look a little spicy, how can I say, not too spicy please.
Y: Like this: bie2 tai4 la4 le.
B: bie2 tai4 la4 le.
Y: bie2 means don’t do something,
B: bie2,
Y: tai4 means too much,
B: tai4,
Y: la4 means spicy,
B: la4,
Y: bie2 tai4 la4 le.
B: bie2 tai4 la4 le, not too spicy please.
Conversation 4
A: 三个羊肉串。别太辣了。
B: 好的，稍等一下。
