B: Da jia hao, wo shi B. I reckon I’m learning a word for every calorie I’m putting on. By the time I’ve learned enough to get by, it’ll also be time to join weight watchers.
Y: Don’t panic just yet B, besides, there’s heaps of snacks still to try.
B: You’ve talked me into it Y, and here are a few keywords I need to learn.
Key words of the day
Steamed dumpling 蒸饺I’d like some vinegar. 给我拿点儿醋。steamed bean paste buns 豆沙包Sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves 粽子I’m full我已经吃饱了。All in today’s Chinese Studio
B: Ok Y, time to come clean, my favorite snack food here is the steamed dumpling, and they seem to come with all sorts of different fillings. What’s the Chinese word for these?
Y: zheng1 jiao3.
B: zheng1 jiao3.
Y: zheng1 means steamed,
B: zheng1,
Y: jiao3 is dumpling,
B: jiao3,
Y: zheng1 jiao3.
B: zheng1 jiao3. Steamed dumpling
Y: and they usually have pork inside, or other meat, or veggies.
B: Let’s start the day with a pork zheng1 jiao3 or two, or three.
Conversation 1
A: 来一笼蒸饺。
B: 好的，马上就来。
B: Before we move on, it seems to be the custom to dip zheng1 jiao3 into sauce. Sometimes there isn’t any sauce. How can I ask, I want some dipping sauce.
Y: That sauce is usually vinegar, cu4, so you can say: gei2 wo3 na2 dian3er cu4.
B: gei2 wo3 na2 dian3er cu4.
Y: gei2 wo3 literally means to me,
B: gei2 wo3,
Y: na2 means bring,
B: na2,
Y: dian3er means a little bit,
B: dian3er,
Y: cu4, vinegar,
B: cu4,
Y: gei2 wo3 na2 dian3er cu4.
B: gei2 wo3 na2 dian3er cu4. I’d like some vinegar.
Conversation2
A: 服务员，给我拿点儿醋。
B: 好的，请稍等。
B: Now, time for something a little sweet. How about those sweet steamed bean paste buns, what are they called?
Y: I think you are talking about: dou4 sha1 bao1
B: dou4 sha1 bao1.
Y: dou4 is bean,
B: dou4,
Y: sha1 is something like paste,
B: sha1,
Y: bao1 is steamed stuffed bun,
B: bao1,
Y: dou4 sha1 bao1
B: dou4 sha1 bao1, steamed bean paste buns… And what about the sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves?
Y: We eat those at dragon boat festival time, and they’re called zong4 zi.
B: zong4 zi.
Conversation 3
A: 豆沙包能吃完吗？
B: 当然了。我还想吃个粽子。
B: You know Y, my eyes are bigger than my stomach, although there’s still heaps of things to try, it’ll have to wait cos I’m absolutely full. What’s a good way to express that in Chinese?
Y: You can say wo2 yi3 jing1 chi1 bao3 le.
B: wo2 yi3 jing1 chi1 bao3 le.
Y: yi3 jing1 means already,
B: yi3 jing1,
Y: chi1 means eat.
B: chi1,
Y: bao3 means full,
B: bao3,
Y: wo2 yi3 jing1 chi1 bao3 le.
B: wo2 yi3 jing1 chi1 bao3 le. I’m full.
Conversation 4
A: 再点点儿什么？
B: 不用了。我已经吃饱了。
