In my opinion, since childhood, this phrase is familiar to everyone: in Chinese, ass. The most annoying thing is that this is almost the first question that an average person asks when meeting a person who speaks Chinese. And the most interesting thing is that the phrase inspired in childhood is forever rooted in the minds of people, becoming absolute truth. Why not just leave it the way it is? Let's open our eyes, comrade sinologists, to everyone who wants to get an answer to this insidious question.

What is che in Chinese?

In fact, dear, Che in Chinese is not an ass. Moreover, in Chinese there is not even a syllable that could be pronounced like our word "che". This word is similar in pronunciation to the Korean language, but here the questions are already for specialists Korean language maybe they know something. Thus, we have dispelled the first half of the myth: “che” is definitely not in Chinese. Move on.

Ass in Chinese

And then let's get acquainted with the beautiful word 屁股 "phiku", which translates from Chinese into Russian as "back, butt or back of the body in animals." The word 屁股 consists of two characters: the first is 屁 "phi" which means "gas in the intestines", and the second is 股 "ku" which means "thigh". Thus, 屁股 is nothing more than "the area of ​​the thigh, in which gases from the intestines are concentrated." Actually, everything is logically connected, a purely physiological phenomenon in the body. In general, know "what is not in Chinese and is not an ass at all"

Useful word formation:

But personally, I am not so interested in the fact of word formation or the formation of the meaning of this word, but how this word can work in Chinese. Here is a selection of the most interesting phrases that would be nice to get acquainted with. Well, yes, please don’t take it as “toilet humor”.

1. 舔屁股- to suck up, to flatter someone, to flatter.

2. 光屁股- hungry man (expletive).

3. 香烟屁股- nothing but a cigarette butt, a bull.

4. 屁股沉- annoying, tedious (about a guest), where it means "boring, dreary."

5. 闹了个屁股蹲儿- - plop down on the fifth point.

Communication can be difficult. Especially in a second language!

Knowing a few useful phrases will not only help you avoid awkwardness in communication, but will allow you to create new contacts with others and take communication to a new level.

greetings

• 你好! (nǐ hǎo) Hey!

You may already know this greeting. If not, 你好! (nǐ hǎo - Hello!)- the first basic Chinese phrase that you need to learn in order to make contact in a society where everyone speaks Chinese without exception.

• 你好吗? (nǐ hǎo ma) How are you?

If it's not the first time you've greeted someone, you can show more attention and interest by asking how they're doing. 你好吗? (nǐ hǎo ma)- a great phrase for this case.

• 你吃了吗? (nǐ chī le ma) Have you eaten?

This is the Chinese way of showing attention. Culturally, this is a close equivalent of the phrase "How are you?". People ask "Have you eaten?" as a polite way of inquiring about the well-being and well-being of the interlocutor, and most simply answer this with “吃了” (chile), "I ate."

To admit that you have not eaten means to put some pressure on the questioner: a polite reaction to such a confession will be the only way out - to feed you.

• 早安! (zǎo ān) Good morning!

The Chinese love to say "Good morning," so if you greet someone early, try to use that greeting. If Golden time missed, don't go to 午安 ( wǔān- good afternoon) or 晚上好 ( wǎn shàng hǎo– good evening): they are less common.

"Good night" - 晚安 (wǎn ān). As in English, this phrase can also mean "Goodbye."

Add a conversational touch:

Add casualness and "coolness" with the word "Hey" at the beginning of the phrase. For example:

诶, 你好. (ēi, nǐ hǎo) "Hey hello".

诶, 怎么样? (ēi, zěn me yàng) "Hey, how's life?"

What is your name?

• 我叫[name], 你呢？ (wǒ jiào [name], nǐ ne) I am [name]. What is your name?

This is an informal way to introduce yourself to each other. 我叫 (wǒ jiào) means "My name is", but 你呢? (nǐ ne) "And you?"

• 怎么称呼？ (zěn me chēng hū) How can I contact you?

This phrase is a more formal/polite way of asking someone's name. It roughly translates to "How should I address you?"

• 请问您贵姓? (qǐng wèn nín gùi xìng) May I know your last name?

This phrase is even more formal and is used in . When someone responds with their last name, such as “我姓王” (wǒ xìng wáng), "My last name is Wang", you can answer using 王先生 ( wang xiān sheng– Mr. Wang), 王小姐 ( wang xiǎo jě- Lady (unmarried) Wang) or 王太太 ( wang tai tai- Mrs. (married) Wang).

Again, a little colloquial:

For a fun, playful twist on the monotonous introduction ceremony, try this phrase:

請問你貴姓大名? (qǐng wèn nǐ gùi xìng dà míng?) What is your "famous" name?

It's a way of asking someone's name while flattering the other person in a friendly way.

Continuation of the conversation

Now that we've met someone, here's how to keep the conversation going.

• 你是本地人吗？ (nǐ shì běn dì rén ma) Are you local?

It's a less direct way of asking "Where are you from?" 你是哪里人? (nǐ shì nǎ lǐ rén). In China, residents of big cities often come from somewhere else. They move from smaller cities to metropolitan areas to work or study. Asking if they are local can provide an opportunity to talk about their hometowns.

• 你作什么样的工作? (nǐ zùo shén me yàng de gōng zùo) What is your job?

Among professionals or working adults, you can start the conversation by asking what industry they work in. You can also ask “你的专场是什么?” ( nǐ de zhuān chǎng shì shén me?- What is your specialty?)

• 你读什么专业? (nǐ dú shén me zhuān yè) What do you study?

Among students, you can start a conversation by asking about their specialization or main subject.

• 你有什么爱好? (nǐ yǒu shén me ài hào?) What do you like to do?

This phrase is used to ask about hobbies or hobbies. Another great way to start a conversation.

How to "dilute" the situation:

Try this laid-back phrase to overcome awkwardness and tension when entering a room or joining a group:

诶, 什么事？ (ēi, shén me shì?) Well, what's going on here?

It's the equivalent of "How are you?" or "What's going on here?" In the right context, such as among friends or peers, she can sound very friendly and appropriate.

Answers during a conversation

Part of the art of conversation is the ability to give relevant answers. People love to receive sympathy, encouragement, and compliments, no matter what they have to say.

What do you say when you hear something exciting or interesting? Here are some basic phrases suitable as a response to such stories:

• 太酷了! (tai kù le!) That's cool!

The Chinese word for "cool" is borrowed from the English "cool" and sounds exactly the same!

• 好搞笑。 (hǎo gǎo xiào) Cool.

搞笑 (gǎo xiào) literally means "to have fun" or "to joke".

• 真的吗? (zhen de ma) What, really?

真的 (zhende) means "true" and 吗 (ma)- interrogative particle.

• 不会吧? (bù hùi ba) Are you serious?

不会 (bùhùi) means "no" and 吧 (ba)- exclamatory particle. In other words, it's like saying "Come on!"

• 我的妈呀! (wǒ de mā ya) OMG!

我的妈呀! (wǒ de mā ya) Literally means "Oh, Mommy!". Culturally, it's closer to "Oh my God!"

• 哎呦我去! (āi yōu wǒ qù) Oh my God!

Again, there is no exact equivalent. 哎呦我去! (āi yōu wǒ qù) literally translates to "Oh, I'm coming!" This phrase is super casual, so it's not something you can use with anyone, especially if you've just met.

• 我也是。 (wǒ yě shì) Me too.

Three words to help you express the shared feelings of the interlocutor.

• 我理解。(wǒlǐjiě) I understand.

A very useful phrase to express empathy.

Spoken version:

For the most emotional response, try saying:

太牛了! (tai níu le) It's damn good (to go nuts)!

In formal business contexts, this can be seen as rude. But perfectly acceptable at a party.

Farewell phrases

Finally we come to the words for parting. Here's how you can say goodbye in a casual and appropriate way.

• 我先走了。下次再聊吧！ (wǒ xiān zǒu le。 xià cì zài liáo ba) I have to go. We'll talk again (let's talk another time)!

If you need to leave first, you can take a friendly bow.

• 回头见。 (hui tou jian) See you.

This phrase is useful for parting for a short time, for example, if you meet again on the same day.

• 我们再联络吧。 (wǒ mén zai lián lùo ba) We'll keep in touch.

This means that you may call or write later. The phrase works well when you don't see each other in person often, but would like to keep in touch and keep in touch more closely.

How to say it all more casually:

Even when we are talking about parting, there are a few opportunities to tone down the "social" tone and perhaps move into a more intimate relationship in the future:

这是我的手机号码。给我发短信吧！ (zhè shì wǒ de shǒu jī hào mǎ。gěi wǒ fā duǎn xìn ba) Here is my cell number. Send a text message sometime!

This is simple phrase, which should help maintain relationships after the party.

加我的微信。 (jiā wǒ de wēi xìn) Add me to WeChat.

We hope these phrases will add spice to your social life! Whatever social situation you find yourself in, use it as an opportunity to hone your language skills, even by greeting someone, saying goodbye, or responding to someone's story.

Do you know what is the most embarrassing moment for all foreigners learning Chinese? When they realize that "ni hao" is far from the most popular word that the inhabitants of the Middle Kingdom use to greet.

How do you say "hello", "how are you" in Chinese? Especially for you - six ways to say it.

Bonus 你好! (ni hao!) / 您好 (Ning hao!) - “Hello!” / “Hello!”

In case you have just started learning Chinese, or you are a simple tourist who is not even going to learn the language, but has already applied for a visa to China.

"Ni hao" is the first thing that all foreigners learn. And even those who are completely unfamiliar with the language know that if you want to say “hello” in Chinese, say “ni hao”. If translated literally, then the meaning will be consonant with our “hello”: “neither” - you; hao is good.

In fact, locals rarely use this phrase, as it sounds too formal. "Ning hao" is a respectful form ("nin" - you). Most often used to greet teachers or superiors. In this form, it is actively used.

Also quite often, even in the first Chinese lessons, they study: if you add an interrogative particle to “ni hao”, then the greeting turns into a question “how are you” (“ni hao ma?”). However, this will immediately give you a foreigner. The Chinese use such a turnover not to ask how things are, but to make sure that everything is in order. That is, by saying “ni hao ma”, you focus on the fact that a person looks, to put it mildly, unimportant and you want to know if he is healthy.

早！(Zao!) - "Good morning!"

"Zao" is short for 早上好! ("Zao shang hao!"), which means "good morning". This is one of the popular ways to say "hello" in Chinese. The only case when the use of this word is inappropriate is if it is evening outside.

你吃了吗？ (Ni chi le ma?) - "Have you eaten?"

If you are asked, "Ni chi la ma?", don't rush to talk about the delicious sandwich you had for breakfast or look around for food.

For the Chinese, this is not an invitation to dinner, but a way to ask how you are. It is enough to simply answer: “Chi Le. No ne?" (“I ate, and you?”). This is how you express unobtrusive concern for a person. if you ask so, no one will demand treats from you, but it is quite possible that the attitude of the locals towards you will become a few degrees warmer. The Chinese love foreigners who not only know how to say hello in Chinese, but are also not surprised by the question of food.

最近好吗？ (Zui jin hao ma?) - "How are things going?"

"Zui zhin hao ma?" similar to the Russian "how are you?". The answer may be the same as in mother tongue. You can limit yourself to a short “hao” - “good”, or simply nod your head in the affirmative. And you can, if the level of the language allows you, say a couple of phrases about how things are going.

喂 (Way!) - "Hello?"

This is how the Chinese answer the phone. A very simple and pleasant sounding word. It is used by everyone, regardless of age, gender and social status.

去哪儿？(Chu nar?) - "Where are you going?"

"No chu nar?" is the Chinese way of saying "hello" when you run into someone. By our standards, such a question may seem like excessive curiosity, especially when the interlocutor is a hated acquaintance. However, for the Chinese, this is just a way to show participation and show some respect for the person.

Often the form of a question is used, where the location is already indicated. For example, when faced with a student or schoolchild, you might ask, “Chu shan ki le?” (“Are you going to the lesson / couples?”).

好久不见！(Hao jou bu zen!) - "Long time no see!"

"Hao jou bu zen!" - so you can say in Chinese "hello" to an old acquaintance whom you have not seen for quite a long time. This phrase has a very positive emotional connotation.

Little "but"

As you probably know, Chinese - tone language. The same word, spoken in a different tone, can mean something completely different. Of course, if you are a tourist, and even a fair-haired one, then the good-natured Chinese will definitely make a discount on this. But if you want to sound like a local, be aware that it's not enough to know how to say "hello" in Chinese. Pronunciation also plays an important role.

There is a very simple option for those who are not going to seriously study the language - hammer the phrase into online translator with the ability to listen to the typed text and just try to copy the speaker's intonation. It's much easier than figuring out the nuances of one of the most difficult languages ​​to learn in the world.

Most importantly, don't be afraid to speak up. The Chinese are always happy to tell you how to do it right. Especially if you take a picture with them in response and teach a couple of phrases in Russian or English. Or buy something, since the noodle dealer helped you.

Hi Hello)- nihao
Goodbye)- zaizen
Thanks- sese
Thanks a lot!- Sese, feychang fanse!
Happy New Year- xing nien kwai le, Wo zhu ni xin nian,
I wish you a happy new year- Zhu xin nian kuai yu, Gonghe xin nian, Gonghe xinxi
Do you speak English?- No fuck sho inwen ma?
You are welcome- Buyun se
Sorry- Dui buti
What is your name?- Ni jiao shemme mingzi?
Yes- Shi
Not- Bushy
Do you want to dance?- Ni xiang tiao wu ma?
I love you!- Oh no!
I- whoa
We- wo-man
You- neither
You- nin
You- ni-men
They are- ta-men
What is your name?-- ni-jo she me min dza?
Good-hao
Badly- boo hao
Wife- chi-ze
Husband- chan-fu
Daughter- new art
Son- arze
Mother- mother
Father- dad
Friend- pani-yo

Numbers

zero- lin
one- and
two- ar
three- dignity
four- se
five- woo
six- leu
seven- chi
eight- pa
nine- gio
ten- shi
twenty- ar shi
thirty- san shi
fourty- sy shi
fifty- wu shi
hundred- and share
one thousand- and chen
million- and pai wuan

Shops and restaurants

What it is?- Jo she she ma?
I will buy it- woo-mai
You have...?- niyo-me yo...?
Open- kai
Closed- kuan
Little, little- and ti ar
Lot- hen-tuo
All- chuen pu
Breakfast- zao-tsang
Dinner- u-tsang
Dinner- wan-tsang
Bread- miem pao
Drink- yn-leao
Coffee- ca-fei
Tea- cha
The juice- puoji
Water- choe
Wine- gio
Salt- yen
Pepper- hu tio ju
Meat- ro
Vegetables- cai
Fruits- Shui-kuo
Ice cream- pin-chi-ling

Tourism

Where- ... ... tai-nah?
How much does the ticket cost?- Che-fey tuo-sho?
Ticket- pya
A train- whoa
Bus- kum-kum chi cho
Underground- di tie
The airport- Fei-ti-chan (g)
Railway station- wo-cho-jan
Departure- chu-tien
Arrival- ru-tien
Hotel- louis quan
Room- ke fa (n)
Passport- hu-cha
How to get
Left- zuo
Right- yo
Straight- ji
Up- sha
Down- sya
Far- yuan
Close- ting
Map- di tou

Public areas and attractions

Mail- yo ji
Museum- bow wu guang
Bank- ying ha
Police- tin-cha ti
Hospital- i-yuan
Pharmacy- yo fa
Score- tie(n)
Restaurant- tiu-lo (u)
School- xue xia(o)
Church- thio tan(g)
Toilet- ti-sho-tye
The street- tie
Square- fuon cha(ng)
Bridge- chao

Dates and times

What time is it now?- you drank "and
Day- ry tien
A week- ting-chi
Month- yue
Year- nyen
Monday- ting-chi-yi
Tuesday- ting-chi-ah
Wednesday- tin-chi-san
Thursday- ting-chi-fu
Friday- ting-chi-woo
Saturday- ting-chi-leo
Sunday- tin-chi-ry
Spring- chuen
Summer- tya
Autumn- whose
Winter- tone)

Hello my students! In this lesson, I will show you how to say hello in Chinese and ask for the name of the interlocutor. You will also learn a few basic rules.

Dialog:

-你好！你叫什么名字？

-我叫伊万，你呢？

-我叫玛丽。

-认识你很高兴!玛丽你好吗？

-我很好。你呢？

-我也很好。

Nǐ hǎo! Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì?

Wǒ jiào yī wàn, nǐ ne?

Wǒ jiào mǎlì.

Rènshí nǐ hěn gāoxìng! Mǎlì nǐ hǎo ma?

Wǒ hěn hǎo. Nǐne?

Wǒ yě hěn hǎo.

Translation:

Hey! What is your name?

My name is Ivan. And you?

My name is Maria.

It's very nice to meet you. How are you, Maria?

I am very good. And you have?

I am also very good.

New words:

好 hǎo - good

你好 nǐhǎo - hello (dol. you are good)

吗 ma is a phrasal particle expressing a question

很 hěn - very

也 yě - too, also

呢 ne is a phrasal particle expressing a question?

你呢 nǐne – And you? And you have?

叫 jiào - to call, to call

什么 shénme - what, what, what, what

名字 míngzi - name

伊万 yīwàn - Ivan (transliteration)

玛丽 mǎlì – Mary (transliteration)

认识 rènshi - to know, to get acquainted, to get acquainted, to get acquainted

高兴 gāoxìng - rejoice, joyful

认识你很高兴 rènshi nǐhěn gāoxìng - Nice to meet you.

In Chinese, there are 3 ways to form a question.

1. Using the phrasal particle 吗 ma.
2. Using the interrogative word 什么 shénme (etc. we will study later).
3. Using the construction of repetition of the verb. (We will analyze in more detail later).

So let's look at examples.

Question 你好吗？nǐhǎo ma? Literally translated as "Are you good?" It means "How are you doing?" .你认识玛丽吗? nǐ rènshi mǎlì ma? – Do you know Mary?

In the question 你叫什么名字？nǐ jiào shénme míngzi? -"What is your name?" there is no phrasal particle 吗 ma, but there is an interrogative word 什么 shénme, which is the form of the question. Literally. "You are called (called) by what name?"

I think, perhaps, the phrase 认识你很高兴 rènshi nǐhěn gāoxìng also scares you, because it is very long and not clear. Well, let's figure it out.

认识你 rènshi nǐ means to get to know you, to get to know you

很高兴 hěn gāoxìng - very happy, very pleased

These phrases can be interchanged and the meaning will be the same. You can say 我很高兴认识你 wǒ hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ and it will be translated as "I am very pleased to meet you"

Hieroglyph	Writing order
你
玛
吗
我
好
认
丽
伊
万
名
字
很
叫
高
识
兴
什
也
好

Next, I have prepared for you interesting stories with pictures about the formation of hieroglyphs, after reading and looking at which, it will be much easier and more understandable for you. The character 好 hǎo consists of two parts 女 nǚ - woman

and 子 zǐ - child.

A woman with a child means "good, right, excellent"

The old form of the character 我 wǒ consisted of two harpoons opposing each other, perhaps representing the opposition of two rights. Namely, my right, that means me. Subsequently, its form was transformed into a hieroglyph consisting of a pictogram of a hand holding a sword or spear, thus denoting that when a man holds a spear in his hand, his EGO becomes stronger, forming the word "I".

The classic hieroglyph 你 nǐ was denoted by a pictogram of balance or scales, adding the grapheme “person” to the left, a word was formed describing a person of the same weight, i.e. YOU.

The character 叫 jiào is formed from two parts. The left part means "mouth", while the right part used to have a different spelling and denoted hand scales used by street vendors. They lured buyers low prices for sweet watermelons.

The right side of the character 很 hěn means stubbornness, namely, the top is the eye, and the bottom is the turn back. The left side means the steps or force that should be applied to curb, pacify this stubbornness, because. stubbornness is usually strong, then you need VERY many steps, hence the meaning of “very”.

Since ancient times, the character 也 yě denoted a drinking horn in the shape of a cone. In addition to the basic things, the person also carried this vessel with him. Until now, the hieroglyph has retained its meaning - the pictogram is used to denote the union "too, also, and" in the design "man and his horn".

As in the previous lesson, homework there will be the following: write out new words, write down each hieroglyph in 3-4 lines. Make up a simple dialogue based on the lesson example. If you have any questions, write, I will try to answer as soon as possible.

Let's stop there for now, read the continuation in the next lesson.

In the next lesson, we will study numbers, learn how to write the date and get acquainted with some new words. And in order not to miss a new lesson, subscribe to the site updates. See you soon!