Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Chinese Song -- Orchid Pavilion (lán tíng xù) Singer: Jay Chou

兰亭序
Orchid Pavilion 

演唱:周杰伦 Singer: Jay Chou
兰(lán)亭(tíng)临(lín)帖(tiē) 行(xíng)书(shū)如(rú)行(xíng)云(yún)流(liú)水(shuǐ)
Practicing calligraphy at the Orchid Pavilion, the semi-cursive script resembling sailing clouds and flowing water

月(yuè)下(xià)门(mén)推(tuī) 心(xīn)细(xì)如(rú)你(nǐ)脚(jiǎo)步(bù)碎(suì)
Under the moon the door yielded to a gentle push, your thoughtfulness reflected in your fragile footsteps

忙(máng)不(bù)迭(dié) 千(qiān)年(nián)碑(bēi)易(yì)拓(tuò) 却(què)难(nán)拓(tuò)你(nǐ)的(de)美(měi)
In haste, the one-thousand-year tablet is easy to copy, yet your beauty is not

真(zhēn)迹(jì)绝(jué) 真(zhēn)心(xīn)能(néng)给(gěi)谁(shuí)
If the original script were gone, to whom would I give my heart?

牧(mù)笛(dí)横(héng)吹(chuī) 黄(huáng)酒(jiǔ)小(xiǎo)菜(cài)又(yòu)几(jǐ)碟(dié)
I was playing the flute over the rice wine and several dishes

夕(xī)阳(yáng)余(yú)晖(huī) 如(rú)你(nǐ)的(de)羞(xiū)怯(qiè)似(sì)醉(zuì)
The sun’s setting rays were like your blushes as if drunk

摹(mó)本(běn)易(yì)写(xiě) 而(ér)墨(mò)香(xiāng)不(bù)退(tuì)与(yǔ)你(nǐ)共(gòng)留(liú)余(yú)味(wèi)
A copy is easy to make, and the fragrance of the ink did not fade away, like the remnants of your scent

一(yì)行(háng)朱(zhū)砂(shā) 到(dào)底(dǐ)圈(quān)了(le)谁(shuí)
A stripe of cinnabar, whose name after all did it circle?


CHORUS:
无(wú)关(guān)风(fēng)月(yuè) 我(wǒ)题(tí)序(xù)等(děng)你(nǐ)回(huí)
No matter when, I write the preface while awaiting your return

悬(xuán)笔(bǐ)一(yī)绝(jué) 那(nà)岸(àn)边(biān)浪(làng)千(qiān)叠(dié)
Holding the brush with my arm in mid-air, I completed the character, the waves piled up against the shore

情(qíng)字(zì)何(hé)解(jiě) 怎(zěn)落(luò)笔(bǐ)都(dōu)不(bú)对(duì)
But how could I understand the character “love”? Whatever stroke I started with always seemed wrong

而(ér)我(wǒ)独(dú)缺(quē) 你(nǐ)一(yì)生(shēng)的(de)了(liǎo)解(jiě)
because the one thing I lack, is the understanding of your life


CHORUS 2
弹(tán)指(zhǐ)岁(suì)月(yuè) 倾(qīng)城(chéng)顷(qǐng)刻(kè)间(jiān)烟(yān)灭(miè)
Years passed in a snap of fingers, beauty vanished in an instant

青(qīng)石(shí)板(bǎn)街(jiē) 回(huí)眸(móu)一(yī)笑(xiào)你(nǐ)婉(wǎn)约(yuē)
On the bluestone alley, you glanced back and smiled with grace and restraint

恨(hèn)了(le)没(méi) 你(nǐ)摇(yáo)头(tóu)轻(qīng)叹(tàn)谁(shuí)让(ràng)你(nǐ)蹙(cù)着(zhe)眉(méi)
Have you regretted or not? You shook your head and sighed. Who put a frown on your face?

而(ér)深(shēn)闺(guī) 徒(tú)留(liú)胭(yān)脂(zhī)味(wèi)
And deep in the lady’s chamber, the smell of the rouge lingered in vain

人(rén)雁(yàn)南(nán)飞(fēi) 转(zhuǎn)身(shēn)一(yì)瞥(piē)你(nǐ)噙(qín)泪(lèi)
As geese flew south in a v-pattern, I turned around and caught a glimpse of your tears

掬(jū)一(yī)把(bǎ)月(yuè) 手(shǒu)揽(lan)回(huí)忆(yì)怎(zěn)么(me)睡(shuì)
Holding a handful of moonlight in my hands, how could I sleep with those memories?

又(yòu)怎(zěn)么(me)会(huì) 心(xīn)事(shì)密(mì)缝(feng)绣(xiù)花(huā)鞋(xié)针(zhēn)针(zhēn)怨(yuàn)对(duì)
And how could the matters of your heart be so tightly sewn into the embroidered shoes, with every pair of stitches so filled with resentment?

若(ruò)花(huā)怨(yuàn)蝶(dié) 你(nǐ)会(huì)怨(yuàn)着(zhe)谁(shuí)
If the flower resented the butterfly, whom would you resent?


CHORUS
无关风月 我题序等你回
No matter when, I write the preface while awaiting your return

手书无愧 无惧人间是非
These handwritten words have no qualms, not afraid of the rights and wrongs of the human world

雨打蕉叶 又潇潇了几夜
The rain has been striking the banana leaves, the whistling and pattering having lasted for several nights

我等春雷 来提醒你爱谁
I await the spring thunder to remind you who you really love

周杰伦和林志玲在2011年春节晚会上表演的《兰亭序》以唯美绚丽的画面,行云流水般的舞蹈表演,给观众留下了最深最美的印象。周杰伦在表演中除了唱歌之外,穿插表演了魔术和大提琴。

Learn Chinese -- Dialogue -- Lesson 3 Asking the Way

TEXT
 
mài kè: Láo jià, xī dān lí zhèr yuăn bù yuăn? 
麦克: 劳驾,西单离这儿远不远? 
Mike: Excuse me, is Xidan far from here? 
   
Lì li:  Bĭ jiăo yuăn, qí chē dĕi èr shí wŭ fēn zhōng zuŏ yòu. 
丽丽: 比较远,骑车得25 分钟左右。 
Lili: Yes, quite far. It will take you twenty-five minutes by bicycle. 
   
mài kè: zuò chē fāng biàn ma?
麦克: 坐车方便吗? 
Mike:  Is it easy to take a bus?

Lì li:  Hěn fāng biàn, yao zuò qī zhàn chē, xià chē jiù shì.
丽丽: 很方便,要坐七站车,下车就是。 
Lili: Yes, very easy. You just take seven stations to go to Xidan. You can't miss it.
   
mài kè: Qĭng wèn dào fŭ yòu jiē yŏu duō yuăn?
麦克: 请问到府右街有多远? 
Mike: And could you tell me how far is it to Fuyoujie from here?
   
Lì li: Nín qù xī dān de shí hòu, lù guò fŭ yòu jiē.
丽丽: 您去西单的时候,路过府右街。 
Lili: On your way to Xidan, you'll pass by Fuyoujie.
   
mài kè: Fŭ yòu jiē dào xī dān yuăn bù yuăn?  
麦克: 府右街到西单远不远? 
Mike:  Is it far from Fuyoujie to Xidan?
   
Lì li: Bù yuăn le, zŏu shí fēn zhōng jiù dào le.
丽丽: 不远了,走十分钟就到了。 
Lili:  Not too far, you just need to walk for ten minutes. 
 
 
Background
 
当您独自外出游览或拜访亲朋好友,遇到地点不清或地址不详时就需要问路。一天,麦克要去西单,一位热心的北京姑娘正在给他指路。
When you have a trip or visit to your friends or acquaintances alone, you may come across an unknown or unclear address and you will have to ask the way. One day, Mike wants to go to Xidan and a warmhearted Beijing girl is telling him the way.
 
New Words
 
1.       问路 wèn lù: ask the way
2.       离 lí: from
3.       这儿 zhèr: here
4.       远 yuăn: far
5.       劳驾 láo jià: excuse me
6.       坐车 zuò chē: take a bus
7.       方便 fāng biàn: easy
8.       左右 zuŏ yòu: about
9.       比较 bĭ jiăo: quite
10.     路过 lù guò: pass by


Learn Chinese -- Dialogue -- Lesson 2 Eating Roast Beijing Duck

TEXT
Zhēnní: Cháng yī cháng, zhè shì zhèng zōng de Bĕijīng kǎo yā。
珍妮: 尝一尝,这是正宗的北京烤鸭。 
Jane: Have a taste. This is traditional Roast Beijing Duck. 
   
Màikè: Zěn me gè chī fǎ?
麦克: 怎么个吃法? 
Mike:  How to eat it? 
   
Zhēnní:  Xiān ná yī zhāng báo bĭng, bă yā piàn fàng zài lĭ miàn, rán hòu bă mŏ hăo jiàng de cōng jiā zài bĭng lĭ jiù kě yĭ chī le. 
珍妮: 先拿一张薄饼,把鸭片放在里面,然后把抹好酱的葱夹在饼里就可以吃了。 
Jane: Put slices of roast duck inside the thin pancakes which are smeared with sweet bean sauce and scallion. 
   
Màikè: Míng bái le.
麦克: 明白了。 
Mike:  I see.
   
Zhēnní: Kăo yā de wèi dào zĕn me yàng?
珍妮: 烤鸭的味道怎么样? 
Jane: How does the roast duck taste?
   
Màikè: Wèi dào hăo jí le, zhēn shì míng bù xū chuán.
麦克: 味道好极了,真是名不虚传。 
Mike:  It's very delicious and it really has a well-deserved reputation.
Background
烤鸭是北京的一道风味菜。珍妮和麦克来到有120多年历史的北京"全聚德烤鸭店"。
The roast duck is regarded as the specially delicate food of Beijing. Jane and Mike is now in the Beijing Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant which has more than 120 years history.
New Words
1.    烤鸭 kǎo yā: roast duck
2.    吃 chī: eat
3.    尝一尝 cháng yī cháng: to taste
4.    正宗的 zhèng zōng de: traditional
5.    怎么 zěn me: how
6.    薄饼 báo bĭng: thin pancakes
7.    鸭片 yā piàn: sliced duck
8.    放 fàng: to put
9.    里面 lĭ miàn: inside
10. 然后 rán hòu: then
11. 酱 jiàng: sauce
12. 葱cōng: scallion
13. 真zhēn: really
14. 好极了hăo jí le: delicious
15. 名不虚传 míng bù xū chuán: to enjoy a well-deserved reputation


Monday, June 4, 2012

Chinese Idioms -- huà bǐng chōng jī

画饼充饥 (huà bǐng chōng jī)
Draw a pancake to allay huger --- feed in illusions

Lu Yu was a very learned and honest man of the State of Wei in the Three Kingdoms Period (220 --- 280). He served as a senior official for three years and made many good suggestions to Emperor Wendi. He was later promoted to the position of Minister of Official Personnel Affairs.

When the emperor was selecting personnel for a very important post, some well-known people were recommended. But Emperor Wendi didn't like them. In a special imperial edict, the emperor said, "whether we can find the right person for this post depends on Lu Yu. We shouldn't choose those only with fame but without real ability and learning. Fame is just like a pancake drawn on the ground which you can't eat."

Lu Yu suggested that recommendation be combined with examination and the emperor adopted his proposal. Officials were then appointed according to their competence. This method won wide acclaim from the people.

From a phrase in the imperial edict came the idiom 画饼充饥 (huà bǐng chōng jī). At first, it means "value empty names", or "enjoy a reputation unwarranted by any real learning". Now, people use it in a new sense. By 画饼充饥 (huà bǐng chōng jī), we mean "feed on illusions" or "console oneself with false hopes".


Lesson 20 At Second-hand Market

1.   这是什么牌子的?
Zhè shì shénme páizi de?
What brand is it? 
2.   中国名牌。
Zhōngguó míngpái.
China top brand. 
3.   这儿有点儿毛病。
Zhèr yǒu diǎnr máobìng.
Something seems wrong here. 
4.   最多100元!
Zuìduō yìbǎi yuán!
100 yuan at most.