Intermediate Spoken Chinese

Tom Brown and Kenny Lam continue their tour of Hong Kong, discussing the Hong Kong economy, local culture, and Cantonese delicacies (continued from the previous conversation).

Basic Conversation 23-2

1. BROWN	(disembarking from the Star Ferry) Tīngshuō Xiānggăng yíqiè yĭ jīngjì wéi zhŭ.
	I’ve heard that in Hong Kong the economy trumps everything else.
2. LAM	Duì, kéyi zhèmme shuō. Xiānggăng shi shìjièshang zhòngyàode jīnróng hé màoyì zhōngxīn zhīyī, yínhángyè tèbié fādá. Xiānggăng Gŭshì zài shìjièshang páimíng dìwŭ.
	Yes, you could say that. Hong Kong is one of the important financial and trade centers in the world, banking being particularly well developed. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is ranked number five in the world.
3. BROWN	Nà wénhuà fāngmiàn ne?
	And what about in the area of culture?
4. LAM	Xiānggăngde yíge tèsè shi tā shi zhēnzhèng Dōngxīfāng jiāohuì rónghéde dìfang. Suīrán yĭqián shi Yīngguode zhímíndì, dàn háishi băocúnle hĕn duō chuántŏngde Zhōngguo wénhuà, bĭfang shuō, fēngshuĭ duì Xiānggăng rén jiù shífēn zhòngyào.
	One distinctive feature of Hong Kong is that it’s a place where the East and West really intersect and merge. Though it used to be a British colony, it has preserved much traditional Chinese culture; for example, feng shui is very important to Hong Kong people.
	(walking on Nathan Road in Kowloon)
5. BROWN	Wà! Nĭ kàn, zhèmme duō xiàngjī hé diànzĭ chănpĭn!
	Wow! Look, so many cameras and electronic products!
6. LAM	Xiānggăng shi gòuwùzhĕde tiāntáng! Shì ge miănshuìgăng, duì yìbānde jìnkŏu shāngpĭn bù zhēng guānshuì.
	Hong Kong is a shopper’s paradise! It’s a free port; it doesn’t levy customs duties on ordinary imported goods.
7. BROWN	Zài zhèli măi dōngxi kĕ bu kéyi jiăngjià?
	Can you haggle when you buy stuff here?
8. LAM	Băihuò gōngsī hé bĭjiào dàde shāngdiàn yìbān bù néng jiăngjià. Xiăo yìdiănde shāngdiàn huò lùtiān shìchăng kéyi shìshi kàn. Dàn gòuwù qián, zuìhăo duō qù jĭjiā shāngdiàn bĭjiào yixia jiàqián. Yŏude dìfang mài dàobăn huò màopáide shāngpĭn, yào xiăoxīn, miănde bèi piàn!
	At department stores and larger shops generally you can’t haggle. At smaller shops or open-air markets you can try. But before you buy, it’s best to go to several different stores to compare prices. Some places sell pirated or fake goods; you have to be careful so you don’t get cheated!
	(in a Cantonese restaurant in Kowloon)
	Xiānggăng rén xĭhuan shàng jiŭlóu yĭnchá.
	Hong Kong people like to go to Cantonese-style restaurants to have tea and dim sum.
9. BROWN	“Yĭnchá” shi shémme?
	What does yĭnchá mean?
10. LAM	“Yĭnchá” Guăngdōng huà jiào “yámchàh,” jiù shi hē cháde yìsi.
	In Cantonese yĭnchá is called yámchàh; it means “drink tea.”
11. BROWN	Nándào wŏmen lái zhèr guāng hē chá ma? Wŏ dùzi hăo è! Néng bu néng chī yidian dōngxi?
	You mean we’ve come here just to drink tea? I’m starving! Could we eat something?
12. LAM	Nĭ fàngxīn hăole! Wŏ diănle yìxiē Xiānggăng zuì yŏumíngde diănxin: chāshāobāo, xiājiăo gēn shāomài.
	Relax! I’ve ordered some of Hong Kong’s most famous dim sum: chāshāobāo, shrimp dumplings, and shāomài.
13. BROWN	M, hăochījíle! Xiànzài wŏ zhōngyú míngbai wèishémme dàjiā bă Xiānggăng jiàozuo “mĕishí tiāntáng” le!
	Mmm, yummy! Now I finally understand why everybody calls Hong Kong “food heaven”!

Build Up

1. Brown
yíqiè	everything, all [N]
yĭ...wéi zhŭ	take...as the main thing, regard...as the most important component [PT]
yĭ jīngjì wéi zhŭ	regard the economy as the main thing
Tīngshuō Xiānggăng yíqiè yĭ jīngjì wéi zhŭ.	I’ve heard that in Hong Kong the economy trumps everything else.
2. Lam
zhòngyào	be important [SV]
jīnróng	finance [N]
...zhīyī	one of... [PT]
yínhángyè	banking industry, banking [N]
fādá	be developed [SV]
yínhángyè tèbié fādá	banking is particularly well developed
gŭshì	stock market, stock exchange [N]
páimíng	be ranked, rank [VO]
páimíng dìwŭ	be ranked number five, be in 5th place
Duì, kéyi zhèmme shuō. Xiānggăng shi shìjiè shang zhòngyàode jīnróng hé màoyì zhōngxīn zhīyī, yínhángyè tèbié fādá. Xiānggăng Gŭshì zài shìjièshang páimíng dìwŭ.	Yes, you could say that. Hong Kong is one of the important financial and trade centers in the world, banking being particularly well developed. The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is ranked number five in the world.
3. Brown
fāngmiàn	aspect, area, side [N]
wénhuà fāngmiàn	in the aspect of culture
Nà wénhuà fāngmiàn ne?	And what about in the area of culture?
4. Lam
tèsè	characteristic, distinguishing feature [N]
zhēnzhèng	real, true, genuine [AT]
Dōngxīfāng	East and West
jiāohuì	connect up, meet, intersect [V]
rónghé	mix together, merge, fuse [V]
zhímíndì	colony [N]
băocún	preserve, keep, maintain [V]
chuántŏng	be traditional [SV]
chuántŏngde Zhōngguo wénhuà	traditional Chinese culture
fēngshuĭ	feng shui, geomancy [N]
shífēn	very, extremely [A]
shífēn zhòngyào	very important
Xiānggăngde yíge tèsè shi tā shi zhēnzhèng Dōngxīfāng jiāohuì rónghéde dìfang. Suīrán yĭqián shi Yīngguode zhímíndì, dàn háishi băocúnle hĕn duō chuántŏngde Zhōngguo wénhuà, bĭfang shuō, fēngshuĭ duì Xiānggăng rén jiù shífēn zhòngyào.	One distinctive feature of Hong Kong is that it’s a place where the East and West really intersect and merge. Though it used to be a British colony, it has preserved much traditional Chinese culture; for example, feng shui is very important to Hong Kong people.
5. Brown
xiàngjī	camera [N]
chănpĭn	product [N]
diànzĭ chănpĭn	electronic product, electronics [PH]
Wà! Nĭ kàn, zhèmme duō xiàngjī hé diànzĭ chănpĭn!	Wow! Look, so many cameras and electronic products!
6. Lam
gòuwù	buy things, shop [V]
gòuwùzhĕ	one who buys things, shopper [N]
tiāntáng	paradise, heaven [N]
gòuwùzhĕde tiāntáng	a shopper’s paradise
miănshuì	be exempt from tax or duty [VO]
miănshuìgăng	duty free port [N]
yìbān	general, ordinary [AT]
shāngpĭn	goods, merchandise [N]
yìbānde jìnkŏu shāngpĭn	ordinary imported goods
zhēng	levy, collect (taxes or duty) [V]
guānshuì	customs duty [N]
zhēng guānshuì	levy customs duty
Xiānggăng shi gòuwùzhĕde tiāntáng! Shì ge miănshuìgăng, duì yìbānde jìnkŏu shāngpĭn bù zhēng guānshuì.	Hong Kong is a shopper’s paradise! It’s a free port; it doesn’t levy customs duties on ordinary imported goods.
7. Brown
jiăngjià	bargain, haggle [VO]
kĕ bu kéyi jiăngjià	can you or can’t you haggle
Zài zhèli măi dōngxi kĕ bu kéyi jiăngjià?	Can you haggle when you buy stuff here?
8. Lam
băihuò gōngsī	department store [PH]
shāngdiàn	shop, store [PW]
yìbān	generally, ordinarily [A]
yìbān bù néng jiăngjià	in general you can’t haggle
lùtiān shìchăng	open-air market [PH]
shìshi kàn	try and see
gòuwù qián	before purchasing
bĭjiào	compare [V]
duō qù jĭjiā shāngdiàn bĭjiào yixia jiàqián	go to several different stores to compare prices
dàobăn	pirate (a book, film, etc.) [V]
màopái	counterfeit, fake, imitation [AT]
dàobăn huò màopáide shāngpĭn	pirated or fake goods
miănde...	so as to avoid..., lest... [PT]
miănde bèi piàn	to avoid getting cheated
Băihuò gōngsī hé bĭjiào dàde shāngdiàn yìbān bù néng jiăngjià. Xiăo yìdiănde shāngdiàn huò lùtiān shìchăng kéyi shìshi kàn. Dàn gòuwù qián, zuìhăo duō qù jĭjiā shāngdiàn bĭjiào yixia jiàqián. Yŏude dìfang mài dàobăn huò màopáide shāngpĭn, yào xiăoxīn, miănde bèi piàn!	At department stores and larger shops generally you can’t haggle. At smaller shops or open-air markets you can try. But before you buy, it’s best to go to several different stores to compare prices. Some places sell pirated or fake goods; you have to be careful so you don’t get cheated!

jiŭlóu	Cantonese-style restaurant; any large and lavish restaurant [PW]
yĭnchá	drink tea and eat dim sum in a Cantonese-style restaurant [VO]
Xiānggăng rén xĭhuan shàng jiŭlóu yĭnchá.	Hong Kong people like to go to Cantonese-style restaurants to have tea and dim sum.
9. Brown
“Yĭnchá” shi shémme?	What does yĭnchá mean?
10. Lam
“Yĭnchá” Guăngdōng huà jiào “yámchàh,” jiù shi hē cháde yìsi.	In Cantonese yĭnchá is called yámchàh; it means “drink tea.”
11. Brown
guāng	only, just [A]
guāng hē chá	only drink tea
dùzi	belly, abdomen, stomach [N]
wŏ dùzi hăo è	my stomach is very hungry
Nándào wŏmen lái zhèr guāng hē chá ma? Wŏ dùzi hăo è! Néng bu néng chī yidian dōngxi?	You mean we’ve come here just to drink tea? I’m starving! Could we eat something?
12. Lam
diănxin	snack, pastry, dim sum [N]
zuì yŏumíngde diănxin	the most famous snacks
chāshāobāo	steamed white flour bun with barbecued pork filling [N]
xiājiăo	shrimp dumpling [N]
shāomài	small steamed dumpling with pork inside thin wheat
	flour wrapper [N]
Nĭ fàngxīn hăole! Wŏ diănle yìxiē Xiānggăng zuì yŏumíngde diănxin: chāshāobāo, xiājiăo gēn shāomài.	Relax! I’ve ordered some of Hong Kong’s most famous dim sum: chāshāobāo, shrimp dumplings, and shāomài.
13. Brown
xiànzài wŏ zhōngyú míngbai	now I finally understand
jiàozuo	call; be called, be known as [V]
bă A jiàozuo B	call A B [PT]
mĕishí	fine foods, delicacy [N]
mĕishí tiāntáng	food heaven [PH]
bă Xiānggăng jiàozuo mĕishí tiāntáng	call Hong Kong food heaven
M, hăochījíle! Xiànzài wŏ zhōngyú míngbai wèishémme dàjiā bă Xiānggăng jiàozuo “mĕishí tiāntáng” le!	Mmm, yummy! Now I finally understand why everybody calls Hong Kong “food heaven”!

1A. The Star Ferry, in operation since 1888, runs across Victoria Harbor to connect Tsim Sha Tsui and Hung Hom in Kowloon with Central and Wan Chai on Hong Kong island.

1B. YĬ...WÉI ZHŬ. Examine the sentence Tīngshuō Xiānggăng yíqiè yĭ jīngjì wéi zhŭ “I’ve heard that in Hong Kong everything takes the economy as the most important component.” Yĭ...wéi zhŭ is an important grammatical pattern typical of higher-level, formal spoken and written Chinese. It literally means “take...to be the main (thing).” Freer translations of this pattern include “regard...as the most important component,” “with... being the most important,” and “consist mainly of....” The basic pattern is:

Both noun phrases and verb phrases can occur in the object position. Here are some more examples with the pattern yĭ...wéi zhŭ:

“Taiwanese cuisine consists primarily of seafood, chicken, and thick soups.”

Nĭ xiànzài hái shi xuésheng, yīnggāi yĭ xuéxí wéi zhŭ, búyào zhĕngtiān xiăngzhe zuò shēngyì.

“You’re still a student, you should consider your studies as the most important thing; don’t be thinking about going into business all day long.”

2A. ...ZHĪYĪ. Look at the sentence Xiānggăng shi shìjièshang zhòngyàode jīnróng hé màoyì zhōngxīn zhīyī “Hong Kong is one of the important financial and trade centers in the world.” The pattern...zhīyī is placed after a noun phrase and means “one of....” The basic pattern is:

“Macao is one of the regions with the longest average life expectancy in the world.”

2B. PÁIMÍNG. Examine the use of páimíng “be ranked” in the sentence Xiānggăng Gŭshì zài shìjièshang páimíng dìwŭ “The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is ranked number five in the world.” The pattern páimíng dì-... means “be ranked,” “rank,” or “be in ___ place.” Any number can occur after páimíng dì-, for example:

The question form would be Páimíng dìjĭ? “It’s ranked number what?” Here are some more examples of the pattern páimíng dì-:

4A. Fēngshuĭ “feng shui” or “geomancy” literally means “wind and water.” It refers to the art of selecting favorable locations for houses, businesses, graves, etc. so as to be in harmony with yin and yang, the forces of nature. Business people often consult fengshui masters to determine good locations for stores or offices. If a place is deemed unsatisfactory, then mirrors or other equalizing objects may be added for balance.

4B. Examine the sentence Fēngshuĭ duì Xiānggăng rén shífēn zhòngyào “Feng shui is very important to Hong Kong people.” The pattern duì...zhòngyào means “be important to...” or “be important for....” Here is another example of this pattern:

6A. The verb gòuwù, which means “buy things” or “shop,” is a more formal equivalent of măi dōngxi.

6B. Examine the common noun suffix -zhĕ “one who does something” at the end of the noun gòuwùzhĕ “one who buys things” or “shopper.” The noun suffix -zhĕ occurs in many words, for example, zuòzhĕ “author,” dúzhĕ “reader,” xiāofèizhĕ “consumer,” mùjīzhĕ “eyewitness,” etc.

6C. Note the use of duì in the pattern duì...zhēng guānshuì “levy customs duty on (some product)” as in Xiānggăng duì yìbānde jìnkŏu shāngpĭn bù zhēng guānshuì “Hong Kong doesn’t levy customs duties on ordinary imported goods.”

7. The verb-object compound jiăngjià means “haggle” or “bargain” (lit. “discuss price”). Bargaining is traditional in Chinese culture, with most Chinese believing that it’s foolish to pay the first price you’re quoted. Nowadays, at larger stores and supermarkets in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, haggling is no longer commonly practiced, unless one is purchasing in quantity. However, at smaller stores and traditional Chinese markets, it’s still quite common to haggle. Even hotel jewelers are usually willing to discount merchandise. It never hurts to ask whether a lower price is possible, but you shouldn’t haggle unless you’re serious about buying.

8A. MIĂNDE... Toward the end of utterance 8, look at the sentence Yŏude dìfang mài dàobăn huò màopáide shāngpĭn, yào xiăoxīn, miănde bèi piàn! “Some places sell pirated or fake goods; you have to be careful so you don’t get cheated!” The verb construction miănde... means “save (someone from an undesirable outcome),” “so as to avoid...,” “so that...not,” or “lest....” The miănde is usually preceded by a sentence describing the proposed solution to a feared, undesirable outcome; and miănde is followed by a stative verb, phrase, or sentence that describes the undesirable outcome that is to be avoided. The basic pattern is:

“Let me explain one more time, so everyone is clear.” (lit. “...lest everyone not be able to be clear about it”)

“We better make everything clear now, so we don’t have trouble in the future.”

Nĭ zuìhăo zhŭnshí bă shū huán’gĕi túshūguăn, miănde tāmen fá nĭ qián.

“You better return the book to the library on time, so they don’t fine you.”

8B. Notice the passive voice with bèi in Yào xiăoxīn, miănde bèi piàn “You have to be careful, so you don’t get cheated.” This is the traditional, infelicitous use of bèi with verbs indicating unpleasant or undesirable outcomes (cf. 22-2: 5B).

10. The Cantonese word yámchàh “drink tea” is written in so-called Yale Cantonese romanization, which is different from Pinyin. There is more information about Cantonese in the next lesson (cf. 23-3: 10).

11. Observe the use of the pattern nándào...ma in the question Nándào wŏmen lái zhèr guāng hē chá ma? “You mean we’ve come here just to drink tea?”. You first encountered this pattern in 21-2: 1B.

13. BĂ A JIÀO(ZUO) B. Look at the following sentence at the end of utterance 13: Dàjiā bă Xiānggăng jiàozuo “mĕishí tiāntáng.” The meaning of this sentence is “Everyone calls Hong Kong ‘food heaven.’” The pattern bă A jiàozuo B is a common and useful pattern that means “call A B” (lit. “take A and call it B”). Note that the -zuo in jiàozuo is optional, so this pattern is sometimes simply said as bă A jiào B. The basic pattern is:

Wŏmen bă nèixiē chéngtiān zhĭ zhīdao niànshūde rén jiàozuo “shūdāizi.”

Jīlóngde yŭjì hĕn cháng, yŭliàng yĕ duō, suóyi dàjiā bă nèige dìfang jiào “yŭgăng.”

“The rainy season in Jilong is long, and the amount of rainfall is great, so everyone calls it ‘rain harbor.’”

NOUN PHRASE	...ZHĪYĪ
shìjièshang zhòngyàode jīnróng zhōngxīn	zhīyī
“one of the important financial centers in the world”

páimíng dìyī	“be ranked number one”
páimíng dì’èr	“be ranked number two”
páimíng dìsān	“be ranked number three”

YĬ	OBJECT	WÉI ZHǍ
yĭ	jīngjì	wéi zhŭ
“take the economy as the most important thing”

PROPOSED SOLUTION	MIĂNDE	UNDESIRABLE OUTCOME
Yào xiăoxīn,	miănde	bèi piàn!
“You have to be careful lest you get cheated!”

BĂ	A	JIÀO(ZUO)	B
bă	Xiānggăng	jiàozuo	“mĕishí tiāntáng”
“call Hong Kong ‘food heaven’”