14 Unit 5

14.1 References

14.1.1 Reference List

1. A: Wo yě xiǎng dào Nánjīng qù kànkan.
我也想到南京去看看。
I would also like to go to Nánjīng to look around.
B: Nǐ jìhua něitiān qù?
你計劃那天去?
What day do you plan to go?
A: Míngtiān huòshi hòutiān qù dōu kéyi.
明天或是後天去都可以。
Tomorrow and (or) the day after are both possible.
2. A: Shànghǎi lí Nánjīng yǒu duō yuǎn?
上海離南京有多元。
How far is Shànghǎi from Nánjīng?
B: Yǒu liǎngbǎiwǔshiduō gōnglǐ.
有兩百五十多公里。
It’s over 250 kilometers.
3. A: Zuò huǒchē yào zǒu duōshao shíhou?
坐火車要走多少時候。
How long does it take to go by train?
B: Dàgài yào zǒu sìge bàn xiǎoshí.
大概要走四個半小時。
It probably takes four and a half hours.
4. C: Yào zǒu bànge xiǎoshí.
要走半個小時。
It takes half an hour.
5. B: Nǐ jìhua zài Nánjīng zhù jǐtiān?
你計劃在南京住幾天?
How many days do you plan to stay in Nánjīng?
A: Zhèi shi wǒ dìyīcì dào Nánjīng qù. Yǐqián méi qùguo. Nǐ shuō liǎngtiān gòu bu gou?
這是我第一次到南京去。以前沒去過。你説兩天夠不夠?
This will be the first time I have gone to Nánjīng. I haven’t gone there before. Would you say two days are enough?
B: Liǎngtiān gòu le.
兩天夠了。
Two days are enough.
6. A: Měitiān yǒu jǐtàng chē?
每天有幾趟車?
How many trips are there each day?
A: Xiàwǔ yǒu meiyou chē?
下午有沒有車?
Are there trains in the afternoon?
A: Wǒ xīwang xiàwǔ líkāi zhèr.
我希望下午離開這兒。
I hope to leave here in the afternoon.
7. *B: Shísǎndiǎn líng wǔfēn yǒu yìbān tèkuài.
十三點零五分有一班特快。
There’s an express at 1305.
8. **B: Shísǎndiǎn líng wǔfēn yǒu yítàng tèkuài.
十三點零五分有一趟特快。
There’s an express at 1305.
9. dǎsuan
打算
to plan to
10. huòzhě (huòzhe)
或者
or (alternate form of huòshi)
11. yǐhòu
以後
afterwards, later on, in the future
12. zhōngtóu
鐘頭
hour (alternate word for xiǎoshí)

14.1.2 Vocabulary

bàn half (followed by a counter or a noun which does not take a counter)
-cì occasion, time
dàgài 大概 probably, approximately
dǎsuàn (dǎsuan) 打算 to plan to
dìyícì (dìyícì) 第一次 the first time
-duō over, more than
gōnglǐ 公里 kilometer
gòu to be enough
huòshi 或是 or
huòzhě (huòzhe) 或者 or
jìhua 計劃 to plan to
kànkan 看看 to see, to look around, to sight-see, to visit
líkǎi 離開 to leave
-tàng (counter for bus trips, train trips, etc.)
tèkuài 特快 express train
xiǎoshí 小時 hour
xīwàng (xīwang) 希望 to hope
yào must, to have to; to take (a certain amount of time)
yǐhòu 以後 afterwards, later on; in the future
yǐqián 以前 before, in the past
zhōngtóu 鐘頭 hour
biéde dìfang 別的地方 other places (cf. biěrén, “other people”)
cānguān 參觀 to visit as an observer
duōshao hào 多少號 what size (shoe)
gōngchǎng 工廠 factory
juéding 決定 to decide
yìshuāng píxié 一雙皮鞋 a pair of leather shoes
yòu hǎo yòu piányi 又好又便宜 both good and inexpensive

14.1.3 Reference Notes

14.1.3.1 Notes on №1
1. A: Wo yě xiǎng dào Nánjīng qù kànkan.
我也想到南京去看看。
I would also like to go to Nánjīng to look around.
B: Nǐ jìhua něitiān qù?
你計劃那天去?
What day do you plan to go?
A: Míngtiān huòshi hòutiān qù dōu kéyi.
明天或是後天去都可以。
Tomorrow and (or) the day after are both possible.

Kànkan, “to have a look”: In exchange 1, kànkan refers to doing some sight-seeing. The reduplicated verb form implies an indefinite amount of sight-seeing, best translated into English as “to have a look,” “to look around.”

Huòshi (alternate, huòzhě) is used for “or” when both alternatives are acceptable or possible.

Wǒ qù mǎi yìdiǎnr píjiǔ huòshi mǎi yìdiǎnr qìshuǐ.

我去買一點兒啤酒或是後天來看你嗎?

I will go to buy some beer or some soft drinks.

Tā míngtiān huòshi hòutiān lái kàn nǐ ma?

他明天或是後天來看你嗎?

Is he coming to see you tomorrow or the day after? (i.e., sometime during the next two days)

Háishi is used for “or” when a choice is required between the alternatives.

Nǐ mǎi píjiǔ háishi mǎi qìshuī?

你買啤酒還是買汽水?

Are you buying beer or (are you buying) soft drinks?

Nǐ xǐhuan dàde háishi xǐhuan xiǎode?

你喜歡大的還是喜歡小的?

Do you like the large one or (do you like) the small one?

Do you like the large one or (do you like) the small one?

14.1.3.2 Notes on №2
2. A: Shànghǎi lí Nánjīng yǒu duō yuǎn?
上海離南京有多元。
How far is Shànghǎi from Nánjīng?
B: Yǒu liǎngbǎiwǔshiduō gōnglǐ.
有兩百五十多公里。
It’s over 250 kilometers.

Shànghǎi lí Nánjīng yǒu duo yuǎn? Yǒu is used in expressing the distance between two points.

Shànghǎi Nánjīng yǒu duō yuǎn?
上海 南京 遠?
Shànghǎi be separated from Nánjīng here is how much distance?

“How far is Shànghǎi from Nánjīng?”

Tianjin Běijīng yǒu 120 gōnglǐ.
天津 北京 120 公里。
Tiānjīn be separated from Běijīng there is 120 kilometers.

“Tianjin is 120 kilometers from Běijīng.”

Liǎngbǎi wǔshiduō gōnglǐ: Approximate numbers may be expressed by adding -duō to number phrases. When added immediately after a number, before the counter,1 -duō refers to an indefinite amount within the range of the round number.

liǎngbǎiduō gōnglǐ

兩百多公里

more than 200 kilometers (but fewer than 300)

yìqiānduōge xuésheng

一千多個學生

more than 1,000 students (but fewer than 2,000)

sānshiduōkuài qián

三十多塊錢

more than 30 dollars (but fewer than 40)

Beginning with 20, -duō may be used in this way with any round number.

With round numbers from 20 through 90, - may be used instead of -duō.

èrshiduōge rén

more than 20 persons (but fewer than 30)

二十多個人

èrshijǐge rén

二十幾個人

sìshiduō gōnglǐ

more than 40 kilometers (but fewer than 50)

四十多公里

sìshijǐ gōnglǐ

四十幾公里

With the number 10, - only is used, never -duō.

shíjǐkuài qián

十幾塊

more than 10 dollars (but fewer than 20)

14.1.3.3 Notes on №3-4
3. A: Zuò huǒchē yào zǒu duōshao shíhou?
坐火車要走多少時候。
How long does it take to go by train?
B: Dàgài yào zǒu sìge bàn xiǎoshí.
大概要走四個半小時。
It probably takes four and a half hours.
4. C: Yào zǒu bànge xiǎoshí.
要走半個小時。
It takes half an hour.

The auxiliary verb yào, “to want,” is sometimes used as “to need to,” “to have to.” (See the first sentence in exchange 3.)

Zuò huǒchē yào zǒu duōshao shíhou?

坐 火車 要走多 少時候。

(ride train have to go how much time?)

“How long does it take to go by train?”

Yào may also be used as a main verb meaning “to take [a certain amount of time]”:

Zuò huǒchē yào duōshao shíhou?

坐 火車 要 少時候。

(ride train takes how much time?)

“How long does it take by train?”

Bàn-, “a half (of),” is used like a number—before a counter or before a noun which does not require a counter.

bànge xiǎoshí

半個小時

half an hour

bànniǎn

半年

half a year

bànge píngguǒ

半個蘋果

half an apple

Sìge bàn: When bàn FOLLOWS a counter or a noun not requiring a counter, the word is translated as “and a half.”

liǎngkuài bàn

兩塊半

two and a half dollars

sāntiān bàn

三天半

three and a half days

yíge bàn xiǎoshí

一個半小時

one and a half hours

Xiǎoshí: Formerly, the Chinese considered that one day and night (24 hours) was divided into twelve 2-hour periods of time. Each of these time periods was divided into two xiǎoshí, “small hours,” when telling time by the Western 24-hour system gained popularity throughout the world.

14.1.3.4 Notes on №5
5. B: Nǐ jìhua zài Nánjīng zhù jǐtiān?
你計劃在南京住幾天?
How many days do you plan to stay in Nánjīng?
A: Zhèi shi wǒ dìyīcì dào Nánjīng qù. Yǐqián méi qùguo. Nǐ shuō liǎngtiān gòu bu gou?
這是我第一次到南京去。以前沒去過。你説兩天夠不夠?
This will be the first time I have gone to Nánjīng. I haven’t gone there before. Would you say two days are enough?
B: Liǎngtiān gòu le.
兩天夠了。
Two days are enough.

Gòu le: The last sentence in exchange 5 ends with the new-situation marker le. This marker is used to describe what a situation is, was, or will be AT A SPECIFIED TIME. The travel agent says that, when the visit has lasted two days, THEN it will be long enough.

14.1.3.5 Notes on №6
6. A: Měitiān yǒu jǐtàng chē?
每天有幾趟車?
How many trips are there each day?
A: Xiàwǔ yǒu meiyou chē?
下午有沒有車?
Are there trains in the afternoon?
A: Wǒ xīwang xiàwǔ líkāi zhèr.
我希望下午離開這兒。
I hope to leave here in the afternoon.

Jǐtàng: The counter -tàng is used when the trip mentioned is not a particular one, scheduled at a certain time. Similarly, it can also be used to talk about the number of trips a person has made, or will make.

Líkāi, “to leave,” may be followed by an object (the place). On the other hand, zǒu, “to leave,” is never followed by an object.

Nǐ shénme shíhou líkāi zhèr?

你什麽時候離開這兒?

When are you leaving here?

Nǐ shénme shíhou zǒu?

你什麽時候走?

When are you leaving?

14.1.3.6 Notes on №7-8
7. *B: Shísǎndiǎn líng wǔfēn yǒu yìbān tèkuài.
十三點零五分有一班特快。
There’s an express at 1305.
8. **B: Shísǎndiǎn líng wǔfēn yǒu yítàng tèkuài.
十三點零五分有一趟特快。
There’s an express at 1305.

Shísāndiǎn líng wǔfēn: For train and bus schedules, a 24-hour clock is commonly used in China, beginning with 1 a.m. and continuing to mid- night, or 2400.

12-hour clock 24-hour clock

zǎoshàng shídiǎn

早上十點

10 a.m.

shídiǎn

十點

1000

xiàwǔ yìdiān

下午一點

1 p.m.

shísāndiǎn

十三點

1300

xiàwǔ wǔdiǎn

下午五點

5 p.m.

shìqīdiǎn

十七點

1700

wǎnshàng shídiǎn

晚上十點

10 p.m.

èrshièrdiǎn

二十二點

2200

Líng is included to indicate the zero in “1305.”

Tèkuài is an abbreviation for tèbié kuàichē, “special express train.”

Yìbān and yítàng, counters for trips made by trains, buses, planes, and other conveyances, are sometimes interchangeable.

14.2 Drills