Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: architecture, CCTV headquarters, china, china central television headquarters
The charred remains of what was to be a Mandarin Oriental hotel at China Central Television’s new headquarters. Fire-fighters say the blaze was ignited by fireworks set off within the construction site. One fire-fighter died from inhaling toxic fumes.
As British explorer Benedict Allen made his way across the Gobi Desert he said something like: “You can communicate all essential needs in less than 100 words”. His essential 100 probably had a lot to do with the welfare of his camels but in a nod to his spirit of adventure here is one possible Beijing 100. Please feel free to add your own suggestions or come up with different city or country lists. As Mr Allen says, it’s not so easy.
NUMBERS 1-10, 100
mei you – don’t have
wo – me
ni – you
ta – him/her
ni hao – hi
zai jian – see you
xie xie – thanks
fu lu – side road
qu – go
you – right
zou – left
yi zhi zou – go straight ahead
nar – where
bei/nan/xi/dong – north/south/ west/east
hao/bu hao – good/no good
zhei ge/ nei ge – this one/ that one
bing kuai – ice
jian yi kele – diet coke
xi lan hua – broccoli
ji/ zhu/ niu – chicken/ pork/ beef
rou – meat
fapiao – receipt
IP ka – telephone IP card
shouji – mobile phone
kafei – coffee
pengyou – friend
I am indebted to The Pocket Interpreter for the following conversational gambits:
Ni dui meiguo de wai jiao zhengce zenme kan?
(What do you think of American foreign policy?)
Mei shi ge nianqing ren zhong, you ji ge sh dang yuan?
(Out of every ten young people, how many are Party members?)
