EP27 淘宝 Online Shopping

EP27 淘宝 Online Shopping

Useful Chinese expressions about online shopping;

Why “东西(east and west)" means "staffs"?

Why “buy things “ is “mǎi dōng xī” in Chinese but not “mǎi nán běi”?

Things You Need To Know about Onling Shopping in China;

Part I Chinese 101

Dialogue:

A:你在做什么?

nǐ zài zuò shí me ?

What are you doing now?

B:上网买东西。

shàng wǎng mǎi dōng xi

Online shopping.

A:有什么收获吗?

yǒu shén me shōu huò ma ?

Have you got anything?

B:买了一个包包,一双鞋。

mǎi le yī gè bāo bāo ,yī shuāng xié。

A bag and a pair of shoes.

Words & Expressions:

【做】zuò: do sth.

【上网】shàng wǎng:surfing the Internet

【东西】dōng xi:thing; staff person

【收获】shōu huò:harvest; reap; gains

【包】bāo:bag

【鞋】xié: shoes

Part II Language Tips

• Things You Need To Know about Onling Shopping in China;

• Interesting facts about Buyers Show and Sellers Show;

Part III Story of The Day

郑人买履

zhèng rén mǎi lǚ

A Man from the State of Zheng Buying Shoes

郑人 means a man from the state of Zheng, 买 means " to buy", 履means "shoes" in formal Chinese. This idiom was used to mock those who believe only in dogmas and ignore reality.

Literal meaning: A man from the state of Zheng buying shoes

Explanation: To believe only in dogma and ignore reality

E.g

不相信自己,只相信教条人有很多,他们就像郑人买履一样。

bú xiàng xìn zì jǐ ,zhī xiàng xìn jiāo tiáo de rén yǒu hěn duō ,tā men jiù xiàng zhèng rén mǎi lǚ yī yàng 。

There are still many people who only believe in dogma but themselves, they are just like the man from state of Zheng buying shoes.