New Favourite Mandarin Phrase

Posted by Charlie @ Discovering Mandarin Saturday 29 August 2009 6 comments

I keep finding the odd phrase which when said makes me smile. It isn't that it is actually funny, nor that it sounds funny when in English, or that it is one of the funny things you will have seen written down.

It is just a nice sounding phrase that makes me smile, much like the previous post where I talked about my favourite sounding phrase, here is another one that similiarly is nice to my ears.

我是老师
wǒ shì lǎoshī

It means, I am a teacher. Funnily this week I got an email from someone telling me how much they had learnt through this site, and made me proud that I am making a difference to other people, (and not just helping myself motivate and learn Mandarin). So I guess in fact, wǒ shì lǎoshī. I am a teacher (of kinds). Though I still have a hell of a lot to learn myself, and thank everyone that has bee helping me along the journey so far.

-I am also not as good looking as the picture of a teacher that I found.
:D


The way that phrase flows is what makes me smile. I think it must be the two third tones, followed by the homophone 'shi' that makes it so pleasant. To my ears, the third tone is still one of the best things about the language. Which is something I really struggled to get to terms with intially, but have grown to love it already. I will continue to post here my favourite phrases, and hopefully some of them will be better than this one.

Daily Chinese Proverb: Horse to Water

Posted by Charlie @ Discovering Mandarin 3 comments

This proverb is about how an animal, and by implication a person, will only do what it/he wants to do.


你可以牵着马去找水,但你不能强迫它去喝
nǐ kě yǐ qiān zhe mǎ qù zhǎo shuǐ, dàn nǐ bù néng qiǎng pò tā qù hē
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink


Chinese Band: Sodagreen (蘇打綠)

Posted by Charlie @ Discovering Mandarin 2 comments

乐队(band): 蘇打綠 (Sūdá lǜ) Sodagreen
专辑(album): 春。日光 (chūn. rìguāng) Daylight of Spring
国家(country): Taiwan
发行时间(release date): March 2008

Sodagreen are a six piece band formed around founders Qing-Weng Fu and Shin-Yi Shien when they were both students at Taiwan’s National Chengchi University. They have been playing together since 2001, but first broke into the public eye in 2004 winning the Grand Jury Award of Hohaiyan Gongliau Rock Festival. Shortly afterwards sodagreen were offered an official contract with Willin Music. Sodagreen is renowned for its vocalist, Qing-Feng's unique voice with a wide voice range.



Qing-Weng Fu's philosophical lyrics have been highly praised not just as lyrics, but as true poetry. While most of the band’s songs have a folk-rock feel, they also incorporate classical components and include a wide range of expression. The band’s sound is also notable for its use of the viola. Sodagreeen sound quite similiar to Sigur Ros, with folky elements and often floating vocals which create a sonic landscape that is both relaxing and tense simultaneously. 'Daylight of Spring' is Sodagreen's 5th album.

I really like these guys and can't thank you enough for reccomending them to me. Below are a couple of videos from their new album, and a link to download their album. If, unlike me, you don't want to download it, and would like to buy it. If you can find somewhere please inform me and I will edit the post with that link. :D



They have more songs up at myspace which is a great place to check them out.

This is their very crazy but very cool website, I cant quite work it out but do love their take on the tube network amp. Maybe you guys can shed some light on their webpage layout?

融雪之前 (róng​xuě​ zhī​qián​) Before Snowmelt



日光 (rì​guāng)​ Daylight





蘇打綠 (Sūdá lǜ) Sodagreen
春。日光 (chūn. rìguāng) Daylight of Spring

01. 融雪之前 (Before The Snow Melt)
02. 牧神搭上春色的火車 (Faun Take To Spring Train)
03. 日光 (Daylight)
04. 在我們之間 (Between Us)
05. 配樂(曲:蘇打綠) [Instrumental (Music : Sodagreen)]
06. 各站停靠 (Docking Station)
07. 一千座噴泉 (1000 Fountains)
08. 交響夢 (Symphonic Dreams)
09. 異次元的玫瑰 (Rose Of Inner Senses)
10. 配樂(曲:蘇打綠) [Instrumental (Music : Sodagreen)]
11. 嬉戲之後 (After The Play)
12. 早點回家 (Go Home Early)

download daylight of spring

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