Welcome to this Chinese lesson! We'll be learning some practical Chinese phrases and idioms that you can use when discussing news articles.
据美联社伦敦4月11日报道，英国各地数以万计的医生11日开始了一场为期四天的罢工，这将是英国公共卫生服务史上最具破坏性的一次罢工。
jù měi lián shè lún dūn 4 yuè 11 rì bào dào, yīng guó gè dì shù yǐ wàn jì de yī shēng 11 rì kāi shǐ le yī chǎng wèi qī sì tiān de bà gōng, zhè jiāng shì yīng guó gōng gòng wèi shēng fú wù shǐ shàng zuì jù pò huài xìng de yī cì bà gōng.
Here is a news article that we will be using to practice our Chinese skills. As we go through the article, we will highlight some of the key phrases and idioms that you can use to better understand and discuss the news. So, let's get started!
In Chinese, "据" (jù) is often used as a preposition to indicate the source of information or to introduce a statement based on some source. Its structure is "据" + [source] + [verb phrase or clause], such as "据说" (jù shuō), "据报道" (jù bào dào), "据他说" (jù tā shuō), "据我所知" (jù wǒ suǒ zhī), and so on.
For instance,, "据说这家餐厅的菜很好吃。" (jù shuō zhè jiā cān tīng de cài hěn hǎo chī), means "It is said that the food at this restaurant is delicious". Here, "据说" means "it is said" or "according to what is said", and is often used when sharing information that is based on rumors, hearsay or unofficial sources. The sentence conveys the idea that the restaurant has a reputation for serving delicious food, but the speaker is not making a personal claim to have tried the food themselves.
Similarly, "据报道，明天会下雨" (jù bào dào, míng tiān huì xià yǔ), means "According to reports, it will rain tomorrow". Here, "据报道" (jù bào dào) means "according to reports" or "as reported by", and is used when sharing information that is based on news or official sources.
Overall, "据" (jù) is a useful preposition to know when trying to convey information based on some kind of source or reference.
"各地" (gè dì) is a pronoun, means "all places" or "various places" and is often used to refer to different regions or locations within a country or geographic area.
One of the benefits of using "各地" is that it doesn't specify any particular location but rather highlights the widespread nature of something. For example, "各地的气候都不一样" (gè dì de qì hòu dōu bù yí yàng) means "The climate in different places is not the same". In this sentence, "各地" refers to multiple regions. Similarly, "各地的文化传统各不相同" (gè dì de wén huà chuán tǒng gè bù xiāng tóng) means "The cultural traditions in different regions are all different."
In addition to discussing climate and cultural traditions, "各地" can be used to describe the occurrence of events in multiple locations, such as strikes or protests. For example, "英国各地的医生开始罢工" (Yīng guó gè dì de yī shēng kāi shǐ bà gōng) means "Doctors in various parts of the UK have started a strike."
"数以万计" (shù yǐ wàn jì), "数以千计" (shù yǐ qiān jì), and "数以百计" (shù yǐ bǎi jì) are Chinese idiomatic expressions that are used to indicate a large quantity of something. These phrases share a similar language structure where "数以" (shù yǐ) means "counting by" or "numbered by," and the number that follows indicates an approximate quantity.
"数以万计" (shù yǐ wàn jì) means "tens of thousands" and is used to describe a very large number of things or people. "数以千计" (shù yǐ qiān jì) means "thousands" and indicates a significant number, but not as large as "数以万计." "数以百计" (shù yǐ bǎi jì) means "hundreds" and is used to describe a relatively smaller quantity.
These phrases can be used to describe the quantity of things, people, or events in an approximate way without providing an exact number. They are often used to emphasize the large or significant scale of something.
For example, in the sentence "英国各地数以万计的医生11日开始罢工,"(Yīng guó gè dì shù yǐ wàn jì de yī shēng 11 rì kāi shǐ bà gōng.)the phrase "数以万计" (shù yǐ wàn jì) is used to describe the large number of doctors who are going on strike in various parts of the UK. This phrase emphasizes the significant scale of the strike, without providing an exact number of doctors involved.
"为期" is a formal word that means "last for a duration" or "span a period of time". It's often used in written Chinese and in official documents, news reports, and other formal settings.
To use "为期", you can start with the phrase "为期" followed by a duration, such as days, weeks, or months. Then, you can add a noun or noun phrase to indicate what the duration is referring to.
For example, "为期四天的会议" (wéi qī sì tiān de huì yì) means "a four-day conference", where "为期四天" emphasizes the length of the conference. Alternatively, you can use "为期" with a subject or activity to indicate that it lasts for a specific duration. For example, "该会议为期四天" (gāi huì yì wéi qī sì tiān) means "the conference lasts for four days".
In the sentence "英国各地数以万计的医生11日开始了一场为期四天的罢工" (yīng guó gè dì shù yǐ wàn jì de yī shēng shí yī rì kāi shǐ le yī chǎng wéi qī sì tiān de bà gōng), "为期四天" (wéi qī sì tiān) is used to indicate that the strike lasts for a specific duration of four days, emphasizing the duration of the strike.
史上 (shǐ shàng) is a Chinese phrase that is commonly used when referring to historical events, records, or milestones. It can be translated as "in history" or "ever in history" in English.
One way to use "史上" is by combining it with the adverb "最" (zuì), which means "most" or "the most". This creates the pattern "史上最+adj" (shǐ shàng zuì + adj), which is used to describe something as the most or greatest in history. For example, "史上最伟大的发明" (shǐ shàng zuì wěi dà de fā míng) means "the greatest invention in history."
Another way to use "史上" is by combining it with a noun. This creates the phrase "史上最具/有" (shǐ shàng zuì jù/yǒu), which can be used to describe something as having the most or being the most in history. For example,"史上最具破坏性的一次罢工" (shǐ shàng zuì jù pò huài xìng de yī cì bà gōng) means "the most destructive strike in history."史上最有名的科学家" (shǐ shàng zuì yǒu míng de kē xué jiā) means "the most famous scientist in history."
We have covered the important phrases and idioms in this class note. Remember to use the preposition "据" when referring to sources, and "各地" when discussing things that happen in various places. If you need to emphasize large numbers, use the idiom "数以万计". Use "为期" to describe the duration of an event. Finally, use the phrase "史上最,"to describe the most or greatest in history.
Let's listen to the article one more time at a normal speed so that we can practice our listening skills and get a better understanding of the content
据美联社伦敦4月11日报道，英国各地数以万计的医生11日开始了一场为期四天的罢工，这将是英国公共卫生服务史上最具破坏性的一次罢工。
jù měi lián shè lún dūn 4 yuè 11 rì bào dào, yīng guó gè dì shù yǐ wàn jì de yī shēng 11 rì kāi shǐ le yī chǎng wèi qī sì tiān de bà gōng, zhè jiāng shì yīng guó gōng gòng wèi shēng fú wù shǐ shàng zuì jù pò huài xìng de yī cì bà gōng.
Thanks for joining me in this lesson on practical Chinese phrases and idioms for discussing news articles. I hope you found it helpful and informative. Remember to practice these phrases and idioms regularly to improve your Chinese language skills. See you next time!
据 (jù): according to
美联社 (měi lián shè): Associated Press
伦敦 (lún dūn): London
数以万计 (shǔ yǐ wàn jì): tens of thousands
医生 (yī shēng): doctors
开始 (kāi shǐ): begin/start
为期 (wèi qī): last for
四天 (sì tiān): four days
罢工 (bà gōng): strike
公共卫生服务 (gōng gòng wèi shēng fú wù): public health service
史上 (shǐ shàng): in history
最具破坏性 (zuì jù pò huài xìng): most destructive
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