CLO_012: Introductions II
Listen to this lesson, to learn what the following means:
Dialogue:
A: Wáng Xiānshēng nǐ hǎo
B: Chén Tàitài nǐ hǎo
A: Zhè shì wǒde péngyǒu. Tāde míngzi jiào Tina Yang
B: Yáng Xiǎojiě nǐ hǎo
C: Hěn gāoxìng rènshí nǐ
B: Nǐ zěnme rènshí Chén Tàitài?
C: Tā shì wǒde lǎobǎn
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PDF Notes: 
December 18th, 2006 at 7:18 pm
Hi
In this dialogue, when renshi is pronounced, it sounds like the shi has a falling tone, but it is spelled with a rising tone. Is it just my ear tricking me? When i look it up in the dictionary, it says that ren is “to know”, what does the shi part add informationally?
Thanks so much, I love your podcasts!
December 18th, 2006 at 7:59 pm
Hi Felicia,
You have a good ear! You’re right, even though the shí is spelled with a rising tone, it is actually pronounced with a neutral tone. There are a few points worth noting here:
1. Many words in Chinese have two syllables. This is to avoid confusion with similar sounding words when pronouncing.
2. Many times the second syllable is a synonym of the first. Here, both rèn and shí have a “know” meaning in them. But there are so many similar sound syllables that they are used together to form rènshí. Similarly, péngyǒu in this dialogue is also made up of two syllables that both have a “friend” meaning.
3. Many times, the second syllable in a disyllabic word adopts a neutral tone. Péngyǒu above falls in the same category and is usually pronounced as péngyou.
Hope that helps, and thanks for bringing this up!
-Adam
December 19th, 2006 at 9:12 pm
That really helps, thanks so much, your website is amazing!
December 20th, 2006 at 5:11 am
Excellent question and excellent answer !
I had ’subconscioulsy’ realised a lot of bisyllables didn’t pronounce the second sysllable as defined. eg., duoshao.
Some books removes the tone indicator, which just confused me more.
It’s nice to see it explained.
Thanks.
February 18th, 2007 at 4:51 am
I have previously learned to say “ren-shi ni hen gao-xing” I guess either way works right?
This would be literally “recognize you very high mood”.
February 18th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
Yup Daniel, that works too!
January 21st, 2008 at 6:44 pm
How do you say, “I am happy to see you”?
Thanks
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Hi Leaf,
That would be: Hěn gāoxìng kàndào nǐ (很高兴看到你）
January 24th, 2008 at 5:17 am
Hi - in the word laoban - the second syllable sounds almost like a falling tone or even neutral. Is this correct? Xiexie
January 24th, 2008 at 5:44 am
Hi Johan,
Technically the second syllable is a third tone, but as you mentioned, it isn’t stressed so you barely hear it.
January 24th, 2008 at 7:20 am
Thanks for fast response. I will start to trust my ears better!
October 20th, 2008 at 11:32 am
hello everyone!it’s so cool to know there are so many of us studying on the same material!
It would great also to know each other1