tooironic 399 Report post Posted July 18, 2009 How's this for a fun game. Can anyone think of some words in Chinese which can be switched around? Off the top of my head: 搭配/配搭 (collocate) and 冰棒/棒冰 (ice block/popsicle). I think they have - more or less - the same meaning, depending on the context. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
imron 5,259 Report post Posted July 18, 2009 出现 － 现出 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
889 1,774 Report post Posted July 18, 2009 窑变 yaobian (kiln transformation glazes) can be 变窑 bianyao in some parts of China. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xiaocai 235 Report post Posted July 18, 2009 (edited) 伦敦 - 敦伦 The meanings are different, though. (我承认我是来闹场的) Edited July 18, 2009 by xiaocai Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
heifeng 214 Report post Posted July 18, 2009 为难 ～ 难为 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lu 3,190 Report post Posted July 18, 2009 蜜蜂 - 蜂蜜 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
renzhe 1,678 Report post Posted July 18, 2009 合适 - 适合 The usage is different, though. One of them is a verb, the other one an adjective. I always forget which is which. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Don_Horhe 63 Report post Posted July 18, 2009 现实 and 实现 The first can be both a noun and an adjective, the second is a verb. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
digchinese.com 10 Report post Posted July 19, 2009 来自 - 自来 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
imron 5,259 Report post Posted July 19, 2009 罪犯 - 犯罪 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leeyah 15 Report post Posted July 19, 2009 喜欢 - 欢喜 欢喜 1.happiness, joy: 满心欢喜 2.happily, joyfully: 欢欢喜喜过假期 3.have a weakness for, be fond of: 他很欢喜这个孩子; He likes to play table tennis 他欢喜打乒乓球 = 他喜欢打乒乓球 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
imron 5,259 Report post Posted July 19, 2009 语言 － 言语 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
calibre2001 29 Report post Posted July 19, 2009 蜜蜂=蜂蜜 歌手=手歌 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YuehanHao 26 Report post Posted July 19, 2009 One example that came from a recent lesson of mine: 嫉妒 / 妒嫉 are similar. 约翰好 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
heifeng 214 Report post Posted July 19, 2009 ok, they don't mean the same thing, but here are some simple switch-a-roos : 女儿～儿女 (daughter~children) 子女～女子 (children ~ female/women) 儿子～子儿 (son ~ seed) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
in_lab 2 Report post Posted July 20, 2009 熊貓=貓熊 道地=地道 Someone could write a program to find all reversible words. And you could use the list to try to write palindrome sentences. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tooironic 399 Report post Posted July 20, 2009 Haha palindrome sentences would be cool! Anyone know any? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lu 3,190 Report post Posted July 20, 2009 Not in Chinese, but I know there's a rich tradition of making them. There's even at least one palindrome poem. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
imron 5,259 Report post Posted July 20, 2009 See here: http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/14323-do-chinese-palindromes-exist&highlight=palindrome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tooironic 399 Report post Posted July 21, 2009 Also, I can't believe I forgot to add 互相 and 相互 which have more or less the same meaning ("mutual")... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
