Claw Posted December 20, 2004 at 06:42 AM Report Share Posted December 20, 2004 at 06:42 AM I would like to write a Christmas card in Chinese to my parents this year, but don't particularly know how to go about it. What do people typically write in a Christmas card (other than 聖誕快樂)? What is the proper format for writing such a card? I will also be attaching a gift with this card, so should I make a reference to the gift in the card? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
florazheng Posted December 20, 2004 at 09:32 AM Report Share Posted December 20, 2004 at 09:32 AM sample 亲爱的爸爸、妈妈： 祝你们圣诞节快乐! 这是我送给你们俩儿的礼物，希望你们喜欢。 爱你们的儿子：米老鼠 2004年12月20日 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claw Posted December 21, 2004 at 06:51 AM Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2004 at 06:51 AM Flora: Thank you for your contribution! So after looking through a book on how to write letters in Chinese and finding some online samples, I have come up with the following. Can anyone please take a look at it and tell me if there's anything that needs improvement? 親愛的爸爸媽媽： 值此佳節，感謝您們所給予的一切。在這個美麗的聖誕節裏，願您們擁有所有的祝福。 我送給您們一份禮物，希望您們會喜歡。祝我最親愛的父母節日愉快，永遠平安及幸福，身體健康，好運吉祥！寄上無限的思念及最美好的祝願。 祝 聖誕快樂，新年快樂！ 兒子 啟迪上 ２００４年１２月２１日 Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted December 21, 2004 at 11:07 AM Report Share Posted December 21, 2004 at 11:07 AM It sounds a bit too formal Consider removing "值此佳節，" and the last "祝 ". "好運吉祥" sounds weird, but is comprehensible. And "啟迪" is a very good name. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claw Posted December 21, 2004 at 08:05 PM Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2004 at 08:05 PM Thanks skylee... is there something better I can replace 好運吉祥 with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
florazheng Posted December 21, 2004 at 11:41 PM Report Share Posted December 21, 2004 at 11:41 PM Hi Claw, Your version is good. The best way is to write them what you think. Such as how much you love them and miss them. And most Chinese parents would like to learn how their kids are doing. You can tell them something about yourself sharing happiness except sadness with them. Also if you had a wife or kids, it would be good to attach their greetings to your parents. If it is not a formal card, I mean, just to my parents or very close friends, I would create a more vivid way. Hope this helps. Flora 亲爱的爸爸、妈妈： 你们好吗？我在西雅圖一切都好,请勿念。又一个美丽的圣诞节即将来临，每逢佳节倍思亲，我是多么希望能够在圣诞节陪伴在你们的身旁，和你们一起共度这快乐的时光。 雪花飞扬，铃声叮当，愿它们带你们我所有的思念及祝福。 （（（（（（（（（（（（（（（（（（（（（（（（（（拥抱你们））））））））））））））））））））））））））） 包裹里是我送给你们的圣诞礼物，猜猜是什么？哈！希望你们能喜欢哦。 祝 圣诞及新年快乐！ 儿子：启迪 2004年12月22日 P.S Is it snow there? If no, change any word pls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted December 21, 2004 at 11:48 PM Report Share Posted December 21, 2004 at 11:48 PM IMHO it is best to remove "好運吉祥" as it sounds inconsistent with the warm tone of the message. But you may consider replacing it with 心想事成 (if the message is for Chinese New Year then it would be very safe to use 如意吉祥). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claw Posted December 22, 2004 at 12:23 AM Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 at 12:23 AM Thanks for all your suggestions. I think I'll just go with a modified version of what I originally posted. I want the tone to be warm and heartfelt, but not too informal. BTW, while I'm at it, I'd like to put in a plug for the book, Developing Writing Skills in Chinese, which I have found extremely helpful in writing this letter. I highly recommend this book. P.S Is it snow there? If no, change any word pls. Actually it hardly ever snows in Seattle. The weather is really temperate here... not too cold in the winters and not too hot during the summers. That's what I like best about it. However, you do have to deal with the constant dreariness (clouds and rain) during the winter months, but I don't mind it too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
florazheng Posted December 22, 2004 at 02:01 AM Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 at 02:01 AM 您們 By the way, it is not a correct expression for the plural form of you in Chinese, 您们，but just only 你们． And you can say 您 or 你 for the single form of you. 您 is always used to address the elder, superiors, teachers, business partners and the friends who you are not very familar with etc. 你 is a casual addressing which can be used to your pals etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claw Posted December 22, 2004 at 03:35 AM Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 at 03:35 AM By the way, it is not a correct expression for the plural form of you in Chinese, 您们，but just only 你们． And you can say 您 or 你 for the single form of you. 您 is always used to address the elder, superiors, teachers, business partners and the friends who you are not very familar with etc. But my parents are my elders too, right? 您 can never exist in the plural form? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gene Posted December 22, 2004 at 03:50 AM Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 at 03:50 AM No, in standard Chinease, 您 can never exist in the plural form. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
florazheng Posted December 22, 2004 at 11:31 PM Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 at 11:31 PM But my parents are my elders too, right? 您 can never exist in the plural form? Yes. The plural form of you in Chinese is Only 你们． 您们 is a wrong phrase. By the way, Merry Christmas to you and other forum members here:-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claw Posted December 22, 2004 at 11:44 PM Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 at 11:44 PM 謝謝你們的幫助！ 大家聖誕快樂，新年快樂！ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xuechengfeng Posted December 23, 2004 at 01:19 AM Report Share Posted December 23, 2004 at 01:19 AM Hmm, I thought you could use "nin" in plural. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted December 23, 2004 at 01:42 AM Report Share Posted December 23, 2004 at 01:42 AM If you google ‘您们’ you actually finds lots of examples of its use, but it is a very uncommon use, and I suspect mainly used by people trying to be a bit too obsequious. I certainly would avoid it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xuechengfeng Posted December 23, 2004 at 02:57 AM Report Share Posted December 23, 2004 at 02:57 AM I never used it because I found it hard to put nin and men together smoothly. It just doesn't sound natural. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quest Posted December 23, 2004 at 03:02 AM Report Share Posted December 23, 2004 at 03:02 AM If you google ‘您们’ you actually finds lots of examples of its use, but it is a very uncommon use, and I suspect mainly used by people trying to be a bit too obsequious. One of the nice things about google is you will always find what you look for Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roddy Posted December 23, 2004 at 03:04 AM Report Share Posted December 23, 2004 at 03:04 AM That's very true. I could equally use it to argue for incorrect usage of English Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
florazheng Posted December 23, 2004 at 04:07 AM Report Share Posted December 23, 2004 at 04:07 AM Not everything searched by google is correct, is it? It seems that 您们 would be more polite than 你们 in expression． But 您们 is NOT correct actually. It is misused even by many native Chinese speakers also. Please go to Chinese dictionary for the usage of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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