lpascoe Posted December 22, 2004 at 01:04 AM Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 at 01:04 AM What's the most embarrassing mistake you've made in Chinese? This is mine... During a language exchange, a friend told me US dollars = 美金 Mei3 from Mei3guo2 (US) then jin1 (gold). I thought I would be smart and use the same method to say I had 5 pounds in my purse. Ying1 from 英国(Britain) plus jin1. This is not how you say pounds anyway. But I stuffed it up further by saying something like this... Wo3 you3 wu3ge yin2 jin1 zai4 wo3de qian2bao li3. Which I think means "I have 5 penises in my purse." This story still haunts me years later because my friends insist on repeating it anytime they introduce me to someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claw Posted December 22, 2004 at 03:39 AM Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 at 03:39 AM We had a whole thread on this topic before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chappie Posted December 22, 2004 at 01:49 PM Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 at 01:49 PM Till so far I havent made any embarrasing mistakes. But my classemate had some tutoring from a girl. They were talking about from which animalyear are you born. So its like this (she) which year are you born? (he)Im born the year of monkey. (she)oh. Im born of the year of the chicken (he to someone else)Hey pall did you know she is a chicken. otherwise... Ni zhidao ta shi qi ma? chicken in chinese has more meanings.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpascoe Posted December 22, 2004 at 02:01 PM Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2004 at 02:01 PM Thanks, that was hilarious! Just goes to show, an ability to laugh at yourself is essential when learning languages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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