Fred0 Posted August 24, 2018 at 12:49 AM Report Share Posted August 24, 2018 at 12:49 AM How would one say in Chinese, this (picture of a) pot of soup looks really delicious. This is the best I can do. 这个壶汤，我觉得它是很好吃。 or perhaps 在你的照片的 一壶汤，似乎很好吃。 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyJonesLocker Posted August 24, 2018 at 02:09 AM Report Share Posted August 24, 2018 at 02:09 AM 这锅／个汤看起来很好吃。 Perhaps? I think I'd not use 锅. Sounds more natural in everyday speech in China omitting it. Every time I go for dinner with Chinese I don't recall them using the specific Measure Word . But let's see what others say. I'm certainly no expert! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted August 24, 2018 at 02:11 AM Report Share Posted August 24, 2018 at 02:11 AM 壶 is already a measure word there so the 个 is surplus to requirements; I think you'd usually say 一锅汤 rather than 壶 anyway. My version would go 照片里那锅汤看起来肯定好香 Although 肯定 looks like it's saying you're sure it's more like "is bound to be delicious" so actually expresses your expectation better. ETA and actually on second look should think 看来 would do rather than 看起来 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted August 24, 2018 at 02:14 AM Report Share Posted August 24, 2018 at 02:14 AM 4 minutes ago, DavyJonesLocker said: I think I'd not use 锅. Sounds more natural in everyday speech in China omitting it. Every time I go for dinner with Chinese I don't recall them using the specific Measure Word . Fair comment for someone talking about the soup they're having with you but think the measure word is fine if it actually is a picture of a pot of soup! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred0 Posted August 24, 2018 at 02:22 AM Author Report Share Posted August 24, 2018 at 02:22 AM What interests me is how to say "looks" in Chinese in a way that we say in English casually, that looks good, even if we're talking about something that will taste, not literally, look, good. It looks like the answer is 看起来。That amounts to the equivalent of "looks" in the sense I'm talking about. I seems that you both would agree with that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyJonesLocker Posted August 24, 2018 at 02:26 AM Report Share Posted August 24, 2018 at 02:26 AM 12 minutes ago, Jim said: 壶 is already a measure word there so the 个 is surplus to requirements; I think you'd usually say 一锅汤 rather than 壶 anyway. Hi Jim, yeah I meant either 壶 or 个 writing 壶 /个 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted August 24, 2018 at 03:27 AM Report Share Posted August 24, 2018 at 03:27 AM 1 hour ago, DavyJonesLocker said: Hi Jim, yeah I meant either 壶 or 个 writing 壶 /个 We cross-posted, that was a comment for Fred's original! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomsima Posted August 24, 2018 at 03:35 AM Report Share Posted August 24, 2018 at 03:35 AM I feel like '湯看起來好喝' is enough, the 'this' in English is still implied in the Chinese, and 'pot of' wouldn't need to be specified unless you were looking at multiple pictures of soup and only some were in pots? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiMo Posted August 24, 2018 at 09:43 PM Report Share Posted August 24, 2018 at 09:43 PM I agree with Tomsima. Even in English that sentence is probably a bit wordy. I'd normally just say "that soup looks really delicious" or "that looks really delicious," I think this goes even more for Chinese. And yes, 看起来is "looks" in these kinds of contexts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abcdefg Posted August 25, 2018 at 12:35 AM Report Share Posted August 25, 2018 at 12:35 AM 22 hours ago, Fred0 said: What interests me is how to say "looks" in Chinese in a way that we say in English casually, that looks good, even if we're talking about something that will taste, not literally, look, good. It looks like the answer is 看起来。That amounts to the equivalent of "looks" in the sense I'm talking about. I seems that you both would agree with that? I agree with that too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavyJonesLocker Posted August 25, 2018 at 02:41 AM Report Share Posted August 25, 2018 at 02:41 AM 23 hours ago, Tomsima said: I feel like '湯看起來好喝' is enough, the 'this' in English is still implied in the Chinese, From my experience of learning Chinese, one of the milestones was going from a wordy sentence to short snappy statements, simply by mimicking Chinese native speaker. I think the first of is being able to use 嗯rather than 好的，同意 etc even if it seems a bit abrupt to me. I eat out at least two nights a week with different people and last night I did notice almost every one said [Name of dish , 这个, 鱼，豆腐 etc] 看(起)来好吃／不错 etc I am never sure whether to use 看起来 or 看来。 My brain tells me to use 看起来 but I think I use 看来 moreso simply by osmosis . The use of less wordy sentences seems to me to be particularly important if one wishes to approach a native like level in Chinese. I think it is only really possible through exposure with native speakers. I'm still a long way off but getting there ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abcdefg Posted August 25, 2018 at 11:59 AM Report Share Posted August 25, 2018 at 11:59 AM 9 hours ago, DavyJonesLocker said: The use of less wordy sentences seems to me to be particularly important if one wishes to approach a native like level in Chinese. I think it is only really possible through exposure with native speakers Agree! That has been my experience too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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