Chinese For Dummies (68 page)

lǐtáng
礼堂
(
禮堂
) (lee-tahng) (
auditorium
)

míngē
民歌
(meen-guh) (
folk song
)

mùjiān xiūxi
幕间休息
(
幕間休息
) (moo-jyan shyo-she) (
intermission
)

qì yuè
器乐
(
器樂
) (chee yweh) (
instrumental music
)

shìnèi yuè
室内乐
(
室內樂
) (shir-nay yweh) (
chamber music
)

yáogǔn yuè
摇滚乐
(
搖滾樂
) (yaow-gun yweh) (
rock 'n' roll
)

Zhōngguó gǔdiǎn yīnyuè
中国古典音乐
(
中國古典音樂
) (joong-gwaw goo-dyan yeen-yweh) (
classical Chinese music
)

At the end of a concert in China, you don't hear anyone yelling “Encore!” What you do hear is
Zài lái yíge, zài lái yíge!
再来一个
! (
再來一個
!) (dzye lye ee-guh, dzye lye ee-guh!) (
Bring on one more!
)

Talkin' the Talk

Lydia and Nelson discuss what kind of concert to attend this weekend.

Nelson:

Wǒmen zhèige zhōumò qù yīnyuè tīng tīng Zhōngguó gǔdiǎn yīnyuè ba.

waw-men jay-guh joe-maw chyew een-yweh teeng teeng joong-gwaw goo-dyan een-yweh bah.

Let's go to the concert hall to hear a classical Chinese music concert this weekend.

Lydia:

Wǒ bùxǐhuān Zhōngguó gǔdiǎn yīnyuè. Wǒ gèng xǐhuān juéshì yīnyuè.

waw boo-she-hwahn joong-gwaw goo-dyan yeen-yweh. waw gung she-hwahn jyweh-shir een-yweh.

I don't like classical Chinese music. I prefer jazz.

Nelson:

Juéshì yīnyuè tài qíguài. Yáogǔn yuè yě bùxǐhuān.

jyweh-shir een-yweh tye chee-gwye. yaow-gwun yweh yeh boo-she-hwahn.

Jazz is too strange. I also don't like rock 'n' roll.

Lydia:

Nǐ dàgài zhǐ xǐhuān jiāoxiǎng yuè nèi lèi de yīnyuè ba.

nee dah-gye jir she-hwahn jyaow-shyahng yweh nay lay duh een-yweh bah.

You probably only like symphonic music and that sort of thing.

Nelson:

Duì le.

dway luh.

Yup.

Buying a ticket

Before you can attend any performances, however, you have to buy a
piào
票
(pyaow) (
ticket
) or two. The following phrases should help you get what you want, or at least understand what you're being told:

Duìbùqǐ, jīntiān wǎnshàng de piào dōu màiwán le.
对不起
,
今天晚上的票都卖完了
. (
對不起
,
今天晚上的票都賣完了
.)
(dway-boo-chee, jin-tyan wahn-shahng duh pyaow doe my-wahn luh.) (
I'm sorry, tickets for tonight are all sold out.
)

Shénme shíhòu kāiyǎn?
什么时侯开演
? (
甚麼時候開演
?) (shummuh shir-ho kye-yan?) (
What time does the show begin?
)