Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar

BaSiC StrateGieS For CommUNiCatioN

25.11

• List the components of the character in question

「三点水」的「清」

「三點水」的「清」

‘sāndiǎn shuǐ’ de ‘qīng’

the character ‘qing’ with the ‘three dot water’ radical

「木子」「李」

‘mù’ ‘zǐ’ ‘Lǐ’

the character ‘李 Lǐ’ that consists of the character ‘木 mù’ and the character ‘子 zǐ’

25.8 Signaling that you are following the speaker

To indicate that you are following a speaker, say:

是，是 shì, shì yes, yes

嗯，嗯 en, en yeh, yeh

对，对/對，對 duì, duì right, right

25.9 Interrupting a speaker

To interrupt a speaker say:

对不起/對不起 duìbuqǐ excuse me

25.10 Using fillers

A filler is an expression that fills a pause in a conversation and keeps the conversation going.

English uses expressions such as ‘well,’ ‘mmm,’ ‘uh.’ Mandarin uses these expressions:

那么/那麼 nàme well

嗯，嗯 en, en yeh

这个，这个 .../這個，這個 ... zhège, zhège this, this...

25.11 Formal development of a topic

25.11.1 opening remarks

To formally introduce a topic in a talk or written report, use the following expressions:

今天要谈到的问题是 ...

今天要談到的問題是 ...

Jīntiān yào tándào de wèntí shì...

The issue/problem we are going to discuss today is...

今天要讲的题目是 ...(今天要讨论的题目是 ...)

今天要講的題目是 ...(今天要討論的題目是 ...)

Jīntiān yào jiǎng de tímù shì... (jīntiān yào tǎolùn de tímù shì... )

The topic I am going to talk about today is... (The topic I am going to discuss today is... )

请各位多多指教。

請各位多多指教。

Qǐng gèwèi duōduō zhǐjiào.

I invite your comments and corrections. (used in formal speeches and written presentations)

C57.1