tè = tèbié, a special word
tèbié = especially, special, exceptionally
NEWS FLASH: They often just say tè
I just got fruit from one of my usual fruit dealers. The competition is so fierce between the fruit ladies that they usually throw in an extra apple or orange to try to secure my business for next time. Here's how it went:
A = Albert
F = Fruit Lady
(F tries to give a free piece of hāmìguā)
A: bú yào, xièxie = I don't want it, thanks.
F: sòng gěi nǐ = I'll give it to you for free
A: bú yào, háishì xièxie = I don't want it, thanks anyway.
(F puts in the the bag)
F: zhège tè tián = this one is especially sweet
But often they don't use tèbié the way we would use "especially." We say especially to mean, "in comparison to other things (usually just mentioned)." For example, "I saw 3 movies but I the the third one was especially good."
The way I'm hearing it used is more like the way we say "really" or "SO." I heard a student describe a lecture (not mine) as:
tè wúliáo = SO boring
Another student celebrated her triumph in killing a mosquito by calling it:
tèbié bèn = especially stupid
If anyone knows any rules for when you can say tè and when you should say tèbié, please leave a comment below.
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5 comments:
Hey Albert,
I don't have time tonight to look thoroughly through your blog. But I will definitely read it later. Sounds like you're rocking zhongwen as you were before. I appreciate the note on 'tebie'. The only comment I have to add to 'tebie' is what I learnt the other week; fei chang tebie. I didn't look it up, but was informed it meant unique. We were referring to a unique person.
By the way, that last comment was from Graham in Nanchang.
bú yào, háishì xièxie ...so, like, the "haishi" works as "but"? Like ke shi or dan shi?
As far as I know, the phrase "haishi xiexie" = "thanks anyway" [lit. "still thanks"]. It's actually a shorter, simpler version of what they usually say...but...I can't seem to find my notes on what the long version is. I'll post it when I find it.
queqie de shuo(exactly speaking), women changyong "xiexie" laibiaoshi "Thanks anyway."
tingnishuo "bú yào, háishì xièxie ..." zong juede henguai(means: henqiguai).
Can you understand me?
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