Cam: We are talking about music on this week’s show Yajie, and I am a HUGE music fan. So this is awesome!
Yajie: Yes, welcome to Chinese Studio everyone. There are many different music genres… what is your favorite, Cam?
Cam: I have to go with alternative rock. But what’s the Chinese for that?
Yajie: Let’s learn about this in Key Words of the Day!
********************
Key Words of the Day
pop music流行音乐 classical music古典音乐, country music乡村音乐,jazz爵士音乐 alternative rock is awesome. 另类摇滚真棒. All in today’s Chinese Studio.
********************
YJ: Cam, what kind of music you often hear on the radio?
Cam: … I have to say pop music. Yajie, how do you say that in Chinese?
YJ: it’s liu2 xing2 yin1 yue4流行音乐
Cam: liu2 xing2 yin1 yue4
YJ: liu2 xing2 means popular,
Cam: liu2 xing2
YJ: yin1 yue4 means music
Cam: yin1 yue4
YJ: liu2 xing2 yin1 yue4 pop music
Cam: liu2 xing2 yin1 yue4. My dad is a big fan of classical music. How do I say that?
YJ: it’s 古典音乐。
Cam: gu3dian3 yin1 yue4
YJ: gu3dian3 means classical,
Cam: gu3dian3. and yin1 yue4 means music.
YJ: right. gu3dian3 yin1 yue4 古典音乐, classical music.
Cam: gu3dian3 yin1 yue4 , which is distinguished from popular music.
Conversation 1:
(1)A:能借我几张古典音乐的唱片吗?
B:不好意思,我只听流行音乐。
(2)A:为什么现在的人更喜欢听流行音乐。
B:因为流行音乐像快餐一样,能快速满足人的精神需要。
Cam: Yajie, do you like country music?
YJ: Yes I do.
Cam: me too. Yajie, what’s the Chinese for “country music”?
YJ: it’s “乡村音乐”。
Cam: xiang1 cun1 yin1 yue4
YJ: 乡村xiang1 cun1 means countryside,
Cam: xiang1 cun1
YJ: and music is…
Cam: yin1 yue4! So with each music genre, you always put “yin1 yue4” at the end, right?
YJ: Almost. xiang1 cun1 yin1 yue4, country music.
Cam: xiang1 cun1 yin1 yue4.
YJ: Jazz is a little different in Chinese. It’s 爵士乐
Cam: jue2 shi4 yue4
YJ: jue2 shi4, jazz
Cam: jue2 shi4
YJ: Then it’s yue4 instead of yin1 yue4, which also means music.
Cam: yue4
YJ: jue2 shi4 yue4 , jazz music.
Cam: jue2 shi4 yue4
Conversation 2:
(1)A: 你喜欢乡村音乐还是爵士乐?
B: 我喜欢爵士乐。
(2)A:有个电台放得爵士乐挺不错的。
B: 是哪一家电台?
A: 中国国际广播电台。
YJ: Cam, I know your favorite genre is alternative rock. The Chinese is “另类摇滚”。
Cam: ling4lei4 yao2gun3.
YJ: ling4lei4 means different from the usual or conventional.
Cam: ling4lei4
YJ: rock in Chinese is yao2gun3.
Cam: yao2gun3.
YJ: ling4lei4 yao2gun3.
Cam: ling4lei4 yao2gun3. alternative rock. Yajie, wo2 ai4 ling4lei4 yao2gun3. I love alt- rock!
YJ: Good, but do you know how to say “Alt-rock is awesome"?
Cam: Tell me! that’s exactly what I’ve wanted to learn for the past 26 years.
YJ: You can say “另类摇滚真棒”!
Cam: ling4lei4 yao2gun3 zhen1 bang4!
YJ: zhen1 means indeed or very.
Cam: zhen1
YJ: bang4 means awesome.
Cam: bang4
YJ: ling4lei4 yao2gun3 zhen1 bang4.
Cam: ling4lei4 yao2gun3 zhen1 bang4. alt-rock is awesome! And I think Chinese Studio zhen1 bang4!
Conversation 3:
A: 你喜欢这只乐队吗?
B: 喜欢啊,另类摇滚真棒!
********************
Key Words Reminder
pop music流行音乐 classical music古典音乐, country music乡村音乐,jazz爵士音乐 alternative rock is awesome. 另类摇滚真棒. All in today’s Chinese Studio.
********************
Cam: This is great Yajie… now I can tell my friends that alt-rock is awesome in Chinese!
Yajie: Haha…very good. But we’d better get to the Question of the Day.
Cam: Good idea. How do you say “classical music” in Chinese? See ya tomorrow!
Cam: Ming tian jian.
Yajie: Zai jian!
