thank you mel.
i've been trying to study chinese for quite some time, however i
never sat down in a serious systamatic fasion just some self study
books and tapes and one client who has two american chinese. these
two guys though mostly speak cntonese. Ive been doing much better
(though not well) at recognizing characters. ild love to be able to
pick up martial arts texts and understand.
keep it up, youve inspired me.
avishay

--- In tristatewushukungfu@yahoogroups.com, "Mel" <tonji152@y...>
wrote:
>
> Hi group, I'm far from being a linguist expert but I have been
> studying Pu Deng Hwa (Mandarin) from a native speaker for nearly 8
> months. I love the reaction I get when I greet a Chinese National
> using such a simple phrase. Ni hao ma? Pronounced "KNEE"-"HOW"-
"MA?"
> if you leave off the "MA?" Ni hao will simply mean "HI". Ni (KNEE)-

> Means "YOU", Hao (HOW) refers to being good and "Ma?" in this case
> signifies the phrase as a direct question with an expected answer.
> Whereas just saying "Ni Hao?" without the "MA?" on the end. (Hi)
as
> you are walking by without having time to stop for a long
> conversation, no answer is really expected or you are very
familiar
> to the person you are speaking with and there is no need to be
> formal. To say hi to more than one person or a group you add "MEN"
to
> the word "NI" Changing the phrase to "Nimen Hao?" These greetings
are
> appropriate for morning, noon and night. The answer back is the
same.
> If someone says "Ni Hao?" to you, you would anwer back "Ni Hao!"It
> gets more complicated when Ma is used. THe answer back will be
more
> invloved. "I'm very well, thank you and you?" would be "Wo hen
> hao,xie xie,ni neh?" Wo sounds like "Wa" which means I, "Hen"
(means
> very) Hoa (Good or well) and thank you "Xie Xie" sounds like "Shay-
> Shay!" "Ni Neh" sounds like "Knee Nuh?" (And you?) NOw the
question
> is back in the in face of the person who started the conversation
the
> standard response would be I'm also very good or Yeh hen hao! Yeh
> (also) Hen (Very) and Hao (Good or well).
>
> Zhai Jian, Sound like (Z'eye Gee-ann) means Bye!
> Mel