Elementary | The Better Man

0:00Hi, elementary Chinese pod learners. This is Chinese pod. My name is John. Hello everyone. I'm Vilo. So today we're talking about people and we're doing comparisons. Oh, and today we're in the office again. Yes, today we believe that all men are not created equal. So we're going to compare them. It's a very typical office conversation, I believe. Right. And there's right between women. And there's a very useful word that we're going to hear in all of these comparisons, right? Which is B, B, I search tone. Okay, B. So that's an essential component of a basic comparison sentence in Chinese.

1:03Yes, and we're not going to tell you how to use it. But we're going to give you plenty of examples, so just listen up and you might just catch on all by yourself. All right, then the that looks three times. Okay, okay, you guys, don't worry. The second one. Hey, Xiaowang and Xiaoli, which one do you like? I like Xiaowang. Why? Xiaowang is higher than Xiaoli. It's more like Xiaoli. But I think Xiaoli is more

2:04handsome than Xiaowang. It's more like Xiaowang rich. I like Xiaoli. No, Xiaowang is better than Xiaoli. Okay, okay. You guys, don't worry. The third one. Hey, Xiaowang and Xiaoli, which one do you like? I like Xiaowang. Why? Xiaowang is higher than Xiaoli. Also, Xiaoli is more useful. But I think Xiaoli is more handsome than Xiaowang. Also, Xiaowang rich. I like Xiaoli. No, Xiaowang is better than Xiaoli. Xiaoli is better than Xiaowang. Okay, okay. You guys, don't worry. Here's the translation. Xiaowang and Xiaoli, you guys like Xiaowang and Xiaoli. Which one do you like? Xiaowang and Xiaoli, you guys like Xiaowang and Xiaoli. Which do you like?

3:08Xiaowang and Xiaoli, you guys like that one. I like Xiaowang. I like Xiaowang. I like Xiaowang. I like Xiaowang. I like Xiaowang. I like Xiaowang. Why? Why? Why? Why? Xiaowang is taller than Xiaoli. And also, more humorous. But I think Xiaoli is more handsome than Xiaowang. And richer than Xiaowang. I like Xiaoli.

4:19But I think Xiaoli is more handsome than Xiaowang. And also richer than Xiaowang. I like Xiaoli. That's not right. Xiaowang is better than Xiaoli. No, Xiaowang is better than Xiaoli. Xiaoli is better than Xiaowang. Okay, okay, you guys stop arguing.

5:20Okay, okay, you guys stop arguing. I think the tall guy is always better. Let's look at the dialogue. So these two guys' names are so their surnames are Wang and Li Li. Okay, so Wang, second tone. And it's a coworker, so we call him Xiaowang. All right, and the other one is Xiaoli, Xiaoli, two third tones. Okay, so Li is also a surname third tone. Yes, and both Li and Wang, they're kind of young. So we address them that way. We call them little. Little Wang and little Li. Okay, and I notice we have two nouns here. So we connect them with He. This is a word we use to connect two nouns. That's right. And the question is,

6:20Which one do you like better? Yeah. Okay, so that's when the arguing begins. So let's go ahead and jump down to the first B sentence. Xiaowang, Li Xiaoli, Gao. Xiaowang, Li Xiaoli, Gao. Okay, so we're comparing these two people. And then you have the first one and then a B. And then the second one. And an adjective. And an adjective on the end. So the other is very important because the one that comes first before the B is the one that comes out on top in the comparison. So we start off with Xiaowang. So we know that Xiaowang is going to win out in this B comparison. So the sentence again is. Xiaowang, Li Xiaoli, Gao. Xiaowang, Li Xiaoli, Gao. So in this case, Xiaowang is taller than Xiaoli.

7:22And if you really want to do a word for word translation, I find that it's kind of useful to translate B as then. So like Xiaowang, then Xiaoli, Gao. Meaning taller than. Okay, if it helps, you can remember it that way. I think it helps. Xiaowang, Li Xiaoli, Gao. Okay, so we know we're talking about Xiaowang. He's the subject. He came out in the comparison. He's the tall guy. But besides that. Yeah, so then we go on to the next comparison where we omit the Xiaowang. But we know he's still the subject, right? Shi Da. Ye Bi Xiaoli, You Mo. So also then Xiaoli, You Mo. So You Mo means humorous, right? Right. First and fourth. You Mo. You Mo. Okay, You Mo. This actually came from English, meaning humorous. Yeah, it does sound similar. You Mo. Humor, You Mo. Right. So it means he's funny, right? Right.

8:22You Mo. You Mo. So Xiaowang is taller and he's also funnier. So to say also we have this Ye. Why he searched on. Okay, and then the whole sentence put together is. Xiaowang, Be Xiaoli, Gao. Ye Be Xiaoli, You Mo. So Xiaowang is taller than Xiaoli and also more humorous than Xiaoli. Yes. Why the other girl has different opinion? Okay, so what happens next? She says. Okay, so Ke Shi. That's third tone fourth tone, it means butt, right? However, why? Okay, but I think. I think. I think. Okay, and then here comes the B comparison. Xiaoli, Be Xiaowang is handsome. Xiaoli, Be Xiaowang is handsome. So Xiaoli, Van, Xiaowang, is handsome.

9:24So Shry is fourth tone, right? Right. So SHU, fourth tone. Shry means handsome. We use that word quite often. I believe. Xiaoli, Be Xiaowang is handsome. So Xiaoli is more handsome than Xiaowang. And then there's something else to add, right? Right. Ye Be Xiaowang, You Qian. Ye Be Xiaowang, You Qian. Okay, also Van, Xiaowang, Rich. So Xiaoli is also richer than Xiaowang. Mm. You Qian, Third and Second, which means Rich. Let's say the sentence is just a regular B sentence just to make it clear. Xiaoli, Be Xiaowang, You Qian. Xiaoli, Be Xiaowang, You Qian. Okay, got it. We hope this B pattern is starting to make sense. Mm. And this girl is quite straightforward.

10:24She said, I like the rich guy. Rich and handsome. Mm. Okay, so the next line. Be Xiaowang, Be Xiaoli, Hao. Okay, so be be meaning not right. Mm, you're not right. So she's not right about who she likes. How can that be? Well, they're talking about who's better. Okay, so let's focus on that next part of the sentence and not the inherent lack of logic. So the next sentence is... Xiaowang, Be Xiaoli, Hao. Xiaowang, Be Xiaoli, Hao. So something B, something Hao. In English, we have an irregular word for this, right? Mm. Better, something is better. So in Chinese, something B, something Hao is something is better than the other thing. Mm,沒錯,沒錯. So one more time. Xiaowang, Be Xiaoli, Hao. Xiaowang, Be Xiaoli, Hao.

11:24Okay, and then there's the opposing viewpoint. Xiaoli, Be Xiaowang, Hao. Xiaoli, Be Xiaowang, Hao. It's like tongue twister. All right, and there is no right answer. So then at the end, we've had enough for this noise, right? Mm, ha la ha la. Ha la ha la. So this ha la ha means good, right? Right. So ha la means what? Well, just take it as a set phrase, meaning all right, that's it. That's it, that's enough. It can also mean done, right? Ha la, done. Right. In this case, ha la, like I'm done listening to you, that's enough. Right. But when you say it, use the special tone. Yeah, there's a irritated tone. Ha la ha la. Ha la. Right? Okay. You're good doing that, huh? Thank you. I learned from the best. I don't know what this is. Yeah, that's my wife. Okay. Next.

12:24Okay, so you guys. Biè chàu la. So chàu is a verb, right? Mm, dwei. C-H-A-O, search tone. And chàu, in this case, means to argue. Mm, right. Biè chàu la. Okay. Now, if we just say biè chàu, like biè second tone, it means don't argue. Right. Why are we have this pattern? Biè something la. Biè chàu la. So in this case, they're already arguing and we want them to stop arguing. Right. But someone to stop doing something they're already doing is biè plus the verb and then a la. Yes. We have biè chàu la. Here. Biè chàu la. You could also say like stop talking. Biè chàu la. Mm. Or biè càu la. Stop watching. Right. Okay. All right, that's enough for now. Let's listen to the dialogue three more times. Greetings, everyone. And welcome to Chinese Mod trivia.

13:25Our first question is how long will it take you to become an intermediate Chinese speaker using the Chinese pod app? Is it a the rest of your life? B, you should already be an intermediate speaker. C, three months or D. Chinese pod has an app? You should already be. Oh, that is incorrect. The correct answer is C, three months. That's right. Head over to ChinesePod.com now to register for your access to over 4,000 lessons. Get the Chinese pod app now on Google Play or the apps.

14:35Hey, Xiaowang and Xiaoli, which one do you like? I like Xiaowang. Why? Xiaowang is higher than Xiaoli. And more than Xiaoli is more useless. But I think Xiaoli is more handsome than Xiaowang. And more than Xiaowang is rich. I like Xiaoli. No, Xiaowang is better than Xiaoli. Xiaoli is better than Xiaowang. All right, all right. Don't argue. The third one. Okay, we hope that was enough reinforcement for you to learn these B sentences. But we're also going to throw a few other ones at you.

15:36We're just going to have some fun with B right now. Are you ready? Yes. So, Zhang, you go first. What? Be your girl? Oh, is that so? I'm prettier than you. I'm prettier. I'm better than you. Okay, I'm glad. I'm smarter than you. Really? Smarter. That hurts. How about this? Shanghai, Beijing, Hao. Of course. Oh, that's going to ruffle some feathers out there. Okay, anything else we want to say? Mao Zai, Zhongwen, B, Yingwen Hao. Okay. 不对, Yingwen, B, Zhongwen Hao. Zhongwen, B, Yingwen Hao. Okay, you win. So, if you guys have any opinions on this or any questions, come to ChinesePod.com and ask us. Hope to see you there. See you later. See you later.