Y: Dajia hao, improve your Chinese every day, right here in the Chinese Studio. Huanyinghuanying, welcome in, wo shi Yajie.
B: And, wo shi B. I need a new computer Y, and before heading off to buy one, I need to learn the lingo. 
Y: Great, I can think of a few key words right away.

Key words of the day

Computer 电脑Desktop 台式机I need a laptop 我想买台笔记本电脑。How big is the screen? 显示屏有多大？All in today's Chinese Studio. 

B: Ok, let's just check I remember from being in the library last week. A computer is a diannao, dui ba?
Y: Dui, right on. Of course there are different types.
B: What do we call a desktop computer?
Y: usually we call it: 台式机
B: tai2 shi4 ji1.
Y: tai2 means desk,
B: tai2,
Y: shi4 means the type,
B: shi4,
Y: ji1 means computer,
B: ji1,
Y: tai2 shi4 ji1.
B: tai2 shi4 ji1. desktop, And a laptop?
Y: you can say: bi3 ji4 ben3 dian4 nao3.
B: bi3 ji4 ben3 dian4 nao3. does bi3 ji4 ben3 mean lap?
Y: no… it means notebook. Probably it’s because laptop is portable like a notebook…
B: could be…bi3 ji4 ben3, notebook,
Y: and dian4 nao3 means computer,
B: dian4 nao4,
Y: bi3 ji4 ben3 dian4 nao3.
B: bi3 ji4 ben3 dian4 nao3. laptop.

Conversation 1
A: 你的是台式机还是笔记本电脑？
B: 是一台笔记本电脑。

B: You know Y, I really need a laptop. When I walk into the shangdian, the shop, how do I say that?
Y: Try this, 我想买台笔记本电脑
B: wo2 xiang2 mai3 tai2 bi3 ji4 ben3 dian4 nao3.
Y: wo2 xiang3 means I'd like to do sth,
B: wo2 xiang3,
Y: mai3 means to buy,
B: mai3,
Y: tai2 is the measure word for computer. Here it's short for yi4 tai2, which means one,
B: tai2,
Y: bi3 ji4 ben3 dian4 nao3.laptop,
B: bi3 ji4 ben3 dian4 nao3.
Y: Let's practice the whole sentence: wo2 xiang2 mai3 tai2 bi3 ji4 ben3 dian4 nao3.
B: wo2 xiang2 mai3 tai2 bi3 ji4 ben3 dian4 nao3. I need a laptop

Conversation 2
A: 你好，需要帮忙吗？
B: 你好。我想买台笔记本电脑。

B: And the other thing I'm interested to know is, how big is the screen?
Y: With your eyesight B, that's a good question. The screen is 显示屏。
B: xian3 shi4 ping2.
Y: xian3 shi4 means display or reveal,
B: xian3 shi4
Y: ping2 means screen,
B: ping2,
Y: xian3 shi4 ping2.
B: xian3 shi4 ping2. the screen.
Y: And the question: how big is the screen, in Chinese it's 显示屏有多大？
B: xian3 shi4 ping2 you3 duo2 da4?
Y: you3, literally means have,
B: you3,
Y: duo2 da4 means how big,
B: duo2 da4.
Y: xian3 shi4 ping2 you3 duo2 da4?
B: xian3 shi4 ping2 you3 duo2 da4? How big is the screen?

Conversation 3
A: 显示屏有多大？
B: 17 英寸
 
B: I need a little time to decide which laptop I want, thanks for your help Y.
Y: Bukeqi, don't mention it. And let's give our listeners something to think about, as well with our question of the day. How do you say, I need a laptop
B: And you can send us the correct answer in an email to Chinese@crifm.com.