那些我想起來就覺得驚心動魄的經驗
(那些)(我)(想起來)(就)(覺得)(驚心動魄)(的)(經驗)
(ㄋㄚˋ ㄒㄧㄝ)(ㄨㄛˇ)(ㄒㄧㄤˇ ㄑㄧˇ ㄌㄞˊ)(ㄐㄧㄡˋ)(ㄐㄩㄝˊ ㄉㄜ˙)(ㄐㄧㄥ ㄒㄧㄣ ㄉㄨㄥˋ ㄆㄛˋ)(ㄉㄜ˙)(ㄐㄧㄥ ㄧㄢˋ)
(nà xiē)(wǒ)(xiǎng qǐ lái)(jiù)(jué de.)(jīng xīn dòng pò)(de.)(jīng yàn)
(those)(I)(come to mind)(at once)(to feel)(extremely disturbing, hair-raising)(adjective marker)(experience)
Those experiences that make me feel very afraid (or extremely disturbed).
I had a rather horrific and surreal freeway experience on my way to my Chinese lesson a couple of weeks ago. A car ahead of me spun wildly out of control, probably going 65 – 70 miles per hour. It whipped back and forth across the freeway while halfway spinning this way and that.
I was far enough behind to slow down and stay out of the way, but the out-of-control car didn’t come to a stop until it was about 20 yards in front of me, the next lane over and facing sideways! Then, it started to quickly pull out in front of me, the driver probably thinking she might be rammed from the side by on coming traffic. However, everyone behind me had slowed to a stop, too. Finally, she came to a complete stop and we all slowly passed. I imagine she went home and cried.
I couldn’t concentrate until I told my tutor about it. As soon as she heard it she said,
一顆老鼠屎壞了一鍋粥！
(一顆)(老鼠)(屎)(壞)(了)(一鍋)(粥)
(ㄧˋ ㄎㄜ)(ㄌㄠˇ ㄕㄨˇ)(ㄕˇ)(ㄏㄨㄞˋ)(ㄌㄜ˙)(ㄧˋ ㄍㄨㄛ)(ㄓㄡ)
(yì kē)(lǎo shǔ)(shǐ)(huài)(le.)(yì guō)(zhōu)
(one + MW❶ for piece grain, piece)(excrement, shit, dung)(spoil, ruin)(emphasize completed action)(one + MW for bowl, pot)(porridge)
One little speck of rat dung ruins the whole bowl of porridge.
This was a spontaneous reaction on her part, but I didn’t know what it meant. When she told me, I said,
只要想到那個東西就讓我感覺噁心噢！
(只要)(想到)(那個)(東西)(就)(讓)(我)(感覺)(噁心)❷(噢)
(ㄓˇ ㄧㄠˋ)(ㄒㄧㄤˇ ㄉㄠˋ)(ㄋㄚˋ ㄍㄜ˙)(ㄉㄨㄥ ㄒㄧ)(ㄐㄧㄡˋ)(ㄖㄤˋ)(ㄨㄛˇ)(ㄍㄢˇ ㄈㄩㄝˊ)(ㄜˇ ㄒㄧㄣ)(ㄡ)
(zhǐ yào)(xiǎng dào)(nà ge.)(dōng xī)(jiù)(ràng)(wǒ)(gǎn jué)(ě xīn)(ō)
(if only)(to think of)(that)(thing)(at once)(to make)(me)(to sense, to feel)(nauseated, sick, disgusted)(conversational sound)
Just thinking about that makes me feel sick!
Regarding the freeway incident, she also said,
只要想到了剛才那個經驗就讓我感覺噁心冒冷汗！
(只要)(想到)(了)(剛才)(那個)(經驗)
(ㄓˇ ㄧㄠˋ)(ㄒㄧㄤˇ ㄉㄠˋ)(ㄌㄜ˙)(ㄍㄤ ㄘㄞˊ)(ㄋㄚˋ ㄍㄜ˙)(ㄐㄧㄥ ㄧㄢˋ)
(zhǐ yào)(xiǎng dào)(le.)(gāng cái)(nà ge.)(jīng yàn)
(if only)(to think of)(intensifies preceding clause)(a moment ago)(that)(experience)
…..(就)(讓)(我)(感覺)(噁心)[(冒)(冷汗)]
……(ㄐㄧㄡˋ)(ㄖㄤˋ)(ㄨㄛˇ)(ㄍㄢˇ ㄐㄩㄝˊ)(ㄜˇ ㄒㄧㄣ)[(ㄇㄠˋ)(ㄌㄥˇ ㄏㄢˋ)]
……(jiù)(ràng)(wǒ)(gǎn jué)(ě xīn)[(mào)(lěng hàn)]
……(at once)(I)(to sense, to feel)(nauseated)[(emit)(cold sweat)]
If I think of that experience, at once I feel nauseated and break out into a cold sweat!
and
這個經驗讓我想起來就覺得心驚肉跳。
(這個)(經驗)(讓)(我)(想起來)(就)(覺得)(心驚肉跳)❸
(ㄓㄜˋ ㄍㄜ˙)(ㄐㄧㄥ ㄧㄢˋ)(ㄖㄤˋ)(ㄨㄛˇ)(ㄒㄧㄤˇ ㄑㄧˇ ㄌㄞˊ)(ㄐㄧㄡˋ)(ㄐㄩㄝˊ ㄉㄜ˙)(ㄒㄧㄣ ㄐㄧㄥ ㄖㄡˋ ㄊㄧㄠˋ)
(zhè ge.)(jīng yàn)(ràng)(wǒ)(xiǎng qǐ lái)(jiù)(jué de.)(xīn jīng ròu tiào)
(this)(experience)(to make)(me)(recall)(at once)(to feel)(heart startle/frighten flesh leap)
This experience would make me feel scared to death.
We went on to discuss how various sensations might have the same effect, but without being specific. We just referred to the sense involved.
那個看起來好噁心喔！
(那個)(看起來)❹(好)❺(噁心)(喔)
(ㄋㄚˋ ㄍㄜ˙)(ㄎㄢˋ ㄑㄧˇ ㄌㄞˊ)(ㄏㄠˇ)(ㄜˇ ㄒㄧㄣ)(ㄡ)
(nà ge.)(kàn qǐ lái)(hǎo)(ě xīn)(ō)
(that)(looks as if)(very)(nauseating)(conversational sound)
That looks disgusting!
這個東西吃起來好噁心。
(這個)(東西)❻[(吃)(起來)](好)(噁心)
(ㄓㄜˋ ㄍㄜ˙)(ㄉㄨㄥ ㄒㄧ)[(ㄔ)(ㄑㄧˇ ㄌㄞˊ)](ㄏㄠˇ)(ㄜˇ ㄒㄧㄣ)
(zhè ge.)(dōng xī)[(chī)(qǐ lái)](hǎo)(ě xīn)
(this)(thing)(to eat)[(indicates beginning and continuation of action)](very)(disgusting)
Eating this is very disgusting.
那聲音聽起來好噁心。
(那)(聲音)(聽起來)(好)(噁心)
(ㄋㄚˋ)(ㄕㄥ ㄧㄣ)(ㄊㄧㄥ ㄑㄧˇ ㄌㄞˊ)(ㄏㄠˇ)(ㄧˇ ㄒㄧㄣ)
(nà)(shēng yīn)(tīng qǐ lái)(hǎo)(ě xīn)
(that)(sound)(to hear + indicating beginning and continuing action)(very)(nauseating)
That sound is very nauseating to listen to.
這個東西摸起來好噁心。
(這個)(東西)(摸起來)(好)(噁心)
(ㄓㄜˋ ㄍㄜ˙)(ㄉㄨㄥ ㄒㄧ)(ㄇㄛ ㄑㄧˇ ㄌㄞˊ)(ㄏㄠˇ)(ㄜˇ ㄒㄧㄣ)
(zhè ge.)(dōng xī)(mō qǐ lái)(hǎo)(ě xīn)
(this)(thing)(to touch + indicates beginning and continuing action)(very)(disgusting)
It is disgusting to be touching this thing.
這是什麼東西？聞起來好噁心！
(這)(是)(什麼)(東西) (聞起來)(好)(噁心)
(ㄓㄜˋ)(ㄕˋ)(ㄕㄣˊ ㄇㄜ˙)(ㄉㄨㄥ ㄒㄧ) (ㄨㄣˊ ㄑㄧˇ ㄌㄞˊ)(ㄏㄠˇ)(ㄜˇ ㄒㄧㄣ)
(zhè)(shì)(shén me.)(dōng xī) (wén qǐ lái)(hǎo)(ě xīn)
(this)(is/to be)(what)(thing) (to smell + indicates beginning and continuation of action)(very)(nauseating)
What is this? It smells disgusting!
如果我想像到那個東西就覺得好噁心。
(如果)(我)[(想像)(到)](那個)(東西)(就)(覺得)(好)(噁心)
(ㄖㄨˊ ㄍㄨㄛˇ)(ㄨㄛˇ)[(ㄒㄧㄤˇ ㄒㄧㄤˋ)(ㄉㄠˋ)](ㄋㄚˋ ㄍㄜ˙)(ㄉㄨㄥ ㄒㄧ)(ㄐㄧㄡˋ)(ㄐㄩㄝˊ ㄉㄜ˙)(ㄏㄠˇ)(ㄜˇ ㄒㄧㄣ)
(rú guǒ)(wǒ)[(xiǎng xiàng)(dào)](nà ge.)(dōng xī)(jiù)(jué de.)(hǎo)( ě xīn)
(if)(I)[(to imagine)(connotes completion of verb action)](those)(things)(at once)(to feel)(very)(nauseated)
If I think of those things, I feel nauseated right away.
So then we come back to my hair raising experience on the freeway, and one might say,
這個經驗我想起來就覺得好噁心！
(這個)(經驗)(我)(想起來)(就)(覺得)(好)(噁心)
(ㄓㄜˋ ㄍㄜ˙)(ㄐㄧㄥ ㄧㄢˋ)(ㄨㄛˇ)(ㄒㄧㄤˇ ㄑㄧˇ ㄌㄞˊ)(ㄐㄧㄡˋ)(ㄐㄩㄝˊ ㄉㄜ˙)(ㄏㄠˇ)(ㄜˇ ㄒㄧㄣ)
(zhè ge.)(jīng yàn)(wǒ)(xiǎng qǐ lái)(jiù)(jué de.)(hǎo)(ě xīn)
(this)(experience)(I)(to think of)(at once)(to feel)(very)(to feel sick)
Thinking about this happening makes me feel sick!
Or for more emphasis,
這個經驗我想起來就會覺得非常噁心。
(這個)(經驗)(我)(想起來)(就)(會)(覺得)(非常)(噁心)
(ㄓㄜˋ ㄍㄜ˙)(ㄐㄧㄥ ㄧㄢˋ)(ㄨㄛˇ)(ㄒㄧㄤˇ ㄑㄧˇ ㄌㄞˊ)(ㄐㄧㄡˋ)(ㄏㄨㄟˋ)(ㄐㄩㄝˊ ㄉㄜ˙)(ㄈㄟ ㄔㄤˊ)(ㄜˇ ㄒㄧㄣ)
(zhè ge.)(jīng yàn)(wǒ)(xiǎng qǐ lái)(jiù)(huì)(jué de.)(fēi cháng)(ě xīn)
(this)(experience)(I)(to think of)(at once)(will)(to feel)(extraordinarily)(to feel sick)
Thinking about this happening will make me feel so sick!
如果我有這樣的經驗， 我想起來就會覺得好噁心。
(如果)(我)(有)(這)(樣)(的)(經驗)，
(ㄖㄨˊ ㄍㄨㄛˇ)(ㄨㄛˇ)(ㄧㄡˇ)(ㄓㄜˋ)(ㄧㄤˋ)(ㄉㄜ˙)(ㄐㄧㄥ ㄧㄢˋ)
(rú guǒ)(wǒ)(yǒu)(zhè)(yàng)(de.)(jīng yàn)
(if)(I)(to have)(this)(same)(adjective marker)(experience)
…..(我)(想起來)(就)(會)(覺得)(好)(噁心)
……(ㄨㄛˇ)(ㄒㄧㄤˇ ㄑㄧˇ ㄌㄞˊ)(ㄐㄧㄡˋ)(ㄏㄨㄟˋ)(ㄐㄩㄝˊ ㄉㄜ˙)(ㄏㄠˇ)(ㄜˇ ㄒㄧㄣ)
……(wǒ)(xiǎng qǐ lái)(jiù)(huì)(jué de.)(hǎo)(ě xīn)
If I had this same experience, I am thinking I will immediately feel very nauseated.
In the odd twists that conversations sometimes take, I asked her if the 屎 of 老鼠屎 was a borrowed sound word from the English cuss word that sounds so similar. She said, no, it just means stool or feces in a rather ordinary way. However, there are other ordinary ways to refer to this common fact of life.
In a family setting, particularly with young children, the language is much the same code words as used in American English.
大便 ㄉㄚˋ ㄅㄧㄢˋ (dà biàn) big ease = “big job” (to defecate)
小便 ㄒㄧㄠˇ ㄅㄧㄢˋ (xiǎo biàn) little ease = “to pass water” (to urinate)
or
大號 ㄉㄚˋ ㄏㄠˇ (dà hào) big number = “number 2”
小號 ㄒㄧㄠˇ ㄏㄠˋ (xiǎo hào) small number = “number 1”
Since I raise chickens and have had goats, the word for manure was also mentioned.
糞 ㄈㄣˋ (fèn) manure, dung
There is some school children’s street slang that spins off of this word based on the 3 radicals (also sometimes characters in their own right) that are stacked on top of each other. Individually they are
米 ㄇㄧˇ (mǐ) rice
田 ㄊㄧㄢˊ (tián) field, farm
共 ㄍㄨㄥˋ (gòng) common, general
In the apparently cross-cultural attempt to swear without swearing, a person who wants to make someone else feel really bad might use this vocabulary.
小孩子們吵架的時候會說：「你去吃米田共啦！」
(小孩子們)(吵架)(的時候)(會)(說)
(ㄒㄧㄠˇ ㄏㄞˊ ㄗ˙ ㄇㄣ˙)(ㄔㄠˇ ㄐㄧㄚˋ)(ㄉㄜ˙ ㄕˊ ㄏㄡˋ)(ㄏㄨㄟˋ)(ㄕㄨㄛ)
(xiǎo hái zi. men.)(chǎo jià)(de. shí hòu)(huì)(shuō)
(children)(to quarrel, to have a row)(when)(will)(to say)
…..(你)(去)(吃)(米田共)(啦)
……(ㄋㄧˇ)(ㄑㄩˋ)(ㄔ)(ㄇㄧˇ ㄊㄧㄢˊ ㄐㄨㄥˋ)(ㄌㄚ)
……(nǐ)(qù)(chī)(mǐ tián gòng)(lā)
……(you)(to go)(to eat)(combination of characters to replace “manure”)(conversational sound)
When children quarrel, they will say, “You go eat horse apples!”
Hopefully this is something you will only hear in dramatic moments in a television show!
The rest of my day wasn’t that bad, really, but if it had been, I might have said,
今天是我遇到老鼠屎的日子罷了。
(今天)(是)(我)(遇到)(老鼠)(屎)(的)(日子)(罷了)❼
(ㄐㄧㄣ ㄊㄧㄢ)(ㄕˋ)(ㄨㄛˇ)(ㄩˋ ㄉㄠˋ)(ㄌㄠˇ ㄕㄨˇ)(ㄕˇ)(ㄉㄜ˙)(ㄖㄧˋ ㄗ˙)(ㄅㄚˋ ㄌㄜ˙)
(jīn tiān)(shì)(wǒ)(yù dào)(lǎo shǔ)(shǐ)(de.)(rì zi.)(bà le.)
(today)(is, to be)(I)(to meet, to run into)(rat)(excrement)(adjective marker)(day)(that’s all, only)
Today was a rat dung kind of day, but today is over.
We should always remember this:
每個人都會有好日子跟壞日子。
(每個)(人)(都)(會)(有)(好)(日子)(跟)(壞)(日子)
(ㄇㄟˇ ㄍㄜ˙)(ㄖㄣˊ)(ㄉㄡ)(ㄏㄨㄟˋ)(ㄧㄡˇ)(ㄏㄠˇ)(ㄖˋ ㄗ˙)(ㄍㄣ)(ㄏㄨㄞˋ)(ㄖˋ ㄗ˙)
(měi ge.)(rén)(dōu)(huì)(yǒu)(hǎo)(rì zi.)(gēn)(huài)(rì zi.)
(every)(person, people)(all)(will)(to have)(good)(day)(to go with)(bad)(day)
Everyone will have good days and bad days.
Notes:
❶ As always, MW stands for measure word. The dictionary for Chinese measure words I have is out of print (and currently very expensive on amazon), but here one that looks interesting:
A Chinese-English Measure Words Dictionary
❷ In my dictionary, both 惡心 and 噁心 are shown to mean nauseated, but my tutor says that 惡心(minus the radical 口 for mouth in the front of the “ě”) has a strong connotation of an evil heart instead. 惡心 for evil heart is pronounced slightly differently as ㄜˋ ㄒㄧㄣ (è xīn).
❸ Another idiom to indicate fear that might be used here is
起雞皮疙瘩
(起)(雞)(皮)(疙)(瘩)
(ㄑㄧˇ)(ㄐㄧ)(ㄆㄧˊ)(ㄍㄜ)(ㄉㄚ˙)
(qǐ)(jī)(pí)(gē)(da.)
(to rise up)(chicken)(skin)(pimple)(pimple)
to get goose bumps
❹ Adding 起來 ㄑㄧˇ ㄌㄞˊ (qǐ lái) to a sensing verb indicates that the experience was passive, as in it was not sought out, but occurred to the person without initiative on his part. This is particularly appropriate vocabulary in these sentences because we do not seek out experiences that cause such fear or digust.
❺ This is an example of using 好 ㄏㄠˇ (hǎo) to mean very. It does NOT in any way indicate this was a good experience.
❻ You could replace 東西ㄉㄨㄥ ㄒ一 (dōng xī) with anything, such as 食物 ㄕˊ ㄨˋ (shí wù) “food” or 豬肉 ㄓㄨ ㄖㄡˋ (zhū ròu) “pork.”
❼ The implication here is that this trouble won’t carry on past today.
