Chinese For Dummies (61 page)

wàzi
袜子
(
襪子
) (wah-dzuh) (
socks
)

yǔyī
雨衣
(yew-ee) (
raincoat
)

Here are some things you can
dài
but not
chuān:

lǐngdài
领带
(
領帶
)
(leen-dye) (
necktie
)

shǒubiǎo
手表
(show-byaow) (
wristwatch
)

shǒutào
手套
(show-taow) (
gloves
)

zhūbǎo
珠宝
(joo-baow) (
jewelry
)

Asking about the color and material

When you go shopping for clothes, you have a chance to compare all the different
yánsè
颜色
(
顏色
)
(yan-suh)
(
colors
) they come in and choose the one that looks the best on you. Do you generally prefer
dānsè
单色
(
單色
) (dahn-suh) (
solid colors
) or
huā
花
(hwah) (
patterned
) shirts? What about a
shēn yìdiǎn
深一点
(
深一點
) (shun ee-dyan) (
darker
) or
dàn yìdiǎn
淡一点
(
淡一點
) (dahn ee-dyan) (
lighter
) shade? Whatever your clothing preferences are, after you know how to express your heart's desire with the correct word, you can be sure to ask for what you like.

The following is a list of handy words to use the next time you go shopping either for clothes or for material to create your own.
Shénme yánsè
什么颜色
? (
甚麼顏色
?) (shummuh yan-suh) (
what color
) is your favorite from the following list? Don't be shy to speak up about your preferences. If someone wants you to wear pink with purple polka dots to a wedding, you can always politely just say,
Yánsè búduì.
颜色不对
. (
顏色
不對
.) (yan-suh boo-dway.) (
The color is wrong.
) and leave it at that.

bái
白
(bye) (
white
)

fēnhóng
粉红
(
粉紅
) (fun-hoong) (
pink
)

hēi
黑
(hey) (
black
)

hóng
红
(
紅
) (hoong) (
red
)

huáng
黄
(hwahng) (
yellow
)

júhóng
橘红
(
橘紅
) (jyew-hoong)
(
orange
)