The Picard Maneuver@lemmy.world to Comic Strips@lemmy.world · 3 months agoGot a light? [Toonhole Chris]lemmy.worldimagemessage-square17fedilinkarrow-up1463arrow-down126file-text
arrow-up1437arrow-down1imageGot a light? [Toonhole Chris]lemmy.worldThe Picard Maneuver@lemmy.world to Comic Strips@lemmy.world · 3 months agomessage-square17fedilinkfile-text
minus-squareHegar@kbin.sociallinkfedilinkarrow-up7·3 months agoThe way I was taught to ask for a light in chinese is literally translated as ‘Hit the fire machine?’ (打火機嗎)
minus-squarepepperonisalami@sh.itjust.workslinkfedilinkarrow-up2·3 months agoIt’s because “打火機” is a noun, direct translation would be “the fire striking machine” which means the lighter. So the sentence is a shorthand to ask whether they have a lighter.
minus-squareHegar@kbin.sociallinkfedilinkarrow-up2·3 months agoOh, that’s great to know! I’d got the impression that 打 was being used as a verb in the sense of use/make/play with 火機 as the object. Thanks!
The way I was taught to ask for a light in chinese is literally translated as ‘Hit the fire machine?’ (打火機嗎)
It’s because “打火機” is a noun, direct translation would be “the fire striking machine” which means the lighter. So the sentence is a shorthand to ask whether they have a lighter.
Oh, that’s great to know! I’d got the impression that 打 was being used as a verb in the sense of use/make/play with 火機 as the object. Thanks!