Tao Jia Hun Jia

Buns and a green tea juice box make a very nice breakfast.

Yesterday my friends and I took the subway to Xi Dan, which is a huge shopping area. There are fancy department stores, Starbucks (Xin Ba Ke), and KFC as well as small vendors. Mostly we were in a huge building full of vendors. There was a floor of accessories, a floor of shoes, and many floors of clothes. Certain readers will be glad to take note that I purchased a new sweater, which I deeply love and which I now intend to wear - yes - every day until I purchase another sweater.

The thing is though, you had to bargain. And I don't know if you know this, but that's really not something I'm going to be good at, even without the language barrier. You may remember an earlier post about the pushyness of Chinese vendors. That was a department store. At this flea marketish type place, it was a hundred thousand times worse. I am a person who likes to shop in peace. I do not wish to talk to the salespeople. I just want to be left alone. In China, this is not an option.

Me (seeing attractive sweater): May I try this on?
(Xiaofan takes sweater down from wall and puts it on me as though I were a Barbie.)
Me: How much?
Xiaofan: 180 kuai.
Me (shaking head and taking off sweater): Oh, no. 180 kuai, that's too expensive. I can't pay that.
Xiaofan (rubbing sweater on my face): But see how comfortable it is! It is jlh fadj khfiu hfja hlfk sdjh (speaking incomprehensible Chinese)
Me: It's very nice, but I just can't. I'm a student. I have no money.
Xiaofan: What is the highest you will go?
Me (looking to Shuyi for help): Uhh... ummm... what would you say, Shuyi?
Shuyi (sceptically): I'd say no more than 70 kuai. You don't really like it.
Me: True. Okay, 70 kuai, that's the highest I'll go.
Xiaofan: WHAT?! 70 kuai!? This is a really hia jia mun ja fa zi sji sweater!
Me: Um, 65 kuai.
Xiaofan: What are you talking about? You can't have it for 65!
Me: Okay, well, it's nice and all, but I'm going now.
Xiaofan (grabs my arm): No no, what's your highest price?
Me: How about 90 kuai?
Xiaofan: Fine. (Takes my money)
Me: Happy New Year!
Xiaofan: Whatever.

And while we're doing dialogue,

Nina: My child [ertong] hurts.
Me: Your what? Your child?
Nina: I think I have a child disease.
Me: What are you talking about?
Nina: (points to her ear)
Me: Oh, your son [erzi]. Do you need to go to the doctor?
Nina: Too expensive.

later:
Nina: My son still hurts.
Aijia: Your what?
Nina: My son. (points at her ear)
Aijia: That's your "erduo"
All: Ohhhh.

So, today's lesson:

• ertong = child
• erzi = son
• erduo = ear
  

bonus:
Aijia: Love is bad. It is better to not have a heart.
Me: Aijia, you are too bitter [ ku(3) ]
Aijia: What? I'm cool? I know I'm cool [ ku(4) ]
Me: No no no, bitter. [ ku(3) ]
Lili: What?
Me: You know, bitter, like vinegar [ "tsu"(3) ]
Lili: Shu? (pointing at Shuyi)
Me: No! VINEGAR! As in, sour sweet bitter hot, all the experiences and sensations of life!
All: WHAT?!
Lili: Oh, vinegar.
Me: YES.
Aijia: I am not.