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RMB and shopping

Cam: Perfect Chinese your way, in only five minutes a day. Welcome to Chinese Studio, I’m
Cam. 早上好, Yajie.
Yajie: 早上好(zǎoshang hǎo), Cam. Last time we learned how to say some words related to
time. Cam, do you remember how to say “what time is it now?” in Chinese?
Cam: I sure do. It’s 现在几点？(xianzai ji dian?)
Yajie: Then how do you say half past six in Chinese?
Cam: It’s 六点半(liu dian ban).
Yajie: Today I will teach you what to say when you are shopping.
Cam: I definitely need that. I always want to buy some street food, but I never know what
it is, or how to ask the price. How do you say “how much is it” in Chinese?
Yajie: Let’s find out in today’s Key words of the day.

************Key words of the day

Today we’ll learn some expressions when you buy something.元、角、分. 这个多少钱？How
much is it? 三块, three yuan. All in today’s Chinese Studio.
***********

Yajie: Chinese currency is called Renminbi. It is composed of 元、角, 分.

Cam: 元(yuan), 角(jiao), 分(fen).
Yajie: one 元(yuan) equals ten 角(jiao), and one 角(jiao) equals10 分(fen).
Cam: I heard that 元 is also called 块(kuai) in Chinese. For example 六块 (liu kuai).
Yajie: Yes. You are right. And in colloquial Chinese, 角(jiao) is also called 毛(mao).

Conversations:

Yajie: From the conversations you may hear “这个多少钱” ？

Cam: What does that mean?
Yajie: “这个多少钱” means how much is it? 这个 means this in English. 这个. Or you can say
zhèige.
Cam: 这个(zhèige).
Yajie: 多少 means how much. 多, d-u-o, the first tone; 少,s-h-a-o, the third tone. Literally,
多 means “many or much”, 少 means “few or little”. But together it means “how much… ? or
how many…?”
Cam: 多少 (duoshao).
Yajie: 钱 means money. 钱, q-i-a-n, the second tone. It’s the generic term for currency or

  Coryright 2007 cchello.com 
                                                                                   www.cchello.com
money.
Cam: 钱 (qian).

Conversations:

Cam: So Yajie, If I want to buy some apples, how do I say“How much are these apples?”
Yajie: Good question. In Chinese “How much are these apples？” is pingguo duo sha chan？
Cam: 苹果多少钱 (píngguǒ duōshao qián)？
Yajie: 苹果 is apple.
Cam: 苹果 (píngguǒ) So I can say pingguo duōshao qián？
Yajie: Great! pingguo duōshao qián？

Cam: So Yajie, what would the answer be?

Yajie: Well, let’s say the apples cost 3 yuan per half a kilogram. In Chinese, this
is: pingguo san kuai qian yi jin. San kuai means three yuan. Yi jin means half a kilogram.
Cam: So the apples cost three yuan for a half a kilogram. Pingguo san kuai qian yi jin.

Conversations:

************ Key words Reminder

Today we’ve learned the expressions when you buy something. 元、角、分. 您好，请问苹果多
少钱？三块钱一斤。
***********

Yajie: That’s all for today. Next time you are buying something in China, make sure you
practice these new phrases. You can also win a CRI gift by answering the question of the day:
How do you say “how much is it” in Chinese?

  Coryright 2007 cchello.com