I’m learning Chinese, and would love to have some people to chat with. I’m not good, for sure, but I really enjoy it a lot!
你好叫我BartsBigBugBag！我是美国人，我是社会主义者。我明年希望去中国陆游。我是学生的汉语。你说汉语吗？你怎么样？你现在做什么？你明白我的汉语吗？谢谢你！
I’m learning Chinese, and would love to have some people to chat with. I’m not good, for sure, but I really enjoy it a lot!
你好叫我BartsBigBugBag！我是美国人，我是社会主义者。我明年希望去中国陆游。我是学生的汉语。你说汉语吗？你怎么样？你现在做什么？你明白我的汉语吗？谢谢你！
That’s a great one I hadn’t learned yet. Instead they had me asking what time people eat, which seemed a bit formal and specific. This sort of more casual conversation is exactly what I need to not sound like a robot or Google translate.
It is a remnant from the Northern Song Dynasty, as a form of etiquette and being polite, to not to disturb them while eating.
“凡往见人，入门必问主人食否 […] 度无所妨，乃命展剌。有妨则少俟。”
“Whoever you visit, you should ask them if they have eaten or not […] if they are about to eat, don’t enter the house until after they finish the meal. Otherwise, you would be intruding.”
From the book “Lü Convention” 《吕氏乡约》
Wow that’s such a neat piece of history, thank you for sharing!