The Picard Maneuver@lemmy.world to Comic Strips@lemmy.world · 7 months agoGot a light? [Toonhole Chris]lemmy.worldimagemessage-square17fedilinkarrow-up1466arrow-down126file-text
arrow-up1440arrow-down1imageGot a light? [Toonhole Chris]lemmy.worldThe Picard Maneuver@lemmy.world to Comic Strips@lemmy.world · 7 months agomessage-square17fedilinkfile-text
minus-squareHegar@kbin.sociallinkfedilinkarrow-up7·7 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-squarepepperonisalamilinkfedilinkarrow-up2·7 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-up2·7 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!
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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!