# Can I really learn Chinese at home from books and tapes? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 27, 2003, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-really-learn-chinese-at-home-from-books-and-tapes/198031 "2003-08-27T18:12:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-really-learn-chinese-at-home-from-books-and-tapes/198031/21 "2003-08-30T05:33:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by China Guy \* > \*\*NoCoolUserName, next time you can realy impress people by di-syllabisize (sp?), that is making one syllable word into two syllables. > > Second, a black haired dictionary works wonders. \*\* Dang, I have no idea what either of these means. Was I wrong about “xiang4”? I’m not trying to impress anybody (and with my, ahem, command of Chinese, that’s a good thing). I was just trying to take some of the load off of you. 😉 I would say “di-syllableizing” but that’s not a word either. 🙂 Trying to learn Chinese from a dictionary is…well…challenging. There just ain’t no 1-to-1 correspondence. Why would I want one with black hair? PS Do you know where the park is in Beijing where there is a special corner devoted to practicing your English? I figure if I let someone practice English on me I might be able to practice my terrible Mandarin on them. We’ll be there on Sept. 9th. ---
**Author:** ![sotally\_tober](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/46a35a/32.png) [@sotally\_tober](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sotally_tober)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-really-learn-chinese-at-home-from-books-and-tapes/198031/22 "2003-08-30T10:26:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by NoCoolUserName \* > \*\*Trying to learn Chinese from a dictionary is…well…challenging. There just ain’t no 1-to-1 correspondence. Why would I want one with black hair? > \*\* I think he probably means: get yourself a chinese girlfriend or close friend, with whom you practise on. I grew up speaking chinese and english, so i’m fluent in both. Well, i think chinese is one of the harder languages to learn, because of all the idiomatic phrases. (I’m not sure if one can understand the meaning of eg. hua4 long2 dian3 jing1 without going through the whole business of picking up chinese tradition, culture, etc.) You probably should listen to chinese radio or something (there should be one you can tune in to, with digital radio?); it’s a better alternative than being in China. Immersing yourself in the language is probably the best way to pick it up. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-really-learn-chinese-at-home-from-books-and-tapes/198031/23 "2003-08-30T14:21:18Z")
Sheesh. Gotta post when I’m awake. Of course, black-haired dictionary. Whatta dummy I yam. For those of you playing along at home, my dictionary (Palm based, no hair) says that hua4long2dian3jing1 = “put the finishing rouches to a piece of writing.” And I’m not as think as you drunk I am. ---
**Author:** ![WhatMeCare2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cdc98d/32.png) [@WhatMeCare2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhatMeCare2)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-really-learn-chinese-at-home-from-books-and-tapes/198031/24 "2003-08-30T14:29:55Z")
Seriously doubt it. What you need is a mail-order chinese sex slave, sure he could help you. ---
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2003, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-really-learn-chinese-at-home-from-books-and-tapes/198031/25 "2003-08-30T15:16:44Z")
My other dictionary (which I just had to reinstall because of a hard disk crash :() says: hua4long2dian3jing1: 1)add touches that bring a work of art to life 2)add a word or two to clinch point My wife would not approve of a mail-order Chinese anybody, so that’s out for me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-really-learn-chinese-at-home-from-books-and-tapes/198031.md?page=1)