Tag Archives: #language

Cottonwood

Posted on April 6, 2018 by d4vid

It has taken me way too long to figure this out.  The Alamo means “The Cottonwood.”  Los Alamos means “The Cottonwoods.”  Alamogordo means “Fat Cottonwood.”

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King

Posted on March 31, 2018 by d4vid

Visited Graceland.  Across the street from the mansion itself is a museum complex celebrating Elvis’s music career, film career, car collection, and plane collection.  And, no, despite the bombardment of Elvis songs from every direction, I couldn’t get Paul Simon … Continue reading →

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Potbelly

Posted on March 24, 2018 by d4vid

I stumbled into D.C.’s Chinatown and was able to translate the characters written in gold on the entrance arch, even though they were written in traditional characters and right-to-left.  It says…Chinatown. As a bonus, I learned the Chinese characters for … Continue reading →

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Ikigai

Posted on February 24, 2018 by d4vid

I’m astonished I’ve never run into this Japanese word before:  ikigai.

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Delight

Posted on November 5, 2017 by d4vid

In reevaluating what I value in life, I keep coming back to how important I find the concept of delight. “Delight” and “delectation” both come to us from the Latin word delectare meaning “to charm.”  So, there’s that important connotation of … Continue reading →

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Desire

Posted on October 18, 2017 by d4vid

When the facilitator at one of the support groups I attend mentioned a Buddhist recovery meditation program, I pushed back because I’ve always been a little wary of Buddhism.  Follow my thinking. Buddhism’s Four Nobles Truths are (loosely): Life is full … Continue reading →

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Interesting

Posted on September 21, 2017 by d4vid

In Mandarin, 意思 (yìsi) means “meaning.”  有意思 (yǒuyìsi) means “interesting” or “significant” but literally means “has meaning.”

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Hometown

Posted on April 13, 2017 by d4vid

This is looking back at Burbank and the Verdugo Hills as seen from the top of the Universal Studios parking structure. One of the words for “hometown,” 老家 (lǎojiā), literally means “old family.”

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Carbon

Posted on April 10, 2017 by d4vid

I still had some charcoal hand soap I had bought at the Shaanxi Dr. CitySuper.  I took this (potato quality) picture before the character washed away.  炭 (tàn) means “carbon” as in “coal”. 山 (shān) means “mountain.”  灰 (huī, meaning “ash”) is … Continue reading →

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Seal

Posted on February 24, 2017 by d4vid

At my farewell party at ODW, my Chinese teacher Li Jie and everyone gave me this Chinese seal with my Chinese name:  大卫杨 (Dàwèi Yáng)   One of the greatest gifts I have ever received.

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Autonyms

Posted on February 23, 2017 by d4vid

The Chinese usually choose their own Western name (unless family give them one when they’re little or foreign friends christen them with a nickname or something.) Some just pick something normal:  Andrew, Carol, Frank, Stephanie, Alex.  Others prefer something that … Continue reading →

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Toponyms II

Posted on February 22, 2017 by d4vid

One of my favorite parts of the urban planning museum was a sleepy exhibit on one of my favorite things:  toponyms! My first visit to Shanghai back in 2013, I exhausted my Chinese coworkers by constantly asking them what every … Continue reading →

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Ambush

Posted on February 19, 2017 by d4vid

Some public places in China have an “English Corner” where people come to practice their English skills. I inadvertently stumbled on Hangzhou’s English Corner. I was ambushed by a dozen Hangzhou residents who wanted to talk.  Don’t want to get … Continue reading →

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Matchmaking

Posted on February 18, 2017 by d4vid

黄龙洞 (Huánglóng Dòng meaning “Yellow Dragon Cave”) was quiet, peaceful, and the highlight of my trip to Hangzhou. Beauty.  Serenity.   However, my serenity was (briefly) interrupted.  I sat in a pavilion overlooking this path and watched for forty minutes as … Continue reading →

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Crossroads

Posted on February 18, 2017 by d4vid

Eventually, everyone comes to a crossroads.  Do you go down to the Yellow Dragon Cave?  Or up the Heavenly Stairs?  Turn to the Golden Drum Cave or turn to the Tiger Cave? Or use the restroom.

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