Note: The spoken Chinese Mandarin language has 4 spoken tones.
We have attempted to re-create those below
where after each syllable we tell you (1),
(2), (3), or (4) as they correspond to each
of the 4 tones. We encourage you to complement
your Xianzai.com Emergency Chinese newsletter
with a good offline study program.
NEW
WORDS
(1) Apartment: gong(1) yu(4)
(2) Rent / Lease: zu(1) / zu(1) jie(4)
(3) Contract: he(2) tong
(4) Bond: bao(3) zheng(4) jin(1)
(5) Bedrooms: wo(4) shi(3)
LESSON
- I would like to look for a new apartment.
wo(3) xiang(3) zhao(3) yi(2) jian(1) xin(1)
de gong(1) yu(4).
- How much is the rent per month?
mei(3) ge(4) yue(4) de zu(1) jin(1) shi(4)
duo(1) shao(3)?
- How many months' bond should I pay?
wo(3) ying(1) gai(1) jiao(1) ji(3) ge(4)
yue(4) de bao(3) zheng(4) jin(1)?
- Is the apartment one or two bedrooms?
gong(1) yu(4) li(3) you(3) yi(2) ge(4) wo(4)
shi(3) hai(2) shi(4) liang(3) ge(4)?
* Tip: If you are coming to China for
a short stay, hotels or serviced apartments
remain the best option. China's larger cities
boast all of the world's major hotel chains
and offer accommodation ranging from three to
six stars.
For those looking to stay longer (and who wouldn't
given the excitement of the 2008 Olympics and
China's upcoming entry to the WTO), renting
an apartment may be the best option. As with
any other major world city, Beijing, Shanghai,
Shenzhen and Guangzhou have apartments available
to suit any budget and taste.
Some cities enforce the policy that only
allows foreigners to live in 'approved' (read
'expensive') apartments, but from time to
time, authorities have been known to turn
a blind eye.
Rents and apartment quality in China's major
cities are comparable to New York, London,
Sydney or Toronto and most owners will ask
for three months' rent as a bond and one month
rent in advance.
