Your Local Lingo Guide to Chiming in About Beijing's Brick Wars

In the lead up to our Mandarin Month mixer on June 24, where you'll be able to meet with Beijing's best Mandarin schools, we'll be dishing out some language-learning advice on a daily basis. Read on if you don't want to wait to get started on improving your 中文. Mandarin Month is sponsored by Sanfine International Hospital.

Waves of destruction, ensuing clamors of exasperation, and bouts of depression were the common themes among the international community of Beijing and have been the special feature over the last several months. The Great Wall of Beijing continues to ravage our favorite haunts, which are tumbling like Humpty Dumpty. But we have a way of fighting back – well, of airing your grievances in any case.

Whether you find yourself in a heated debate with a district official about how the very essence of your hood is being ripped to shreds, or you want to stick it to those snobs who think another shopping center is better than those poor-looking hutongs, then look no further. Below we have compiled a selection of phrases that will help chime in when any conversation about Beijing’s Brick Wars or the official phrase 开墙打洞 (kāi qiáng dǎ dòng) to get going ...

Any bar you ever frequented: “So, where is your new location going to be?”
去所有你常去的酒吧时问：“那你们的新店会在哪里？”
Qù suǒyǒu nǐ chángqù de jiǔbā shí wèn:“Nà nǐmen de xīndiàn huì zài nǎlǐ?”

Why are you foreigners all so upset about a couple of dirty hutongs being made nice and shiny – they look poor, it’s embarrassing.
一些乱七八糟的胡同被整理得干净又漂亮，你们外国人有什么好难过的？之前看起来又乱又难看。
Yīxiē luànqībāzāo de hútòng bèi zhěnglǐ dé gànjìng yòu piāoliàng, nǐmen wàiguórén yǒu shén me hǎo nánguò de? Zhīqián kànqǐlái yòu luàn yòu nánkān.

Is this hutong going to make way for a Wanda or a Kaide Mall?
这个胡同被拆了之后会建一个万达购物中心还是凯德Mall？
Zhège hútòng bèi chai le zhīhòu huì jiàn yīgè wàndá gòuwù zhòngxīn háishì kǎidé Mall?

What are those 10 stacks of bricks doing stacked by the roadside?
为什么路边放了这十堆砖？
Wèishénme lùbiān fangle zhè shíduī zhuān?

How long does it take to tear down the west side of bar street? Less than 48 hours.
拆掉酒吧街的西侧需要多长时间？不超过48个小时 。
Chāidiào jiǔbajiē de xīcè xūyào duōzháng shíjiān? Bú chāoguò 48 ge xiǎoshí.

When your choice is having guests enter through your toilet or calling it day, it’s an easy choice to make. Goodbye, Más!
如果你有两个选择，一个是让顾客通过厕所近你的酒吧，另一个是让事情就这么结束了，这个决定很容易。再见，满室酒吧。
Rúguǒ nǐ yǒu liǎnggè xuǎnzé, yīgè shì rànggù kètōng guò cèsuǒ jìn nǐde jiǔbā, ling yīgè shì ràng shìqíng jiù zhème jiéshùle, zhègè juédìng hěn róngyì. Zàijiàn, mǎn shìjiǔbā.

The best strategy to deal with overcrowding is to enforce the rules you told no one existed.
处理人口过密最好的方法就是实施那些从未下达过的规则。
Chǔlǐ rénkǒu guòmì zuì hǎo de fāngfǎ jiùshì shíshī nàxiē cóng wèi xiàdá guò de guīzé.

That feeling of satisfaction when they bricked up the entry to your local corner shop and they simply continue selling wares through their window.
世界上最让人满意的事就是看到你常去的小卖部门店被封了之后，他们直接从窗户继续卖货。
Shìjièshàng zuì rangrén mǎnyì de shì jiùshì kàndào nǐ chángqù de xiǎomàibù méndiàn bèifēng liǎo zhīhòu, tāmen zhíjiē cóng chuāng hù jìxù màihuò.

If you are interested in becoming an exhibitor at our Mandarin Month Mixer on June 24, please call 5941 0368 or email [e-mail]. For media partnership opportunities, please call 5941 5379 or email [e-mail].

Photo: Margaux Schreurs

---

Top Stories This Week:

Beijingers Are Buzzing About: