Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Chinese term or phrase:
Ａ裡有Ｂ。︱Ａ有Ｂ。
English translation:
There (is/are) B in A
Added to glossary by
Roddy Stegemann
Dec 14, 2006 23:55
17 yrs ago
Chinese term
United States
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Native in: English 
Works in: German to English, Japanese to English, French to English, and 3 more.
Ａ裡有Ｂ。︱Ａ有Ｂ。
Non-PRO
Chinese to English
Social Sciences
Linguistics
Grammatical Analysis
Question: Please compare the following two sentences and answer the following questions:
1) 警察局裡有我幾位朋友。
2) 警察局有我幾位朋友。
Question One: Is the second sentence meaningful in Chinese? If so, please answer Question Two. If not, there is no need for further response.
Question Two: Does the second sentence mean that the station has in its custody some of my friends? If not, how would you translate it into English?
Please see http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1680450 for further reference.
Warning: In order to provide ProZ.com users with the best glossary entries possible, more than one question for the same entry will be asked from time to time. Please keep in mind when responding that you will be graded on your responses to ALL questions asked.
1) 警察局裡有我幾位朋友。
2) 警察局有我幾位朋友。
Question One: Is the second sentence meaningful in Chinese? If so, please answer Question Two. If not, there is no need for further response.
Question Two: Does the second sentence mean that the station has in its custody some of my friends? If not, how would you translate it into English?
Please see http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1680450 for further reference.
Warning: In order to provide ProZ.com users with the best glossary entries possible, more than one question for the same entry will be asked from time to time. Please keep in mind when responding that you will be graded on your responses to ALL questions asked.
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +1 | There is/are B in A |
wherestip
|
Proposed translations
+1
13 hrs
Selected
There is/are B in A
In this instance both sentences are correct and mean the same thing.
The 2nd sentence is more colloquial than the 1st.
Some other examples:
市委里有分歧 There are differences of opinions in the City Council
市委有分歧
这房间里有人 There's someone in this room
这房间有人
But in some cases without 里、中、上 etc the sentence cannot be completed. For example:
地里有庄稼 There are crops in the field
空中有只雄鹰 There's an eagle in the sky
As for your second question, you have to check the context. With a standalone sentence as given, you cannot rule out the slim possibility that the friends in question are in custody instead of working there as employees.
But typically, when someone says 公安部有我的熟人 or better yet 我在公安部有熟人, he means that he has aquaintances in high places.
To convey that one's friends are in custody, one could be more specific and say:
我有几位朋友被拘留在警察局里
I hope I didn't open more cans of worms. ;-)
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Note added at 1 day16 hrs (2006-12-16 16:17:28 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
to correct a typo: acquaintance
The 2nd sentence is more colloquial than the 1st.
Some other examples:
市委里有分歧 There are differences of opinions in the City Council
市委有分歧
这房间里有人 There's someone in this room
这房间有人
But in some cases without 里、中、上 etc the sentence cannot be completed. For example:
地里有庄稼 There are crops in the field
空中有只雄鹰 There's an eagle in the sky
As for your second question, you have to check the context. With a standalone sentence as given, you cannot rule out the slim possibility that the friends in question are in custody instead of working there as employees.
But typically, when someone says 公安部有我的熟人 or better yet 我在公安部有熟人, he means that he has aquaintances in high places.
To convey that one's friends are in custody, one could be more specific and say:
我有几位朋友被拘留在警察局里
I hope I didn't open more cans of worms. ;-)
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day16 hrs (2006-12-16 16:17:28 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
to correct a typo: acquaintance
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Final Rendering: In the police station there are a large number of leather coats, bags, belts, and other stolen articles recovered from thieves.
Acknowledgment: I agree with PK, this is a clear winner. No, wherestip, you did not confuse me at all; rather, you taught me that words like Ａ裡 and Ｂ中 can be treated as compound nouns, and that no 的 is required between them.
Thanks, PK for your support. I can tell that you are no longer angry with me. You are a native Hong Konger, are you not?
Discussion: Please see http://homepage.mac.com/moogoonghwa/tsongkit/part3/III-4-g.html#s3 for further discussion regarding the context of this question.
My very best from the land of no mountains surrounded by sea on many sides.
"
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