Some of my foreign friends have expressed interest in learning Chinese recently. Hence, when I came across 潜移默化 (qián yí mò huà) in a book, I knew that I had to spend the time needed to introduce them to this idiom because these four characters showcase the crystallisation of 5000 years of Chinese wisdom.
潜 means "hidden" and 移 (yí) means "to shift". Hence, when paired together, they refer to changes that may not be in-your-face conspicuous or visible. Then, 默 (mò) means "quiet" and 化 (huà) means "to change". It sounds similar to 潜移 but the focus here is on the gradual pace of change, much like a caterpillar metamorphosing into a butterfly.
When we combine these two pairs of words, 潜移默化 (qián yí mò huà) describes a transformation that is subtle and gradual. It is often used to describe how one’s behaviours change over time due to external factors like his environment.
You can infer why I like this idiom so much from the sentences I picked it up from:
  1. 将这些习惯在平时运用,潜移默化中, 你干工作也会更加得心应手. When you apply these habits in your daily life, they will be assimilated into your being and help you do work more effectively.
  2. 优秀已经潜移默化地成了你的特质。Quality has become your unique trait without you even realising it.
I'm ready to learn. How do we praxtice? I guess we first install a Chinese keyboard?
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That, or you can ask Gen AI to translate your words haha.
What would you like to learn? Everyday phrases or idioms that you won’t use in conversation but could be linked to Bitcoin because of the spirit of the words?
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I personally much prefer examples just like this one
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I have no preference I guess we should start with the basics?
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Very generous from you to share the zaps, I'm still giving you 200sts, I appreciate you took the time to make this
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It’s all right! I read somewhere that you get 50% of your daily expenses from SN? Keep the sats for yourself!
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I really appreciate the gesture my sensei :) Don't worry, I don't have to cover my expenses from SN (thank god!). I reported once that gains allowed me to do so for a couple of days, which is impressive, but that was it!
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Oh my, such a poem with so little, I loved it sensei, mesmerizing as the complexity that emerges from the simplest fractal composition. I see the possibilities with this example, to think in therms of Chinese as the core thought from which branches emerge into more concrete, but increasingly distinct expressions, indistinct the more we go back to the core. Beautiful my sensei, I loved it, please bring us more examples as this, it's a pleasure to read
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I’m glad you enjoyed it!
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According to me Chinese is a very difficult language. I guess, I can't learn it.
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What Indian language do you speak? I’m sure it’s difficult for me as well
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What Indian language do you speak?
Hindi
Ok I would also like to learn Chinese.
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I'm in! I'd learn it from beginning.
I've listened that Chinese has a full truck load of letters. Please start our class with them! Think us like little kids!
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Wonderful.
Chineese is written left to right?
We inherently like this because it's natural to think and communicate in images, instead of words. Sounds like poetry
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Yes, left to right, just like in English.
However, @Oxbitcoiner is right too. Sometimes, the author chooses to write from top to bottom. This is especially so when you watch Chinese martial arts shows, in which the sect founders document their skills on books:
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I think it's from right to left and from top to bottom. Maybe there are a few exceptions.
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29 sats \ 5 replies \ @senf 9 Jul
I think that's Japanese. Chinese is still left to right.
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we 👏 live 👏 in 👏 the 👏 era 👏 of 👏 google 👏
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plus AI LLM
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is chineese written left to right? Venice.ai: No, Chinese is not typically written from left to right. Chinese characters are written in a variety of directions, depending on the shape of the character and the context. The most common directions are from top to bottom, then from left to right, but some characters may be written vertically from top to bottom, or in a zigzag pattern. This is because Chinese characters are logographic, meaning each character represents a word or idea rather than a sound, and their shapes and orientations have historical and artistic significance.
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I think this AI misunderstood the prompt!
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Great attempt!
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