Slang: Don't release my dove!

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No matter what language your speaking, being stood up is never fun. But at least the Chinese slang for being stood up is easy to remember. For one reason or another "release my dove" or 放我鴿子／放我鸽子 (fàng wǒ gē zi) has taken on this meaning.

Here in Taiwan, I often hear the phrase 别放我鴿子 used as a joking phrase used among friends who are going to meet up later. However, if someone actually does stand you up it can be used as well.

Regardless of the origin this slang certainly beats saying 爽約/爽约 (shuǎng yuē ) the more literary term of breaking an appointment.

Some members of the Baidu also say the term describes someone who simply doesn't respect promises, but I still reckon that 90% of the time I've seen or heard it used among friends, in the media, or in books, it is talking about someone skipping out on a meeting/ date.

Next time you're making a date with a friend, be sure to remind them not to release your dove!

Writing Assignment: Week 1 （新年願望）

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As mentioned in my previous post, I've decide to turn my goals into a plan of action. Since one of my plans was to write a weekly journal entry, my first post reflects on that idea and trys to capture some of my thoughts in Chinese. Any comments or criticisms are welcome, the purpose of these posts are keep my goals (and plan) public, while also improving my Chinese writing over the course of the year. In the interest of keeping this blog dedicated to learning Chinese, I've also included a selected vocabulary list below. 

Enjoy!

新年伊始，許多人就迫不及待地宣布自己的新年願望。有的人宣布為了減肥要天天運動，有的人要開始學習一門新外語，有的人要戒煙，但是一旦遇到困難，他們就會放棄。就這些人而言，這些新年願望，只是口頭上說說而已，並不是一種真的可以實現的願望。如果有人對我說這種崇高的願望，就對他所說的感到有些疑惑。經驗告訴我，這些願望太高遠，而很有虛偽的意味。宣布者之所以不知道如何達到願望，是因為他們實際上沒什麼計劃。對此，我深有體會。今年我的新年願望和往常一 樣，但我沒有採取實際的計劃與行動。因此，我們得淘汰這些空白的願望，只有穩定的計劃，才能達到我們所要的願望。

怎麼樣的計劃呢？這些計劃應該循序漸進，應該漸漸的呈現。要讓自己每天都有成就感，而不是挫敗感。如果我們真的要減肥，那我們冰箱裡所有的東西應該對身體 健康。此外要對自己每天，每個月有明顯的計劃。我們這樣才不會⎡無所謂⎦地過日子。我現在對自己不能接受失敗，因為我今後制訂了一個計劃，這樣我所有的進步都會從比較出來的。

你自己擁有的到底是個願望還是一個計劃呢？這兩個之間的差別可很大，而且只有一個會讓你成功。

1. 伊始 (yīshǐ n. 〈wr.〉 ①beginning ②from this time forth)

2. 迫不及待 (pòbùjídài f.e. ①too impatient to wait ②urgent)

3. 願望 (yuànwàng* n. desire; wish; aspiration)

4. 崇高 (chónggāo s.v. lofty; sublime)

5. 疑惑 (yíhuò* n./v. ①be perplexed/uncertain ②doubt)

6. 虛偽 (xūwěi* s.v. sham; false; hypocritical)

7. 循序漸進 (xúnxù jiànjìn v.p. proceed step by step)

8. 呈現 (chéngxiàn* v. present; appear; emerge)

9. 擁有 (yōngyǒu v. possess; have; own)