I forget

Wo wanji le (is that right?).

How do you say, “I can’t write Chinese”? Is it “Wo buhai xie zhongwen” or is it something more like "I can’t write Chinese characters? Is “Chinese characters” “zi”? Do I have to say, “Wo bu tai huai…” or something?

Also, what is 文? Or what is 中文? I’m pretty sure 中 is “zhong”.

No, but you’re close. Wo3 wang4ji4 le. Or just wo3 wang4le.

Wo3 bu2hui4 xie3 zhong1wen2 (zi4).

Zi4. Gotta focus on the tones, ya know.

[quote]Do I have to say, “Wo bu tai huai…” or something?
[/quote]

If you add tai4, that implies you have only limited ability.

文 wen2 is language; 中文 zhong1wen2 is the Chinese language.

No, but you’re close. Wo3 wang4ji4 le. Or just wo3 wang4le.

Wo3 bu2hui4 xie3 zhong1wen2 (zi4).

Zi4. Gotta focus on the tones, ya know.

[quote]Do I have to say, “Wo bu tai huai…” or something?
[/quote]

If you add tai4, that implies you have only limited ability.

文 wen2 is language; 中文 zhong1wen2 is the Chinese language.[/quote]

Thanks.

Also it’s “hui4” not “huai4”. “Huai4” could be “broken” or “bad” but in any event does not make sense in this sentence.

I’m pretty bad with tones. =(

If you ask if zi is chinese characters, zi is general for characters. Zhong wen zhi is chinese characters/letters ying wen zi is english letters.

Zi or zhi?

zi4

101 signs you’ve been in Taiwan far too long mark xxxxxx . . . . .

When you don’t know your zhi from your zi, or shi from your si. I’m always getting caned by my mainland colleagues for that glaring sloppiness. To think, I once had marbles in my mouth when I spoke Mandarin.

HG