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06/16/11
Hitting the big Wu Ling
Filed under: General
Posted by: @ 7:37 am

Hitting the big Wu –Ling

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OK.

Last weekend, I got the privilege to celebrate my 50th birthday. Most of my milestone birthdays, another milestone birthday.

Not just making it up the hill, learning to count that high in Chinese.

Numbers, whether the big wu ling or zero, don’t translate

Along with the Chinese pronunciation, there is a Chinese character. Local markets do not use the 1,2, 3, 4,5 that Big Bird and Ernie taught us on Sesame Street,  but the characters below.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

 

 So everything in a Chinese 99 cent store is .

Trust me, even the simplified Chinese characters aren’t so simple.  Zero, or ling, is the most complicated of all. 零

Four, if you mispronounce it, means death. That is why phone numbers that contain a lot of fours are inexpensive. On the other hand, 8 or Bahhhh (like the sheep) is a lucky number. Chinese pay a premium on cell phone numbers that sound a lot like Mary’s Lil’ lamg.

You’d think hand gestures would help you out, but forget it.  One index finger up means one, bunny ears means two, but once you start using the second hand, things get a little crazy.

Six looks like a surfer’s hang loose sign, seven looks like a shadow picture of a decrepit one ear bunny, and eight looks like you just ate a bowl of chili and want someone to pull your finger. 

Check out all of the hand gestures below.

http://www.my-new-chinese-love.com/counting-in-chinese.html

So, that’s why turning big wu ling in china a big accomplishment.

2 Responses to “Hitting the big Wu Ling”

  1. Jeff Says:
    June 16th, 2011 at 6:20 pm Happy 50th. Without a doubt it will be very bahhh!
  2. Jasna Reitz Says:
    June 23rd, 2011 at 4:02 pm GINGER! Hey friend! So Good to get your e-mail!! and congratulations on turning 50!!!! I too think of Moe often and that she died at that milestone…. as I am nearing it myself… :) Great for you to be where you are in life doing what you are doing…. My sister is a buddist nun living in Sikkim India, so following your lifes callings run in my family as well! I will probably visit her later this year! I think we were very blessed early in life to have the experiences we had in advertising. I think it gave us the perspective to know what is REALLY important, and what… isn’t. Boy it was fun though… I do miss you and bruce and dan, and that whole group that worked under Moe. There was something special there. Good Karma. Wheaties, Yoplait, Hamburger Helper, General Mills, etc… I will look forward to reading your blog! I always admired the fact, that you give of yourself Ginger. Whether inner city kids, Prison Inmates, or overseas…. Your a good force in this world. I do hope our paths will cross again soon! Cyber Technology is an amazing thing!! All kinds of DDBiets are on there, so you can hear what Fran Kras, Lorra Rudman, Christy McMahon, Dan Renaud, etc… are doing all the time… I actually met Christy at a shoot in Zionsville last fall! She looks Great! and has lost a ton of weight. It was good catching up with her. Kim Wright got fired, and is now working at Leo Burnett, and loving it! So time marches on. I work at a Horticultural Center doing merchandising displays and consulting on advertising.. for $15 an Hour!!! Yikes, but fun…. Hard to believe the money we made back when. Anyhow would love to hear more from you. Will read your Blog, Hope you are safe and well in CHINA! They are on their way to taking over the world, so you are most likely in the right place at the right time…!!! Miss you Ging, Jasna!

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