Asking direction is very important in foreign country; if you don’t want to get lost, let’s learn this Chinese sentence – How to say ” At this intersection, you can only turn left” in Chinese: 在这个十字路口，你只能往左拐。 Zai4 zhe4 ge5 shi2 zi4 lu4 kou3, ni3 zhi3 neng2 wang3 zuo3 guai3. Zai4 (在 preposition word, at) zhe4 (这 pronoun, this) ge5 (个 general measure word) shi2 zi4 (十字 character ten) lu4 kou3 (路口 noun, intersection), ni3 (你 pronoun, you) zhi3 (只 adverb, only) neng2 (能 verb, can) wang3 (往 preposition word, toward or in the direction of) zuo3 (左 noun, direction word for left) guai3 (拐 verb, turn).
For the verb 拐 guai3, you can also replace it with 转 zhuan3. For the word quai3, there is a phrase called 拐杖 guai3 zhang4 (noun, cane). The candy cane in Chinese, we call it guai3 zhang4 tang2 拐杖糖.
十字路口 : A place where things intersect, especially a place where two or more roads cross. Metaphorically speaking, it can be used to refer to the time that you have to make not so easy choices. For example, we can say there are a lot of intersection ins life. 人生有很多十字路口。ren2 sheng1 you3 hen3 duo2 shi2 zi4 lu4 kou3. For example, which colleges you should go, which person you should marry and which job you should quit. Life is not easy, isn’t it? When you got stuck at making a decision, you need to wisely choose. For choose, you can use 选择 xuan3 ze2 or 抉择 jue2 ze2. (jue2 ze2 is a more classic word, and usually refer to more severe choice to make).
For the Cross — the upright post with a transverse piece upon which Jesus was crucified — we call it shi2 zi4 jia4 十字架.
This is an asking direction video – it tells you how to say – May I ask where the restroom is? and May I ask how to get to the restroom?
Listen to this classic Chinese song by Cai Qin 蔡琴, it is called Choice 抉择 jue2 ze2. The translation will come soon, I hope:)