Beschrijving
Jesse Edbrooke was told there was a gig tonight, 今天晚上 (jīn tiān wǎn shàng), at a place he had never heard of. He arrived to find a rooftop above the coast, fifty people on reclining sofas, fires burning, stars overhead, and the sound of the ocean behind the music. That night became the song 今天晚上 (Tonight). In Chinese, today, tomorrow, and yesterday are built from just two characters repeated in three combinations: 天 (tiān) is both sky and day, because the ancient Chinese measured time by watching the sun and moon cross it. 今 (jīn) is present, a character that once depicted a shadow under a roof. 明 (míng) is brightness, the sun 日 (rì) and moon 月 (yuè) together, which is also tomorrow: one day and one night later. And 昨 (zuó) is yesterday: the sun, and suddenly, it was gone.
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*⏰ TIMESTAMPS:*
0:00 - Introducing Jesse Edbrooke and the words for today, tomorrow, yesterday
1:00 - 天 (tiān): sky and day, and why the two meanings are the same thing
1:45 - 今天 (jīn tiān): today, and the shadow under the roof
2:30 - 明天 (míng tiān): tomorrow, the sun and moon together
3:15 - 昨天 (zuó tiān): yesterday, the sun and suddenly
4:00 - 今年 (jīn nián), 明年 (míng nián), 去年 (qù nián): this year, next year, last year
5:00 - Jesse on the rooftop gig that inspired the song 今天晚上
In Chinese, tomorrow is written with the sun and the moon side by side. The character for brightness became the character for the next day, because tomorrow is always one full cycle of light and dark away.
*📖 KEY VOCABULARY:*
Today Tomorrow Yesterday: 今天 明天 昨天 (jīn tiān, míng tiān, zuó tiān)
Day: 天 (tiān)
Present, current: 今 (jīn)
Afternoon: 下午 (xià wǔ)
Down: 下 (xià)
Noon: 午 (wǔ)
This afternoon: 今天下午 (jīn tiān xià wǔ)
Bright: 明 (míng)
Previously: 昨 (zuó)
Year: 年 (nián)
This year: 今年 (jīn nián)
Last year: 去年 (qù nián)
Next year: 明年 (míng nián)
To go: 去 (qù)
Morning: 早上 (zǎo shàng)
This morning: 今天早上 (jīn tiān zǎo shàng)
Yesterday morning: 昨天早上 (zuó tiān zǎo shàng)
Tomorrow morning: 明天早上 (míng tiān zǎo shàng)
Evening: 晚上 (wǎn shàng)
Tonight: 今天晚上 (jīn tiān wǎn shàng)
Tonight (short form): 今晚 (jīn wǎn)
Tomorrow night: 明天晚上 (míng tiān wǎn shàng)
Tomorrow night (short form): 明晚 (míng wǎn)
*👤 ABOUT THE GUEST:*
Jesse is the guitarist and singer in Transition 前進樂團, the first British band nominated for a Golden Indie award in Taiwan. He has toured the Far East for over 10 years and produces music for major Mandarin artists like Golden Melody winner Wing 羅文裕.
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Talk Chineasy is a daily podcast hosted by ShaoLan, creator of the award-winning Chineasy method featured on TED. In each 7-minute episode, ShaoLan and a guest explore Chinese characters, culture, and language through stories that make Mandarin unforgettable. 300+ episodes available.
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