Etched softly, archived slowly.

Learning languages one whisper at a time. Currently studying Mandarin Chinese. Future goals: whatever will bewilder me.

[cosmonautistic]

Я совершенно другой I am completely different

Чудовищный облик A monstrous form

Набухшие вены Swollen veins

Убогий изгой A wretched outcast

Убогий изгой A wretched outcast

Терзаю на части костлявое тело Tearing a skeletal body limb from limb

Прочь из моей головы Get out of my head

Шум голосов, и все не мои The noise of voices—none of them mine

И все не мои None of them are mine

Прочь из моей головы Get out of my head

Грязная тварь сидит на цепи A filthy creature sits on a chain

Сидит на цепи Sits on a chain

Я совершенно чужой I am completely alien

Питаюсь мучениями жертвенной плоти Feeding on the torment of sacrificial flesh

Под мёрзлой землёй Beneath the frozen earth

Под мёрзлой землёй Beneath the frozen earth

Гниющей в коробке забитой на гвозди Rotting in a box nailed shut

Прочь из моей головы Get out of my head

Шум голосов, и все не мои The noise of voices—none of them mine

И все не мои None of them are mine

Прочь из моей головы Get out of my head

Грязная тварь сидит на цепи A filthy creature sits on a chain

Сидит на цепи Sits on a chain

Из моей головы прочь Out of my head — get out

Из моей головы прочь Out of my head — get out

Из моей головы прочь Out of my head — get out

Из моей головы прочь Out of my head — get out

[cosmonautistic]

Эти зимние слёзы, а-а-а (x3) Eti zimniye slozy, a-a-a These winter tears ah-ah-ah A-a-a~~~~~

Чем-то тёплым глаза кровоточат Chem-to toplym glaza krovotochat My eyes bleed with something warm

Разогрей мою ладонь Razogrey moyu ladon' Warm up my palm

Я же знаю, что ничего не хочешь YA zhe znayu, chto nichego ne khochesh' I know you don't want anything

Хочешь, остановит холод боль Khochesh', ostanovit kholod bol' You want the cold to stop the pain А-а-а~~~~

Чем-то тёплым глаза кровоточат Chem-to toplym glaza krovotochat My eyes bleed with something warm

Разогрей мою ладонь Razogrey moyu ladon' Warm up my palm

Я же знаю, что ничего не хочешь YA zhe znayu, chto nichego ne khochesh' I know you don't want anything

Хочешь, остановит холод боль Khochesh', ostanovit kholod bol' You want the cold to stop the pain

Эти зимние слёзы (x4) Eti zimniye slozy These winter tears А-а-а~~~

Чем-то тёплым глаза кровоточат Chem-to toplym glaza krovotochat My eyes bleed with something warm

Разогрей мою ладонь Razogrey moyu ladon' Warm up my palm

Я же знаю, что ничего не хочешь YA zhe znayu, chto nichego ne khochesh' I know you don't want anything

Хочешь, остановит холод боль Khochesh', ostanovit kholod bol' You want the cold to stop the pain А-а-a~~~~~

Эти зимние слёзы, а-а-а (x4) Eti zimniye slozy, a-a-a These winter tears

А-а-а~

[cosmonautistic]

Прыгай за мной Prygai za mnoi Jump after me

Социальное дно уже близко Sotsialnoye dno uzhe blizko Social rock bottom is near

Давай с головой Davai s golovoi Come on, head first

Отменяй таксиста, нам не нужно больше домой Otmenyai taksista, nam ne nuzhno bolshe domoi Cancel the taxi driver, we don't need to go home anymore

Прыгай за мной Prygai za mnoi Jump after me

Социальное дно уже близко Sotsialnoye dno uzhe blizko Social rock bottom is near

Давай с головой Davai s golovoi Come on, head first

Отменяй таксиста, нам не нужно больше домой Otmenyai taksista, nam ne nuzhno bolshe domoi Cancel the taxi driver, we don't need to go home anymore

Прыгай за мной Prygai za mnoi Jump after me

Социальное дно уже близко Sotsialnoye dno uzhe blizko Social rock bottom is near

Давай с головой Davai s golovoi Come on, head first

Отменяй таксиста, нам не нужно больше домой Otmenyai taksista, nam ne nuzhno bolshe domoi Cancel the taxi driver, we don't need to go home anymore

Прыгай за мной Prygai za mnoi Jump after me

Социальное дно уже близко Sotsialnoye dno uzhe blizko Social rock bottom is near

Давай с головой Davai s golovoi Come on, head first

Отменяй таксиста, нам не нужно больше домой Otmenyai taksista, nam ne nuzhno bolshe domoi Cancel the taxi driver, we don't need to go home anymore

Прыгай за мной Prygai za mnoi Jump after me

[whisperglyph]

Социальное дно уже близко Soh-tsee-AHL-noh-yeh dnoh oo-ZHEH BLEEZ-koh Social rock bottom is near

Давай с головой Dah-VYE s goh-loh-VOY Come on, head first

[cosmonautistic]

Прямо я, прямо я, прямо я чувствую, как нужно Pryamo ya, pryamo ya, pryamo ya chuvstvuyu, kak nuzhno Right now I, right now I, right now I feel how it needs to be

Чтобы стало хуже Chtoby stalo khuzhe For things to get worse

Чтобы стало так, чтобы чувствовался мрак Chtoby stalo tak, chtoby chuvstvovalsya mrak So that it becomes so—so that the gloom is felt.

Чтобы всё вокруг звенело от панических атак Chtoby vsyo vokrug zvenelo ot panicheskikh atak So that everything around rings with panic attacks.

Чтобы стало… Chtoby stalo… So that it becomes…

Чтобы стало так, чтобы чувствовался мрак Chtoby stalo tak, chtoby chuvstvovalsya mrak So that it becomes so—so that the gloom is felt.

Чтобы всё вокруг звенело от панических атак Chtoby vsyo vokrug zvenelo ot panicheskikh atak For everything around to ring from panic attacks

Прямо я, прямо я, прямо я Pryamo ya, pryamo ya, pryamo ya Right now I, right now I, right now I

Только ты, только ты, только ты Tolko ty, tolko ty, tolko ty Only you, only you, only you

Хочешь так, как лучше — будет как обычно Khochesh tak, kak luchshe — budet kak obychno You want it better — but it’ll be just like always

Все твои мечты утонут так же хаотично Vse tvoi mechty utonut tak zhe khaotichno All your dreams will drown just as chaotically

Прямо я, прямо я, прямо я, прямо я Pryamo ya, pryamo ya, pryamo ya, pryamo ya Right now I, right now I, right now I, right now I

Прямо я, прямо я, прямо я чувствую, как нужно Pryamo ya, pryamo ya, pryamo ya chuvstvuyu, kak nuzhno Right now I, right now I, right now I feel how it needs to be

Чтобы стало хуже Chtoby stalo khuzhe For things to get worse

Чтобы стало так, чтобы чувствовался мрак Chtoby stalo tak, chtoby chuvstvovalsya mrak So that it becomes so—so that the gloom is felt.

Чтобы всё вокруг звенело от панических атак Chtoby vsyo vokrug zvenelo ot panicheskikh atak For everything around to ring with panic attacks

Прямо я, прямо я, прямо я чувствую, как нужно Pryamo ya, pryamo ya, pryamo ya chuvstvuyu, kak nuzhno Right now I, right now I, right now I feel how it needs to be

Чтобы стало хуже Chtoby stalo khuzhe For things to get worse

[cosmonautistic]

Мы утратили всю человечность My utratili vsyu chelovechnost We have lost all humanity

Нас в конце поглотит в себе вечность Nas v kontse poglotit v sebe vechnost In the end, eternity will consume us

Мы так долго ждём наконец тепла My tak dolgo zhdom nakonets tepla We've been waiting so long for warmth at last

Наши раны затянет весна Nashi rany zatyanet vesna Spring will heal our wounds

Весна (x2) Vesna Spring

Наши раны затянет весна Nashi rany zatyanet vesna Spring will heal our wounds

Весна Vesna Spring

Мы утратили всю человечность My utratili vsyu chelovechnost We have lost all humanity

Нас в конце поглотит в себе вечность Nas v kontse poglotit v sebe vechnost In the end, eternity will consume us

Мы так долго ждём наконец тепла My tak dolgo zhdom nakonets tepla We've been waiting so long for warmth at last

Наши раны затянет весна Nashi rany zatyanet vesna Spring will heal our wounds

Весна (x2) Vesna Spring

Наши раны затянет весна Nashi rany zatyanet vesna Spring will heal our wounds

Весна (x2) Vesna Spring

Наши раны затянет весна Nashi rany zatyanet vesna Spring will heal our wounds

Весна (x3) Vesna Spring

Наши раны затянет весна (x2) Nashi rany zatyanet vesna Spring will heal our wounds

[fuckyeahchinesefashion]

Friendly signs and reminders in China

[respected-coconut]

Being really into Frankenstein while at the same time being Chinese is so funny because every time Lord Byron gets brought up, the way his name is pronounced always makes me think of the word 白人 (bái rén), which translates into “white guy”. Lord White Guy.

[cutecultural]

Mandarin Vocab — food and drink

nouns.

菜 (cài) — dish

茶 (chá) — tea

水 (shuǐ) — water

牛奶 (niúnǎi) — milk

水果 (shuǐguǒ) — fruit

蔬菜 (shūcài) — vegetable

苹果 (píngguǒ) — apple

香蕉 (xiāngjiāo) — banana

果汁 (guǒzhī) — fruit juice

咖啡 (kāfēi) — coffee

乌龙茶 (wūlōngchá) — oolong tea

米饭 (mǐfàn) — cooked rice

面包 (miànbāo) — bread

肉 (ròu) — meat

verbs.

喝 (hē) — to drink

吃 (chī) — to eat

喜欢 (xǐhuān) — to like

[marilearnsmandarin]

夜空 (yèkōng): night sky

颗 (kē): measure word for stars, small spheres, pearls, corn grains, teeth, hearts etc.

[whisperglyph]

Things I Say To My Cat

What are you even doing?

你到底在干什么？

Nǐ dàodǐ zài gàn shénme?

You to bottom at do what?

What are you even doing?

What do you even know?

你到底知道什么？

Nǐ dàodǐ zhīdào shénme?

You to bottom know what?

What do you even know?

You don't even care.

你根本不在乎。

Nǐ gēnběn bù zàihū.

You root basis not care about.

You don't even care.

This cat has a death wish.

这只猫是不是不要命了。

Zhè zhī māo shì bù shì bù yào mìng le.

This [classifier] cat is not is not want life (completed).

This cat has a death wish.

Trying to trip me, I see.

我看你是想绊倒我。

Wǒ kàn nǐ shì xiǎng bàn dǎo wǒ.

I see you is want trip fall me.

Trying to trip me, I see.

Why are you trying to trip me?

你为什么要绊倒我？

Nǐ wèishénme yào bàn dǎo wǒ?

You why want trip fall me?

Why are you trying to trip me?

She's a good girl.

她是个好女孩。

Tā shì gè hǎo nǚhái.

She is [classifier] good female child.

She's a good girl.

She's just a baby, your honor.

法官大人，她只是个小宝宝。

Fǎguān dàrén, tā zhǐshì gè xiǎo bǎobao.

Judge big person, she only is [classifier] small baby baby.

She's just a baby, your honor.

She's just a baby girl.

她只是个小女孩。

Tā zhǐshì gè xiǎo nǚhái.

She only is [classifier] small female child.

She's just a baby girl.

I love you so much, cat.

我太爱你了，小猫咪。

Wǒ tài ài nǐ le, xiǎo māomī.

I too love you (completed), small cat cat.

I love you so much, cat.

She's purring.

她在呼噜呼噜叫。

Tā zài hūlu hūlu jiào.

She at purr purr call.

She's purring.

Do you want some snacks?

你想要点零食吗？

Nǐ xiǎng yào diǎn língshí ma?

You want want point snacks question?

Do you want some snacks?

True to form.

果然如此。

Guǒrán rúcǐ.

Fruit so like this.

True to form.

Come on (the bed).

上来（床上）。

Shàng lái (chuáng shàng).

Up come (bed up).

Come on (the bed).

Come on, Paz.

来吧，Paz。

Lái ba, Paz.

Come (particle), Paz.

Come on, Paz.

"小猫咪" (xiǎo māomī) is an affectionate way to say "kitty" - literally "little cat cat"

[whisperglyph]

🐈 Things I Say To My Cat: in Mandarin Chinese, pinyin, the literal translation, and English.

What are you even doing? 你到底在干嘛？ Nǐ dàodǐ zài gàn má? You after all doing what? What are you even doing?

What do you even know? 你到底知道什么？ Nǐ dàodǐ zhīdào shénme? You after all know what? What do you even know?

You don’t even care. 你根本不在乎。 Nǐ gēnběn bú zàihu. You fundamentally don’t care. You don’t even care.

This cat has a death wish. 这只猫不想活了。 Zhè zhī māo bù xiǎng huó le. This cat doesn’t want to live anymore. This cat has a death wish.

Trying to trip me, I see. 我看你是想绊倒我。 Wǒ kàn nǐ shì xiǎng bàndǎo wǒ. I see you are trying to trip me. Trying to trip me, huh?

Why are you trying to trip me? 你为什么想绊倒我？ Nǐ wèishénme xiǎng bàndǎo wǒ? You why want trip me? Why are you trying to trip me?

She’s a good girl. 她是个乖女孩。 Tā shì ge guāi nǚhái. She is a well-behaved girl. She’s a good girl.

She’s just a baby, your honor. 她只是个宝宝，法官大人。 Tā zhǐshì ge bǎobǎo, fǎguān dàren. She’s just a baby, Your Honor. She’s just a baby, your honor.

She’s just a baby girl. 她只是个小女孩。 Tā zhǐshì ge xiǎo nǚhái. She’s just a little girl. She’s just a baby girl.

I love you so much, cat. 猫猫，我好爱你。 Māomāo, wǒ hǎo ài nǐ. Kitty, I so love you. I love you so much, cat.

She’s purring. 她在呼噜呼噜。 Tā zài hūlu hūlu. She’s purring purring. She’s purring.

Do you want some snacks? 你要不要吃点零食？ Nǐ yào bú yào chī diǎn língshí? You want not want eat some snacks? Do you want some snacks?

True to form. 果然如此。 Guǒrán rúcǐ. As expected, just like that. True to form.

Come on (the bed). 上床吧。 Shàng chuáng ba. Get on the bed. Come on (the bed).

Come on, Paz. 快来，Paz。 Kuài lái, Paz. Quick come, Paz. Come on, Paz.

[whisperglyph]

Gotta catch 'em all !

[whisperglyph]

[whisperglyph]

There are over 150 measure words in Mandarin...? And I thought having 4 "the" in German was doing too much.

[whisperglyph]

"小猫咪" (xiǎo māomī) is an affectionate way to say "kitty" - literally "little cat cat"

[whisperglyph]

🐾 Baby-talk Mandarin for Talking to Your Cat

What are you even doing? 你在干嘛嘛～？ Nǐ zài gàn má ma~? You doing what mm? Whatchu doin’, hmm~?

What do you even know? 你知道啥呀～？ Nǐ zhīdào shá ya~? You know what eh? What do you even knooow~?

You don’t even care. 你才不在乎嘞～ Nǐ cái bú zàihu lei~ You totally don’t care eh. You don’t even caaare~

This cat has a death wish. 这只猫咪不想活啦！ Zhè zhī māomī bù xiǎng huó la! This kitty doesn’t wanna live anymore! This kitty’s got a death wishhh~!

Trying to trip me, I see. 你是不是想绊倒我哇～？ Nǐ shì bú shì xiǎng bàndǎo wǒ wa~? Are you trying to trip me eh~? You tryin’ to trip me again, huhhh~?

Why are you trying to trip me? 为啥老是想绊妈妈啦？ Wèi shá lǎoshì xiǎng bàn māma la? Why always trying to trip mama~? Why you always trippin’ mamaaa?

She’s a good girl. 她是个乖乖喵～ Tā shì ge guāiguāi miāo~ She’s a good good kitty~ She’s a gooood girl~

She’s just a baby, your honor. 她她她只是个小宝贝嘛，法官大人～ Tā tā tā zhǐshì ge xiǎo bǎobèi ma, fǎguān dàren~ She she she is just a lil baby, Your Honor~ She’s just a widdle baaaby, your hooonor~

She’s just a baby girl. 她是小小女孩呀～ Tā shì xiǎoxiǎo nǚhái ya~ She’s lil-lil girl~ She’s just a baby girrrrl~

I love you so much, cat. 猫猫，我好爱你呦～ Māomāo, wǒ hǎo ài nǐ yōu~ Kitty, I love you so much yo~ I wuv you soooo much, kittyyy~

She’s purring. 她在呼噜噜噜啦～ Tā zài hūlū lūlū la~ She’s purring-purring~ She goin’ purr purr purr~!

Do you want some snacks? 要不要吃小零零呀？ Yào bú yào chī xiǎo línglíng ya? Wanna eat some lil snackies~? You want some snaccies, hmm?

True to form. 你就是你喽～ Nǐ jiùshì nǐ lou~ You just you, huh~ That’s my lil chaos queen~

Come on (the bed). 来嘛，上床床～ Lái ma, shàng chuángchuáng~ Come eh, get on bed-bed~ C’mere, get on the beddy-bed!

Come on, Paz. Paz宝贝，快点儿嘛～ Paz bǎobèi, kuàidiǎnr ma~ Paz baby, hurry up eh~ Come on, Pazzy babyyy~

👶 Notes on Cutesy Mandarin

Reduplication is often used in baby-talk or pet-talk:

床 → 床床 (chuángchuáng – “bed-bed”)

抱 → 抱抱 (bàobào – “hug-hug”)

吃 → 吃吃 (chīchī – “eat-eat”)

Final particles like:

嘛 (ma), 啦 (la), 呀 (ya), 哇 (wa), 呦 (yo), and 喽 (lou) add playfulness or whining/emotive tone

Small suffixes like 小 (xiǎo – little), 宝贝 (bǎobèi – baby/darling), or 喵 (miāo – meow/kitty) are affectionate and common when talking to pets

[whisperglyph]

Mandarin has more than just "或者 (huòzhě)" and "还是 (háishì)" to express “or.” Those two are the most common and foundational, but other words and structures are used depending on tone, formality, logical structure, or emphasis.

🔹 1. 还是 (háishì)

Used in: questions

Means: "or" (choice)

你喜欢茶还是咖啡？ Do you like tea or coffee?

Important: This form requires a question. Never use it in statements.

🔹 2. 或者 (huòzhě)

Used in: statements

Means: "or" (options, not a choice prompt)

我们可以坐车或者走路。 We can take a car or walk.

🔹 3. 要么 (yàome)

Used in: more emphatic “either… or…”

Often used for strong alternatives, especially in speech.

要么你来，要么我去。 Either you come, or I go.

她要么迟到，要么缺席。 She’s either late or absent.

This one highlights a firm choice—often used when there are only two clear options.

🔹 4. 或是 (huòshì)

Formal/literary version of 或者

Used mostly in writing or speeches

成功来自于努力或是运气。 Success comes from hard work or luck.

Not commonly used in casual speech.

🔹 5. 还是说 (háishì shuō)

Means something like: “Or are you saying…?”

Appears in more rhetorical or speculative questions.

他是忘了，还是说他根本没看到？ Did he forget, or are you saying he never saw it at all?

🔹 6. 抑或 (yìhuò)

Extremely formal or literary

Translates as “or,” “or else,” “alternatively”

他是真心的，抑或只是在演戏？ Is he sincere, or is he just acting?

Mostly found in classical Chinese, legal writing, or high-formality prose.

还是 (háishì) and 或者 (huòzhě) will cover 90% of your “or” needs.

要么 (yàome) is your next most useful for real-life speech.

The others are valuable if you read formal texts, write creatively, or want to recognize elevated styles.