Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T16:00:06.718Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

14 - Alerts!

from Part II - Essential Signs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 February 2024

Zheng-sheng Zhang
Zheng-sheng Zhang
Affiliation:
San Diego State University
Get access

Summary

The signs in this chapter range from the strongest warnings to gentler reminders. 禁(止) ‘forbid’ and 严禁 ‘strictly forbid’ are used for the strongest warning possible. 请勿 ‘please don’t’ may be a tad less strong than 禁止. There are also other verbs of warning such as莫 ‘don’t’, 不得 ‘must not’, and 不可 ‘may not’. The most common reminders include verbs 当心 ‘beware of’, 小心 ‘be careful about’ and so on. To convey a sense of seriousness, the language of warnings and reminders tends to be formal, replete with classical Chinese elements.

Keywords

warningreminderformalclassical Chinesesafetynot allowedcarefuldo notplease
Type
Chapter
Information
Chinese Signs
An Introduction to China's Linguistic Landscape
 , pp. 128 - 137
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

  • Alerts!
  • Zheng-sheng Zhang, San Diego State University
  • Book: Chinese Signs
  • Online publication: 29 February 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108979603.016
Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

  • Alerts!
  • Zheng-sheng Zhang, San Diego State University
  • Book: Chinese Signs
  • Online publication: 29 February 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108979603.016
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Alerts!
  • Zheng-sheng Zhang, San Diego State University
  • Book: Chinese Signs
  • Online publication: 29 February 2024
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108979603.016
Available formats
×