<blockquote>
  <p><em>Google Translate suggests 筹集 (chóují; collect money) instead of 凑集 (còují)</em>.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>凑集 means a 'group of people footing the bill together' </p>

<p>筹集 means 'raise funds'</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><em>Here 前两班 is a bit confusing</em></p>
</blockquote>

<p>From the context, '前两班' in "是前两班的同学修的" seems to refer to "previous two school years of the same class"   It should write " 是<strong>前两屆畢業的</strong>本班同学修的 (built by the graduated students of this class from the previous two school years) </p>

<blockquote>
  <p><em>I don't know what's wrong with 茅亭 (máotíng) = pavilion.</em></p>
</blockquote>

<p>'茅亭' is a pavilion with a thatch roof. There's nothing wrong with using '茅亭' here.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>I'm not sure what's wrong with "这些都表示" simply meaning "these both express".</p>
</blockquote>

<p>'都' here means 'all'. The sentence "这些<strong>都</strong>表示" means "<strong>All</strong> these indicate"</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><em>It looks like 具 is the wrong measure word for 钟 = bell.</em></p>
</blockquote>

<ul>
<li><p>摇铃 is small handheld or hanging bell</p></li>
<li><p>钟 (or 吊钟) is a bigger bell that you ring it by hitting it with a mallet.  usually sit on a table or hanging in a frame, but not handheld</p></li>
</ul>

<p>Classifier for 钟 like this should be '口' as in "一口钟", </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-25T07:46:59.483Z
2017-11-25T08:08:12.190Z
2017-11-25T08:08:12.190Z
Tang Ho
<p>Building on the above (because I lack the reputation points to comment):</p>

<p>If the pavilion is in fact not thatched, use 亭子.</p>

<p>You can use 這 as a straight demonstrative pronoun ("this").</p>

<p>The correct quantifier for the kind of 钟 in the picture is 座.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-25T12:59:43.067Z
座 is more suitable as classifier for 钟楼.  For the 钟 itself, the common classifier is  still '口'
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-25T13:08:37.253Z
e.g. " 这座钟楼有三口大钟 " is better than " 这座钟楼有三座大钟 "
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-25T11:51:05.277Z
2017-11-25T11:51:05.277Z
CJ Sheu
<p>My friend on WeChat sent a funny example of foreigners writing Chinese (<a href="http://www.sohu.com/a/206310345_425113" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a>).  Here's one image from that site (click for larger image):</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/xyK0o.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/xyK0om.jpg" alt="Foreign Chinese-learning materials" /></a></p>
<p>I transcribe the passage below (I tried to make sure I copied it correctly), and I offer my translation (which might not be accurate).  I presume there's something wrong with the underlined phrases.  I'm not fully clear on this though; I add my comments below.</p>
<p><strong>Question</strong>: What is wrong with the four underlined phrases, and what should it say instead?</p>
<blockquote>
<p>一个<a href="http://dict.cn/%E6%8F%90%E6%A1%88" rel="nofollow noreferrer">提案</a><br>
<sup>Yīgè tí'àn</sup><br>
A Proposal</p>
<p>星期日<br>
<sup>Xīngqírì</sup><br>
Sunday</p>
<p>本班同学<a href="http://dict.cn/%E5%87%91%E9%9B%86" rel="nofollow noreferrer">凑集</a><a href="http://dict.cn/%E6%AC%BE%E5%AD%90" rel="nofollow noreferrer">款子</a>买一具钟，作为毕业<a href="http://dict.cn/%E7%BA%AA%E5%BF%B5%E5%93%81" rel="nofollow noreferrer">纪念品</a>案。<br>
<sup>Běn bān tóngxué còují kuǎn zi mǎi yī jù zhōng, zuòwéi bìyèjìniànpǐn àn</sup><br>
This class's classmates gather money together to buy a bell, as a graduation momento.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Google Translate suggests <a href="http://dict.cn/%E7%AD%B9%E9%9B%86" rel="nofollow noreferrer">筹集</a> (chóují; collect money) instead of <a href="http://dict.cn/%E5%87%91%E9%9B%86" rel="nofollow noreferrer">凑集</a> (còují).</p>
<blockquote>
<p>是<strong>前两班</strong>的同学<a href="http://dict.cn/%E4%BF%AE" rel="nofollow noreferrer">修</a>的，校园里的<a href="http://dict.cn/%E8%8C%85%E4%BA%AD" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><strong>茅亭</strong></a>是去年毕业的一班同学<a href="http://dict.cn/%E9%80%A0" rel="nofollow noreferrer">造</a>的。<br>
<sup>Shì qián liǎng bān de tóngxué xiūde, xiàoyuán lǐ de máotíng shì qùnián bìyè de yī bān tóngxué zào de.</sup><br>
This is what the students in the first two classes made; the campus's pavilion was made by the students who graduated last year.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Here 前两班 is a bit confusing, e.g., maybe it means &quot;two classes prior&quot; instead.  I don't know what's wrong with <a href="http://dict.cn/%E8%8C%85%E4%BA%AD" rel="nofollow noreferrer">茅亭</a> (máotíng) = pavilion.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>这些都</strong><a href="http://dict.cn/%E8%A1%A8%E7%A4%BA" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><strong>表示</strong></a>毕业生<a href="http://dict.cn/%E5%AF%B9%E4%BA%8E" rel="nofollow noreferrer">对于</a>母校的依恋，现在<a href="http://dict.cn/%E8%BD%AE" rel="nofollow noreferrer">轮</a>到我们毕业了，我们当然也要留一件纪念品。<br>
<sup>Zhèxiē dōu biǎoshì bìyè shēng duìyú mǔxiào de yīliàn, xiànzài lún dào wǒmen bìyèle, wǒmen dāngrán yě yào liú yī jiàn jìniànpǐn.</sup><br>
These both indicate the graduates' attachment to their almamater, and now that it's our turn to graduate, we, of course, also want to leave a momento.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I'm not sure what's wrong with &quot;这些都表示&quot; simply meaning &quot;these both express&quot;.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>我们学校里上课下课都<a href="http://dict.cn/%E6%91%87%E9%93%83" rel="nofollow noreferrer">摇铃</a>，我们的意思是买<strong>一具钟</strong>来<a href="http://dict.cn/%E4%BB%A3%E6%9B%BF" rel="nofollow noreferrer">代替</a>铃。<br>
<sup>Wǒmen xuéxiào lǐ shàngkè xiàkè dōu yáo líng, wǒmen de yìsi shì mǎi yī jù zhōng lái dàitì líng.</sup><br>
We ring a bell at the start and end of class on our campus, we mean to buy a bell instead.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It looks like <a href="http://dict.cn/%E5%85%B7" rel="nofollow noreferrer">具</a> is the wrong measure word for 钟 = bell.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>钟<br>
<sup>Zhōng</sup><br>
Bell</p>
</blockquote>

<grammar><usage><meaning-in-context>
What's wrong with the four highlighted parts of this foreign-written Chinese passage about campus bells?
# What's wrong with the four highlighted parts of this foreign-written Chinese passage about campus bells?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-11-25)

My friend on WeChat sent a funny example of foreigners writing Chinese ([here](http://www.sohu.com/a/206310345_425113)). Here's one image from that site (click for larger image):

[![Foreign Chinese-learning materials](https://i.sstatic.net/xyK0om.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/xyK0o.jpg)

I transcribe the passage below (I tried to make sure I copied it correctly), and I offer my translation (which might not be accurate). I presume there's something wrong with the underlined phrases. I'm not fully clear on this though; I add my comments below.

**Question**: What is wrong with the four underlined phrases, and what should it say instead?

> 一个[提案](http://dict.cn/%E6%8F%90%E6%A1%88)  
> Yīgè tí'àn  
> A Proposal
>
> 星期日  
> Xīngqírì  
> Sunday
>
> 本班同学[凑集](http://dict.cn/%E5%87%91%E9%9B%86)[款子](http://dict.cn/%E6%AC%BE%E5%AD%90)买一具钟，作为毕业[纪念品](http://dict.cn/%E7%BA%AA%E5%BF%B5%E5%93%81)案。  
> Běn bān tóngxué còují kuǎn zi mǎi yī jù zhōng, zuòwéi bìyèjìniànpǐn àn  
> This class's classmates gather money together to buy a bell, as a graduation momento.

Google Translate suggests [筹集](http://dict.cn/%E7%AD%B9%E9%9B%86) (chóují; collect money) instead of [凑集](http://dict.cn/%E5%87%91%E9%9B%86) (còují).

> 是**前两班**的同学[修](http://dict.cn/%E4%BF%AE)的，校园里的[**茅亭**](http://dict.cn/%E8%8C%85%E4%BA%AD)是去年毕业的一班同学[造](http://dict.cn/%E9%80%A0)的。  
> Shì qián liǎng bān de tóngxué xiūde, xiàoyuán lǐ de máotíng shì qùnián bìyè de yī bān tóngxué zào de.  
> This is what the students in the first two classes made; the campus's pavilion was made by the students who graduated last year.

Here 前两班 is a bit confusing, e.g., maybe it means "two classes prior" instead. I don't know what's wrong with [茅亭](http://dict.cn/%E8%8C%85%E4%BA%AD) (máotíng) = pavilion.

> **这些都**[**表示**](http://dict.cn/%E8%A1%A8%E7%A4%BA)毕业生[对于](http://dict.cn/%E5%AF%B9%E4%BA%8E)母校的依恋，现在[轮](http://dict.cn/%E8%BD%AE)到我们毕业了，我们当然也要留一件纪念品。  
> Zhèxiē dōu biǎoshì bìyè shēng duìyú mǔxiào de yīliàn, xiànzài lún dào wǒmen bìyèle, wǒmen dāngrán yě yào liú yī jiàn jìniànpǐn.  
> These both indicate the graduates' attachment to their almamater, and now that it's our turn to graduate, we, of course, also want to leave a momento.

I'm not sure what's wrong with "这些都表示" simply meaning "these both express".

> 我们学校里上课下课都[摇铃](http://dict.cn/%E6%91%87%E9%93%83)，我们的意思是买**一具钟**来[代替](http://dict.cn/%E4%BB%A3%E6%9B%BF)铃。  
> Wǒmen xuéxiào lǐ shàngkè xiàkè dōu yáo líng, wǒmen de yìsi shì mǎi yī jù zhōng lái dàitì líng.  
> We ring a bell at the start and end of class on our campus, we mean to buy a bell instead.

It looks like [具](http://dict.cn/%E5%85%B7) is the wrong measure word for 钟 = bell.

> 钟  
> Zhōng  
> Bell

**Tags:** grammar, usage, meaning-in-context


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-11-25. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

> *Google Translate suggests 筹集 (chóují; collect money) instead of 凑集 (còují)*.

凑集 means a 'group of people footing the bill together'

筹集 means 'raise funds'

> *Here 前两班 is a bit confusing*

From the context, '前两班' in "是前两班的同学修的" seems to refer to "previous two school years of the same class" It should write " 是**前两屆畢業的**本班同学修的 (built by the graduated students of this class from the previous two school years)

> *I don't know what's wrong with 茅亭 (máotíng) = pavilion.*

'茅亭' is a pavilion with a thatch roof. There's nothing wrong with using '茅亭' here.

> I'm not sure what's wrong with "这些都表示" simply meaning "these both express".

'都' here means 'all'. The sentence "这些**都**表示" means "**All** these indicate"

> *It looks like 具 is the wrong measure word for 钟 = bell.*

* 摇铃 is small handheld or hanging bell
* 钟 (or 吊钟) is a bigger bell that you ring it by hitting it with a mallet. usually sit on a table or hanging in a frame, but not handheld

Classifier for 钟 like this should be '口' as in "一口钟",


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-11-25. Score: 2

Building on the above (because I lack the reputation points to comment):

If the pavilion is in fact not thatched, use 亭子.

You can use 這 as a straight demonstrative pronoun ("this").

The correct quantifier for the kind of 钟 in the picture is 座.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 座 is more suitable as classifier for 钟楼.  For the 钟 itself, the common classifier is  still '口'  
> **username_1**: e.g. " 这座钟楼有三口大钟 " is better than " 这座钟楼有三座大钟 "  

---

