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  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

门外汉/外行人- Greenhorn

English translation: How many you want? Pick the one that best fits your bill.

13:15 Mar 28, 2006
Chinese to English translations [PRO]
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
Chinese term or phrase: 门外汉/外行人- Greenhorn
门外汉 = 外行人= Greenhorn. Any better suggestion?
kschong
English translation:How many you want? Pick the one that best fits your bill.
Explanation:
But not necessarily all applicable. I am too lazy to single them out for you though.

Cited from New Oxford Thesaurus English:

greenhorn

?noun
(N. Amer. informal) as a greenhorn he was bound to make a few mistakes
NOVICE, beginner, starter, tyro, neophyte, new recruit, raw recruit, fledgling, new boy/girl, novitiate; trainee, learner, student, pupil, probationer; N. Amer. tenderfoot; informal rookie, new kid (on the block), newie, newbie; N. Amer. informal punk.
Selected response from:

Last Hermit
Local time: 00:15
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +5layman
Justin Lai
5 +2layman/stranger/outlier/laity
IC --
4 +1maverick
Paul Hirsh
5How many you want? Pick the one that best fits your bill.
Last Hermit
4green hand
Nai-Ching Ting


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


9 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
layman


Explanation:
layman

:)

Justin Lai
Australia
Local time: 02:15
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  anastasia t (X)
14 mins
  -> thanks
agree  Ray Luo
1 hr
  -> thanks
agree  Naikei Wong
5 hrs
  -> thanks
agree  Twinpens (X)
7 hrs
  -> thanks
agree  Angus Woo: I think layperson might be better, politically correct.
1 day 11 hrs
  -> thanks
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21 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
maverick


Explanation:
but greenhorn is nice too

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 mins (2006-03-28 13:38:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

means an outsider who usurps a position inside

Paul Hirsh
France
Local time: 18:15
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 50

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  anastasia t (X): agree that greenhorn is nice
2 mins
  -> thanks, we both agree with the asker!
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29 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
green hand


Explanation:
Please try this, I think this one is better, though greenhorn refers to a simpleton; an inexperienced person.

Nai-Ching Ting
Local time: 11:15
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 63

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  IC --: Sorry, I have thought of this...but it has another meaning : 生手 inwhich rendering a sense of someone just get inside...not a total outlier/stranger/layman...
1 hr
neutral  anastasia t (X): i agree with icg
3 hrs
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
How many you want? Pick the one that best fits your bill.


Explanation:
But not necessarily all applicable. I am too lazy to single them out for you though.

Cited from New Oxford Thesaurus English:

greenhorn

?noun
(N. Amer. informal) as a greenhorn he was bound to make a few mistakes
NOVICE, beginner, starter, tyro, neophyte, new recruit, raw recruit, fledgling, new boy/girl, novitiate; trainee, learner, student, pupil, probationer; N. Amer. tenderfoot; informal rookie, new kid (on the block), newie, newbie; N. Amer. informal punk.

Last Hermit
Local time: 00:15
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 34

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Paul Hirsh: These tend to stress subject's inexperience rather than his outsiderliness. Would you translate these back into Chinese with the source term?
6 mins
neutral  anastasia t (X): i understand your intentions but i agree with monxmood
39 mins
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20 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
layman/stranger/outlier/laity


Explanation:
layman/stranger/outlier/laity

according to 5 different dictionaries...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2006-03-28 15:22:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I am a total stranger to this!

I am a total layman to this!

I am a total outlier to this!

I am a total laity to this!


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2006-03-28 18:26:44 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

简明汉英词典
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
门外汉 layman stranger

高级汉语词典 常用词组
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
门外汉 ménwàihàn [layman] 外行人


汉英航海大词典
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
门外汉 outlier


汉英化学大词典
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
门外汉 laity


汉英经贸大词典
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
门外汉 outlier


IC --
Local time: 18:15
Native speaker of: Native in ChineseChinese
PRO pts in category: 12

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  CHEN-Ling
1 hr
  -> Thank you!
neutral  Paul Hirsh: laity is an uncountable term for a class of people and does not refer to a single person. It cannot be used with the indef article like this.
3 hrs
  -> Thank you for your comment monxmood! Exactly! With the indef article like this, one can give the right answer difficultely. Reason I listed them all!! Asker can choose what he likes... Now I have listed all words used different categories.
neutral  anastasia t (X): i agree with monxmood
3 hrs
  -> Thank you for your comment, anastasia! With the indef article like this, one can give the right answer difficultely. Reason I listed them all!! Asker can choose what he likes... Now I have listed all words used different categories.
agree  Naikei Wong: laymen / layman
5 hrs
  -> Thank you!!
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