looking for expressions similar to "to take leave"

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Gloria Huang - 25 Oct 2004 05:46 GMT

In Chinese, we have a verbial phrase "Qing Jia", and we use it like,
"I have to 'Qing Jia' today because I'm sick or I have something to
take care of."

We can use this phrase in scenerios like being at school or at work or
even in the military.

It seems to me that "to take leave" has the same meaning but it is
used mainly in military.

At work, ppl say, "She called in sick." or "She's not coming today
because she's sick." or "She has today off."

My question is, at school, what would you say when a student didn't
come to the class besides "she's not here today."?

And is there a general expression/term/phrase like that in Chinese?

Thank you in advance!

Reply to this Message

John Ings - 25 Oct 2004 14:11 GMT

>In Chinese, we have a verbial phrase "Qing Jia", and we use it like,
>"I have to 'Qing Jia' today because I'm sick or I have something to
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>
>And is there a general expression/term/phrase like that in Chinese?

There are various usages in English which would apply.

A student not present at school is simply "absent", and may show up
the next day with a note from their parents explaining that they were
sick or had a dentist appointment or whatever. If however their
absence was not legitimate they are said to be "playing hooky" or
"cutting classes" or "skipping classes". Of course any high school
student will have a current slang term for the same thing that won't
be the same next year, so there's no point in trying to keep current
with that sort of argot unless YOU are a high school student!:-)

In the work place most employees are allowed in their contracts a
certain number of paid sick days off. So formally an employee might
"call in sick" and "take a sick day off". Colloquially this is
sometimes referred to as "taking a sickie".

General colloquial terms referring to departure can also be used in
such situations. A person can "skive off", "take French leave", "fade
into the woodwork", "f.ck off" (that one isn't used in polite
company), "take a hike", "abscond" or "go AWOL". That last is a
military expression meaning 'Absent WithOut Leave'.

Reply to this Message

V Zhang - 26 Oct 2004 01:52 GMT

There is some different to China about "absent" in school. If one will
take some kind of leave, eg. sick leave, he should explain the reason
of leave first by call or leaving message in advance. (If he's a high
school student or younger, his parent should explain the reason.)

If a kid is absent for class without any explanation in advance, the
class director will call his parent for the reason. Such can avoid the
accident before it really occurs.

Vic Zhang

> >In Chinese, we have a verbial phrase "Qing Jia", and we use it like,
> >"I have to 'Qing Jia' today because I'm sick or I have something to
[quoted text clipped - 35 lines]
> company), "take a hike", "abscond" or "go AWOL". That last is a
> military expression meaning 'Absent WithOut Leave'.

Reply to this Message

Gloria Huang - 28 Oct 2004 13:28 GMT

Thank you, John, for such a detailed explanation.

You see, things are a bit different here. A student has to say why
he/she can't attend the class before or when he/she does so. Actually,
the question was brought up when a teacher asked me in class how to
tell the foreign teacher that one student "Qing Jia". The first thing
came to my mind was "She's not here today." But she already knew that
and wondered if there's a similar expression in English to "Qing Jia."
"Qing Jia" states the fact without giving you the reason. I wonder if
"absent" means the same thing.

Reply to this Message

John Ings - 28 Oct 2004 14:35 GMT

>You see, things are a bit different here. A student has to say why
>he/she can't attend the class before or when he/she does so.

Even in the case of sudden illness or family emergency?

>Actually,
>the question was brought up when a teacher asked me in class how to
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>"Qing Jia" states the fact without giving you the reason. I wonder if
>"absent" means the same thing.

Yes, it means "not there" without a reason being specified.
If you want to refer to an absence that has been cleared ahead of time
with the school office, like a scheduled dental appointment, you
might say "She's been excused for the afternoon".

Reply to this Message

Gloria Huang - 30 Oct 2004 02:44 GMT

> >You see, things are a bit different here. A student has to say why
> >he/she can't attend the class before or when he/she does so.
>
> Even in the case of sudden illness or family emergency?

Normally, even if it's a sudden illness or family emergency, the
parents are required to make a phone call to the school and state the
reason. It makes sense. Suppose a student was kidnapped on the way to
school, the teacher noticed the student was absent, and instead of
contacting the parents to inquire, she assumed the student was just
sick. And the parents had no idea that their son didn't make it to the
school. It'd be really serious.

> >Actually,
> >the question was brought up when a teacher asked me in class how to
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> with the school office, like a scheduled dental appointment, you
> might say "She's been excused for the afternoon".

I got it. Thank you so much!

Reply to this Message

V Zhang - 25 Oct 2004 14:12 GMT

Hi Gloria,

We usually say "to take sick leave" as the expression of "Qin Bing
jia" (in Chinese) in company. I think the phrase "to take sick leave"
is a general expression which can be used both in military and under
other situation, isn't it?

Regards,

Vic Zhang

===

> In Chinese, we have a verbial phrase "Qing Jia", and we use it like,
> "I have to 'Qing Jia' today because I'm sick or I have something to
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
> Thank you in advance!

Reply to this Message

Discussion Groups / ESL Teaching / October 2004

looking for expressions similar to "to take leave"