argh i can't believe this conversation actually took place...

yeen teck: *talking about classical chinese verbs* for instance "zou2 ma3" doesn't mean taking the horse for a walk, it means riding it."
minz: obviously. hello, where do you think the expression zou2 ma3 kan4 hua1 comes from?
[thunderous silence]
minz: after all, when you say kai1che1, but you don't mean opening the car door right?
yeen teck: *protesting* well...
minz: *moving in for the kill* for that matter, what about zou2 gou3? did you think that was dog walking?

(i'm sure only cindy and i find the above exchange hysterical, but what the hell.)