This project has been replaced by my reading practice from tatoeba.org. I recommend that one instead.
This project was my first attempt to find some Chinese text that I could sort through looking for sentences that use only characters I know. That way I could practice my reading without getting too frustrated by having to look up a ton of vocabulary. I realized that Twitter contains small chunks of text, so I got Google to find all the tweets in Chinese. Then I wrote a program to fetch the search results from Google, get the tweets from Twitter, and then find the ones that use only the 500 most common characters.
There are two main classes in the source code: TwitterFetchApp fetches the next batch of 150 Chinese tweets, and TwitterSortApp sifts through all the fetched tweets looking for ones I should be able to read.
Here are some of my favourite tweets that I found:
| Rank | User | Tweet | My Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 116 | NekoiShizuku | @valentiger2best 出來看我工作- - | Come see my work. |
| 201 | supergeun | 我不知道還有多少人相信我，最重要的是，我相信自己！ How many people who is watching believes that I could do it, I never know. But the thing is , I believe it!~ | Love it when they provide their own translation! |
| 209 | Chanter0 | 我在這裡!!! | Here I am!!! |
| 238 | randywei | @eyayo 你比較機車！！ | (機車 is Taiwanese slang for difficult to get along with.) You’re more difficult to get along with. |
| 245 | npfoundation | 新年快樂` | Happy New Year |
| 267 | JingRuFans | 買還是不買，這是個問題….Amazon Kindle…. | To buy or not to buy, that is the question… Amazon Kindle…. (This is my favourite so far.) |
| 287 | mmccv5 | 作為一個男人真的不該計較 | Looks like a man really shouldn’t make plans. |
| 303 | wanszezit | 一個 UI 的設計過程 http://ff.im/-7o0A2 | A user interface designed by an engineer |
| 310 | kanghaolu | 說 發現了 Google 計算機的 bug：C + C + C + C + C 不會變成 D http://plurk.com/p/bzoa5y | Found a Google calculator bug: C + C + C + C + C cannot become D. (Actually, it’s not a bug. Try to solve the mystery yourself, or see my answer. Need a hint or two?) |
| 313 | inciesh | 要試著成為一個更好的人。 | I’m going to try to be a better person. |
| 320 | Yuan86 | 每個人都是個體，別把任何人對你的好當成理所當然。 | Every man is an individual, and when you consider other people, that’s how it should be. |
| 337 | VictoriaEusebio | @sixbyul 哈哈這個plan是必然實行的！！！My laksa crabbbb！ | Ha ha, this plan will inevitably be carried out! My spicy crab! |
| 339 | iquan | 成功對每個人來說定義並不相同，但最重要的是找到自己的成功 | Everyone’s definition of success is definitely not the same, but the most important is to find your own success. |
| 354 | pwan7248 | 不是妳我的錯,只是當時沒來電. | It’s not your fault or my fault, there just wasn’t any chemistry between us. |
| 379 | icywongyuenman | 今天是做決定的一天. | Today is a decision making day. |
| 384 | yiling0203 | 要面對現實，但保持希望，否則就沒有動力了。 | Face reality, but keep hope alive. Otherwise, you’ll never get anywhere. |
| 384 | louwang | 想想 要每天都保持喜樂也是要花力氣的 | Remember every day to keep joy in your life, and it will be worth the effort. |
| 398 | 1_malaysia | 想要的，不等於需要的！ | Wanted doesn’t equal needed! |
| 398 | cuteepin | 我需要獨自的時間做事。 | I need alone time to get things done. |
| 400 | Emileekl | 呢個部門特別多是非… | This department is especially quarrelsome. |
| 405 | tzangms | 時間過好快阿 …. | Time passes quickly. |
| 435 | orbis | 文化最需要的是時間，遠比資金重要多了。 | Society’s greatest need is for time, far more important than money. |
| 443 | Reyane | 真正愛一個人的時候不需要理由。那，分手的時候也不需要理由嗎？ | When you truly love a person, you don’t need a reason. So when you split up, you don’t need a reason either, do you? |
| 478 | OhPaparazzi | “雖然我不是世界上最好的但是我一定是在世界上對你全心全意的” | Although I’m not the best in the world, I should be the most devoted to you. |
| 480 | IMKini | 今天運動完 感覺超好!! After exercise today,I’m feeling awesome!! http://twitpic.com/374ctw | So much easier when they include their own translation. |
The rank column refers to the rank of the least common character used in each tweet. Here are some more that aren’t quite as entertaining:
| 141 | teresaaub | @man720 無問題無問題, 有心有力…KEKE | Without question, you’ve got heart and you’ve got power. (I’m not really sure what this is about.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 160 | tintin0108 | 相同的事情,請不要在發生了 | This unpleasantness, please don’t let it happen again. |
| 199 | nofour | iOS 4.2 GM @ 3GS 感覺上沒有什麼大分別 | iOS 4.2 GM @ 3GS doesn’t feel like there’s a big difference. |
| 209 | haojung_blogger | 這裡的人們都一樣 | People here are all the same. |
| 223 | junbun | 不管有沒有位子，都應該去做理想中要做的事 | Whether or not there’s an opportunity, you should pursue your dreams above all else. (That’s my best guess. Anybody want to suggest an improvement?) |
| 227 | will_ng | 你們是不是來錯地方？ http://fb.me/NWU3mj4f | Are you in the wrong place? |
| 260 | Dowen | 說 第三天~ ~ ~實行起來真的好難!! http://plurk.com/p/6gz3vx | Let’s say three days. It’s really hard to get started. |
| 291 | ninnafreearea | @MingZ 你們等我的UI,結果我和John還在等FF4的正式版。 | @MingZ You’re waiting for my UI, because John and I are still waiting for the official release of Firefox 4. |
| 293 | euwen | 或許和外星人有關…. | Maybe there’s a connection with aliens… |
| 297 | kennnnny | 然後有天我連自己也不再相信 | Then some days, I can’t believe it myself. |
| 302 | happy1122 | 因為喜愛，所以實現。有能力，一直是想做自己喜歡的事的人。 | Follow your bliss to achieve your dreams. You can immediately become someone who chooses his own path. |
| 303 | batjchang | 可以問一些有建設性的問題嗎 | Can you ask some constructive questions? |
| 310 | baciabacia | 什麼會被改變，然後又變成什麼？ | If something can be improved, what will it become? |
| 311 | zonble | 今天天氣真好，可是風好大。 | The weather is very nice today, but the wind is strong. |
| 313 | solarkidhk | 我目前正在使用 Talking Tom Free，而且我想你應該會喜歡。在 Android 手機上試用這些應用程式： http://bit.ly/alFb43 | I’m using Talking Tom Free, and I think you would like it. On Android phones, try out these applications: bit.ly/alFb43 |
| 314 | howareuiamfine | 我不希望你改變. | I hope you don’t change. |
| 322 | jchristabelle | “@iBBCall: corn的計算單位是ear：an ear of corn.” | @iBBCall: you count corn by the ear: “an ear of corn.” |
| 338 | stupid77 | 人一定要有自己的事業~ http://murmur.tw/stupid77/2819692 | I’m not sure whether this is “People should mind their own business,” or “People should run their own business.” |
| 343 | yaksirius | @qiushuihan 我不認為這個國家數學水平好 | I don’t believe this country’s math proficiency is very high. |
| 366 | JodyBom | 為什麼總是得發生這種事…我真的不知道要怎麼辦了… | Why does this kind of thing always happen… I really don’t know what can be done… |
| 378 | f10wer | “@jiroro: 我們無法用相同的自己得到不同的未來。” | We’re incapable of using the same gifts to create different futures. |
| 379 | yeeman07 | 因為我很喜歡filpboard…..所以我決定再重新接受twitter | Because I really like Flipboard, I’ve decided to sign up for twitter again. |
| 385 | Lbi | @caitchang 我笑了，你的反應真可愛。 | @caitchang I laughed, your reaction is so cute. |
| 387 | wildwong | 問題是在哪裡還有Apple II和C64的appz。 RT @number5: mnaberez/py65 - Git Hub http://bit.ly/gYdFsb Py65: 6502 Microprocessor Simulator | The problem is, where are all the Apple II and C64 apps? RT @number5: mnaberez/py65 - Git Hub http://bit.ly/gYdFsb Py65: 6502 Microprocessor Simulator |
| 392 | misswe7 | 我想找一些新東西 或者目標 | I’d like to find some new things, or maybe a new goal. |
| 398 | essa_ | 改變需要什麼 | How to change? |
| 407 | yen3 | 馬上找到自己想要的東西，真開心 XD | Quickly find the things you need. Big Fun! |
| 416 | at17at17 | 台灣的朋友，我們7月又來了~~~ http://www.legacy.com.tw/program_detail.php?ln=tw&BID=93 http://fb.me/yqwdeGhW |
Taiwanese friends, we’re coming again in July. (Looks like they’re a band.) |
| 438 | happy1122 | @deception_tw 因為你還沒有小孩 | Because you still don’t have kids. (I don’t know the context for that one.) |
| 443 | lordcolus | @dahma XBOX 720 什麼時候會出？ | @dahma, when is the XBOX 720 coming out? |
| 453 | UKobserverTW | 許多英國人說是英國最美的女人，Cheryl Cole。 http://bit.ly/93SXQf | Many British people say she’s Britain’s most beautiful woman: Cheryl Cole. |
| 453 | niwahoshi | @Rosier0917 英文的會比較快嗎? | Can the English one go faster? (Rosier0917 had tweeted asking why the Japanese Twitter takes so long to load.) |
| 479 | DesBear | 不知道為什麼..開始聽一些英文歌了 | Don’t know why, I’ve started listening to some English songs. |
| 498 | amos31wu | 我跟美國文學課的重要小說家Henry James生日同天耶。其實還有天才Leonardo da Vinci喔，哈哈！ | I have the same birthday as American literature’s important novelist, Henry James. Not only that, but Leonardo da Vinci, ha ha! |