To say "thank you" in Mandarin, you approximate saying, "Shay-shay." It doesn't hit the mark exactly, because it seems there's an 'i' in there somewhere, like it's "Shiay-Shiay."

But a Chinese reporter took exception to the way Dwayne Wade and his U.S. Olympic basketball teammates were pronouncing it.

"When you say it, it sounds like, 'Sh--, sh--,' '' the reporter told Wade.

"Excuse me?" he said.

She repeated the idea, then said, "You need to tell the other players on your team."

"Um, OK,'' he said.

I started laughing. I know the problems of language. A few weeks ago in Costa Rica, I meant to say I wanted two spoons to share a bowl of ice cream. I said I wanted two pork chops to share the ice cream.

Wade kept a straight face. For a few seconds. After the reporter left, in the middle of another question, he burst out laughing, bending over.

"Oh, man,'' he said.

Mandarin lessons, anyone?

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