Chinese9 Flashcards
(52 cards)
長
(cháng / zhǎng) = long / to grow
This character has two different pronunciations with different meanings:
長 (cháng) = long, length
Examples:
- 長髮 (cháng fà) = long hair
- 長途 (cháng tú) = long distance
- 長期 (cháng qī) = long term
- 長方形 (cháng fāng xíng) = rectangle (literally “long square shape”)
- 長度 (cháng dù) = length
長 (zhǎng) = to grow, chief, elder, senior
Examples:
- 成長 (chéng zhǎng) = to grow up
- 生長 (shēng zhǎng) = to grow
- 校長 (xiào zhǎng) = school principal
- 隊長 (duì zhǎng) = team leader
- 年長 (nián zhǎng) = elderly, senior
Note: In simplified Chinese, there are two different characters: 长 (cháng) for “long” and 长 (zhǎng) for “to grow”. They look the same but have different pronunciations and meanings.
長椅
(cháng yǐ) = bench, long chair
Examples:
- 公園的長椅 (gōng yuán de cháng yǐ) = park bench
- 坐在長椅上 (zuò zài cháng yǐ shàng) = to sit on a bench
- 木製長椅 (mù zhì cháng yǐ) = wooden bench
- 花園長椅 (huā yuán cháng yǐ) = garden bench
- 長椅休息區 (cháng yǐ xiū xí qū) = bench resting area
- 等公車的長椅 (děng gōng chē de cháng yǐ) = bench for waiting for the bus
Note: In simplified Chinese, this is written as 长椅 (cháng yǐ).
你們去吃披薩時最常點什麼口味
(nǐ men qù chī pī sà shí zuì cháng diǎn shén me kǒu wèi) = What flavor do you usually order when you go to eat pizza?
- 披薩 (pī sà) = pizza
- 最常 (zuì cháng) = most often, usually
- 點 (diǎn) = to order (food)
- 口味 (kǒu wèi) = flavor, taste
Note: In simplified Chinese, this would be written as 你们去吃披萨时最常点什么口味.
我們最喜歡瑪格麗特口味
(wǒ men zuì xǐ huān mǎ gé lì tè kǒu wèi) = We like Margherita flavor the most
- 瑪格麗特 (mǎ gé lì tè) = Margherita
- 口味 (kǒu wèi) = flavor, taste
Note: In simplified Chinese, this would be written as 我们最喜欢玛格丽特口味.
浪費
(làng fèi) = to waste, to squander
Examples:
- 浪費時間 (làng fèi shí jiān) = to waste time
- 浪費錢 (làng fèi qián) = to waste money
- 浪費食物 (làng fèi shí wù) = to waste food
- 浪費資源 (làng fèi zī yuán) = to waste resources
- 不要浪費 (bú yào làng fèi) = don’t waste
- 浪費精力 (làng fèi jīng lì) = to waste energy
- 浪費機會 (làng fèi jī huì) = to waste an opportunity
Note: In simplified Chinese, this is written as 浪费 (làng fèi).
那樣
(nà yàng) = that way, like that, in that manner
Examples:
- 不要那樣做 (bú yào nà yàng zuò) = don’t do it that way
- 那樣不好 (nà yàng bù hǎo) = that’s not good
- 我不喜歡那樣 (wǒ bù xǐ huān nà yàng) = I don’t like it that way
- 如果那樣的話 (rú guǒ nà yàng de huà) = if that’s the case
- 那樣的人 (nà yàng de rén) = that kind of person
- 為什麼要那樣說? (wèi shén me yào nà yàng shuō?) = why say it like that?
- 事情不是那樣的 (shì qíng bú shì nà yàng de) = things aren’t like that
Note: In simplified Chinese, this is written as 那样 (nà yàng).
龍蝦
(lóng xiā) = lobster
- 龍 (lóng): This character means “dragon” - a mythical creature of great importance in Chinese culture, often symbolizing power, strength, and good fortune.
- 蝦 (xiā): This character means “shrimp” or “prawn” - it’s used for various crustaceans.
Examples:
- 龍蝦餐 (lóng xiā cān) = lobster meal
- 烤龍蝦 (kǎo lóng xiā) = roasted/grilled lobster
- 龍蝦醬 (lóng xiā jiàng) = lobster sauce
- 龍蝦湯 (lóng xiā tāng) = lobster soup
- 龍蝦尾 (lóng xiā wěi) = lobster tail
- 波士頓龍蝦 (bō shì dùn lóng xiā) = Boston lobster
- 清蒸龍蝦 (qīng zhēng lóng xiā) = steamed lobster
Note: In simplified Chinese, this is written as 龙虾 (lóng xiā).
活生生
(huó shēng shēng) = vivid, lifelike, alive and kicking; can also mean “cruelly” or “brutally” in some contexts
Examples:
- 把魚活生生地煮了 (bǎ yú huó shēng shēng de zhǔ le) = to cook the fish alive
- 活生生的例子 (huó shēng shēng de lì zi) = vivid example
- 活生生的人 (huó shēng shēng de rén) = a living person
- 活生生的現實 (huó shēng shēng de xiàn shí) = stark reality
- 活生生地撕裂 (huó shēng shēng de sī liè) = to tear apart brutally
- 把故事描述得活生生的 (bǎ gù shì miáo shù de huó shēng shēng de) = to describe a story vividly
This term can express something that is very realistic or lifelike, but can also describe something being done in a cruel or brutal manner depending on the context.
活生生地水煮
(huó shēng shēng de shuǐ zhǔ) = to boil alive in water, to poach cruelly while still alive
This phrase combines:
- 活生生 (huó shēng shēng) = alive, living, cruelly
- 地 (de) = structural particle connecting the adverb to the verb
- 水煮 (shuǐ zhǔ) = to boil in water, to poach
Examples in context:
- 活生生地水煮龍蝦 (huó shēng shēng de shuǐ zhǔ lóng xiā) = to boil lobsters alive in water
- 他們活生生地水煮了那條魚 (tā men huó shēng shēng de shuǐ zhǔ le nà tiáo yú) = they cruelly boiled that fish alive
This is a phrase that describes the cruel act of cooking something while it’s still alive by boiling it in water. It emphasizes the cruelty or vividness of the cooking method.
需要
(xū yào) = to need, to require, to want
Examples:
- 我需要幫助 (wǒ xū yào bāng zhù) = I need help
- 需要多少錢? (xū yào duō shǎo qián?) = How much money is needed?
- 你需要休息 (nǐ xū yào xiū xí) = You need to rest
- 不需要擔心 (bù xū yào dān xīn) = No need to worry
- 我們需要更多時間 (wǒ men xū yào gèng duō shí jiān) = We need more time
- 需要準備什麼? (xū yào zhǔn bèi shén me?) = What needs to be prepared?
- 他需要你的支持 (tā xū yào nǐ de zhī chí) = He needs your support
你比較喜歡紐約還是加州
(nǐ bǐ jiào xǐ huān niǔ yuē hái shì jiā zhōu) = Do you prefer New York or California?
Word-by-word breakdown:
- 你 (nǐ) = you
- 比較 (bǐ jiào) = comparatively, relatively, to compare
- 喜歡 (xǐ huān) = to like
- 紐約 (niǔ yuē) = New York
- 還是 (hái shì) = or (in questions)
- 加州 (jiā zhōu) = California
This is a question asking someone whether they prefer New York or California. The structure “A 還是 B” is commonly used in Chinese to present two options in a question.
Note: In simplified Chinese, this would be written as 你比较喜欢纽约还是加州.
推薦
(tuī jiàn) = to recommend, recommendation
Examples:
- 推薦信 (tuī jiàn xìn) = letter of recommendation
- 我推薦這本書 (wǒ tuī jiàn zhè běn shū) = I recommend this book
- 你能推薦一家餐廳嗎？(nǐ néng tuī jiàn yī jiā cān tīng ma?) = Can you recommend a restaurant?
- 他推薦我去看醫生 (tā tuī jiàn wǒ qù kàn yī shēng) = He recommended that I see a doctor
- 系統推薦 (xì tǒng tuī jiàn) = system recommendation
- 好友推薦 (hǎo yǒu tuī jiàn) = friend’s recommendation
- 強烈推薦 (qiáng liè tuī jiàn) = highly recommend
Note: In simplified Chinese, this is written as 推荐 (tuī jiàn).
皮蛋
(pí dàn) = century egg, preserved egg
Examples:
- 皮蛋瘦肉粥 (pí dàn shòu ròu zhōu) = century egg and lean pork congee/porridge
- 皮蛋豆腐 (pí dàn dòu fu) = century egg with tofu
- 吃皮蛋 (chī pí dàn) = to eat century eggs
- 新鮮皮蛋 (xīn xiān pí dàn) = fresh century eggs
- 皮蛋的味道 (pí dàn de wèi dào) = the taste of century eggs
- 製作皮蛋 (zhì zuò pí dàn) = to make century eggs
Note: Century eggs (皮蛋) are traditional Chinese preserved eggs made by preserving duck, chicken or quail eggs in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, quicklime, and rice hulls for several weeks to months. The process turns the yolk dark green to gray and the egg white into a dark brown, translucent jelly.
活
The Chinese character “活” (huó) has several key meanings:
- Live/Alive: Its primary meaning is “to live” or “to be alive.” It contrasts with “死” (sǐ) which means “dead.”
- Lively/Vivid: It can describe something that is full of life, animated, or vivid.
- Activity/Movement: It refers to action, movement, or activity.
- Flexible/Adaptable: In certain contexts, it indicates flexibility or adaptability.
In compound words, “活” appears in many common expressions:
- 生活 (shēnghuó) - life, living
- 活动 (huódòng) - activity, campaign, to move
- 活泼 (huópō) - lively, vivacious
- 活力 (huólì) - vitality, energy
- 活该 (huógāi) - serve you right
The character consists of the water radical “氵” on the left (indicating something related to water or fluidity) and “舌” (shé, tongue) on the right, expressing the connection between water, movement, and life.
你最近一次感到開心是什麼時候
(Nǐ zuì jìn yī cì gǎn dào kāi xīn shì shén me shí hòu?)
Translation: When was the last time you felt happy?
Breakdown:
- 你 (nǐ): you
- 最近一次 (zuì jìn yī cì): the most recent time, the last time
- 感到 (gǎn dào): to feel, to sense
- 開心 (kāi xīn): happy, joyful
- 是 (shì): is, was
- 什麼時候 (shén me shí hòu): when, what time
This is a question asking someone when they last experienced happiness or felt happy.
是幾比幾贏的
(shì jǐ bǐ jǐ yíng de): what was the score (by which someone/a team won)
Breakdown:
- 是 (shì): is, was
- 幾 (jǐ): how many, several, a few
- 比 (bǐ): compared to, versus
- 幾 (jǐ): how many, several, a few
- 贏 (yíng): to win
- 的 (de): possessive/descriptive particle
Examples:
- 昨天的比賽是幾比幾贏的？
(Zuó tiān de bǐ sài shì jǐ bǐ jǐ yíng de?)
What was the score of yesterday’s match?
- 籃球比賽是 108 比 96 贏的。
(Lán qiú bǐ sài shì yī bǎi líng bā bǐ jiǔ shí liù yíng de.)
The basketball game was won with a score of 108 to 96. - 你知道足球賽是幾比幾贏的嗎？
(Nǐ zhī dào zú qiú sài shì jǐ bǐ jǐ yíng de ma?)
Do you know what the final score of the football match was? - 我們隊是 3 比 2 贏的。
(Wǒ men duì shì sān bǐ èr yíng de.)
Our team won 3 to 2.
昨天我支持的籃球隊贏了
(Zuó tiān wǒ zhī chí de lán qiú duì yíng le)
Translation: The basketball team I support won yesterday.
Breakdown:
- 昨天 (zuó tiān): yesterday
- 我 (wǒ): I, me
- 支持 (zhī chí): to support
- 的 (de): possessive particle
- 籃球 (lán qiú): basketball
- 隊 (duì): team
- 贏了 (yíng le): won, has won
收到什麼樣的禮物你會感到高興
(Shōu dào shén me yàng de lǐ wù nǐ huì gǎn dào gāo xìng)
Translation: What kind of gift would make you feel happy to receive?
Breakdown:
- 收到 (shōu dào): to receive
- 什麼樣 (shén me yàng): what kind of
- 的 (de): possessive/descriptive particle
- 禮物 (lǐ wù): gift, present
- 你 (nǐ): you
- 會 (huì): would, will
- 感到 (gǎn dào): to feel
- 高興 (gāo xìng): happy, pleased, delighted
我收到飾品 比如耳環、項鍊戒指就這些
(Wǒ shōu dào shì pǐn bǐ rú ěr huán, xiàng liàn jié zhǐ jiù zhè xiē)
Translation: I am happy to receive accessories such as earrings, necklaces, rings, just these things.
Breakdown:
- 我 (wǒ): I, me
- 收到 (shōu dào): to receive
- 飾品 (shì pǐn): accessories, ornaments, jewelry
- 比如 (bǐ rú): for example, such as
- 耳環 (ěr huán): earrings
- 項鍊 (xiàng liàn): necklace
- 戒指 (jié zhǐ): ring
- 就 (jiù): just, only
- 這些 (zhè xiē): these things
收到
(shōu dào): to receive
飾品
(shì pǐn): accessories, ornaments, jewelry
比如
(bǐ rú): for example, such as
耳環
(ěr huán): earrings
項鍊
(xiàng liàn): necklace
