Learn Chinese for Free - Lesson 49
Today's Chinese characters:
一七万三不两个么九也二五人亿什今他们位体作你儿八六再刘医十千友口○号吗呢周和哥四天太女她好妈姐姓子孙孩它尔尼工师年弟张很律心忙您我技日早明星是月朋期李来林母毛爱父王生男百的程亲老胡见认识谢贵身都陈零马
This is step 4 of 5 of our review process. All characters are ordered according to their radicals.
On Lesson 51 we're going to clarify what radicals are, but for now let's say that for 'radical' is meant a part of the character (a single stroke or a complex figure) that is common to a lot of different characters, and by which characters are classified.
Below you find also the interesting "The Meaning Of" and "How To" tables!
Characters' Essentials
ATTENTION: When alone, before 十 or at the end of a word or a sentence, it is pronounced in the first tone. When it precedes a syllable of the first, second or third tone, it is pronounced in the fourth tone. It is pronounced in the second tone when it is followed by a fourth tone.
| - | One |
ATTENTION: When it precedes a syllable of the fourth tone, as a non-compulsory alternative can be pronounced in the second tone.
| - | Seven |
| - | Ten thousand |
| - | Three |
ATTENTION: When it precedes a syllable of the fourth tone, it is pronounced in the second tone.
| - | Used to form a negative |
| - | Two. 两 is generally used before measure words. Don't use 二 |
| - | Measure word used before nouns which do not have special measure words of their own (some nouns can be preceded by either it or other special measure words) |
| - | Second character of the word 什么 ("what") |
| - | Nine |
| - | Also |
| - | Two |
| - | Five |
| - | Person |
| - | Hundred million |
| - | First character of the word 什么 ("what") |
| - | Now, today |
| - | He, him |
| - | Used to show plural number: 1. after a personal pronoun; 2. after a noun that refers to people ATTENTION: It's not used when the noun is preceded by a numeral or an intensifier |
| - | Measure word for people, indicating respect |
| - | Body, part of the body |
| - | Do, make |
| - | You (singular) |
| - | Child, son |
ATTENTION: When it precedes a syllable of the fourth tone, as a non-compulsory alternative can be pronounced in the second tone.
| - | Eight |
| - | Six |
| - | Again |
| - | A surname (the n.4 most common Chinese surname) |
| - | First character of the word 医生 ("Physician") |
| - | Ten |
| - | Thousand |
| - | Friend |
| - | Mouth |
| - | Zero |
| - | Number; date |
| - | Used at the end of a declarative sentence to transform it into a question |
| - | Used at the end of an interrogative sentence to ask a question in connection with the preceding topic |
| - | A surname (the n.9 most common Chinese surname) |
| - | And, together with |
| - | Elder brother |
| - | Four |
| - | Day |
| - | Too; extremely; very |
| - | Woman |
| - | She, her |
| - | Good, fine |
| - | Mum, mother |
| - | Elder sister |
| - | Surname (noun); one's surname is (verb) |
| - | Son |
| - | A surname |
| - | Child |
| - | It |
| - | Used to transliterate foreign language names, such as Dell, Wal-Mart, Moldavia, and a lot of famous persons' names. So, what you only need is to remember its pronunciation. |
| - | Used to transliterate foreign language names, such as Disney, Sony, Nikon, Manila, Trinidad, and a lot of famous persons' names. So, what you only need now is to remember its pronunciation. |
| - | Work |
| - | Second character of the word 老师 ("Teacher") |
| - | Year |
| - | Younger brother |
| - | A surname (the n.3 most common Chinese surname) |
| - | Very |
| - | Law |
| - | Heart |
| - | Busy |
| - | You (indicating respect) |
| - | I, me |
| - | Skill, technique |
| - | Day |
| - | Good morning; morning (till 9 a.m.) |
| - | Immediately following in time |
| - | Star |
| - | To be |
| - | Month |
| - | Friend |
| - | A period of time |
| - | A surname (actually the n.1 most common Chinese surname!) |
| - | Come |
| - | A surname |
| - | Mother |
| - | A surname |
| - | To love |
| - | Father |
| - | A surname (the n.2 most common Chinese surname) |
| - | Second character of the word 医生 ("Physician") |
| - | Man, male |
| - | Hundred |
| - | Used between an attributive adjunct (i.e. an adjective, or a word, phrase, or clause, performing the function of an adjective) and the headword |
| - | A surname |
| - | Parent |
| - | First character of the word 老师 ("Teacher") |
| - | A surname |
| - | See |
| - | Recognize, know |
| - | Know; knowledge |
| - | Thank |
| - | Expensive, costly; precious; honourable |
| - | Your (term of respect used in polite expressions) |
| - | Body |
| - | All |
| - | A surname (the n.5 most common Chinese surname) |
| - | Zero |
| - | Horse |
Description and Examples
The meaning of: 你好！ It means "Hi!", "How do you do?", "Hello!" It is an everyday greeting and is used at any time, on any occasion and by a person of any social status. The reply should also be "你好". |
The meaning of: 您 It is a respectful form of the second person pronoun 你. It is normally reserved for old people or elders. To show politeness, you may extend its use to people of your own generation, especially at the first meeting. |
The meaning of: 你早！ It is an everyday greeting that is used when people meet each other in the early morning (till 9 a.m.). |
The meaning of: 明早见！ 再见 (literally: again-see) means "see you again". Similarly, 明早见 (literally: tomorrow morning-see) means "see you tomorrow morning". |
The meaning of: 不太好 and 太不好 Note the different degree of goodness - or badness - that is expressed by the following phrases: 太好: extremely good. 很好: very good. 好: good. 不太好: not very good. 不好: bad. 很不好: very bad. 太不好: extremely bad. |
The meaning of: 您贵姓？ This is a respectful and polite way of asking the name of a person. ATTENTION: The answer is never "我贵姓⋯⋯", but "我姓⋯⋯". |
The meaning of: 他姓什么？ It is used for asking another person's name. One shouldn't say "他贵姓？". |
How to say: The two of you 你们两个人 |
How to say: How are you? Just add 吗 to the greeting formula "你好！" changing it into a question! How are you? 你好吗？ literally: You good吗？ Anyway, please be careful, because its usage actually differs from the English greeting "How are you?" While the English "How are you?" is also an everyday greeting, in Chinese you should ask 你好吗？ only if you really want to ask about the state of health or condition of a friend, not just as a greeting. |
How to say: Yes or No Maybe you've already read that one of the meaning of 是 is "yes, right" and that one of the meaning of 不 is "used alone as a negative answer". Anyway, about this simple subject, more must be said. The most common way of simply and politely answering yes in Chinese is by repeating the main element (verb or adjective) of the question's predicate, or its negative form if you want to answer no. Example question: 你认识他吗？ answer 1: 认识。 (meaning: Yes, I do) answer 2: 不认识。 (meaning: No, I don't) |
How to say: How are you? - Part 2 When you address two or more people, you should say "你们好吗？". 你好吗？ 你们好吗？ |
How to write and read a year Simply write the number followed by 年 and read every single figure. NOTE: Number zero (零) can also be written ○. All the following examples are correct: 2000年 二零零零年 二○○○年 The following example is wrong: 两○○○年 ATTENTION: Cannot read 二千年, must read er4 ling2 ling2 ling2 年, every single figure. |
How to write and read a month Simply write the corresponding number (from 1 to 12) followed by 月 and read as normal. |
How to write and read a day Simply write the number of the day followed by 日 or 号 and read as normal. 日 is mainly used in written Chinese, while 号 is preferred in spoken language. |
Exercise
Learn by heart the very common expressions just reviewed.
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