Today’s word is a single character, 鼠. The pinyin is shǔ, pronounced like shoe, with a 3rd or falling and rising tone. This character means rat or mouse.
2008 is the year of the Rat.
2008 is the year of the Rat.
Sunday, 10 February 2008
Saturday, 9 February 2008
赤口 - chì kǒu – Inauspicious days!
Yesterday we learnt all about the importance of 拜年 – bài nián – New Year visits. However, today we learn that the third and fourth days of the Chinese New Year are considered to be inauspicious days for visiting because on these days there is a tendency for arguments to happen! The 3rd and 4th days are described as as 赤口, chì kǒu.
赤, chì is translated as bare or red. It is pronounced chur with a 4th or falling tone.
口, kǒu means mouth, and is pronounced “co” with a 3rd or falling and rising tone.
Perhaps the strain of all that celebrating and visiting is starting to tell. It is possible that the literal translation “bare mouth” means people’s real feelings may come out... Be careful what you say!
赤, chì is translated as bare or red. It is pronounced chur with a 4th or falling tone.
口, kǒu means mouth, and is pronounced “co” with a 3rd or falling and rising tone.
Perhaps the strain of all that celebrating and visiting is starting to tell. It is possible that the literal translation “bare mouth” means people’s real feelings may come out... Be careful what you say!
Friday, 8 February 2008
拜年 – bài nián – New Year visits
Now the New Year has started it is time to visit relatives and friends. These visits are a large part of the traditional celebrations. For many people in China, migrant workers, working away from their home, it is the only time when they manage to visit.
The first character today is 拜, bài means to worship or to pay respects.
The second character is 年, nián meaning year. We have seen this character before in
新年快樂 – xīn nián kuài lè – Happy New Year!
拜, bài is pronounced “by”, with a 4th or falling tone.
年, nián is pronounced nee-yen, with a 2nd or rising tone.
The first character today is 拜, bài means to worship or to pay respects.
The second character is 年, nián meaning year. We have seen this character before in
新年快樂 – xīn nián kuài lè – Happy New Year!
拜, bài is pronounced “by”, with a 4th or falling tone.
年, nián is pronounced nee-yen, with a 2nd or rising tone.
Thursday, 7 February 2008
正月 - zhēng yuè – New Year’s Day
The first character today is 正, zhēng meaning the first month of the lunar year. It is pronounced jung with a 1st or high, level tone.
The second character is 月, yuè meaning the moon. It is pronounced you-air, with a 4th or falling tone.
正月, zhēng yuè is the name given to the first day of the new year.
The second character is 月, yuè meaning the moon. It is pronounced you-air, with a 4th or falling tone.
正月, zhēng yuè is the name given to the first day of the new year.
We would like to wish all our readers 新年快樂 – xīn nián kuài lè – Happy New Year.
Wednesday, 6 February 2008
除夕 – chú xī – New Year’s Eve
Today’s first character is 除, chú meaning to change or to remove, it is pronounced chew with a 2nd or rising tone.
The second character is 夕, xī which means “eve”. It is pronounced she with a 1st or high, level tone.
Together the characters imply the evening or night when the year changes. New Year's Eve is traditionally celebrated with a dinner that includes chicken and fish.
The second character is 夕, xī which means “eve”. It is pronounced she with a 1st or high, level tone.
Together the characters imply the evening or night when the year changes. New Year's Eve is traditionally celebrated with a dinner that includes chicken and fish.
Tuesday, 5 February 2008
福 – fú – Good fortune
Today’s word is a single character 福, fú meaning good fortune, blessings or happiness. It is pronounced foo, with a 2nd or rising tone.
This character is usually seen hanging upside-down on doors. The word for upside down, 倒, dǎo is similar to 到, dào meaning to arrive. So, when it is hung upside down the character 福, fú symbolizes the arrival of happiness.
If you would like to support this blog, we have t-shirts and other items for sale in our online Mandarin Word of the Day shop at CafePress. These items feature the character fú upside-down, of course, and the Teddy bear is particularly cute.
This character is usually seen hanging upside-down on doors. The word for upside down, 倒, dǎo is similar to 到, dào meaning to arrive. So, when it is hung upside down the character 福, fú symbolizes the arrival of happiness.
If you would like to support this blog, we have t-shirts and other items for sale in our online Mandarin Word of the Day shop at CafePress. These items feature the character fú upside-down, of course, and the Teddy bear is particularly cute.
Monday, 4 February 2008
恭喜发财 – Gōng xǐ fā cái – Congratulations and Be Prosperous
Today we have another traditional saying for the Chinese New Year. This is another phrase you can use to wish someone a happy new year.
The first two characters together 恭喜, gōng xǐ mean congratulations.
The first character 恭, gōng means to be respectful or reverent. gōng is pronounced gung with a 1st or high, level tone.
The second character is 喜, xǐ which can mean happy or delighted. xǐ is pronounced she, with a 3rd, or falling and rising tone.
The last two characters 发财, fā cái mean to become prosperous, or make a fortune.
The character 发, fā means to become, to develop or expand. fā is pronounced far, with a 1st, or high level tone.
The character 财, cái means wealth or money. cái is pronounced sigh with a 2nd or rising tone.
The first two characters together 恭喜, gōng xǐ mean congratulations.
The first character 恭, gōng means to be respectful or reverent. gōng is pronounced gung with a 1st or high, level tone.
The second character is 喜, xǐ which can mean happy or delighted. xǐ is pronounced she, with a 3rd, or falling and rising tone.
The last two characters 发财, fā cái mean to become prosperous, or make a fortune.
The character 发, fā means to become, to develop or expand. fā is pronounced far, with a 1st, or high level tone.
The character 财, cái means wealth or money. cái is pronounced sigh with a 2nd or rising tone.
Sunday, 3 February 2008
新年快樂 – xīn nián kuài lè – Happy New Year
The first character today is 新, xīn meaning new.
The second character is the one that we have already learned, 年 Nián meaning year.
The third character is 快, kuài meaning happy.
The fourth character is 樂, lè also meaning happy.
Altogether they mean Happy New Year! It's a little early to be using this phrase yet, but it's good to learn it in advance.
The second character is the one that we have already learned, 年 Nián meaning year.
The third character is 快, kuài meaning happy.
The fourth character is 樂, lè also meaning happy.
Altogether they mean Happy New Year! It's a little early to be using this phrase yet, but it's good to learn it in advance.
xīn is pronounced shin, with a 1st or high, level tone.
Nián is pronounced ni-yen, with a 2nd or rising tone.
kuài is pronounced k-why, with a 4th or falling tone.
lè is pronounced ler, also with a 4th or falling tone
Saturday, 2 February 2008
年 Nián – year
There is a legend that in ancient China there was a man-eating beast called 年, Nián. It was a ferocious creature that would appear every twelve months, in spring, and eat people.
The villagers were scared and asked the advice of a wise old man. He told the villagers that the beast was frightened of the colour red. He told them to make loud noises, bang drums and let off firecrackers to frighten the beast away.
This was how the New Year celebrations came into being. The word Nián also means “year”.
Nián is pronounced ni-yen, with a 2nd or rising tone.
The villagers were scared and asked the advice of a wise old man. He told the villagers that the beast was frightened of the colour red. He told them to make loud noises, bang drums and let off firecrackers to frighten the beast away.
This was how the New Year celebrations came into being. The word Nián also means “year”.
Nián is pronounced ni-yen, with a 2nd or rising tone.
Friday, 1 February 2008
春节 - chūn jié – Spring Festival
With Chinese New Year approaching we’re going to tackle a new theme on the Mandarin Word of the Day blog. We will be learning Chinese words connected to the celebration of the Chinese New Year.
The first character today is 春, chūn meaning Spring. Chūn is pronounced chun, with a 1st or high, level tone.
The second character is 节, jié meaning a festival. Jié is pronounced jee-air, with a 2nd or rising tone.
The Spring festival is commonly called Chinese New Year in the West. Over the next few weeks, as the Spring Festival is celebrated we will be learning Mandarin words that relate to the fifteen day festival.
The second character is 节, jié meaning a festival. Jié is pronounced jee-air, with a 2nd or rising tone.
The Spring festival is commonly called Chinese New Year in the West. Over the next few weeks, as the Spring Festival is celebrated we will be learning Mandarin words that relate to the fifteen day festival.
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