| | quilt / to cover (with) / (literary) to suffer (a misfortune) / used to indicate passive voice (placed before the doer of the action like "by" in English passive-voice sentences, or, if the doer is not mentioned, before the verb) / (since c. 2009) (sarcastic or jocular) used to indicate that the following word should be regarded as being in air quotes (as in 被旅遊|被旅游 to "go on a trip") | HSK 3 |
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| | second of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干 / second in order / letter "B" or Roman "II" in list "A, B, C", or "I, II, III" etc / second party (in legal contract, usually 乙方, as opposed to 甲方) / ethyl / bent / winding / radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 5) / ancient Chinese compass point: 105° | HSK 5 |
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| | first of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干 / (used for an unspecified person or thing) / first (in a list, as a party to a contract etc) / letter "A" or roman "I" in list "A, B, C", or "I, II, III" etc / armor plating / shell or carapace / (of the fingers or toes) nail / bladed leather or metal armor (old) / ranking system used in the Imperial examinations (old) / civil administration unit in the baojia 保甲 system (old) / ancient Chinese compass point: 75° | HSK 5 |
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| | moist; glossy; sleek / to moisten; to lubricate / to embellish; to enhance / profit; remuneration / (neologism c. 2021) (slang) (loanword from "run") to emigrate (in order to flee adverse conditions) | HSK 7-9 |
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| | third of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干 / third in order / letter "C" or Roman "III" in list "A, B, C", or "I, II, III" etc / ancient Chinese compass point: 165° / propyl | HSK 7-9 |
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| | Confucian school, founded by Confucius 孔子 (551-479 BC) and Mencius 孟子 (c. 372-c. 289 BC) | HSK 7-9 |
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| | °C (degrees Celsius) | HSK 7-9 |
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| | Shang Dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC) / surname Shang | |
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| | (neologism, c. 2015) (coll.) most prominent position (e.g. in a group photo of entertainers) (loanword from "carry" or "center" or "core") | |
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| | C drive or default startup drive (computing) | |
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| | surname Chen / Chen (c. 1045 - 479 BC), a Zhou dynasty state / Chen (557-589), one of the Southern Dynasties 南朝 | |
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| | Ke (c. 2000 BC), seventh of the legendary Flame Emperors, 炎帝 descended from Shennong 神農|神农 Farmer God | |
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| | Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) / surname Ming / Ming (c. 2000 BC), fourth of the legendary Flame Emperors, 炎帝 descended from Shennong 神農|神农 Farmer God | |
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| | Duke of Zhou (11th c. BC), son of King Wen of Zhou 周文王, played an important role as regent in founding the Western Zhou 西周, and is also known as the "God of Dreams" | |
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| | to be revealed / to come out (of the truth) / chalk (for whitening walls) / (old) wine cup / (neologism c. 2021) healthcare worker or volunteer in full-body PPE (esp. during the COVID-19 pandemic) (from the 2014 Disney version of the Marvel Comics character Baymax, whose Chinese name is 大白) | |
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| | (neologism c. 2019) to exert control over (sb) by means of psychological manipulation (e.g. negging) / a person who does so (loanword from "pickup artist") | |
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| | surname Zhi / Zhi (c. 2000 BC), fifth of the legendary Flame Emperors 炎帝 descended from Shennong 神農|神农 Farmer God | |
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| | pomelo (Citrus maxima or C. grandis) / shaddock / oriental grapefruit | |
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| | the Xia or Hsia dynasty c. 2000 BC / Xia of the Sixteen Kingdoms (407-432) / surname Xia | |
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| | Ali (name) / Ali (c. 600-661), the fourth caliph of Islam / Ngari prefecture in Tibet | |
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| | Qi son of Yu the Great 禹, reported founder of the Xia Dynasty 夏朝 (c. 2070-c. 1600 BC) | |
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| | Sun Tzu, also known as Sun Wu 孫武|孙武 (c. 500 BC, dates of birth and death uncertain), general, strategist and philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period (700-475 BC), believed to be the author of the “Art of War” 孫子兵法|孙子兵法, one of the Seven Military Classics of ancient China 武經七書|武经七书 | |
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| | surname Cheng / Cheng (c. 2000 BC), third of the legendary Flame Emperors 炎帝 descended from Shennong 神農|神农 Farmer God | |
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| | Shennong or Farmer God (c. 2000 BC), first of the legendary Flame Emperors, 炎帝 and creator of agriculture | |
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| | self / oneself / sixth of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干 / sixth in order / letter "F" or Roman "VI" in list "A, B, C", or "I, II, III" etc / hexa | |
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| | Chinese language (Mandarin), emphasizing its national nature / Chinese as a primary or secondary school subject / Chinese in the context of the Nationalist Government / Guoyu, book of historical narrative c. 10th-5th century BC | |
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| | ninth of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干 / ninth in order / letter "I" or Roman "IX" in list "A, B, C", or "I, II, III" etc / ancient Chinese compass point: 345° / nona | |
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| | Shun (c. 23rd century BC), mythical sage and leader | |
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| | fifth of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干 / fifth in order / letter "E" or Roman "V" in list "A, B, C", or "I, II, III" etc / penta | |
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| | age / seventh of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干 / seventh in order / letter "G" or Roman "VII" in list "A, B, C", or "I, II, III" etc / ancient Chinese compass point: 255° / hepta | |
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| | Li (c. 2000 BC), sixth of the legendary Flame Emperors 炎帝 descended from Shennong 神農|神农 Farmer God, also known as Ai 哀 | |
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| | vitamin C / ascorbic acid | |
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| | to play the xiao 簫|箫 (mouth organ) / to beg while playing pipes; cf politician Wu Zixu 伍子胥, c. 520 BC destitute refugee in Wu town, 吳市吹簫|吴市吹箫 / to busk / virtuoso piper wins a beauty, cf 玉人吹簫|玉人吹箫 / (slang) fellatio / blowjob | |
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| | Laozi or Lao-tze (c. 500 BC), Chinese philosopher, the founder of Taoism / the sacred book of Daoism, 道德經|道德经 by Laozi | |
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| | Hemudu neolithic archaeological site near Ningbo in Zhejiang, going back to c. 5000 BC | |
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| | (coll.) (neologism c. 2006) to raise money then misappropriate it | |
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| | Daoist School of the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), based on the teachings of Laozi or Lao-tze 老子 (c. 500 BC-) and Zhuangzi 莊子|庄子 (369-286 BC) | |
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| | Mencius (c. 372-c. 289 BC), Confucian philosopher second only to Confucius / book of the same name, one of the classics of Confucianism | |
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| | Washington (name) / George Washington (1732-1799), first US president / Washington, US State / Washington, D.C. (US federal capital) | |
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| | Washington, D.C. / the US federal government | |
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| | Classic of Mountain and Sea, probably compiled c. 500 BC-200 BC, contains wide range of geography, mythology, witchcraft, popular customs etc | |
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| | silent; still; quiet / to mourn in silence; to observe silence / (neologism c. 2022) to stay at home during a pandemic | |
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| | "Erya" or "The Ready Guide", first extant Chinese dictionary, c. 3rd century BC, with glossaries on classical texts | |
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| | the Yellow Emperor, mythological emperor of China, reigned c. 2697-2597 BC | |
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| | Daji (c. 11th century BC), concubine of the last Shang dynasty king Zhou Xin 紂辛|纣辛 | |
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| | (of taste) hot or pungent / hard / laborious / suffering / eighth in order / eighth of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干 / letter "H" or Roman "VIII" in list "A, B, C", or "I, II, III" etc / ancient Chinese compass point: 285° / octa | |
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| | Han Fei, also known as Han Feizi 韓非子|韩非子 (c. 280-233 BC), Legalist philosopher of the Warring States Period (475-220 BC) | |
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| | greasy food; oily food / (of food) greasy; oily; fatty / (neologism c. 2017) (of a middle-aged man) obnoxious; pretentious; vulgar | |
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| | Hua Mulan, legendary woman warrior (c. fifth century), Northern dynasties folk hero recorded in Sui and Tang literature | |
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| | Mozi (c. 470-391 BC), founder of the Mohist School 墨家 of the Warring States Period (475-220 BC) | |
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| | Shang Dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BC) | |
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| | variant of 堯|尧, legendary emperor Yao, c. 2200 BC / embankment | |
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| | Plato (c. 427-c. 347 BC), Greek philosopher | |
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| | Liangzhu (c. 3400-2250 BC), neolithic culture of Changjiang delta | |
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| | Archimedes (c. 287-212 BC) | |
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| | a low fever (up to 38°C) | |
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| | Shu Han (c. 200-263), Liu Bei's kingdom in Sichuan during the Three Kingdoms, claiming legitimacy as successor of Han | |
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| | Flame Emperors (c. 2000 BC), legendary dynasty descended from Shennong 神農|神农 Farmer God | |
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| | Zuo Zhuan or Tsochuan, Mr Zuo's Annals or Mr Zuo's commentary on 春秋, early history c. 400 BC attributed to famous blind historian Zuo Qiuming 左丘明 | |
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| | Mohammed (c. 570-632), central figure of Islam and prophet of God | |
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| | Changle, a district of Fuzhou City 福州市, Fujian / Princess Changle of Western Wei of the Northern Dynasties 西魏, given in marriage c. 545 to Bumin Khan 土門|土门 | |
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| | a low fever (up to 38°C) | |
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| | Yu the Great (c. 21st century BC), mythical leader who tamed the floods / surname Yu | |
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| | tortoise shells and animal bones used for divination in the Shang Dynasty (c. 16th to 11th century BC); oracle bones | |
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| | Shang Yang (c. 390-338 BC), legalist philosopher and statesman of the state of Qin 秦國|秦国, whose reforms paved the way for the eventual unification of the Chinese empire by the Qin dynasty 秦朝 | |
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| | pomelo tree (Citrus maxima or C. grandis) / shaddock / oriental grapefruit | |
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| | 41st year A5 of the 60 year cycle, e.g. 1964 or 2024 | |
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| | Georgetown University in Washington D.C., famous as quality Jesuit university and for its basketball team | |
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| | Buyeo (c. 200 BC-494 AD), ancient kingdom in what is now northeast China | |
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| | pomelo (Citrus maxima or C. grandis) / shaddock / oriental grapefruit | |
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| | Eight Banners, military organization of Manchu later Jin dynasty 後金|后金 from c. 1600, subsequently of the Qing dynasty | |
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| | Marco Polo (1254-c. 1324), Venetian trader and explorer who traveled the Silk road to China, author of Il Milione (Travels of Marco Polo) | |
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| | second year B2 of the 60 year cycle, e.g. 1985 or 2045 | |
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| | Eastern Barbarians, non-Han tribe living to the east of China c 2200 BC | |
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| | the prehistoric Shang dynasty (c. 16th-11th century BC) | |
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| | Narnia, children's fantasy world in stories by C.S. Lewis | |
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| | Laozi or Lao-tze (c. 500 BC), Chinese philosopher, founder of Taoism | |
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| | Hamlet (name) / the Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark c. 1601 by William Shakespeare 莎士比亞|莎士比亚 | |
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| | Leonardo Fibonacci (c. 1170-1250), Italian mathematician | |
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| | Husain or Hussein (name) / Hussein (c. 626-680), Muslim leader whose martyrdom is commemorated at Ashura / Saddam Hussein al Tikriti (1937-2006), dictator of Iraq 1979-2003 | |
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| | coupons for food or grain used in a PRC economic program c. 1955-1993 | |
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| | Xishi (c. 450 BC), famous Chinese beauty, foremost of the four legendary beauties 四大美女, given by King Gou Jian 勾踐|勾践 of Yue as concubine to King of Wu as part of a successful plan to destroy Wu | |
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| | Yu the Great (c. 21st century BC) mythical leader who tamed the floods | |
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| | hot (i.e. popular) (emphatic form of 火) (neologism c. 2016) | |
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| | state of Wei (c. 1040-209 BC), vassal of Zhou | |
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| | circlip; C-clip; snap ring; Jesus clip / brooch | |
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| | Euclid of Alexandria (c. 300 BC), Greek geometer and author of Elements 幾何原本|几何原本 | |
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| | Hippocrates (c. 460 BC - c. 370 BC), Greek physician, father of Western medicine | |
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| | Peking ape-man / Homo erectus pekinensis (c. 600,000 BC), discovered in Zhoukoudian 周口店 in 1921 | |
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| | awesome (expression of approval used hypocritically after bitching about the exact same thing earlier) (neologism c. 2014) | |
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| | angry youth – highly nationalistic young Chinese people (abbr. for 憤怒青年|愤怒青年) (neologism c. 1970s) | |
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| | School of Principle / Neo-Confucian Rationalistic School (from Song to mid-Qing times, c. 1000-1750, typified by the teachings of Cheng Hao 程顥|程颢, Cheng Yi 程頤|程颐 and Zhu Xi 朱熹) | |
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| | Nāgārjuna (c. 150-250 AD), Buddhist philosopher | |
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| | to attend a banquet (funeral, wedding etc) / (neologism c. 2020) (slang) (jocular) lit. to attend sb's funeral banquet (used to imply that things are going to go badly for sb) | |
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| | Xiaohao (c. 2200 BC), leader of the Dongyi 東夷|东夷 or Eastern Barbarians | |
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| | (neologism c. 2014) (slang) to stop striving (esp. when one knows one cannot succeed); to let it all go to hell; (sports) to tank | |
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| | (coll.) expert; connoisseur; guru; enthusiast; geek (influenced by Japanese 達人 "tatsujin" c. 2000) / (literary) sensible person; person who understands life / (literary) optimist | |
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| | (archaic) light, bright (variant of 冏) / (since c. 2005) (slang) emoticon signifying embarrassment, shock, helplessness etc | |
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| | (neologism c. 2014) irresistibly quirky; compelling in its wackiness | |
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| | Zoroaster, Zarathustra or Zarathushtra (c. 1200 BC), Persian prophet and founder of Zoroastrianism | |
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