Chinese Words Pinyin Part of Speech Engl. Trans. Examples ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 相亲 xiāngqīn v.o. to get look at prospective spouse before engagement 阴历 yīnl n. lunar calendar 照常 zhàocháng set phrase as usual 做媒 zuòméi v.o. to do matchmaking 八字 bāz n. birthday characters used in fortune telling 算命 suànmìng v.o. to tell fortune 排 pái v. to arrange 吉利 jìl adj. fortune, lucky 开通 kāitōng adj. open-minded 洋行 yángháng n. foreign firm 市侩 shìkuài n. monger, trafficker 中意 zhòngy v. to be satisfied 勉强 miănqiăng v. to push, to force to do something 花旗 Huānq n. Citibank 书记 shūj n. secretary 买办 măibàn n. comprador 工本 gōngbĕn n. cost, investment 栽培 zāipéi v. to cultivate 教会 jiàohu n. church 婿 x n. son-in-law 说亲 shuōqīn v. to propose 磋商 cuōshāng v. to discuss, to talk about 廉 lián adj. cheap 手头紧 shŏutóujĭn set phrase out of money 盘算 pánsuàn v. calculate 作罢 zuòb v. to stop, to give up 无谓 wúwèi adj. meaningless 嵌 qiàn v. inlay, embed 妆点 zhuāngdiăn v. to decorate 缝 fèng n. aperture 屑 xi n. bits, scraps 维妙维肖 wéimiào-wéixiào set phrase to imitate to perfection 鼻音 bìyīn n. nasal sound 过火 guòhu adj. extreme, radical 伤风 shāngfēng v. to catch cold 塞鼻子 sāibìzi v. to have a stuffy nose 橱 ch n. cabinet 收藏 shōucáng v. to collect 磁器 cìq n. porcelain, chinaware 赏鉴 shăngjiàn v. to appreciate 盛 chéng v. to contain 康熙 Kāngx n. a famous empire of Qing Dynasty 窑 yáo n. kiln 古色古香 gŭs? gŭxiāng set phrase antique, quaint 花 纹 huāwén n. pattern of pictures 灵机 一动 lìngj? yìdòng set phrase think up a good idea 古董 gŭdŏng n. antiques 掮客 qiánk n. broker 佩服 pèif v. to admire 休想 xiūxiăng set phrase don't think about doing something 铃 lìng n. bell 佣人 yòngrén n. servant 分付 fēnfu v. to tell, to instruct 惭 cán v. to feel ashamed, to be embarrassed 寡 gu adj. tasteless, few 陋 lòu n. narrow, ignorant 俏 qiào adj. pretty, handsome 灵验 lìngyàn adj. effective 打仗 dăzhàng v. to wage war 流弹 luìdàn n. stray bullet 设备 shèbèi n. apparatus 烘 hōng v. to warm up 手运 shŏuyùn n. luck (at gambling/ect.) 指望 zhĭwàng v. to expect 如梦初醒 rúmèng-chūxĭng set phrase like waking from a dream 糊涂 hútu adj. muddled, confused 钞票 chāopiào n. bills 散 săn adv. scattered 读者文摘 Dúzh? wénzhāi n. Readers' Digest 莎士比亚 Sháshìbĭy n. Shakespeare 新旧约全书 Xīnjiùyu? quánsh n. New and Old Testament 乱世佳人 Luànsh? jiārén n. Gone with the Wind 守 shŏu v. to keep 甜蜜 tiánm adj. sweet 移 y v. to move 收敛 shōuliăn v. to pull back, to restrain oneself 钢琴 gāngqìn n. piano 弹 tán v. to play 补救 bŭji v. to remedy 误解 wùji v. to misunderstand 抢先 qiángxiān v.o. to vie to be first 洋车 yángch n. rickshaw 饭桶 fàntŏng n. good-for-nothing 顿足 dùnz v.o. stamp one's foot 气量 qìliàng n. tolerance 赖 lài v. to repudiate 可笑 kĕxiào adj. ridiculous 欧战 ōuzhàn n. The World War One 落伍 luòw v.o. straggle, drop out 饶恕 ráosh v. to forgive 讨厌 tăoyàn adj. disgusting 吃相 chīxiàng n. the way of eating 蘸 zhàn v. to dip in liquid 烤 kăo v. to roast 拈 nián v. to grasp 咬 yăo v. bite 猪猡 zhūlu n. pig, swine 扫兴 săoxìng v. to be disappointed 三国演义 Sángu? yăny n. The Three Kingdom 添 tiān v. to add 损失 sŭnsh v. to lose
