ài 唉 (sound of sighing) ānxīn 安心 to be without worry, to feel at ease to feel relieved -bàng 镑 pound (unit of weight) bǎobao (bǎobǎo) 宝宝 baby, darling (term of endearment for a young child) běnlái 本来 originally bǐcǐ 彼此 each other, mutually; you too, the same to you bǐjiào (bījiǎo) 比较 relatively, comparatively; fairly, rather bìngqiě 并且 moreover, and bīngxiāng 冰箱 refrigerator, ice box bìnyíguǎn 殡仪馆 funeral home bìyùn 避孕 contraception bú dàn 不但 not only bù gǎn dāng 不敢当 I’m flattered, You shouldn't have, I don't deserve this bù shǎo 不少 quite a lot, quite a few bù tong 不同 to be different càishichǎng 菜市场 market cānjiā 参加 to take part in; to attend cèsuǒ 厕所 toilet chǎnfù 产妇 a woman who has given birth within the last month chángshòu 长寿 long life, longevity; to live a long time chǎnjià 产假 maternity leave chénggōng 成功 to succeed, to be successful chéngshì 城市 city chéng 成 to become, to constitute, to make chī nǎi 吃奶 to nurse, to suckle chū bìn 出殡 to hold a funeral procession chūchāi 出差 to be out of town on business chuī fēng 吹风 to have air blow on oneself, to be in a draft chūshēnglü 出生率 birth rate cónglái bù 从来不 never cónglái dōu 从来都 always (in the past) cónglái méi 从来没 have never dǎ chángtū diànhuà 大长途电话 to make a long-distance phone call dàdōu 大都 for the most part dàfàndiàn 大饭店 hotel dàgē 大哥 oldest brother dài xiào 带孝 to wear mourning dàlou 大楼 building dāngxīn 当心 to watch out dànshi 但是 but dānwèi 单位 unit -dào 到 indicates successful accomplishment of something dàshiguǎn 大使馆 embassy dàxǐde rìzi 大喜的日子 wedding day dàxǐ 大喜 great rejoicing dāying 答应 to agree (to something), to consent, to promise dā 打 travel by, take (a taxi, bus, train, airplane, etc.) dédao 得到 to receive, to get dé 得 to get diàosāng 吊嗓 to present one’s condolences at a funeral, to attend a funeral dìqū 地区 region dù mìyuè 度蜜月 to go on a honeymoon, to spend one's honeymoon duó kuài! 多快 how fast! duōnián 多年 many years dù 度 to pass ěrduo 耳朵 ear érnǚ 儿女 children érqiě 而且 furthermore fādá 发达 to be developed, to be prosperous fàndiàn 饭店 restaurant fàngjiān 房间 room fànguǎnzi 饭馆子 restaurant fàntīng 饭厅 dining room fǎnzhèng 反正 anyway, in any case fàn 犯 to have an attack (of an old disease) fǎyuàn 法院 court of law fēijichǎng 飞机场 airport fēngqì 风气 common practice; general mood fēngshī 风湿 rheumatism fēngshuǐ 风水 the Chinese science of geomancy (that is, the influence of landscape on people and their fortunes) fēngsū 风俗 custom fēnpèi 分配 to assign, to apportion, to allot Fó 佛 Buddha fūfù 夫妇 married couple, husband and wife fùjìn 附近 area fúqi 福气 blessings, luck fúwùtái 服务台 service desk fúxiàng 福祥 lucky physiognomy fùzá (fǔzá) 复杂 to be complicated gǎibiàn 改变 to change gāi 该 should, ought to gǎndeshàng 干得上 to be able to catch up, to be able to make it in time gǎnhuilai 赶回来 to rush back gǎnjīn 赶紧 quickly gèdì 各地 the various places, each place gègè 各个 various gēnjù (gēnju) 根据 according to, based on gèzhǒng 各种 various kinds, types Gōngānjú 公安局 Bureau of Public Security gōngmù 公墓 public cemetery gōngsī 公司 company gōngyuǎn 公园 park gōngyù 公寓 apartment gōngzhèng jiēhūn 公证结婚 civil marriage gōngzī 工资 wages, pay guānniàn 观念 concept, notion, view gǔhuī 骨灰 bone ashes guīju 规矩 special customs, established rules guòqu 过去 to pass away, to die guòshì 过世 to pass away, to die háishi 还是 after all hái 还 even, (to go) so far as to héqilai 合起来 to combine, to join together hé 和 with; and hóngbāo 红包 a red envelope with a gift or bribe of money in it hóngdàn 红蛋 eggs dyed red hóngtáng 红糖 brown sugar hòudài 后代 descendants hòulái 后来 later, afterwards huāquān 花圈 flower wreath huā 花 to be multicolored huīfu 恢复 to recover huìkèshì 会客室 reception room húi mén 回门 the return of the bride to her parents' home (usually on the third day after the wedding) huì 会 might, to be likely to, will huī 灰 to be gray hūnlǐ 婚礼 wedding huǒchēzhàn 火车站 railroad station huǒzàng 火葬 cremation huǒzàng 火葬 to cremate; cremation huò 或 or hūrǎn 忽然 suddenly jiǎngjiu 讲究 to be particular about; to be elegant, to be tasteful jiānglái 将来 the future, someday jiàotáng 教堂 church jiāowǎng 交往 to associate with, to have dealings with jiātíng 家庭 family jià 假 vacation, leave jīdūjiào 基督教 Christianity jiēguǒ (jiēguǒ) 结果 as a result; result, results jiēhūn lǐfú 结婚礼服 wedding gown (dress) jiéhūn 结婚 (jiehūn) to get married jiějué 解决 to solve jièshaorén 介绍人 introducer jìhua shēngyù 计划生育 planned parenthood, family planning jíjiù 急救 first aid; to administer emergency treatment Jílè Bìnyíguǎn 极乐殡仪馆 Paradise Funeral Home (in Tapei) jǐngchájú 警察局 police station jingguò 经过 to go through, to pass by or through jìniàn 纪念 memento, memorial jiùguolai 就过来 to save jiù shì le 就是了 ..., that’s all juédìng 决定 to decide juéyù 绝育 sterilization jūmín wěiyuánhuì 居民委员会 neighborhood committee jǔxíng 举行 to hold (a meeting, ceremony, etc.) júzhǎng 局长 head of an office or bureau (of which the last syllable is jú) kāfēitīng 咖啡厅 coffeehouse kǎolǜ 考虑 to consider; consideration kě bū shi ma! 可不是吗 I’ll say, yes indeed, that’s for sure kě 可 indeed, really kòngzhi 控制 to control ...-lái...-qù 。。。-来。。。-去 (indicates repeating the action over and over again) lǎojiā 老家 hometown lǎorénjiā 老人家 polite way of addressing or referring to an old person (nǐ lǎorénjiā, tā lǎorénjiā) lǎoshi (lǎoshí) 老实 to be honest liàn’ài 恋爱 to be romantically involved with; love liǎojiě (liáojie) 了解 to understand; understanding -liǎo 了 can, to be able to líhūn 离婚 to get divorced lǐwù (lǐwu) 礼物 gift, present māma 妈妈 mother, mom mǎnyì 满意 to be pleased mǎnyuèjiǔ 满月酒 celebration meal one month after a baby is born mǎnyuè 满月 a full month after the birth of a baby -men -们 plural suffix miǎnfèi 免费 to be free of charge ming’é 名额 the number of people assigned or allowed, quota (of people) míxin 迷信 to be superstitious; superstition mìyuè 蜜月 honeymoon nǎ (náli, nǎr) 那（那里，那儿） how (used in rhetorical questions to deny something) nánfāng 男方 the groom's side, the groom's family nánguò 难过 to be sad nánjiā(r) 男家 the husband’s family nánnǚ 男女 male and female nēnggàn 能干 to be capable nénggòu 能够 can, to be able to niánji (niánjì) 年纪 age niánqīng 年轻 to be young nóngcūn 女家 rural area, countryside nóngmín 农民 peasant nǚjiā(r) 女家 the wife’s family nǔlì 努力 to be hardworking, to be diligent; diligently, hard nǚ 女 female pàichūsuǒ(r) 派出所儿 the local police station pàng 胖 to be fat pèng 碰 to touch píngjìng 平静 to be calm pīzhǔn 批准 to give official permission pòfei 颇费 to spend a lot of money (on someone), to go to some expense qiānmíngbù 签名簿 guest book qiān míng 签名 to sign one’s name qiānwàn 千万 by all means, be sure to; (in com bination with a negative sentence) by no means, under no circumstances qíngkuàng 情况 situation qīngnián 青年 youth, young person qīnjìn 亲近 to be close (to a person) qīnqi 亲戚 relatives qūbié 区别 difference, distinction qubuliǎo 去不了 cannot go qùshì 去世 to pass away, to die réngōng liúchǎn 人工流产 abortion rènwéi 认为 to think that, to believe that rén 人 person, self, body rúhé 如何 how, in what way; how (someone or something) is; how is it (literary form) rù xí 入席 to take one’s seat (at a gathering, meeting, or banquet) sānglǐ 丧礼 funeral sān tōngguò 三通过 “the three approvals” shāngdiàn 商店 store shàngjìn 上进 to be ambitious shāngxīn 伤心 to be grieved, to be sorrowful, to be heartbroken shǎoshù mínzú 少数民族 minority nationality, national minority shēnbiān 身边 one’s vicinity, one’s immediate surroundings shēnglěng 生冷 raw or cold foods shēngxialai 生下来 to be born shēngyù 生育 to give birth to and raise shībài 失败 to fail shì fǒu 是否 literary form meaning shi bu shi shìqū 市区 urban area or district shíxíng 实行 to practice, to carry out (a method, policy, plan, ‘reform, etc.) shǒubì 手臂 arm shōushù 手术 operation, surgery shōuxiān 首先 first shuāngfāng 双方 both sides, both parties shùmu 数目 number shú 熟 to be familiar (with), to know well sǐ 死 to die sòng 送 to escort, to take (someone to a place) sòng 送 to give (something as a gift) sūnzi 孙子 grandson -tāi 胎 birth tándao 谈到 to talk about; speaking of ... tǎng 躺 to lie,lie down, to recline tánlai tánqù to talk back and forth tànqīnjià 探亲家 leave for visiting family tànqīn 探亲 to visit relatives (usually means immediate family) tíchàng 提倡 to advocate, to promote, to initiate tíqīn 提亲 to bring up a proposal of marriage tongguò 通过 to pass, to approve tòngkǔ 痛苦 to be painful tóngyì 同意 to consent, to agree tóuyige 头一个 the first tóuyìtāi 头一台 the first pregnancy, the first baby tuō nínde fú 托您的福 thanks to your lucky influence, many thanks tǔzàng 土葬 burial (the word used in contrast to cremation or burial at sea) Wángjiā 王家 the Wáng family wánjù 玩具 toy wǎnliàn wǎnhūn 晚恋晚婚 late involvement and late marriage wǎnliàn 挽联 funeral scroll wèi 喂 to feed xiāngdāng 相当 quite, pretty, very xiāngxìn 相信 to believe xiānhuā 鲜花 fresh flowers xiǎo bǎobao (xiǎo bǎobǎo) 小宝宝 baby, darling (term of endearment for a young child) xiǎode 晓得 to know xiǎoháir 小孩儿 child, children xiǎojiě (xiáojie) 小姐 daughter (referring to someone else’s daughter) xiǎoxīn 小心 to be careful xiāoxi 消息 news xífu 媳妇 daughter-in-law xíguàn 习惯 habit, custom xījiù 喜酒 wedding banquet; wedding wine xìn Fó 信佛 to be a Buddhist xīnláng 新郎 bridegroom xīnniáng 新娘 bride xīnzàngbìng 心脏病 heart disease xīnzàng 心脏 heart xìn 信 to believe (in) xǔduō 许多 many; a great deal (of), a lot (of) Yàngmíngshān 阳明山 a mountain in suburban Taipei yě jiù shi shuō 也就是说 to mean; in other words yě 也 indeed, in fact, admittedly yìbānde shuō 一般地说 generally speaking yìbān 一般 ordinary, general, common yíbèizi 一辈子 all one’s life yídào 一道 together yídìng 一定 to be specific yìjian 意见 opinion yīngdāng 应当 should, ought to yíngyǎngpǐn 营养品 food items of special nutritional value yíshì 仪式 ceremony yíxiang 一向 (have) always, (had) always, consistently, all along yíxiàzi 一下子 an instant, a moment, a while yìzhí 一直 all along, all the time (up until a certain point) yuèzi 月子 month of confinement after giving birth to a child zài shuō 再说 furthermore, besides zàng 葬 to bury záo 早 long ago zengjiā 增加 to increase zhǎng 成 to grow; to be (pretty, etc.) zhèngfǔ 政府 government zhènghūnrén 征婚人 chief witness at a wedding ceremony zhènghūn 征婚 to witness a marriage zhǐ yào 只要 as long as, if only zhòng 重 to be heavy zhùdao 住到 to move to, to go live at zǐsūn 子孙 descendants zǒngshi 总是 always zuìjìn 最近 recently; soon zǔmǔ 祖母 grandmother (on the father’s side) zuò méi 做媒 to act as go-between (for the families of a man and woman considering marriage) zuò yuèzi 坐月子 to go through the month of confinement and special care after childbirth zuò 作，做 to serve as, to act as; as zū 租 to rent