Questions tagged [vocabulary]
For questions about vocabulary, i.e. a set of words, as a whole. NOT for questions about meaning or translations, even when more than one word or phrase is involved.
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Books which only includes senteces each of which only using specified vocabs for hsk4
I want to use a book of vocabs for hsk4, which book generally only uses vocabs which are in range of hsk4. It is ok that some terms or expressions inside the sentences are out of range of hsk4 due to ...
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Chinese speaking and vocabulary
大家好
Can anybody help with recourses that I can make my speaking and vocabulary better? Is there anybooks that can help me?
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What verb is used for "playing" a YouTube video?
I want to say that I played a YouTube video.
Would it be 开 , as in 我开了一个十分钟的中文词汇视频 ?
v
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How do you refer to a non-binary sibling in Mandarin Chinese?
I am a very new Chinese student, and as part of my class we are introducing and listing our family members (mother, father, and older and younger brothers and sisters).
However, one of my older ...
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How to use 欢迎 in a sentence?
How exactly does one use the verb 欢迎?
Like in the sentence, 欢迎您到北京来.
Does it require 到 when saying welcome to? What is the purpose of 来 in the sentence?
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Hi, could you please help me with the translation of these weapon parts?
Could you please check, if I have translated these sentences in a right way? Thanks a lot! :)
气体调节器 - gas adjuster
瞄准装置 - scope
复进簧 - return spring
活塞簧 - bolt spring
上护盖 - upper cover
活塞 - bolt
机头 - ...
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What are these 15 types of handles called in Mandarin?
In English an assortment of things can be called "handles", and this is usually translated to one of the following in Mandarin:
CC-CEDICT: 把 (bǎ) ... / handle / ...
CC-CEDICT: 把手 (bǎshou)...
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What's the difference between 说话 and 说?
I figure 说 is generally used for quotes or languages,
我说「我是美国人。」
我说英语。
I also figure 说话 is used when talking with someone.
我明天跟他说话了。
Are these differences accurate? Are there any other differences ...
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Why use "為" instead of the verb "是" for the meaning "to be"?
In the definition for the term "琥珀" at https://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/dictView.jsp?ID=83080&q=1&word=%E7%90%A5%E7%8F%80, there's the text "為淡黃色、褐色或赤褐色的半透明固體". "為"...
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What is the closest mandarin translation to “everything happens for a reason”?
I was told it was
事
出
必
有
因
Is this accurate? Or is there a better translation to be told. Also if I may get a mandarin pronunciation that would be also appreciated.
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What are the usages of 甫 and 氏 after names for a single person?
I am reading some county document from Qing Dynasty. Most of the prefaces were signed by 年號+（年）+干支紀年+（月）+籍貫+姓+名+（字）. For example, 康熙(年號)丙寅(干支紀年)會稽(籍貫)徐(姓)世法(名)序, 道光(年號)二十九年（年）歲次巳酉(干支紀年)十月上浣（月）皖江(籍貫)劉(...
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Does 秩 mean 俸禄 or 品级 in 加秩二等？
This is from 《太平广记》：赐金帛，加秩二等。
The main story happened in Tang Dynasty. Su Wuming caught the thieves who had stolen from the Princess. The Queen wants to reward him by 赐(bestow)金(gold)帛(silk)，加(promote)...
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How is the term 盎格鲁撒克逊人 used?
In some Indo-European languages, including Greek, French, Russian etc., but not in English, the term Anglo-Saxons or Anglosaxons is used very often to describe the alliance of the English-speaking ...
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What is the proper way of saying "if" in Cantonese?
I know in Mandarin, it is easy to say something like "if" by using a statement akin to this:
如果我要去北京的話，我就用飛機。
When I looked up the word "if" in Cantonese, my dictionary brought ...
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What does GG mean here?
Saw this FB post about this unfortunate taxi accident in HK:
However I have never heard the term GG before and was wondering if its supposed to be shorthand for something else?
user31212
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What is the man saying in this Cantonese cartoon?
I started watching Old Master Q today and came across this scene where they try to get an interview, but I couldn't quite understand what was being said here:
https://youtu.be/OR8nxtw8GjY?t=502
...
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What is the difference between 跟, 跟着 and 跟着着?
What is the difference between 跟着 and 跟? All dictionaries say that both can mean the verb "to follow".
If I want to use the 着 as a "particle indicating the continuation of an action or ...
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What is the meaning of 广州产品？
微信的研究开发工作开展得很早，2010年底，移动互联网刚起步，腾讯广州产品研发中心就开始考虑相关业务。
Hi all. This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, section 12.
What exactly is the meaning of 广州产品？
广州产品研发 = Guangzhou product R&D
It doesn'...
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Meaning of 来 after and before certain verbs
What's the purpose of 来 in the following sentences?
他给我买什么来了？
我汉字写得太慢。你来写吧。
我来买票.
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What is the meaning of 说得过?
两千七百多年前的战国末期，赵国名将赵奢有个儿子叫赵括，他从小读了不少兵书，跟别人谈论起军事来，没有人说得过他，就是父亲赵奢也难不住他。赵括因此很骄傲，自以为天下无敌，连父亲也不放在眼里。
Hi all. I found this in the Standard Course Book of HSK5, chapter 15. What is the meaning of 说得过？Here the ...
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What is the meaning of 认知?
What exactly is the meaning of 认知 here? : 我奶奶说过：“人们应该在最美好的时候离开。”因为这个认知而获得诺贝尔奖的，不是我奶奶，而是心理学家丹尼尔•卡内曼。？？Detailed explanation please
提前感谢。
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Can 您 to be used in plural form?
Can 您 be used as a plural form? For example, if a child tries to address to both parents at the same time: 请您放心.
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Honorifics used by students the same age
Can anyone tell me honorifics that would be used by high school aged students who are the same age? More specifically, is there any honorific that would be used by a student being extremely polite to ...
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Differences with 呢度，喺度，and 喺呢度
Can anyone explain any differences in usage between the three ways of saying 'here' in Cantonese?
I anticipate that in many cases, these will be exchangeable. I'm looking for examples of sentences ...
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森严 Why does this mean heavy guarding?
So why does "森严" mean "strictly protected"? like, ok, "森" Means Jungle and "严" means strict, so shouldn't it means "strict forest" not "...
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What is 照拂 in 我是你照拂的梦?
So in this line 我是你照拂的梦, both Google and Apple have translated as I am your dream. What about 照拂? What does 照拂 describe 梦 or 你?
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Nuance between the two words for orange , cheng se and ju se
I am aware that chengzi is an orange and juzi is a tangerine.
From these we get two words for orange colour, chengse and juse.
I lived in Beijing for a few years and reflecting back I don't recall ...
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女 in 嫩 : combining characters
So I just learned a new vocabulary called 嫩. An example from a YouTube channel was given as 这块儿牛肉非常嫩 to mean “This piece of beef is very tender”.
As I understand many Chinese characters can come ...
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How to memorise a Chinese -character/-word that have different meanings?
There are Chinese characters & words that have many and different meanings, my question is how remember their meanings ?
Are there any tips ?
Simple examples:
得 (de, děi, dé): particle, must, ...
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What do the words 大 and 小 mean in a calendar?
In the Chinese textbook I study, in the section teaching calendar and dates, there are tables showing different dates. The following words are written vertically:
九月小,
十月大,
十二月大,
I couldn't figure it ...
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What does 到 mean in the sentence "我找不到了"?
The sentence below is translated as "I can't find it."
我 找 不 到 了 。
But google translates 到 as arrive, and I can't figure out its role in the sentence above.
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Distinguishing 忙 and 盲 from spoken Chinese
All words in Chinese are one syllable words or compound words of one syllables.
This leads to an incredible amount of homonyms in Chinese.
Take ''yi'' for example. There seem to be hundreds of ...
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写日记 or 写日记本 ? Which is more colloquial?
Which of the versions listed above is better to use.
My understanding is that they are essentially the same but I'd like to hear from a native speaker how they feel about these two versions.
Is there ...
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I've learned 泡女, but does 泡男 exist?
I've never heard the 泡男 version.
Is it OK to use to express girls hooking up with guys?
When researching this I came across 泡妞, some people said it is better (more colloquial) that 泡女. Any info on ...
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What really is 红尘?
What exactly are 红尘 referring to? This two words showed up quite often in period dramas. An explanation and examples would be great.
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开始和起来有什么不同？to start + verb
When used with another verb 开始 and 起来 both convey the meaning: to start doing something. Are they synonymous in that specific usage?
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What is the difference between 互相 and 彼此
I was told they were interchangeable except in few cases. What are they?
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How to say "sexist" in Chinese?
Today in class we were discussing a dialogue and one student wanted to say that pne phrase is "sexist". Our teacher wasn't able to provide an answer for that, also because she doesn't speak ...
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How can I say "work in progess"?
I'm making a webpage and I want to put "work in progress" in mandarin.
Is there any idiomatic way to express this?
I saw this question, but I was in doubt if I could use this same expression ...
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Difference between 事儿 vs 东西
What is the difference in meaning between 事儿 and 东西. As far as I understand both mean "thing".
All help is appreciated.
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I'm trying to say sad but in a metaphorical sense. Is there a 'simple' word for (light) sad in chinese?
I want to express how (lightly) sad something is
e.g. it's sad that children do not go out to play anymore.
it's sad she couldn't make it to my birthday party.
but all the translations for sad are ...
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Does 来 mean "bring"?
In the sentence "来一瓶啤酒", what does the word "来" mean?
I guess, it means "to bring". But I couldn't find this meaning for the word "来" in the MDBG dictionary.
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Is this a proper way of using 虽然？
因为锻炼也是我的兴趣，我可以用你的录像学汉语。虽然我还在汉语水平考试级3
Or does 虽然 always need a 但是/可是？And is the structure of the sentence alright, or does it sound too novice?
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Is there an ordering to words like 喜欢，喜爱，喜好?
In English, the phrase "I love chocolate" implies greater affinity for chocolate than "I like chocolate". The phrase "I adore chocolate" implies an even greater affinity. ...
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How to say " I can go to all the other classes/courses" in Mandarin
I am trying to say "I can go to all the other classes/courses" with respect to some classes/courses I cannot attend.
Especially the "all other classes" is troubling me: 我要能去都(?)课.
...
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What is the difference between 创造，创作，制造，制作，and 创建？
Hello good people of Chinese Stack Exchange! Hope you're doing well.
It seems like the words 创造，创作，制造，制作，and 建造 are similar in that they mean "make" or "create," but from what I've ...
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What is the counterpart of self-respect in Chinese?
I think "self-confidence" and "self-esteem" are universal concepts. For example "self-confidence" is 自信 and they basically have the same meaning, the same goes to "...
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Does 靆 mean anything on its own (not followed by 靉)?
Same question with 靉. I know together they make a literary translation of 'dark' in the context of clouds.
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What does 黄 (Huáng) in 黄色 ("yellow") mean, and can it be used as a name?
According to Google Translate, "yellow" translates to "黄色" (Huáng sè).
What is the meaning of "Huáng" alone?
Does it make sense used as a pet name? Or is it silly?
What ...
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Ambiguity with 请问 and 大家
请问 means "please", but 请 alone means "please" like in 请开门, and 问 means "to ask"
So if you want to say "please ask", does it become "请问"?
Also, 大家 ...
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