AB

/ei̯⁵⁵ piː⁵⁵/

/ei̯⁵⁵ piː⁵⁵/

From the first two letters of the English alphabet A and B.

to go to work separated into two teams (i.e. each team goes to work on alternative days)

分AB team返工

行AB team

分AB組

分AB组

(Hong Kong Cantonese) two separate (instances)


今

Ideogram (指事) – An inverted 曰 (yuē) ("to speak"), hence 亼 with a horizontal stroke at the bottom, so the inverted mouth means "not to speak".
Another theory suggests that it depicts something in the mouth. Maybe the original form of 噤 (OC *ɡrɯmʔ, *ɡrɯms) or 吟 (OC *ŋɡrɯm, *ŋɡrɯms). The derivative 含 (OC *ɡɯːm) refers to the original word.

Etymology not clear. The word's root may be 其 (OC *ɡɯ, “this”) (Schuessler, 2007).

𫢉
⿱𠆢𬼽
𱎜
旦
當
擔
咊

古往今來

古往今来

If your Majesty's love of music were very great, Qi would be near to a state of good government! The music of the present day is just like the music of antiquity, as regards effecting that.

Wáng zhī hào yuè shèn, zé guó qí shù jǐ hū. Jīn zhī yuè, yóu gǔ zhī yuè yě.

王之好樂甚，則國其庶幾乎。今之樂，猶古之樂也。

王之好乐甚，则国其庶几乎。今之乐，犹古之乐也。


千

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (千):
* → Japanese: 千(せん) (sen)
* → Korean: 천(千) (cheon)
* → Vietnamese: thiên (千)

→ Old Uyghur: 𐽻𐽶𐽺 (sén)

→ Zhuang: cien (“thousand”)

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰiẽ̞³³⁴/

/t͡ɕʰi̯ɛn⁵⁵/

/t͡ɕʰiẽ̞³³⁴/

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sn̥ʰiːn): semantic 一 (“one, signifying a number”) + phonetic 人 (OC *njin). The Old Chinese pronunciations of 千 (OC *sn̥ʰiːn) and 人 (OC *njin) were similar. For the component 人, compare its combining form 亻.
The traditional explanation holds that the extra line indicates an extension (see the etymologies of 年 and 延). 千 has the meaning one thousand because one thousand is a number that is reached by extending one's counting.
Unclear. Schuessler (2007) notes similar forms in Mon-Khmer, though their initials and finals do not match Old Chinese; compare Vietnamese nghìn and Old Mon lṅim (whence Mon လ္ၚီ (ŋìm)), all meaning "thousand". Also compare Proto-Hlai *C-ŋin.

cog

Mon လ္ၚီ (ŋìm)

千山萬水

千山万水

She quit swindling and went to be a film producer

2019, 尹光 [Wan Kwong], 荷里活有個大老千 [I Bet Your Pardon]

keoi⁵ sau¹ sau² bat¹ zoi³ cin¹, zau² heoi³ lou¹ zai³ pin³⁻²

佢收手不再千 走去撈製片

佢收手不再千 走去捞制片


八

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (八):
* → Japanese: 八(はち) (hachi)
* → Korean: 팔(八) (pal)
* → Vietnamese: bát (八)

desctree

→ Proto-Tai: *peːtᴰ (“eight”)
Proto-Southwestern Tai: *pɛːtᴰ
Thai: แปด (bpɛ̀ɛt)
Northern Thai: ᨸᩯ᩠ᨯ
Lao: ແປດ (pǣt)
Lü: ᦶᦔᧆᧈ (ṗaed¹)
Tai Dam: ꪵꪜꪒ
Shan: ပႅတ်ႇ (pèt)
Tai Laing: ပျꧥတ်
Tai Nüa: ᥙᥦᥖᥱ (pǎet)
Phake: ပိတ် (pit)
Ahom: 𑜆𑜢𑜄𑜫 (pit)
Northern Tai
Bouyei: beedt
Tai Do: pẹt
Zhuang: bet
Central Tai
Nùng: pẻt
Tày: pét

Characters in the same phonetic series (八) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 八 is two bent lines indicating the original meaning of "to divide". This character is later borrowed to mean "eight" because of homonymy, making the original meaning obsolete (now represented by 分 and 別).
Unrelated to the bottom part of 兵, 共, 具, and 兴, in which it represents two hands holding an object. Also unrelated to 只 and 兑 in which it represents air coming out of a mouth. Unrelated to 貝. Eventually, unrelated to the bottom part of 其, 真, and 典, in which it represents the legs of a table.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *b-r-gjat (“eight”). Compare Tibetan བརྒྱད (brgyad).

Han etyl

to gossip (about); to stick one's nose in

八婆

Short for 八卦 (bāguà).
(Cantonese) nosey; meddling


最

/t͡su̯eɪ̯⁵¹/

/t͡su̯eɪ̯⁵¹/

Originally 㝡, phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *zloːds): semantic 宀 (“roof”) + phonetic 取 (OC *sʰloːʔ, *sʰloʔ) – "to gather". Later 二 was added as distinguishing marks to disambiguate the character for the meaning "the most". The top components have corrupted into 冃 in the modern form.

Han compound

最佳


乃

/ⁿdai²¹⁻²¹⁵/

/ⁿdai²¹⁻²¹⁵/

迺
廼
𠄕
𠄎
𠧤
𢏩
𢎧

(Taishanese, colloquial) Alternative form of 哪 (“which; where”)


倆

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *raŋʔ): semantic 亻 + phonetic 兩 (OC *raŋʔ, *raŋs).
Contraction of 兩個 (liǎngge, “two + classifier”).

Han compound

They've only got a bit of money and they really think they're somebody?

Yǒu nènme liǎ chòu zǐr hái zhēn yǐwéi yǒu duó liǎobùqǐ a?

有那麼倆臭子兒還真以為有多了不起啊？

有那么俩臭子儿还真以为有多了不起啊？

(colloquial, chiefly Mainland China) a few; some


何

In the oracle bone script, a pictogram (象形): a man carrying something on their shoulder – the original form of 荷 (OC *ɡaːlʔ, “to carry”).
The object being carried may have been 戈 (gē), in which case the character is also an ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) and phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡaːl, *ɡaːlʔ): semantic 人 (“person”) + phonetic 戈 (OC *koːl, “dagger-axe”).
In the bronze inscriptions, some forms of the character were phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ɡaːl, *ɡaːlʔ): semantic 人 (“person”) + phonetic 可 (OC *kʰaːlʔ), from which the modern form derives.
Cognate with the following interrogative pronouns:
* 胡 (OC *ɡaː, “what; why”)
* 奚 (OC *ɡeː, “what; why; where”)
* 曷 (OC *ɡaːd, “why”)
* 盍 (OC *ɡaːb, “why not”): from the fusion of 何不 (OC *ɡaːl pɯ, “why not”)
In Sino-Tibetan, cognate with Tibetan ག་ན (ga na, “where; how”), Tibetan ག་རུ (ga ru, “to where”) (Schuessler, 2007).
STEDT, on the other hand, compares 何 (OC *ɡaːlʔ) to Proto-Sino-Tibetan *ka (“which; like; deictic; interrogative”), to which 幾 (OC *kɯlʔ, “how many”) and 豈 (OC *ŋ̊ʰɯlʔ, “how”) are also compared.

inh

Original form of 呵 (“to scold; to criticise; to denounce”).


佗

Probably from 底 (Yang, 2002):
* tai → ta (→ taʔ);
* tue → to (→ toʔ).
For Zhangzhou Hokkien, from an ellipsis of 佗落 (tah-lo).

倒
叨
叼
搭
哪
底
迤

chham tio̍h ka-pi kòe âu sio, m̄ chai lí tàu-té tī toh

參着咖啡過喉燒，不知你到底置佗

参着咖啡过喉烧，不知你到底置佗

2016, 黃妃 (Huang Fei) (lyricist 方文良 [Neil Fang]), 雙生花

夢對佗飛，未來佗位找

梦对佗飞，未来佗位找


兩

According to Shuowen Jiezi an ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 一 + 㒳.
Baxter (1992) observes that, in historical forms, the character is two 丙 (OC *praŋʔ) joined together; this would make 丙 the phonetic component in a sort of phono-ideogrammic compound (see also Baxter & Sagart (2014)).
The character could be linked to the original form of 更, which represents two chariots and a whip.
Unknown. Schuessler (2007) proposes two possible etymologies:
* Borrowing from Kra-Dai; compare Proto-Tai *rawᴬ (“we”) > Thai เรา (rao, “we”), Zhuang raeuz (“we (inclusive)”); Proto-Kam-Sui *hra¹ (“two”) > Southern Kam yac (“two”), Sui xgaz (“two”).
* Cognate with Tibetan སྲང (srang, “balance; scale; weight; unit of weight”).
Derivative: 輛 (OC *raŋs, “chariot”) (literally “that which is paired”, i.e. “a set of wheels”).

cog

两
㒳
𭃂
両
两
㒳
𭃂

(Mainland China) Short for 市兩／市两 (shìliǎng, “market tael, equal to 1/10 of a catty or 50 grams”).

市兩

(Taiwan) Short for 臺兩／台两 (“Taiwanese tael, equal to 1/16 of a catty or 37.5 grams”).

臺兩

Short for 公兩／公两 (gōngliǎng, “hectogram”).


凡

Pictogram (象形) – a plate, a flat dish. See also 風 and 同. Unrelated to 几.
Borrowed for abstract meanings. Another character 盤 (OC *baːn) was created to refer to the original word.
As an alternative, a bucket. If the character represents a bucket, part of its original meaning could be preserved in 同 and in turn in 筒 (OC *doːŋ, *doːŋs, “bucket”).
According to Schuessler (2007), Sino-Tibetan in origin; compare Mizo pum (“whole; all”), Burmese ဘုံ (bhum, “common, public, communal”). Cognate with 法 (OC *pqab, “law”).

For all sons it is the rule: In winter, to warm [the bed for their parents], and to cool it in summer; in the evening, to adjust everything [for their repose], and to inquire [about their health] in the morning; and, when with their companions, not to quarrel.

The Book of Rites, c. 4ᵗʰ – 2ⁿᵈ century BCE

Fán wèi rénzǐ zhī lǐ: dōng wēn ér xià qìng, hūn dìng ér chén xǐng, zài chǒuyí bù zhēng.

凡為人子之禮：冬溫而夏凊，昏定而晨省，在醜夷不爭。

凡为人子之礼：冬温而夏凊，昏定而晨省，在丑夷不争。

Without him was not any thing made that was made.

新標點和合本 (Chinese Union Version with New Punctuation), 約翰福音 (John) 1:3

Fán bèi zào de, méiyǒu yīyàng bùshì jièzhe tā zào de.

凡被造的，沒有一樣不是藉著他造的。

凡被造的，没有一样不是借着他造的。

in general; every, all, any; indicates that the statement applies generally, to all cases.


各

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 夂 (“sole of foot”) + 口 – to come, to enter; original form of 𢓜 and 格 (OC *klaːɡ, *kraːɡ). The mouth could be referred to the entrance of a cavern or building (see 高, 去 and 谷; however, this is not the case in 向).
Sino-Tibetan. Derived from 舉 (OC kaʔ) with distributive suffix -k. Cognate with Proto-Lolo-Burmese *ka (“all”) (Schuessler, 2007)

Han compound

(dialectal, derogatory) sticking out; odd; unusual


嚽

For pronunciation and definitions of 嚽 – see 啜 (“to taste; to eat; to drink; to sip; etc.”).
(This character is a variant form of 啜).


其

Vietnamese: cơ

In the oracle bone script, it was originally 𠀠, a pictogram (象形) of a basket.
In the bronze inscriptions, 丌 was added under the basket to represent a stand. It may also have acted as a phonetic component. Hence, the modified version was 𠔝. See also the bottom component of 眞.
Later borrowed for an Old Chinese pronoun. The derivative 箕 (OC *kɯ) refers to the original word.
; third-person possessive pronoun
; modal particle "should; probably"

酈食其

郦食其


吾

吾姆 [Sixian Hakka] ― ngâ mê [Pha̍k-fa-sṳ] ― my mom

(Can we date this quote?), “佬妹阿花”, 张少林 (lyrics)performed by 张少林:

雅佬妹喊做阿花


哪

/ⁿdai²¹⁻²¹⁵/

/ⁿdai²¹⁻²¹⁵/

Written as 那 before the 20th century.
It is generally considered to be the fusion of 奈何 (OC *naːls ɡaːl, “how”) (Wang, 1990; Sun, 1992; Shimura, 1995), usually citing Gu Yanwu's (顧炎武) commentary on Zuozhuan. Lü (1985) distinguishes between “which” (choosing among several choices), which he derives from 若 (OC *njaɡ), and “how” (asking for something), which he considers to be a fusion of 若何 (OC *njaɡ ɡaːl, “how”).

Chú xīngqīsān yǐwài, wǒ nǎ yī tiān dōu kěyǐ lái.

除星期三以外，我哪一天都可以來。

除星期三以外，我哪一天都可以来。

He is afraid that one day the sky will fall down.

他害怕哪天天會塌下來。

他害怕哪天天会塌下来。

他哪像個學生。

他哪像个学生。

我哪知道。

哪會按呢？

哪会按呢？

(rhetorical question) how (used in rhetorical questions)


孰

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *djɯwɢ): phonetic 𦎫 () + semantic 丮. In modern script 𦎫 and 丮 have corrupted into 享 and 丸 respectively.
From *du + *-k (“distributive suffix”); cognate with 誰 (OC *djul, “who”), 疇 (OC *du, “who”) (Schuessler, 2007).

Han compound

People are not sages; who can be without error?

人非聖賢，孰能無過

人非圣贤，孰能无过

emphatic or interrogative pronoun
who; whoever; whomever


少

Pictogram (象形) – four dots, perhaps three grains of sand (see 沙), to indicate "a few, a little". Phonetically borrowed from 小 (OC *smewʔ, “small”), which is depicted by three dots.
Unrelated to 步 (and hence 歲), in which the lower component is the stylization of a foot.


幾

→ Thai: กี่ (gìi, “how many; how much”)

→ Northern Thai: ᨠᩦ᩵

→ Khün: ᨠᩦ᩵

desc

→ Lü: ᦂᦲᧈ (k̇ii¹)

→ Lü: ᦂᦲᧈ (k̇ii¹)

Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 𢆶 (“silk threads; little things”) + 戍 (“to guard against”) – watching over the fine details.
Note that the simplified form 几 (OC *krilʔ, “small table”) is also a traditional character on its own.

Han compound

I browsed through some magazines while I waited.

我邊等邊瀏覽幾本雜誌。

我边等边浏览几本杂志。

幾天後他將回來。

几天后他将回来。

同幾首歌

同几首歌


或

CJKV/code

Sino-Xenic (或):
* → Vietnamese: hoặc (或)

Characters in the same phonetic series (或) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 戈 (“dagger-axe (used to defend the territory)”) + 囗 (“city wall”) + 一, “territory”. The most ancient version is 戓, then modified into 或; the stroke was added perhaps when the pronounciation of the character evolved.
Borrowed for abstract meanings. The derivative 國 (OC *kʷɯːɡ), 域 (OC *ɢʷrɯɡ), and perhaps 淢 refer to the original word. The last character can be seen in the ancient name of the Han river, 㵄.
或 (OC *ɡʷɯːɡ, “someone; some”) is the result of the distributive suffix *-k being added to 有 (OC *ɢʷɯʔ, “there is”).
Cognate with 又 (OC *ɢʷɯs, “again”) (Schuessler, 2007).


彼

Related to 許／许 (hí, hír, “that”); see there for more.
Pronunciation 2 is a fusion word of 許／许 (hí, hír, “that”) + 一 (it, “one”); compare Mandarin 那 (nèi), from 那 (nà, “that”) + 一 (yī, “one”) (Mei and Yang, 1995).

彼本冊

彼本册

(Southern Min, Puxian Min) that (demonstrative determiner)


所

Sino-Xenic (所):
* → Vietnamese: sở (所)

→ Vietnamese: thửa

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sqʰraʔ): phonetic 戶 (OC *ɡʷaːʔ) + semantic 斤 (“axe”) – the sound of logging (the definition given in Shuowen).
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s/k-ra (“place”) (STEDT; Schuessler, 2007). Cognate with Burmese ရာ (ra, “place”).
Baxter and Sagart (2014) relates it to 處 (OC *t.qʰaʔ, “to be at”), 處 (OC *t.qʰaʔ-s, “place”), 許 (OC *qʰ(r)aʔ, “place”).

Han compound

所以

what one uses; what one relies on; means > the reason why > therefore

所得

所見即所得／所见即所得

所長／所长

無所謂／无所谓

to be irrelevant (literally, "to not [have or be] what one can refer to [as]")

你所用的電腦／你所用的电脑

不知所云

令尹子庚，殹民之所亟。

Different phrasings were applied to what was witnessed, what was learned, and what was transmitted via tradition.

Commentary of Gongyang, c. 206 BCE– 9 CE

Suǒ jiàn yì cí, suǒ wén yì cí, suǒ chuánwén yì cí.

所見異辭，所聞異辭，所傳聞異辭。

所见异辞，所闻异辞，所传闻异辞。

The Western Count, about to go out on a hunt, divined it; it is said: "What will be caught will be neither horned dragon, nor hornless dragon, nor tiger, nor brown bear. Who will be gained will be an aide to hegemons and kings."

The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

Xībó jiāng chū liè, bǔ zhī, yuē “suǒhuò fēi lóng fēi chī fēi hǔ fēi pí; suǒhuò bàwáng zhī fǔ.”

西伯將出獵，卜之，曰「所獲非龍非彨非虎非羆；所獲霸王之輔」。

西伯将出猎，卜之，曰「所获非龙非彨非虎非罴；所获霸王之辅」。

passive participle
passive participle#English

Prefix attached to verbs to form noun phrases, indicating the patient of the verb, similar to a passive participle.


恁

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *njɯm, *njɯmʔ): phonetic 任 (OC *njɯm, *njɯms) + semantic 心 (“heart”).
; “to think”

Han compound

㤛
𢗖
按
咹
按
咹
您

徂年幸未暮，此意可勤恁。


恁

Allegedly a contraction of 汝儂／汝侬 (lí-nâng, “you people”). See 儂 (“person; pronoun suffix”) for more.

㤛
𢗖
按
咹
按
咹
您

I married off my youth into your home. Since I was young, I’ve followed you till old-age.

Gún chiong chheng-chhun kè tī lín tau, gún tùi siàu-liân tòe lí tòe kah lāu.

阮將青春嫁置恁兜，阮對少年跟你跟甲老。

阮将青春嫁置恁兜，阮对少年跟你跟甲老。

(Southern Min) your (singular or plural)


是

Wutunhua: hai

Characters in the same phonetic series (是) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Originally a phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *djeʔ): semantic 早 + phonetic 止 (OC *kjɯʔ), but the original meaning is unclear. It has been suggested that 早 looks like a spoon, so 是 may have been the original character for 匙 (OC *dje, “spoon”). As early as in late bronze inscriptions, the lower part of 早 split off and combined with 止 to give 昰, which carried over to the small seal script, and Shuowen considers this a compound of 日 (“sun”) + 正 (“upright; right”) (i.e. as the upright sun).
“This [an independent pronoun] > this, it [object recapitulation], be right, correct, so > to be, indeed”. The modern copulative sense only emerged by the Eastern Han dynasty (Dobson, 1964; Norman, 1988; Zürcher, 2013), and gradually replaced the archaic 唯 (OC *ɢʷi, “to be”) and the classical copulative construction with 也 (OC *laːlʔ).
This was due to the lack of a left-branching copula as archaic 唯 shifted into a contrasting and restricting particle, as well as its frequent use in presentational copulative constructions, often in the form of "A, 是 B 也" ("A, this is B"), which led to it being gradually reinterpreted as the copula instead of 也. Also note the semantic opposition with literary negative copula 非 (OC *pɯl) as in "right" and "wrong", which emerged by the Warring States period from the frequent collocation of the expression "是 X 也, 非 Y 也" (This is X, not Y) (Pulleyblank, 1995) .
To understand this development, compare 之 (OC *tjɯ, “him, it, this > possessive”), 其 (OC *kɯ, “he, his, its > dialectal possessive”). Compare French c’est which in colloquial speech often replaces copula est, as well as Japanese は, the topic particle like Old Chinese 者 (OC *tjaːʔ), 也 (OC *laːlʔ, “topicalizer”) and left-branching 夫 (OC *ba), but frequently misinterpreted as the copula by learners.
From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m-daj ~ m-di (“that; this”). In Chinese, cognate with 寔 (OC *djɯɡ, “this (subject contrastive)”), 實 (OC *ɦliɡ, “this (subject contrastive)”), 之 (OC *tjɯ, “this; him; her; it (oblique)”), 諟 (OC *djeʔ, “to examine, to consider”). In Tibeto-Burman, cognate with Tibetan དེ (de, “that”), Jingpho dai, ndai (“this”), and Burmese ဒီ (di, “this”).

och-l

The River Thames is the second longest river in the UK.

Tàiwùshìhé shì Yīngguó dì'èr cháng de héliú.

泰晤士河是英國第二長的河流。

泰晤士河是英国第二长的河流。

It was a woman, with streaks of white in her hair, wearing ragged clothes.

Diēdǎo de shì yī ge nǚrén, huābái tóufà, yīfú dōu hěn pòlàn.

跌倒的是一個女人，花白頭髮，衣服都很破爛。

跌倒的是一个女人，花白头发，衣服都很破烂。

indicating that the subject and object are the same.


此

Characters in the same phonetic series (此) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意): 止 (“feet”) + 人 (“person”) – where a person stops; here.
Alternatively, this may be the original form of 跐 (OC *ʔsreːʔ, *ʔseʔ, *sʰeʔ, *ʔsreʔ, “to stamp, to stop, to stand”).
Cognate with 斯 (OC *se, “this”).
STEDT compares 此 (OC *sʰeʔ) and 斯 (OC *se) to Proto-Tani *si (“this”).

och-l

請按此。

请按此。

The Great Sage Equal to Heaven came here on a trip.

Wu Cheng'en, Journey to the West, 16ᵗʰ century CE

齊天大聖到此一遊。

齐天大圣到此一游。


次

Characters in the same phonetic series (次) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
Ideogrammic compound (會意／会意) and possibly phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sn̥ʰis): phonetic 二 (OC *njis, “two”) + semantic 欠. Given that the right part of the character depicts a man kneeling with an open mouth, the number two perhaps indicates "two people speaking".
As an alternative, the two horizontal traits 二 are the representation of some saliva spitted while speaking; hence, the act of speaking is represented without a reference to blown air or breathing (e.g., 曰, 丂, 于, 只). The original meaning was "to consult", 咨. Perhaps related to 㳄, which means "saliva"; however, this is not the original version of the character, but a variant.
In both cases, the Kangxi radical "Ice" is a false friend of either "Number two" or two drops representing saliva; however, in some fonts, it is still possible to see 二. An old variant of the character is 𣄭.
Probably from *s- + 二 (OC *njis, “two”), from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *g/s-ni-s (Pulleyblank, 1962; Sagart and Baxter, 2012; STEDT).

Han compound

The people are the most important element in a nation; the spirits of the land and grain are the next; the sovereign is the lightest.

Mín wéi guì, shèjì cì zhī, jūn wéi qīng.

民為貴，社稷次之，君為輕。

民为贵，社稷次之，君为轻。


爾

Pictogram (象形) – cloth on a loom, with threads crossing – original form of 檷 (OC *niːlʔ, “loom”). Used phonetically.
; “you; your”
; "that"

尔
尒
𡭗
尓
𠇍
尔
尼
呢
尔
耳
定
領
但
尔
尔

The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

子路率爾而對曰…

子路率尔而对曰…

(Zeng Dian), pausing as he was playing on his se, while it was yet twanging, laid the instrument aside, and said...

Gǔ sè xī, kēng ěr. Shě sè ér zuò, duì yuē...

鼓瑟希，鏗爾。舍瑟而作，對曰…

鼓瑟希，铿尔。舍瑟而作，对曰…

(obsolete) a suffix or word-final particle indicating state, appearance, sound, or manner accompanying a verb


胥

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *sŋa, *sŋaʔ): phonetic 疋 (OC *ŋraːʔ, *sŋra, *sŋraʔ) + semantic 月 (“flesh”)


苟

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *koːʔ): semantic 艹 + phonetic 句 (OC *koː, *koːs, *kos, *ɡo) – a kind of grass, in original sense.

Han compound

For the time being, I did what I could to survive the chaotic times, and never wished to become eminent among the nobles.

227, 諸葛亮 (Zhūgě Liàng) (Zhuge Liang), 出師表

Gǒuquán xìngmìng yú luànshì, bù qiú wèndá yú zhūhóu.

苟全性命於亂世，不求聞達於諸侯。

苟全性命于乱世，不求闻达于诸侯。


遐

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *gra (“long (period of time)”). Cognate with Burmese ကြာ (kra, “be a long time (since)”).

cog

徦
彼
靴
叱
吪
瓦
許
赫
靴
叱
吪


遐

Possibly a contraction of 彼搭 (hit-tah). Compare 遮 (chiâ / chia / chiô / chiah).

徦
彼
靴
叱
吪
瓦
許
赫
靴
叱
吪

† - there (close to audience); ‡ - over there


該

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kɯː): semantic 言 + phonetic 亥 (OC *ɡɯːʔ).

Han compound

該死

该死

我該去睡了。

我该去睡了。


這

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *ŋrans): semantic 辶 (“walk”) + phonetic 言 (OC *ŋan).
The character was originally a verb meaning “to meet”, whose modern pronunciation is yàn. It was later borrowed for the proximal demonstrative “this/here”, by a confusion in medieval handwriting with 遮 (zhē, “this”).
First attested in the Tang dynasty; etymology unclear. Proposed etymologies:
* From 者 (OC *tjaːʔ, “one which”) (Lü, 1985). Wang (1990) notes that 者 always occurs after what is referred to, where as 這 always before.
*: 者 (OC *tjaːʔ, “one which”) > 者 (MC tsyaeX, “this (possessive case)”) > 者 (MC tsyaeX, “this (general demonstrative)”) > Mandarin 這／这 (zhè).
* From 之 (OC *tjɯ, “this; it”) (Wang, 1990). Norman (1988) notes that this derivation would be phonologically problematic.

ltc-l

这
遮
者
只
拓
J
迓
邇
即
此
这
这

這可不行！

这可不行！

你這個傻逼

你这个傻逼

Used before words for insults to add emphasis.

filler particle usually used when the speaker is tongue-tied.


邊

你喺邊呀？

你喺边呀？


阮

Contraction of 我儂／我侬 (góa-nâng, “we”). See 儂 (“person; pronoun suffix”) for more.

used without 的; GT - General Taiwanese (no specific region identified)

阮老爸


麼

么
麽
庅
么
麽
庅
么
麽
庅
嗎:má
嘛:má
麽
麽
庅
尛
𡭚
𡭯
𡮡
𤹳
么
麽
乜
嗎


乜嘢

/mɐt̚⁵ jɛː¹³/

/mɛː⁵⁵ jɛː¹³/

/mɛː⁵⁵ ɛː¹³/

/miː⁵⁵ jɛː¹³/

/ᵐbᵘɔt̚⁵⁵ jiɛ³³/

/mɐt̚⁵ jɛː¹³/

/mɛː⁵⁵ jɛː¹³/

/mɛː⁵⁵ ɛː¹³/

/miː⁵⁵ jɛː¹³/

/ᵐbᵘɔt̚⁵⁵ jiɛ³³/

nei⁵ zeoi³ zung¹ ji³ ge³ hai⁶ mat¹ je⁵ ngaan⁴ sik¹?

你最鍾意嘅係乜嘢顏色？

你最钟意嘅系乜嘢颜色？


一個

/i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ kɤ⁵¹/

/jɐt̚⁵ kɔː³³/

/t͡sit̚⁴³⁻²¹ e²⁴/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² e²⁴/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² e²³/

/t͡sit̚¹²¹⁻²¹ e¹³/

/t͡sit̚²⁴⁻² ɡe²⁴/

/t͡sit̚⁴³⁻²¹ ɡe²⁴/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² kɤ²¹/

/t͡sit̚¹²¹⁻²¹ ko²¹/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² ko¹¹/

/t͡sit̚²⁴⁻² ko⁴¹/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² ko²¹/

/i⁵⁵⁻³⁵ kɤ⁵¹/

/jɐt̚⁵ kɔː³³/

/t͡sit̚⁴³⁻²¹ e²⁴/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² e²⁴/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² e²³/

/t͡sit̚¹²¹⁻²¹ e¹³/

/t͡sit̚²⁴⁻² ɡe²⁴/

/t͡sit̚⁴³⁻²¹ ɡe²⁴/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² kɤ²¹/

/t͡sit̚¹²¹⁻²¹ ko²¹/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² ko¹¹/

/t͡sit̚²⁴⁻² ko⁴¹/

/t͡sit̚⁴⁻³² ko²¹/

給我一個就好了。

给我一个就好了。

一個愛嘮叨的奶奶

一个爱唠叨的奶奶

一個陌生女人的來信

一个陌生女人的来信

一個時代的產物

一个时代的产物

這是一個美麗的錯誤。

这是一个美丽的错误。

Combination of the numeral 一 (“one”) and the generic classifier 個／个: a; an; one

它們都是一個樣兒。

它们都是一个样儿。


有的

/joʊ̯²¹⁴ d̥ə⁴/

/jɐu̯¹³ tɪk̚⁵/

/iu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tiɪk̚³²/

/iu⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ tiak̚⁵/

/joʊ̯²¹⁴ d̥ə⁴/

/jɐu̯¹³ tɪk̚⁵/

/iu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ tiɪk̚³²/

/iu⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ tiak̚⁵/

有的人真有福氣。

有的人真有福气。


有些

/joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵/

/jɐu̯¹³ sɛː⁵⁵/

/iu⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ sia³³/

/iu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ sia⁴⁴/

/iu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ se⁴⁴/

/joʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵/

/jɐu̯¹³ sɛː⁵⁵/

/iu⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ sia³³/

/iu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ sia⁴⁴/

/iu⁵³⁻⁴⁴ se⁴⁴/

有些人活得真不如畜生。

The hotel service people in some regions have a poor attitude.

Yǒuxiē dìqū de fàndiàn fúwù rényuán tàidù èliè.

有些地區的飯店服務人員態度惡劣。

有些地区的饭店服务人员态度恶劣。


某個

/moʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ kɤ⁵¹/

/mɐu̯¹³ kɔː³³/

/mɤ²² ɡəʔ⁴⁴/

/moʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ kɤ⁵¹/

/mɐu̯¹³ kɔː³³/

/mɤ²² ɡəʔ⁴⁴/


幾個

Wutunhua: -jhege

/t͡ɕi²¹⁴⁻²¹ kɤ⁵¹/

/t͡ɕi²¹⁴ g̊ə⁴/

/kei̯³⁵ kɔː³³/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ e²⁴/

/kui⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ e²⁴/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ e¹³/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ e²⁴/

/kui⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ e²³/

/t͡ɕi²¹⁴⁻²¹ kɤ⁵¹/

/t͡ɕi²¹⁴ g̊ə⁴/

/kei̯³⁵ kɔː³³/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ e²⁴/

/kui⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ e²⁴/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ e¹³/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ e²⁴/

/kui⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ e²³/

able to recognize only a handful of Chinese characters; illiterate

大字不識幾個

大字不识几个

我糾結了好幾個月。

我纠结了好几个月。

Nǐ kě bù kěyǐ tuījiàn jǐge bǐjiào hǎo de xuéxiào?

你可不可以推薦幾個比較好的學校？

你可不可以推荐几个比较好的学校？

I would like to ask a few questions before the meeting begins.

Zài méiyǒu kāihuì zhīqián, wǒ xiǎng qǐngjiào jǐge wèntí.

在沒有開會之前，我想請教幾個問題。

在没有开会之前，我想请教几个问题。


十九

/ʂʐ̩³⁵ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sz̩²¹ t͡ɕiəu⁵³/

/ʂʐ̩²⁴ t͡ɕiou⁵¹/

/sɐp̚² kɐu̯³⁵/

/sɨt̚² t͡ɕiu²¹³/

/səʔ⁵⁴⁻² t͡ɕiəu⁵³/

/sɛiʔ⁵⁻³³ kau³³/

/t͡sap̚²⁴⁻² kau⁵⁵⁴/

/t͡sap̚¹²¹⁻²¹ kau⁵³/

/zəʔ¹¹ t͡ɕiɤ²³/

/ʂʐ̩²⁴ t͡ɕi̯əu̯⁴¹/

/sz̩²⁴ t͡ɕi̯əu̯⁴¹/

/ʂʐ̩³⁵ t͡ɕi̯oʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/sz̩²¹ t͡ɕiəu⁵³/

/ʂʐ̩²⁴ t͡ɕiou⁵¹/

/sɐp̚² kɐu̯³⁵/

/sɨt̚² t͡ɕiu²¹³/

/səʔ⁵⁴⁻² t͡ɕiəu⁵³/

/sɛiʔ⁵⁻³³ kau³³/

/t͡sap̚²⁴⁻² kau⁵⁵⁴/

/t͡sap̚¹²¹⁻²¹ kau⁵³/

/zəʔ¹¹ t͡ɕiɤ²³/

/ʂʐ̩²⁴ t͡ɕi̯əu̯⁴¹/

/sz̩²⁴ t͡ɕi̯əu̯⁴¹/

alt. forms: 什九, 拾玖


若干

/ʐu̯ɔ⁵¹ kän⁵⁵/

/jœːk̚² kɔːn⁵⁵/

/ziɔk̚⁴⁻³² kan⁴⁴/

/liɔk̚²⁴⁻² kan³³/

/liɔk̚⁴⁻³² kan⁴⁴/

/d͡ziak̚¹²¹⁻²¹ kan⁴⁴/

/ʐu̯ɔ⁵¹ kän⁵⁵/

/jœːk̚² kɔːn⁵⁵/

/ziɔk̚⁴⁻³² kan⁴⁴/

/liɔk̚²⁴⁻² kan³³/

/liɔk̚⁴⁻³² kan⁴⁴/

/d͡ziak̚¹²¹⁻²¹ kan⁴⁴/


某些

/moʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵/

/mɐu̯¹³ sɛː⁵⁵/

/bɔ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ sia³³/

/bɔ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ se⁴⁴/

/bɔ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ sa⁴⁴/

/moʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹ ɕi̯ɛ⁵⁵/

/mɐu̯¹³ sɛː⁵⁵/

/bɔ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ sia³³/

/bɔ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ se⁴⁴/

/bɔ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ sa⁴⁴/


個個

/kɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ kɤ⁵¹/

/kɔː³³ kɔː³³/

/e²³⁻³³ e²³/

/e²⁴⁻¹¹ e²⁴/

/e²⁴⁻²² e²⁴/

/e¹³⁻²² e¹³/

/ko²⁴⁻¹¹ ko²⁴/

/ko²⁴⁻²² ko²⁴/

/ko¹³⁻²² ko¹³/

/kɤ²³⁻³³ kɤ²³/

/ɡe²⁴⁻²² ɡe²⁴/

/kɤ⁵¹⁻⁵³ kɤ⁵¹/

/kɔː³³ kɔː³³/

/e²³⁻³³ e²³/

/e²⁴⁻¹¹ e²⁴/

/e²⁴⁻²² e²⁴/

/e¹³⁻²² e¹³/

/ko²⁴⁻¹¹ ko²⁴/

/ko²⁴⁻²² ko²⁴/

/ko¹³⁻²² ko¹³/

/kɤ²³⁻³³ kɤ²³/

/ɡe²⁴⁻²² ɡe²⁴/


有啲

/jɐu̯¹³ tiː⁵⁵/

/jɐu̯¹³ tiː⁵⁵/

有啲人中意食榴槤。

有啲人中意食榴梿。


遐的

/hia⁴⁴⁻³³ e²⁴/

/hia⁴⁴⁻³³ e²³/

/hia(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ e²⁴/

/hia(ʔ)³²⁻⁴¹ e²³/

/hia(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ e¹³/

/hia⁴⁴⁻³³ e²⁴/

/hia⁴⁴⁻³³ e²³/

/hia(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ e²⁴/

/hia(ʔ)³²⁻⁴¹ e²³/

/hia(ʔ)³²⁻⁵³ e¹³/

/hia⁴⁴⁻³³ e²⁴/

/hia⁴⁴⁻³³ e²³/


你媽

/ni²¹⁴⁻²¹ mä⁵⁵/

/ni²¹⁴⁻²¹ mä⁵⁵/

How could this person shamelessly say that it was me who came late? Came your ass late!

Zhèi rén zěnme hǎoyìsī shuō shì wǒ chí de dào? Chí nǐmā!

這人怎麼好意思說是我遲的到？遲你媽！

这人怎么好意思说是我迟的到？迟你妈！

[Subject not given] only knows to urge me non-stop! Urge your ass!

Jiù zhīdào yīgejìnr de cuī! Cuī nǐmā cuī!

就知道一個勁兒地催！催你媽催！

就知道一个劲儿地催！催你妈催！

Good! Good (sarcastic quotation twice)! Your ass is good!

好！好！好你媽好！

好！好！好你妈好！

(vulgar, colloquial Mandarin) A sarcastic expression that negates; your ass; your granny


第啲

/tɐi̯²² tiː⁵⁵/

/tɐi̯²² tiː⁵⁵/

第啲人 [Cantonese] ― dai⁶ di¹ jan⁴ [Jyutping] ― other people; others


頭頭

/tʰoʊ̯³⁵ tʰoʊ̯³/

/tʰoʊ̯³⁵ tʰɤʊ̯ɻʷ³/

/tʰɐu̯²¹ tʰɐu̯²¹⁻³⁵/

/tʰau⁵³⁻³³ tʰau⁵³/

/tʰoʊ̯³⁵ tʰoʊ̯³/

/tʰoʊ̯³⁵ tʰɤʊ̯ɻʷ³/

/tʰɐu̯²¹ tʰɐu̯²¹⁻³⁵/

/tʰau⁵³⁻³³ tʰau⁵³/

/tʰoʊ̯³⁵ tʰoʊ̯³⁵/

/tʰɐu̯²¹ tʰɐu̯²¹/

/tʰoʊ̯³⁵ tʰoʊ̯³⁵/

/tʰɐu̯²¹ tʰɐu̯²¹/

/tʰau²⁴⁻²² tʰau²⁴/

/tʰɐu̯²¹ tʰɐu̯²¹⁻³⁵/

/tʰau²⁴⁻²² tʰau²⁴/

(Cantonese, Eastern Min, Quanzhou and Xiamen Hokkien) at first; initially; in the beginning


有寡

/u²²⁻²¹ kua⁵³/

/u²²⁻²¹ kuã⁵³/

/u²²⁻²¹ kua⁵³/

/u²²⁻²¹ kuã⁵³/


幾落

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lo³³/

/kui⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ lɤ³³/

/kui⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ lo⁴¹/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lo²²/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lo³³/

/kui⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ lɤ³³/

/kui⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ lo⁴¹/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lo²²/

(Hokkien) Alternative form of 幾若／几若 (kúi-lō, “some; several; a few”)


幾若

几若
幾落:kúi
規若:kúi
幾那:kúi

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ nã²²/

/kui⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ nã³³/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ nã³³/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ a²²/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ a³³/

/kui⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ a³³/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lo³³/

/kui⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ lɤ³³/

/kui⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ lo⁴¹/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lo²²/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ nã²²/

/kui⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ nã³³/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ nã³³/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ a²²/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ a³³/

/kui⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ a³³/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lo³³/

/kui⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ lɤ³³/

/kui⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ lo⁴¹/

/kui⁵³⁻⁴⁴ lo²²/


今個

/t͡ɕin⁵⁵ kɤ⁵¹/

/t͡ɕin⁵⁵ g̊ə²/

/t͡ɕiə̯ɻ⁵⁵ kɤ⁵¹/

/t͡ɕiə̯ɻ⁵⁵ g̊ə²/

/kɐm⁵⁵ kɔː³³/

/t͡ɕin⁵⁵ kɤ⁵¹/

/t͡ɕin⁵⁵ g̊ə²/

/t͡ɕiə̯ɻ⁵⁵ kɤ⁵¹/

/t͡ɕiə̯ɻ⁵⁵ g̊ə²/

/kɐm⁵⁵ kɔː³³/


有個

/u³⁵⁻¹¹ kai¹¹/

/u³⁵⁻¹¹ kai¹¹/


三兩

/sän⁵⁵ li̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/saːm⁵⁵ lœːŋ¹³/

/sän⁵⁵ li̯ɑŋ²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/

/saːm⁵⁵ lœːŋ¹³/

bou⁶ lip¹ saam¹ loeng⁵ jat⁶ waai⁶ jat¹ ci³.

部𨋢三兩日壞一次。

部䢂三两日坏一次。

叶旭洋, 曾林浩 (2016 August 9) “喧闹烟熏的夜市令人烦”, in People's Daily (in Chinese), page 20

Nánchāng de xiàtiān yuèláiyuè rè, rùyè hòu, hěn duō rén zài jiālǐ zuòbùzhù, jiù yuē shàng sānliǎng hǎoyǒu dào yèshì, diǎn yī fèn lóngxiā, nòng yī fèn kǎoyú, hē yī wǎn wǎguànwēitāng — hǎobù qièyì!

南昌的夏天越來越熱，入夜後，很多人在家裡坐不住，就約上三兩好友到夜市，點一份龍蝦，弄一份烤魚，喝一碗瓦罐煨湯——好不愜意！

南昌的夏天越来越热，入夜后，很多人在家里坐不住，就约上三两好友到夜市，点一份龙虾，弄一份烤鱼，喝一碗瓦罐煨汤——好不惬意！


有兜

Yu¹ dêu¹ ngin² zung⁴ yi¹ sed⁶ liu² liên².

有兜人中意食榴槤。

有兜人中意食榴梿。


冇乜

冇乜人 [Cantonese] ― mou⁵ mat¹ jan⁴ [Jyutping] ― not many people

冇乜時間／冇乜时间 [Cantonese] ― mou⁵ mat¹ si⁴ gaan³ [Jyutping] ― not much time

There's nothing special about this painting!

幅畫冇乜特別囉！

幅画冇乜特别啰！


三五七

/saːm⁵⁵ ŋ̍¹³ t͡sʰɐt̚⁵/

/saːm⁵⁵ ŋ̍¹³ t͡sʰɐt̚⁵/