Everyday Chinese (Part 2)

Lesson 1 The Basic terms (Part 2)
的士 [dī shì] In English: taxi
Word origin: The character 的can be deciphered as 勺(ladle) and日 (altered，sunlight), meaning “clear” as an adjective.
火车 [huǒ chē] In English: train
Word origin: The character 火is a pictograph of rising flames.
车站 [chē zhàn] In English: train station
Word origin: The character 站 can be deciphered as 立 (standing) and 占 (phonetic), meaning “station, stop” as a noun.
入口 [rù kǒu] In English: entrance
Word origin: The character 入 is a pictograph of roots descending into the earth, meaning “to enter” as a verb.
出口 [chū kǒu] In English: exit
Word origin: The character 出 is a pictograph of a sprouting plant, meaning “to produce or exit” as a verb.
飞机 [fēi jī] In English: airplane
Word origin: The character 飞is a pictograph of a crane flying with feathers spreading out.
机场 [jī chǎng] In English: airport
Word origin: The character 机can be deciphered as 木 (tree), and 几 (phonetic). Its definition is “machine.”
签证 [qiān zhèng] In English: visa
Word origin: The character 证can be deciphered as 言 (speech, words) and 正 (phonetic), meaning “certificate” as a noun.
护照 [hù zhào]
In English: passport
Word origin: The character 护 can be deciphered as 手 (hand) and 户 (phonetic), meaning “protection.”
人民币 [rén mín bì] In English: RMB
Word origin: The character 币 represents in ancient China, the Chinese preferred to secure their money inside their clothes (巾). The definition of币 is currency.
汇率 [hùi lù] In English: exchange rate
Word origin: The character 率 is a pictograph of threads, based on 系, surrounded by marks representing frame. The definition of 率 is “rate, ratio” as a noun.
办公室[bàn gōng shì] In English: office
Word origin: The character 办 represents “extra strength” (力), meaning “to manage, host” as a verb.
合同 [hé tóng] In English: contract
Word origin: The character 合 represents “many mouths as one”, meaning “agreement.”
普通话 [pǔ tōng huà]
In English: Mandarin Chinese
Word origin: The character 话can be deciphered as 言 and 舌 (tongue), meaning “speech, words.”
卫生间 [wèi shēng jiān] In English: toilet
Word origin: The character 间 represents sunlight (日) shining through the door (门), meaning “room.”
学习 [xué xí] In English: study
Word origin: The character 学 represents hands (手，altered) reaching down through covered mind (冖) to teach (教，abbreviated).
短消息 [duǎn xiāo xí] In English: Text message/ SMS
Word origin: The character 消 can be deciphered as 水 (water) and 肖 (phonetic), meaning “message” as a noun.
大拐 [dà guǎi] In English: turn left
Word origin: The character 拐 can be deciphered as手(hand) and 冎 (altered, phonetic), meaning “to turn” as a verb.
小拐 [xiǎo guǎi] In English: turn right
Word origin: The character 小is a pictograph of “dividing 八”, meaning “small.”
夜宵 [yè xiāo]
In English: midnight snack
Word origin: The character 宵 can be deciphered as 宀 (indoors) and 肖 (phonetic), meaning “evening.”

Everyday Chinese (Part 2)

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