Analysis of Major Characters and Words (第二课)

Analysis of Major Characters and Words (第三课)

14. 吸烟吸 (the “mouth” radical 口 + 及 the phonetic -> “inhale or suck” using

one’s mouth) + 烟 (the “fire” radical 火 + 因 the phonetic -> “smoke,

smog”) -> “to smoke (cigarettes, cigars, etc.)”

25. 香香 (“millet; crop” 禾 on top + altered “sweet” radical甘 at the bottom ->

“sweet millet” -> “sweet-smelling, fragrant”) ■ 香水 (perfume)

32. 新鲜新 (“new”) + 鲜 (ideograph: “fish” 鱼 + 羊 “sheep; mutton” -> fresh-

tasting (at least to the Chinese) -> “fresh, refreshing” ■ 新鲜的蔬菜

35. 麻烦麻 (“hemp fibers, flax” -> “entangled, intertwined”) + 烦 (the “fire” radical

火 + “head” 页 -> fire in the head -> “annoying, troubling”) -> “annoying”

54. 同意同 (“same, identical” as in 同班、同屋) + 意 (short for “opinion” 意见)

-> to hold the same opinion -> “to agree” ■ 我不同意你的看法。