Analysis of Major Characters and Words (第十二课)

1. 节日节(originally “bamboo segment” -> period of time) , so 节日 means

“a special day that marks a particular period of calendar time”, namely,

“holidays or festivals.”

3. 荷包荷 (the “grass; plant” radical on top, 荷 means “lotus”) + 包 (“bag;

pouch”) . It’s called 荷包 because this kind of embroider pouch is

shaped like lotus leaves.

8. 用处用(“ to use”) + 处(= 地方) -> places where something can be used

10. 丰盛丰(It’s shaped like a wheat spike, isn’t it? -> harvest; abundant) + 盛 (the

“vessel” radical 皿 at the bottom -> vessel filled with liquid -> full)

14. 根本根 (“root”) + 本 (木 “tree; plant”; the short horizontal stroke near the

bottom indicates “the bottom of a tree”, namely, “root; base, foundation”)

32. 精神精 (originally the “essence of rice (米)” -> select, choice) + 神 (god, deity)

36. 竹筒筒 (“tube” as in 信筒)

41. 象征象 (“sign”) + 征 (“symbol, indication”)

46. 动人动 (“move; motion”) -> 动人 ( “people-moving; moving, touching”)

47. 传统传 (“pass; transmit”) + 统 (the “thread” radical on the left -> “to unite like

strings”) –> 传统 is both a continuing (传) and a uniting (统) force.

48. 鞭炮鞭 (“whip” ) + 炮 (the “fire” radical 火 on the left, “cannon”) ->

Lit firecrackers sound like whips (high-pitched and sharp) and cannon

(heavy- sounding), don’t they?

54. 元宵元 (“initial; first”) + 宵 (= 晚上) -> the first full-moon night of the lunar

calendar year (* A full moon symbolizes the important “family

togetherness” to the Chinese.)

64. 尽可能尽 (“to exhaust”) + 可能 (“possibilities”) -> “to exhaust all the

Possibilities; try one’s best, do one’s utmost”