Analysis of Major Characters and Words (第十三课)

Analysis of Major Characters and Words (第十三课)

7. 失望失 (“to lose”) + 望 (short for 希望 “hope”)

12. 强壮强 (the “bow” radical 弓on the left, meaning “strong or powerful like a

bow”, somewhat equivalent to the English expression “fit as a fiddle”)

+ 壮 (“grand, big” as in “壮观”).

13. 速度速(“speed”) + 度(short for 程度 “degree”) -> degree of speed, velocity

14. 教练教 (“to teach, instruct”) + 练 (short for 练习 “practice”) -> [person who]

teach people in practice, namely, coach or trainer

15. 丰富丰 (shaped like a wheat spike -> abundant) + 富 (the “field” radical at the

bottom, “(of soil) rich”)

16. 本来本 (木 “tree”; the short horizontal stroke near the bottom indicates “the

bottom of a tree”, namely, “root; base, foundation”) -> at first; originally

17. 领先领 (“neck” -> the part of the body that “leads, spearheads”) + 先 (foremost;

front)

19. 比分比 (“compare; compete” as in 比赛) + 分 (“score, grade”) ->

“comparative score”

21. 紧张紧 (the “thread” radical 系at the bottom, “((of threads) tight, taut”) + 张

(the “bow” 弓radical on the left, meaning “(of bow) fully stretched, tense”)

24. 赢 the radical 贝in the middle of the bottom, meaning “cowrie, shell money”

25. 反正反 (“turn over, flip, reverse” ) + 正 (“correct; positive; front”) -> either

way, in either case, anyway, anyhow

26. 决赛决 (short for 决定 “to decide”) + 赛 (short for 比赛) -> the decisive game,

final match

30. 精彩精 (the essence of “rice” 米; the best part of) + 彩 (the three slanted strokes

on the right is the radical, symbolizing “colorful markings; highlights”)

33. 发展发 (“to shoot (arrows), launch”) + 展 (the “body” radical 尸 on top + the

altered form of 衣 at the bottom -> put clothes on the body; unroll, unfold)

-> Development has two stages: First launch it and then unfold it.

38. 世界世 (originally “30 years; generation” -> “era, epoch, times”) + 界 (the

“fields” radical 田on top, 介 at the bottom means “divide” -> divisions of

the world; realms) -> The Chinese concept of “world” is a Buddhist one,

which refers to both the temporal and spatial aspects of human, sub-

human, and godly existence.)

39. 为此为 (short for 因为) + 此 (a classical Chinese word still in use today, = 这)

41. 骄傲骄 (the “horse” radical 马on the left, the right part means “tall, lofty”) ->

high on horseback -> proud; arrogant

46. 国际际 (the Chinese prefix equivalent to the English “inter-, intra-” ) -> for

Example, 国际 (inter-nation-al), 校际比赛 (inter-collegiate competition)

47. 取得取 (grab the ear 耳with the hand 又 <variant of 手> -> “to get, obtain”)

48. 成绩成 (“complete, accomplish”) + 绩 (the “thread” radical 系 on the left,

“spin, weave”) -> “achievement, accomplishment”

51. 参加参 (The 3 slanted strokes at the bottom indicate “3 people or group”) +

加 (“add” -> add oneself to a group) -> join in a group, take part in, attend

52. 有益益 (the “vessel” radical 皿at the bottom; the top part looks like water

overflowing over the edge of a narrow-neck vessel, doesn’t it? -> therefore

益 means “overflow; increase, benefit, advantage”)

54. 荣誉荣 (the “grass” radical on top, “leafy, lush” ) + 誉 (the top part “give;

reward with”, the “word” radical 言at the bottom, meaning “words of

praise”) -> honor, glory; reputation

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