#50 The Color Blue

Posted on November 28, 2011 by aileen

Chinese Fortune:

Click the game above BEFORE starting to learn more about the lesson for this week and see how many points you get!!!

Tips: Play it again AFTER completing the lesson and see how much you improve!!! Have Fun

English Excerpt:

Page 10
Paragraph 3

The five primary colors in China are:
Red Black Yellow White Green

Blue is not one of the five primary colors in China. It is the color of the ocean, the sky and immortality. According to legend，the universe began as an egg。Out of the egg hatched a man named Pan Gu. Half of Pan Gu’s shell became the sky above, and the other half formed the ocean below. Pan Gu grew for 18000 years，separating the sky from the ocean further and further。Finally he collapsed and became immortal.

Chinese Translation:

Page 10 = 第十页dì shí yè

Paragraph 3 = 第三段dì sān duàn

The five primary colors in China are :

Red = 红 hóng

Black = 黑 hēi

Yellow = 黄 huáng

White = 白 bái

Green = 绿 lù

Blue (蓝lán) is not 不是one of the five (五种wǔ zhǒng) primary (基本jī běn) colors (颜色yán sè) in China (中国zhōng guó) 。It (它tā) is the color of the ocean (海洋hǎi yáng) , the sky (天空tiān kōng) and immortality (永远不朽的宇宙yǒng yuǎn bū xiǔ de yǔ zhòu) 。According (按照àn zhào) to legend (传说chuán shuō) ，the universe (宇宙yǔ zhòu) began as an egg (蛋dàn) 。

Out of the egg hatched (孵出fū chū) a man (男人nán rén) named Pan Gu (盘古pán gǔ) 。Half of Pan Gu’s 盘古 shell (壳ké) became (变成biàn chéng) the sky (天空tiān kōng) above, and the other half (另一半lìng yī bàn) formed (行成xíng chéng) the ocean (海洋hǎi yang ) below.

Pan Gu 盘古 grew for 18000 (一万八千 yī wàn bā qiān) years (年nián) ，separating (分fēn ) the sky 天空 from the ocean 海洋 further and further (越来越远yuè lái yuè yuǎn) 。Finally (终于zhōng yú) he (他tā) collapsed (倒坍dǎo tān) and became 变成 immortal (永远不朽yóng yuǎn bū xiǔ) ， (流芳百世的iú fāng bǎi shì de宇宙yǔ zhòu) 。

Vocabulary

1. Blue = 蓝 lán

2. primary = 基本jī běn

3. ocean = 海洋hǎi yáng

4. sky =天空tiān kōng

5. immortal =永远不朽的 yǒng yuǎn bū xiǔ de (宇宙yǔ zhòu )

6. according = 按照àn zhào

7. legend = 传说chuán shuō

8. universe = 宇宙yǔ zhòu

9. egg = 蛋dàn

10. hatch = 孵出fū chū

11. man = 男人nán rén

12. Pan Gu = 盘古pán gǔ

13. shell = 壳ké

14. collapse = 倒坍dǎo tān

15. immortality = 永远不朽 yóng yuǎn bū xiǔ

Let’s practice AGAIN by the following breakdown sentences!!!

1. 蓝并不属於中国五种基本颜色之一 = Blue is not one of the five primary colors in China

2. 蓝是海洋,天空跟永远不朽的宇宙颜色 = It is the color of the ocean, the sky and immortality

3. 按照传说,宇宙首先是一颗蛋 = According to legend，the universe began as an egg

4. 从蛋中孵出一位男人,名为盘古 = Out of the egg hatched a man named Pan Gu

5. 盘古的壳变成两半,上面的一半是天空,另一半形成下面的海洋 = Half of Pan Gu’s shell became the sky above, and the other half formed the ocean below

6. 盘古生长了有一万八千年, 同时他把上头的天空跟下面的海洋,分开的愈来愈远 = Pan Gu grew for 18000 years，separating the sky from the ocean further and further

7. 终於盘古倒坍,而变成永远不朽,流芳百世的宇宙 = Finally he collapsed and became immortal

Watch more story of Pan Gu & Nv Wa — the creators of the world and human beings!!!

#49 The Color Green

Posted on November 21, 2011 by aileen

Chinese Fortune:

Click the game above BEFORE starting to learn more about the lesson for this week and see how many points you get!!!

Tips: Play it again AFTER completing the lesson and see how much you improve!!! Have Fun

English Excerpt:

Page 10

Paragraph Two

Green is the color of plants，trees，and woods。It corresponds to spring and the East and has a strange meaning in China。A man who wears a green hat has a wife who is cheating on him. Chinese men avoid green hats, especially if they have beautiful wives.

Chinese Translation:

Page 10 = 第十页dì shí yè

Paragraph Two = 第二段dì èr duàn

Green (绿lù) is the color (颜色yán sè) of plants (植物zhí wù) ，trees (树shù) ，and woods (树林shù lín) 。It corresponds (象征xiàng zhēng) to spring (春天cūn tiān) and the East (东方dōng fāng) and has a strange (奇怪qí guài) meaning (意思yì si) in China 中国。A man (男人nán rén) who wears (戴dài) a green hat (绿帽子lù mào zi) has a wife (妻子qī zi) who is cheating (欺骗qī piàn ) on him. Chinese men (中国男人zhōng guó nán rén) avoid (避免bì miǎn) green hats 绿帽子, especially (尤其 yóu qí) if (若是ruò shì) they 他们 have 有beautiful (美丽的měi lì de) wives 妻子。

Vocabulary

1． Color Green = 绿颜色lù yán sè

2. Green = 绿 lù

3. color = 颜色yán sè

4. plants = 植物zhí wù

5. trees = 树 shù

6. woods = 树林shù lín

7. corresponds = 象征xiàng zhēng

8. spring = 春天cūn tiān

9. East = 东方dōng fāng

10. strange = 奇怪qí guài

11. meaning = 意思yì si

12. man = 男人nán rén

13. wear = 戴 dài

14. green hats = 绿帽子lù mào zi

15. wife= 妻子qī zi

16. cheating = 欺骗qī piàn

17. Chinese men = 中国男人zhōng guó nán rén

18. avoid = 避免bì miǎn

19. especially = 尤其yóu qí

20. if = 若是ruò shì

21. they have = 他们有tā mén yǒu

22. beautiful = 美丽的měi lì de

Let’s practice AGAIN by the following breakdown sentences!!!

Chinese translation

1. 绿顏色是植物,树跟树林的顏色 = Green is the color of plants，trees，and woods

2. 他象征春天跟东方 = It corresponds to spring and the East

3. 在中國绿顏色還有一個比較奇怪的意思 = The color green also has a strange meaning in China。

4. 如果中國男人頭上戴一頂绿帽子, 就有可能有人在背後笑他,說他的妻子對他不忠實正在欺骗他 = A man who wears a green hat has a wife who is cheating on him.

5. 所以很多中國人都避免戴绿帽子 = Chinese men avoid wearing green hats

6. 尤其若是他们家裡有美丽的妻子 = especially if they have beautiful wives

The image provided by Randomwire

#48 The Color Yellow

Posted on November 14, 2011 by aileen

Chinese Fortune:

Click the game above BEFORE starting to learn more about the lesson for this week and see how many points you get!!!

Tips: Play it again AFTER completing the lesson and see how much you improve!!! Have Fun

English Excerpt:

Page eleven
Paragraph Three

Yellow is the color of earth. It corresponds to the Center. Yellow was reserved for the Emperor and members of the imperial family. No commoner was allowed to wear imperial yellow colors, except by permission from the Emperor. To be given a yellow jacket by the Emperor was a mark of special favor.
Chinese Translation:

Page eleven = 第十一页dì shí yī yè

Paragraph Three = 第三段dì sān duàn

Yellow (黄huáng) is the color (颜色yán sè) of earth (土tǔ) . It (它 tā)corresponds (象征 xiàng zhēng) to the Center (中心zhōng xīn) . Yellow 黄 was reserved for the Emperor (皇帝huáng dì) and members of the imperial family (皇族huáng zú) . No commoner (平民píng míng) was allowed to wear (穿chuān) imperial yellow 黄 colors 颜色, except by permission (准许zhún xǔ) from the Emperor 皇帝. To be given a yellow jacket (黄马褂huáng mǎ guà) by the Emperor 皇帝 was a mark of special (特别tè bié) favor (待遇dài yù) .

Vocabulary

1． Yellow = 黄huáng

2． Color = 颜色 yán sè

3． Earth = 土 tǔ

4． Center = 中心zhōng xīn

5． Emperor = 皇帝huáng dì

6. Imperial family = 皇族huáng zú

7. Commoner = 平民píng míng

8. wear = 穿 chuān

9. permission = 准许zhún xǔ

10. yellow jacket = 黄马褂huáng mǎ guà

11. special = 特别tè bié

12． Favor = 待遇dài yù

Let’s practice AGAIN by the following breakdown sentences!!!

1. 黄是土的颜色= Yellow is the color of earth

2. 它象征中国天下的中心= It corresponds to the Center

3. 古时只有皇帝或皇族才可以穿黄色的衣服= Yellow was reserved for the Emperor and members of the imperial family

4. 普通的平民一个都不敢穿黄衣服= No commoner was allowed to wear imperial yellow colors

5. 除非皇帝允许他穿= except by permission from the Emperor

6. 如果皇帝赐赏一件黄马褂，那算是非常了不起的特别待遇= To be given a yellow jacket by the Emperor was a mark of special favor

New Feature-part two!!!

Posted on November 8, 2011 by aileen

Announcement From Dr. Mah:

Dear Subscriber,

We have a new and exciting feature that has just been added to our website. It is a card game that we hope you will enjoy playing. Please click on the following link and you will see the video of three year old Silas playing our game while learning to read and speak mandarin Chinese.

The name of our game is Chinese Fortune. The vocabulary of each week’s lesson is placed into a series of cards. The player is asked to match the English words with the Chinese characters while playing against a time clock. When the correct match is made, the pronunciation of the Chinese word will be announced in mandarin. You get three stars if you match all the cards correctly within the allotted time.
Please click SAMPLEto start playing the first game.

Please video yourself or your children playing the game and send us your videos along with your comments. Can you do as well as little three-year-old Silas?

Best wishes!

PS:

To illustrate the meaning of the character 白 in lesson 47, we are sending you this video from XIAMEN, China.

For more details,clickCCTV.com

Please write to us with your questions and suggestions.

- Dr. Adeline Yen Mah

#47- The color white (Cont’d-3)

Posted on November 7, 2011 by aileen

Chinese Fortune:

Click the game above BEFORE starting to learn more about the lesson for this week and see how many points you get!!!

Tips: Play it again AFTER completing the lesson and see how much you improve!!! Have Fun

English Excerpt:

Page Eleven

Paragraph Two

The word white also signifies uselessness and lack of success.

White speech means wasted argument.

White walking means a trip taken in vain.

White arrival means useless visit.

Eating white rice means sponging off one’s host.

Chinese Translation:

Page Eleven 第十一页dì shí yī yè

Paragraph Two 第二段 dì èr duàn

The word (字zì) white (白bái) also signifies (表达 biǎo dá/表示 biǎo shì)uselessness (没有用méi yǒu yòng) and lack (缺少quē shǎo) of success (成功chéng gōng).

White speech (白话bái huà ) means wasted argument.

White walking (白走bái zǒu ) means a trip taken in vain.

White arrival (白来bái lái )means useless visit.

Eating white rice (吃白饭chī bái fàn) means sponging off one’s host.

Vocabulary

1. Word = 字zì

2. White = 白bái

3. uselessness = 没有用méi yǒu yòng

4. lack = 缺少quē shǎo

5. Success = 成功chéng gōng

6. White speech = 白话 bái huà
= wasted argument.

7. White walking = 白走bái zǒu
= a trip taken in vain.

8. White arrival = 白来bái lái
= useless visit.

9. Eating white rice = 吃白饭chī bái fàn
= sponging off one’s host

Let’s practice AGAIN by the following breakdown sentences!!!

1. (中国人)也常拿这个白字来表达(表示)一个没有用或不成功的人= The word white also signifies uselessness and lack of success

2. 说白话等于说没有用的话= White speech means wasted argument

3. 白走等于不走= White walking means a trip taken in vain

4. 白来等于没来= White arrival means useless visit

5. 吃白饭等于不付饭钱= Eating white rice means sponging off one’s host

** Learning is fun!!Creating your own Chinese Characters @ Tagxedo Have Fun!!**

Chinese Character a Day

Monthly Archives: November 2011

#50 The Color Blue

Vocabulary

Let’s practice AGAIN by the following breakdown sentences!!!

Watch more story of Pan Gu & Nv Wa — the creators of the world and human beings!!!

#49 The Color Green

Vocabulary

Let’s practice AGAIN by the following breakdown sentences!!!

#48 The Color Yellow

Vocabulary

Let’s practice AGAIN by the following breakdown sentences!!!

New Feature-part two!!!

#47- The color white (Cont’d-3)

Vocabulary

Let’s practice AGAIN by the following breakdown sentences!!!