Chinese 500: Reading Dictionaries

Words and phrases commonly appearing in dictionary definitions:

(Compiled by Deborah Rudolph)

ji �Y: that is, . . . ; i.e., . . .

ming �W name, name of

yi ming/you ming ��W �A �S�W: also called, also known as

bieming �t�W: another name for . . .

gu ming �G�W: therefore, it is called . . . ; hence its name

cheng ��, chengwei �٬�: to designate, to be designated; a designation for . . .

tongcheng �q��: a general term for . . .

biecheng �O��: another term for . . .

sucheng �U��: a common name for . . .

jiucheng �º�: an old name for . . .

gu cheng �G��: therefore it is called . . .

lvecheng �� ��, jiancheng ² ��, hocheng �X ��, shengcheng �� ��: abbreviated term, simplified term, combined term

zhi ��: means, indicates, signifies

yi zhi �� ��: also indicates, also means

fanzhi �x ��: generally signifies, generally refers to

tezhi �S ��: refers specifically to

wei ��: to mean, refer to

. . . zhi wei/yi �K �� �� �A �N: meaning . . .

yi wei ���: also means, also refers to

suwei/wei �U �� �A ��: commonly called . . . , colloquially termed . . .

wei zhi �� ��: . . . is called

yan ��: to say, to mean

ji yan �� ��: emphatically expressing . . .

zhi . . . (er) yan �� �K (��) ��: this is said about . . . , this refers to . . . , this means

dui . . . yan �� �K ��: this is said in contrast to . . .

bie yu . . . er yan/yan zhi �O �� �K �� �� �A �� �� : as distinguished from . . .

ci/yu ���A �y : a term or expression for . . .

qianci �� ��: a humilific, a humble way of referring to . . .

xiangsheng ci �� �n ��: onomatopoeia

ben zuo �� �@: originally it was . . . , originally it was written . . .

yi/you zuo �� �A �S �@: also written . . .

tong �P: the same as . . .

(yu . . . ) tong (�P �K ) �q: interchangeable with

ru �p: as in . . . , for instance

you �S: just like . . . , the same as . . . , equivalent to . . .

you yan/yun �S���A��: just like saying . . . , equivalent to saying . . .

yu . . . xiangdui �P �K �� ��: opposite . . . in meaning

mao ��: in . . . manner, the appearance of . . .

ben (yu) . . . shi/yu �� (��) �K �� �A �y: originating from the event/fact

yinshen wei/zhi . . . �� �� �� / �� �K : by extension, means/refers to/indicates . . .

yu �� / yuzhi �� ��: used metaphorically to describe/to illustrate/to mean/to indicate

. . . zhi yu �� ��: an illustration for . . . , a metaphor for . . .

biyu �� ��: a metaphor or analogy for, a figure of speech meaning . . .

jian ��: see; appears in

jian xia �� �U: see below

jian shang �� �W: see above

jian . . . tiao �� �K ��: see entry for . . .

ru . . . , jian �p �u �K �v�A �� �K: as ". . . ," see . . .

canjian/kan �� �� �A ��: see also

yu jian . . . �y �� �K : the saying appears in . . .

yu ben �y ��, yu chu �y �X: the term originates in, is taken from . . .

xiang . . . tiao �� �K ��: for a detailed explanation, see entry for . . .

an ��: editor's note; note; nota bene