VOCABULARY USAGE

1.

又 yòu

adv. ▸ A and also B (two qualities at the same time)

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Zhè jiā chāoshì de shuǐguǒ yòu xīnxiān yòu piányi.
  这家超市的水果又新鲜又便宜。
  This supermarket’s fruit is both fresh and cheap.
  This supermarket’s fruit is both fresh and cheap.
• Zhè fèn gōngzuò yòu qīngsōng yòu wěndìng.
  这份工作又轻松又稳定。
  This job is both easy and stable.
  This job is both easy and stable.

2.

理解 lǐjiě

v. ▸ to understand (logic); to empathize (feelings)

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ bù lǐjiě tā wèi shénme zhème zuò.
  我不理解他为什么这么做。
  I don’t understand why he did this.
  I don’t understand why he did that.
• Wǒ hěn lǐjiě nǐ xiànzài de gǎnshòu.
  我很理解你现在的感受。
  I really understand how you feel right now.
  I totally get how you feel right now.

3.

最 zuì

adv. ▸ the most

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ zuì xǐhuan de yánsè shì lánsè.
  我最喜欢的颜色是蓝色。
  The color I like the most is blue.
  My favorite color is blue.
• Wǒ bàba māma zuì ài tīng qīshí niándài de lǎo gē.
  我爸爸妈妈最爱听七十年代的老歌。
  My parents love listening to old songs from the 1970s the most.
  My parents love listening to 70s oldies the most.

4.

特别 tèbié

adj. ▸ special; out of the ordinary

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ de míngzì hěn tèbié.
  你的名字很特别。
  Your name is very special.
  Your name is really special.
• Zhè shì wǒ shōudào de zuì tèbié de lǐwù.
  这是我收到的最特别的礼物。
  This is the most special gift I’ve received.
  This is the most special gift I’ve ever gotten.

5.

特别 tèbié

adv. ▸ especially; particularly

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Tā de xìnggé tèbié wēnróu.
  她的性格特别温柔。
  Her personality is especially gentle.
  She’s especially gentle.
• Wǒ gǎnjué zhège xīngqī guò de tèbié kuài.
  我感觉这个星期过得特别快。
  I feel this week passed especially fast.
  This week flew by.

6.

为了 wèile

prep. ▸ for the purpose of; for the sake of; in order to

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ bú yuànyì wèile zhuànqián xīshēng jiànkāng.
  我不愿意为了赚钱牺牲健康。
  I’m not willing to sacrifice my health for making money.
  I’m not willing to sacrifice my health just to make money.
• Wèile kàn yǎnchànghuì, wǒmen tíqián bàn nián jiù mǎi le piào.
  为了看演唱会，我们提前半年就买了票。
  In order to see the concert, we bought tickets half a year in advance.
  We bought the tickets six months early to see the concert.

7.

早晨 zǎochen

n. ▸ morning (roughly dawn to 9 a.m.)

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ xíguàn měitiān zǎochen hē yì bēi kāfēi.
  我习惯每天早晨喝一杯咖啡。
  I’m used to drinking a cup of coffee every morning.
  I always drink a cup of coffee in the morning.
• Wǒ xǐhuan zǎochen dào gōngyuán li yùndòng.
  我喜欢早晨到公园里运动。
  I like going to the park to exercise in the morning.
  I like going to the park to work out in the morning.

8.

疼 téng

adj. ▸ painful; sore

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ de dùzi yǒudiǎn téng.
  我的肚子有点疼。
  My stomach hurts a little.
  My stomach hurts a bit.
• Nǐ yǒu zhǐténgyào ma?
  你有止疼药吗？
  Do you have painkillers?
  Do you have any pain medicine?

9.

痛 tòng

adj. ▸ painful; aching

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ de yá tòng le yì zhěng tiān.
  我的牙痛了一整天。
  My tooth hurt all day.
  I had a toothache all day.
• Tā chī tài duō le, wèi yǒudiǎn tòng.
  他吃太多了，胃有点痛。
  He ate too much, so his stomach hurts a bit.
  He ate too much, and now his stomach hurts a little.

10.

参加 cānjiā

v. ▸ to participate; to join; to take part in

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Míngtiān wǒ yào cānjiā yí ge huìyì.
  明天我要参加一个会议。
  Tomorrow I need to attend a meeting.
  I have a meeting to attend tomorrow.
• Zhè shì wǒ dì yī cì zài Zhōngguó cānjiā hūnlǐ.
  这是我第一次在中国参加婚礼。
  This is my first time attending a wedding in China.
  It’s my first time going to a wedding in China.

11.

刀 dāo

n. ▸ knife

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ hái bù xíguàn yòng dāo chā.
  我还不习惯用刀叉。
  I’m still not used to using a knife and fork.
  I’m still not used to using a knife and fork.
• Zhè bǎ dāo tài dùn le, qiē bu dòng dōngxi.
  这把刀太钝了，切不动东西。
  This knife is too dull to cut things.
  This knife is so dull it can’t cut anything.

12.

左右 zuǒyòu

n. ▸ about; approximately (after a number)

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ sān diǎn zuǒyòu chūfā, láidejí ba?
  我三点左右出发，来得及吧？
  If I leave around 3, I can make it in time, right?
  If I leave around 3, I’ll make it in time, right?
• Tā sìshí suì zuǒyòu.
  他四十岁左右。
  He’s about 40 years old.
  He’s around 40.

13.

大学 dàxué

n. ▸ college; university

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ shì nǎ suǒ dàxué bìyè de?
  你是哪所大学毕业的？
  Which university did you graduate from?
  Which university did you graduate from?
• Wǒ hěn huáiniàn dàxué de shēnghuó.
  我很怀念大学的生活。
  I really miss university life.
  I really miss my college days.

14.

大学生 dàxuéshēng

n. ▸ college student; university student

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒ shì dàxuéshēng, xiànzài dú dà èr.
  我是大学生，现在读大二。
  I’m a university student, and I’m in my second year.
  I’m a college student. I’m a sophomore.
• Nǐ shì lái shíxí de dàxuéshēng ma?
  你是来实习的大学生吗？
  Are you a university student here for an internship?
  Are you the intern student?

15.

路上 lùshang

n. ▸ on the road; along the way

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Tā de chē zài lùshang huài le.
  他的车在路上坏了。
  His car broke down on the road.
  His car broke down on the way.
• Zàijiàn, lùshang zhùyì ānquán!
  再见，路上注意安全！
  Goodbye, pay attention to safety on the road!
  Bye, be safe on the way!

16.

骑 qí

v. ▸ to ride

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Nǐ qí guo mótuōchē ma?
  你骑过摩托车吗？
  Have you ever ridden a motorcycle?
  Have you ever ridden a motorcycle?
• Zhège zhōumò wǒ xiǎng qù qí mǎ.
  这个周末我想去骑马。
  This weekend I want to go ride a horse.
  I want to go horseback riding this weekend.

17.

桥 qiáo

n. ▸ bridge

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒmen yào guò qiáo ma?
  我们要过桥吗？
  Do we need to cross the bridge?
  Do we need to cross the bridge?
• Nǐ zhīdào Lúndūn Tǎqiáo ma?
  你知道伦敦塔桥吗？
  Do you know London Tower Bridge?
  Do you know Tower Bridge in London?

18.

信心 xìnxīn

n. ▸ confidence; faith; belief

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Tā yìzhí duì zìjǐ hěn yǒu xìnxīn!
  她一直对自己很有信心！
  She has always been very confident in herself.
  She’s always been very confident.
• Tā duì wèilái chōngmǎn xìnxīn.
  他对未来充满信心。
  He is full of confidence about the future.
  He feels really confident about the future.

19.

回到 huídào

v. phr. ▸ to return to and arrive (a place)

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Wǒmen gāng huídào jiǔdiàn.
  我们刚回到酒店。
  We just got back to the hotel.
  We just got back to the hotel.
• Wǒ xǐhuan kàn 《Huídào Wèilái》.
  我喜欢看《回到未来》。
  I like watching Back to the Future.
  I like watching Back to the Future.

20.

来到 láidào

v. phr. ▸ to come to and arrive

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Huānyíng láidào Zhōngguó!
  欢迎来到中国！
  Welcome to China!
  Welcome to China!
• Láidào zhělǐ de dì yī tiān, wǒ jiù xǐhuan shàng le zhèlǐ.
  来到这里的第一天，我就喜欢上了这里。
  On the first day I arrived here, I started to like this place.
  I liked it here from day one.