Do You Understand the Meanings of These Characters?

Monday, March 10, 2025
In China, there are many interesting Chinese characters, often carrying rich meanings that can be expressed differently in various sentences. Have you encountered the meanings of these characters before?

 打()

   To indicate striking: 
         打鼓(dǎ gǔ) 
         to beat a drum
   To signify making a phone call: 
         打电话给朋友(dǎ diàn huà gěi péng you
         calling a friend
   To indicate opening:  
         打开门(dǎ kāi mén
         to open a door
   To represent engaging in an activity: 
         打篮球(dǎ lán qiú
         playing basketball
   To denote producing or making: 
         打毛衣(dǎ máo yī) 
         knitting a sweater

花(huā)

   To represent a plant:  
        花园里的花(huā yuán lǐ de huā
        flowers in the garden
   To signify expenditure: 
        花钱(huā qián) 
        to spend money
   To indicate a pattern or design:  
        衣服上的花纹(yī fu shàng de huā wén) 
        patterns on clothing
   To signify blurred vision or dizziness: 
         眼花(yǎn huā
         dizzy eyes

头(tóu)

   To represent a body part:  
         头疼(tóu téng
         headache
   To indicate a starting point:  
        从头开始(cóng tóu kāi shǐ
        starting from scratch
   To signify leadership: 
         他是我们的头儿(tā shì wǒ men de tóur
         he is our leader.
   To be used as a measure word:  
        一头牛(yī tóu niú) 
        one head of cattle

行(xíng)

   To indicate walking:  
         步行(bù xíng) 
         walking
   To signify permission or feasibility: 
         这样做行不行?(zhè yàng zuò xíng bù xíng
         Is this method feasible?.
   To represent a profession or industry:  
        他在银行工作。(tā zài yín háng gōng zuò
        He works at a bank.
   To suggest a line or row:  
        排成一行(pāi chéng yī háng
        lined up in a row

发()

   To represent hair:  
       理发(lǐ fà) 
       getting a haircut
   To indicate emitting: 
       发邮件(fā yóu jiàn)
       send an email
   To denote development or growth:  
       经济发展(jīng jì fā zhǎn
       economic development
   To signify launching or firing:  
       发射火箭(fā shè huǒ jiàn)
        launching a rocket

 光(guāng)

   To indicate light or radiance: 
         阳光(yáng guāng
       sunlight
   To signify smoothness: 
       光溜溜的石头(guāng liū liū de shí tou)
       smooth stone
   To denote only or solely:  
       光说不做(guāng shuō bù zuò)
       All talk and no action.
   To mean complete or exhausted:  
       钱花光了(qián huā guāng le
       money spent

老(lǎo)

   To represent old age:
       老人(lǎo rén
       elderly person
   To indicate antiquity or oldness : 
       老房子(lǎo fáng zi
       old house
   To denote frequent occurrence: 
       老迟到(lǎo chí dào
       habitually late
   Used as a prefix: 
       老师(lǎo shī)
         teacher

上(zhuō)

   To indicate a position:
       桌子上(zhuō zi shàng
       on the table
   To signify upwards direction:  
       上楼(shàng lóu
       going upstairs
   To signify adding or serving:  
       上菜(shàng cài
       serving dishes
   To indicate the beginning of something:  
       上课(shàng kè
       start of a class

下(xià)

   To indicate a position: 
         桌子下(zhuō zi xià)
         under the table
   To signify downward direction: 
       下楼(xià lóu
       going downstairs
   To signify the end or conclusion:  
       下课(xià kè
       end of class
   To denote reduction or decrease:  
       下火 (xià huǒ)
       fire subsiding

开(kāi)

   To indicate opening: 
       开门(kāi mén
       open the door
   To represent the commencement of something:  
       开学(kāi xué
       start of school
   To signify driving or operating:  
       开车(kāi chē
       driving a car
   To denote hosting or conducting:  
       开会(kāi huì
       hold a meeting

 白(bái)

   To represent the color white:  
        白色的衣服(bái sè de yī fu
         white clothes
   To signify blankness or emptiness:  
        白纸(bái zhǐ)   
        blank paper
   To indicate in vain or futile: 
        白忙一场(bái máng yī chǎng)
        futile busyness
   To denote clarity or revelation:  
        真相大白(zhēn xiàng dà bái
        the truth revealed

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