Classical Chinese 9-13 Flashcards
What does 初 mean?
Beginning; initially, from the beginning, at first, earlier.
What does 前 mean?
Front, formerly, at first; to come forward, to step forward
What does 及 mean?
- To reach to, to extend to, to come up to [in quality, ability, or virtue].
- When the time came that…*
- And (connects nouns only)
Eg. 及彌子瑕色衰而愛弛,得罪於君 When the time came that Mizi XIa’s attractiveness had declined, as a result their love grew weak, it offended the ruler.
What does 口 mean?
Mouth, opening.
Eg. 愛我而忘其口味﹗He loves me therefore/so he forgets the flavour of the peach!
What does 告 mean?
To announce, to request; announcement.
彌子瑕之母疾,人聞,
夜往告之。 Mizi Xia’s mother fell sick and others heard, and at night they went to tell him.
What does 夜 mean?
Night; at night; nightly.
What does 奉 (feng4) mean?
- To offer [to a superior], to accept [from a superior].*
- Service, attendance
Eg. 彌子瑕食桃而甘,不盡而奉君。 Mizi Xia ate a peach and considered it/thought/found it to be sweet, he did not eat it all (did not use it all up)/finish eating it and offered it to the ruler/lord (as a gift).
What does 彌 mean?
Increasingly. (is part of Mizi Xia’s name)
What does 必 mean?
To be necessary, to have to; necessarily.
故子瑕之行,未必變初. Thus, Zi Xia’s previous behaviour/conduct had not/did not necessarily changed from before.
What does 忘 mean?
To forget.
愛我而忘其口味 = “He loves me therefore/so he forgets the flavour of the peach (forgets its flavour)!
What does 故 mean?
- Reason; consequently; deliberately; deliberate action.*
- Previously, before, in the past; precedent, consistency.
How is 故 used as a cover
為母之故,犯刖罪哉。 “For the reason of his mother, he committed a foot-
chopping crime.”
In this particular use of the pattern 為 X (之) 故, 為 is operating in its coverb function, “for the reason of” (but may also be implying the sense “for the sake of”).
故 is the object of the coverb, modified by “mother.” Even more common is the pattern 以 X 之故, “by means of the reason of X.” It is more or less identical in meaning to the former pattern.
What are the uses outside of its coverb function, for 故?
- As a noun meaning “reason” or “motive”
As an adverb: meaning “deliberately” or “with a purpose”: 「是故嘗矯駕吾車,又嘗食我以餘桃﹗」“ This [fellow] deliberately drove my carriage under false pretenses (some deliberate event to offend “me”/the ruler), moreover in the past/often he fed me through leftover peaches/ he fed me [using] leftover peaches. - To indicate consequence of an action or event; it occurs at the beginning of a phrase and is translated as “consequently” or “therefore.”
故子瑕之行,未必變初
也。前見賢,後獲罪者,愛憎之生變也 Thus/therefore, Zi Xia’s previous behaviour/conduct had not/did not necessarily changed from before. The fact that he was formerly considered to be worthy, and afterwards received punishment (obtained an offence) is because the rise of the change from love to hate.
What does 未 mean?
Not yet, never.
What does 果 mean?
Fruit; to pan out, to result; as expected.
- “Fruit was the original meaning of the character. The more abstract meanings developed from the idea of something “coming to fruition”.
What does 母 mean?
Mother.
What does 法 mean?
Rule, law, custom.
What does 甘 mean?
Sweet; to be sweet; to find sweet; to spoil [a child]; to indulge.
彌子瑕食桃而甘: Mizi Xia ate a peach and considered it/thought/found it to be sweet
What does 疾 mean?
- Sick; illness; ache, aching, sore.*
- Swift; rapidly.
- To criticize, to hate.
彌子瑕之母疾,人聞,
夜往告之。彌子瑕擅駕君車而出。 Mizi Xia’s mother fell sick and others heard, and at night they went to tell him. Mizi Xia selfishly drove/took the ruler’s carriage as he went out
What does 色 mean?
Colour, attractiveness, surface appearance; facial expression; sexuality.
What does 衛 (wei4) mean?
- Wei (a small sate in pre-imperial China).*
- Guards, guardsmen.
What does 衰 mean?
To wither, to decline, to wane, to weaken.
What does 變 mean?
To change, to alter; change, alteration; disaster.
What does 車 mean?
Cart, carriage, chariot.
車見竊: The carriage was stolen.