Classical Chinese Lessons 5-8 Flashcards
What does 也 mean?
It’s a particle.
- it can place a special emphasis on a phrase. -> indicating an emphasis.
What is the function of 也？
Can be used in XY 也 sentences -> to create a “copular” sentence (“to be” sentences. -> to create the “nominal” sentence
- Here you put the 2 elements side by side, and then end the sentence with 也.
- Eg. That / silkworm 也
-> if the two parts of the sentence (“X” and “Y”) are too long, then will usually separate them with a comma (but not always)
- Eg. 魯公仁人也 The Duke of Lu is a kind man.
- 管仲, 知修行而諫其君者也 Guan Zhong is the one who knows how to cultivate his conduct and remonstrate with his lord.
How do you use XY 也 sentences with 所？
A sort of “definition” form.
子之所往，趙也。 The place you are going to is Zhao
公盧之所諫，趙簡子也。The one whom Gong Lu remonstrated with is Viscount
Jian of Zhao.
魚所逃，淺水也。What fish flee is shallow water.
我所不飲，酒也。 What I don’t drink is ale
- It can be used on either side:
酒，我所不飲也。 Ale is what I don’t drink.
魚，我所欲也。 Fish is what I like.
What does 三 mean?
Three, third; three times.
What does 亡 (wang2) mean?
To lose, to destroy, to die, to be lost, to escape.
- all meanings are tied to loss or absence.
What does 共 mean?
Together, both.
What does 勝 (sheng4) mean?
To triumph over, to defeat; to be superior to; victory.
What does 獲 mean?
To catch; to obtain
- synonym: 得. Also, like 得，獲 can be used with another verb, “to be able to…”
What does 卒 mean?
- Finally, in the end.*
- To die
- Foot soldier.
- Hastily (used as a substitute for 猝)
- To crowd, to throng (used as a substitute for 萃)
- Meanings #2 and #3 are quite common, though they are not encountered in our texts.
- synonym (meaning #1): 終
What does 即 mean?
- Right then; immediately; then.*
- To go to, to proceed to.
What does 嘗 mean?
- To taste, to prove, to experience, to try; test.
- In the past. *
- one of a number in literary Chinese indicating the past tense. Sometimes it is used to represent constant or frequent occurrence in the past (“often”).
What does 居 mean?
- To occupy [a place], to live [in a place].
- To pass by (of time).*
- Synonym (meaning #1): 在. Meaning #2 occurs at the beginning of sentences to indicate a passage of time: 居三年, “after three years went by”; 居一月, “after a month went by”. and so forth.
What does 已 mean?
- Already; to the end, to stop.*
- [Sentence-ending particle, used for 矣]
What does 年 mean?
Year.
What does 懼 mean?
Te fear, to dread; fear timidity.
What does 晉 mean?
The state of Jin.
What does 次 mean?
Sequence, order; next.
- In L8 以次 would mean “by means of order,” that is, “in turn,” “one by one.”
What does 殺 mean?
To kill.
What does 皆 mean?
All, every.
What does 相 mean?
- Mutually, each other.
- Government minister; to serve [a state] as a government minister.
- Physiognomy; fate, fortune, good fortune.
- The adverb (meaning #1) is most common, though meaning 2 is encountered frequently in historical writing.
- combining this character with 相謂曰 we get “they addressed each other syaing, saying…”
What does 矣 yi3 mean?
[Final particle: indicates emphasis or completion of an action]
- Note that 已 can serve the same purpose.
What does 秦 qin2 mean?
The state of Qin. 秦 eventually conquered all other states and established the first Chinese empire.
What does 謂 mean?
- To name; to assume, to think.
- To say [to someone]. [coverb]*
- Meaning #2 (as seen in L8) indicates the person to whom one is speaking, with the pattern 謂X曰.
Eg. 孔子謂公曰, “Confucius addressed the duke, saying …”
- When the person being addressed is clear from context, then the writer will simply give 謂曰, “he addressed [him], saying…” -> 穆公謂曰： “Duke Mu said [to the men]…”
What does 諸 zhu1 mean?
- [Particle: plural marker.]*
- [Fusion particle; equivalent to 之 + 乎.
- When placed in front of a noun, 諸 makes the noun plural.
What does 遂 sui4 mean?
- Then, thereupon.*
- To follow, to pursue.
- With 因 and 於是, 遂 is one of the most common words indicating the temporal sequence of events.
What does 食 shi2 mean?
- Food; to eat.*
- To cause to eat, to feed.
- Rice, cooked grain.
What does 馬 mean?
Horse.
What does 圍 wei2 mean?
- To surround, to besiege.*
- Hand-span (measurement of circumference).
- Meaning #2 refers to the habit of judging the circumference of a round object by using the length of an extended hand, from tip of little finger to tip of thumb, as a unit of measure.
What does 恩 en1 mean?
Grace, favour, kindness, mercy.
- often used for the favours bestowed by the ruler on his people. 報恩 is commonly used to refer to the repayment for such gratitude that a subject undertakes.
What does 慚 (can2) mean?
To be ashamed.
What does 穆 mu4 mean?
Majestic, reverent,
- found frequently in posthumous titles.
What does 肉 mean?
Meat, flesh.
What does 駿 jun4 mean?
Swift.
- often describes fast horses.
What does 世 shi4 mean?
Human society, the world; the age, a generation.
What does 亦 yi4 mean?
- Also, again.*
- Indeed.
- it either implies repetition (“also,” “again”) or simply is used for emphasis.
What does 伯 bo2 mean?
- Senior or elder of a group of brothers (as opposed to 仲, the middle brother).
- “Earl” (a feudal title)
- Note that 伯父，like 父伯 can refer to an uncle. (In L7 伯 is part of a name).
What does 千 mean?
One thousand.
What does 哉 zai1 mean?
[Final particle: expresses exclamation or surprise.].
eg. 賢者奚由盡忠哉
What does 太 mean?
Great, enormous, significant.
What does 少 mean?
shao3 (1-2); shao4 (3)
1. Small; few; a little; scarce. *
2. To belittle, to consider small.
3. Young, youth.
What does 山 mean?
Mountain, hill.
eg. 太山 Mt. Tai.
What does 待 dai3 mean?
To await, to depend on.
What does 志 (zhi4) mean?
Ambition, will, intention, inclination.
- often refers to what one’s mind is preoccupied with, sometimes even subconsciously. Eg. what 伯牙 was thinking of–even subconsciously–while playing:
方鼓而志在太山 Just as he was about to play, his mind was on Mount Tai.
What does 接 mean?
To join, to connect, to meet, to treat.
What does 方 mean?
- Just then, just as that moment.*
- Square.
- Scope, method, technique.
- Direction
- the adverbial use (meaning #1) is the most common.
What does 樂 mean?
- To pleasure in, to enjoy. (le4)
- Music (yue4)
伯樂 is a personal name tho.
What does 流 mean?
To flow, to cause to flow; a current.
What does 湯 mean?
tang1 (1-2); snag1 (3)
1. Hot water, boiling water, soup.
2. Tang (name of ancient sage king, founder of the Shang dynasty).
3. Seething; flooding.*
#3 is an uncommon meaning and pronunciation; #1 is much more common. In L7, 湯 is meant to be poetically descriptive of a river.
What does 然 mean?
- To be so, to be thus, to be right, to act thusly.*
- But.
- [Optional adverb marker: in x-manner”]
What does 獨 mean?
Alone, lonely, solitary; only.
- 非獨, “it is not only the case that…,” is a common expression.
What does 琴 mean?
Zither, harp, qin.
What does 由 (you2) mean?
- Reason, source, origin; to come from, to derive from.
- From. [coverb]*
- To resembles, to be like
奚由: how, why. [question word] -> another inverted question expression; it could be interpreted as 由奚, “from what,” that is, “how” or “why”.
What does 盡 mean?
To exhaust, to use to the fullest; exhaustively, entirely, completely, thoroughly, all, everyone.
- two related series of meanings: a verbal usage that emphasizes that an action is thoroughly carried out or that everyone is carrying out the action.
What does 絕 mean?
To cut short, to break, to interrupt, to take a direct route or shortcut.
What does 聽 mean?
ting1 (1) and ting4 (2)
1. to listen to, to heed.*
2. to allow, to permit, to give permission to.
- Generally speaking, 聞 can refer to any unintentional act of hearing, whereas 聽 tends to refer to deliberate acts of listening.
What does 若 mean?
- To resemble, to be like; seemingly; as if, by appearance.*
- If.
- [Informal second person pronoun–used for 汝]
- In meaning #1, 若 is thought to be a dialect variant of 如; consequently, 不若 has the same idiomatic meaning as 不如。EG？？
What does 賢 (xian2) mean?
Worthy, skilled, talented; worthy man, skilled man, talented man.
- Often paired with 聖 and it represents people who are good and virtuous but not quite up to the level of 聖。
What does 選 mean?
- To choose, to select, to elect.
- A little bit of time.*
Note. Meaning #2 (the meaning in this lesson’s text) is very rare, and you will hardly ever encounter it. When you do it will probably be in the compound 少選。
少選之間，而志在流水
What does 里 mean?
- Li (measurement of distance: about 1/3 mile)*
- Village, ward.
In meaning #2, this character can be used to describe both autonomous villages and villages and wards, neighbourhoods, or suburbs or larger towns.
What does 鍾 mean?
- To gather, to concentrate.
- Bushel [of grain] (used to measure the salary of an official).
Here, 鍾 is part of a two-character surname: 鍾子
What does 間 mean?
Among, in, a while.
- used in many ways; it is like 中 but with some subtle differences. 間 tends to emphasize that something is in between two other things.
- In time descriptions, it is used to represent an elapse of time–hence 少選之間, “[after] a short interval of time.”
What does 雖 mean?
Even though, even if. 雖然
What does 鼓 mean?
- Drum; to drum; to strum [a stringed musical instrument]./to play
- To wield, to brandish [usually a sword or a knife].
- whereas this character usually refers to drums and playing of drums, it also came to be used for the idea of strumming with the hand, or swinging a weapon.
What does 牙 mean?
Tooth, tusk.
- In L7, the character is used as a personal name; 伯牙子
What does 破 mean?
To smash, to destroy, to break, to defeat [an army or a state]; tattered, broken down.
- When used as an adj, is synonymous with 弊 and is in fact much more common than the latter character.
What does 乃 (nai3) mean?
But, then, just, only then.
- its use is heavily modal (ie., it often illustrates a feeling or a mood and does not convey a precise meaning) In the eg, 公盧 means to denigrate his own laughter, so “just” is probably the best translation:
臣乃有宿笑: “I/your humble servant was just laughing at something that happened earlier, nothing more.
What does 今 mean?
Now, at present.
What does 令 (ling4) mean?
- To command, to make, to allow; an order, a command.*
- Local magistrate.
synonyms (meaning #
1): 使, (verb only); 命 (
2). There are some differences between 使 and 令. 使 is often used specifically to apply to acts of sending (e.g., to send diplomatic missions or emissaries), whereas 令 often refers to commands (from commanders or rulers).
趙簡子舉兵而攻齊，令軍中有敢諫者罪至死 = Viscount Jian of Zhao mobilized troops and then attacked Qi, He commanded the army that, [if] there were anyone in the army who dared to remonstrate with him [me] then they will be punished to death
What does 伐 (fa1) mean?
To attack, to do violence to; to cut down [a tree].
What does 何 mean?
What, how, why. [question word].
- most common of all the question words. Synonym 奚. In L6 text, it is serving either as the adverb “why” (“Why are you laughing?”) or as the direct object of 笑, placed idiomatically before the verb (:What are you laughing at?”)
子何笑？
What does 俱 mean?
All, together.
What does 兵 (bing1) mean?
Weapon, troops.
What does 名 mean?
Name, reputation, fame; to be named, to be called.
What does 吾 (wu2) mean?
I, me. [first person pronoun]
What does 因 mean?
!. Thereupon, therefore.*
2. To go through, to make use of, to take advantage of.
- #1 in CC, this character is more often a simple marker of what happens next (“thereupon)
What does 夫 mean?
fu1 (1); fu (2-3)
1. Man, person, husband.*
2. “Now then…” [particle introducing opinion]
3. This, these, that, those. [demonstrative pronoun]
What does 女 mean?
- Woman, girl, female, daughter.*
- [informal second person pronoun; used for 汝.]
What does 妻 mean?
Wife.
What does 師 mean?
- Army.*
- Teacher; to take as one’s teacher.
In meaning #1, this character is a slightly old-fashioned word for “army.” Also, note that whereas 師 and 軍 can both be translated as “army,” 兵 refers more to the soldiers themselves and is best translated as “troops.”
What does 敢 mean?
To dare to, to have the audacity to; daring, audacious, audacity.
- usually functions in conjunction with another verb. You will often find it when a social inferior wishes to soften a statement he is making to a superior (“I dare to tell Your Majesty…”)
What does 是 mean?
This, these.
What does 望 mean?
To gaze at from a distance, to hope to, to aspire to, to expect; hopes, aspirations.
- this character moved from its concrete meaning to “gaze at from a distance” to include a more abstract “gazing”–that is, looking off into the future for what one desires. In L6, the concrete meaning is used.
披甲之士名曰公盧，望見
簡子大笑 = There was Knight that was draped in/wearing armour called Gong Lu, he looked out [from the crowd and looked up at Viscount Jian] and saw Viscount Jian and laughed very loudly.
What does 桑 (sang1) mean?
Mulberry tree, mulberry-leaf harvest.
What does 田 (nv3) mean?
Field
What does 甲 (jia3) mean?
Armour, suit of armour, coat of armour.
What does 當 mean?
- Occupying [a place or time]: facing.*
- To be about to. [Future markers]
- Ought, should, must; to accept as suitable.
-verbal meaning: emphasizing time, occupation, or position;
- adverbial meaning emphasizing suitability. In this lesson’s text, the character is used idiomatically (L6) with the very common expression 當X之時，”occupying the time of X” (ie. “when”). Its use here is strictly unnecessary, however: X 之時, appears even more often.
What does 罪 (zui4) mean?
Sin, crime, punishment, blame; to commit a crime; to punish, blame.
What does 罷 (ba4) mean?
To end, to close, to demobilize [an army], to dismiss.
What does 與 mean?
yu3 (1-4); yu2 (5)
1. And*
2. With [cover]*
3. To give
4. To belong to, to be a part of.
5. [Question particle]
- As a conjunction, it ONLY connects nouns, and thus it is quite different from 而. As a coverb, it is used to indicate participation of some other person or thing with the subject of the sentence; often it is impossible to distinguish whether the character is best interpreted in such cases to mean “and” or “with”.
Eg. 當桑之時，臣鄰家夫與妻俱
之田。 = during the season of the mulberries, the husband and wife from a neighbouring household went together to the field.
What does 見 mean?
- To see.*
- [Marker of the passive voice, 9.3]
- To have an audience with [the ruler], to grant an audience to.
- To appear, to be made manifest, to seem.
What does 解 mean?
to untie, to loose, to get rid of; to solve [a problem]; to break [a siege]; to explain.
What does 軍 mean?
Army.
Wha† does 趙 (zhao4) mean?
The state (and family) of Zhao.
eg. 趙簡子 = Viscount Jian of Zhao
What does 追 mean?
To pursue, to chase, to follow.
What does 還 (huan2) mean?
To go back to, to return, to give something back.
- Synonyms: 反，歸
還反，其妻怒而去之。臣笑其曠
也。= When he returned, [his?] wife was angry and left him. I laughed at his single status [his loneliness/his lack of spouse].”
What does 鄰 (lin2) mean?
Neighbour; neighbouring, next; to be a neighbour to, to be next to.
What does 披 (pi1) mean?
To drape over the shoulders, to wear on the back.
披甲之士名曰公盧，望見
簡子大笑 = There was Knight that was draped in/wearing armour called Gong Lu, he looked out [from the crowd and looked up at Viscount Jian] and saw Viscount Jian and laughed very loudly.
What does 攻 (gong1) mean?
To attack.
What does 曠 (kuang4) mean?
Empty, distant; to be alone; to be without a spouse.
- Note that 其曠 suggests that the author is thinking of 曠 as a noun: “his single status,” “his loneliness”
What does 盧 (lu2) mean?
Lu. [a personal name].
Eg. 公盧 Gong Lu.
What does 簡 mean?
- Bamboo slip, document.
- To abridge; to be simple; to examine.
in L6 is a personal name: 趙簡子 = Vicount Jian of Zhao
What does 諫 (jian4) mean?
To remonstrate with.
- has strong political connotations; specifically, it is used in situations where a minister or servant feels it is his duty to criticize his superior’s actions.
What does 予(yu3) mean?
- To give.*
- I, me. [first person pronoun]
What does 使 mean?
- To send, to make, to cause.*
- To go on a mission; emissary, ambassador.
- If, supposing.
- Used in pivot structures as a pivot verb -> making sb do sth
How is 使 used as a ‘pivot verb’?
its object functions as the object of one verb and the subject of another.
Eg. 公使我往齊。 The Duke sent me/made me to go to Qi.
齊公使我就坐 = The Duke of Qi made me go to my seat
其仲父使曾子往耕。 His uncle made Zengzi go and plow
What does 修 mean?
To repair, to mend; to regulate; to cultivate.
- in expressions such as 修身, “to cultivate the body/self, it can refer to philosophical cultivation of yogic/ascetic practice.
What does 先 mean?
First, earlier; first; in front; to be first; to go first; to put first.
- also 先生 = master
What does 則 (ze2) mean?
Then.
- used to clarify what might otherwise be an unclear relationship between clauses; it is typically found in both “Since…then…” and “If… then…” sentences .
In L5, it is used to emphasize that since 曾子 did not ask for anything, then the messenger can conclude that the town was freely given as a present.
- An explicit marker of comment in topic/comment sentences.
- Creates conditional relationships between two clauses.
What is the function of 則？
It emphasizes ‘comment’ in topic/comment structure.
- An explicit marker of comment in topic/comment sentences.
- Creates conditional relationships between two clauses.
- Can often be treated as marker of “if…then..”/”when…then…”
- Usually conditional/hypothetical situations, not narrative sequences.
- If certain conditions are met… what generally happens/what usually happens/what will happen/what might happen.
- A happened, then as a result or precondition, B happened.
-> This is achieved coordination, eg. with 而 (or 以).
先生非求於人，人則獻之
- In sentences with 非, often “if it is not the case that X, then it must be Y”
-> Since you are not seeking it from others, then it must certainly be the case that is being offered to you as a gift.
What does 勿 mean?
Do not [imperative].
- It is a fusion of 毋 (negative commands: “Do not…!”) with the direct object pronoun 之.
-> in our L5 text, it is part of an idiomatic habit for writers to negate sentences that contain verbs of desires or ability–especially 能 and 欲–with an imperative instead of a simple 不.
我能勿畏乎？= could I avoid fearing him?
What does 參 mean?
- To counsel; to consult; to participate.
- Shen. [a personal name]*
What does 又 mean?
Again, moreover.
- used as a synonym for 復. However, 又 often emphasizes
irritation, disgust, or unexpected repetition. For example, with negatives, 又不往 means
“again [he] didn’t come!” (He stood us up again!) Perhaps because of the special emphasizing function of 又, 不又往 does not occur at all.
反，復往，又不受 = and again Master Zeng did not accept it.
What does 受 mean?
To receive.
What does 孔 (kong1) mean?
- Hole; nostril.
- Kong [a surname]*.
- part of the name 孔子: Master Kong (Confucius).
What does 往 mean?
To go.
What does 復 mean?
- Again; moreover.*
- To return; to repay; to report.
usually implies repetition of
some sort.
- As a verb, it represents reciprocation (to return something or to repay something, or to report on a situation, usually after returning from a mission—compare 報 [
26]).
- As an adverb, 復 can be exceedingly vague, implying the repetition of the same action or merely the occurrence of a different action related to the first (in which case it is often left untranslated). It also occurs frequently with the negative 不, when it can cause some problems of
interpretation: 復不往 would mean “again does not go” (i.e., someone has not come in two
instances), whereas 不復往 (which is much more common) means “does not again go”
(i.e., does not go any more).
反，復往，又不受。= again, they went, and again he refused.
What does 我 mean?
I，me [first person pronoun].
不我驕也，我能勿畏乎？= “Even if the ruler has a gift and does not treat me arrogantly (does not lord it over me), could I avoid fearing him?”
What does 曾 mean?
zeng1 (1); ceng2 (2)
1. Zeng [a surname]*
2. Once in the past. [adverb tense marker]
-> part of name 曾子 = Master Zeng (one of Confucius’ disciples)
What does 此 mean?
Here; this, these.
- refers most often to a place, through sometimes to people or things.
What does 求 mean?
To seek, to request, to look for.
先生非求於人，人則獻之 = Since it is not the case that the Master requested it from others (It is not the case that you are seeking this from someone else/it is the case that others are offering it to you), others then presented it to you/Master/Him.
What does 獻 (xian4) mean?
To present, to give, to offer (often to a superior).
What does 節 (jie2) mean?
Joint (originally, of bamboo); segment; virtue, chastity, self-restraint; virtuous, chaste.
What does 縱 (zong4) mean?
Even if.
What does 耕 (geng1) mean?
To plow.
What does 能 mean?
To be able to, can; to be capable, to be able; ability, talent.
What does 致 (zhi4) mean?
To present, to elicit; to make come; to bring about; to convey.
One way
to interpret it is to see it as the “causative” equivalent of 至, “to arrive” (114). Thus, “to
present” a gift is to make it arrive at its destination; to elicit an emotion is to make it come; and so forth.
魯君使人往致邑焉 = The ruler of Lu sent people to present him with a town.
What does 衣 mean?
- Clothes, robe.*
- To put on clothes, to wear clothes.
曾子衣弊衣以耕 = Master Zeng wore tattered robes in order to farm. -> antecedent condition (him putting on tattered clothing and then being able to farm).
What does 請 (qing3) mean?
- To request. *
- To pay a polite visit to.
For example: 臣請往魯, “I
[your humble minister] request to go to Lu”; 請君往魯, “I request that you, My Lord, go to
Lu.” Sometimes only context will make clear how to interpret its use.
What does 賜 (ci4) mean?
To give [as a present]; gift.
close synonym to 獻 (
154); however, 獻 often represents a social inferior
giving a present to a superior, while 賜 represents a superior granting something to an inferior. -> Note that 魯君 uses 獻 politely to describe his gift to 曾子, whereas 曾子 politely uses 賜 for the same gift.
公賜孔子邑。 The duke gave Confucius a town
公賜邑焉。 The duke gave a town to him/her/them.
What does 足 mean?
- To be sufficient, to be enough; to be competent at.*
- Foot
This character is often used an auxiliary verb, in the expression 足以, “be sufficient
to . . .”;
參之言，足以全其節也 = “Shen‘s speech/words are sufficient at preserving his integrity.”
What does 邑 (yi4) mean?
District city; county; region; town.
What does 非 mean?
- “Is not,” “it is not the case that…” [negative particle].
- Wrong
How is 非 used? (as a negative)
- Often reflects a mood or tone of speech rather than a simple negation.
我不去我父。 I am not abandoning my father.
我非去我父。 It’s not that I’m abandoning my father . . . . - negates the whole sentence concept -> the act of me abandoning my father -> 非 tends to be used when one wishes to deny a proposition made by someone else and then go on to give the right proposition.
Eg. 子奚為棄酒？於禮可乎？ Why are you throwing away the ale? Is that in keeping with
courtesy?
我非不禮，我不欲出舌。 It’s not that I’m discourteous, [but] I don’t want to speak
rashly.
What does 魯 mean?
The state of Lu.
What does 全 mean?
Complete, preserved; to preserve, to complete.
What does 奚 (xi1) mean?
How, what. [question word].
奚為 -> Why. [question word].
-> This term can be interpreted as an inversion of 為奚， “on behalf of what?” with 為奚
What does 驕 mean?
Arrogant, proud, high-spirited; to treat someone arrogantly.
縱君有賜，不我驕也，我能勿畏乎？“Even if the ruler has a gift and does not treat me arrogantly (does not lord it over me), could I avoid fearing him?”
有以/無以
For now: Treat 以 in 有以/無以 as ‘noun’ , meaning
* “A way to do …”
* E.g. 有以利吾國: Have a way to benefit my state.
* Similar expression:
* “the means to…”
* (as in “means to an end”)
* 有以解之 /
* “have a way to explain it” / “not have a way to explain it
有以解之則可
有以解之:
* To have the means to explain it, to have a way to explain it
* 可 kě
* Allowable, Permissible , it is/will be permissible
* 則: Creates if / then statement
* If you have a way to explain it, then it will be ok.
* C/w simple narrative sequence: 公盧有以解之，趙間子笑
* Gong Lu had a way to explain it, and Viscount Zhao of Jian laughed.
曾子衣弊衣以耕： what does the 以 mean/act as here?
以: Marker of coordination with antecedent condition.
“Wore tattered clothes in order to plow”
