Lesson 3

Question 1

oneself

Answer 1

自

drop+eye
This represents the nose; the drop between your eyes; what a Chinese person points to when referring oneself.

Question 2

white

Answer 2

白

drop+sun (day)
The color white is a drop of the sun.

Question 3

hundred

Answer 3

百

one+white
99th birthday is white year, which is what you get when you subtract 1 from a hundred.

Question 4

soap

Answer 4

皂

white+dice (seven)
The white soap cuts the grease; under a microscope are blades dicing up the dirt until everything’s white.

Question 5

old

Answer 5

旧

walking stick+day
When you’ve seen so many days that you need a walking stick, you’re old.

Question 6

middle

(N./ADJ.)

Answer 6

中

Question 7

thousand

Answer 7

千

Question 8

tongue

Answer 8

舌

thousand+mouth
When a thousand people speak with one figurative mouth, they speak the same tongue.

Question 9

liter

Answer 9

升

thousand+needle (ten)
A 1 liter bottle is filled with 1000 needles; a sports drink for a robot.

Question 10

pill

Answer 10

丸

Question 11

divination

Answer 11

卜

Question 12

tell fortunes

Answer 12

占

wand+mouth

Question 13

above

Answer 13

上

Question 14

below

Answer 14

下

Question 15

card

Answer 15

卡

Swipe the card up and down.

Question 16

eminent

Answer 16

卓

The most eminent magician uses a sunflower for a wand.

Question 17

dynasty

Answer 17

朝

mist+moon
The moon tilts and pours out mist to shroud the dynasty in the illusion of mysterious power.

Question 18

ridicule

Answer 18

嘲

(V.)

Mouthing off at the dynasty.