Mandarin Chinese Characters Set 15 (20)

Question 1

自 己

Answer 1

zi4 ji3
“dsuh jee”
oneself + self = myself

Question 2

达

Answer 2

da2
“dar”
walking + big = to reach (reaching a destination after a long walk). 辶= chuo4 (chwor) = walking.

Question 3

逛

Answer 3

guang4
“guang”
walking + crazy (combination of dog + king) = stroll
crazy = 狂 = guang4

Question 4

迫

Answer 4

po4
“paw” rhymes with “straw”
to compel This is a combination of ‘walking’ + ‘white’ = to compel (Also means ‘to approach’ , ‘to force’ and ‘urgent’ when used as an adjective.

Question 5

这

Answer 5

zhe4
“Juh”
walking + literature = this.

Question 6

达 人

Answer 6

da2 ren2
“dar zjun” like ‘g’ in ‘regime’.
to reach + person = expert

Question 7

土

Answer 7

tu3
“too” Imagine the bottom line is the horizon and then next line a cross or a plant. Distinct from a soldier 士 ‘shi4’.
= soil, earth. As an adjective it means ‘unsophisticated’

Question 8

在

Answer 8

zai4
“dseye”
= at, in, on (this character is a combination of ‘talent’ cai2 才 and ’soil‘ 土. ‘Talent’ (才）provides the pronunciation and （’soil’）土 the meaning. talent + soil = to exist
Originally this character meant ‘to exist’ but it has been extended to mean ‘at’ ‘in’ or ‘on’.

Question 9

肚

Answer 9

du4
“doo”
flesh + soil = belly (The stomach - belly are where the fruits of the soil are stored. Can also be depicted by the Pinyin ‘du3’.)

Question 10

坐

Answer 10

zuo4
“dswor”
= to sit (the character depicts two people sitting on the soil).

Question 11

佳

Answer 11

jia1
“jee ya”
person + 2 soil = fine (nice or good)

Question 12

自 在

Answer 12

zi4 zai4
“dsuh dseye”
oneself + at = unrestrained

Question 13

大 肚 子

Answer 13

da4 du4 zi3
“da doo dsuh”
big + belly + son/child = pregnant

Question 14

坐 在

Answer 14

zuo4 zai4
“dswor dseye”
to sit + at = to sit at, in, on.

Question 15

佳 人

Answer 15

jia1 ren2
“jee ya zjun”
fine + person = beautiful lady

Question 16

士

Answer 16

shi4
“shuh”
one + ten = soldier, scholar (The one + ten indicates that the man who can do all things from beginning to end. In ancient China it was not unusual for military leaders to be scholars too. Confucius taught that leaders should be both wise and decisive. This is reflected in the characters dual use.

Question 17

志

Answer 17

zhi4
“juh”
soldier + heart = determination (when a soldier or scholar sets his mind to something, he is determined to win, teach or succeed.

Question 18

吉

Answer 18

ji2
“jee”
scholar + mouth = lucky. (Scholars were highly respected in ancient China. They were members of the highest social hierarchy. When a scholar opened his mouth his views were considered auspicious; hence lucky.

Question 19

田

Answer 19

tian2
“tyen”
= field, farm. As a component it is a building block for characters relating to farming or hunting.

Question 20

雷

Answer 20

lei2
“lay”
rain + field = thunder