Mandarin Chinese Characters Set 20 (20) Flashcards
台
tai2
“t eye”
private 厶+ mouth 口 = platform (an orator or speaker is the sole person to stand on a platform)
公 安
gong1 an1
“gong an”
public + peaceful = police (China)
警 察
jing3 cha2
“jing cha”
police 警 + to observe 察 = police (Taiwan)
公 主
gong1 zhu3
“gong joo”
public 公 + master 主 = princess
示
shi4
“shuh”
= to reveal, to show (this character represented a stone table originally on which sacrifices were made to ‘show’ devotion to the gods; hence its meaning now).
祥
xiang2
“shee ang”
to reveal + sheep = auspicious， omen, good luck, happiness. (People used to sacrifice sheep for good luck)
社
she4
“shuh”
to reveal + soil = society (This originally meant a place of worship but has evolved into meaning ‘society’ or ‘company’.
神
shen2
“shun”
to reveal + to explain = god (this is what a god would do being omnipotent and omniscient).
福
fu2
“foo”
to reveal + number one + mouth + field = good fortune or blessing. It is commonly written on red paper during Chinese New Year.
神 社
shen2 she4
“shun shuh”
god + society = shrine
安 祥
an1 xiang2
“an shee ang”
peaceful 安 + auspicious 祥 = serene
干
gan1
“gan”
= shield, dry, to do, to offend, to intervene (It is made up the characters for 1 and 10)
汗
han2
“han”
= sweat (it is a combination of water + shield and alludes to a person being dry because they have sweated out all their water).
平
ping2
“ping”
= flat, gentle, equal, level (a combination of number 8 + shield)
年
nian2
“nee en”
= year, new year, annual
