L2 Nature part 1

Lesson 2 - Nature part 1


New Vocabulary

日 rì sun, day 月 yuè moon, month 山 shān mountain, hill 水 shuǐ water, river 木 mù tree, wood 火 huǒ fire 土 tǔ earth, soil 金 jīn metal, gold 風 fēng wind, customs 雨 yǔ, yù rain, to rain 石 shí stone 田 tián cultivated field 玉 yù jade 竹 zhú bamboo

Language notes

When two nouns are put together, there can be two possible interpretations:

1. X and Y

   In this case, the 'and' is implied and not written.

   For example: 風雨, literally 'wind rain' means 'wind and rain'

2. X (modifying) Y

   This means the character X is describing what kind of Y. This happens a lot in English too, as in 'bus stop', 'convenience store', 'water bottle'.

   For example: 金山, literally 'gold mountain' means 'Gold mountain' or 'a mountain of gold' or 'golden mountain'.

  

泰山

Study

1. 玉石
2. 水田
3. 風雨
4. 山水
5. 風水
6. 玉山

(select below to see meanings:)

1. jade-stone

2. paddy field

3. wind and rain - bad weather

4. mountain and water - scenery

5. wind and water - geomancy

6. Jade mountain (the name of a mountain)

Practice


Write in Chinese:


1. Wind and moon (meaning = love / romance)
2. Water and moon (meaning = illusion)
3. Customs and earth (meaning = local customs)
4. Earth and tree (meaning = construction)
5. Mountain tree
6. Jade bamboo (a poetic word for bamboo)

(select below to see answers:)

1. 風月 2. 水月 3. 风土 4. 土木 5. 山木 6. 玉竹