蛇 The Snake

蛇The Snake

蛇

shé — 1. snake 2. serpent 3. classifier: 條 (tiáo) (HSK 5)

在高可觸天底桄榔樹下．我坐在一條石磴上，動也不動一下．穿彩衣底蛇也蟠在樹根上，動也不動一下．多會讓我看見他，我就害怕得很，飛也似地離開那里，蛇也和飛箭一樣，射入蔓草中了．Beneath a gomuti palm so tall it seemed to touch the sky, I sat on a stone step, perfectly still. A snake in motley garb lay coiled among the roots, likewise perfectly still. The moment I saw him, I was terribly frightened and flew from the place; the snake, too, shot like an arrow into the tangled grass.

在

zài — 1. to exist; to be alive 2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) (HSK 1)

高

Gāo — surname Gao (HSK 1)

可

kě — 1. (prefix) can; may; able to; -able 2. to approve; to permit 3. to suit 4. (particle used for emphasis) certainly; very 5. but; however (HSK 5)

觸

chù — 1. to touch 2. to make contact with sth 3. to stir up sb's emotions

天底

tiān dǐ — (astronomy) nadir

桄榔

guāng láng — arenga or sugar palm (Arenga pinnata)

樹

shù — 1. tree 2. classifier: 棵 (kē) 3. to cultivate 4. to set up (HSK 1)

下

xià — 1. down 2. downwards 3. below 4. lower 5. later 6. next (week etc) 7. second (of two parts) 8. to decline 9. to go down 10. to arrive at (a decision, conclusion etc) 11. measure word to show the frequency of an action (HSK 1)

我

wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)

坐

Zuò — surname Zuo (HSK 1)

在

zài — 1. to exist; to be alive 2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) (HSK 1)

一

yī — 1. one 2. single 3. a (article) 4. as soon as 5. entire; whole; all; throughout 6. "one" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 1) 7. also pr. (yāo) for greater clarity when spelling out numbers digit by digit (HSK 1)

條

tiáo — 1. strip 2. item 3. article 4. clause (of law or treaty) 5. classifier for long thin things (ribbon, river, road, trousers etc) (HSK 2)

石

Shí — 1. surname Shi 2. abbr. for Shijiazhuang 石家莊 (Shí jiā zhuāng), the capital of Hebei

磴

dèng — 1. cliff-ledge 2. stone step

上

shǎng — used in 上聲 (shǎng shēng) (HSK 1)

動

dòng — 1. (of sth) to move 2. to set in movement 3. to displace 4. to touch 5. to make use of 6. to stir (emotions) 7. to alter 8. abbr. for 動詞 (dòng cí), verb (HSK 1)

也

Yě — surname Ye (HSK 1)

不動

bù dòng — motionless

一下

yī xià — 1. (after a verb) a bit; a little (indicating brief duration, or softening the tone, or suggesting giving sth a try) 2. all at once; suddenly

穿

chuān — 1. to bore through; to pierce; to perforate 2. to go through (e.g. a tunnel); to cross (e.g. a street) 3. to thread; to string together 4. to wear; to put on (clothes, shoes etc.) 5. verb complement indicating thoroughness or completion (HSK 1)

彩衣

cǎi yī — 1. colored clothes 2. motley attire

底

de — (equivalent to 的 as possessive particle) (HSK 4)

蛇

shé — 1. snake 2. serpent 3. classifier: 條 (tiáo) (HSK 5)

也

Yě — surname Ye (HSK 1)

蟠

pán — to coil

在

zài — 1. to exist; to be alive 2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) (HSK 1)

樹根

shù gēn — tree roots

上

shǎng — used in 上聲 (shǎng shēng) (HSK 1)

動

dòng — 1. (of sth) to move 2. to set in movement 3. to displace 4. to touch 5. to make use of 6. to stir (emotions) 7. to alter 8. abbr. for 動詞 (dòng cí), verb (HSK 1)

也

Yě — surname Ye (HSK 1)

不動

bù dòng — motionless

一下

yī xià — 1. (after a verb) a bit; a little (indicating brief duration, or softening the tone, or suggesting giving sth a try) 2. all at once; suddenly

多

duō — 1. many; much; more; a lot of 2. too many; in excess 3. (after a numeral) ... odd 4. how (to what extent) (Taiwan pr. (duó)) 5. (bound form) multi-; poly- (HSK 1)

會

huì — 1. can; to have the skill; to know how to 2. to be likely to; to be sure to 3. to meet; to get together 4. meeting; gathering 5. (suffix) union; group; association 6. (bound form) a moment (Taiwan pr. (huǐ)) (HSK 1)

讓

ràng — 1. to yield 2. to permit 3. to let sb do sth 4. to have sb do sth 5. to make sb (feel sad etc) 6. by (indicates the agent in a passive clause, like 被 (bèi)) (HSK 2)

我

wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)

看見

kàn jiàn — to see; to catch sight of (HSK 1)

他

tā — 1. (third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his 2. (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日 (tā rì) and 他人 (tā rén)) (HSK 1)

我

wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)

就

jiù — 1. (after a suppositional clause) in that case; then 2. (after a clause of action) as soon as; immediately after 3. (same as 就是 (jiù shì)) merely; nothing else but; simply; just; precisely; exactly 4. only; as little as 5. as much as; as many as 6. to approach; to move towards 7. to undertake; to engage in 8. (often followed by 著 (zhe)) taking advantage of 9. (of food) to go with 10. with regard to; concerning 11. (bound form) to reach; to attain (as in 一蹴而就 (yī cù ér jiù)) 12. (pattern: 就 (jiù) ... 也 (yě) ...) even if ... still ... 13. (pattern: 不 (bù) ... 就 (jiù) ...) if not ... then must be ... (HSK 1)

害怕

hài pà — to be afraid; to be scared (HSK 3)

得很

de hěn — (after an adjective) very

飛

fēi — to fly (HSK 1)

也

Yě — surname Ye (HSK 1)

似地

shì de — 1. (used to form an adverbial phrase X + 似地 (shì de)) like (X); as if (X) 2. Taiwan pr. (sì de)

離開

lí kāi — to depart; to leave (HSK 2)

那里

nà li — there; that place (HSK 1)

蛇

shé — 1. snake 2. serpent 3. classifier: 條 (tiáo) (HSK 5)

也

Yě — surname Ye (HSK 1)

和

Hé — surname He (HSK 1)

飛

fēi — to fly (HSK 1)

箭

jiàn — 1. arrow 2. classifier: 支 (zhī) (HSK 6)

一樣

yī yàng — 1. same 2. like 3. equal to 4. the same as 5. just like (HSK 1)

射

shè — 1. to shoot 2. to launch 3. to allude to 4. radio- (chemistry) (HSK 5)

入

rù — 1. to enter; to go into 2. to join; to become a member of 3. (bound form) to conform to (as in 入時 (rù shí)) 4. abbr. for 入聲 (rù shēng) 5. (on product packaging, after {number n} + {classifier}) containing (n pieces) (from Japanese 入 "iri") (HSK 6)

蔓草

màn cǎo — 1. creeper 2. climbing plant 3. twiner

中

Zhōng — 1. (bound form) China; Chinese 2. surname Zhong (HSK 1)

了

le — 1. (completed action marker) 2. (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now) 3. (modal particle intensifying preceding clause) (HSK 1)

在高可触天底桄榔树下．我坐在一条石磴上，动也不动一下．穿彩衣底蛇也蟠在树根上，动也不动一下．多会让我看见他，我就害怕得很，飞也似地离开那里，蛇也和飞箭一样，射入蔓草中了．

我囘來，告訴妻子說，『今兒險些不能再見你的面！』I came home and told my wife, “Today I nearly never saw you again!”

我

wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)

囘

huí — variant of 回 (huí)

來

lái — 1. to come 2. (used as a substitute for a more specific verb) 3. hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回來 (huí lai)) 4. ever since (as in 自古以來 (zì gǔ yǐ lái)) 5. for the past (amount of time) 6. (prefix) the coming ...; the next ... (as in 來世 (lái shì)) 7. (between two verbs) in order to 8. (after a round number) approximately 9. (used after 得 (dé) to indicate possibility, as in 談得來 (tán de lái), or after 不 (bù) to indicate impossibility, as in 吃不來 (chī bu lái)) (HSK 1)

告訴

gào sù — to press charges; to file a complaint (HSK 1)

妻子

qī zǐ — wife and children (HSK 4)

說

shuì — to persuade (HSK 1)

今兒

jīn r — (coll.) today

險些

xiǎn xiē — 1. narrowly 2. almost 3. nearly

不能

bù néng — 1. cannot 2. must not 3. should not

再見

zài jiàn — 1. goodbye 2. see you again later (HSK 1)

你

nǐ — you (informal, as opposed to courteous 您 (nín)) (HSK 1)

的

de — 1. of; ~'s (possessive particle) 2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun) 3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis) 4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 (pí gé de) "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的 (pǎo táng r de) "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 (xīn de) "new one") 5. also pr. (dì) or (di) in poetry and songs (HSK 1)

面

miàn — 1. face 2. side 3. surface 4. aspect 5. top 6. classifier for objects with flat surfaces such as drums, mirrors, flags etc

我囘来，告诉妻子说，『今儿险些不能再见你的面！』

『什麼原故』？“Why, what happened?”

什麼

shén me — 1. what? 2. something; anything (HSK 1)

原故

yuán gù — variant of 緣故 (yuán gù)

『什么原故』？

『我在樹林見了一條毒蛇：一看見他，我就速速跑囘來；“I saw a venomous snake in the woods: the instant I caught sight of him, I hurried home;蛇也逃走了……。the snake fled too....到底是我怕他，還是他怕我？』In the end, was I afraid of him, or was he afraid of me?”

我

wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)

在

zài — 1. to exist; to be alive 2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) (HSK 1)

樹林

Shù lín — Shulin city in New Taipei City 新北市 (Xīn běi shì), Taiwan (HSK 4)

見

jiàn — 1. to see 2. to meet 3. to appear (to be sth) 4. to interview 5. opinion 6. view (HSK 1)

了

le — 1. (completed action marker) 2. (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now) 3. (modal particle intensifying preceding clause) (HSK 1)

一

yī — 1. one 2. single 3. a (article) 4. as soon as 5. entire; whole; all; throughout 6. "one" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 1) 7. also pr. (yāo) for greater clarity when spelling out numbers digit by digit (HSK 1)

條

tiáo — 1. strip 2. item 3. article 4. clause (of law or treaty) 5. classifier for long thin things (ribbon, river, road, trousers etc) (HSK 2)

毒蛇

dú shé — viper

一

yī — 1. one 2. single 3. a (article) 4. as soon as 5. entire; whole; all; throughout 6. "one" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 1) 7. also pr. (yāo) for greater clarity when spelling out numbers digit by digit (HSK 1)

看見

kàn jiàn — to see; to catch sight of (HSK 1)

他

tā — 1. (third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his 2. (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日 (tā rì) and 他人 (tā rén)) (HSK 1)

我

wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)

就

jiù — 1. (after a suppositional clause) in that case; then 2. (after a clause of action) as soon as; immediately after 3. (same as 就是 (jiù shì)) merely; nothing else but; simply; just; precisely; exactly 4. only; as little as 5. as much as; as many as 6. to approach; to move towards 7. to undertake; to engage in 8. (often followed by 著 (zhe)) taking advantage of 9. (of food) to go with 10. with regard to; concerning 11. (bound form) to reach; to attain (as in 一蹴而就 (yī cù ér jiù)) 12. (pattern: 就 (jiù) ... 也 (yě) ...) even if ... still ... 13. (pattern: 不 (bù) ... 就 (jiù) ...) if not ... then must be ... (HSK 1)

速

sù — 1. fast 2. rapid 3. quick 4. velocity

速

sù — 1. fast 2. rapid 3. quick 4. velocity

跑

páo — (of an animal) to paw (the ground) (HSK 1)

囘

huí — variant of 回 (huí)

來

lái — 1. to come 2. (used as a substitute for a more specific verb) 3. hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回來 (huí lai)) 4. ever since (as in 自古以來 (zì gǔ yǐ lái)) 5. for the past (amount of time) 6. (prefix) the coming ...; the next ... (as in 來世 (lái shì)) 7. (between two verbs) in order to 8. (after a round number) approximately 9. (used after 得 (dé) to indicate possibility, as in 談得來 (tán de lái), or after 不 (bù) to indicate impossibility, as in 吃不來 (chī bu lái)) (HSK 1)

蛇

shé — 1. snake 2. serpent 3. classifier: 條 (tiáo) (HSK 5)

也

Yě — surname Ye (HSK 1)

逃走

táo zǒu — 1. to escape 2. to flee 3. to run away (HSK 5)

了

le — 1. (completed action marker) 2. (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now) 3. (modal particle intensifying preceding clause) (HSK 1)

到底

dào dǐ — 1. finally 2. in the end 3. when all is said and done 4. after all 5. to the end 6. to the last (HSK 3)

是

shì — 1. to be (followed by substantives only) 2. correct; right; true 3. (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well 4. (adverb for emphatic assertion) (HSK 1)

我

wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)

怕

Pà — surname Pa (HSK 2)

他

tā — 1. (third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his 2. (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日 (tā rì) and 他人 (tā rén)) (HSK 1)

還是

hái shi — 1. still (as before) 2. had better 3. unexpectedly 4. or (HSK 1)

他

tā — 1. (third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his 2. (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日 (tā rì) and 他人 (tā rén)) (HSK 1)

怕

Pà — surname Pa (HSK 2)

我

wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)

『我在树林见了一条毒蛇：一看见他，我就速速跑囘来；蛇也逃走了……。到底是我怕他，还是他怕我？』

妻子說：『若你不走，誰也不怕誰．在你眼中，他是毒蛇；My wife said, “If you had not left, neither of you would have feared the other. In your eyes, he is a venomous snake;在他眼中，你比他更毒呢．』in his eyes, you are even more venomous than he is.”

妻子

qī zǐ — wife and children (HSK 4)

說

shuì — to persuade (HSK 1)

若

rě — 1. used in 般若 (bō rě) 2. used in 蘭若 (lán rě) (HSK 6)

你

nǐ — you (informal, as opposed to courteous 您 (nín)) (HSK 1)

不

bù — 1. no; not so 2. (bound form) not; un- (HSK 1)

走

zǒu — 1. to walk 2. to go 3. to run 4. to move (of vehicle) 5. to visit 6. to leave 7. to go away 8. to die (euph.) 9. from 10. through 11. away (in compound verbs, such as 撤走 (chè zǒu)) 12. to change (shape, form, meaning) (HSK 1)

誰

shéi — 1. who 2. also pr. (shuí) (HSK 1)

也

Yě — surname Ye (HSK 1)

不怕

bù pà — 1. fearless 2. not worried (by setbacks or difficulties) 3. even if 4. even though

誰

shéi — 1. who 2. also pr. (shuí) (HSK 1)

在

zài — 1. to exist; to be alive 2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) (HSK 1)

你

nǐ — you (informal, as opposed to courteous 您 (nín)) (HSK 1)

眼中

yǎn zhōng — in (sb's) eyes

他

tā — 1. (third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his 2. (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日 (tā rì) and 他人 (tā rén)) (HSK 1)

是

shì — 1. to be (followed by substantives only) 2. correct; right; true 3. (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well 4. (adverb for emphatic assertion) (HSK 1)

毒蛇

dú shé — viper

在

zài — 1. to exist; to be alive 2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) (HSK 1)

他

tā — 1. (third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his 2. (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日 (tā rì) and 他人 (tā rén)) (HSK 1)

眼中

yǎn zhōng — in (sb's) eyes

你

nǐ — you (informal, as opposed to courteous 您 (nín)) (HSK 1)

比

Bǐ — 1. Belgium 2. Belgian 3. abbr. for 比利時 (Bǐ lì shí) (HSK 1)

他

tā — 1. (third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his 2. (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日 (tā rì) and 他人 (tā rén)) (HSK 1)

更

gēng — 1. to change or replace 2. to experience 3. one of the five two-hour periods into which the night was formerly divided 4. watch (e.g. of a sentry or guard) (HSK 2)

毒

dú — 1. poison 2. to poison 3. poisonous 4. malicious 5. cruel 6. fierce 7. narcotics (HSK 5)

呢

ne — 1. (sentence-final particle) used in questions to link back to prior discourse or context ("what about...?", "and...?") 2. (sentence-final particle) indicating that a state or situation still holds 3. (discourse particle) used to mark a slight pause or emphasis in speech (HSK 1)

妻子说：『若你不走，谁也不怕谁．在你眼中，他是毒蛇；在他眼中，你比他更毒呢．』

但我心裏想着，要兩方互相懼怕，有才和平。But I thought to myself that only when both sides fear each other can there be peace.若有一方大膽一點，不是他傷了我，便是我傷了他。If either side were a little bolder, either he would hurt me, or I would hurt him.

但

dàn — 1. but; yet; however; still 2. merely; only; just (HSK 2)

我

wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)

心

xīn — 1. heart 2. mind 3. intention 4. center 5. core 6. classifier: 顆 (kē), 個 (gè) (HSK 3)

裏

lǐ — variant of 裡 (lǐ) (HSK 1)

想

xiǎng — 1. to think (about) 2. to think of; to devise 3. to think (that); to believe (that) 4. to desire; to want (to) 5. to miss (feel wistful about the absence of) (HSK 1)

着

zhāo — variant of 著 (zhāo) (HSK 1)

要

yāo — (bound form) to demand; to coerce (HSK 1)

兩方

liǎng fāng — 1. both sides (in contract) 2. the two opposing sides (in a dispute)

互相

hù xiāng — 1. each other 2. mutually 3. mutual (HSK 3)

懼怕

jù pà — to be afraid

有

yǒu — 1. to have; there is 2. (bound form) having; with; -ful; -ed; -al (as in 有意 (yǒu yì) intentional) (HSK 1)

才

cái — 1. ability; talent 2. sb of a certain type 3. a capable individual 4. then and only then 5. just now 6. (before an expression of quantity) only 7. (emphatic, esp. in contrast or correction) really; actually (HSK 2)

和平

hé píng — 1. peace 2. peaceful (HSK 3)

若

rě — 1. used in 般若 (bō rě) 2. used in 蘭若 (lán rě) (HSK 6)

有

yǒu — 1. to have; there is 2. (bound form) having; with; -ful; -ed; -al (as in 有意 (yǒu yì) intentional) (HSK 1)

一方

yī fāng — 1. a party (in a contract or legal case) 2. one side 3. area 4. region

大膽

dà dǎn — 1. brazen 2. audacious 3. outrageous 4. bold 5. daring 6. fearless (HSK 5)

一點

yī diǎn — 1. a bit; a little bit 2. (used in negative expressions) (not) the least bit 3. (after an adjective, used to form the comparative) a bit more, -er 4. a point (in a discussion etc) 5. (calligraphy) dot stroke (、) 6. one o'clock (abbr. for 一點鍾 (yī diǎn zhōng))

不是

bù shì — 1. no 2. is not 3. not

他

tā — 1. (third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his 2. (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日 (tā rì) and 他人 (tā rén)) (HSK 1)

傷

shāng — 1. to injure 2. injury 3. wound (HSK 3)

了

le — 1. (completed action marker) 2. (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now) 3. (modal particle intensifying preceding clause) (HSK 1)

我

wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)

便是

biàn shì — 1. (emphasizes that sth is precisely or exactly as stated) 2. precisely 3. exactly 4. even 5. if 6. just like 7. in the same way as (HSK 6)

我

wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)

傷

shāng — 1. to injure 2. injury 3. wound (HSK 3)

了

le — 1. (completed action marker) 2. (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now) 3. (modal particle intensifying preceding clause) (HSK 1)

他

tā — 1. (third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his 2. (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日 (tā rì) and 他人 (tā rén)) (HSK 1)

但我心里想着，要两方互相惧怕，有才和平。若有一方大胆一点，不是他伤了我，便是我伤了他。