立論 On Expressing an Opinion

我夢見自己正在小學校的講堂上預備作文，向老師請教立論的方法。I dreamed that I was in a primary school classroom, preparing to write a composition, and asked the teacher how one goes about establishing a thesis.

我

wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)

夢見

mèng jiàn — 1. to dream about (sth or sb) 2. to see in a dream (HSK 4)

自己

zì jǐ — oneself; (attributive) one's own (HSK 2)

正在

zhèng zài — to be in the process of (doing sth); to be currently ...-ing (HSK 1)

小學

xiǎo xué — elementary school; primary school (HSK 1)

校

jiào — to check; to collate; to proofread

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)

講堂

jiǎng táng — lecture hall

上

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

預備

yù bèi — 1. to prepare 2. to make ready 3. preparation 4. preparatory (HSK 5)

作文

zuò wén — 1. to write an essay 2. composition (student essay) 3. classifier: 篇 (piān) (HSK 2)

向

Xiàng — surname Xiang (HSK 2)

老師

lǎo shī — teacher (HSK 1)

請教

qǐng jiào — 1. to ask for guidance 2. to consult (HSK 3)

立論

lì lùn — 1. to set forth one's view; to present one's argument 2. argument; line of reasoning

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)

方法

fāng fǎ — method; way; technique; procedure (HSK 2)

我梦见自己正在小学校的讲堂上预备作文，向老师请教立论的方法。

『難！』老師從眼鏡圈外斜射出眼光來，看着我，說。『我吿訴你一件事：——'Difficult!' The teacher shot a glance at me slantwise from above the rims of his glasses, and said, 'Let me tell you something: —

難

nán — 1. difficult (to...) 2. problem 3. difficulty 4. difficult 5. not good (HSK 1)

老師

lǎo shī — teacher (HSK 1)

從

Cóng — surname Cong (HSK 1)

眼鏡

yǎn jìng — 1. spectacles 2. eyeglasses 3. classifier: 副 (fù) (HSK 4)

圈

juān — 1. to confine 2. to lock up 3. to pen in (HSK 4)

外

wài — 1. outside 2. in addition 3. foreign 4. external (HSK 1)

斜

xié — 1. inclined 2. slanting 3. oblique 4. tilting (HSK 5)

射出

shè chū — 1. emission 2. ejaculation

眼光

yǎn guāng — 1. gaze 2. insight 3. foresight 4. vision 5. way of looking at things (HSK 5)

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)

看

kān — 1. to look after 2. to take care of 3. to watch 4. to guard (HSK 1)

着

zhāo — variant of 著 (zhāo) (HSK 1)

我

wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)

說

shuì — to persuade (HSK 1)

我

wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)

吿

gào — variant of 告 (gào)

訴

sù — 1. to complain 2. to sue 3. to tell

你

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

件

jiàn — 1. item 2. component 3. classifier for events, things, clothes etc (HSK 2)

事

shì — 1. matter 2. thing 3. item 4. work 5. affair 6. classifier: 件 (jiàn), 樁 (zhuāng), 回 (huí) (HSK 1)

『难！』老师从眼镜圈外斜射出眼光来，看着我，说。『我吿诉你一件事：——

『一家人家生了一個男孩，合家高興透頂了。'A family once had a baby boy, and the whole household was overjoyed beyond measure.滿月的時候，抱出來給客人看，——大概自然是想得一點好兆頭。When the child reached his full month, they carried him out to show the guests — no doubt hoping, naturally, for some good omen.

一家人

yī jiā rén — 1. the whole family 2. (lit. and fig.) members of the same family (HSK 7-9)

家

jiā — 1. home 2. family 3. (polite) my (sister, uncle etc) 4. classifier for families or businesses 5. refers to the philosophical schools of pre-Han China 6. noun suffix for a specialist in some activity, such as a musician or revolutionary, corresponding to English -ist, -er, -ary or -ian 7. classifier: 個 (gè) (HSK 1)

生

shēng — 1. to grow; to give birth; to produce; to be born 2. to arise; to occur 3. to light (a fire) 4. to live; to be alive 5. life 6. raw; uncooked; unprocessed 7. unfamiliar; strange 8. (bound form) student; person engaged in a field 9. (bound form) male role in traditional opera 10. (bound form) life; lifetime 11. (bound form) means of livelihood 12. (bound form) very; intensely (as in 生疼 (shēng téng)) 13. (bound form) in a forced manner (as in 生拉硬拽 (shēng lā yìng zhuài)) (HSK 2)

了

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

一個

yī ge — 1. a; an; one 2. the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc)

男孩

nán hái — boy

合家

hé jiā — 1. whole family 2. entire household

高興

gāo xìng — 1. happy 2. glad 3. willing (to do sth) 4. in a cheerful mood (HSK 1)

透頂

tòu dǐng — 1. out-and-out 2. thoroughly

了

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

滿月

mǎn yuè — 1. (of a baby) to reach one month of age 2. (fig.) to reach the one-month mark since the start, launch or implementation of sth 3. the full moon

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)

時候

shí hou — 1. time 2. length of time 3. moment 4. period (HSK 1)

抱

bào — 1. to hold 2. to carry (in one's arms) 3. to hug 4. to embrace 5. to surround 6. to cherish 7. (coll.) (of clothes) to fit nicely (HSK 4)

出來

chū lái — 1. to come out 2. to appear 3. to arise (HSK 1)

給

gěi — 1. to 2. for 3. for the benefit of 4. to give 5. to allow 6. to do sth (for sb) 7. (grammatical equivalent of 被) 8. (grammatical equivalent of 把) 9. (sentence intensifier) (HSK 1)

客人

kè rén — 1. visitor 2. guest 3. customer 4. client 5. classifier: 位 (wèi) (HSK 2)

看

kān — 1. to look after 2. to take care of 3. to watch 4. to guard (HSK 1)

大概

dà gài — 1. roughly 2. probably 3. rough 4. approximate 5. about 6. general idea (HSK 3)

自然

zì rán — 1. nature 2. natural 3. naturally (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)

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)

得

dé — 1. to obtain 2. to get 3. to gain 4. to catch (a disease) 5. proper 6. suitable 7. proud 8. contented 9. to allow 10. to permit 11. ready 12. finished (HSK 2)

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))

好

hǎo — 1. good 2. appropriate; proper 3. all right! 4. (before a verb) easy to 5. (before a verb) good to 6. (before an adjective for exclamatory effect) so 7. (verb complement indicating completion) 8. (of two people) close; on intimate terms 9. (after a personal pronoun) hello (HSK 1)

兆頭

zhào tou — 1. omen 2. portent 3. sign (HSK 7-9)

『一家人家生了一个男孩，合家高兴透顶了。满月的时候，抱出来给客人看，——大概自然是想得一点好兆头。

『一個說：「這孩子將來要發財的。」他于是得到一番感謝。'One guest said: "This child will grow up to be rich." So he received a round of thanks.

一個

yī ge — 1. a; an; one 2. the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc)

說

shuì — to persuade (HSK 1)

這

zhè — 1. (pronoun) this; these 2. (bound form) this; the (followed by a noun) 3. (bound form) this; these (followed by a classifier) (in this sense, commonly pr. (zhèi), esp. in Beijing) (HSK 1)

孩子

hái zi — child (HSK 1)

將來

jiāng lái — 1. in the future 2. future 3. the future 4. classifier: 個 (gè) (HSK 3)

要

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

發財

fā cái — to get rich (HSK 7-9)

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)

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)

于是

yú shì — thereupon; as a result; consequently; thus; hence (HSK 4)

得到

dé dào — to get; to obtain; to receive (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)

番

Pān — surname Pan (HSK 6)

感謝

gǎn xiè — to thank; to be grateful (HSK 2)

『一个说：「这孩子将来要发财的。」他于是得到一番感谢。

『一個說：「這孩子將來要做官的。」他于是收回幾句恭維。'One said: "This child will grow up to be an official." So he got back a few compliments.

一個

yī ge — 1. a; an; one 2. the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc)

說

shuì — to persuade (HSK 1)

這

zhè — 1. (pronoun) this; these 2. (bound form) this; the (followed by a noun) 3. (bound form) this; these (followed by a classifier) (in this sense, commonly pr. (zhèi), esp. in Beijing) (HSK 1)

孩子

hái zi — child (HSK 1)

將來

jiāng lái — 1. in the future 2. future 3. the future 4. classifier: 個 (gè) (HSK 3)

要

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

做官

zuò guān — 1. to take an official post 2. to become a government employee

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)

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)

于是

yú shì — thereupon; as a result; consequently; thus; hence (HSK 4)

收回

shōu huí — 1. to regain 2. to retake 3. to take back 4. to withdraw 5. to revoke (HSK 4)

幾

jī — (literary) almost (HSK 1)

句

gōu — variant of 勾 (gōu) (HSK 2)

恭維

gōng wei — to compliment; to praise (HSK 7-9)

『一个说：「这孩子将来要做官的。」他于是收回几句恭维。

『一個說：「這孩子將來是要死的。」他于是得到一頓大家合力的痛打。'One said: "This child will someday die." So he received a sound beating from everyone together.

一個

yī ge — 1. a; an; one 2. the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc)

說

shuì — to persuade (HSK 1)

這

zhè — 1. (pronoun) this; these 2. (bound form) this; the (followed by a noun) 3. (bound form) this; these (followed by a classifier) (in this sense, commonly pr. (zhèi), esp. in Beijing) (HSK 1)

孩子

hái zi — child (HSK 1)

將來

jiāng lái — 1. in the future 2. future 3. the future 4. classifier: 個 (gè) (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)

要死

yào sǐ — 1. extremely 2. awfully

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)

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)

于是

yú shì — thereupon; as a result; consequently; thus; hence (HSK 4)

得到

dé dào — to get; to obtain; to receive (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)

頓

dùn — 1. to stop 2. to pause 3. to arrange 4. to lay out 5. to kowtow 6. to stamp (one's foot) 7. at once 8. classifier for meals, beatings, scoldings etc: time, bout, spell, meal (HSK 3)

大家

dà jiā — 1. everyone 2. influential family 3. great expert (HSK 2)

合力

hé lì — 1. to join forces 2. concerted effort 3. (physics) resultant force

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)

痛打

tòng dǎ — to beat sb soundly

『一个说：「这孩子将来是要死的。」他于是得到一顿大家合力的痛打。

『說要死的必然，說富貴的許謊。'The one who spoke of death spoke an inevitable truth; the ones who spoke of wealth and rank told lies.但說謊的得好報，說必然的遭打。But the liars were rewarded, while the one who spoke the inevitable truth was beaten.你……』You...'

說

shuì — to persuade (HSK 1)

要死

yào sǐ — 1. extremely 2. awfully

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)

必然

bì rán — 1. inevitable 2. certain 3. necessity (HSK 3)

說

shuì — to persuade (HSK 1)

富貴

fù guì — riches and honor

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)

許

Xǔ — surname Xu (HSK 7-9)

謊

huǎng — 1. lies 2. to lie

但

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

說謊

shuō huǎng — 1. to lie 2. to tell an untruth (HSK 7-9)

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)

得

dé — 1. to obtain 2. to get 3. to gain 4. to catch (a disease) 5. proper 6. suitable 7. proud 8. contented 9. to allow 10. to permit 11. ready 12. finished (HSK 2)

好報

hǎo bào — karmic reward (resulting from good deeds, in contrast to karmic retribution 惡報 (è bào))

說

shuì — to persuade (HSK 1)

必然

bì rán — 1. inevitable 2. certain 3. necessity (HSK 3)

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)

遭

zāo — 1. to suffer; to meet with (usu. misfortune) 2. classifier for events: time, turn, incident

打

dá — 1. (loanword) dozen 2. Taiwan pr. (dǎ) (HSK 1)

你

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

『说要死的必然，说富贵的许谎。但说谎的得好报，说必然的遭打。你……』

『我願意既不謊人，也不遭打。'I wish neither to lie to people nor to be beaten.那麽，老師，我得怎麽說呢？』So then, teacher, what ought I to say?'

我

wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)

願意

yuàn yì — 1. to wish 2. to want 3. ready 4. willing (to do sth) (HSK 2)

既

jì — 1. already 2. since 3. both... (and...) (HSK 4)

不

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

謊

huǎng — 1. lies 2. to lie

人

rén — 1. person; people 2. classifier: 個 (gè), 位 (wèi), 名 (míng) (HSK 1)

也

Yě — surname Ye (HSK 1)

不

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

遭

zāo — 1. to suffer; to meet with (usu. misfortune) 2. classifier for events: time, turn, incident

打

dá — 1. (loanword) dozen 2. Taiwan pr. (dǎ) (HSK 1)

那麽

nà me — variant of 那麼 (nà me) (HSK 2)

老師

lǎo shī — teacher (HSK 1)

我

wǒ — I; me; my (HSK 1)

得

dé — 1. to obtain 2. to get 3. to gain 4. to catch (a disease) 5. proper 6. suitable 7. proud 8. contented 9. to allow 10. to permit 11. ready 12. finished (HSK 2)

怎麽

zěn me — variant of 怎麼 (zěn me) (HSK 1)

說

shuì — to persuade (HSK 1)

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)

『我愿意既不谎人，也不遭打。那么，老师，我得怎么说呢？』

『那麽，你得說：「啊呀！'Well then, you must say: "Ah!這孩子呵！What a child!您瞧！Just look at him!多麽……。How...!阿唷！Oh my!哈哈！Hehe！he，hehehehe。」』Haha! Hehe! he, hehehehe."'

那麽

nà me — variant of 那麼 (nà me) (HSK 2)

你

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

得

dé — 1. to obtain 2. to get 3. to gain 4. to catch (a disease) 5. proper 6. suitable 7. proud 8. contented 9. to allow 10. to permit 11. ready 12. finished (HSK 2)

說

shuì — to persuade (HSK 1)

啊呀

ā yā — 1. interjection of surprise 2. Oh my!

這

zhè — 1. (pronoun) this; these 2. (bound form) this; the (followed by a noun) 3. (bound form) this; these (followed by a classifier) (in this sense, commonly pr. (zhèi), esp. in Beijing) (HSK 1)

孩子

hái zi — child (HSK 1)

呵

ā — variant of 啊 (ā)

您

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

瞧

qiáo — 1. to look at 2. to see 3. to see (a doctor) 4. to visit (HSK 5)

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)

麽

me — variant of 麼 (me)

阿

ā — 1. prefix used before monosyllabic names, kinship terms etc to indicate familiarity 2. used in transliteration 3. (bound form) Afghanistan (abbr. for 阿富汗 (Ā fù hàn)) 4. (bound form) Albania (abbr. for 阿爾巴尼亞 (Ā ěr bā ní yà)) 5. (bound form) Algeria (abbr. for 阿爾及利亞 (Ā ěr jí lì yà)) 6. (bound form) Argentina (abbr. for 阿根廷 (Ā gēn tíng)) 7. also pr. (à)

唷

yō — 1. (interjection expressing surprise) Oh! 2. My!

哈哈

hā hā — (onom.) laughing out loud (HSK 3)

『那么，你得说：「啊呀！这孩子呵！您瞧！多么……。阿唷！哈哈！Hehe！he，hehehehe。」』

（一九二五年七月八日。）(July 8, 1925.)

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)

九

jiǔ — 1. nine 2. 9 (HSK 1)

二

èr — 1. two 2. 2 3. (Beijing dialect) stupid (HSK 1)

五

wǔ — 1. five 2. 5 (HSK 1)

年

Nián — surname Nian (HSK 1)

七月

Qī yuè — 1. July 2. seventh month (of the lunar year)

八

bā — eight (HSK 1)

日

rì — 1. (bound form) sun 2. day 3. day of the month 4. (bound form) Japan (abbr. for 日本 (Rì běn)) 5. (vulgar) to fuck; to have sex with (HSK 1)