MyEChinese

【一日一词 / Chinese Words】

充电

chōng diàn
to charge / to learn new knowledge

用法说明
充电是指需要用电的、能够储存一定电量的设备补充电量的过程，现在也表示重新学习或者学习新的知识。
Charging means supplying power for energy storage devices, and has now also taken on the meaning of to learn new knowledge or study.

例句
1. 趁还没开始打电话，赶紧充电吧。
Chèn hái méi kāishǐ dǎ diànhuà, gǎnjǐn chōngdiàn ba.
Charge your phone before you call.
2. 这个软件我虽然以前学过，可是现在的情况变得更复杂，还需要再充电。
Zhège ruǎnjiàn wǒ suīrán yǐqián xuéguò, kěshì xiànzài de qíngkuàng biàn dé gèng fùzá, hái xūyào zài chōngdiàn.
Although I have learned this software before, in this new condition I think I must learn more about it.

【一日一字 / Chinese Characters】

龟（guī）

字形

“龟”是一个典型的象形字，字形酷似一只乌龟，只是有的字体是正视的形状，有的是侧视的形状而已。“龟”主要表示泛指龟鳖目的所有成员。
This is a typical pictographic character and in this case is the character for turtle. In some fonts, the turtle is facing forward, while in other situations the turtle is turned on its side. Although many characters serve different meanings, the main purpose of this character is used only to refer to turtles.

字义
Tortoise; turtle

组词
乌龟：wūguī / turtle
龟甲：guījiǎ / tortoise-shell
龟缩：guīsuō / to huddle up
海龟：hǎiguī / sea turtle

例句
1. 我最喜欢的动物是乌龟。
Wǒ zuì xǐhuan de dòngwù shì wūguī.
Turtles are my favorite animal.
2. 海龟的寿命一般都很长。
Hǎiguī de shòumìng yìbān dōu hěn cháng.
Sea turtles generally can live a long life.

【生活小景 Everyday Life】

糖炒栗子 Sweet Roasted Chestnut

在中国北方，到了冬季，街头巷尾便飘起了糖炒栗子的香味。通常是有个老大爷，长年累月地站在一块一米见方的地方，摇着一口大锅，锅里盛满了细细的黑色沙粒和零星的栗子。栗子刚入锅的时候还是浅浅的颜色，随着老大爷手中铁勺的搅动，栗子和沙粒渐渐融在一起，再慢慢加入粗粗的白砂糖，来回翻动。深棕色的栗子在乌亮的黑砂间上下翻滚，渐渐被糖汁浸透，个个变得红紫发亮，晕染出油亮幸福的样子。同时，你还可以闻到一阵阵诱人的甜香，就像一只只温柔的小手伸出来，挠得你心里直痒痒。栗子香甜的味道也就传遍整条街的小巷子里，惹得巷子里的小孩子们直流口水。
As winter comes, the air is always filled with the aroma of roasted chestnuts at streets and lanes in North China. Usually, it's an old man standing at a place about one square meter large, keeping stirring in a big iron pot full of chestnuts and black sands. Before the chestnuts are poured into the big pot, they are light in color. Then the chestnuts turn black as they mingled with the sand, and this moment the old man adds some coarse sugar into the pot, continuing the stir. Finally, the brown chestnuts come to be soaked by the syrup, shining among the sand, looked so pretty and lovely. In the meanwhile, a sweet aroma rises into the air, like hundreds of gentle hands itching your heart, making your mouth water.

老大爷用一把大锅铲在锅里上下翻腾着栗子。边炒边吆喝着：“糖炒栗子，又香又甜的糖炒栗子！”孩子们把手中的零钱递给老大爷，催促着老大爷动作要快。他们的口水已经在小嘴儿里打了几转，一不小心就要流出来。老大爷将一粒粒滚烫的黑珍珠盛进油纸口袋，黝黑黝黑地闪晶晶发亮，递给他们时，还冒着热乎气儿呢！那热气便隔着纸一蓬一蓬地扑面而来。孩子们像是捧着一个小太阳，也不管栗子烫手了，迫不及待地取出一粒，三下五除二地剥了皮，看到肥润的果仁胖胖地躺在里面，马上往嘴里塞，直到入口，那柔软的口感和甜蜜的滋味才四溢开来……糖炒栗子这一香甜温暖的冬日小吃，是众多中国孩子童年中美好的回忆。
The old man keeps stirring in the pot, and crying out loudly to the pedestrians: "Sweet roasted chestnuts! Sweet roasted chestnuts!” At this, children all dash to the stand. They give their pocket money to the man and hurry him. The old man then puts the scalding chestnuts into a paper bag and passes it to the child, whose mouth is already watering. The heat and sweet perfume come through the paper bag, as if there is a little sun in it. The kid snatches one chestnut out of the bag, peels it in a hurry, throws the fat baby into mouth and feel the soft sweetness spreading over the tongue.
The taste of roasted chestnuts in winter is a warm, deeply cherished childhood memory for many Chinese people.

【轻松一刻 / Have Fun】

教室的后门
Get in through the back door

故事 Story

尔文：吉恩，我想参加“CCTV希望之星英语风采大赛”，老师说我能力不够，不让我参加，怎么办啊？
吉恩：那你试试走后门。
上课铃声响，老师刚踏进教室，尔文就朝着教室后门走去。
Evan: Gene, I want to participate in CCTV’s Star of Outlook English Talent Competition, but our teacher said I can’t. What can I do？
Gene: Just try to get in through the back door.
The bell rings, and as the teacher steps into the classroom, Evan walks toward the classroom back door.

词语注释 Note
能力：(néng lì) n. ability; capacity; capability
够：(gòu) adj. enough; sufficient; adequate
试试：(shì shi) give it a try; try it
还有：(hái yǒu) adv. Also; still; in addition; besides
铃声：(líng shēng) n. bell; the ringing sound of a bell
刚：(gāng) adv. Just; exactly; barely; only just
踏: (tà) v. to step on; stamp on; tread
教室：(jiào shì) n. classroom; school room; schoolroom

语言点 Language Point
1. 走后门
“走后门”指不通过正当途径，而是通过内部关系达到某种目的。
“走后门” means to follow improper channels or to rely on internal connections to attain a certain goal.

例如（for example）:
①Backdoor deals are an unhealthy practice.
走后门是一种不正之风。
②He has bad grades, so he entered university through back-door methods.
他的成绩很差，因此他是走后门进入的大学。

2. 试试
“试试”是“试”的重叠形式, 表示尝试的意思。
“试试” is the repeated form of “试,” and it means to try.
例如（for example）：
①Try looking at things from a different viewpoint.
试试从不同的角度观察事物。
②My tailor asked me to try on the new suit tomorrow.
我的裁缝叫我明天去试试我的新衣服。

【文化漫谈 Chinese Culture】

文房四宝

Four Treasures of the Study

Chinese characters have thousands of years history, as to the writing tool, you know we can use pens, pencils, ball pens and other instruments. In China, the traditional writing tools are different from what we use today. Chinese people used different kinds of writing tools. Four things are necessary on most scholars' desk. They are "笔墨纸砚 (bǐ, mò, zhǐ, yàn)", that is, writing brush, ink stick, paper and ink stone or ink slab. They are called four treasures of study. The calligraphers in the history left us a lot of precious calligraphies by the four treasures of study. They are the favorite collections of the people. At present, people use various writing tools for different use. You know, Chinese characters are called square characters. It is necessary for the beginners to practice writing the characters in this kind of square, we call that "米字格（mǐzìgé）", in order to have a better understanding of the structures of Chinese characters, and to write standard and harmonious and graceful characters.

Please visit the video for more details:

http://i.myechinese.com/apps/lib/index.php?s=/Topic/topic/gid/29/tid/448

【一日一句 / Chinese Sentences】

眼看着
yǎnkàn zhe
Be going to

用法说明
“眼看着”是说说话者对于所发生的事情无法控制或无能为力，只能任其发展。
“眼看着” means speakers can not control or can do nothing about what is happening, but only let it proceed on its own way.

例句
1. 甲：眼看着马上就要登机了，可是他还是没到机场。
Jiǎ: Yǎnkàn zhe mǎ shàng jiù yào dēng jī le ，kě shì tā hái shì méi dào jī chǎng.
A: We are going to board soon, but he has still not arrived at the airport.
乙：也许是路上堵车，再给他打个电话催一下。
Yǐ: Yě xǔ shì lù shàng dǔ chē ，zài gěi tā dǎ gè diàn huà cuī yī xià.
B: Perhaps he is stuck in a traffic jam, let’s call him to remind him.
2. 甲：眼看着下个月就要毕业了，我的论文还没写完呢。
Jiǎ: Yǎn kàn zhe xià ge yuè jiù yào bìyè le, wǒ de lùnwén hái méi xiě wán ne.
A: I am going to graduate next month, but still have not finished my essay.
乙：那你一直在忙什么？我能帮上什么忙吗？
Yǐ: Nà nǐ yìzhí zài máng shénme? Wǒ néng bāng shàng shénme máng ma?
B: What have you been doing these days? Can I help you?

【一日一词 / Chinese Words】

用法说明
“百搭”常用在服装领域，指衣服的颜色、款式可以与其他任何衣服搭配。比如黑色和白色的衣服就可以百搭。
“百搭”is commonly used for clothing, and means that one's clothes are well suited to each other in color and style. For example, black and white clothes are matching clothes.

例句
1. 她是个比较传统的女孩，总是买一些可以百搭的衣服。
Tā shì ge bǐjiào chuántǒng de nǚhái, zǒngshì mǎi yì xiē kěyǐ bǎidā de yīfu.
She is a traditional girl, and always buys matching clothes.
2. 这些衣服都能百搭，不过我想买几件特别的。
Zhèxiē yīfu dōu néng bǎidā, búguò wǒ xiǎng mǎi jǐjiàn tèbié de.
These are matching clothes, but I want to buy some special ones.

【一日一字 / Chinese Characters】

岸 （àn）

“岸”字最初做“厂”。“厂”是山崖，又是水崖。后来加声符“干”做“ ”，最后又加义符“山”做“岸”。“岸”的本义是“靠水边的高地”，现在表示“岸边”等义。
“岸” was originally written as “厂.” “厂” refers to both cliff and water cliff. Later, the phonetic element “干” was added to make the character “ ” and the semantic element “山” was added to complete the character as “岸.” The original meaning was “highlands near the water” and now means “bank.”

字义
Bank; coast

组词
海岸： hǎi’àn / coast; beach
口岸： kǒu’àn / port
岸边： ànbiān / shoreside
海岸线： hǎi’ànxiàn / coastline

例句
1. 中国的海岸线特别长。Zhōngguó de hǎi’ànxiàn tèbié cháng.China has a very long coastline.
2. 这个口岸每天都有无数的船只停留。Zhè gè kǒu’àn měi tiān dōu yǒu wú shù de chuán zhī tíng liú.Countless boats remain at this port every day.

【九州览胜 Travel Around China】

老重庆的市井生活 Life in the Old Chongqing

很多人对山城重庆发生兴趣是从一部《疯狂的石头》开始，我却早在看王家卫的电影《重庆森林》时就对这座城市产生了浓厚的兴趣，喜欢搞些小资情调的王家卫怎么会把目光放在这座长江边的老城呢？只因它曾作为国民政府的陪都而繁华一时吗？除了出了名的麻辣火锅和美女，这座城市还有什么吸引人目光的地方呢？
Many people take interest in the city of Chongqing because of the movie Crazy Stone, but I have had an early crash on this mountainous city after I watched the movie Chungking Express directed by Wang Jiawei. I was always wondering why Wang Jiawei, who favors romantic atmosphere very much, would choose this old city by the Yangtze River as the locality of his movie. Was it because its past history as the second capital, its famous hot pot, the beautiful girls, or others?

一切疑问，只有亲自去探寻，才能找到答案。炎热的八月，在这座火炉最发威的时候，我去了。
吃过了麻辣的火锅，看过了解放碑的美女，在山城里高高低低兜兜转转地过了无数隧道、大桥，我似乎还是没触摸着重庆的灵魂，直到我去了十八梯。
I decided to find out the answers for myself. Therefore, I went there in August which is the hottest season there.
After I had the spicy hotpot, saw the pretty girls in Jiefangbei, and made many roundabout trips to various tunnels and bridges, I still didn't touch the inner most of Chongqing until I got to Shibati.

通常的，一座城市在“现代化”的建筑群背后，总藏着一条“青灰色”的老街。走进了它们，就走进了这座城市的历史深处，就触摸到了这个城市的灵魂。十八梯——重庆较场口的一条石梯小街，蜿蜒盘旋，依山而上，总共有十八个石梯组合，俗称“十八梯”，沿街而建的重庆吊脚楼，蜿蜒在石梯旁，延续在岁月中。
Usually in a modern city there is an ancient street hidden under numerous skyscrapers. As you walk along the ancient street, you are in the meanwhile walking deep into the profound history and touching the soul of the city. In Chongqing there is such a tone street named Shibati. It is located in Jiaochangkou and composed of eighteen stone stairs which wind zigzag up the hill. There are many stilted buildings along the stone street, which have weathered through years and years.

十八梯似乎已被这个繁华热闹的城市所遗忘，连当地司机都问了很多人才找着它的入口。入口处掩在一个闹哄哄的农贸市场里，穿过农贸市场，眼前的景象，仿佛一下子时光倒退二十年。
It seemed that Shibati had already been forgotten by this bustling city. The taxi driver had asked many local people before he finally found the way there. The entrance was set in a noisy farm produce market; as I walked across the market my mind flashed back to the past two decades.

沿着蜿蜒的石阶向上走，一会儿就汗流浃背，深刻的体会到了山城人生活的不易。石阶两旁，仿佛在回放一幕幕老电影，简陋的茶馆、老旧的茶炉、租书的小屋、很多人家共同的厨房，还有屋檐下酣睡的猫……不同的是，电影中的人活生生的生活在现实中，过着充满烟火气息的日子。
I walked upon the winding stairs and was bathed in sweat after only a few minutes. Not until then did I realize the hardship of mountain dwellers. The scenes I saw along the stone street constituted elements of an old movie: shabby tea houses with tea heaters, book rental houses, kitchens shared by several households, and cats sound asleep under the eaves. But the difference was that the life here was real and vivid.

石梯的另一头便是重庆最繁华的解放碑，巨大的反差使得这一条老街显得很不真实。可事实上，它却上演着最真实、最市井的生活。
At the other end of the stone stairs was the famous Jiefangbei plaza, one of the busiest places in Chongqing. The sharp contrast between the antiquity and modernity of the two ends made the old street rather unreal. But in fact it has demonstrated the most quotidian life of the common people.

听说，重庆政府正准备斥巨资改造“十八梯”，到时，这些老房子老铺子估计都要被拆除。我不知道这应该算是好消息还是坏消息，我想站起来说些保存文化特色、留住城市的根之类的话，又怕十八梯的一只猫都会跳出来反驳我：你们这些人，真是站着说话不腰痛。
It is said that Chongqing municipal government intends to invest a huge amount of money to rebuild the street of Shibati. The old houses as well as shops will be torn down in the near future. I don't know whether this is good news or bad news. If I speak for the preservation of cultural heritage, perhaps even a cat of Shibati would jump up and refute me, saying that I don't put myself in local people's shoes and care nothing about their welfare.
说到这里，不得不提提重庆的另一个地方：磁器口古镇。这里曾因其繁华而被时任国民党主席的林森称为“小重庆”。如同许多被开发的古镇一样，如今这里也是人声鼎沸、商业繁荣，游客似乎比本地人还多。好在热闹的只是中心地带的那两条街，离开了往高处走，也就远离了喧嚣，总能于一片老茶馆、一间杂货铺、一把旧竹椅中寻出些岁月的痕迹。
There is another interesting place in Chongqing—Ciqikou Ancient Town. Due to its once flourishing economy, it was named "Little Chongqing" by Lin Sen who was then the Chairman of Kuomintang. Like many explored old towns, nowadays Ciqikou Ancient Town enjoys business prosperity and the streets were always swarm with visitors—the tourists outnumbered the local people. However, as you walked away from the busy lanes and went further to the upper regions, you could get away from the uproar and into a quiet world of antiquity, where there were also old tea houses, grocery stores and bamboo chairs from which you could feel the imprints left by the old time.

【轻松一刻 / Have Fun】

儿子卖酒
Sell Wine

故事
Story
有一个卖酒的商人要出去办事，就让他的儿子在家帮他卖酒。他出门前嘱咐儿子：“千万别告诉别人，我们的酒是掺过水的！”
不久，来了一位顾客，儿子说：“我们的酒没有掺过水。”那位顾客顿时起了疑心，就不买了。
商人回来听说了这件事情，把儿子打了一顿。
这时候又来了一位买酒的顾客。他尝了一口，说：“味道这么淡，不会是掺过水吧？”
儿子一听，害怕地说：“爸，这回我可没说！”

Once a wine dealer had to go out for business, and he asked his son to sell wine for him at home. He bade his son before he left, "Be sure not to tell anyone that we have added water to the wine!"
It was not long before a customer came. The son said to him, "We haven't added water to the wine." The customer became suspicious and chose not to buy his wine.
When the dealer came back and heard this, he gave his son a good beating.

At this moment, another customer came. He had a taste of the wine and said, "It it so weak. You didn't water it, did you?"
On hearing this, the son was frightened and said immediately, "Dad, it was not me! I didn't say anything this time!"

词语注释 Note
商人：(shāng rén) n. businessman
办事：(bàn shì) v. handle affairs
嘱咐：(zhǔ fù) v. exhort
顾客：(gù kè) n. customer
顿时：(dùn shí) adv. at once， immediately
掺水：(chānshuǐ ) v. water
疑心：(yí xīn) v./n. suspect/suspicion
淡：(dàn) adj. tasteless, weak

语言点 Language Point
1. 千万（qiānwàn）
“千万”是一个副词，一般用于祈使句中，可以用来表示嘱咐和恳求，如：
明天千万要早点去！
这件事你千万要记着！
在祈使句的否定式中，“千万”要放在否定词“不要”或者“别”的前面，如文章中父亲嘱咐儿子的那句话：
千万别告诉别人，我们的酒是掺过水的！

"千万qiānwàn" is an adverb, and it is generally used in an imperative sentence to express instruction and request. For example:
明天千万要早点去！
这件事你千万要记着！
Be sure to go early tomorrow!
Be sure to remember this!
In an imperative sentence with negative words, "千万qiānwàn" must be placed before the negative word "不要búyào" or "别bié", as the sentence in the article.
千万别告诉别人，我们的酒是掺过水的！
Be sure not to tell anyone that we have added water to the wine!

2. 量词“顿（dùn）”
在文章中，爸爸回来以后“把儿子打了一顿”，这里的“顿”是一个动量词，主要表达用于“吃饭”、“责备”、“劝说”、“打骂”等行为的次数，如：
我明天想请你吃一顿饭，不知道你有没有时间。
我今天上课迟到了，被老师说了一顿。
我今天本来心情很差，被朋友劝了一顿后，好多了。

In the story, when the father came back he "把儿子打了一顿(gave his son a good beating)". The "顿dùn" here is a quantifier verb, and it is mainly used to express the frequency of such actions as "吃饭(eat)"、"责备(blame)"、"劝说(persuade)"、"打骂(beat and criticize)". For example:
I'd like to invite you to dinner tomorrow, but I don't know whether you are available then.
I was late for school and was scolded by the teacher.
I'm in a bad mood today, but after being comforted by my friends I feel better now.

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【成语欣赏 Proverbs and Idioms】

未雨绸缪
wèi yǔ chóu móu

天还没有下雨，就要把自己家的门窗都修缮好，以防到了下雨的时候，因为门窗不太牢固而使房屋遭受水淹之灾。
This saying means that even if it is not raining, one must still repair one’s own house windows and doors in case that they are not stable and the house floods when the rain does come.

词语注释
未（wèi）： Not yet begun 还没有，还没开始。
绸缪（chóu móu）： Mend 修补、修缮。
以防(yǐ fáng)： To prevent 用来防止。
牢固（láo gù）： Firmly 结实、可靠。

意义
“未雨绸缪”比喻凡事要早作准备，以防出了不好的情况才手忙脚乱地挽回形势，而带来损失。
“未雨绸缪” is a metaphor for making preparations in advance in case of damage as a result of a bad situation.

例句
1、 虽然还没有下雨，但是天阴沉沉的，咱们还是未雨绸缪，带着伞吧。
Although it is not raining, the sky is dark. We’d better take an umbrella in case it does start to rain.
2、 合作方到现在还没有回复，咱们得未雨绸缪，以防万一。
My partner has not given a response yet, so, we ahd better plan ahead and just in case.