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In the common "i" : When preceded by no initial,the finals are written as yi,ya,ye,yao,you,yan,yin,yang,ying or yong.
In the common "u" : When preceded by no initial, the finals are writtern as wu, wa, wo, wai, wei, wan, wen, wang or weng.
In the common "ü" : When preceded by no initial, the finals are writtern as yu, yue, yuan or yun, without two dots above "ü".
In the common "ü" : When going with "j","q", or "x" the final "ü" is written without two dots above such as in ju, qu,xu;juan, quan, xuan; jue, que, xue; jun, qun, xun. But the two dots remain unchanged when "ü" is written with "n" adn "l".
The initials "j", "q", and "x" are never used with "ü".
When preceded by an initial, "iou","uei" and "uen" are reduced to "iu", "ui" and "un" in their respective writing.
shí jiān míng cí
时 间 名 词
There are a grear number of nouns in Chinese. The following are commonly used nominal time words.
<table class="MsoTableGrid" style="border-collapse: collapse; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes;"> <td style="padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; border: windowtext 1pt solid;" valign="top" width="189">
汉语
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">拼音
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: windowtext 1pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">英译
</td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">今天
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">jīn tiān
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">Today
</td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">明天
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">míng tiān
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">Tomorrow
</td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3;"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">后天
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">hòu tiān
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">The day after tomorrow
</td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 4;"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">大后天
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">dà hòu tiān
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">Three days from today
</td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 5;"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">昨天
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">zuó tiān
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">yesterday
</td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 6;"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">前天
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">qián tiān
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">The day before yesterday
</td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 7;"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">大前天
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">dà qián tiān
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">Two days before yesterday
</td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 8;"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">本周
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">běn zhōu
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">This week
</td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 9;"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">上星期
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">shàng xīng qī
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">Last week
</td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 10;"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">下星期
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">xià xīng qī
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">Next week
</td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 11;"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">今年
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">jīn nián
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">This year
</td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 12;"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">去年
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">qù nián
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">Last year
</td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 13;"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">明年
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">míng nián
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">Next year
</td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 14; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">前年
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">qián nián
</td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 142.05pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt;" valign="top" width="189">The year before last
</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>The Chinese Zodiac is part of an elaborate and laborious system based on Chinese astronomy, cosmology, and divination. It was used as a method for counting years, months, days and hours in the Chinese imperial court and civil calendar, and as a system for forecasting one's future and determining one's character. Although replaced in modern times by the Gregorian calendar, the Zodiac is still used today (unofficially) as a popular method of divination in many Asian and Western nations. Furthermore, the Zodiac is the preeminent calendar of old-world Asia. Its 60-year (sexagenary) cycle is still of crucial importance to modern art historians, for it helps them pinpoint the date of artwork made in much earlier times.
Rat – 鼠 (子) (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Water ,Earth)
Personality:Forthright, tenacious, intense, meticulous, charismatic, sensitive, intellectual, industrious, charming, eloquent, sociable, artistic, and shrewd. Can be manipulative, vindictive, self-destructive, envious, mendacious, venal, obstinate, critical, over-ambitious, ruthless, intolerant, and scheming.
Ox – 牛 (丑) (Water buffalo in Vietnam) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Water)
Personality:Dependable, ambitious, calm, methodical, born leader, patient, hardworking, conventional, steady, modest, logical, resolute, and tenacious. Can be stubborn, dogmatic, hot-tempered, narrow-minded, materialistic, rigid, and demanding.
Tiger – 虎 (寅) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Wood)
Personality:Unpredictable, rebellious, colorful, powerful, passionate, daring, impulsive, vigorous, stimulating, sincere, affectionate, humanitarian, and generous. Can be restless, reckless, impatient, quick-tempered, obstinate, selfish, aggressive, and moody.
Rabbit – 兔 or 兎 (卯) (Cat in Vietnam) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Wood)
Personality:Gracious, good friend, kind, sensitive, soft-spoken, amicable, elegant, reserved, cautious, artistic, thorough, tender, self-assured, shy, astute, compassionate, lucky, and flexible. Can be moody, detached, superficial, self-indulgent, opportunistic, and stubborn.
Dragon – 龍 / 龙 (辰) (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Wood)
Personality:Magnanimous, stately, vigorous, strong, self-assured, proud, noble, direct, dignified, eccentric, intellectual, fiery, passionate, decisive, pioneering, artistic, empathetic, generous, and loyal. Can be tactless, arrogant, imperious, tyrannical, demanding, rebellious, intolerant, dogmatic, violent, impetuous, and brash.
Snake – 蛇 (巳) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Fire)
Personality:Deep thinker, wise, mystic, mysterious, graceful, soft-spoken, sensual, creative, prudent, shrewd, elegant, cautious, intellectual, responsible, calm, compassionate, strong, constant, and purposeful. Can be a loner, bad communicator, possessive, hedonistic, self-doubting, distrustful, mendacious, suffocating, narcissistic, and cold.
Horse – 馬 / 马 (午) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Fire)
Personality:Cheerful, popular, quick-witted, changeable, earthy, perceptive, talkative, agile, magnetic, intelligent, astute, flexible, and open-minded. Can be fickle, arrogant, childish, anxious, rude, gullible, rebellious, and stubborn.
Goat (aka Ram or Sheep) – 羊 (未) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Fire)
Personality:Righteous, sincere, sympathetic, mild-mannered, observant, artistic, intellectual, ingenious, innovative, creative, mothering, peaceful, and generous. Can be indecisive, over-passive, worrier, pessimistic, sensitive, shy, and weak-willed.
Monkey – 猴 (申) (Yang, 1st Trine, Fixed Element Metal)
Personality:Inventor, motivator, improviser, intelligent, quick-witted, inquisitive, flexible, innovative, problem solver, loyal, self-assured, sociable, artistic, polite, dignified, competitive, objective, and factual . Can be egotistical, vain, arrogant, selfish, reckless, snobbish, deceptive, manipulative, cunning, jealous, exclusive, suspicious, and stubborn.
Rooster – 雞 / 鸡 (酉) (Yin, 2nd Trine, Fixed Element Metal)
Personality:Acute, neat, meticulous, organized, self-assured, decisive, conservative, critical, perfectionist, alert, zealous, practical, scientific, and responsible. Can be over zealous and critical, puritanical, egotistical, abrasive, proud, opinionated, and gives into empty bravado.
Dog – 狗 / 犬 (戌) (Yang, 3rd Trine, Fixed Element Metal)
Personality:Honest, intelligent, straightforward, loyal, sense of justice and fair play, attractive, amicable, unpretentious, sociable, open-minded, idealistic, moralistic, practical, affectionate, sensitive, and easy going. Can be cynical, lazy, cold, judgmental, pessimistic, worrier, stubborn, and quarrelsome.
Pig – 豬 / 猪 (亥) (Boar in Japan and Elephant in Northern Thailand) (Yin, 4th Trine, Fixed Element Water)
Personality:Honest, gallant, sturdy, sociable, peace-loving, patient, loyal, hard-working, trusting, sincere, calm, understanding, thoughtful, scrupulous, passionate, and intelligent. Can be naïve, over-reliant, self-indulgent, gullible, fatalistic, and materialistic.<img style="width: 509px; height: 509px; top: -2px; left: 227px;" src="http://down.tutu001.com/d/file/20101127/3607a53de4634180dff1b72ee2_560.jpg" alt="" width="560" height="560" />
The phonetic symbols of Putonghua (Standard Chinese) in Modern Chinese comprises 39 finals that are composed of vowel or vowel followed by nasal consonants. These finals fall into three categories:
(1) simple finals which have only a single vowel, e.g.: a, o
(2) multi-finals which have two or three vowels, e.g.: ai, ua, iao, iou
(3) nasal finals which consist of one or two vowels and a nasal consonant e.g.: an, üan, eng, iong
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1）The way of expressing a year is “number” + “year”
一九八九年（1989年） 二零零七年（2007年）
yī jiǔ bā jiǔ nián èr líng líng qī nián
2）The twelve months are expressed as “number(1--12)” + “month”
一月yīyuè
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="94">二月èryuè
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 78pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="104">三月sānyuè
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 77.95pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="104">四月sìyuè
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 99.25pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="132">五月wǔyuè
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 99.2pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="132">六月liùyuè
</td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1;"> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: black 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 70.9pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="95">January
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="94">February
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 78pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="104">March
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 77.95pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="104">April
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 99.25pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="132">May
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 99.2pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="132">June
</td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 2;"> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: black 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 70.9pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="95">七月qīyuè
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="94">八月bāyuè
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 78pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="104">九月jiǔyuè
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 77.95pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="104">十月shíyuè
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 99.25pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="132">十一月shíyīyuè
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 99.2pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="132">十二月shí’èryuè
</td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 3; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: black 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 70.9pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="95">July
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 70.85pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="94">August
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 78pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="104">September
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 77.95pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="104">October
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 99.25pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="132">November
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 99.2pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="132">December
</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
3）A date is indicated in the same way as a month: “number (1--31)” + “date”
(“ ri ” is used in written form and “hào” is more colloquial.)
E.g.: 七日，十五号
4) Weekdays are indicated by putting “星期” before each of the number’s from “one”
to “six”: “week” + “number”. The seventh day is written as “星期日/天”.
星期一
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 68.35pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="91">星期二
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 68.35pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="91">星期三
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 68.35pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="91">星期四
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 68.35pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="91">星期五
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 68.35pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="91">星期六
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: black 1pt solid; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="91">星期日
</td> </tr> <tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;"> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: black 1pt solid; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 68.35pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="91">Monday
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 68.35pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="91">Tuesday
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 68.35pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="91">Wednesday
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 68.35pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="91">Thursday
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 68.35pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="91">Friday
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 68.35pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="91">Saturday
</td> <td style="border-bottom: black 1pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-bottom: 0cm; padding-left: 5.4pt; width: 68.4pt; padding-right: 5.4pt; border-top: medium none; border-right: black 1pt solid; padding-top: 0cm; mso-border-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid black .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid black .5pt;" valign="top" width="91">Sunday
</td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
5) The date is: year-month-day
E.g.: 1989年8月27日 (August 27, 1989)
Conversation 1 : What day is today?
jīn tiān jǐ yuè jǐ hào ？
今 天 几 月 几 号 ？
- What day is today?
jīn tiān 5 yuè 23 hào
今 天 5 月 23 号
- It's May the 23rd.
míng tiān xīng qī jǐ ？
明 天 星 期 几 ？
- What day of the week is tomorrow?
míng tiān xīng qī liù 。
明 天 星 期 六 。
- It's Saturday.
New Words:
今天jīntiān(n)today
几jǐ(pro)how many
月yuè(n)month, moon
号hào(n)number, date 5月5 yuè(n)May
明天míngtiān(n)tomorrow
星期xīngqī(n)week
星期六xīngqīliù(n)Saturday
Conversation 2 : What day of the week?
5 yuè 25 hào shì xīng qī jǐ ？
5 月 25 号 是 星 期 几 ？
- What day of the week is the 25th of May?
5 yuè 25 hào shì xīng qī tiān 。
5月 25 号 是 星 期 天 。
- The 25th of May is a Sunday.
zhè ge yuè hào shì xīng qī jǐ ？
这 个 月 号 是 星 期 几 ？
- What day of the week is the 8th of this month?
zhè ge yuè 8 hào shì xīng qī sì 。
这 个 月 8 号 是 星 期 四 。
- the 8th of this month is a Thursday.
xià gè xīng qī sān shì jǐ yuè jǐ hào ？
下 个 星 期 三 是 几 月 几 号 ？
- What's the date of next Wednesday?
xià gè xīng qī sān shì 5 yuè 28 hào 。
下 个 星 期 三 是 5 月 28 号 。
- Next Wednesday is May 8th.
New Words:
星期天 xīngqītiān (n) Sunday
星期三 xīngqīsān (n) Wednesday
这个月 Zhè gè yùe this month
下个星期 Xià gè xīngqī next week
Conversation 3 : In which year are we?
jīn nián shì bu shì 2005 nián ？
今 年 是 不 是 2005 年 ？
- Are we in 2005?
jīn nián bú shì 2005 nián ，
今 年 不 是 2005 年 ，
- We aren't in 2005
jīn nián shì 2006 nián ， qù nián shì 2005 nián 。
今 年 是 2006 年 ， 去 年 是 2005 年 。
we are in 2006 , last year was 2005.
New Words:
年nián(n)Year
今年jīnnián(n)this year
去年qùnián(n)last year
明年míngnián(n)next year
