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Diction Warmup 5/21/22

The character "鼻" is a compound ideogram consisting of the radical "自" (self) on top and "畀-bì" (to give) at the bottom. It resembles the shape of a nose.

it is consisting of the radical "自" (self) on top and "畀-bì" (to give) at the bottom. It resembles the shape of a nose.

Meaning (字义)
The character "鼻" primarily means "nose." It can also relate to smelling and breathing.

Usage (用法)
"鼻" is commonly used in words and phrases related to the nose and its functions. 

Example Words (例词)

1.鼻子 (bí zi) - nose
他的鼻子很大。 (Tā de bí zi hěn dà.)
His nose is very big.

2.鼻涕 (bí tì) - nasal mucus
孩子流了鼻涕。 (Háizi liú le bí tì.)
The child has a runny nose.

3.鼻孔 (bí kǒng) - nostril
我的鼻孔痒痒的。 (Wǒ de bí kǒng yǎng yǎng de.)
My nostrils are itchy.

Example Sentences (例句)

1.他用鼻子闻花香。 (Tā yòng bí zi wén huā xiāng.)
He smells the flowers with his nose.

2.她的鼻子很好看。 (Tā de bí zi hěn hǎo kàn.) 
Her nose is very pretty.

3.不要用手指挖鼻孔。 (Bù yào yòng shǒuzhǐ wā bí kǒng.)
Don't pick your nose with your fingers.

Idiom (四字成语)
成语: 鼻青脸肿 (bí qīng liǎn zhǒng)

Meaning (意义)
"鼻青脸肿" literally means "nose bruised and face swollen." It describes someone who has been beaten up, with a bruised nose and swollen face.

Example Sentence (例句)
他刚打完了一架，鼻青脸肿。 (Tā gāng dǎ wán le yí jià , bí qīng liǎn zhǒng.)
He came back from a fight, looking bruised and swollen.


Summary
The character "鼻" is related to the nose and its functions. Its usage is common in everyday language. The idiom "鼻青脸肿" describes someone who looks bruised and swollen, often after a fight or accident.

每日一字

The character "耳 - ěr" is a pictographic character resembling the shape of a human ear.

1. Meaning (字义)
The character "耳 -ěr " primarily means "ear." It can also relate to hearing and listening.

2. Usage (用法)

"耳" is commonly used in words and phrases related to ears and hearing. 

Example Words (例词)

1.耳朵 (ěr duo) - ear
我的耳朵很敏感。 (Wǒ de ěr duo hěn mǐngǎn.)
My ears are very sensitive.

2.耳环 (ěr huán) - earring
她戴着漂亮的耳环。 (Tā dàizhe piàoliang de ěr huán.)
She is wearing beautiful earrings.

Example Sentences (例句)

1.他用耳朵听音乐。 (Tā yòng ěr duo tīng yīnyuè.)
He listens to music with his ears.

2.她的耳朵很大。 (Tā de ěr duo hěn dà.)
Her ears are very big.

3.小心保护耳朵。 (Xiǎoxīn bǎohù ěr duo.)
Be careful to protect your ears.

Idiom (四字成语)

成语: 耳目一新 (Ěr mù yì xīn )

Meaning (意义)
"耳目一新" literally means "a fresh new look for the ears and eyes." It refers to something that is refreshing and gives a new and pleasant impression.

Usage (用法)
This idiom is used to describe a new experience or change that is refreshing and invigorating.

Example Sentence (例句)
新装修的房子让人耳目一新。 (Xīn zhuāngxiū de fángzi ràng rén ěr mù yì xīn.)
The newly renovated house is refreshing and gives a new impression.

Summary
The character "耳" is related to ears and hearing. Its usage is common in everyday expressions and phrases. The idiom "耳目一新" describes something new and refreshing, often used to express a positive change or improvement.


The character "舌" is composed of the radical "舌" (tongue) itself. It is a pictographic character, resembling a tongue extending from a mouth.

Meaning (字义)
The character "舌" primarily means "tongue." It can also extend to meanings related to speech and taste.

 Usage (用法)
"舌" is commonly used in words and phrases related to the tongue, speech, or taste. 

Example Words (例词)
1.舌头 (shé tou) - tongue
他咬了自己的舌头。 (Tā yǎo le zìjǐ de shé tou.)
He bit his tongue.

2.口舌 (kǒu shé) - quarrel, dispute (literally "mouth and tongue")
他们之间有很多口舌。 (Tāmen zhījiān yǒu hěnduō kǒu shé.)
There are many quarrels between them.

3.舌尖 (shé jiān) - tip of the tongue
舌尖尝味道。 (Shé jiān cháng wèidào.)
The tip of the tongue tastes flavors.

Example Sentences (例句)

他用舌头舔冰淇淋。 (Tā yòng shé tou tiǎn bīngqílín.)
He licks the ice cream with his tongue.

她的舌头很灵活。 (Tā de shé tou hěn línghuó.)
Her tongue is very flexible.

用舌头说话。 (Yòng shé tou shuō huà.)
Speak with the tongue.

Summary
The character "舌" is related to the tongue and its functions, including tasting and speaking. Its usage is straightforward and can be found in common expressions and daily language.

Four-Character Idiom (四字成语)

成语: 舌战群儒 (shé zhàn qún rú)

Meaning (意义)
"舌战群儒" literally means "to battle a group of Confucian scholars with one's tongue." It refers to using eloquent speech to argue and defeat a group of scholars or debaters.

Usage (用法)
This idiom is used to describe a situation where someone wins an argument or debate against multiple opponents through the power of speech.

Example Sentence (例句)
在辩论会上，他舌战群儒，赢得了观众的掌声。 (Zài biànlùn huì shàng, tā shé zhàn qún rú, yíngdé le guānzhòng de zhǎngshēng.)
At the debate competition, he eloquently argued against a group of scholars and won the audience's applause.


"口" - kǒu

Meaning (字义)
Primary Meaning: The primary meaning of "口" is "mouth."
For example: 
她张开口唱了一首美妙的歌。 (Tā zhāng kāi kǒu chàng le yī shǒu měi miào de gē.)
 She opened her mouth and sang a beautiful song.

Extended Meanings: It can also refer to anything that resembles a mouth, such as an opening, entrance, or a measure word for people in a household.

Usage (用法)

The character "口" is used in various contexts in the Chinese language, including as a radical in other characters, in compound words, and in idiomatic expressions.

As a Radical:
    "口" is a common radical in Chinese characters, often related to speech or the mouth, such as "吃" (chī, to eat) and "唱" (chàng, to sing).

Measure Word: 
"口" is used as a measure word for counting family members or things with openings.

例如：
一家四口。 (Yì jiā sì kǒu 。) -A family of four.
两口井。 (Liǎng kǒu jǐng .) -Two wells

In Compound Words:

口语 (kǒu yǔ): Spoken language
 For example: 
他学习汉语口语非常努力。 (Tā xuéxí Hànyǔ kǒuyǔ fēicháng nǔlì.)
 He studies spoken Chinese very diligently.

人口 (rén kǒu): Population
For example: 
这个城市的人口超过了一百万。 (Zhège chéngshì de rénkǒu chāoguò le yī bǎi wàn.)
The population of this city exceeds one million.

出口 (chū kǒu): Exit or export
For example:
请从出口离开。 (Qǐng cóng chūkǒu líkāi.)
Please exit through the exit.

Idiomatic Expressions:
心口如一 (xīn kǒu rú yī): (literal: heart and mouth as one) 

Epitomizes honesty and integrity. It describes a person who expresses their true thoughts and feelings without deception, earning the trust and respect of others.

For example:
他是个心口如一的人。 (Tā shì gè xīn kǒu rú yī de rén.)
He is a person who says what he thinks .

口是心非 (kǒu shì xīn fēi):  (literal: mouth is, heart isn't)
it is an idiom used to describe people who are insincere or deceitful, saying one thing while meaning another. 

For example:
她总是口是心非，让人难以信任。(Tā zǒng shì kǒu shì xīn fēi, ràng rén nán yǐ xìnrèn.)
She always says one thing but means another, making it hard to trust her.

眉- Méi

 "目" - mù - eye, the upper part of 眉- Méi could refer to "毛" - máo", meaning "hair" or "fur." 
The combination represents the hairs above the eyes, hence "eyebrows." 
This formation suggests the character's meaning directly and visually connects it to the facial feature it represents.

用法 (Usage)

 As a noun, "眉" directly refers to the eyebrows. 
 眉毛 - méi mao - eyebrows

例如 (For example): 
他的眉毛很浓。- Tā de méi mao hěn nóng  
(His eyebrows are very thick.)

However, it is often used metaphorically in Chinese to denote expressions or emotions conveyed by the movement of the eyebrows, such as surprise, concern, or anger.

For instance, 眉头- méi tóu - the inner brow, refers to the area where the eyebrows begin, typically located above the inner corners of the eyes.

For example, "皱眉头" - zhòu méi tóu, means "to furrow one's brow," indicating worry or deep thought..

Idiomatic Expressions: "眉- Méi" appears in various idioms that use eyebrows metaphorically to talk about emotions or aesthetic qualities.

例如 (For example): 
眉开眼笑 - méi kāi yǎn xiào - lit. "eyebrows rise and eyes smile," meaning to smile joyfully or beam with happiness

眉飞色舞 - méi fēi sè wǔ - lit. "eyebrows fly and colors dance," used to describe vivid, expressive facial gestures of excitement or happiness

Metaphorical Usage: In poetic or artistic contexts, "眉" can metaphorically relate to things that resemble the shape or curve of eyebrows.

例如：(For example): 
山的轮廓好像一道眉形。-Shān de lún kuò hǎo xiàng yí dào méi xíng 。
(The outline of the mountain resembles the shape of an eyebrow.)
