昔

xī

formerly, in the past

ago, long ago

凡

fán

all, in every case

彼

bǐ

that, those

he/she/they

other(s)

對

duì

confront, face to face, to face

reply, respond

opposite, oppose

match up, pair up, counterpart

卻

què

step back, withdraw

retreat, retire

reject, decline

let go, pardon

(med.) return, revert, go back

(med.) however, yet, nevertheless

just now

否

fǒu

no [vs. yes]

or not?

尚

shàng

place above, prefer

surpass, excel

remote past

still, yet, even

almost, nearly

would that, if only

鄰

lín

neighbor(s)

neighborhood

near, neighboring

嚴

yán

strict, severe, austere

grave, earnest

imposing, honorable

urgent

(med.) set in order, adjust

器

qì

utensil, vessel

implement, instrument

群, 羣

qún

flock, herd

group, crowd, band

講

jiǎng

discuss, converse, talk

explain, elucidate, resolve

practice, exercise

危

wēi

steep, precipitous

erect, upright

danger(ous), hazard(ous)

queasy, nauseous

寒

hán

cold

cold season, winter

暑

shǔ

hot, heat

hot season, summer

勇

yǒng

brave(ry), courage(ous)

敗

bài

overthrow(n), pull(ed) down

conquer(ed), defeat(ed)

decline, wither

decay, spoil(ed)

賢

xián

worthy, excellent, good

住

zhù

stay (behind), remain

stop, cease, pause, halt

(med.) stay at dwell

(med.) attached to, adhere to

塵

chén

dust

worldy, mundane

香

xiāng

fragrant

incense

淚

1. lèi

tears

2. lì

cold, glacial

恐

kǒng

fear(ful), afraid

perhaps, probably

孫

sūn

grandchild

每

měi

each, every

often, most of the time

even if, even though

務

wù

apply oneself to, make an effort

strive, exert oneself

necessities, requisite, duty

definitely, absolutely

occupation, pursuit, activity

忙

máng

(med.) troubled with, pressed

(med.) busy, occupied

回

huí

turn round, revolve, rotate

vortex, whirl

turn from, deviate

aberrant, contrary

(med.) go back, return

七

qī

seven

遷

qiān

transfer, relocate, transport

promote, advance

banish

displace, divert

change, transform

專

zhuān

exclusive(ly), sole(ly)

have sole charge of

pay sole attention to, focus on

entirely, all of

spool of thread, yarn, silk

機

jī

trigger (of crossbow)

catch, trip, latch

contrivance, mechanism, machine

crux, crucial

motive, stimulus, impulse

energy, function

skill, dexterity

loom

杼

zhù

shuttle (of loom)

sharpen, slice thin

惰

duò

lazy, indolent

apathetic, careless

幼

yòu

young

琢

zhuó

grind, polish

儀

yí

demeanor, deportment

ceremony, ritual

norm, standard

chá

search, investigate

examine

校

jiào

compare, collate, audit

dispute, argue

confront, oppose, resist

reckon, tally, count

wooden enclosure, pen, stocks

索

suǒ

cord(ed), rope

braid, twist

norm, standard

force, exhort

try to connect, seek out, investigate

unstrung, unconnected

制

zhì

cut to measure, tailor, fit

fabricate, make, compose

arrange(ment), control, regulate

restrain, constrain

fiat

險

xiǎn

a defile, strategic pass

strait, confined, cramped

danger(ous), hazard(ous)

sinister, treacherous, deceitful

out of the way, strange, awry

almost

廣

guǎng

wide, broad

曲

qū

bend, twist(ed), wind(ing)

bent, crooked

intricate, complicated

circumspect, thorough

corner, out of the way place

負

fù

carry on the back, bear

pack, pack in

undertake

bear up, submit

compensate, pay for

count on, rely on

turn the back on, shrug off, ignore

lose, be defeated

武

wǔ

military, martial

warlike, militant

soldier, warrior

footprint

較

jiào

juxtapose, compare

match, proportionate(ly)

comparatively, somewhat

蝴蝶

húdié

butterfly

周

zhōu

dense, thick, close

near, intimate

adapt to, suitable for

encircle, surround

emcompass, pervade, pervasive

make a circuit, complete(ly), whole

aid, assist

bend, turn

Zhou dynasty

栩

xǔ

serrated oak

(rdup.) glad and happy

light-hearted

fluttering about

喻

yù

instruct, elucidate, understand

explain, analogize

resemble, simulate

notify

適

shì

go to, arrive at, reach

fit(ting), suit(able)

comfort(able), sooth(ing)

satisfy, gratify

just, just then, just now

俄

é

presently, shortly

briefly

inclined, skewed, slanted

蘧

qú

fringed pink

lotus

all of a sudden, with a start

賀

hè

congratulate, felicitate

offer a present

偶

ǒu

figurine, statue

facsimile, replica

counterpart, match

mate, partner

even number

accord with, suit

exactly, just, quite

perchance, casual

chance, accidental

鬢

bìn

hair of temples

衰

shuāi

decline, wane, weaken

diminish, reduce, lessen

兒

ér

child, youth

童

tóng

boy, lad

識

shí

familiar with, aware of

recognize, know

discern(ment), insight

晏

yàn

cloudless

fair, clear

vivid, bright

late, lingering

短

duǎn

short, brief

側

cè

side(ways), to one side, beside

incline(d), slant(ed)

partial, prejudiced

延

yán

extend, lengthen

stretch out, expand

last long, perpetual

lead on, lead in, invite

welcome, receive

儐

bìn

receive/entertain a guest

arrange, set up

耶

yé

is it so?  yes?

臨

lín

overlook, look down

oversee, supervise

be on the verge of, confront

閭

lǘ

alley-gate, village gate

wicket, gate

group of 25 households

張

zhāng

string a bow

tune a stringed instrument

bend, draw 

stretch, extend

袂

mèi

sleeve

揮

huī

wave, brandish, flourish

signal, point out

flick away, throw off

wipe away, wipe off

sprinkle, scatter

汗

hàn

sweat

雨

yǔ

rain

比

bǐ

(put) side-by-side, parallel

juxtapose, compare

analogy

comparable, similar, alike

imitate, repeat

align with, collaborate

near, close

肩

jiān

shoulder

繼

jì

tie together, connect

add to, increase

extend, amplify

continue, extend

follow, accede to

踵

zhǒng

heel

肖

xiào

likeness, resemble

嬰

yīng

necklace

encircle, wind around

suffer, sustain, encounter

baby

最

zuì

most, very

疏

shū

wide apart, sparse

separated, distant

coarse, crude

驟

zhòu, zòu

gallop, speed along

dart, spring, bolt

quicken, sudden

frequent, recurrent

濃

nóng

thick, deep

viscous

睡

shuì

sleepy

(med.) sleep

消

xiāo

dissolve, melt

dissipate, thaw

disperse, reduce

cancel, eliminate

捲

juǎn

roll up, furl, curl up

簾

lián

curtain, blind

棠

táng

hall

肥

féi

fat, plump

rich, fertile

瘦

shòu

lean, thin

barren, infertile

陵

líng

mound, knoll

barrow, tomb-mound

ascend, climb

skim past, traverse

strict, severe

捲

juàn

tired, weary

梳

shū

comb

休

xiū

rest, repose

cease, desist

(med.) retire, resign

beneficent, blessing

雙

shuāng

a pair

even (number)

溪

xī

stream, creek

擬

nǐ

estimate, assess, consider

plan, intend, aim at

prepare, get ready

decide, determine

compare, liken, analogy

gesture, gesticulate

汎

fàn

float, sail, drift

只

zhǐ

[phrase-final particle]

(post-Tang) only, merely, still

艋

měng

light boat, skiff

載

zài

load, laden

carry, convey, transport

許

xǔ

allow, permit

approve, acknowledge

bestow, confer

hope for, expect

(med.) perhaps, probably

(med.) approximately, more or less

楓

fēng

maple

sweet-gum tree

橋

qiáo

bridge

arch, shadoof

crossbeam, lintel

泊

bó

moor a boat, come to anchor

烏

wū

crow, raven

漁

yú

to fish

fisherman

catch, grab

火

huǒ

fire

姑

gū

father's sister

husband's mother (or sister)

蘇

sū

perilla

collect herbs

revive, resuscitate

寺

sì

government office [building]

Buddhist monastery, temple

鍾

zhōng

bell

船

chuán

boat, ship

商

shāng

merchant, trade(r)

commerce

autumn note

蠶

cán

silkworm

cocoon

絲

sī

silk

filament, thread

string

蠟

là

wax

maggot

炬

jù

torch

(med.) candle

灰

huī

ash(es)

乾

1. qián

potent, energetic

creative, generative

masculine

2. gān

dry

鏡

jìng

mirror

吟

yín

chant

hum, drone

sigh, maon

stammer, stutter

蓬

péng

tumbleweed

bitter fleabane

萊

lái

goosefoot, melde

weed

weedland

殷

yīn

abundant, full

just when, just then

勤

qín

toil, labor

struggle, strain

assiduous, earnest, devoted

探

tàn

stretch, reach for

probe into, explore

search, seek, inquire after

go forward into, make a foray