L19: Radicals of Words 部首

To recognize Chinese words look difficult for those who do not know what is "radicals of words" 部首.

A radical is actually part of a word that show the basic meaning. By seeing the radical, you can sometimes guess the meaning.

Words with the same radicals are put in groups for easy searching in front few pages of the dictionaries, but in main text, arrange in hanyu pinyin, that is a-z manner.

eg: basic meanings are given follow each radical.

1. Radicals in left or right sides:

• • 单人旁「亻」man 他，你，伯
    
  • 提手旁「扌」actions with hand 打，抛，拍
    
  • 竖心旁「忄」emotion 情，忧
    
  • 立刀旁「刂」cut with knife 剖，削
    
  • 丝字旁「糹」silk 丝，绸
    
  • 犬部 「犭」animals 狗，狼
    
  • 衣字旁「衤」shirt 衫，袜
    
  • 示字旁「礻」god 神，祗
    
  • 走之底「辶」、「⻌」、「⻍」walk 遨，过
    
  • 足字底「⻊」actions with legs 踢，跳
  • 两点水「冫」ice 冰，冲
  • 三点水「氵」water 洗，沐，浴
    
• 
  
• 2. Radicals on top or cover from top:
• 
  
  • 竹字头「⺮」bamboo 答，篷
    
  • 草字头「艹」grass 草，花
    
  • 病字头「疒」sickness 癌，病
    
• 
  
• 3. Radical at bottom:
• • 四点火（四點底）「灬」fire 点，煮
    

Here are just few examples. If you can understand and memorise then you are a fast learner.
See this 部首“鱼”yú，can you guess what this radical means? Yes, fish! 鱼 itself is a word too.

Do not worry if you cannot digest what taught here, it takes time.

L18: Adjectives 形容词

pretty 美 měi
ugly 丑 chǒou
short 短 duǎn
long 长 cháng
short 矮 āi
tall 高 gāo
fat 胖 pàng
thin 瘦 shòu
easy 容易 róngyì
difficult 困难 kùnnán
naughty 顽皮 wánpí
cleaver 聪明 cōngmíng
stupid 愚蠢 yúchǔn
young 年轻 níanqīng
old 老 lǎo

*very 非常 fēicháng
e.g. very + adj : very pretty 非常美

L17: Talk to Strangers 与陌生人讲话

Miss, what is your name?
小姐，你叫什么名字？xiáojǐe ní jiào shěn·me míng·zi
Miss, can I borrow your hand phone?
小姐，我可以借你的手机吗？xiáojǐe wǒ kěyǐ jiè ní de shǒujī ma
Pretty girl, want to be my friend?
lenglui, 可以做我朋友吗？lenglui kěyǐ zuò wǒ péng·you ma
Uncle, what is the time now?
Uncle, 现在多少点？Uncle, duōshǎo diǎn le
Auntie, want to buy?
Auntie, 要买吗？Auntie yào mǎi ma
Mr, did you drop your wallet.
先生，你掉了钱包？xiān·sheng ní diào le qiánbāo
Boy, can you help me?
小孩，可以帮我吗？xiǎohái kěyǐ bāng wǎ ma
Girl, where are you going?
小女孩，你去哪里？xiǎonvhái ní qù nà·lǐ

L16: Words and 词 cí

Chinese words are always in 2 which have particular meanings, they are called 词 cí. That is why a thicker or more complete dictionary is called 词典 cídiǎn not word dictionary 字典 zìdiǎn. The proper way of writing pinyin of a 词 is joining them. From now on, you will see pinyin in this manner.
e.g. friend 朋友péng·you，miss 小姐 xiáojǐe, beautiful 美丽 meǐlì, happy 快乐 kuàilè

You have leap another step if you know what I mean.

*friend 朋友péng·you：What is · means？Pronounce swiftly.