Read out loud the names of each of these streets or roads in mainland China and Taiwan.
Notes
D1. As in the West, Chinese roads may be named after famous cities, provinces, or people.
PART 3
Personal Names, Place Names, People and Their Places of Origin, and Names of Streets and Roads
New Characters and Words
Study the six characters below and the common words written with them, paying careful attention to each character’s pronunciation, meaning, and structure, as well as similar-looking characters. After you’ve studied a character, turn to the Practice Book volume and practice writing it on the practice sheet, making sure to follow the correct stroke order and direction as you pronounce it out loud and think of its meaning.
| 37 | 安 | ān | peace |
| Radical is 宀 mián “roof” [BF]. This radical is referred to colloquially as 宝盖头 (寶蓋頭) băogàitóu “top made up of a canopy.” The other component is 女 nǚ “woman” [BF], which in ancient times had a secondary pronunciation similar to ān, so here it serves as a phonetic. The traditional—and very sexist—explanation is that if the “woman” of the house stayed under the “roof” (i.e., stayed at home rather than going out), there would be “peace.” 安 is itself a common phonetic, e.g., in 鞍 ān as in 马鞍 (馬鞍) mă’ān “saddle,” 按 àn “according to,” and 案 àn as in 案子 ànzi “legal case.” | |||
| 安 | Ān | An (also An or Ahn, a common Korean surname) [SN] | |
| 西安 | Xī’ān | Xian (capital of Shaanxi Province) [PW] | |
| 38 | 川 | chuān | river |
| 川 is itself a radical. 川 is a pictograph showing three separate streams converging to form a “river,” which is even more apparent in an alternate form of this character: 巛. The character 川 can also serve as a phonetic in other characters, e.g., in 巡 xún as in 巡逻 (巡邏) xúnluó “patrol,” 训 (訓) xùn as in 教训 (教訓) jiàoxùn “a lesson learned,” and 顺 (順) shùn “smooth.” Contrast 川 with 三 sān (3) and 州 zhōu (28). | |||
| 四川 | Sìchuān | Sichuan (province) [PW] | |
| 39 | 香 | xiāng | fragrant |
| This character is itself a radical. Contrast 香 and 东 (東) dōng (29). | |||
| 香山 | Xiāng Shān | Fragrant Hills (suburb to the northwest of Beijing) [PW] | |
| 40 | 港 | găng | harbor |
| Radical is 水 shuĭ “water.” Notice that this radical is written 氵 and is referred to colloquially as 三点水 (三點水) sāndiăn shuĭ “three drops of water” when it occurs at the left-hand side of a character. Phonetic is 巷 xiàng as in 巷子 xiàngzi “lane.” | |||
| 香港 | Xiānggăng | Hong Kong [PW] | |
| 41 | 南 | nán | south |
| Radical is 十 shí (11). This character is itself a phonetic and occurs as a phonetic in a few other characters, e.g., 腩 nán as in 牛腩 niúnán “sirloin beef.” | |||
| 南 | Nán | Nan (also Nam, a common Korean surname) [SN] | |
| 南京 | Nánjīng | Nanjing (capital of Jiangsu Province; formerly spelled Nanking) [PW] | |
| 台南 | Táinán | Tainan (city in southern Taiwan) [PW] | |
| 海南 | Hăinán | Hainan (province) [PW] | |
| 中山南路 | Zhōngshān Nán Lù | Zhongshan South Road | |
| 42 | 街 | jiē | street |
| Radical is 行 xíng “go” [BF]. Inserted into the middle of 行 are two 土 tŭ “earth.” One “goes” on the “street,” which is made of much “earth.” Note that 街 is often added to place words or personal names to create street names. | |||
| 街 | jiē | street [N] | |
| 大街 | dàjiē | main street, avenue [PW] | |
| 西安街 | Xī’ān Jiē | Xian Street | |
| 香港街 | Xiānggăng Jiē | Hong Kong Street | |
| 天津大街 | Tiānjīn Dàjiē | Tianjin Avenue |
Reading Exercises (Simplified Characters)
Now practice reading the new characters and words for this lesson in context. Be sure to refer to the Notes at the end of this lesson, and make use of the accompanying audio disc to hear and practice correct pronunciation, phrasing, and intonation.
A. PERSONAL NAMES
Read out loud each of the following personal names.
一、安小明
二、李南
三、何安天
四、林小川
五、南山
六、王海香
B. PLACE NAMES
Read out loud each of the following place names.
一、成都
二、台南
三、广东
四、西安
五、天津
六、香山
七、山东
八、南京
九、香港
C. PEOPLE AND THEIR PLACES OF ORIGIN
Read out loud each of the following expressions, thinking of the meaning as you say it.
一、南京人
二、台东人
三、广西人
四、山西人
五、四川人
六、香港人
七、成都人
八、台南人
九、台北人
D. NAMES OF STREETS AND ROADS
Read out loud the names of each of these Chinese streets or roads.
一、四川街
二、中山南路
三、广州街