Tag: Pīnyīn

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Culture Experiences History Language Learning Science Theocratic

zháole huǒ

zháole huǒ+ ((zháo·le {having caught} · {to completion} 着了 著了) (huǒ fire 火) → [having caught fire; burning; being on fire]) 👈🏼 Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

[Notes: Tap/click on a Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) expression to reveal its “flashcard”; tap/click on a “flashcard” or its Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) expression to hide the “flashcard”. 📖 📄 ➕ icons mean 📖 Reveal All, 📄 Reveal Advanced, and ➕ Reveal + Symbols re all the “flashcards” in the heading, paragraph, etc. that they are placed at the beginning of.]

A few years back, I wrote up a brief web page listing reasons for producing Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音), etc. material for the Imitate (ia) book. Some, especially some who grew up in the West, may have felt that this book is made up of “just stories”, and ones that they were already quite familiar with, at that. However, we must remember that Chinese Bible students may often have a different perspective regarding the Bible accounts that are made to come to life in the Imitate book. As that web page said:

  • Many Chinese people in the world have not been exposed to Bible accounts the way many Westerners have.
  • Also, I have heard that some, perhaps many, Chinese Bible students tend to approach their Bible studies like intellectual exercises for accumulating chōuxiàng (abstract) head knowledge as if for a school exam, rather than as training for their hearts for their own real lives.

Later, the web page touches on how some of the real-world benefits of good storytelling like that found in the Imitate book involve empathy:

  • …
    • The actress Natalie Portman once said, “I love acting. I think it’s the most amazing thing to be able to do. Your job is practicing empathy. You walk down the street imagining every person’s life.”
  • The Imitate book helps build Bible students’ empathy towards Bible characters, which in turn helps Bible students realize that others would feel empathy towards them as well if they imitated these Bible characters—not everyone will just think they’re crazy, like many worldly friends or family members might think.

While even fictional stories can have the benefits described in the links and the quote above, true stories from the Bible can have even greater benefits, including spiritual ones.

Besides the Imitate book, another book from Jehovah’s organization that relates Bible accounts is the Learn From the Bible (lfb) book. The letter from the Governing Body in this book says that, similarly to the Imitate book, the Learn From the Bible book also “brings the Bible accounts to life and captures the feelings of those depicted”, while, unlike the Imitate book, it “tells the story of the human family from creation onward”. While the Learn From the Bible book is especially suitable for children, the letter from the Governing Body in this book says that “it can also be used to help adults who desire to learn more about the Bible”. So, it would be good to consider on this blog some of the expressions used in the Mandarin Learn From the Bible book.

On Fire 🔥

This week’s MEotW, “zháole huǒ ((zháo·le {having caught} · {to completion} 着了 著了) (huǒ fire 火) → [having caught fire; burning; being on fire])”, appears in the first paragraph of Lesson 18 of the Mandarin Learn From the Bible book, which is entitled “Ránshāo (Rán·shāo Ignited · {to Be Burning} 燃烧 燃燒) de (’s 的) Jīngjí‐Cóng+ ((Jīng·jí Brambles · Thorns 荆棘 荊棘)‐(Cóng Clump 丛 叢) → [Bush])” (“The Burning Bush”):

English:

A thornbush was on fire, but it was not burning up!

Mandarin:

📖 📄 ➕ Móxī (Moses 摩西) kànjian (kàn·jian {looked at} · {to be seeing} → [saw] 看见 看見) jīngjí‐cóng+ ((jīng·jí brambles · thorns 荆棘 荊棘)‐(cóng clump 丛 叢) → [bush]) zháole huǒ ((zháo·le {having caught} · {to completion} 着了 著了) (huǒ fire 火) → [being on fire]), dàn (but 但) yìzhí (yì·zhí one · {being straight} → [all the while] 一直) méiyǒu (méi·yǒu (it) not · {was having → [was]} → [(it) was not] 没有 沒有) shāodiào (shāo·diào {being burned} · {to be falling → [up]} 烧掉 燒掉).

The Mandarin Learn From the Bible book here uses “zháole huǒ ((zháo·le {having caught} · {to completion} 着了 著了) (huǒ fire 火) → [having caught fire; burning; being on fire])” to correspond with the English expression “on fire”. “Zháole huǒ ((zháo·le {having caught} · {to completion} 着了 著了) (huǒ fire 火) → [having caught fire; burning; being on fire])” is the past participle of “zháohuǒ (zháo·huǒ catch; ignite; light · fire 着火 著火)”, which corresponds to “catch fire” in English.

Morphemic Breakdown

Going in reverse order, the “huǒ (fire [→ [fiery anger/temper | get fiery with anger]] | fiery; flaming 火)” in “zháole huǒ ((zháo·le {having caught} · {to completion} 着了 著了) (huǒ fire 火) → [having caught fire; burning; being on fire])” is a well-known expression that means “fire”. As for “le (-ed | {to completion} | [(at the end of a phrase/sentence) indicates a change] 了)”, when it’s used as it is in this week’s MEotW, it’s considered an aspect marker, as was discussed extensively in the MEotW post for “jiéle hūn ((jié·le {tied (a knot of)} · {to completion} 结了 結了) (hūn marrying → [marriage] 婚) → [[got] married])”. That brings us to “zháo+ ({touch; come in contact with} [→ [feel; be affected by]] | {catch; ignite; light (fire)}; burn | {hitting the mark}; accomplishing; succeeding 着 著)”, the pronunciation and meaning of which are obvious in Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音), but not so much when one just sees “着” (Simplified) or “著” (Traditional), the characters used to write it.

The Many Faces of “着/著”

According to the dictionaries loaded in my Pleco app, the characters “着/著” can represent 5 different expressions, each with its own pronunciation and set of meanings:

  • zhāo – add; put in | measure word for tricks, devices, moves in chess or martial arts, etc.
  • zháo – touch; come in contact with [→ [feel; be affected by]] | catch; ignite; light (fire); burn | hitting the mark; accomplishing; succeeding (This is the one used in this week’s MEotW.)
  • zhe – being (indicating continuing progress/state)
  • zhù – prominent; outstanding | book; work
  • zhuó – apply | put on/wear (clothes)

While advocates of characters complain about the homophones (different words with the same pronunciation) in Mandarin that Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) would write the same way, the above illustrates the corresponding problem of homographs (different words that are written the same way) that plagues the characters.

Don’t Fall For the FUD!

How can we deal with homophones and homographs? For both of these contrasting linguistic challenges, the best solution is that which is used in speech, the original, primary aspect of human language, as created by Jehovah God: Use sufficient clarifying context. Contrary to the unjustified FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt) spread by many advocates of characters, many millions of people have been speaking modern Mandarin to each other for decades, homophones and all, and because people have learned to use sufficient clarifying context when speaking it, it’s been fine! Similarly, so long as one gives oneself a chance to get used to it, using Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) to write Mandarin is also fine, since Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) is just a simple way to represent Mandarin speech.

Of course, if one has a poor understanding of Mandarin speech, then one will thus also have a poor understanding of Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音). Unfortunately, experience has shown that Mandarin learners who just go along with traditional imperfect human culture and focus on the visible, visually elaborate characters often end up neglecting invisible Mandarin speech. The thing is, though, according to both the science of linguistics and the Bible itself, speech is actually the primary aspect of human language, and no matter how exceptional worldly Chinese people may think they are, that applies to Mandarin and all the other Chinese languages as well.—1 Corinthians 14:8–11.

For convenience:

The direct link for the Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus resource for the Learn From the Bible book is:

The short link for Chinese field language-learning links for the Learn From the Bible book is:

More Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) and Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus web material based on the Mandarin Learn From the Bible book will be made available in the Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus web resource as time allows.

Categories
Culture Experiences Language Learning Science Technology Theocratic

dòngnù

dòngnù+ (dòng·nù {have moved} · anger; rage; fury → [get angry; lose temper; fly into a rage] 动怒 動怒) 👈🏼 Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

[Notes: Tap/click on a Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) expression to reveal its “flashcard”; tap/click on a “flashcard” or its Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) expression to hide the “flashcard”. 📖 📄 ➕ icons mean 📖 Reveal All, 📄 Reveal Advanced, and ➕ Reveal + Symbols re all the “flashcards” in the heading, paragraph, etc. that they are placed at the beginning of.]

I have long especially liked 1 Corinthians 13. It contains counsel on what really does and doesn’t matter in life, an extensive description and definition of the most important kind of love, and a sublime discussion about the need to become complete, mature, as a person. As these apply to life in general, so too do they apply to our lives as Mandarin field language learners.

As Mandarin field language learners, it can benefit us greatly to consider what we can learn from 1 Corinthians 13, and along the way, we can also consider some of the Mandarin expressions used in that chapter in the current version of the Mandarin New World Translation Bible (nwtsty).

Moved to Anger

This week’s MEotW, “dòngnù (dòng·nù {have moved} · anger; rage; fury → [get angry; lose temper; fly into a rage] 动怒 動怒)”, is used in verse 5 (WOL) of 1 Corinthians 13:

Screenshot of “_dòngnù_” in 1 Co. 13:5 (nwtsty, CHS+_Pīnyīn_ WOL)

(Dark mode for the Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY (WOL) website, as shown in the above image, can be enabled in the Safari web browser by using the Noir Safari extension. Other web browsers may also have extensions with similar functionality.)

For comparison, here are the current English and Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus renderings of 1 Corinthians 13:5:

English:

does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury.

Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) Plus:

📖 📄 ➕ bú (not 不) zuò ({does do} 做) bù (not 不) guīju+ (guī·ju (following) {dividers → [rules]} · {carpenter’s squares → [regulations]} → [following established standards] 规矩 規矩) de (’ 的) shì (things 事), bù (not 不) qiú ({does seek} 求) zìjǐ (self 自己) de (’s 的) lìyì (lì·yì {sharpening → [advantage]} · benefit → [benefit] 利益), bù (not 不) qīngyì (qīng·yì lightly · easily 轻易 輕易) dòngnù (dòng·nù {does have moved} · anger → [does get angry] 动怒 動怒), bú (not 不) jìjiào+ (jì·jiào {does count} · {does dispute about} 计较 計較) biéren (bié·ren other · people 别人 別人) zàochéng (zào·chéng {have created} · {to come to be} 造成) de (’s 的) shānghài (injuring → [injury] 伤害 傷害),

In the example above, the Mandarin phrase “bù (not 不) qīngyì (qīng·yì lightly · easily 轻易 輕易) dòngnù (dòng·nù {does have moved} · anger → [does get angry] 动怒 動怒)” corresponds with the English phrase “does not become provoked”. As for the morphemes in “dòngnù (dòng·nù {have moved} · anger; rage; fury → [get angry; lose temper; fly into a rage] 动怒 動怒)”, they literally mean “have moved anger/rage/fury”, and effectively mean “get angry; lose one’s temper; fly into a rage”.

Angrily Holding On to Tradition

I remember more than one Mandarin field language learner who reacted angrily when I suggested that using Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) more and deemphasizing characters would help them progress in learning Mandarin. Rather than appreciating the evident truth of what I was saying, or being thankful that I was trying to help them, they seemed offended and upset that I had dared to suggest something so out of step with the human traditions that they had been taught all their lives, and, perhaps, indignant that I had, in their estimation, dismissed and invalidated the blood, sweat, and tears that they had personally invested for years and years into the long, hard, bitter struggle that is learning characters.

On the one hand, some may say that such reactions are only human, but on the other hand, the words of 1 Corinthians 13:5 that love “does not become provoked” show that actually, such ones are not completely acting out of Christian love when they react that way. As the Insight book says:

Love “does not become provoked.” It does not look for an occasion or an excuse for provocation. It is not moved to outbursts of anger, which is a work of the flesh. (Ga 5:19, 20) One having love is not easily offended by what others say or do. He is not afraid that his personal “dignity” may be injured.

Happily, not all Mandarin field language learners react as mentioned above. Rather than reacting out of personal indignation, cultural pride, traditionalism, and chauvinism, or the tribalism of the embattled few in “the club” who have long endured together the difficult burdens of dealing with the unnecessarily extraordinarily complex characters, even some long-time Mandarin field language learners who have worked hard for a long time to learn characters listen humbly to the information I share with them about the linguistic truths that apply to our Mandarin field language learning, and are appreciative that these truths help to set them free from the unnecessary burdens imposed by mere human tradition.—John 8:32.

Categories
Culture History Language Learning Names Technology

jiǎntǐ‐zì

jiǎntǐ+ (jiǎn·tǐ simplified · {body → [style] → [typeface; font]} → [simplified Chinese] 简体 簡體)‐zì+ (characters 字) 👈🏼 Tap/click to show/hide the “flashcard”

[This is a reposting of a post that was originally posted on December 7, 2020. I took the opportunity to flesh out the original post and this repost with additional material.]

For a long, long, long time, Chinese characters were just Chinese characters. Then, in 1956, the Communist government of mainland China issued what came to be known as the First Chinese Character Simplification Scheme (a second round of Chinese character simplification was later attempted and ultimately rescinded), and official simplified Chinese characters came into the world. (Some characters had been unofficially simplified and used for various purposes, both everyday and artistic, before that.)

On the matter of what simplified Chinese characters are called in Mandarin, Wikipedia provides this summary:

Simplified Chinese characters may be referred to by their official name above [(简化字; jiǎnhuàzì)[source]] or colloquially (简体字; jiǎntǐzì). In its broadest sense, the latter term refers to all characters that have undergone simplifications of character “structure” or “body”[source], some of which have existed for millennia alongside regular, more complicated forms. On the other hand, the official name refers to the modern systematically simplified character set, which (as stated by then-Chairman Mao Zedong in 1952) includes not only structural simplification but also substantial reduction in the total number of standardized Chinese characters.[source]

For reference, this is the term used on jw.org when referring to Mandarin written using simplified Chinese characters:

jw.org referring to Mandarin written using simplified Chinese characters

jw.org refers to simplified Chinese characters as “jiǎntǐ+ (jiǎn·tǐ simplified · {body → [style] → [typeface; font]} → [simplified Chinese] 简体 簡體)” characters.

The Great Simplified vs. Traditional Debate

While it seems obvious that simpler is generally better, there is actually much, much debate about the pros and cons of simplified characters vs. traditional characters, as discussed in these articles:

The following posts summarize how many feel about traditional and simplified characters:

Standards and Compromises

While the simplified characters themselves are indeed easier to learn and remember compared to the traditional characters, for many, they have become another set of characters in addition to the traditional characters that has to be learned and remembered. (There is, at least, some overlap between the two systems. Where do they overlap? That is yet more information that has to be learned and remembered…) And while simplified characters have been simplified, they are still characters, and characters are inherently extraordinarily complex and hard to learn and remember.

xkcd: Standards

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial Licence logo Randall Munroe [source]

The simplified characters became a new standard that many have had to learn in addition to that of the traditional characters.

While Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) is also a different system to be learned and remembered, it is in a whole different league compared to any system of Chinese characters when it comes to ease of learning and remembering. One of the scholars who helped create Hangul (or Hankul), the Korean alphabet, said of it: “The wise can learn it in one morning, and even the unwise can learn it in ten days.” Being also a phonetic alphabet, Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) can be reasonably said to be in the same ballpark (with the added advantage that the Latin alphabet letters used in Pīnyīn (Pīn·yīn {Piecing Together of} · Sounds → [Pinyin] 拼音) are already familiar to many people)—downright revolutionary compared to the years (decades?) required to learn even simplified characters.

Simplified characters are thus a compromise that mainland China, Singapore, etc. have settled on—simpler than traditional characters, but perhaps thus not as good at being characters. Meanwhile, they are still characters, still having many of the complexities and vagaries of characters. They fall short of the fundamental reform envisioned by Máo Zédōng+ ((Máo Hair (surname) 毛) (Zé·dōng Marsh · East 泽东 澤東) (the founder of the People’s Republic of China)) (Wikipedia article), Lǔ Xùn+ ((Lǔ Stupid; Rash (surname) 鲁 魯) (Xùn Fast; Quick; Swift 迅) (pen name of Zhōu Shùrén, the greatest Chinese writer of the 20th cent. and a strong advocate of alphabetic writing)) (Wikipedia article), and others, that would have involved eventually moving on from any kind of characters to alphabetic writing.

Letter from Máo Zédōng endorsing a transition from Chinese characters to alphabetic writing

A letter written by Máo Zédōng ((Máo Hair (surname) 毛) (Zé·dōng Marsh · East 泽东 澤東) (the founder of the People’s Republic of China)) endorsing “a basic reform” involving a transition from Chinese characters to alphabetic writing1

 

1. John DeFrancis, The Chinese Language: Fact and Fantasy (Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1984), p. ii. ^