|
YI-3
('yi' in the third tone)
There are some 177 standard Chinese
characters that have a 'yi' pronunciation, which makes 'yi' the most common
morpheme of the Chinese language. Because the number of characters with a 'yi'
pronunciation is so large, so many different combinations occur that looking
for sound-determining components is not the most promising approach to learning
'yi' words. It is better to memorize directly those characters that are most
needed.
When 'y' comes before the vowel 'i', the
combination 'yi' is spoken as just one vowel, the 'i' in 'India'. But when
other sounds follow the 'yi', the 'yi' is spoken like 'y' in 'yes', followed by
'i' as in 'India'.
The initial 'y' is spoken like the
initial 'i' in 'India', followed by a 'y' as in 'yes', when it comes before the
vowel 'e' or 'a' (but not 'ao' and not 'ang').
It is spoken like the initial 'y' in
'yes', when it comes before the vowel 'o' and 'u', before the double vovels
'ao', 'ou', and 'ue', and before 'ang'.
After the initial 'y', an 'u' is always
spoken like the German umlaut 'ue'. When 'e' follows 'yu', a German umlaut 'ue'
is spoken, and after that, a 'e' as in 'yes'.
When just the vowel 'a' follows an
initial 'y' the 'a' is spoken like the 'a' in 'bar'. However, when a 'n' follows
'ya', the 'a' is spoken like the 'e' in 'Ben'.
But when a 'g' follows the 'yan', forming
'yang', the pronunciation of the 'a' reverts back to that of 'a' in 'bar'.
以 = If you look up a dictionary, it will give you many potential
meanings of this character; but fact is that by itself, it is not
understandable; it is therefore a waste of energy to learn a specific meaning
for it.
以下 = yi(3)xia(4) = below
While in English, 'below' is a
preposition, it is a postposition in Chinese.
For a price:
二百元以下 = er(4)bai(3)
yuan(2) yi(3)xia(4) = below 200 Yuan
For the age of a person:
三十岁以下 = san(1)shi(2)
sui(4) yi(3)xia(4) = below 30 years of age
***
以上 = yi(3)shang(4) = above
While in English, 'above' is a
preposition, it is a postposition in Chinese.
For a price:
二百元以上 = er(4)bai(3)
yuan(2) yi(3)shang(4) = above 200 Yuan
For the age of a person:
三十岁以上 = san(1)shi(2)
sui(4) yi(3)shang(4) = above 30 years of age
*****
已 = to cease, already
The two-character version for'already' is:
已经 = yi(3)jing(-) = already
已经晚了. = Yi(3)jing(-) wan(3)
le(-). = It's already late.
已经晚上了. = Yi(3)jing(-)
wan(3)shang(-) le(-). = It's already evening.
|
