The Same Chinese Characters with Different Pronunciation and Meanings – Part 2

By Sujanti Djuanda – LingoLearn Chinese Teacher

The same Chinese characters can have different pronunciation and meanings, called多音字(duōyīnzì=a character with more than one pronunciation).

1a.要(yāo) to demand
b. 要(yào) to want, will, must
我们(wǒmen)明年(míngnián)要(yào)结婚(jiéhūn)了(le),可(kě)我(wǒ)女朋友(nǚpéngyou)要求(yāoqiú)太(tài)多(duō)了(le),要(yào)买(mǎi)房子(fángzi),要(yào)买(mǎi)车(chē),结(jié)了(le)婚(hūn)钱(qián)要(yào)交给(jiāogěi)她(tā)父母(fùmǔ)用(yòng),实在(shízài)受(shòu)不了(bùliǎo)了(le)。

2a. 和(hé) and
b. 和(huó) warm
喝(hē)暖(nuǎn)开水(kāishuǐ)能(néng)让(rang)身体(shēntǐ)觉得(juéde)暖和(nuǎnhuo),特别(tèbié)冬天(dōngtiān),我(wǒ)和(hé)家人(jiārén)每天(měitiān)都(dōu)要(yào)喝(hē)它(tā)。

3a. 打(dá) dozen
b. 打(dǎ) to make, to calculate
如果(rúguǒ)你(nǐ)买(mǎi)一(yī)盒(hé)不(bù)打折(dǎzhé),买mǎi)一(yī)打(dá)就(jiù)打(dǎ)九(jiǔ)折(zhé)。

4a. 数(shù) number
b. 数(shǔ) to count
你(nǐ)自己(zìjǐ)把(bǎ)所有(suǒyǒu)的(de)金币(jīnbì)数(shǔ)一(yī)数(shǔ)就(jiù)知(zhī)数目(shùmù)了(le)。

5a. 种(zhòng) to plant
b. 种(zhǒng) measure words for kinds
请(qǐng)你(nǐ)帮(bāng)我(wǒ)把(bǎ)这(zhè)两(liǎng)种(zhǒng)植物(zhòngzhí)种(zhòng)在一起(zàiyīqǐ)。

6a. 干(gàn) to do
b. 干(gān) dry, clean
我(wǒ)先(xiān)告诉(gàosu)你(nǐ)这(zhè)是(shì)怎么(zěnme)干(gàn)的(de),先(xiān)把(bǎ)衣服(yīfu)洗(xǐ)干净(gānjìng),然后(ránhòu)晒干(shàigān)。干(gān)了(le)后(hòu)打包(dǎbāo)好(hǎo)放(fàng)在(zài)衣柜(yīguì) 里(lǐ)。

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