This English version was translated from the Chinese original with AI assistance. The Chinese text is authoritative.
薄
(1) báo
(often used alone, mostly in speech)
❶ The distance between the two surfaces of a flat object is small; thin: 纸很薄 (the paper is very thin).
❷ (Of feelings) cold; not deep: 情分不薄 (the bond of affection is not slight).
❸ (Of taste) not strong; weak: 酒味很薄 (the wine tastes weak).
❹ (Of family property) little; not wealthy: 家底儿薄。 (the family’s means are slender.)
(2) bó
(mostly used in polysyllabic words, generally in written language)
❶ 薄雾 (thin mist).
❷ Slight; little: 薄技 (modest skill).
❸ Not robust; not sturdy: 薄弱 (weak), 单薄 (frail).
❹ Not kind; not dignified: 刻薄 (mean), 薄待 (to treat shabbily).
❺ (Of land) not fertile: 薄地, 薄田 (poor land).
❻ (Of taste) not strong; weak: 薄酒。 (weak wine.)
❼ To look down on; to belittle; to slight: 菲薄 (to belittle), 鄙薄 (to despise), 厚古薄今 (to praise the past and belittle the present).
❽ A surname.
<literary> To approach; to draw near: 日薄西山 (the sun is setting behind the western hills).
(3) bò
薄荷 (mint)
2
堡
(1) bǎo
❶ Fortress: 碉堡 (blockhouse).
❷ A surname.
(2) bǔ
堡子 (mostly used in place names)
❶ A walled town or village.
❷ Village in general.
(3) pù
十里堡 (Shilipu).
(An old-time post station) mostly used in place names.
3
蚌
(1) bàng
蚌 (a kind of mollusc, the freshwater mussel).
(2) bèng
蚌埠 (Bengbu, a place name in Anhui).
4
当
(1) dāng
❶ To match; to be equal to: 相当 (equivalent), 罚不当罪 (the punishment does not fit the crime).
❷ To serve as; to act as: 当干部 (to be a cadre).
❸ To bear; to accept: 当之无愧 (to fully deserve).
❹ To be in charge of; to preside over: 当家 (to run the household), 独当一面 (to take charge of one area single-handedly).
❺ Should: 该当, 理当如此 (it ought to be so).
❻ Facing; toward: 当面 (face to face).
❼ Referring to the past: 当年, 当日, 当天 (in those years; on that day).
❽ To block; to resist: 螳臂当车 (a mantis trying to stop a chariot).
❾ The end piece: 瓦当 (eaves tile end).
❿ A surname.
<onomatopoeia> Describes the sound of striking a metal object: 时钟当当响了 (the clock went dong, dong).
(2) dàng
❶ Fitting; suitable: 恰当, 妥当 (appropriate, proper).
❷ To be equal to: 一个人能当两个人 (one person can do the work of two).
❸ To take as; to treat as: 安步当车 (to walk at a leisurely pace instead of riding).
❹ To think; to believe: 当真 (to take seriously).
❺ The same year; the same time; the same day: 当年, 当日, 当天.
❻ The same; one’s own: 当村 (this very village), 当家子 (members of the same clan).
❼ To pawn a real object as security to borrow money from a pawnshop: 典当 (to pawn).
❽ An object pawned at a pawnshop: 赎当 (to redeem a pawned item).
5
遂
(1) suì
毛遂自荐 (Mao Sui recommends himself)
❶ To go smoothly; to accord with (one’s wishes): 遂心, 遂愿 (to have one’s wish fulfilled).
❷ To succeed: 未遂 (attempted, unsuccessful), 不遂.
❸ Then; thereupon: 服药后腹痛遂止 (after taking the medicine, the stomach ache then stopped).
❹ A surname.
(2) suí
半身不遂 (hemiplegia).
6
坊
(1) fāng
❶ Lane (mostly used in street names): 坊巷 (lanes).
❷ Shop: 书坊 (bookshop).
❸ Memorial archway: 贞洁坊 (chastity archway).
(2) fáng
(The workplace of small craftsmen)
作坊, 油坊, 染坊, 磨坊, 粉坊 (workshop, oil mill, dye works, mill, noodle mill).
7
着
(1) zhāo
❶ In chess, placing a piece or making a move is called a 着: 高着儿 (a clever move), 失着儿 (a false move).
❷ To put; to add in: 着点儿盐 (add a little salt).
❸ Used in replies to express agreement: 这话着哇! (that’s right!)
(2) zháo
❶ 上不着天，下不着地 (touching neither heaven above nor earth below).
❷ To feel; to be affected by: 着风 (to catch a draught), 着凉 (to catch a chill).
❸ To burn, also of lamps etc. giving light (as opposed to “灭”): 路灯都着了 (the street lamps have all come on).
❹ Used after a verb to show that the aim has been reached or there is a result: 睡着了 (fell asleep), 猜着了 (guessed it).
❺ To fall asleep: 一上床就着了 (fell asleep as soon as he got into bed).
(3) zhuó
❶ To wear (clothes): 穿着 (attire).
❷ To touch; to come into contact: 附着, 着陆, 不着边际 (to adhere, to land, wide of the mark).
❸ To bring into contact with something else; to make adhere to another object: 着手, 着笔 (to set about, to put pen to paper).
❹ Whereabouts: 寻找无着 (the search came to nothing).
❺ To send: 着人前来领取 (send someone to come and collect it).
❻ Used in official documents to express a command: 着即施行 (to be implemented at once).
8
晕
(1) yūn
晕倒 (to faint), 头晕 (dizzy).
(2) yùn
❶ Feeling giddy, as if surrounding objects were spinning, with a sensation of being about to fall: 晕车, 晕船, 眼晕 (carsick, seasick, dazzled).
❷ A halo formed by refraction when sunlight or moonlight passes through ice crystals in clouds: 月晕 (lunar halo).
❸ The blurred area around a light, shadow or colour: 墨晕 (ink halo), 红晕 (blush).
9
弄
(1) nòng
❶ To hold in the hand, fiddle with or play with: 弄沙土 (to play with sand).
❷ To do; to make; to handle: 弄饭 (to make a meal).
❸ To manage to get: 弄点儿水来 (go and get some water).
❹ To play tricks; to manipulate: 弄手段 (to play tricks), 舞文弄墨 (to show off one’s literary skill).
(2) lòng
弄堂
(Lane; alley)
10
模
(1) mó
❶ Pattern; norm; standard: 模型, 模式 (model, mode).
❷ To imitate: 模仿 (to imitate).
❸ Model (exemplary person): 劳模 (model worker).
❹ Fashion model: 名模 (famous model).
❺ A surname.
(2) mú
❶ Mould: 铅模, 铜模 (lead mould, copper matrix).
❷ Shape; appearance: 模子, 模具, 模样, 装模作样 (mould, die, appearance, to put on airs).
(The pronunciations and definitions of the above characters and words are taken from Language and Script Norms and Standards and the Contemporary Chinese Dictionary, 7th edition)
