This English version was translated from the Chinese original with AI assistance. The Chinese text is authoritative.
The traditional primer Thousand Character Classic is a text of one thousand characters containing 999 different characters; by reading this mere thousand-character text thoroughly one can learn one fifth of the commonly used Chinese characters. Now another remarkable text has appeared: by learning just one rhymed text, one can recognize most commonly used Chinese characters. Professor Guo Baohua of Zhengzhou University spent more than three years composing 4,000 Chinese characters into a single rhymed text, the Zhonghua Zijing (Chinese Character Classic). The whole text has 1,000 lines and uses 4,000 characters, not one of them repeated; it covers all fields of knowledge while forming a rhymed composition. The character-learning load of six years of primary school can be completed with this one rhymed text alone.
Part One
昼白夜黑，日明月亮，风驰雪舞，电闪雷响。 — Day is white and night is black, the sun is bright and the moon shines; wind gallops and snow dances, lightning flashes and thunder roars.
云腾致雨，露结晨霜，虹霓霞辉，雾沉雹降。 — Clouds rise and bring rain, dew forms into morning frost; rainbows and rosy clouds glow, mist sinks and hail falls.
春生夏长，秋收冬藏，时令应候，寒来暑往。 — Spring brings birth and summer growth, autumn harvest and winter storage; the seasons answer their times, cold comes and heat goes.
远古洪荒，海田沧桑，陆地漂移，板块碰撞。 — In remote antiquity all was wild; seas became fields through great changes; continents drift and tectonic plates collide.
山岳巍峨，湖泊荡漾，植被旷野，岛撒汪洋。 — Mountains stand lofty, lakes ripple; vegetation covers the open land, islands are scattered over the vast ocean.
冰川冻土，沙漠沃壤，木丰树森，岩多滩广。 — Glaciers and permafrost, deserts and fertile soil; woods are rich and trees dense, rocks are many and beaches wide.
鸟飞兽走，鳞潜羽翔，境态和谐，物种安详。 — Birds fly and beasts run, the scaled dive and the feathered soar; the environment is harmonious, the species live in peace.
形分上下，道合阴阳，幽冥杳渺，天体著彰。 — Form divides into above and below, the Dao unites yin and yang; the unseen is deep and remote, the heavenly bodies are manifest.
凝气为精，聚能以场，缩浓而质，积微显量。 — Qi condenses into essence, energy gathers into a field; contracting and thickening it becomes matter, accumulating the minute it shows quantity.
化巨幻虚，恍惚成象，强固凌弱，柔亦制刚。 — The huge transforms into the illusory and empty, the vague and elusive become images; the strong and firm override the weak, yet the soft can also overcome the hard.
终极必反，存兴趋亡，色空轮回，动静恒常。 — At the extreme things must reverse, what flourishes tends toward decline; form and emptiness revolve in cycles, motion and stillness are constant.
唯实众名，一理万方，父母爹娘，没齿难忘。 — Only the real bears the many names, one principle covers ten thousand directions; father and mother, dad and mum, never to be forgotten to one’s last tooth.
兄弟姐妹，危困助帮，姑姨叔舅，亲戚互访。 — Brothers and sisters help one another in danger and hardship; paternal aunts, maternal aunts, uncles on both sides, relatives visit one another.
侄男闺少，哺育茁壮，夫妻相敬，梦忆糟糠。 — Nephews, sons, daughters and the young are nurtured to grow strong; husband and wife respect each other, remembering in dreams the wife who shared hard times.
隔屋邻舍，遇事谦谅，伯公妪婆，慈孝赡养。 — Neighbours in the next house are modest and understanding when things happen; uncles, grandfathers, old women and grandmothers are cared for with kindness and filial piety.
尊朋礼友，仁义君郎，炎黄二帝，尧舜禅让。 — Honour friends and treat companions with courtesy, benevolent and righteous gentlemen; the two emperors Yan and Huang, Yao and Shun abdicating to the worthy.
禹启世袭，灭桀商汤，周武伐纣，侯列各邦。 — Yu and Qi began hereditary rule, Tang of Shang destroyed Jie; King Wu of Zhou attacked Zhou of Shang, the feudal lords ranged in their states.
秦皇集权，汉刘楚项，鼎立割据，乱晋八王。 — The First Emperor of Qin centralized power, Liu of Han and Xiang of Chu; the tripartite division of the Three Kingdoms, the Jin thrown into chaos by the Eight Princes.
南北对峙，腐朽隋炀，贞观政要，五代续唐。 — North and South confronted each other, Emperor Yang of Sui was corrupt; the Essentials of Government of the Zhenguan era, the Five Dynasties continuing after the Tang.
陈桥兵变，耻辱靖康，耶律完颜，元建宋僵。 — The mutiny at Chenqiao, the humiliation of Jingkang; the Yelü and Wanyan clans, the Yuan established and the Song stiffened in death.
钟离太祖，崇祯吊丧，清军入关，大臣驻藏。 — The Founding Emperor from Zhongli, the mourning for Chongzhen; the Qing army entered through the pass, high ministers were stationed in Tibet.
粉碎叛卓，犁域设将，台湾复归，守卫边防。 — The rebel Zhuo was crushed, generals were installed in the Ili region; Taiwan returned, the frontier defences were guarded.
鸦片战争，英占香港，戊戌维新，社会改良。 — The Opium War, Britain occupied Hong Kong; the Hundred Days’ Reform of 1898, social improvement.
辛亥革命，孙文思想，联盟抗倭，国共两党。 — The Xinhai Revolution, the thought of Sun Yat-sen; alliance to resist the Japanese, the Nationalist and Communist parties.
定都京师，人民解放，诸子百家，孔孟老庄。 — The capital was set in Beijing, the people were liberated; the Hundred Schools of Thought, Confucius, Mencius, Laozi and Zhuangzi.
扁鹊灵医，鲁班巧匠，罗盘硝药，针灸疗伤。 — Bian Que the miraculous physician, Lu Ban the skilful craftsman; the compass and gunpowder, acupuncture and moxibustion healing wounds.
蔡伦毕升，鉴真玄奘，易经论语，史记达畅。 — Cai Lun and Bi Sheng, Jianzhen and Xuanzang; the Book of Changes and the Analects, the Records of the Grand Historian clear and fluent.
河图洛书，算术九章，西三红水，聊儒瓶厢。 — The Yellow River Chart and the Luo River Writing, the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art; Journey to the West, the Three Kingdoms, Dream of the Red Chamber, Water Margin, Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, The Scholars, The Plum in the Golden Vase, The Romance of the Western Chamber.
诗词曲赋，戏剧说唱，琵琶琴瑟，锣镲铿锵。 — Shi and ci poetry, qu songs and fu rhapsodies, drama and storytelling-singing; the pipa and the qin and se zithers, gongs and cymbals clanging.
笙箫呜咽，卧笛悠扬，筝音奔奋，唢呐高亢。 — The sheng and xiao sob, the transverse flute is melodious; the zheng’s notes surge, the suona is loud and high.
荆浩匡庐，董源潇湘，米芾写意，悲鸿骏昂。 — Jing Hao’s Mount Kuanglu, Dong Yuan’s Xiao and Xiang rivers; Mi Fu’s freehand style, Xu Beihong’s spirited steeds.
笔墨纸砚，匾楣楹榜，楷隶篆刻，碑帖草狂。 — Brush, ink, paper and inkstone, plaques, lintels, couplets and notices; regular, clerical and seal script and seal carving, stele rubbings and wild cursive.
敦煌石窟，长城伟墙，青铜甲骨，缕衣纱裳。 — The Dunhuang grottoes, the mighty Great Wall; bronzes and oracle bones, the gold-threaded jade suit and gauze garments.
虎符越剑，陶马俑葬，彩瓷宝瓮，丝绸他乡。 — The tiger tally and the sword of Yue, the pottery horses and terracotta figures in the tomb; coloured porcelain and precious urns, silk sent to foreign lands.
凡尔赛宫，金字塔状，泰姬陵墓，彼得教堂。 — The Palace of Versailles, the shape of the pyramids; the mausoleum of the Taj Mahal, St. Peter’s Basilica.
自由女神，希腊塑像，最后晚餐，创造亚当。 — The Statue of Liberty, Greek sculptures; The Last Supper, The Creation of Adam.
亭榭楼阁，寺庙殿廊，蓬门荜户，丈室绿窗。 — Pavilions, terraces, towers and halls, temples, shrines and corridors; humble doors of brushwood, a small room with green windows.
府弟别墅，画栋雕梁，庭院踏步，影萤幕障。 — Mansions and villas, painted ridgepoles and carved beams; courtyards and steps, screen walls and curtains.
承尘藻井，篱笆柱桩，舷舵扶靠，凭栏眺望。 — Ceiling boards and caisson ceilings, fences and posts; gunwales, rudders and handrails, leaning on the railing to gaze afar.
悬崖峭壁，峰峦叠嶂，泉喷岚罩，湍急瀑宕。 — Sheer cliffs and precipices, peaks rising range upon range; springs gush and mountain mists envelop, rapids rush and waterfalls cascade.
峡沟潭渊，溪涧流淌，池渠堰坝，沼泽泥塘。 — Gorges, ravines, pools and abysses, brooks and streams flowing; ponds, channels, weirs and dams, marshes, swamps and muddy ponds.
漩涡带波，礁屿连江，汹涌澎湃，惊涛骇浪。 — Whirlpools and waves, reefs and islets along the river; surging and turbulent, startling billows and terrifying waves.
灾涝溢泻，汛潮浮涨，苍松寿柏，垂柳毛杨。 — Floods overflow and pour out, flood tides rise and swell; green pines and long-lived cypresses, weeping willows and downy poplars.
芭蕉蒲扇，斑竹篾筐，槐椿榆桦，杉桂榕樟， — Banana leaves and palm-leaf fans, mottled bamboo and bamboo-strip baskets; pagoda trees, toon, elms and birches, firs, osmanthus, banyans and camphors,
斋扉紧闭，栅苑濒旁，坪埔莱茵，菲窥坞坊。 — The study’s doors are closed tight, the fenced garden lies close by; lawns, flats and the Rhine, Philippines and Peeking, docks and workshops.
蔷薇翩跹，莆菏蔚茫，蕴蒂荚芯，蓓蕾琳琅。 — Roses flutter and dance, rushes and lotuses grow lush and boundless; calyxes, pods and stamens are contained within, buds are many and beautiful.
奇花异卉，艳丽荣秧，兰荷菊梅，四季芬芳。 — Rare flowers and exotic plants, gorgeous and flourishing seedlings; orchids, lotuses, chrysanthemums and plum blossoms are fragrant through the four seasons.
杜鹃泣血，芙蓉吉祥，茉莉馥郁，玫瑰刺芒。 — The azalea weeps blood, the hibiscus is auspicious; jasmine is richly fragrant, the rose has sharp thorns.
瓜果蔬菜，葱蒜韭姜，茴椒芹葵，皮芥辣酱。 — Melons, fruits and vegetables, scallions, garlic, chives and ginger; fennel, peppers, celery and mallow, mustard skins and chilli sauce.
芸苔芋笋，葫芦瓢瓤，番茄蘑菇，乳蛋醇酿。 — Rape, taro and bamboo shoots, gourds, ladles and flesh; tomatoes and mushrooms, milk, eggs and mellow wine.
碘盐食醋，脆蔔甜糖，珍馐旨甘，肴馔膏粱。 — Iodized salt and table vinegar, crisp radish and sweet sugar; rare delicacies and fine flavours, dishes, viands and rich food.
葡萄美酒，玉液琼浆，咖啡益智，茗茶顺肠。 — Fine grape wine, jade liquid and nectar; coffee benefits the mind, tea eases the bowels.
桃李杏柿，汁鲜味爽，椰柚橙桔，渴饮品尝。 — Peaches, plums, apricots and persimmons, fresh juice and refreshing taste; coconuts, pomelos, oranges and tangerines, drunk and tasted when thirsty.
凤梨柑橘，橄榄槟榔，梨枣苹楂，荔栗榴棠。 — Pineapples, mandarins and tangerines, olives and areca nuts; pears, jujubes, apples and hawthorns, lychees, chestnuts, pomegranates and crabapples.
蝌蚪摆尾，蛤蟆鼓囊，钓饵蚯蚓，蠕虫蚂蟥。 — Tadpoles wag their tails, toads puff out their throats; bait for fishing, earthworms, wriggling worms and leeches.
鹦鹉学舌，蜜蜂穿忙，蝙蝠栖洞，梧桐引凰。 — Parrots mimic speech, bees bustle back and forth; bats roost in caves, the parasol tree attracts the phoenix.
蜘蛛牵补，螟蛉蛀粮，蜻蜓振翅，鸠鹏张膀。 — Spiders spin and mend, borer moths eat into the grain; dragonflies beat their wings, turtledoves and rocs spread their wings.
鸥莺燕雀，蝴蝶鸳鸯，鲤鲫鯰鲸，蛙蚌螺螃。 — Gulls, orioles, swallows and sparrows, butterflies and mandarin ducks; carp, crucian carp, catfish and whales, frogs, mussels, snails and crabs.
蚜蛾蝉蛹，龟卵翼蝗，蚊蝇鼠蚁，蛇蝎鳝蟒。 — Aphids, moths, cicadas and pupae, turtle eggs and winged locusts; mosquitoes, flies, rats and ants, snakes, scorpions, eels and pythons.
蜈蚣毒腺，蟋蟀蹬闯，鹿狈狐狸，熊豹豺狼。 — Centipedes with poison glands, crickets kicking and charging; deer, wolves, foxes, bears, leopards, jackals and wolves.
猿啼猴吱，鸵孵獭躺，雏猩攀梢，雌牡匿冈。 — Apes cry and monkeys chatter, ostriches hatch eggs and otters lie about; young orangutans climb the treetops, females and males hide on the ridge.
砂舟骆驼，迅捷羚羊。 — The camel is a ship of the sands, the antelope is swift and nimble.
Part Two
中华初繁，睡狮渐醒，玖久纪末，千年始零。 — China first flourishes, the sleeping lion gradually awakes; at the end of the century of nines, the millennium begins anew from zero.
宏业昌盛，妙策递迎，左右兼顾，总揽统领。 — Great undertakings prosper, wonderful policies come one after another; attending to both left and right, taking overall charge and command.
内取稳进，外交志同，阶梯过度，切忌狠猛。 — At home seek steady progress, abroad unite with the like-minded; move step by step, and above all avoid being harsh and rash.
六贼七害，监视审听，戒贪须效，践约宜行。 — The six thieves and seven harms must be monitored, examined and heard; restraining greed must be effective, keeping promises should be practised.
贬恶褒绩，赏劝罚惩，操刃执斧，塞涓救荧。 — Censure evil and praise achievement, reward to encourage and punish to deter; take up the blade and hold the axe, block the trickle and save the glimmer.
势如突起，抽薪熄平，途逢险兆，消芽于萌。 — If a situation flares up suddenly, remove the firewood to put it out; when signs of danger appear on the road, nip them in the bud.
调息止纷，贵在用衡，依法谋治，官吏皆正。 — Calm the breath and stop disputes, what matters is balance; govern according to law, and all officials will be upright.
推贤荐材，睹貌辨容，纯朴宽厚，侠烈尽忠。 — Recommend the worthy and the talented, judging by appearance and countenance; simple, honest and generous, chivalrous, ardent and utterly loyal.
耿直肃仪，襟怀袒诚，谄媚狡猾，机敏慧颖。 — Upright and dignified, open-hearted and sincere; flattering and cunning, quick-witted and clever.
懈怠懒惰，拙笨碌庸，愚昧糊涂，偏才至聪。 — Slack and lazy, clumsy and mediocre; ignorant and muddle-headed, one-sidedly talented or supremely intelligent.
羞涩拘束，杰健悍雄，恭谨畏惧，缄默持重。 — Shy and constrained, outstanding, robust, fierce and bold; respectful, cautious and fearful, silent and prudent.
骄奢傲慢，怯懦惶恐，超逸独居，恬淡匀宁。 — Arrogant, extravagant and haughty, cowardly and terrified; transcendent and living alone, tranquil, balanced and serene.
猜疑诡秘，威严毅勇，币帛钱钞，攘夺其宗。 — Suspicious and secretive, majestic, resolute and brave; coins, silk, money and banknotes are what people seize and fight over.
企财盼利，价值均等，务工开厂，增富减穷。 — Seeking wealth and hoping for profit, value is evenly matched; work in industry and open factories, increase wealth and reduce poverty.
资产累计，税率加乘，银行贷款，储蓄倍宠。 — Assets accumulate, tax rates are added and multiplied; bank loans, savings are doubly favoured.
抵押拆借，循例不停，供给需求，市货充盈。 — Mortgages and short-term loans continue by custom without stopping; supply and demand, the market is full of goods.
销售买卖，亏差余剩，债券股票，博赌输赢。 — Selling, buying and trading, losses, shortfalls and surpluses; bonds and stocks, gambling to win or lose.
闻赚虽喜，跌赔癫疯，休闲退优，涣虑受逍。 — Hearing of profit one is glad, but falling and losing drives one mad; leisure and retirement are pleasant, worries dispersed, one is carefree.
拒宾疏客，忧谢欢招，把盏讲趣，倚床读晓。 — Refuse guests and keep visitors at a distance, decline with worry or welcome with joy; holding the cup and telling amusing tales, leaning on the bed reading till dawn.
游景筏渡，迹绝喧嚣，茂冠蔽枝，莽园出条。 — Touring the scenery, crossing by raft, far from all noise; luxuriant crowns hide the branches, the overgrown garden puts out shoots.
碧岭滴翠，落叶飘摇，心澄澈透，雅悦去燥。 — Green ridges drip with emerald, falling leaves flutter and sway; the heart is clear and transparent, elegant joy removes agitation.
挥毫绎就，佳句抒了，漆珠镶眸，秀眉斜弯。 — Wielding the brush the work is done, fine lines expressed; lacquer-black pearls set as pupils, lovely eyebrows curving aslant.
樱口含笑，脂靥隐现，敖鼻单翘，坠耳双环。 — A cherry mouth holds a smile, rouged dimples show and hide; a proud nose slightly upturned, a pair of rings hanging from the ears.
舒额弹腮，龙睛凤眼，纤手藕臂，软颈削肩。 — A smooth forehead and plump cheeks, dragon eyes and phoenix eyes; slender hands and lotus-root arms, a soft neck and sloping shoulders.
乌发比臀，酥胸腰间，修腿负躯，弓脚婷站。 — Black hair reaching the hips, a soft bosom and slender waist; long legs carry the body, arched feet stand gracefully.
沐浴洁身，梳妆乔扮，薄黛轻施，靓耀矫莲。 — Bathing to cleanse the body, combing, making up and dressing up; lightly applying eyebrow paint, beautiful and radiant as a graceful lotus.
服锦饰佩，缤绫绣缎，赞叹称颂，宛若娥仙。 — Wearing brocade and adorned with pendants, colourful damask and embroidered satin; admired, praised and extolled, just like the moon goddess Chang’e.
阿弥陀佛，觉悟融圆，僧尼寂寞，菩萨向善。 — Amitabha Buddha, enlightenment perfect and complete; monks and nuns in solitude, bodhisattvas turning toward goodness.
情投系姻，欲净见缘，转识迷性，苦乐恼烦。 — When feelings match, marriage is bound; when desire is purified, karmic affinity appears; transforming consciousness, deluded nature, suffering and joy, vexation and trouble.
圣诞基督，原罪赎还，目的辩证，裁判邪端。 — Christmas and Christ, original sin redeemed; teleology and dialectics, judging heresy.
朝觐跪拜，先知注传，我主保佑，好娃阿丹。 — Pilgrimage and kneeling in worship, the Prophet’s commentary is transmitted; may my Lord bless and protect, Eve and Adam.
格林童话，伊索寓言，莎翁托氏，福摩探案。 — Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Aesop’s Fables; Shakespeare and Tolstoy, Sherlock Holmes’s detective cases.
但丁哥德，伽丘十谈，培根牛顿，爱因斯坦。 — Dante and Goethe, Boccaccio’s Decameron; Bacon and Newton, Einstein.
试管婴儿，克隆遗传，细胞速冷，去氧核酸。 — Test-tube babies, cloning and heredity; rapid freezing of cells, deoxyribonucleic acid.
脉冲数码，几何规范，网络通讯，程控。 — Pulse and digital, geometric norms; network communication, program control.
驱逐舰艇，洲际导弹，镭射辐射，捆绑火箭。 — Destroyers and warships, intercontinental missiles; laser and radiation, strap-on rockets.
声纳测距，贫铀污染，点线面段，球弧侧弦。 — Sonar ranging, depleted-uranium pollution; points, lines, planes and segments, spheres, arcs, sides and chords.
菱锥棱角，凸凹顶尖，竖撇捺折，陡拱椭圈。 — Rhombuses, cones, edges and angles, convex, concave, apex and tip; vertical, left-falling, right-falling and turning strokes, steep, arched, elliptical and circular.
奥运竞技，淘汰筛选，跨跃短跑，蹦跳撑竿。 — Olympic competition, elimination and selection; hurdles and sprints, jumping and pole vault.
铁饼标枪，垒足排篮，汽车拉力，驾舢驶帆。 — Discus and javelin, baseball, football, volleyball and basketball; car rallies, steering sampans and sailing.
刀锤棍棒，钩爪杖鞭，锁链杠铃，摔跤击拳。 — Swords, hammers, cudgels and staves, hooks, claws, canes and whips; chains and barbells, wrestling and boxing.
省区署郊，村镇屯店，耕耘耧耙，播耪搅拌。 — Provinces, regions, prefectures and suburbs, villages, towns, hamlets and inns; ploughing and tilling with seed drills and harrows, sowing, hoeing and stirring.
农垦灌溉，渔猎驳船，柴棚炊热，牧畜粪烟。 — Farming, land reclamation and irrigation, fishing, hunting and barges; firewood sheds and hot cooking fires, herding livestock, dung smoke.
膜压窖湿，肥攻磷氮，穴浇尿深，灰埋屎浅。 — Film presses the cellar damp, fertilizer applies phosphorus and nitrogen; water the holes with urine deeply, bury ash and manure shallowly.
稻麦谷豆，蓖麻薯棉，粟苞芝麸，秫秸稼秆。 — Rice, wheat, grain and beans, castor beans, potatoes and cotton; millet, corn ears, sesame and bran, sorghum stalks and crop stems.
糜黍荸荠，蓑稗蔗豌，埂堤垄畦，荞秕稞旱。 — Broomcorn millet and glutinous millet, water chestnuts, coir raincoats, barnyard grass, sugarcane and peas; ridges, dikes, furrows and plots, buckwheat, empty grains, highland barley and drought.
禾苗缨穗，蔓附藤缠，棕榈柠檬，枫棵紫檀。 — Seedlings, tassels and ears, vines clinging and creepers twining; palms and lemons, maples and red sandalwood.
剪丫打杈，嫁接插扡，颗粒籽核，株蕊茎杆。 — Pruning forks and trimming branches, grafting and planting cuttings; grains, seeds and kernels, stamens, stems and stalks.
鸡鸭抱群，猪仔满圈，驴骡啃坡，犬狗护岸。 — Chickens and ducks gather in flocks, piglets fill the pen; donkeys and mules graze on the slopes, dogs guard the bank.
厩驹罕鬃，驯犊乍唤，鱼鳖虾蟹，猫兔鹅蚕。 — Colts in the stable with sparse manes, calves being tamed are called for the first time; fish, turtles, shrimps and crabs, cats, rabbits, geese and silkworms.
旋绕鹰鸽，哀孤鹤雁，宿营扎寨，枕戈待旦。 — Eagles and pigeons circle round, lonely cranes and wild geese cry mournfully; camping and setting up stockades, sleeping with one’s head on a spear awaiting the dawn.
哨岗戎诫，挎锐披坚，帅旗挺拔，训士阅演。 — Sentry posts and military vigilance, carrying sharp weapons and wearing armour; the commander’s banner stands tall, troops are trained and reviewed in drills.
磐踞较劲，擎帜呼喊，伪装跟踪，信号遮掩。 — Entrenched like a rock, matching strength, raising the banners and shouting; camouflage and tracking, signals concealed.
稍纵即逝，竟忽瞬暂，驭舆骋骛，靶轰州县。 — Fleeting in an instant, suddenly and momentarily; driving chariots at a gallop, bombarding the targeted prefectures and counties.
趁却骚扰，构筑壕堑，谍报频渗，御挡阻拦。 — Seizing the chance to harass, building trenches and moats; spy reports frequently infiltrate, defending, blocking and intercepting.
耗损酬饲，迈历委艰，垢卸焚址，盔甩烬焰。 — Losses consumed and rewards fed, striding through hardships; filth unloaded and sites burned, helmets thrown into the dying flames.
擒敌破阵，调派遣返，围追堵截，伏剿全歼。 — Capturing the enemy and breaking their formation, deploying, dispatching and repatriating; encircling, pursuing, blocking and intercepting, ambushing, suppressing and annihilating.
崭旅另召，蜕衰勿厌，碉堡摧毁，拥挤逃窜。 — New brigades are called up separately, the decaying are not disdained; blockhouses are destroyed, crowds flee in disorder.
俘虏缴械，胜败前沿，枉允肯否，咀嚼凯宴。 — Prisoners are disarmed, victory and defeat at the front line; wrongly allowed, yes or no, chewing at the victory banquet.
惨遭牺牲，素裹席卷，坟棺尸闹，魂魄寝眠。 — Tragically sacrificed, wrapped in white and rolled in mats; graves, coffins and corpses in turmoil, souls and spirits laid to rest.
活着祈祷，死则祭奠，廉奉殉职，奖功颁衔。 — The living pray, the dead are offered sacrifices; the honest who died at their posts are honoured, merits are rewarded and titles conferred.
组织筹备，抚恤申签，部属僚员，涕泪潸然。 — Organizing and preparing, applying and signing for pensions; subordinates, colleagues and staff shed tears freely.
彪炳铭册，炫烁灿烂。 — Their glory shines in the records, dazzling and splendid.
Part Three
狱牢禁卒，司典刑宪，辞讼哭诉，鸣屈伸冤。 — Prisons, dungeons and jailers, administering the codes of punishment; lawsuits and tearful complaints, crying out injustice and redressing wrongs.
敞释矛盾，剖层剥茧，淀滤猖浊，昭划界限。 — Openly resolving contradictions, peeling layer by layer like a cocoon; settling and filtering the rampant and turbid, clearly drawing boundaries.
妨碍侦察，贿赂仕宦，诅咒吓唬，挑衅侮谩。 — Obstructing investigations, bribing officials; cursing and intimidating, provoking and insulting.
讥讽诽谤，浑噩撤验，朦胧伎俩，仍留隙嫌。 — Mocking and slandering, muddling and withdrawing inspection; hazy tricks still leave suspicious gaps.
斟酌掺谎，包庇捂瞒，陨堕棘阱，殃及祠眷。 — Weighing and mixing in lies, shielding, covering up and concealing; falling into thorny pits, disaster spreading to the ancestral shrine and family.
检举查封，逮捕魁顽，作奸犯科，缉拿协办。 — Reporting, sealing and confiscating, arresting ringleaders and diehards; committing crimes and breaking the law, catching them with joint help.
妖魔鬼怪，凶煞酷阎，歹徒坏类，狰狞嘴脸。 — Demons, monsters, ghosts and goblins, fierce evil spirits and cruel Yama; villains and bad types with ferocious faces.
勒逼豪阔，搜刮卑贱，拐架孩提，坑蒙孕残。 — Extorting the rich and powerful, plundering the lowly; kidnapping children, swindling the pregnant and the disabled.
盗匪劫窃，敲诈欺骗，唆使怂勇，横征暴敛。 — Bandits rob and steal, blackmail and cheat; instigating and egging on, levying exorbitant taxes and extorting harshly.
烧杀抢掠，栽赃诬陷，宰虐淫霸，痞劣刁蛮。 — Burning, killing, robbing and plundering, framing and falsely accusing; slaughtering, abusing, raping and tyrannizing, rascally, vile, crafty and unreasonable.
狎昵娼妓，蹂躏鬓鬟，猥亵妇寡，屠戮毙斩。 — Consorting with prostitutes, ravaging young women; molesting wives and widows, massacring, executing and beheading.
氓绅诱瘾，倒置昏暗，婢奴躲避，怨斥责谴。 — Hooligans and gentry lure into addiction, turning things upside down in darkness; maids and slaves hide away, resentment, rebuke and condemnation.
酗殴滋祸，弊秽泛滥，偷漏假冒，妄贩募捐。 — Drunken brawling stirs up trouble, abuses and filth run rampant; tax evasion and counterfeiting, illicit trading and solicited donations.
剃囚拷问，傀儡敷衍，侥幸饶恕，期告赦免。 — Shaving and interrogating prisoners under torture, puppets perfunctorily going through the motions; fortunately forgiven, hoping for an amnesty.
镣铐锒铛，忏悔已憾，匆慌失措，徐踱圃团。 — Fettered and handcuffed in clanking chains, repenting with regret; hurried and panicked, at a loss what to do, slowly pacing round the garden.
踌躇徘徊，彷徨怖添，窘焦愁绪，沦颓苟喘。 — Hesitating and wandering back and forth, wavering with growing dread; embarrassed, anxious and full of worry, sinking into decline, barely surviving.
虱蚤蛆蛔，茅厕臭便，钾钠钙铝，锌钢锡铅。 — Lice, fleas, maggots and roundworms, latrines and foul excrement; potassium, sodium, calcium and aluminium, zinc, steel, tin and lead.
镍锑锗钨，铬钡铂钒，硼汞硅硫，苯氰锰碳。 — Nickel, antimony, germanium and tungsten, chromium, barium, platinum and vanadium; boron, mercury, silicon and sulphur, benzene, cyanogen, manganese and carbon.
氯氢氦氟，烯烃炔烷，砒砷硒硅，酚酞酮醛。 — Chlorine, hydrogen, helium and fluorine, alkenes, hydrocarbons, alkynes and alkanes; arsenic trioxide, arsenic, selenium and silicon, phenolphthalein, ketones and aldehydes.
腔膛脏腑，脾肾髓胆，唇嗓喉咙，颐臆腹腆。 — Cavities, chest, viscera and organs, spleen, kidneys, marrow and gall bladder; lips, voice and throat, chin, chest, belly and paunch.
肛胯脐趾，膝颅眶睑，肪膘冗赘，颧颊骸嵌。 — Anus, hips, navel and toes, knees, skull, eye sockets and eyelids; fat, flab and superfluous bulk, cheekbones, cheeks and embedded skeleton.
憨傻痴呆，聋哑瘫痪，疙瘩痘疹，脓疮秃癣。 — Foolish, silly, idiotic and dull, deaf, mute and paralyzed; lumps, pimples and rashes, pus, sores, baldness and ringworm.
霉肤搔痒，疤痕愈痊，痈疽痔痢，癞疥脖腕。 — Mouldy skin and scratching itches, scars healed and cured; carbuncles, abscesses, haemorrhoids and dysentery, leprosy and scabies, neck and wrist.
瘴瘪痹瘸，瘁疟腋胺，胳膊腋弛，胫肢抖颤。 — Miasma, shrivelling, numbness and lameness, exhaustion, malaria, armpits and amines; arms with slack armpits, shins and limbs trembling.
胃胰溃疡，筋肌痉挛，胁肋疼痛，膀胱菌沾。 — Stomach and pancreas ulcers, tendons and muscle spasms; flanks and ribs in pain, the bladder contaminated with bacteria.
艾兹侵略，瘟疫扩散，肿瘤癌症，劳惫疲倦。 — AIDS invades, epidemics spread; tumours and cancer, toil, exhaustion and fatigue.
警惕疾病，诊恙预患，侍姆雇佣，仆役聘换。 — Be alert to illness, diagnose ailments and prevent trouble; maids and nannies hired, servants engaged and replaced.
东街采购，磅秤肉馅，掌勺炉灶，料堆厨馆。 — Shopping on East Street, weighing minced meat on the scale; ladle in hand at the stove, ingredients piled in the kitchen.
溜炸熏烤，燉煮卤醃，烘焙烙炕，烩炒灼涮。 — Sautéing, deep-frying, smoking and roasting, stewing, boiling, braising and pickling; baking, toasting, griddling and kang-drying, thickening, stir-frying, scalding and rinsing in hotpot.
焖爆燎烫，烹蒸熬煎，烽焕泼沥，酝酵醉酣。 — Braising, quick-frying, searing and blanching, cooking, steaming, simmering and pan-frying; beacon fires gleam and splash and drip, fermenting and brewing, drunk and merry.
荤腥肺脯，滑嫩肚肝，笼屉羔肘，粘润糯丸。 — Meat and fish, lungs and dried meat, smooth and tender tripe and liver; steamer trays, lamb and pork knuckle, sticky, moist glutinous dumplings.
粳糕馍饺，稀粥稠饭，糜费羹灸，油浸漫馒。 — Japonica rice cakes, steamed buns and dumplings, thin porridge and thick rice; extravagant soups and roasts, oil soaking through the steamed buns.
饿择粗糙，饱剔腻咸，钥匙纽扣，兜袋帷帘。 — When hungry one picks coarse food, when full one rejects the greasy and salty; keys and buttons, pockets, bags, curtains and drapes.
盒套箱柜，瓦罐盂痰，皂缸牙具，杯碟筷碗。 — Boxes, cases, trunks and cabinets, tile jars and spittoons; soap jars and toothbrushes, cups, saucers, chopsticks and bowls.
帐幔靴帽，整齐挂拴，壶锅盆桶，器皿匣坛。 — Curtains and canopies, boots and hats, hung and tied up neatly; pots, woks, basins and buckets, vessels, caskets and jars.
笤帚垃圾，矿蛰堿矾，夹裆袄袍，篓臼灯伞。 — Brooms and rubbish, mines, hibernation, alkali and alum; padded crotches, jackets and gowns, baskets, mortars, lamps and umbrellas.
钵钎铰钮，叉橱表镰，乒乓晃瞳，缰绳磕绊。 — Bowls, drill rods, hinges and buttons, forks, cupboards, watches and sickles; ping-pong balls flash before the pupils, reins and ropes trip and stumble.
珊瑚贝壳，玛瑙煤炭，泡沫膨胀，蒿苇飒冕。 — Coral and seashells, agate and coal; foam expands, mugwort and reeds rustle, the ceremonial crown.
佃畴租赁，埠位此般，辊辗蜗斡，闸贮淼畔。 — Tenant fields rented and leased, docks and positions are like this; rollers grind, snails turn, sluice gates store water by the vast shore.
享爵彬斌，胄裔娟隽，雉翎并勃，婀娜妮曼。 — Enjoying noble rank, refined and accomplished, descendants graceful and talented; pheasant plumes rise vigorously, lithe and graceful girls.
舱釜銹蚀，釉磨铆焊，誊蜡印刷，赠寄邮件。 — Cabins and cauldrons rusted and corroded, glazing, grinding, riveting and welding; copying, waxing and printing, giving and sending by post.
琐屑帐簿，惠赐牒翰，棋牌奕拼，衙巷畜豢。 — Trivial account books, kind gifts of documents and letters; chess, cards and board games, yamen alleys and keeping livestock.
乞丐住讨，叼吃饑馋，库仓巡逻，翱峪俯瞰。 — Beggars dwelling and begging, holding food in their mouths, hungry and greedy; patrolling the storehouses and granaries, soaring over the valleys and looking down.
鞍骑骤遁，刹那近垣，坎坷崎岖，岔径蜿蜒。 — Saddled riders suddenly flee, in an instant near the city wall; bumpy and rugged, branching paths winding and twisting.
遵逾轨辙，逛遨峻颠，霹雳贯霄，淤础溺淹。 — Following or exceeding the ruts of the track, roaming over steep peaks; thunderbolts pierce the sky, silted foundations drown in floods.
厦幢崩塌，窑庵囤填，邑廓倾覆，箍垮隧涵。 — Mansions and buildings collapse, kilns and hermitages are filled up; towns and outer walls overturn, hoops break and tunnels and culverts give way.
淮泄滞沽，浦溅汀澜，泅泳涉滔，渤澳浚涎。 — The Huai drains away, the Gu is stagnant, the shore splashes and the islet waves surge; swimming and wading through torrents, the Bohai and Macao are dredged, drool.
舶舨豁缺，桅桨歪坍，陋巢凋囱，畸枢裂簷。 — Ships and sampans gape with holes, masts and oars are askew and collapsed; crude nests and withered chimneys, a deformed hinge and cracked eaves.
涯涸竭枯，渣滓臊膻，谣决淆惑，是非确断。 — Shores dry up and are exhausted, dregs and sediment smell rank and gamy; rumours confuse and mislead, right and wrong are judged with certainty.
翻译授课，考究钻研，误错耽搁，犹豫岂敢。 — Translating and teaching classes, investigating and studying in depth; errors and delays, how dare one hesitate?
页篇汇稿，编辑校勘，故谜梗概，载版登刊。 — Pages and chapters collect into manuscripts, editing and collating; old riddles and synopses, carried in editions and published in periodicals.
专题删节，普遍流览，嘉偶婚配，函恋私已。 — Special topics abridged, widely browsed; a fine couple matched in marriage, letters of private love.
叙述绵延，缓迟寻觅，做媒介绍，卿获娇媳。 — Narrating at length, slowly searching; acting as matchmaker and making introductions, you win a charming bride.
槌簧铙钹，乐吹轿娶，炮震房宅，宣沸弄里。 — Mallets, reeds, cymbals and gongs, music played, a sedan chair for the wedding; firecrackers shake the houses, the lanes are boisterous with excitement.
喇叭噪晌，暮催串艺，叮嘱钦陪，辈份矮低。 — Trumpets blare noisily at midday, at dusk the performers are urged to go round; earnest instructions to accompany with respect, the younger generation lower in rank.
庶孽继嗣，昆仲甥姊，柬贴逞送，族姥婶婿。 — Sons of concubines and heirs, brothers, nephews and sisters; invitations sent out, the clan’s grandmothers, aunts and sons-in-law.
赶赴邀请，祝贺庆禧，扭捏局促，羡慕妒嫉。 — Hurrying to accept invitations, offering congratulations on the happy occasion; bashful and ill at ease, admiring and envious.
哥嫂咨询，伙伴参议，爸妈恩准，爷奶评批。 — Elder brothers and sisters-in-law are consulted, companions offer advice; dad and mum graciously approve, grandpa and grandma give their judgement.
吾你俺她，咱们勉励，模样俊俏，娴淑伶俐。 — I, you, we and she, let us encourage one another; handsome and pretty in looks, refined, virtuous and clever.
纶巾裙衫，混纺绒絮，框展倩照，镜示映姿。 — Silk headscarves, skirts and shirts, blended fabrics, wool and wadding; framed and displayed are lovely photos, the mirror shows a reflected figure.
叩首鞠躬，随俗迁徙，戴璧秉圭，呈诺或与。 — Kowtowing and bowing, following custom and moving house; wearing jade discs and holding jade tablets, presenting promises or giving.
誓牍弘愿，燃烛洽娱，妊娠胚胎，呕吐娩嬉。 — Written vows and great wishes, lighting candles in harmony and joy; pregnancy and the embryo, vomiting, giving birth and playing.
特殊贡献，永享勋誉。 — Special contributions enjoy honour and glory forever.
