EXERCISES

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Notes.

LESSON XXVIII
Abstract Nouns formed from two Adjectives of opposite meaning

Very often two adjectives of opposite meaning are joined together to form an abstract noun of quality. Naturally the Chinese language is defective in abstract nouns, and their lack is partially supplied is this way. Thus Too-°sau (多少), “Much-little,” means “quantity.”

Dzang-°toen (長短), “Long-short,” means “length.” °Yoen-°jung (遠近), “Far-near,” means “distance.” Kau-ti° (高低), “High-low,” means “height.” °‘Eu-bok (厚薄), “Thick-thin,” means “thickness.” Kwheh-‘ah (關狹), “Broad-narrow,” means “breadth.” °Lang-nyih (冷熱), “Cold-hot,” means “temperature.” Sung-°tshien (深淺), “Deep-shallow,” means “depth.” Chung-°dzoong (輕重), “Light-heavy,” means “weight.” Tshoo-si° (粗細), “Coarse-fine,” means “texture” (of cloth).

Verbs are also used in much the same way. Thus we have Le-°waung (來往). “Come-go,” meaning “intercourse,” or Le-chi° (來去), “Come-go,” meaning, “going back and forth.” It generally occurs as Le-le-chi°-chi°. °Ma-ma° (買賣), “Buy-sell,” means “business.”