[2024-09-24] Comfort Food & Chinese Vocab: What's Your Fave?

神经

shén jīng

In Chinese, '神经' is used similarly as 'nerve' in English. It can refer to any of the bundles of fibers that carry messages between the brain and the rest of the body. The term can also be used metaphorically to mean courage or audacity. For instance, '你真有神经!' would translate to 'You really have nerve!'

Here's how to use it:

• 这个问题涉及到神经科学。
  Zhège wèntí shèjí dào shénjīng kēxué.
• 我有些神经过敏。
  Wǒ yǒuxiē shénjīng guòmǐn.
• 她有神经性头痛。
  Tā yǒu shénjīng xìng tóutòng.

起来

qǐ lái

The Chinese word '起来' can be used in the context where something arises or comes up. It can also imply standing up depending on the context. Nevertheless, it generally captures the essence of the English word 'arise'.

Here's how to use it:

• 看他起来不开心。
  kàn tā qǐlái bù kāixīn.
• 她唱歌起来很动听。
  tā chànggē qǐlái hěn dòngtīng.
• 太阳升起来了。
  tàiyáng shēng qǐlái le.

病毒

bìngdú

In Chinese, 病毒 (bìngdú) is used in the same context as in English, referring to a type of microorganism that can cause contagious diseases in living organisms, including humans. It can also refer metaphorically to something harmful that spreads rapidly and widely. For example, computer virus in Chinese is also called '电脑病毒'

Here's how to use it:

• 这种病毒的传播速度非常快。
  zhè zhǒng bìng dú de chuán bō sù dù fēi cháng kuài.
• 病毒已经影响了我们的日常生活。
  bìng dú yǐ jīng yǐng xiǎng le wǒ men de rì cháng shēng huó.
• 病毒可以通过飞沫传播。
  bìng dú kě yǐ tōng guò fēi mò chuán bō.

裂缝

liè fèng

In Chinese, '裂缝' refers to a fissure, a line of breakage made by cracking or splitting, like a crack on a wall or mirror. It can be used metaphorically to describe people who have a weakness that could cause them to fail.

Here's how to use it:

• 墙上的裂缝
  qiáng shàng de lièfèng
• 这裂缝很深
  zhè lièfèng hěn shēn
• 裂缝依然存在
  lièfèng yīrán cúnzài

卷

juǎn

The Chinese word '卷' is used in similar contexts as the word 'roll'. It can indicate the action of rolling something up, or it can refer to a rolled up item, such as a scroll. It's also frequently used to describe the rolling or swirling motion, similar to how we would use 'roll' in English.

Here's how to use it:

• 我将画卷捲起。
  Wǒ jiāng huàjuǎn juǎn qǐ.
• 这是初中的第三卷。
  Zhè shì chūzhōng de dì sān juǎn.
• 这卷绷带对我有用。
  Zhè juǎn bēngdài duì wǒ Yǒu yòng.

Friends reminisce about comfort foods and cherished memories

说到安慰食品，你最喜欢吃什么？