Tag: fish (3)

A little fish swims inside a glowing light bulb, and its shadow becomes a giant toothy fish chasing the shadow of a woman on a treadmill. Very 危险.

危险 (wēixiǎn) means “dangerous,” and also “danger.” 危 means peril and 险 means risky.

On signs you will see 危险 or 小心 (xiǎoxīn), “be careful.” The opposite is 安全 (ānquán), safe.

这里很危险。 — Zhèlǐ hěn wēixiǎn. — It’s dangerous here.

一个人晚上出去太危险了。 — Yí ge rén wǎnshang chūqu tài wēixiǎn le. — It’s too dangerous to go out alone at night.

Someone has a paper fish stuck to the back of his shirt: the French April Fools’ prank, the “April fish.” That fish is a 鱼.

鱼 (yú) means “fish,” both the animal and the food. Count fish with 条 (tiáo), the measure word for long, thin things: 一条鱼 (yì tiáo yú).

鱼 sounds the same as 余 (yú), “surplus.” That is why fish is served at Chinese New Year, with the wish 年年有余 (nián nián yǒu yú), “may every year have plenty.”

我不吃鱼。 — Wǒ bù chī yú. — I don’t eat fish.

河里有很多鱼。 — Hé lǐ yǒu hěn duō yú. — There are lots of fish in the river.