《兄弟》 by 余华 (with vocab list)

April 16, 2017 at 11:00 AM

There's already a thread on this book (from way back in 2005), but since this is going to be an extra long thread (I'm going to posting a chapter by chapter vocab list) I thought it would be best to post a new one:

https://www.chinese-forums.com/forums/topic/6093-book-of-the-month-oct-2005-兄弟-brothers-by-余华-yu-hua/

I don't normally spend so much time looking up vocab when reading books, usually only stopping to search when I really don't understand something. For example, when I read 余华's other famous book,《活着》, a while back, I only noted down a few new words, instead concentrating on building up my reading speed. I actually listened to 《兄弟》 in audiobook form before starting reading and felt that I had a pretty good grasp on the plot and characters. However, I also felt that I was missing out on some of the finer details and so decided to really drill down on the vocab. There's a part at the beginning of the second part of 《兄弟》 where one the characters, the short-sighted 宋钢, puts on a pair of glasses for the first time and is amazed by how clear everything looks. That's how I feel now after having really thoroughly gone through the book in this way.

Hopefully the vocab lists here will be useful to anyone looking to read the book, saving them the drudgery of having to look up the words themselves. Although my vocab list will be different from everyone else, I have cast a very broad net when adding vocab. Of the over 100 words in chapter one alone, there are only a handful which I really couldn't work out from the characters used and the context, and I have included a lot of words which I already know, but that I feel I don't use enough in my own writing and want to pay particular attention to. In fact, the whole purpose of this exercise is as much to improve my writing by using words I often ignore or forget as much as it is to improve my reading comprehension. I will be using the book as a basis of a lot of little writing exercises, writing chapter summaries, character profiles etc (pretty much like I used to do in English Literature classes back at school).

I'll be posting a new vocab list every couple of days or so as I go through the book a third time. I hope that others find it useful. Oh, and it's a pretty good book, mixing humour and tenderness in between some pretty gruesome torture scenes (the first part of the book takes place during the Cultural Revolution). Well worth a read.

Edit:

Here's an online version of the book:

http://www.kanunu8.com/book3/7201/

Here's the audiobook version :

http://www.ysts8.com/Yshtml/Ys7541.html

April 16, 2017 at 11:27 AM

Chapter 1 vocab

异想天开 yì xiǎng tiānkāi to imagine the wildest thing / to indulge in fantasy

镀金 dù jīn to gold-plate / to gild / (fig.) to make sth quite ordinary seem special

冷清 lěng qīng cold and cheerless / fig. lonely / unfrequented

深不可测 shēn bù kě cè deep and unmeasurable (idiom); unfathomable depths / incomprehensible / enigmatic and impossible to predict

俯瞰 fǔ kàn to overlook / to look down from a height

壮丽 zhuànglì magnificence / magnificent / majestic / glorious

徐徐 xúxú slowly / gently

不由 bù yóu can't help (doing sth)

举目无亲 jǔ mù wú qīn to look up and see no-one familiar (idiom); not having anyone to rely on / without a friend in the world

相依为命 xiāngyī wéi mìng mutually dependent for life (idiom); to rely upon one another for survival / interdependent

倔强 jué jiàng stubborn / obstinate / unbending

感慨 gǎnkǎi to sigh with sorrow, regret etc / rueful / deeply moved

藤 téng rattan / cane / vine

结出 jiēchū to bear (fruit

抓获 zhuā huò to arrest

喃喃 nánnán (onom.) to mutter / to mumble / to murmur

臭气熏天 chòuqì xūntiān overwhelming stench (idiom)

池塘 chítáng pool / pond

一声不吭 yīshēng bù kēng to not say a word

生擒 shēng qín to capture alive

绯闻 fēi wén sex scandal

臭名昭著 chòu míng zhāo zhù notorious / infamous / egregious (bandits)

粪 fèn manure / dung

开怀 kāi huái to one's heart's content / without restraint

开颜 kāi yán to smile / to beam

口头禅 kǒu tóuchán Zen saying repeated as cant / (fig.) catchphrase / mantra / favorite expression / stock phrase

拗口 ào kǒu hard to pronounce / awkward-sounding

窃窃私语 qièqiè sī yǔ to whisper

无辜 wú gū innocent / innocence / not guilty (law

若无其事 ruò wúqí shì as if nothing had happened (idiom); calmly / nonchalantl

嘿嘿 hēihēi (onom.) he he / mischievous laughter

光滑 guāng huá glossy / sleek / smooth

粗糙 cūcāo crude / gruff / rough / coarse

琳琅满目 línláng mǎn mù glittering jewels to delight the eye (idiom) / fig. a dazzling lineup

目不暇接 mùbù xiá jiē lit. too much for the eye to take in (idiom); a feast for the eye

揉 róu to knead / to massage / to rub

弯 wān to bend / bent / a bend / a turn (in the road etc) / CL: 道

堵 dǔ wall / classifier for walls

撩拨 liáo bō to provoke / to tease

心驰神往 xīn chíshén wǎng one's thoughts fly to a longed-for place or person / to long for / infatuated / fascinated

欲火 yù huǒ lust

熊熊 xióngxióng raging / flaming

熏 xūn to smoke / to fumigate / to assail the nostrils / to perfume

粪蛆 fèn qū muckworm

肉铺 ròupù butcher's shop

腌 yān to salt / to pickle / to cure (meat) / to marinate

咸肉 xián ròu bacon / salt-cured meat

绷紧 bēng jǐn to brace / taut

尾骨 wěigǔ coccyx / tailbone

砰砰 pēngpēng (onom.) slam

油印 yóu yìn to mimeograph

滔滔不绝 tāotāo bù jué unceasing torrent (idiom) / talking non-stop / gabbling forty to the dozen

训斥 xùnchì to reprimand / to rebuke / to berate / stern criticism

诗情画意 shī qíng huàyì picturesque charm / idyllic appeal / poetic grace

田野 tián yě field / open land / CL: 片

戏耍 xì shuǎ to amuse oneself / to play with / to tease

蔚蓝 wèi lán azure / sky blue

浮云 fúyún floating clouds / fleeting / transient

洁白 jiébái spotlessly white / pure white

冲锋 chōngfēng to charge / to assault / assault

咬牙切齿 yǎo yá qiè chǐ gnashing one's teeth (idiom); displaying extreme anger / fuming with rage between gritted teeth

捂 wǔ to enclose / to cover with the hand (one's eyes, nose or ears) / to cover up (an affair) / contrary / to contradict

揪 jiū to seize / to clutch / to hold tight / to grip

伸张 shēnzhāng to uphold (e.g. justice or virtue) / to promote

正义 zhèngyì justice / righteousness / just / righteous

唾沫 tuò mo spittle / saliva

押 yā to detain in custody

眉飞色舞 méi fēi sè wǔ smiles of exultation / radiant with delight

密密麻麻 mì mi mámá numerous and close together / densely packed / thickly dotted / thick / dense

夹缝 jiā fèng crack / crevice

耀武扬威 yào wǔ yáng wēi to show off one's military strength (idiom); to strut around / to bluff / to bluster

独领风骚 dú lǐng fēngsāo most outstanding / par excellence

出风头 chūfēng tou to push oneself forward / to seek fame / to be in the limelight

雪中送炭 xuě zhōng sòngtàn lit. to send charcoal in snowy weather (idiom) / fig. to provide help in sb's hour of need

笔杆子 bǐgǎn zi pen / an effective writer

投桃报李 tóutáo bào lǐ toss a peach, get back a plum (idiom); to return a favor / to exchange gifts / Scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours

妥当 tuǒ dang appropriate / proper / ready

纠正 jiū zhèng to correct / to make right

曹雪芹 Cáo Xuě qín Cao Xueqin (c. 1715-c. 1764), accepted author of A Dream of Red Mansions

东张西望 dōngzhāngxī wàng to look in all directions (idiom) / to glance around

自喻 zìyù to refer to oneself as

造诣 zàoyì academic or artistic attainments / to visit with sb / to call on sb

面红耳赤 miàn hóng 'ěr chì flushed with anger (or excitement)

郭沫若 Guō Mòruò Guo Moruo (1892-1978), writer, communist party intellectual and cultural apparatchik

威风凛凛 wēifēng lǐnlǐn majestic / awe-inspiring presence / impressive power

控诉 kòngsù to accuse / to denounce / to make a complaint against / denunciation

不厌其烦 bùyàn qífán not to mind taking all the trouble (idiom) / to take great pains / to be very patient

敬业 jìngyè to be dedicated to one's work / to respect one's work

一唱一和 yī chàng yī hè to echo one another (idiom)

尖叫 jiān jiào to screech / to shriek

呜咽 wū yè to sob / to whimper

皱 zhòu to wrinkle / wrinkled / to crease

哄堂大笑 hōng táng dàxiào the whole room roaring with laughter (idiom)

铁青 tiě qīng ashen

铁匠 tiě jiang blacksmith / ironworker

啪 pā (onom.) bang / pop / pow

栽倒 zāi dǎo to take a fall

飞溅 fēi jiàn to splash / to spatter

嗡嗡 wēngwēng buzz / drone / hum

倒贴 dào tiē to lose money instead of being paid (i.e. sb should pay me, but is actually taking my money

兴致 xìngzhì mood / spirits / interest

一拥而上 yīyōng 'ér shàng to swarm around / flocking (to see)

审问 shěn wèn to interrogate / to examine / to question

平日 píng rì ordinary day / everyday / ordinarily / usually

机不可失 jī bù kě shī No time to lose! (idiom)

紧绷 jǐn bēng to stretch taut

吼叫 hǒu jiào to howl

胆战心惊 dǎn zhàn xīnjīng to tremble with fear (idiom) / scared witless

悄声 qiǎo shēng quietly / in a low voice

憋 biē to choke / to stifle / to restrain / to hold back / to hold in (urine) / to hold (one's breath

稀奇古怪 xī qí gǔ guài crazy / bizarre / weird / fantastic / strange

埋怨 mán yuàn to complain / to grumble (about) / to reproach / to blame

招领 zhāo lǐng to advertise for the owner of lost property

照射 zhàoshè to shine on / to light up / to irradiate

一晃 yī huǎng (of passing time) in an instant / (of a sight) in a flash

厉声 lì shēng stern voice

裹 guǒ to bind / to wrap / a bundle / a parcel

头巾 tóu jīn head-covering (for men in ancient clothes) / kerchief / scarf / turba

悄悄 qiāoqiāo quietly / secretly / stealthily / quiet / worried / Taiwan pr. [qiao3 qiao3]

随即 suíjí immediately / presently / following which

惊慌 jīnghuāng to panic / to be alarmed

移开 yí kāi to move away

胆怯 dǎn qiè timid / cowardly

抖动 dǒu dòng to tremble

可怜巴巴 kě lián bābā pathetic / pitiful

一声不吭 yīshēng bù kēng to not say a word

迷迷糊糊 mímí hūhū in a daze / bewildered

泪汪汪 lèi wāngwāng tearful / brimming with tears

昏暗 hūn 'àn dusky

襁褓 qiǎngbǎo swaddling clothes / fig. early stage of development / infancy

April 16, 2017 at 11:57 AM

Thanks so much. Possible next book for me.

April 18, 2017 at 02:28 PM

It's a good book. Don't be put off by the long vocab lists, it's pretty easy to keep track of the main plot without knowing most of the words.

April 18, 2017 at 06:20 PM

Chapter 2

身败名裂 shēn bài míng liè to lose one's standing / to have one's reputation swept away / a complete defeat and fall from grace

愤愤不平 fènfènbù píng to feel indignant / to feel aggrieved

目不转睛 mùbù zhuǎn jīng unable to take one's eyes off (idiom); to gaze steadily / to stare

比比皆是 bǐbǐ jiē shì can be found everywhere

起劲 qǐ jìn vigorously / energetically / enthusiastically

手淫 shǒu yín to masturbate / masturbation

凉鞋 liángxié sandal

前世 qián shì previous generations / previous incarnation (Buddhism)

一举 yī jǔ a move / an action / in one move / at a stroke / in one g

意味深长 yìwèi shēn cháng profound / significant / meaningful

搂 lǒu to hug / to embrace / to hold in one's arms

响亮 xiǎng liàng loud and clear / resounding

捏 niē to pinch (with one's fingers) / to knead / to make up

臭名昭著 chòu míng zhāo zhù notorious / infamous / egregious (bandits)

跳楼 tiào lóu fig. to sell at a large discount (in advertising)

甩卖 shuǎi mài to mark down (the price of goods) / to sell off cheap

假公济私 jiǎ gōng jì sī official authority used for private interests (idiom); to attain private ends by abusing public position

守口如瓶 shǒukǒu rúpíng lit. to guard one's mouth like a closed bottle (idiom); tight-lipped / reticent / not breathing a word

赏识 shǎng shí to appreciate / to recognize the worth of sth / appreciation

提拔 tíbá to promote to a higher job / to select for promotion

供销 gōngxiāo supply and marketing / distribution / supply and sales

科长 kē zhǎng section chief / CL: 個｜个

见异思迁 jiànyì sīqiān to change at once on seeing sth different (idiom); loving fads and novelty / never satisfied with what one has

瞄 miáo to take aim / (fig.) to aim one's looks at / to glance at

盏 zhǎn a small cup / classifier for lamps

功成名就 gōng chéngmíng jiù to win success and recognition (idiom)

哭诉 kū sù to lament / to complain tearfully / to wail accusingly

年月 nián yuè months and year / time / days of one's life

权衡利弊 quánhéng lìbì to weigh the pros and cons (idiom)

一失足成千古恨 yīshī zúchéng qiān gǔ hèn a single slip may cause everlasting sorrow (idiom)

哑口无言 yǎkǒu wúyán dumbstruck and unable to reply (idiom); left speechless / at a loss for words

英雄难过美人关 yīng xióngnán guò měi rén guān even heroes have a weakness for the charms of a beautiful woman (idiom)

惋惜 wǎn xī to regret / to feel that it is a great pity / to feel sorry for sb

身在曹营心在汉 shēn zài Cáoyíng xīn zài Hàn live in Cao camp but have the heart in Han camp (idiom.) / to be somewhere while longing to be somewhere else

垂涎三尺 chuíxián sān chǐ to drool (over) (idiom) / to yearn for / to covet / to crave

气功 qì gōng qigong, a system of deep breathing exercises

露水夫妻 lù shuǐ fūqī a couple in a short-lived, improper relationship

迫切 pòqiè urgent / pressing

笑脸相迎 xiào liǎn xiāng yíng to welcome sb with a smiling face (idiom)

兄长 xiōng zhǎng elder brother / term of respect for a man of about the same age

比划 bǐ hua to gesture / to gesticulate

启发 qǐ fā to enlighten / to explain (a text etc) / to stimulate (a mental attitude) / enlightenment / revelation / motivation

痣 zhì birthmark / mole

皮笑肉不笑 pí xiàoròubùxiào to put on a fake smile (idiom) / to smile insincerely

行贿 xíng huì to bribe / to give bribes

凑 còu to move close to

装神弄鬼 zhuāng shén nòng guǐ lit. dress up as God, play the devil (idiom); fig. to mystify / to deceive people / to scam

焦急 jiāo jí anxiety / anxious

皱眉 zhòu méi to frown / to knit one's brow

迟疑 chíyí to hesitate

阳春面 yáng chūn miàn plain noodles in broth

咬牙切齿 yǎo yá qiè chǐ gnashing one's teeth (idiom); displaying extreme anger / fuming with rage between gritted teeth

对准 duì zhǔn to aim at / to target / to point at / to be directed at / registration / alignment (mechanical engineering)

一五一十 yī wǔ yī shí lit. count by fives and tens (idiom); to narrate systematically and in full detail

嗡嗡 wēngwēng buzz / drone / hum

搂 lǒu to hug / to embrace / to hold in one's arms

婀娜 ē nuó (of a woman's bearing) graceful / elegant / lithe

拐弯抹角 guǎi wān mò jiǎo lit. going round the curves and skirting the corners (idiom) / fig. to speak in a roundabout way / to equivocate / to beat about the bush