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Do you look “safe?” (Beginner)

Sep. 4, 2012

Key Learning Point Preview

安全 (ānquán) adj./n. safe/safety

Story: After spending the evening together, Lucy and Lily are saying goodbye and getting ready to go home.

         Zhème   wǎnle, wǒ yǒudiǎn hàipà!
Lucy:这么      晚了,我     有点     害怕!

I’m a bit scared to go outside so late.

        Nǐ zhǎng de zhème ānquán! Méi shìr!
Lily:你   长     得   这么   安全!   没  事儿!

You look so safe. Don’t worry!

Key Learning Point

安全(ānquán) adj./n. safe/safety

In Chinese, as in English, “safe” denotes an unthreatened situation — the opposite of being “in danger.” The word “safe” is used in a lot of word combinations. For examples: 人身安全 (rénshēn ānquán) personal safety, 处境安全 (chǔjìng ānquán)securely situated, and 安全距离 (ānquán jùlí) a safe distance. However, in daily communication, people also use the term “安全 (ānquán) to describe a person’s appearance. Saying that someone looks “safe” is another way of calling someone unattractive. Usually, it’s used as a joke or a way for people to laugh at themselves. Now, can you find the humor in what Lily says to Lucy?

For example:

Zhè niántóu, zhǎng de xiàng tā zhème ānquán de rén zhēn shì shǎo jiàn na!
这    年头,    长     得    像   他   这么  安全     的   人  真    是    少     见   哪!

Nowadays, it’s hard to find such a safe person (such an unattractive person)!

Practice:

Wǒ zhǎnɡ de zhème ānquán, búyònɡ dānxīn ānquán wèntí.
我      长     得   这么    安全,  不用      担心    安全     问题。

In this sentence, the first “安全” means (   ), the second “安全” means(   ).

A. unattractive
B. safety
C. beautiful
D. danger

Answer: A, B

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Comments

“容易 和 简单” 
easy and simple

Hi, both of the two sentences are right, and the meanings of them are the same. Both of them are common using.

请问 “容易 和 简单” 有一样的意思吗?  谢谢

当用作 “easy” 的意思时,两者的“容易”和“简单”的意思一样。

Hello fdas,

Good.

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