生死場生死shēng sǐ — life or death (HSK 7-9)場chǎng — 1. large place used for a specific purpose 2. stage 3. scene (of a play) 4. classifier for sporting or recreational activities 5. classifier for number of exams (HSK 2) · 生死场

The Field of Life and Death — 蕭紅紅hóng — 1. red 2. popular 3. revolutionary 4. bonus (HSK 2) · 萧红 Xiao Hong, 1935

The novel that made Xiao Hong's name, published under Lu Xun's wing with his preface — peasant life in a Manchurian village, then what the Japanese occupation did to it. Seventeen short, unsparing chapters.

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What’s in it

生死場 (The Field of Life and Death) is the novel that made Xiao Hong's reputation, a short, unsparing account of peasant life in a village in Manchuria before and after the Japanese invasion of 1931. Its first half is built from plain, almost clinical scenes of rural existence — farming, childbirth, sickness, the slaughter of animals — described with a bluntness about bodies and suffering that startled readers used to more decorous fiction. Villagers live and die with very little sentimentality attached to either event, and the novel's early chapters are as much about the animals the village depends on as about the people themselves.

The second half turns to what the Japanese occupation does to that same village: forced levies, humiliation, and the slow radicalization of villagers who had previously thought only about their next harvest. The novel ends on a note of scattered, improvised resistance rather than triumph, and it is generally read as one of the earliest and most important pieces of Chinese fiction to deal directly with the occupation of Manchuria, written and published while that occupation was still very much ongoing.

  1. 1序序xù — 1. (bound form) order; sequence 2. (bound form) introductory; initial 3. preface (HSK 7-9)Preface
  2. 2一　麥場一yī — 1. one 2. single 3. a (article) 4. as soon as 5. entire; whole; all; throughout 6. "one" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 1) 7. also pr. (yāo) for greater clarity when spelling out numbers digit by digit (HSK 1)場chǎng — 1. large place used for a specific purpose 2. stage 3. scene (of a play) 4. classifier for sporting or recreational activities 5. classifier for number of exams (HSK 2) · 一　麦场The Wheat Field
  3. 3二　菜圃二èr — 1. two 2. 2 3. (Beijing dialect) stupid (HSK 1)菜cài — 1. vegetable; greens (classifier: 棵 (kē)) 2. dish (of food) (classifier: 樣 (yàng), 道 (dào), 盤 (pán)) 3. (of one's skills etc) weak; poor 4. (coll.) (one's) type (HSK 1)The Vegetable Garden
  4. 4三　老馬走進屠場三sān — 1. three 2. 3 (HSK 1)老lǎo — 1. prefix used before the surname of a person or a numeral indicating the order of birth of the children in a family or to indicate affection or familiarity 2. old (of people) 3. venerable (person) 4. experienced 5. of long standing 6. always 7. all the time 8. of the past 9. very 10. outdated 11. (of meat etc) tough (HSK 1)馬mǎ — 1. horse 2. classifier: 匹 (pǐ) 3. horse or cavalry piece in Chinese chess 4. knight in Western chess (HSK 3)走進zǒu jìn — to enter; to step into (HSK 2)場chǎng — 1. large place used for a specific purpose 2. stage 3. scene (of a play) 4. classifier for sporting or recreational activities 5. classifier for number of exams (HSK 2) · 三　老马走进屠场The Old Horse Enters the Slaughterhouse
  5. 5四　荒山四sì — 1. four 2. 4 (HSK 1)荒huāng — 1. desolate 2. shortage 3. scarce 4. out of practice 5. absurd 6. uncultivated 7. to neglect (HSK 7-9)山shān — 1. mountain; hill (classifier: 座 (zuò)) 2. (coll.) small bundle of straw for silkworms to spin cocoons on (HSK 1)The Barren Hills
  6. 6五　羊群五wǔ — 1. five 2. 5 (HSK 1)羊yáng — 1. sheep; goat 2. classifier: 頭 (tóu), 隻 (zhī) (HSK 3)群qún — 1. group 2. crowd 3. flock, herd, pack etc (HSK 3)The Flock of Sheep
  7. 7六　刑罰的日子六liù — 1. six 2. 6 (HSK 1)罰fá — to punish; to penalize; to fine (HSK 5)的de — 1. of; ~'s (possessive particle) 2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun) 3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis) 4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 (pí gé de) "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的 (pǎo táng r de) "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 (xīn de) "new one") 5. also pr. (dì) or (di) in poetry and songs (HSK 1)日子rì zi — 1. day 2. a (calendar) date 3. days of one's life (HSK 2) · 六　刑罚的日子Days of Punishment
  8. 8七　罪惡的五月節七qī — 1. seven 2. 7 (HSK 1)罪惡zuì è — 1. crime 2. evil 3. sin (HSK 6)的de — 1. of; ~'s (possessive particle) 2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun) 3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis) 4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 (pí gé de) "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的 (pǎo táng r de) "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 (xīn de) "new one") 5. also pr. (dì) or (di) in poetry and songs (HSK 1)五wǔ — 1. five 2. 5 (HSK 1)月yuè — 1. moon 2. month 3. monthly 4. classifier: 個 (gè), 輪 (lún) (HSK 1)節jié — 1. joint; node 2. (bound form) section; segment 3. solar term (one of the 24 divisions of the year in the traditional Chinese calendar) 4. seasonal festival 5. (bound form) to economize; to save 6. (bound form) moral integrity; chastity 7. classifier for segments: lessons, train wagons, biblical verses etc 8. knot (nautical miles per hour) (HSK 2) · 七　罪恶的五月节The Sinful Dragon Boat Festival
  9. 9八　蚊蟲繁忙著八bā — eight (HSK 1)繁忙fán máng — 1. busy 2. bustling (HSK 7-9)著zhe — aspect particle indicating action in progress or ongoing state (HSK 1) · 八　蚊虫繁忙著The Mosquitoes Are Busy
  10. 10九　傳染病九jiǔ — 1. nine 2. 9 (HSK 1)傳染病chuán rǎn bìng — infectious disease; contagious disease; communicable disease (HSK 7-9) · 九　传染病The Epidemic
  11. 11十　十年十shí — 1. ten 2. 10 (HSK 1)十shí — 1. ten 2. 10 (HSK 1)年nián — 1. year 2. classifier: 個 (gè) (HSK 1)Ten Years
  12. 12十一　年輪轉動了十shí — 1. ten 2. 10 (HSK 1)一yī — 1. one 2. single 3. a (article) 4. as soon as 5. entire; whole; all; throughout 6. "one" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 1) 7. also pr. (yāo) for greater clarity when spelling out numbers digit by digit (HSK 1)年nián — 1. year 2. classifier: 個 (gè) (HSK 1)輪lún — 1. wheel; disk; ring 2. steamship 3. to take turns; to rotate 4. classifier for big round objects: disk, or recurring events: round, turn (HSK 4)轉動zhuǎn dòng — 1. to turn sth around 2. to swivel (HSK 4)了le — 1. (completed action marker) 2. (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now) 3. (modal particle intensifying preceding clause) (HSK 1) · 十一　年轮转动了The Wheel of Time Turns
  13. 13十二　黑色的舌頭十shí — 1. ten 2. 10 (HSK 1)二èr — 1. two 2. 2 3. (Beijing dialect) stupid (HSK 1)黑色hēi sè — black (HSK 2)的de — 1. of; ~'s (possessive particle) 2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun) 3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis) 4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 (pí gé de) "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的 (pǎo táng r de) "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 (xīn de) "new one") 5. also pr. (dì) or (di) in poetry and songs (HSK 1)舌頭shé tou — 1. tongue 2. classifier: 個 (gè) 3. enemy soldier captured for the purpose of extracting information (HSK 6) · 十二　黑色的舌头The Black Tongue
  14. 14十三　你要死滅嗎？十shí — 1. ten 2. 10 (HSK 1)三sān — 1. three 2. 3 (HSK 1)你nǐ — you (informal, as opposed to courteous 您 (nín)) (HSK 1)要yào — 1. to want; to need; to ask for 2. will; shall; about to 3. need to; should 4. if (same as 要是 (yào shi)) 5. (bound form) important (HSK 1)死sǐ — 1. to die 2. impassable 3. uncrossable 4. inflexible 5. rigid 6. extremely 7. damned (HSK 3)滅miè — 1. to extinguish or put out 2. to go out (of a fire etc) 3. to exterminate or wipe out 4. to drown (HSK 6)嗎ma — (question particle for "yes-no" questions) (HSK 1) · 十三　你要死灭吗？Are You Going to Perish?
  15. 15十四　到都市裡去十shí — 1. ten 2. 10 (HSK 1)四sì — 1. four 2. 4 (HSK 1)到dào — 1. to reach; to arrive 2. to leave for; to go to 3. to (a place); until (a time); up to (a point) 4. (verb complement indicating arriving at a place or reaching a point) 5. considerate; thoughtful; thorough (HSK 1)都市dū shì — city; metropolis (HSK 6)裡lǐ — 1. lining 2. interior 3. inside 4. internal 5. also written 裏 (lǐ) (HSK 1)去qù — 1. to go 2. to go to (a place) 3. (of a time etc) last 4. just passed 5. to send 6. to remove 7. to get rid of 8. to reduce 9. to be apart from in space or time 10. to die (euphemism) 11. to play (a part) 12. (when used either before or after a verb) to go in order to do sth 13. (after a verb of motion indicates movement away from the speaker) 14. (used after certain verbs to indicate detachment or separation) (HSK 1) · 十四　到都市里去Off to the City
  16. 16十五　失敗的黃色藥包十shí — 1. ten 2. 10 (HSK 1)五wǔ — 1. five 2. 5 (HSK 1)失敗shī bài — 1. to be defeated 2. to lose 3. to fail (e.g. experiments) 4. failure 5. defeat 6. classifier: 次 (cì) (HSK 4)的de — 1. of; ~'s (possessive particle) 2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun) 3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis) 4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 (pí gé de) "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的 (pǎo táng r de) "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 (xīn de) "new one") 5. also pr. (dì) or (di) in poetry and songs (HSK 1)黃色huáng sè — 1. yellow 2. vulgar; lewd; pornographic (HSK 2)藥yào — 1. medicine 2. drug 3. substance used for a specific purpose (e.g. poisoning, explosion, fermenting) 4. classifier: 種 (zhǒng), 服 (fù), 味 (wèi) 5. to poison (HSK 2)包bāo — 1. to cover 2. to wrap 3. to hold 4. to include 5. to take charge of 6. to contract (to or for) 7. package 8. wrapper 9. container 10. bag 11. to hold or embrace 12. bundle 13. packet 14. classifier: 個 (gè), 隻 (zhī) (HSK 1) · 十五　失败的黄色药包The Failed Yellow Medicine Packet
  17. 17十六　尼姑十shí — 1. ten 2. 10 (HSK 1)六liù — 1. six 2. 6 (HSK 1)The Nun
  18. 18十七　不健全的腿十shí — 1. ten 2. 10 (HSK 1)七qī — 1. seven 2. 7 (HSK 1)不bù — 1. no; not so 2. (bound form) not; un- (HSK 1)健全jiàn quán — 1. robust 2. sound (HSK 5)的de — 1. of; ~'s (possessive particle) 2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun) 3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis) 4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 (pí gé de) "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的 (pǎo táng r de) "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 (xīn de) "new one") 5. also pr. (dì) or (di) in poetry and songs (HSK 1)腿tuǐ — 1. leg 2. classifier: 條 (tiáo) (HSK 2)The Crippled Leg

Literary forms

Key words 关键字

  • 她tāHSK 1她tā — she (HSK 1)
  • 趙zhào趙zhào — to surpass (old)
  • 吧bāHSK 1吧bā — bar (loanword) (serving drinks, or providing Internet access etc) · to puff (on a pipe etc) · (onom.) bang · abbr. for 貼吧 (tiē bā) (HSK 1)
  • 牠tāHSK 2牠tā — it (pronoun for an animal) (HSK 2)
  • 爹diēHSK 7-9爹diē — dad (HSK 7-9)
  • 柿shì柿shì — persimmon
  • 炕kàng炕kàng — kang (a heatable brick bed) · to bake · to dry by the heat of a fire
  • 嬸shěn嬸shěn — wife of father's younger brother
  • 麥mài麥mài — wheat; barley; oats · mic (abbr. for 麥克風 (mài kè fēng))
  • 啦lāHSK 6啦lā — (onom.) sound of singing, cheering etc · (phonetic) · (dialect) to chat (HSK 6)
  • 裡lǐHSK 1裡lǐ — lining · interior · inside · internal · also written 裏 (lǐ) (HSK 1)
  • 嗎máHSK 1嗎má — (coll.) what? (HSK 1)
  • 婆pó婆pó — (bound form) grandmother · (bound form) matron · (bound form) mother-in-law · (slang) femme (in a lesbian relationship)
  • 菸yānHSK 3菸yān — tobacco (variant of 煙 (yān)) (HSK 3)
  • 王wángHSK 4王wáng — king or monarch · best or strongest of its type · grand · great (HSK 4)
  • 麼má麼má — exclamatory final particle
  • 丟diūHSK 5丟diū — to lose · to put aside · to throw (HSK 5)
  • 倭wō倭wō — dwarf · Japanese (derog.) (old)
  • 穗suì穗suì — ear of grain · tassel; fringe
  • 崗gǎng崗gǎng — (bound form) hillock; mound · sentry post; policeman's beat · (bound form) job; post
  • 李lǐ李lǐ — plum
  • 賺zhuànHSK 6賺zhuàn — to earn · to make a profit (HSK 6)
  • 耙bà耙bà — a hoe · to harrow
  • 袱fú袱fú — (bound form) a cloth used to wrap or cover

蕭紅 Xiao Hong

Xiao Hong (蕭紅, 1911–1942) wrote 生死場 in 1934 and published it in 1935 with a preface by Lu Xun, whose support instantly established her within Shanghai's leftist literary circles at the age of twenty-three. The novel's frank treatment of rural violence and its early, urgent response to the Japanese occupation of her home region gave it a political weight that outran its length, and it remains one of the defining works of 1930s Chinese literature on the war.

More by Xiao Hong 同作者

Key vocabulary 词汇

  • 伕伕fū — variant of 夫 (fū)
  • 剷剷chǎn — to scrape the ground with a spade (to make it level or to remove weeds); to shovel (HSK 7-9)
  • 匍匍pú — used in 匍匐 (pú fú)
  • 匐匐fú — used in 匍匐 (pú fú)
  • 咩咩miē — the bleating of sheep · final particle which transforms statements into questions that indicate doubt or surprise (Cantonese)
  • 哐哐kuāng — (onom.) crash; bang; clang
  • 孵孵fū — breeding · to incubate · to hatch
  • 恫恫dòng — frighten
  • 悸悸jì — to palpitate
  • 愣愣lèng — to look distracted · to stare blankly · distracted · blank · (coll.) unexpectedly · rash · rashly (HSK 7-9)
  • 暱暱nì — familiar · intimate · to approach
  • 殭殭jiāng — variant of 僵 (jiāng) (HSK 7-9)
  • 氾氾fán — used in given names and as a surname
  • 涔涔cén — overflow · rainwater · tearful
  • 胰胰yí — pancreas
  • 蠕蠕rú — to squirm · to wiggle · to wriggle · Taiwan pr. (ruǎn)
  • 裌裌jiá — variant of 夾 (jiá) (HSK 5)
  • 酵酵jiào — yeast; leaven · fermentation · Taiwan pr. (xiào)
  • 嗦嗦suō — to suck · used in 囉嗦 (luō suo) · used in 哆嗦 (duō suo)
  • 囪囪cōng — (bound form) chimney
  • 圾圾jī — used in 垃圾 (lā jī) · Taiwan pr. (sè)
  • 垃垃lā — used in 垃圾 (lā jī) · Taiwan pr. (lè)
  • 姘姘pīn — to be a mistress or lover
  • 孱孱càn — used in 孱頭 (càn tou)
  • 崽崽zǎi — child · young animal
  • 悒悒yì — anxiety · worry
  • 撚撚niǎn — to play tricks on or toy with · delicate · exquisite (Cantonese)
  • 昵昵nì — familiar · intimate · to approach
  • 橡橡xiàng — oak · Quercus serrata
  • 欞欞líng — variant of 櫺 (líng)
  • 毗毗pí — to adjoin · to border on
  • 氛氛fēn — miasma · vapor
  • 渲渲xuàn — wash (color)
  • 燐燐lín — variant of 磷 (lín)
  • 犄犄jī — ox-horns · wing of an army
  • 癇癇xián — epilepsy · insanity
  • 癤癤jiē — pimple · sore · boil · Taiwan pr. (jié)
  • 稈稈gǎn — stalks of grain
  • 穌穌sū — archaic variant of 蘇 (sū) · to revive
  • 窒窒zhì — to obstruct · to stop up
  • 糰糰tuán — dumpling (HSK 3)
  • 菸菸yān — tobacco (variant of 煙 (yān)) (HSK 3)
  • 蔫蔫niān — to fade · to wither · to wilt · listless
  • 蜇蜇zhē — to sting
  • 袒袒tǎn — to bare
  • 譁譁huá — variant of 嘩 (huá)
  • 跺跺duò — to stamp one's feet
  • 輾輾zhǎn — used in 輾轉 (zhǎn zhuǎn)
  • 霉霉méi — mold · mildew · to become moldy
  • 颳颳guā — to blow (of the wind) (HSK 6)
  • 仆仆pū — to fall forward · to fall prostrate
  • 倭倭wō — dwarf · Japanese (derog.) (old)
  • 剮剮guǎ — cut off the flesh as punishment
  • 剿剿chāo — to plagiarize
  • 勵勵lì — to encourage · to urge
  • 勺勺sháo — spoon · ladle · classifier: 把 (bǎ) · abbr. for 公勺 (gōng sháo), centiliter (unit of volume) (HSK 6)
  • 卵卵luǎn — egg; ovum; spawn · (coll.) testicles · (old) penis · (expletive) fucking (HSK 7-9)
  • 吠吠fèi — to bark
  • 呦呦yōu — Oh! (exclamation of dismay etc) · used in 呦呦 (yōu yōu)
  • 哆哆duō — used in 哆嗦 (duō suo)
  • 哺哺bǔ — to feed
  • 啜啜chuò — (literary) to drink · to sip · to sob
  • 嘎嘎gā — (onom.) short but loud sound
  • 囂囂xiāo — clamor
  • 型型xíng — mold · type · style · model (HSK 4)
  • 奠奠diàn — to fix · to settle · a libation to the dead
  • 婪婪lán — avaricious
  • 崗崗gǎng — (bound form) hillock; mound · sentry post; policeman's beat · (bound form) job; post
  • 嶺嶺lǐng — mountain range · mountain ridge
  • 憲憲xiàn — statute · constitution
  • 懺懺chàn — (bound form) to feel remorse · (bound form) scripture read to atone for sb's sins (from Sanskrit "ksama")
  • 掮掮qián — to carry on the shoulder
  • 搓搓cuō — to rub or roll between the hands or fingers · to twist (HSK 7-9)
  • 摺摺zhé — document folded in accordion form · to fold
  • 攣攣luán — (bound form) (of muscles) to cramp; to spasm
  • 棕棕zōng — palm · palm fiber · coir (coconut fiber) · brown
  • 汙汙wū — variant of 污 (wū)
  • 涎涎xián — saliva
  • 湛湛zhàn — deep · clear (water)
  • 溺溺nì — to drown · to indulge · addicted to · to spoil (a child)
  • 濯濯zhuó — to wash · to cleanse of evil
  • 犁犁lí — plow
  • 甩甩shuǎi — to throw · to fling · to swing · to leave behind · to throw off · to dump (sb) (HSK 7-9)
  • 痙痙jìng — spasm
  • 癲癲diān — mentally deranged · crazy
  • 盃盃bēi — variant of 杯 (bēi) · trophy cup · classifier for certain containers of liquids: glass, cup (HSK 1)
  • 盟盟méng — oath · pledge · union · to ally · league, a subdivision corresponding to prefecture in Inner Mongolia
  • 盪盪dàng — variant of 蕩 (dàng)
  • 睏睏kùn — sleepy · tired (HSK 3)
  • 瞌瞌kē — used in 瞌睡 (kē shuì)
  • 磷磷lín — (chemistry) phosphorus
  • 窖窖jiào — cellar · to store in a cellar
  • 笆笆bā — an article made of bamboo strips · fence
  • 簑簑suō — variant of 蓑 (suō)
  • 紐紐niǔ — to turn · to wrench · button · nu (Greek letter Νν)
  • 絃絃xián — variant of 弦 · bow string · string of musical instrument · watch spring · chord (straight line joining two points on a curve) · hypotenuse
  • 肘肘zhǒu — elbow · pork shoulder
  • 胳胳gā — used in 胳肢窩 (gā zhi wō)
  • 腋腋yè — (bound form) armpit; axilla; axil
  • 膿膿nóng — pus
  • 艷艷yàn — variant of 豔 (yàn)
  • 莖莖jīng — stalk · stem · classifier: 條 (tiáo) (HSK 7-9)
  • 菌菌jūn — germ · bacteria · fungus · mold · Taiwan pr. (jùn)
  • 蓆蓆xí — woven mat (variant of 席 (xí)) (HSK 7-9)
  • 蜘蜘zhī — used in 蜘蛛 (zhī zhū)
  • 蝕蝕shí — to nibble away at sth · to eat into · to erode
  • 褶褶xí — (arch.) court dress
  • 豔豔yàn — bright; fresh and attractive; glamorous · (bound form) amorous; romantic · (literary) to admire; to envy
  • 賺賺zhuàn — to earn · to make a profit (HSK 6)
  • 跚跚shān — used in 蹣跚 (pán shān)
  • 跛跛bǒ — to limp · lame · crippled
  • 蹟蹟jì — (bound form) vestige; historical remains (variant of 跡 (jì))
  • 蹣蹣pán — used in 蹣跚 (pán shān) · Taiwan pr. (mán)
  • 轍轍zhé — rut; track of a wheel (Taiwan pr. (chè)) · (coll.) the direction of traffic · a rhyme (of a song, poem etc) · (dialect) (usu. after 有 (yǒu) or 沒 (méi)) way; idea
  • 邃邃suì — deep · distant · mysterious
  • 酗酗xù — drunk
  • 錐錐zhuī — cone · awl · to bore
  • 閂閂shuān — bolt · latch · to bolt · to latch
  • 霎霎shà — all of a sudden · drizzle
  • 韁韁jiāng — bridle · reins · halter
  • 馱馱duò — load carried by a pack animal (HSK 7-9)
  • 鬃鬃zōng — bristles · horse's mane
  • 龕龕kān — (bound form) niche; shrine
  • 乍乍zhà — at first · suddenly · abruptly · to spread · (of hair) to stand on end · bristling
  • 俺俺ǎn — I (northern dialects)
  • 偌偌ruò — so · such · to such a degree
  • 偎偎wēi — to cuddle
  • 凹凹āo — concave; depressed; sunken; indented; female (connector etc) (HSK 7-9)
  • 啷啷lāng — used in 啷當 (lāng dāng) · used in onomatopoeic words such as 哐啷 (kuāng lāng)
  • 喃喃nán — mumble in repetition
  • 嗓嗓sǎng — throat · voice
  • 嚎嚎háo — howl · bawl
  • 婉婉wǎn — graceful · tactful
  • 嬰嬰yīng — infant · baby
  • 孺孺rú — child
  • 宏宏hóng — great · magnificent · macro (computing) · macro-
  • 尿尿niào — to urinate · urine · classifier: 泡 (pāo) (HSK 7-9)
  • 崩崩bēng — to collapse · to fall into ruins · death of king or emperor · demise
  • 廓廓kuò — (bound form) extensive; vast · (bound form) outline; general shape · (bound form) to expand; to extend
  • 廝廝sī — (bound form) together; each other · (bound form) male servant · (bound form) dude; so-and-so (used in 那廝 (nà sī) and 這廝 (zhè sī))
  • 廠廠chǎng — factory · yard · depot · workhouse · works · (industrial) plant (HSK 3)
  • 廿廿niàn — twenty
  • 慄慄lì — (literary) cold; chilly · (bound form) to tremble with fear
  • 慧慧huì — intelligent
  • 憊憊bèi — exhausted
  • 捋捋lǚ — to smooth or arrange sth using one's fingers · to stroke
  • 掠掠lüè — to take over by force · to rob · to plunder · to brush over · to skim · to sweep
  • 摟摟lōu — to draw towards oneself · to gather · to gather up (one's gown, sleeves etc) · to grab (money) · to extort (HSK 7-9)
  • 擄擄lǔ — (bound form) to capture (sb)
  • 擻擻sǒu — used in 抖擻 (dǒu sǒu)

Reading tools

Tap any word while reading to see its pinyin and an English gloss without leaving the page. Every chapter shows pinyin above the Chinese text, and where a graded retelling exists you can switch between it and the original with a single toggle — start with the simplified version and work up to the author’s own words.

Author 蕭紅 (Xiao Hong) died in 1942: public domain in China (life + 50 years) and in the United States (author died before 1946, so copyright was never restored under the URAA). Source: zh.wikisource.org.