liáng 梁 TRAD 樑 N beam (in structure) (See 桥梁
qiáoliáng.)
liǎng 两 ¹ MEASURE WORD (a traditional Chinese unit of weight equivalent to 50 grams), ounce ■ 我 买二两
茶叶。Wǒ mǎi èr liǎng cháyè. I want two liang of tea.
liǎng 两 ² NUMERAL 1 two ■ 两个人 liǎng ge rén two people ■ 两本书 liǎng běn shū two books 2 (as an
approximation) a couple of, a few ■ 我来 说两句话。Wǒ lái shuō liǎng jù huà. Let me say a few
words.
NOTE: Both 两 liǎng and 二 èr may mean two, but are used differently. 二 èr must be used in mathematics
or when saying the number 2 in isolation, e.g.: ■ 一、二、三、四 ...yī, èr, sān, sì ... 1, 2, 3, 4... ■ 二加三是
五。Èr jiā sān shì wǔ. 2 plus 3 is 5. Use 两 liǎng when referring to two something, e.g.: ■ 两张桌子 liǎng zhāng
zhuōzi two tables ■ 两个小 时 liǎng ge xiǎoshí two hours The ordinal number second is 第二 dì-èr.
liàng 亮 ADJ bright ■ 天亮了！Tiān liàng le! Day is breaking! ■ 这个灯不太亮。Zhège dēng bú tài
liàng. This lamp is not very bright.
liàng 谅 TRAD 諒 V forgive
liàngjiě 谅解 [comp: 谅 forgive + 解 understand] V understand and forgive, make allowance for
liàng 晾 V dry in the air, air dry
liàng 辆 TRAD 輛 MEASURE WORD (for vehicles) 一辆汽车 yí liàng qìchē a car / 两辆自行车 liǎng liàng zìxíngchē two
bicycles
liàng 量 N quantity (See chǎnliàng 产量, dàliàng 大量, fènliàng 分量, jìnliàng 尽量, lìliàng 力 量,
zhìliàng 质量, zhòngliàng 重量.)
liáo 聊 V chat
liáotiān 聊天 V chat ■ 奶奶常去邻居家聊天。 Nǎinai cháng qù línjū jiā liáotiān. My granny often
goes to her neighbor’s home for a chat. ■ 我没空 陪你聊天。Wǒ méi kòng péi nǐ liáotiān. I don’t
have the time to chat with you.
liáo 辽 TRAD 遼 ADJ vast
liáokuò 辽阔 ADJ vast, extensive
liáo 疗 V treat, cure (See zhìliáo 治疗.)
liǎo 了 V finish, be done with ■ 这么多工作，一 星期也做不了。Zhème duō gōngzuò, yì xīngqī yě
zuò bu liǎo. So much work can’t be finished even in a week.
NOTE: 了 liǎo, together with 得 de or 不 bu, is often used after a verb as a complement to mean can ... or
cannot ... For example: ■ 这件事我干得了, 那件 事我干不了。Zhè jiàn shì wǒ gàn de liǎo, nà jiàn shì wǒ gàn bu liǎo. I
can do this job, but I can’t do that job.liǎobuqǐ 了不起 ADJ wonderful, terrific ■ 这个孩 子门门功课第一名，真了不起！Zhège háizi
ménmén gōngkè dì-yī míng, zhēn liǎobuqǐ! This child came out the first in all the subjects. How
wonderful! ■ 你别自以为了不起。Nǐ bié zì yǐwéi liǎobuqǐ. Don’t think yourself so terrific. (→
Don’t think you’re so hot.)
liǎojiě 了解 [comp: 了 see through + 解 analyze, comprehend] V know, understand, find out ■ 我和他是
老朋友，我很了解他。Wǒ hé tā shì lǎo péngyou, wǒ hěn liǎojiē tā. He and I are old friends. I
know him very well. ■ 我来是要了解这 一地区的市场情况。Wó lái shì yào liǎojiě zhè yí dìqū
de shìchǎng qíngkuàng. I’ve come to find out the marketing situation in this region.
liào 料¹ N material (See cáiliào 材料, sùliào 塑 料, etc.)
liào 料² V anticipate (See yìliào 意料.)
liè 列 MEASURE WORD (for trains) 一列火车 yí liè huǒchē a train (consisting of several carriages)
lièchē 列车 N train 20 次列车 èrshí cì lièchē train No 20
lièchē yuán 列车员 N train attendant
lièjǔ 列举 V enumerate, list