Y

yā 压 TRAD 壓 V press, push down ■ 这纸盒不能 压。 Zhè zhǐhé bù néng yā. This paper box mustn’t be
crushed.
yājià 压价 V undersell
yālì 压力 N pressure
yāpò 压迫 [comp: 压 press + 迫 force, compel] V & N oppress; oppression ■ 在有些国家，妇女 仍然受
到压迫。Zài yǒuxiē guójiā, fùnǚ réngrán shòudào yāpò. In some countries, women still suffer
from oppression.
yāsuìqián 压岁钱 N money given to children as a lunar New Year gift
yāsuō 压缩 [v+compl: 压 press + 缩 shrink] V compress, condense 空气压缩机 kōngqì yāsuōjī compressor
yāyì 压抑 [comp: 压 press + 抑 suppress] V suppress, constrain, inhibit 压抑自己的愤怒 yāyì zìjǐ de fènnù
suppress one’s anger
yāzhà 压榨 [comp: 压 press + 榨 squeeze] V extract (juice) by pressure, press
yāzhì 压制 V repress, stifle
yā 呀 INTERJ oh, ah (expressing surprise) ■ 呀，这 不是约翰吗，没想到在这里见到你！ Yā, zhè bú
shì Yuēhàn ma, méi xiǎngdào zài zhèli jiàndào nǐ! Oh, isn’t it John? Fancy seeing you here! ■
呀， 你还会说上海话！Yā, nǐ hái huì shuō Shànghǎi huà! Oh, you also speak the Shanghai
dialect!
yā 押 V detain, take into custody
yājīn 押金 N cash pledge, deposit
yā 鸭 TRAD 鴨 N duck
yāzi 鸭子 N duck (只 zhī)
yā 鸦 TRAD 鴉 N crow 乌鸦 wūyā crow (只 zhī)
yā què wú shēng 鸦雀无声 IDIOM not even a crow or sparrow can be heard, all is quiet
yá 牙 N tooth, teeth ■ 我牙疼。 Wǒ yá téng. I have a toothache.
yáchǐ 牙齿 [comp: 牙 tooth + 齿 tooth] N tooth, teeth (颗 kē)
yágāo 牙膏 [modif: 牙 tooth + 膏 paste, cream] N toothpaste (管 guǎn)
yáshuā 牙刷 [modif: 牙 tooth + 刷 brush] N toothbrush (把 bǎ) ■ 我忘了带牙刷，要买一 把。Wǒ
wàngle dài yáshuā, yào mǎi yì bǎ. I forgot to bring my toothbrush. I need to buy one.
yáyī 牙医 N dentist, dentistry
yá 芽 N sprout (See méngyá 萌芽.)
yǎ 哑 TRAD 啞 ADJ mute
yǎba 哑巴 N speech-impaired person, dumb person
yǎ 雅 ADJ refined (See wényǎ 文雅.)
yà 亚 TRAD 亞 ADJ inferior; Asia
yàjūn 亚军 N (in sports) second place, runner-up
Yàzhōu 亚洲 [modif: 亚 Asia + 洲 continent] N Asia ■ 亚洲是世界上最大的一个洲。Yàzhōu shì
shìjiè shang zuì dà de yí ge zhōu. Asia is the largest continent in the world.
ya 呀 PARTICLE same as 啊² ā PARTICLE. Used after a, e, i, o, u. ■ 这个苹果真大呀！Zhège píngguǒ zhēn dà
ya! How big this apple is!
yān 烟 TRAD 煙 N 1 smoke 2 same as 香烟 xiāngyān ■ 请勿吸烟 qǐngwù xīyān No smoking. 禁烟区 jìnyān
qū smoke-free area
yānhuā bàozhú 烟花爆竹 N fireworks and firecrackers
yān 淹 V submerge, inundate
yānmò 淹没 V submerge, flood
yán 延 V extend