yěxǔ huì xiàyǔ. It’s very cloudy. Perhaps it’ll rain. ■“他 今天会给我们发电子邮件吗？”“也
许。”“Tā jīntiān huì gěi wǒmen fā diànzǐ yóujiàn ma?” “Yěxǔ.” “Will he send us an e-mail
today?” “Perhaps.”
NOTE: See note on 恐怕 kǒngpà.yě 野 ADJ open country, wild
yěmán 野蛮 [comp: 野 wild + 蛮 rough] ADJ savage, barbaric
yěshēng 野生 [modif: 野 wild + 生 living] ADJ wild (animal or plant) 野生动物 yěshēng dòngwù wildlife /
野生植物 yěshēng zhíwù wild plant
yěshòu 野兽 [modif: 野 wild + 兽 beast] N wild beast, wild animal
yěwài 野外 N open country, field 野外作业 yěwàizuòyè field work
yěxīn 野心 [modif: 野 wild + 心 heart] N wild ambition
yè 业 TRAD 業 N industry
yèwù 业务 [comp: 业 occupation + 务 business] N 1 professional work, vocational work ■ 她业务水 平
很强。Tā yèwù shuǐpíng hěn qiáng. She is very efficient professionally. 2 business ■ 公司的业务
开展很顺利。Gōngsī de yèwù kāizhǎn hěn shùnlì. The business of the company has developed
smoothly.
yèyú 业余 ADJ spare time, amateur ■ 你业余时 间做什么？Nǐ yèyú shíjiān zuò shénme? What do you
do in your spare time? ■ 他是一位中学老师， 也是业余音乐家。Tā shì yí wèi zhōngxué lǎoshī,
yě shì yèyú yīnyuèjiā. He is a high school teacher and also an amateur musician.
yè 叶 TRAD 葉 N leaf
yèzi 叶子 [suffix: 叶 leaf + 子 nominal suffix] N leaf (片 piàn) ■ 秋天，叶子都黄了。 Qiūtiān, yèzi
dōu huáng le. In autumn, leaves turn yellow.
yè 页 TRAD 頁 N page ■ 这本词典有三百多页。Zhè běn cídiǎn yǒu sānbǎi duō yè. This dictionary has
over three hundred pages. ■ 请把书翻到二十 页。Qǐng bǎ shū fān dào érshì yè. Please turn to
page twenty of your book.
yè 夜 N night, evening ■ 他昨夜十一点钟才回 家。Tā zuó yè shíyī diǎnzhōng cái huíjiā. Last night
she returned home as late as eleven o’clock. 夜班 yèbān night shift / 夜车 yèchē night train / 半夜 bànyè
midnight
yèli 夜里 N at night ■ 这条大街夜里也车辆不 断。Zhè tiáo dàjiā yèli yě chēliàng bú duàn. There is
constant traffic on this main street even at night. ■ 这个人喜欢白天睡觉，夜里工作， 是
个“夜猫子”。Zhège rén xǐhuan báitiān shuìjiào, yèli gōngzuò, shì ge “yè māozi.” This guy likes
sleeping in the day and working at night, just like an owl.
yèwǎn 夜晚 N same as 夜里 yèli
yè 液 N liquid, fluid
yètǐ 液体 N liquid
yī 一 NUMERAL one ■ 一万一千一百十一 yíwàn yìqiān yìbǎi shíyī eleven thousand, one hundred and
eleven (11,111)
NOTES: (1) 一 undergoes tone changes (tone sandhi). When standing alone, 一 is pronounced with the first
tone, i.e. yī. When followed by a sound in the fourth tone, 一 changes to the second tone, e.g. 一 定 yídìng.
一 is pronounced in the fourth tone in all other circumstances, e.g. 一般 yìbān, 一同 yìtóng, 一 起 yìqǐ. Pay
attention to the various tones of 一 here and in following words. (2) When saying a number (e.g. a
telephone number) people may pronounce 一 as yāo for clarity, e.g. ■ 我的电话号码是五八一三 九。 Wǒ de
diànhuă hàomă shì wǔ-bā-yāo-sān-jiǔ. My telephone number is 58139.
yíbàn 一半 N half, one half ■ 他一半时间念书， 一半时间做工。Tā yíbàn shíjiān niànshū, yíbàn
shíjiān zuògōng. He spends half his time studying and the other half working.
yìbān 一般 ADJ 1 generally speaking, ordinarily ■ 每星期一上午我们一般都开会。Měi Xīngqīyī
shàngwǔ wǒmen yìbān dōu kāihuì. We usually have a meeting every Monday morning. 2 average,