2 · 40 words

Clothes and colours

What people wear, the verbs for putting it on, and the colours.

English wears everything; Chinese has two verbs. 穿(chuān) is for what you put your body into, a coat, trousers, shoes; 戴(dài) is for what you put on, a hat, glasses, a watch. A colour describes a noun directly, 红(hóng)帽子(màozi), or stands with 的(de) for "the red one": 红(hóng)的(de).

The words

Verb (3)

穿(chuān)to wear; to put on (clothes, shoes)Verb2

今天(jīntiān)很(hěn)冷(lěng)，多(duō)穿(chuān)一(yí)件(jiàn)吧(ba)。It is cold today. Put on another layer.

For what you put your body into; a hat, glasses or a watch take 戴(dài).

戴(dài)to wear; to put on (a hat, glasses, a watch)Verb2

她(tā)戴(dài)着(zhe)一(yì)顶(dǐng)红(hóng)帽子(màozi)。She is wearing a red hat.

For what is put on top of you: hats, glasses, watches, rings, masks.

脱(tuō)to take off (clothes, shoes)Verb2

进(jìn)门(mén)以前(yǐqián)请(qǐng)脱(tuō)鞋(xié)。Please take your shoes off before you come in.

This list belongs to Shopping, clothes and money — seven lists and 282 words that can also be practised as a whole.

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Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.