The exact verbs for hanging, folding, tying, pouring, reminding and keeping someone company.
English gets through a day with a few broad verbs — put, take, get. Chinese prefers a precise one for each action: you 挂 a coat, 摆 flowers on a sill, 插 them in a vase and 晾 the washing. Most of these verbs are one syllable and rarely stand alone: they want a result or a place after them, as in 摔坏 or 挂在这儿, and many sit happily in a sentence with 把.
The words
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Verb (40)
挂to hang; to hang upVerb3
请把大衣挂在这儿。Please hang your coat here.
Also to hang up the phone: 挂电话.
摆to place; to set out; to arrangeVerb4
她把花摆在窗户旁边。She put the flowers by the window.
拆to take apart; to open (a parcel); to pull downVerb4
孩子们一回家就拆礼物。The children opened their presents as soon as they got home.
修理to repair; to fixVerb3
我的自行车坏了，得找人修理。My bike is broken; I need to find someone to fix it.
In speech often just 修.
安装to install; to fitVerb4
师傅明天来给我们安装空调。The fitter is coming tomorrow to install our air conditioner.
打扰to disturb; to botherVerb4
打扰一下，请问洗手间在哪儿？Excuse me, could you tell me where the toilet is?
打扰一下 is the polite “excuse me” before a question.
提醒to remindVerb4
明天早上请提醒我带护照。Please remind me to take my passport tomorrow morning.
陪to accompany; to keep (sb.) companyVerb4
周末我要陪奶奶去医院。At the weekend I am going with my grandmother to the hospital.
劝to urge; to try to persuadeVerb4
朋友们都劝他少喝点儿酒。His friends all urged him to drink less.
劝 is trying; 说服 is succeeding.
催to hurry (sb.); to press (sb. to do sth.)Verb4
别催我，我马上就好。Don't rush me, I'll be ready in a moment.
拧to twist; to screw; to wringVerb4
这个瓶盖太紧了，我拧不开。This bottle top is too tight, I can't unscrew it.
Also to wring out a towel.
拎to carry (by a handle)Verb4
她拎着两大袋菜回家了。She came home carrying two big bags of groceries.
Colloquial; the standard word is 提.
系to tie; to fastenVerb4
你的鞋带开了，快系好。Your shoelace has come undone, tie it up.
Read jì for tying; xì in 系统.
缝to sew; to stitchVerb4
奶奶帮我把扣子缝好了。Grandma sewed my button back on for me.
The noun “crack, gap” is read fèng.
吵醒to wake (sb.) with noiseVerb4
外面的声音把孩子吵醒了。The noise outside woke the child.
撕to tear; to ripVerb4
她生气地把信撕了。She tore up the letter in anger.
剪to cut (with scissors)Verb4
我想把头发剪短一点儿。I'd like to have my hair cut a bit shorter.
Scissors are 剪刀.
粘to stick; to glueVerb4
请用胶水把这两张纸粘在一起。Please glue these two sheets of paper together.
As an adjective, “sticky”, it is read nián.
摘to pick (fruit, flowers); to take off (glasses, a hat)Verb4
秋天我们去果园摘苹果。In autumn we go apple-picking in an orchard.
Also to take off glasses or a hat: 摘眼镜.
冲to rinse; to flush; to make (with boiling water)Verb4
用完厕所请冲水。Please flush after using the toilet.
Also to make a drink with hot water: 冲咖啡.
泡to soak; to steep; to make (tea)Verb4
他每天早上先泡一壶茶。Every morning the first thing he does is make a pot of tea.
藏to hideVerb4
孩子把糖藏在枕头下面。The child hid the sweets under the pillow.
Read zàng in 西藏.
锁to lockVerb4
出门前别忘了锁门。Don't forget to lock the door before you go out.
Also the noun, a lock.
插to insert; to stick in; to plug inVerb4
她把花插在花瓶里。She put the flowers in a vase.
塞to stuff; to squeeze inVerb4
他把衣服都塞进了包里。He stuffed all his clothes into the bag.
In 塞车, a traffic jam, the roads are stuffed.
晾to hang out to dry; to airVerb4
她把洗好的床单晾在阳台上。She hung the washed sheets out to dry on the balcony.
挡to block; to shield; to be in the wayVerb4
前面的人太高，挡住了我的视线。The person in front is too tall and blocks my view.
盛to fill (a bowl); to serve (rice, soup)Verb4
妈妈给我盛了一碗汤。Mum ladled me out a bowl of soup.
Read shèng, it means “abundant, flourishing”.
抢to snatch; to grab; to rush to doVerb4
两个孩子在抢一个玩具。The two children are fighting over a toy.
Also to be first to do something: 抢着付钱, to race to pay.
堆to pile up; to heapVerb4
他把旧报纸堆在门口。He piled the old newspapers up by the door.
Also a measure word: 一堆衣服, a heap of clothes.
摔to fall; to drop (and break)Verb4
我不小心把手机摔坏了。I accidentally dropped my phone and broke it.
洒to spill; to sprinkleVerb4
咖啡洒了一桌子。Coffee got spilled all over the table.
接送to take and fetch; to drop off and pick upVerb4
我每天开车接送孩子。Every day I drive the children there and back.
递to hand; to passVerb4
请把盐递给我。Please pass me the salt.
串门to drop in (on neighbours or friends)Verb4
周末邻居常常来我们家串门。At weekends the neighbours often drop in on us.
Colloquial and separable.
弄to do; to make; to handle (with a result)Verb4
谁把我的书弄脏了？Who got my book dirty?
A general verb whose result says what was done: 弄坏, 弄丢.
招待to entertain (guests); to look after (visitors)Verb4
她做了一桌菜招待客人。She cooked a whole table of dishes for her guests.
拜访to pay a visit (to sb.)Verb4
明天我想去拜访一下王老师。Tomorrow I'd like to pay Mr Wang a visit.
Polite and somewhat formal; between friends simply 去看 someone.
做客to be a guest; to visitVerb4
欢迎你有空来我家做客。Do come and visit us when you have time.
迎接to meet; to welcomeVerb4
全家人都到机场迎接他。The whole family went to the airport to meet him.
