설명
In Chinese, the word for orange sounds close enough to the word for auspicious that the fruit has become a symbol of good luck at Chinese New Year. Josh Edbrooke was calling from Taipei, eating oranges, when ShaoLan taught him why. 橘色 (jú sè) is orange the colour: 橘 (jú) is the fruit and 色 (sè) is colour. Swap 色 for 子 (zǐ) and 橘子 (jú zǐ) is orange the fruit, where 子 is the suffix that turns a character into a concrete object. Some families in Taiwan grow a miniature 橘子 plant at home during New Year, not to eat, but simply to keep luck inside the house. Others buy a large bowl of oranges and eat their way through them until the season ends.
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*⏰ TIMESTAMPS:*
0:00 - Introducing Josh Edbrooke and the word for orange colour
1:00 - 橘色 (jú sè): the colour orange and how to remember it
1:45 - 色 (sè): colour, and how it builds orange from the fruit
2:30 - 橘子 (jú zǐ): orange the fruit and why 子 matters
3:15 - Why 橘 sounds like the Chinese word for auspicious
4:00 - Chinese New Year oranges: luck, superstition, and a bowl that never empties
In Chinese, a fruit became a symbol of luck not because of its taste or its colour, but because of how its name sounds. The relationship between sound and meaning runs deep in this language.
*📖 KEY VOCABULARY:*
Orange colour: 橘色 (jú sè)
Colour: 色 (sè)
Orange as fruit: 橘子 (jú zǐ)
*👤 ABOUT THE GUEST:*
Josh is a professional drummer and founding member of the British rock group ‘Transition 前進樂團.’ He has performed with major Asian artists like Rainie Yang (楊丞琳) and Wing (羅文裕). Beyond music, he is a dedicated activist for ONE.org.
*🎙️ ABOUT TALK CHINEASY:*
Talk Chineasy is a daily podcast hosted by ShaoLan, creator of the award-winning Chineasy method featured on TED. In each 7-minute episode, ShaoLan and a guest explore Chinese characters, culture, and language through stories that make Mandarin unforgettable. 300+ episodes available.
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