zhōng guó China

gǔ dài ancient times; olden times

sì dà fā míng the four great Chinese inventions: paper, printing, magnetic compass and gunpowder

fā míng to invent; invention

hěn duō a lot of

qí zhōng among; in; included among these

zuì most

zhù míng famous; noted; well-known; celebrated

de of

dí exact

dì target

shì be

huó zì movable type

huó zì yìn shuā printing with movable type

yìn shuā print

yìn shuā shù printing; printing technology

zhǐ nán to guide; guidebook

zhǐ nán zhēn compass

hé and

hè join

huó mix

huò mix

hú win

huǒ yào gunpowder

zhè this

zhèi this (coll)

duì reply

xiàn dài modern times; modern age; modern era

kē xué science; scientific knowledge; scientific

kē xué jì shù science and technology

jì shù technology; technique; skill

fā zhǎn development; growth; to develop; to grow; to expand

yǐng xiǎng an influence; an effect; to influence; to affect (usually adversely); to disturb

dōng hàn Eastern or later Han dynasty, 25-220

shí qī period; phase

cài lún Cai Lun (-121), the inventor of paper making

gǎi jìn to improve; to make better

zhǐ zhāng paper

zhì liàng quality; mass (in physics)

tí gāo to raise; to increase

jià gé price

yě also

biàn yí convenient

pián yi small advantages; to let sb off lightly; cheap; inexpensive

liǎng qiān two thousand

réng rán still; yet

rén men people

xué xí to learn; to study

shēng huó life; activity; to live; livelihood

bì xū to need; to require; essential; indispensable

bì xū pǐn necessity; essential (thing)

sòng dài Song dynasty (960-1279)

bì shēng Bi Sheng (inventor of movable type)

zài at

diāo bǎn a carved printing block

jī chǔ base; foundation; basis; underlying

jī chǔ shàng basically; on the basis

yī zì in a row; in a line

líng huó flexible; nimble; agile

fāng biàn convenient; to help out; to make things easy for people; convenience; suitable; having money to spare; (euphemism) to go to the toilet

dà dà greatly; enormously; uncle

cù jìn to promote (an idea or cause); to advance; boost

zhī shi intellectual; knowledge-related; knowledge

chuán bō to disseminate; to propagate; to spread

jiào call

yòng lái to be used for

zhǐ shì to point out; to indicate; to instruct; directives; instructions

fāng xiàng direction; orientation; path to follow

háng hǎi sailing; navigation; voyage by sea

tàn xiǎn to explore; to go on an expedition; adventure

bì bèi essential

gōng jù tool; instrument; utensil; means (to achieve a goal etc)

gǔ rén people from ancient times; the ancients; the late (i.e. person who has passed away)

wú yì inadvertent; accidental

míng liǎo to understand clearly; to be clear about; plain; clear

yǒu le I've got a solution!; to have a bun in the oven (abbr. for 有了胎)

cái talent

yān huā fireworks; prostitute (esp. in Yuan theater)

biān pào firecrackers; string of small firecrackers

dàn yào ammunition