Chinese character studies 中文字學

[2ouvenir]

7 hours ago, RedPie said:

Nice writing. Looks almost like it is printed....☺️👍

 

Thanks so much, I try. 

 

But browsing through this forum, there are quite a few people on FPN who write better hanzi than me, like @A Smug Dill or @gerigo. The people on this forum inspired me to pick up Chinese calligraphy again.

[A Smug Dill]

15 hours ago, 2ouvenir said:

there are quite a few people on FPN who write better hanzi than me, like @A Smug Dill 

 

過獎了！你太謙啦。再説，對中國文學的認識，你是比我深得多，有學問得多。

[2ouvenir]

3 hours ago, A Smug Dill said:

過獎了！你太謙啦。再説，對中國文學的認識，你是比我深得多，有學問得多。

 

其實我是加拿大香港人，剛剛開始研究中國文化。我的水平沒有你想像的那麼高！我的中文只有小學程度。請不要誤會我。

[2ouvenir]

 

岳陽樓記 analysis (Part 4/5)

 

至若春和景明波瀾不驚上下天光一碧萬頃沙鷗翔集錦鱗游泳岸芷汀蘭郁郁青青而或長煙一空皓月千里浮光躍金靜影沉璧漁歌互答此樂何極登斯樓也則有心曠神怡寵辱皆忘把酒臨風其喜洋洋者矣

 

This paragraph approaches from another angle, imagining the feelings of wandering guests who ascend the tower on a clear and sunny day. From 至若春和景明 "as for the spring warmth and clear scenes" to 此樂何極 "how extreme this joy is," it juxtaposes the dynamic and static aspects, describing the lush and magnificent scenery. 春和景明波瀾不驚上下天光一碧萬頃 "With spring warmth and clear scenes, the waves are calm and the heavens above and below are bright, the sky and water are one blue expanse" sets the scene, describing the tranquil lake and sky, with a vast expanse of blue waves as far as the eye can see, depicting the serene scenery. 沙鷗翔集錦鱗游泳 "Seagulls flying and gathering, colorful fish swimming" depicts dynamic scenery, with birds flying or resting on the lake, and colorful fish floating or swimming in the water; 岸芷汀蘭郁郁青青 "the shore is filled with fragrant orchids and water grass" describes the flora along the shore, colorful and fragrant. Here, the focus is on the details, describing the fauna and flora of 洞庭湖 Dongting Lake. Animals are at ease, plants are thriving, forming a vibrant landscape painting, rich in colors and fragrance. 而或長煙一空皓月千里浮光躍金靜影沉璧漁歌互答此樂何極 "And sometimes, the long smoke clears, revealing the bright moon across a thousand miles. The floating light leaps like gold, the still reflection sinks like jade. Fishermen's songs respond to each other, such endless joy." depicts the magnificent beauty seen by the wandering guests ascending the tower, naturally feeling 心曠神怡寵辱皆忘 "a heart at ease and a spirit at peace, forgetting both honor and humiliation."

 

 

 

The third and fourth paragraphs are a contrast, depicting the desolate literati who worry about slander and ridicule, facing the 陰風怒號 "howling winds and roaring tigers" and the 春和景明 "spring warmth and clear scenes" of the natural environment, inevitably evoking feelings of sorrow and joy.

[RedPie]

Beautiful pictures @2ouvenir. Your writing looks so accurate. Nature makes you feel good! Thank you for showing this here!

[Penguincollector]

可愛的文字和圖片，謝謝分享。

Lovely writing and pictures, @2ouvenir, thank you for sharing. 

[2ouvenir]

@RedPie @Penguincollector Thank you 

 

[2ouvenir]

Interlude: Classical Chinese linguistic concept: 詞類活用

 

詞類活用 is a linguistic concept in Classical Chinese referring to the flexibility in the grammatical function of words, where a word can change its part of speech based on context. This concept is important for understanding the syntax and meaning of Classical Chinese texts, as it allows words to be used in various grammatical roles without changing their form.

 

For more information please read here.

 

Interlude: Classical Chinese linguistic concept: 通假字

 

通假字 refers to a linguistic phenomenon in Classical Chinese where one character is used in place of another character with a similar sound, usually due to the original character being uncommon or difficult to write. This practice was common in ancient texts and can sometimes make interpretation challenging.

 

For more information please read here.

 

Interlude: Classical Chinese linguistic concept: 文言虛詞

 

文言虛詞 refers to function words or particles in Classical Chinese. Unlike content words (which carry concrete meaning such as nouns, verbs, adjectives), 虛詞 are used to express grammatical relationships and nuances within a sentence. These particles are essential for understanding the structure and meaning of Classical Chinese sentences, as they help indicate aspects like mood, tense, and logical relationships.

 

For more information please read here.

 

You can read the linked articles for examples and further information about each linguistic concept. I will highlight some of these concepts with the text 岳陽樓記 a bit later, maybe this coming weekend. With these linguistic concepts equipped we can dissect subsequent Classical Chinese texts more carefully.

[2ouvenir]

Interlude: 月夜聽盧子順彈琴 by 李白

This arose from replying to another post in FPN. I was a bit disappointed to find out after that the OP would tattoo a Chinese literature piece on their body, but at least I made something out of it. 

 

The digitally rendered text (I did not write this out by hand) is of the first five characters in the poem 月夜聽盧子順彈琴 by 李白: 

 

閒坐夜明月

sitting idly at night under a bright moon

 

Full poem:

 

閒坐夜明月幽人彈素琴
忽聞悲風調宛若寒松吟
白雪亂纖手綠水清虛心
鍾期久已沒世上無知音

 

You can read more about the poem here. 

 

Briefly, this poem expresses lament through the act of listening to a recluse play the qin, reflecting on the lack of understanding in the world.

[RedPie]

11 hours ago, 2ouvenir said:

tattoo a Chinese literature piece on their body, but at least I made something out of it. 

I was reading that too. Thank you for the poem. 

[2ouvenir]

8 hours ago, RedPie said:

I was reading that too. Thank you for the poem. 

 

No problem.

[2ouvenir]

 

岳陽樓記 analysis (Part 5/5)

 

嗟夫予嘗求古仁人之心或異二者之為何哉不以物喜不以己悲居廟堂之高則憂其民處江湖之遠則憂其君是進亦憂退亦憂然則何時而樂耶其必曰先天下之憂而憂後天下之樂而樂歟噫微斯人吾誰與歸

 

The final paragraph clarifies the theme, expressing the poet's discussion through 古仁人之心 "the heart of ancient benevolent people," revealing his own broad-mindedness and aspirations of 先天下之憂而憂後天下之樂而樂 "worrying about the world's worries first and enjoying the world's joys later." Beginning with the sigh of 嗟夫 "Alas," he leads into the discussion, showing dissatisfaction with being bound by worldly sorrows and joys, and then explores the differences between the hearts of ancient benevolent people and the many wandering guests. He first describes the difference between the former and the latter, indicating that the former would not be affected by external changes or personal fortunes, and then uses ancient benevolent people serving in the court as an example, explaining how they worried for the people even when relegated to a distant land, still considering the world their responsibility and worrying for the ruler, to prove that they worried about the country and the people whether advancing or retreating. Then, using the question 然則何時而樂耶 "So when will they be happy?" he introduces the idea of 先天下之憂而憂後天下之樂而樂 "worrying about the world's worries first and enjoying the world's joys later," explaining that the worries and joys of ancient benevolent people are all about the myriad people in the world, not about personal gains or losses, progressively highlighting the noble character of ancient benevolent people. The author then uses the interjections 歟 "Yes" and 噫 "Alas" to express his admiration and praise for the ancient benevolent people, and then states his ambition: he is willing to follow these ancient benevolent people, worrying and enjoying for the sake of the country and the people.

 

Distilled points:

 

不以物喜●不以己悲

Not pleased by external gains, nor saddened by personal losses.

 

先天下之憂而憂●後天下之樂而樂

Worrying about the world's worries first and enjoying the world's joys later.

 

P.S. I missed some characters again in the calligraphy. Oh well. I may write the above two phrases with a calligraphy brush and post it later. Then I will clean out the brush as I foresee a busy June and July, so if I do any calligraphy it will probably be with a fountain pen.

 

(Nevermind, my brush pen went kind of dry after some days or (weeks?) of non-use so I am going to wash it and store for now. Hopefully it will write well again after I reink it when I am more carefree again.)

 

[RedPie]

Looks great and I like to learn from your translations. Thank you for posting! ☺️ I am not doing too good right now with my brush pen. I need to dedicate more time to it. 

[A Smug Dill]

On 6/15/2024 at 9:04 AM, 2ouvenir said:

先天下之憂而憂●後天下之樂而樂

Worrying about the world's worries first and enjoying the world's joys later.

 

I wouldn't put it quite like that, not based on what I was taught. What the following document was produced long after I left school, the interpretation of the text, and I suppose the reason for its inclusion in the high school curriculum in Hong Kong, does not noticeably change over the decades:

https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/tc/curriculum-development/kla/chi-edu/recommended-passages/KS4_14.pdf

 

Quote

先天下之憂而憂，後天下之樂而樂：在天下人面對危機而擔憂之前，憂心
忡忡地籌謀解決之道；待天下人都活得樂也融融之後，才引以為樂。

 

先 and 後 there are not in relation to each other, but in relation to 天下 — the whole world (“beneath the heavens”)^†. Be ahead of others to be actively concerned about the troubles of the world today and to come, and only rejoice and be at peace after everyone else is content and settled.

 

 

^† The ancients did tend to have, or at least be interpreted much later as having held, a rather narrow view of the ‘world’, limited by the scope of their knowledge, as well as geopolitical concerns. In other words, other living species (including those being hunted or driven to extinction) not having a known impact on the ecosystem would be excluded, as would the lives and welfare of ‘barbarians’ beyond the boundaries of the states of the Middle Kingdom.

[2ouvenir]

@A Smug Dill Yes, you are correct, thank you for pointing that out. That is what I wanted it to mean but there was some ambiguity in my English, sorry. I did not mean to have the "first" to be in relation to the "later" instead for them ("first" and "later") to be in relation to all other people. I think I wasn't sure how to word it so that it wouldn't sound so different from the original text, I didn't want the translation to be too wordy. I wanted to retain some poetic effect in translation, and sometimes then I would have to sacrifice precision. Perhaps, I should have written "last" instead of "later" but the ambiguity would still be there. In any case...

 

I want to clarify and reiterate that all my notes in this thread are intended for my own reference. Feel free to read, correct, or discuss them here, but please note that I do not guarantee their (my notes and otherwise) accuracy, clarity, or anything else.

 

@RedPie Thanks as always. Don't give up! Fighting!

[2ouvenir]

Experimenting with more easy-going writing instruments. I will go back to the brush when I feel less overwhelmed (with work and personal life).

 

 

Stationery:

 

Uni POSCA PC-1MR pin type 0.7 mm (for the bolder-looking text) and Sailor ProColor MF inked with Sailor Black; paper is a cutout from Rhodia A5 webnotebook.

 

Text:

 

說話是最容易的事，也是最難的事。最容易，因為三歲孩子也會說話；最難，因為擅長辭令的外交家也有說錯話的時候。

 

说话是最容易的事，也是最难的事。最容易，因为三岁孩子也会说话；最难，因为擅长辞令的外交家也有说错话的时候。

 

Speaking is the easiest thing, yet also the hardest thing. It's the easiest because even a three-year-old can speak; it's the hardest because even a skilled diplomat can sometimes say the wrong thing.

 

Some vocabulary with Mandarin pinyin:

 

說話 (shuō huà) - to speak; to talk
最 (zuì) - most
容易 (róng yì) - easy
事 (shì) - thing; matter
難 (nán) - difficult
因為 (yīn wèi) - because
孩子 (hái zi) - child
會 (huì) - can; to be able to
擅長 (shàn cháng) - to be good at; to be skilled in
辭令 (cí lìng) - speech; eloquence
外交家 (wài jiāo jiā) - diplomat
說錯話 (shuō cuò huà) - to say the wrong thing

 

This passage is very straightforward and the most difficult vocabulary would probably be 擅長 and 辭令:

 

擅長 (shàn cháng) - to be good at; to be skilled in

Example: 他擅長畫畫。 (Tā shàn cháng huà huà.) - He is good at painting.

 

辭令 (cí lìng) - speech; eloquence

Example: 他的辭令很好。 (Tā de cí lìng hěn hǎo.) - His speech is very eloquent.

 

擅長辭令 (shàn cháng cí lìng) - being skilled in speech or eloquence. It emphasizes a person's ability to speak well, often in a persuasive or diplomatic manner. This phrase highlights a particular talent in using words effectively, especially in formal or important situations, such as negotiations, public speaking, or diplomacy. It carries a connotation of having a refined and effective way with words, beyond just general speech skills.

 

This passage is from ● . 

[RedPie]

20 hours ago, 2ouvenir said:

Don't give up! Fighting!

I will not!

[2ouvenir]

Let's continue the passage 說話 from my previous post.

 

 

Text: 

 

說話是最容易的事，也是最難的事。最容易，因為三歲孩子也會說話；最難，因為擅長辭令的外交家也有說錯話的時候。

 

會說話的人不止一種；言之有物，實為心聲，一謦一欬，俱帶感情，這是梁啓超式；長江大河，源遠莫尋，牛溲馬勃，悉成黃金，這是吳稚暉式；科學邏輯，字字推敲，無懈可擊，井井有條，這是胡適之式；嘻笑怒罵，旁若無人，莊諧雜出，四座皆春，這是錢玄同式；默然端坐，以逸待勞，片言偶發，快如霜刀，這是黃旭初式；期期艾艾，隱蘊詞鋒，似訥實辯，以守為攻，這是馮友蘭式。這些人的派別雖不相同，實有異曲同工之妙。普通喜歡用「口若懸河」四個字來形容會說話的人，其實這是很不恰當的形容詞。潑婦駡街往往口若懸河，走江湖賣膏藥的人，更能口若懸河，然而我們並不承認他們會說話，因為我們把這「會」字的標準定得和一般人所定的不同的緣故。

 

Speaking is the easiest thing, yet also the hardest thing. It's the easiest because even a three-year-old can speak; it's the hardest because even a skilled diplomat can sometimes say the wrong thing.

 

There is more than one type of eloquent speakers; speaking with substance, genuinely expressing heartfelt thoughts, with every word imbued with emotion—this is the 梁啓超 Liang Qichao style. Like the mighty Yangtze River, with a long and inexhaustible source, turning even the simplest things into gold—this is the 吳稚暉 Wu Zhihui style. With scientific logic, every word meticulously considered, impeccable and orderly—this is the 胡適 Hu Shi style. Laughing, joking, expressing anger or cursing without a care for others, mixing seriousness with humor, entertaining everyone—this is the 錢玄同 Qian Xuantong style. Sitting quietly, waiting for the right moment, speaking only occasionally but sharply—this is the 黃旭初 Huang Xuchu style. Stuttering, but with hidden sharpness, seemingly inarticulate but actually eloquent, using defense as attack—this is the 馮友蘭 Feng Youlan style. Although these people's styles differ, they all possess a unique but similar charm. People often like to use the phrase 口若懸河 "fluent like a river" to describe someone who speaks well, but this is actually an inappropriate description. A shrew cursing on the street can often be fluent like a river, and street peddlers can be even more fluent like a river, yet we do not recognize them as eloquent. This is because we set a different standard for the word "eloquent" than most people do.

 

Some vocabulary from the second paragraph:

 

會*說話 (huì shuō huà) - articulate, eloquent
不止一種 (bù zhǐ yī zhǒng) - more than one type
言之有物 (yán zhī yǒu wù) - speaking with substance
實為心聲 (shí wèi xīn shēng) - truly heartfelt thoughts
一謦一欬 (yī qìng yī kài) - every word, every cough (with emotion)
俱帶感情 (jù dài gǎn qíng) - filled with emotion
源遠莫尋 (yuán yuǎn mò xún) - long and inexhaustible source
牛溲馬勃 (niú sōu mǎ bó) - the simplest things (idiom**)
悉成黃金 (xī chéng huáng jīn) - turning everything into gold
科學邏輯 (kē xué luó jí) - scientific logic
字字推敲 (zì zì tuī qiāo) - every word meticulously considered
無懈可擊 (wú xiè kě jī) - impeccable
井井有條 (jǐng jǐng yǒu tiáo) - orderly
嘻笑怒罵 (xī xiào nù mà) - laughing, joking, expressing anger or cursing
莊諧雜出 (zhuāng xié zá chū) - mixing seriousness with humor
四座皆春 (sì zuò jiē chūn) - entertaining everyone
默然端坐 (mò rán duān zuò) - sitting quietly
以逸待勞 (yǐ yì dài láo) - waiting for the right moment
片言偶發 (piàn yán ǒu fā) - speaking only occasionally
期期艾艾 (qī qī ài ài) - stuttering
隱蘊詞鋒 (yǐn yùn cí fēng) - hidden sharpness in words
似訥實辯 (sì nè shí biàn) - seemingly inarticulate but actually eloquent
以守為攻 (yǐ shǒu wéi gōng) - using defense as attack
異曲同工 (yì qǔ tóng gōng) - different in form but equally excellent
恰當 (qià dàng) - appropriate
潑婦駡街 (pō fù mà jiē) - a shrew cursing on the street
走江湖 (zǒu jiāng hú) - wandering the streets
賣膏藥 (mài gāo yào) - selling ointment
標準 (biāo zhǔn) - standard
定得 (dìng dé) - set, define

 

* In this context, the Chinese character 會 (huì) means "to be skilled at" or "to be able to do" something. It is often used to indicate a learned ability or skill. For example:

• 我會說中文。(wǒ huì shuō zhōng wén.) – I can speak Chinese.
• 她會彈鋼琴。(tā huì tán gāng qín.) – She can play the piano.

In these sentences, 會 implies that the person has learned and is capable of performing the activity mentioned.

 

** The idiom 牛溲馬勃 (niú sōu mǎ bó) originates from traditional Chinese medicine and literature. Here’s a breakdown of its components and meaning:

• 牛溲 (niú sōu): Refers to a type of herb, specifically the herbaceous plant called Agrimonia pilosa or agrimony. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine.
• 馬勃 (mǎ bó): Refers to a type of fungus, commonly known as puffball (Calvatia gigantea). It has also been used in traditional Chinese medicine.

In the context of the idiom, 牛溲馬勃 combines two seemingly common and lowly things, yet in the hands of a skillful person, they can be turned into something valuable. This idiom is often used to describe how even ordinary materials or seemingly insignificant things can be transformed into something precious or of great use through skill and knowledge.

In the provided passage, the idiom is used to illustrate the 吳稚暉 Wu Zhihui style of eloquence, where even the simplest things are turned into something valuable and impactful. This metaphor highlights the ability to find worth and potential in the mundane, a skill attributed to the eloquence and intellectual prowess of 吳稚暉 Wu Zhihui.

 

Another example:
他有牛溲馬勃的本事，總能把平凡的事物變成寶貴的資源。
He has the skill of 牛溲馬勃, always able to turn ordinary things into valuable resources.

 

The text continues... I think there are about nine paragraphs to this passage, so some ways to go! Brace ourselves.

 

After I finish with 說話 (which may take a very long time (I have to read through and digest the text, manually type it out, check for mistakes, then handwrite it and so on) depending on how motivated I am) if anyone would like me to look at a specific chapter from the same book, I'd be happy to oblige (otherwise I'll choose another one (or more) randomly, choose another one (or more) that looks interesting to me, decide to do the whole book starting from the beginning (unlikely lol), or move on to something else entirely). Here are the chapters:

 

01. 姓名 - Names
02. 書呆子 - Bookworms
03. 西洋人的中國故事 - Westerners' Chinese Stories
04. 戰時的書 - Books During War
05. 戰時的物價 - Wartime Prices
06. 鄉下人 - Country People
07. 辣椒 - Chili Peppers
08. 迷信 - Superstition
09. 騎馬 - Horseback Riding
10. 奇特的食品 - Exotic Foods
11. 詛咒 - Curses
12. 勸菜 -  Please Eat More ***
13. 洪喬主義 - Hongqiaoism
14. 蹓躂 - Strolling
15. 老媽子 - Old Ma (a term for a domestic helper)
16. 看報 - Reading Newspapers
17. 説話 - Speaking ✓ (partially complete, 2/9)
18. 夫婦之間 - Between Husband and Wife
19. 清苦 - Destitution ****
20. 忙 - Busyness
21. 請客 - Entertaining Guests
22. 窮 - Poverty
23. 兒女 - Children
24. 富 - Wealth
25. 著名 - Famous
26. 外國人 - Foreigners
27. 路有凍死骨 - Frozen Bones on the Road *****
28. 領薪水 - Receiving Salary
29. 寫文章 - Writing Essays
30. 賣文章 - Selling Essays
31. 罵人和捱罵 - Scolding and Being Scolded
32. 閒 - Leisure
33. 燈 - Lamps
34. 蝨 - Lice
35. 衣 - Clothes
36. 食 - Food
37. 住 - Living
38. 行 - Traveling
39. 疏散 - Evacuation
40. 題壁 - Writings on Walls (like graffiti and so on)
41. 手杖 - Walking Stick
42. 西餐 - Western Food
43. 失眠 - Insomnia
44. 小氣 - Stinginess
45. 排字工友的悲哀 - Typesetter's Sorrow
46. 清潔和市容 - Cleanliness and Appearance of a City
47. 老 - Old
48. 結婚 - Marriage
49. 拍照 - Photography
50. 迴避和兜圈子 - Avoidance and Circling Around
51. 公共汽車 - Public Bus
52. 跳舞 - Dancing
53. 看戲 - Going to the Theater
54. 簡稱 - Abbreviations
55. 標語 - Slogans
56. 寄信 - Sending Letters
57. 開會 - Meetings
58. 寡與不均 - Scarcity and Inequality
59. 遣散物資 - Dispersal of Goods
60. 苦盡甘來 - After Hardship Comes Happiness
61. 五強和五霸 - Five Powers and Five Hegemons
62. 天高皇帝遠 - The Emperor is Far Away +
63. 應付環境和改變自己 - Coping with the Environment and Changing Oneself

 

*** The term 勸菜 (quàn cài) [recommend food] in the context of Chinese culture refers to the practice of encouraging guests to eat more food during a meal. This is a common custom in Chinese hospitality where the host repeatedly urges guests to try different dishes and have more servings to show generosity and concern for the guests' well-being. This practice is rooted in the value placed on hospitality and making guests feel welcomed and well-fed.

 

**** 清苦 (qīng kǔ) is an adjective describing a life that is austere or frugal, often involving hardship and simplicity. It combines 清 (qīng), meaning "clean" or "pure," and 苦 (kǔ), meaning "bitter" or "hard." The term suggests living a life of minimalism and modest means, highlighting the purity and resilience in enduring such conditions. Mostly to describe scholars and intellectuals. 因為要清，所以願苦。

 

***** 路有凍死骨 (lù yǒu dòng sǐ gǔ) literally translates to "There are frozen bones by the roadside." This phrase originates from a Chinese poem by 杜甫 Du Fu, a famous Tang dynasty poet, and it metaphorically represents the extreme poverty and suffering experienced by people. It highlights the harsh reality where, despite the wealth and prosperity of a nation, there are still those who suffer and die from cold and hunger on the streets. The phrase serves as a poignant critique of social inequality and the neglect of the poor.

 

+ 天高皇帝遠 (tiān gāo huáng dì yuǎn) translates to "The heavens are high and the emperor is far away." This phrase suggests a situation where the central authority (the emperor) is distant and cannot easily exert control or influence over remote areas. It implies that in such distant places, people may act more freely or local officials may govern with less oversight from the central power. This saying is often used to describe the challenges of maintaining effective control over large or remote territories.

 

The chapters themselves can act as a list of vocabulary to learn or revise from. There is so much here, I am bound to make a mistake, so please excuse me.

 

P.S. I don't know about copyright and such, but one can easily read the book online here: CUHK Library. So I am simply working from what is already readily available online (presumably legally). Of course I recommend supporting the author 王力 (although he already passed away) and buying this book (ISBN 9787550209831) in traditional or simplified Chinese. If one is a Chinese language learner or lover, this book probably has all the Chinese one would ever want or need (maybe an exaggeration, but it does cover a wide range of topics with cultural, historical, and literary references).

[2ouvenir]

Sorry I have been gone for a while. Let's just say I've been distracted and sidetracked by other things and not really in a good way. Moving on.

 

I just reinked my calligraphy brush after realizing that brush became moldy (ugh). I quickly soaked it in soapy water and reinked it hoping that the ink will keep it disinfected. Nothing's going right in my life right now sigh. I still haven't decided if the mold has permanently damaged my brush pen but it still writes sufficiently well that I cannot be bothered to think about it any further until more issues arise.

 

 

First word after a long hiatus. I saw this in a passage and I thought it was a fun word to write. 尷尬. Feeling of embarrassment, awkwardness and unease. For example, 

 

我舅父經常問我令我覺得好尷尬的問題。

My uncle (mother's brother) often asks me questions that make me feel very embarrassed.

 

Perhaps I am wrong, but I don't think there is an exact English word that matches the meaning of 尷尬. I would say it's a mixture of embarrassment and awkwardness that leads to a general feeling of discomfort.

 

I feel exhausted and super uninspired but maybe this feeling will pass. I did just reink my brush pen but it is more so to keep it disinfected. I guess I could've just let it dry properly, but it's kind of humid right now and the construction of the pen may be such that it is a pain to get it to dry completely. Anyways, I am rambling. Hope you feel better than me, and keep practising!

[RedPie]

Good to see you posting again! It only can get better. You will see. Good thoughts will give you good feelings. 😊