“Sharp” is one of those wonderful words where we have one word in English, but there are two words for it in Chinese.
Sharp is used to describe something with a pointed or fine edge. Sharp things can prick, poke, slice, and cut.
This knife is sharp. Its edge can slice fruit or open an envelope. It can cut your finger if you are not careful. The Chinese word for this is 尖利 Jiānlì or just 利 Lì.
Scissors are also sharp. They are used to cut a length of material or paper.
This tack can poke and prick. It is used to attach papers to corkboard. It is sharp so that it can stick through things. The Chinese word for this is 尖锐 Jiānruì.
Sample sentences:
Don’t let Billy handle the knife; it’s too sharp.
Be careful handling those sharp tacks–they can poke you!
In English, we use common items and words in idioms. Today, I was teaching Phil in Chiayi, in South Taiwan. His English has greatly improved through taking classes DreyerCoaching.com and I wanted to compliment him on his improvement. We have been studying metaphors and similes in English. I asked him to write a simile, and I also used a simile, “Phil is sharp as a tack.” To be “as sharp as a tack” means to be intelligent or smart. In contrast, to be dull is to be stupid or unintelligent. Sharp can also mean smart. So, we have the idiom, “sharp as a tack,” to compare an intelligent person with an item that is very sharp.
“To sharpen” means “to make sharp,” and it can also mean “to improve.” For example, if you want to sharpen your reading skills, read more of our blog posts! To sharpen your listening skills, listen to some of my podcasts!
And if you REALLY want to sharpen your English, join one of our online classes! Contact Scott today to get started!
Hebrews 4:12 says the Bible is “sharper than a two-edged sword.” In the verse, the word of God pierces the soul, spirit, bones, and marrow to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. In other words, the Bible metaphorically cuts us in half to show us our true selves.
Hebrews 4:12 ESV – For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12 Simplified Chinese – 上帝的话有生命、有功效，锋利无比，胜过一切两刃的利剑，甚至能够剌入并分开魂与灵、关节与骨髓，辨明人一切的思想和动机。
Hebrews 4:12 Traditional Chinese – 上帝的話有生命、有功效，鋒利無比，勝過一切兩刃的利劍，甚至能夠剌入並分開魂與靈、關節與骨髓，辨明人一切的思想和動機。
To make things even more interesting, “sharp” also shows a music note that is half a step above the regular note. That is, the black keys on a piano are sharps. However, a note that is half a step low is NOT called dull, but it is called a flat.
Keep your mind and your English skills sharp–sign up for an online English class today!
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