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Lessons 22 – Advanced – Associating the Similar Words 空想 and 幻想

If you want to learn more Chinese words in limited time effectively when you learn Chinese online free, you need to associate the similar words of certain words after you master the meanings and applications of some certain words. If you have studied for a long time, you may have learned the word 空想, which means the thought or idea not obey the actual conditions when it functions as a noun like 放弃空想. When being used as a verb, it means to imagine and think without any basis. You can make sentence like 他只会空想.

After you know much about this word, you can make a comparison with another word幻想which is similar to it. When functioning as a noun, it has the same meaning with “fancy” n English, showing the idea not real like我对他抱有幻想. As a verb, it indicates to imagine the unrealized things on the basis of the social or personal hope. For example, 他幻想能成为诗人.

In the same way, you can learn the Chinese words控制, 掌握and操纵together because their meanings and applications are similar. 控制has the meaning of taking control of something so that it is under the administration and influence of somebody or certain thing is within certain limit. You can say我们要控制人口数量. When we use 掌握, we usually mean to know something and then apply it to the actual use like掌握多种语言. In addition, it also means to seize the time or grasp the fate like 掌握时间and掌握自己的命运.

操纵also carries the meaning of taking control of something. The most frequently used is to control the machine such as 操纵机器and操纵自如. The scope of application is relatively narrow. When it is applied to mean person or thing, it indicates to use the illegal means to dominate, carrying the negative meaning. You may often hear 幕后操纵and被人操纵when you learn Chinese for free. To express to cry, you can use both 哭and呜咽but the most frequently use is the former one which indicates both crying with or without sound. 呜咽is more often used in written language and there is sound of crying. 

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