vocabulary wiki
student-sourced examples of fascinating vocabulary words and their definitions
drawn from course readings
Allude (Jenny Yu)
Sentence in the reading: Alex Mclntosh maintains that while a number of social theorists have indeed alluded to the human need for food, food preference and consumption is "frequently taken for granted" both as a vital element of social life and as a basis for collective identity. (The Larder, P2)
Definition: to make indirect reference ("Allude." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 25 Jan. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/allude)
Amateur (Even)
Original sentence: A more amateur strain of barbecue enthusiasm swept through the suburbs as outdoor grilling became part of the good life.
Definition: “One who engages in a pursuit, study, science, or sport as a pastime rather than as a profession.”
Example: These photos are not so good because they are taken by amateurs, not professionals.
Awry (Junyi Chen)
If something goes awry, it does not happen in the way it was planned. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"As teachers, the three of us have certainly seen our fair share of group projects go awry, whether because of conflict over the topic or direction of a project, personal disagreements among members of a group, or group members who don't contribute what they're supposed to. " (Writer/Designer)
albumen (Tianyu Ma)
Original sentence: Their albumen were a filthy, translucent brown, their yolk and oozy black,(Shark's fin P8）
Definition:the part of the inside of an egg that is clear before it is cooked and white after it is cooked : the white of an egg.
"Albumen." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/albumen>.
Alley (Seung Hyo Han)
a lane in a garden or park, bordered by trees or shrubs. (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
In the alleys there were wine shops, with strong grain spirits sold from enormous clay vats. (Shark's Fin p.39)
Antebellum: (Lumiao Zhang)
Original sentence “Indeed, once the Scotch-Irish had learned to make whiskey from corn, tremendous quantities of that beverage were drunk on the frontier in the antebellum South.”
Definition: existing before a war; especially: existing before the American Civil War;
"The setting is the antebellum plantation in springtime."
Afflict (Yusi Zhou)
Original sentence: The illness had not been seen in children and probably did not afflict adolescent. BBC: Night bingeing recognized as a disorder.
Definition: if you are afflicted by pain, illness or disaster, it affects you badly and makes you suffer. (Collins)
Attentive( Yuchen Han)
Original sentence: I want to get married, I want to marry an attentive man, do not forget my birthday,our anniversary, know my preferences.
Definition: giving care or attention
amid(Zining Wang)
in or into the middle of
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amid?show=0&t=1391573294
You can park your car amid a jumble of little shopping plazas.(Salad Bowl City)
Au pair
--"Our Japanese au pair girl made riceballs for my sister and me for breakfast, ..." Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper, p.9
adj.
Definition: a usually young foreign person who cares for children and does domestic work for a family in return for room and board and the opportunity to learn the family's language.
(Merriam-Webster's Dictionary)
-By Yichu Lin
Anachronism (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: While I said that enrolling at the cooking school marked the start of my apprenticeship, that’s actually an anachronism.
Definition: something (such as a word, an object, or an event) that is mistakenly placed in a time where it does not belong in a story, movie, etc.
Example: He's an old-fashioned politician who is seen by many of his colleagues as an anachronism.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anachronism)
Abalone (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a type of brick made of a mixture of mud and straw that is dried by the sun
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abalone)
Original sentence: But now, for the first time, I understand the serious, sensual appeal of the abalone, the elusive delights of its strong and tender bite.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.148)
Adobe (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a type of shellfish that is eaten as food and that has a shell that is lined with a hard white material
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adobe)
Original sentence: As you drive through the countryside, through irrigated fields lined with trees, and villages of adobe homes, there are bread-stalls at every turn.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.243)
Aching (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: And then I left Chengdu, with an aching heart.
Definition: causing or reflecting distress, deep emotion, or longing ("Aching." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aching)
Abhorrent (Minho Cho)
Sentence: To the Uyghur, as Muslims, the mere idea of eating pork is abhorrent. (Shark's Fin pg.249)
Def: causing repugnance; detestable; loathsome
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/abhorrent?s=t)
Anise(Jenny Yu)
Sentence: Inevitably, there was a dishful of red-braised pork, seasoned with star anise, ginger and chilli. (Shark's Fin, 177)
Definition: a plant with seeds that are used in cooking and to flavor candies and alcoholic drinks ("Anise." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anise)
Adulteration (Huan Qu)Definition: the process of adulterating, to make (something, such as a food or drink) impure or weaker by adding something of poor quality
"Adulterate." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adulterate>
Reading: Aside from the deliberate adulteration of food by corrupt manufacturers, the pollution is so dire in many parts of China that it poses a direct and grave threat to human health. (Sharks' Fin, p279)
Abase( Zeyu Yin)
Text:Anna expected to have to curtsy to the King of Siam; when told to cast herself down on the ground before him, however, she refused to abase herself
definition: to humble or belittle
Adulation(Zeyu Yin)
text:The rock star thrived on the adulation of his groupies and yes men. adulate
Definition: lattery; admiration.
Agnostic(Zeyu YIN)
Text: Agnostics say we can neither prove nor disprove the existence of god; we simply just can't know.
Definition: one who is skeptical of the existence or knowability of a god or any ultimate reality.
Apprentice (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a person who learns a job or skill by working for a fixed period of time for someone who is very good at that job or skill
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apprentice)
Original sentence: The master-apprentice system declined during the Cultural Revolution, when haute cuisine was blacklisted and even small-time street traders were banned as capitalists.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.79)
Albumen(Yingshan Fang)
Definition: the clear part inside an egg that is white when cooked
Link:http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/british/albumen?q=albumen
Sentence in reading:Their albumens were a filthy,translucent brown.
Definition: the clear part inside an egg that is white when cooked
Link:http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/british/albumen?q=albumen
Sentence in reading:Their albumens were a filthy,translucent brown.
Assiduous (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: I am an assiduous host, and make sure that I give my mother and father lots of interesting things to eat.
Definition: showing great care, attention, and effort (from Merriam Webster Online)
Example: They were assiduous in their search for all the latest facts and figures. (from Merriam Webster Online)
Original Sentence: I am an assiduous host, and make sure that I give my mother and father lots of interesting things to eat.
Definition: showing great care, attention, and effort (from Merriam Webster Online)
Example: They were assiduous in their search for all the latest facts and figures. (from Merriam Webster Online)
Anomaly (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region remains an anomaly in the Chinese empire. (Shark's Fin 240)
Definition: something that is unusual or unexpected. (Merriam Webster Online)
Example: We couldn't explain the anomalies in the test results. (Merriam Webster Online)
Abrogation (Lanting He)
Text: In the mid- twentieth century, the Great Powers knew the formalisation of specific requirements on all states to observe individual human rights would require significant abrogation of authority.
Definition: eglecting, abandonment
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/abrogation?showCookiePolicy=true
Annex(Yusi Zhou)
Ukraine's interim president said that Putin was "mimicking the fascists of the last century by annexing the territory of an independent state."
Definition: to add (an area or region) to a country, state, etc. : to take control of (a territory or place)(Merriam Webster online)
Original Sentence: The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region remains an anomaly in the Chinese empire. (Shark's Fin 240)
Definition: something that is unusual or unexpected. (Merriam Webster Online)
Example: We couldn't explain the anomalies in the test results. (Merriam Webster Online)
Abrogation (Lanting He)
Text: In the mid- twentieth century, the Great Powers knew the formalisation of specific requirements on all states to observe individual human rights would require significant abrogation of authority.
Definition: eglecting, abandonment
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/abrogation?showCookiePolicy=true
Annex(Yusi Zhou)
Ukraine's interim president said that Putin was "mimicking the fascists of the last century by annexing the territory of an independent state."
Definition: to add (an area or region) to a country, state, etc. : to take control of (a territory or place)(Merriam Webster online)
Aaron (Zeyu Yin) Bold :
Link:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bold
Definition:standing out prominently
example:
Definition: Swollen with fluid or gas.
Example: She put her bloated, dirty hands on her skirt.
Baptismal( Yuchen Han)
Original sentence: All are bowed beneath the equality of baptismal names
Definition: of or relating to baptism.
Bogeyman
Definition:a person who is hated or feared by a group of people
Example: a politician who is the familiar bogeyman of conservatives
link:http://www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/bogeyman
Blighted (Huan Qu)Definition: something that causes harm or damage like a disease
"Blight." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blight>.Reading: It was a terrifying place, a blighted metropolis where the chimneys of the local metallurgy and chemical plants spewed their vile.... (Sharks' Fin, p279)
Blanch
--"I certainly wasn't the kind of girl who would blanch at the sight of a snail or a kidney." Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper, p. 9
verb
Definition: (vt.) : to take the color out of: as a : to bleach by excluding light b : to scald or parboil in water or steam in order to remove the skin from, whiten, or stop enzymatic action in (as food for freezing) c : to make ashen or pale <fear blanches the cheek>
(vi.): to become white or pale
(Merriam-Webster's Dictionary)
-By Yichu Lin
(Yifan Liang)
Badger
Definition: n. Any of various stocky omnivorous musteline mammals of the subfamily Melinae. They are typically large burrowing animals, with strong claws and a thick coat striped black and white on the head.
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/badger)
blurt (Wonjun Lee)
to say (something) suddenly and without thinking about how people will react
"Is it my uncle?" he blurted.
Butcher (Minho Cho)
sentence: There is no conceptual divide between 'meat' and 'inedible rubbery bits' when butchering an animal carcass. (Shark's Fin. pg.12)
Def: to slaughter or dress (animals, fish, or poultry) for market.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/butcher?s=t)
Bloke (Huan Qu)
Definition: a man
("Bloke." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bloke>.)
Reading: The young bloke next to me has a lump of dough in his hand. (Sharks' Fin, p77)
balding( Yuchen Han)
Sentence: This is because androgen receptors, a key hormone in the process of balding, are on the X chromosome.
Definition: adj. getting bald
Brochure (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: If you're making a breast cancer awareness brochure, do you need to use the pink ribbon in order to be taken seriously? (Writer/Designer, P46)
Definition: a small, thin book or magazine that usually has many pictures and information about a product, a place, etc. ("Brochure." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2014.http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brochure)
Brink (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: The Chinese seem to be on the brink of ditching what’s left of their own philosophical and technological heritage.
Definition: edge; especially : the edge at the top of a steep place
Example: <was at the brink of death when the rescuers arrived>
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brink)
Blushing (Seung Hyo Han)
rosy (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Blushing, I take another bite. (Shark's Fin p.148)
Broth (Tianyu Ma)
definition: liquid in which food (such as meat) has been cooked
"Broth." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/broth>.
sentence: I explain to my parents how to cook pieces of raw food in the broth.( shark's fin P
Barbarian (Huan Qu)
Definition: of or relating to a land, culture, or people alien and usually believed to be inferior to another land, culture, or people
("Barbarian." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barbarian>.)
Reading: And in China, of course, I'm all too often still a big-nosed barbarian.
Brace (Yifan Liang)
Sentence: ... I braced myself to eat whatever the Chinese might put in front of me. (Last sentence of the second paragraph, Page 10, Prologue, Shark's Fin)
Definition: v. 1. to provide, strengthen, or fit with a brace
2. to steady or prepare (oneself or something) as before an impact
3. to stimulate; freshen; invigorate
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/brace)
Bazaar (Minho Cho)
Sentence: The bazaars of Kashgar are piled high with fruit. (Shark's Fin pg.252)
Def: a marketplace or shopping quarter, especially one in the Middle East.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bazaar?s=t)
bedizen(Zeyu Yin)
Text: The witch doctors were bedizened in all their gaudiest costumes.
Definition: dress with vulgar finery.
bedraggle(Zeyu Yin)
Text: We were so bedraggled by the severe storm that we had to change into dry clothing.
Definition: wet thoroughly; stain with mud.
Banquet (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: an elaborate and often ceremonious meal for numerous people often in honor of a person
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/banquet)
Original sentence: Chinese banquets have always been a cause for trepidation for outsiders because of the use of shark's fin.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.10)
Link:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bold
Definition:standing out prominently
example:
- <Few politicians have been bold enough to oppose the plan to cut taxes.>
Definition: Swollen with fluid or gas.
Example: She put her bloated, dirty hands on her skirt.
Baptismal( Yuchen Han)
Original sentence: All are bowed beneath the equality of baptismal names
Definition: of or relating to baptism.
Bogeyman
Definition:a person who is hated or feared by a group of people
Example: a politician who is the familiar bogeyman of conservatives
link:http://www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/bogeyman
Blighted (Huan Qu)Definition: something that causes harm or damage like a disease
"Blight." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blight>.Reading: It was a terrifying place, a blighted metropolis where the chimneys of the local metallurgy and chemical plants spewed their vile.... (Sharks' Fin, p279)
Blanch
--"I certainly wasn't the kind of girl who would blanch at the sight of a snail or a kidney." Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper, p. 9
verb
Definition: (vt.) : to take the color out of: as a : to bleach by excluding light b : to scald or parboil in water or steam in order to remove the skin from, whiten, or stop enzymatic action in (as food for freezing) c : to make ashen or pale <fear blanches the cheek>
(vi.): to become white or pale
(Merriam-Webster's Dictionary)
-By Yichu Lin
(Yifan Liang)
Badger
Definition: n. Any of various stocky omnivorous musteline mammals of the subfamily Melinae. They are typically large burrowing animals, with strong claws and a thick coat striped black and white on the head.
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/badger)
blurt (Wonjun Lee)
to say (something) suddenly and without thinking about how people will react
"Is it my uncle?" he blurted.
Butcher (Minho Cho)
sentence: There is no conceptual divide between 'meat' and 'inedible rubbery bits' when butchering an animal carcass. (Shark's Fin. pg.12)
Def: to slaughter or dress (animals, fish, or poultry) for market.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/butcher?s=t)
Bloke (Huan Qu)
Definition: a man
("Bloke." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bloke>.)
Reading: The young bloke next to me has a lump of dough in his hand. (Sharks' Fin, p77)
balding( Yuchen Han)
Sentence: This is because androgen receptors, a key hormone in the process of balding, are on the X chromosome.
Definition: adj. getting bald
Brochure (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: If you're making a breast cancer awareness brochure, do you need to use the pink ribbon in order to be taken seriously? (Writer/Designer, P46)
Definition: a small, thin book or magazine that usually has many pictures and information about a product, a place, etc. ("Brochure." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2014.http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brochure)
Brink (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: The Chinese seem to be on the brink of ditching what’s left of their own philosophical and technological heritage.
Definition: edge; especially : the edge at the top of a steep place
Example: <was at the brink of death when the rescuers arrived>
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brink)
Blushing (Seung Hyo Han)
rosy (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Blushing, I take another bite. (Shark's Fin p.148)
Broth (Tianyu Ma)
definition: liquid in which food (such as meat) has been cooked
"Broth." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/broth>.
sentence: I explain to my parents how to cook pieces of raw food in the broth.( shark's fin P
Barbarian (Huan Qu)
Definition: of or relating to a land, culture, or people alien and usually believed to be inferior to another land, culture, or people
("Barbarian." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barbarian>.)
Reading: And in China, of course, I'm all too often still a big-nosed barbarian.
Brace (Yifan Liang)
Sentence: ... I braced myself to eat whatever the Chinese might put in front of me. (Last sentence of the second paragraph, Page 10, Prologue, Shark's Fin)
Definition: v. 1. to provide, strengthen, or fit with a brace
2. to steady or prepare (oneself or something) as before an impact
3. to stimulate; freshen; invigorate
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/brace)
Bazaar (Minho Cho)
Sentence: The bazaars of Kashgar are piled high with fruit. (Shark's Fin pg.252)
Def: a marketplace or shopping quarter, especially one in the Middle East.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bazaar?s=t)
bedizen(Zeyu Yin)
Text: The witch doctors were bedizened in all their gaudiest costumes.
Definition: dress with vulgar finery.
bedraggle(Zeyu Yin)
Text: We were so bedraggled by the severe storm that we had to change into dry clothing.
Definition: wet thoroughly; stain with mud.
Banquet (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: an elaborate and often ceremonious meal for numerous people often in honor of a person
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/banquet)
Original sentence: Chinese banquets have always been a cause for trepidation for outsiders because of the use of shark's fin.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.10)
Bated (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: With bated breath, I take it in my chopsticks, and raise it to my lips...
Definition: in great suspense; very anxiously or excitedly
Example: He waited for a reply to his offer with bated breath.
Braised (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: But it is also a clever commentary on Chinese culinary tradition, because ox tendons are usually a dried food, reconstituted and then braised with rich flavourings.
Definition: To cook (meat or vegetables) by browning in fat, then simmering in a small quantity of liquid in a covered container.
Example: He braised the beef in a wine sauce.
Original Sentence: With bated breath, I take it in my chopsticks, and raise it to my lips...
Definition: in great suspense; very anxiously or excitedly
Example: He waited for a reply to his offer with bated breath.
Braised (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: But it is also a clever commentary on Chinese culinary tradition, because ox tendons are usually a dried food, reconstituted and then braised with rich flavourings.
Definition: To cook (meat or vegetables) by browning in fat, then simmering in a small quantity of liquid in a covered container.
Example: He braised the beef in a wine sauce.
Bulbous (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: Above, amid the bulbous chunks of sheep's tail-fat and the strips of fatty mutton, hung tranches of a darker meat.
Definition: Big and round often in an unattractive way (Merraim Webster Online)
Example: He has a bulbous nose.
Besiege (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: they besiege him within the curtains of his bed (Shark's Fin, 284)
Definition: to gather around (someone) in a way that is aggressive, annoying, etc.
("Besiege." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/besiege)
Barrage(Zeyu Yin)
Text: The company was forced to retreat through the barrage of heavy cannons.
Definition: barrier laid down by artillery fire
Original Sentence: Above, amid the bulbous chunks of sheep's tail-fat and the strips of fatty mutton, hung tranches of a darker meat.
Definition: Big and round often in an unattractive way (Merraim Webster Online)
Example: He has a bulbous nose.
Besiege (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: they besiege him within the curtains of his bed (Shark's Fin, 284)
Definition: to gather around (someone) in a way that is aggressive, annoying, etc.
("Besiege." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/besiege)
Barrage(Zeyu Yin)
Text: The company was forced to retreat through the barrage of heavy cannons.
Definition: barrier laid down by artillery fire
complicated
chutney( Yuchen Han Conner)
Original sentence: It's best eaten with butter, chutney or some other spicy sauce
Definition:chopped fruits or green tomatoes cooked in vinegar and sugar with ginger and spices
Example:Serve warm or at room temperature with tomato chutney.
chagrin (Zining Wang)
a feeling of being frustrated or annoyed because of failure or disappointment
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chagrin
From:To the chagrin of purists, black yard chefs tend to refer to anything they char as barbecue.
(Edge Foodways Ethnographic Entries Selection)
Cremation(Lanting He)Text: Funeral pyres, especially at Manikarnika Ghat, the most sacred of cremation places, burn nonstop, melting human flesh on piles of mango wood.
Definition: the act or an instance of cremating somebody
char (Zining Wang)
any of a genus (Salvelinus) of small-scaled trouts with light-colored spots
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/char
From:To the chagrin of purists, black yard chefs tend to refer to anything they char as barbecue.
(Edge Foodways Ethnographic Entries Selection)
(Yifan Liang)
casserole
Sentence: For inner, I was offered "roasted piggy", frog casserole and stir-fried snake. (Prologue, Page 10, Shark's Fin)
Definition: n. 1. a covered dish of earthenware, glass, etc, in which food is cooked and served
2. any food cooked and served in such a dish
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/casserole)
crystalline (Wonjun Lee)
having the structure and form of a crystal; composed of crystals.
blazing blue and crystalline in the sunlight.
collectible (Yichao Zhao)
Original sentence: Black collectibles are the offsprings of modern American advertising. (Stuff of Southan food)
Definision: Something that is considered valuable by collectors and usually kept as part of a group of similar things. (merriam-webster.com)
Cradle (Huan Qu)
Definition: to hold (something or someone) gently in your arms or hands
("Cradle." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cradle>)
Reading: Rural women snoozed over their squashes and aubergines, cradling their heads in circled arms.
(Shark's Fin, p20)
Coalesce (Minho Cho)
Sentence: I began to notice how often the Uyghurs' loathing of the Han Chinese coalesced around the matter of pork. (Shark's Fin pg.249)
Def: to unite so as to form one mass, community
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/coalesce?s=t)
(Yifan Liang)
crawl
Sentence: Others, ... had tastes or textures that made my flesh crawl. (Prologue, Page 10, Shark's Fin)
Definition: v. to be or feel as if overrun by something unpleasant
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/crawl)
Crock (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a thick earthenware pot or jar
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crock)
Original sentence: To do so, a wide net must be cast because the three-dimensional "stuff" of southern foodways that we can touch - a cast-iron skillet, a canning jar, a jigger of bourbon, a deviled egg platter, a stoneware crock - is the tangible expression of these objects.
(The Larder. p. 280)
Cusp (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a point of transition (as from one historical period to the next)
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cusp?show=0&t=1390452477)
Original sentence: At the cusp of the millennium, the region was rife with restaurants serving updated takes on traditional recipes (fried green tomatoes topped with crab, pecan-crusted catfish).
(Edge, John. Foodways. p. 13)
cauldron(Zining Wang)
a big pot
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/%20cauldron
Other raw inputs came together in giant cauldron called crucible.(Salad Bowl City)
crucible(Zining Wang)
a pot in which metals or other substances are heated to a very high temperature or melted
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crucible
Other raw inputs came together in giant cauldron called crucible.(Salad Bowl City)
Covenant (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/covenant)
Original sentence: Restrictive covenants, a legal tool inserted into deeds to limit who could buy or occupy the land, became commonplace by the 1890s.
(The Larder. p. 167-8)
Coincide (Lianyan Helen Gu)
original sentence: That date coincided with America’s largest immigrant wave. (P167 A Salad Bowl City)
definition: correspond exactly.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/coincide?s=t)
Carcass (Minho Cho)
sentence: There is no conceptual divide between 'meat' and 'inedible rubbery bits' when butchering an animal carcass. (shark's fin, pg.12)
Def: the dead body of an animal.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Carcass?s=t)
Couplet (Seung Hyo Han)
two successive lines of poetry, esp. two of the same length that rhyme (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Liu Yaochun was in charge of the Spring Festival couplets. (Shark's Fin p. 121)
Cormorant (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a type of dark-colored bird that has a long neck and that eats fish that it catches in the ocean
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cormorant)
Original sentence: I can see a row of wutong trees and, beyond them, the Brocade River, where a cormorant fisherman is trying his luck in the murky water.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.15)
Cohort (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a group of individuals having a statistical factor (as age or class membership) in common in a demographic study
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cohort)
Original sentence: In the autumn of 1994, the foreign affairs office of Sichuan University held a meeting to welcome the new cohort of foreign students to Chengdu.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.18)
Camphor (Seung Hyo Han)
a volatile, crystalline ketone, C10H16O, with a strong characteristic odor, derived from the wood of the camphor tree or synthetically from pinene: used to protect fabrics from moths, in manufacturing cellulose plastics, and in medicine as an irritant and stimulant (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
And then he prodded his taciturn friend to give me the recipe for smoked rabbit, which involved skinning the animal alive, rubbing it in a marinade of salt and spices, flattening its body between two heavy stones, crucifying it on a cross of wooden sticks, and then smoking it over a smouldering fire of pine, camphor and cypress leaves. (Shark's Fin p.53)
Clatter (Tianyu Ma)
definition: to make a quick series of short loud sounds(
"Clatter." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clatter>.
sentence: The campus is a quiter, leafy place, an oasis of tranquility in a city where the taxis honk their horns incessantly and the street vendors shout and clatter.
(Shark's fin and Sichuan Pepper. P16
Constraining (Lanting He)
Text:The total free market functions as an ideology, a myth, and a constraining influence, but never as a day-to-day reality.
Definition:
Cottage (Huan Qu)Definition: a small house especially in the country
Source: "Cottage." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cottage>.
Reading: As a child, my dream was to live in a cottage in the country, doing everything by hand. (Shar's Fin, p95)
culinary(Zining Wang)
used in or relating to cooking
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culinary
In the old days, all professional culinary wisdom was passed on orally from master to apprentice.(Shark's fin and Sichuan Pepper. P78)
Culinary (Junyi Chen)
Culinary means concerned with cooking. (FORMAL) (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"I was also flung headlong into a maelstrom of specialized culinary vocabulary." (Shark's Fin)
Chequerboard (Seung Hyo Han)
a square board with 64 squares of two alternating colors, used in checkers and chess (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
On this particular evening we are offered a characteristic chequerboard of sixteen square porcelain dishes, each one containing a different, vegetarain starter.
Centrifuge (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a machine using centrifugal force for separating substances of different densities, for removing moisture, or for simulating gravitational effects
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/centrifuge)
Original sentence: There are no fancy gadgets in Yu Bo's kitchen, no centrifuges, dehydrators or liquid nitrogen.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.143)
Concoction (Minho Cho)
Sentence: A crayfish concoction plays with the flavour themes of everyday twice-cooked pork.(Shark's Fin p.145)
Def: to prepare or make by combining ingredients, especially in cookery.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/concoct)
Carcass (Seung Hyo Han)
the dead body of an animal, often specif. of a slaughtered animal dressed as meat (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
There are, it's true, heavy cleavers for chopping through pork ribs or the carcasses of fowl. (p.85)
Convenant (Lanting He)
Text: Other delegates-according to Morsink, a majority of states-were sure that ECOSOC's recommendations meant nothing less than a legal covenant, with implementation machinery attached
Definition:a binding agreement; contract. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/covenant
camouflage(Zeyu Yin)
Text: In order to rescue Han Solo, Princess Leia camouflaged herself in the helmet and cloak of a space bandit.
Definition: disguise; conceal.
canine(Zeyu Yin)
Text: Some days the canine population of Berkeley seems almost to outnumber the human population
Definition: elated to dogs; dog-like
cant(Zeyu Yin)
Text: Shocked by news of the minister's extramarital love affairs, the worshippers dismissed his talk about the sacredness of marriage as mere cant. Cant is a form of hypocrisy: those who can, pray; those who cant, pretend
Definition: insincere expressions of piety; jargon of thieves
Conceptual (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: based on or relating to ideas or concepts
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conceptual)
Original sentence: There is no conceptual divide between 'meat' and 'inedible rubbery bits' when butchering an animal carcass.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.12)
chutney( Yuchen Han Conner)
Original sentence: It's best eaten with butter, chutney or some other spicy sauce
Definition:chopped fruits or green tomatoes cooked in vinegar and sugar with ginger and spices
Example:Serve warm or at room temperature with tomato chutney.
chagrin (Zining Wang)
a feeling of being frustrated or annoyed because of failure or disappointment
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chagrin
From:To the chagrin of purists, black yard chefs tend to refer to anything they char as barbecue.
(Edge Foodways Ethnographic Entries Selection)
Cremation(Lanting He)Text: Funeral pyres, especially at Manikarnika Ghat, the most sacred of cremation places, burn nonstop, melting human flesh on piles of mango wood.
Definition: the act or an instance of cremating somebody
char (Zining Wang)
any of a genus (Salvelinus) of small-scaled trouts with light-colored spots
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/char
From:To the chagrin of purists, black yard chefs tend to refer to anything they char as barbecue.
(Edge Foodways Ethnographic Entries Selection)
(Yifan Liang)
casserole
Sentence: For inner, I was offered "roasted piggy", frog casserole and stir-fried snake. (Prologue, Page 10, Shark's Fin)
Definition: n. 1. a covered dish of earthenware, glass, etc, in which food is cooked and served
2. any food cooked and served in such a dish
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/casserole)
crystalline (Wonjun Lee)
having the structure and form of a crystal; composed of crystals.
blazing blue and crystalline in the sunlight.
collectible (Yichao Zhao)
Original sentence: Black collectibles are the offsprings of modern American advertising. (Stuff of Southan food)
Definision: Something that is considered valuable by collectors and usually kept as part of a group of similar things. (merriam-webster.com)
Cradle (Huan Qu)
Definition: to hold (something or someone) gently in your arms or hands
("Cradle." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cradle>)
Reading: Rural women snoozed over their squashes and aubergines, cradling their heads in circled arms.
(Shark's Fin, p20)
Coalesce (Minho Cho)
Sentence: I began to notice how often the Uyghurs' loathing of the Han Chinese coalesced around the matter of pork. (Shark's Fin pg.249)
Def: to unite so as to form one mass, community
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/coalesce?s=t)
(Yifan Liang)
crawl
Sentence: Others, ... had tastes or textures that made my flesh crawl. (Prologue, Page 10, Shark's Fin)
Definition: v. to be or feel as if overrun by something unpleasant
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/crawl)
Crock (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a thick earthenware pot or jar
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crock)
Original sentence: To do so, a wide net must be cast because the three-dimensional "stuff" of southern foodways that we can touch - a cast-iron skillet, a canning jar, a jigger of bourbon, a deviled egg platter, a stoneware crock - is the tangible expression of these objects.
(The Larder. p. 280)
Cusp (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a point of transition (as from one historical period to the next)
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cusp?show=0&t=1390452477)
Original sentence: At the cusp of the millennium, the region was rife with restaurants serving updated takes on traditional recipes (fried green tomatoes topped with crab, pecan-crusted catfish).
(Edge, John. Foodways. p. 13)
cauldron(Zining Wang)
a big pot
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/%20cauldron
Other raw inputs came together in giant cauldron called crucible.(Salad Bowl City)
crucible(Zining Wang)
a pot in which metals or other substances are heated to a very high temperature or melted
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crucible
Other raw inputs came together in giant cauldron called crucible.(Salad Bowl City)
Covenant (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/covenant)
Original sentence: Restrictive covenants, a legal tool inserted into deeds to limit who could buy or occupy the land, became commonplace by the 1890s.
(The Larder. p. 167-8)
Coincide (Lianyan Helen Gu)
original sentence: That date coincided with America’s largest immigrant wave. (P167 A Salad Bowl City)
definition: correspond exactly.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/coincide?s=t)
Carcass (Minho Cho)
sentence: There is no conceptual divide between 'meat' and 'inedible rubbery bits' when butchering an animal carcass. (shark's fin, pg.12)
Def: the dead body of an animal.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Carcass?s=t)
Couplet (Seung Hyo Han)
two successive lines of poetry, esp. two of the same length that rhyme (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Liu Yaochun was in charge of the Spring Festival couplets. (Shark's Fin p. 121)
Cormorant (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a type of dark-colored bird that has a long neck and that eats fish that it catches in the ocean
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cormorant)
Original sentence: I can see a row of wutong trees and, beyond them, the Brocade River, where a cormorant fisherman is trying his luck in the murky water.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.15)
Cohort (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a group of individuals having a statistical factor (as age or class membership) in common in a demographic study
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cohort)
Original sentence: In the autumn of 1994, the foreign affairs office of Sichuan University held a meeting to welcome the new cohort of foreign students to Chengdu.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.18)
Camphor (Seung Hyo Han)
a volatile, crystalline ketone, C10H16O, with a strong characteristic odor, derived from the wood of the camphor tree or synthetically from pinene: used to protect fabrics from moths, in manufacturing cellulose plastics, and in medicine as an irritant and stimulant (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
And then he prodded his taciturn friend to give me the recipe for smoked rabbit, which involved skinning the animal alive, rubbing it in a marinade of salt and spices, flattening its body between two heavy stones, crucifying it on a cross of wooden sticks, and then smoking it over a smouldering fire of pine, camphor and cypress leaves. (Shark's Fin p.53)
Clatter (Tianyu Ma)
definition: to make a quick series of short loud sounds(
"Clatter." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clatter>.
sentence: The campus is a quiter, leafy place, an oasis of tranquility in a city where the taxis honk their horns incessantly and the street vendors shout and clatter.
(Shark's fin and Sichuan Pepper. P16
Constraining (Lanting He)
Text:The total free market functions as an ideology, a myth, and a constraining influence, but never as a day-to-day reality.
Definition:
- to force into, or hold in, close bounds; confine
- to hold back by force; restrain
- to force; compel; oblige http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american/constraining?showCookiePolicy=true
Cottage (Huan Qu)Definition: a small house especially in the country
Source: "Cottage." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cottage>.
Reading: As a child, my dream was to live in a cottage in the country, doing everything by hand. (Shar's Fin, p95)
culinary(Zining Wang)
used in or relating to cooking
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culinary
In the old days, all professional culinary wisdom was passed on orally from master to apprentice.(Shark's fin and Sichuan Pepper. P78)
Culinary (Junyi Chen)
Culinary means concerned with cooking. (FORMAL) (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"I was also flung headlong into a maelstrom of specialized culinary vocabulary." (Shark's Fin)
Chequerboard (Seung Hyo Han)
a square board with 64 squares of two alternating colors, used in checkers and chess (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
On this particular evening we are offered a characteristic chequerboard of sixteen square porcelain dishes, each one containing a different, vegetarain starter.
Centrifuge (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a machine using centrifugal force for separating substances of different densities, for removing moisture, or for simulating gravitational effects
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/centrifuge)
Original sentence: There are no fancy gadgets in Yu Bo's kitchen, no centrifuges, dehydrators or liquid nitrogen.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.143)
Concoction (Minho Cho)
Sentence: A crayfish concoction plays with the flavour themes of everyday twice-cooked pork.(Shark's Fin p.145)
Def: to prepare or make by combining ingredients, especially in cookery.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/concoct)
Carcass (Seung Hyo Han)
the dead body of an animal, often specif. of a slaughtered animal dressed as meat (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
There are, it's true, heavy cleavers for chopping through pork ribs or the carcasses of fowl. (p.85)
Convenant (Lanting He)
Text: Other delegates-according to Morsink, a majority of states-were sure that ECOSOC's recommendations meant nothing less than a legal covenant, with implementation machinery attached
Definition:a binding agreement; contract. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/covenant
camouflage(Zeyu Yin)
Text: In order to rescue Han Solo, Princess Leia camouflaged herself in the helmet and cloak of a space bandit.
Definition: disguise; conceal.
canine(Zeyu Yin)
Text: Some days the canine population of Berkeley seems almost to outnumber the human population
Definition: elated to dogs; dog-like
cant(Zeyu Yin)
Text: Shocked by news of the minister's extramarital love affairs, the worshippers dismissed his talk about the sacredness of marriage as mere cant. Cant is a form of hypocrisy: those who can, pray; those who cant, pretend
Definition: insincere expressions of piety; jargon of thieves
Conceptual (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: based on or relating to ideas or concepts
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conceptual)
Original sentence: There is no conceptual divide between 'meat' and 'inedible rubbery bits' when butchering an animal carcass.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.12)
cochlea(Yingshan Fang)The cochlea is the auditory portion of the inner ear. It is a spiral-shaped cavity in the bony labyrinth, in humans making 2.5 turns around its axis, the modiolus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochlea
Neurons carry the auditory signals from the cochlea to the midbrain.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochlea
Neurons carry the auditory signals from the cochlea to the midbrain.
cone(Yingshan Fang)A cone is a three-dimensional geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a flat base (frequently, though not necessarily, circular) to a point called the apex or vertex.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cone
Human color vision is trichromatic based on three elements,each tied to one type of cone.
Culinary: (Lumiao Zhang)
means concerned with kitchens or cooking, especially good cooking. “ Yu Bo is my favorite culinary genius. "
Curl (Junyi Chen)
If your toes, fingers, or other parts of your body curl, or if you curl them, they form a curved or round shape. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Her husband curled his tongue at the revolting flavors of my apple crumble." (Shark's Fin)
crouch(Tianyu Ma)
sentence: my steamed crab crouched on the table.
definition: to lower your body to the ground by bending your legs
"Crouch." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crouch>.
concession (Tianyu Ma)
definition: the act or an instance of conceding (as by granting something as a right, accepting something as true, or acknowledging defeat)
"Concession." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concession>.
sentence: its a modern metropolis owing its ascendancy to the foreign concessions built there in the mid nineteenth century.
Choke (Huan Qu)
Reading: You will probably choke on it (Sharks' Fin, p 279).
Definition: to become unable to breathe usually because something gets stuck in your throat or because the air is not good for breathing
"Choke." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/choke>.
Cantankerous(Zeyu Yin)
Text: Constantly complaining about his treatment and refusing to cooperate with the hospital staff, he was a cantankerous patient
Definition: ill humored; irritable.
capricious (Zeyu Yin)
Text:The storm was capricious: it changed course constantly. Jill was capricious, too: she changed boyfriends almost as often as she changed clothes
Definition: unpredictable; fickle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cone
Human color vision is trichromatic based on three elements,each tied to one type of cone.
Culinary: (Lumiao Zhang)
means concerned with kitchens or cooking, especially good cooking. “ Yu Bo is my favorite culinary genius. "
Curl (Junyi Chen)
If your toes, fingers, or other parts of your body curl, or if you curl them, they form a curved or round shape. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Her husband curled his tongue at the revolting flavors of my apple crumble." (Shark's Fin)
crouch(Tianyu Ma)
sentence: my steamed crab crouched on the table.
definition: to lower your body to the ground by bending your legs
"Crouch." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crouch>.
concession (Tianyu Ma)
definition: the act or an instance of conceding (as by granting something as a right, accepting something as true, or acknowledging defeat)
"Concession." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concession>.
sentence: its a modern metropolis owing its ascendancy to the foreign concessions built there in the mid nineteenth century.
Choke (Huan Qu)
Reading: You will probably choke on it (Sharks' Fin, p 279).
Definition: to become unable to breathe usually because something gets stuck in your throat or because the air is not good for breathing
"Choke." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/choke>.
Cantankerous(Zeyu Yin)
Text: Constantly complaining about his treatment and refusing to cooperate with the hospital staff, he was a cantankerous patient
Definition: ill humored; irritable.
capricious (Zeyu Yin)
Text:The storm was capricious: it changed course constantly. Jill was capricious, too: she changed boyfriends almost as often as she changed clothes
Definition: unpredictable; fickle.
Doyenne ( Tsundu)
sentence in the stuff of southern food: The African American doyenne of southern food.
Definition: 1 a woman who is a doyen.
doyenne. " Merriam Webster"
Delectable (Jenny Yu)
Sentence in the reading: It is said to be innovative, artistic, and inspiring; it has been described as everything from diverse, distinctive, and delectable to proud, persistent, and, at times, even controversial. (The Larder, P2)
Definition: 1. highly pleasing 2. delicious
("Delectable." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 25 Jan. 2014. < http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delectable>)
Ditching （Lianyan Gu）
Original Sentence: The Chinese seem to be on the brink of ditching what's left of their own philosophical and technological heritage.
Meaning: to stop having or using (Merriam-Webster)
Doyenne (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a woman who has a lot of experience in or knowledge about a particular profession, subject, etc.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doyenne)
Original sentence: In 2008 an unpublished essay by the late Edna Lewis, the African American doyenne of southern food, was discovered and published in Gourmet magazine.
(The Larder. p. 278)
drift (wonjun Lee)
be carried slowly by a current of air or water.
dashing through drifts of old snow
Disconcert (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: But I was also faced with many new ingredients that I found disconcerting- or disgusting. (Shark's Fin, P9)
Definition: 1. to throw into confusion 2. to disturb the composure of ("Disconcert." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 2 Feb. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disconcerting)
Demarcate (Lumiao Zhang)
Original sentence: served at once to define the South as a cultural region and to demarcate recognized social boundaries
Definition: set the boundaries or limits of
"Plots of land demarcated by barbed wire"
Deuterium.
Def: a stable isotope of hydrogen with a mass approximately twice that of the usual isotope.
The carbon to which the enantiotopic hydrogens are attached is called a prochiral carbon because it will become an asymmetric center if the one of the hydrogens is replaced by a deuterium.
deem (Yichao Zhao)
Definition: to think of (someone or something) in a particular way (merriam-webster.com)
Original Sentence: Laws halted most immigration except from areas deemed culturally safe such as England. (A bowl o)
Dire (Huan Qu)Definition:very bad : causing great fear or worry
"Dire." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dire>.
Reading: Aside from the deliberate adulteration of food by corrupt manufacturers, the pollution is so dire in many parts of China that it poses a direct and grave threat to human health. (Sharks' Fin, p279)
dodgy (Syvlai Liang)
The Daily Mail denounced Chinese food as "the dodgiest in the world" (Shark's fin, 11)
Definition: Seems rather risky, dangerous or unreliable
sentence in the stuff of southern food: The African American doyenne of southern food.
Definition: 1 a woman who is a doyen.
doyenne. " Merriam Webster"
Delectable (Jenny Yu)
Sentence in the reading: It is said to be innovative, artistic, and inspiring; it has been described as everything from diverse, distinctive, and delectable to proud, persistent, and, at times, even controversial. (The Larder, P2)
Definition: 1. highly pleasing 2. delicious
("Delectable." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 25 Jan. 2014. < http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/delectable>)
Ditching （Lianyan Gu）
Original Sentence: The Chinese seem to be on the brink of ditching what's left of their own philosophical and technological heritage.
Meaning: to stop having or using (Merriam-Webster)
Doyenne (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a woman who has a lot of experience in or knowledge about a particular profession, subject, etc.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doyenne)
Original sentence: In 2008 an unpublished essay by the late Edna Lewis, the African American doyenne of southern food, was discovered and published in Gourmet magazine.
(The Larder. p. 278)
drift (wonjun Lee)
be carried slowly by a current of air or water.
dashing through drifts of old snow
Disconcert (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: But I was also faced with many new ingredients that I found disconcerting- or disgusting. (Shark's Fin, P9)
Definition: 1. to throw into confusion 2. to disturb the composure of ("Disconcert." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 2 Feb. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disconcerting)
Demarcate (Lumiao Zhang)
Original sentence: served at once to define the South as a cultural region and to demarcate recognized social boundaries
Definition: set the boundaries or limits of
"Plots of land demarcated by barbed wire"
Deuterium.
Def: a stable isotope of hydrogen with a mass approximately twice that of the usual isotope.
The carbon to which the enantiotopic hydrogens are attached is called a prochiral carbon because it will become an asymmetric center if the one of the hydrogens is replaced by a deuterium.
deem (Yichao Zhao)
Definition: to think of (someone or something) in a particular way (merriam-webster.com)
Original Sentence: Laws halted most immigration except from areas deemed culturally safe such as England. (A bowl o)
Dire (Huan Qu)Definition:very bad : causing great fear or worry
"Dire." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dire>.
Reading: Aside from the deliberate adulteration of food by corrupt manufacturers, the pollution is so dire in many parts of China that it poses a direct and grave threat to human health. (Sharks' Fin, p279)
dodgy (Syvlai Liang)
The Daily Mail denounced Chinese food as "the dodgiest in the world" (Shark's fin, 11)
Definition: Seems rather risky, dangerous or unreliable
Dip(Yingshan Fang)
Definition:to put something briefly into a liquid:
Link:http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/american-english/dip_1?q=dip
Sentence in reading:The preserved duck eggs sliced in half,with a ginger and vinegar dip.
Droop(Huan Qu)
Definition: to hang or incline downward
("Droop." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/droop>.)
Reading: Tomato and bean sellers drooped over crouched-up knees.
(Shark's Fin, p20)
(Yifan Liang)
Dissertation
Sentence: In fact, it's a page from Jenny's dissertation. (The third last line of Are All Texts Multimodal?, Page 3, Writer/Designer)
Definition: n. 1. a written thesis, often based on original research, usually required for a higher degree
2. a formal discourse
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/dissertation)
(Yifan Liang)
Disconcerting
Sentence: But I was also faced with many new ingredients that I found disconcerting - or disgusting. (Last line of Prologue: The Chinese Eat Everything, Page 9, Shark's Fin)
Definition: adj. causing a feeling of disturbance, embarrassment, or confusion; perturbing; worrying
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/disconcerting)
Damp (Junyi Chen)
Something that is damp is slightly wet. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Crawling out of bed on a damp October morning, in my small shared room in the Foreign Students' Building of Sichuan University." (Shark's Fin)
Drastically (Yusi Zhou)Obviously things have changed drastically, setting the stage for the intermingling I have hinted at. (The Larder. A Salad Bowl City)
Taking effect violently or rapidly (American Heritage Dictionary)
Decadent (Huan Qu)Definition: having low morals and a great love of pleasure, money, fame, etc.
"Decadent." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decadent>.
Reading:…for example in the hints that Westerners are sexually decadent and somehow unclean. (Sharks' Fin, p246)
dough ( Tianyu Ma)
definition: a mixture of flour, water, and other ingredients that is baked to make bread, cookies, etc.
sentence: The young bloke next to me has a lump of dough in his hand (shark's fin P77)
Dereliction (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: Contemporary chefs and gourmets groan when they imagine what has been lost over the centuries, and accuse the jealous old masters of dereliction in their duty to Chinese cuisine.
Definition: the act of no longer caring for, using, or doing something : the act of abandoning something
Example: The officer was formally charged with dereliction of duty.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dereliction)
Daunting (Junyi Chen)
Something that is daunting makes you feel slightly afraid or worried about dealing with it. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"After their initial amazement at being expected to study alongside a foreigner, or lao wai, most of my classmates have become used to me, although many of them still find the idea of actually talking to me impossibly daunting." (Shark's Fin)
Damp (Lianyan Gu)
Sentence: Crawling out of bed on a damp October morning. (Shark's Fin p15)Definition:
Discriminatory( Lanting He)
Text: For the United States, formal recognition of human rights would bring the discriminatory domestic policies towards African-Americans and the indigenouspopulation to international scrutiny
Definition: based on or showing prejudice; biased. capable of making fine distinctio. unbiased. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/discriminatory?showCookiePolicy=true
Distaste (Lanting He)
Text: Indian delegate Hansa Metha expressed distaste at the prospects of 'a vague resolution including mystic and psychological principles'.
Definition: often followed by for) an absence of pleasure (in); dislike (of); aversion (to)
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/distaste?showCookiePolicy=true
dreadful (Wonjun Lee)definition : causing or involving great suffering, fear, or unhappiness; extremely bad or serious
they left the castle together and walked to that dreadful hovel where you were staying.
deducible(Zeyu Yin)
Text:
If we accept your premise, your conclusions are easily deducible.
Definition: derived by reasoning.
defame(Zeyu Yin)
Text: If you try to defame my good name, my lawyers will see you in court. If rival candidates persist in defaming one another, the voters may conclude that all politicians are crooks.
Definition: harm someone's reputation; malign; slander.
decomposition(Zeyu Yin)
Text: Despite the body's advanced state of decomposition, the police were able to identify the murdered man.
Definition: decay
Definition:to put something briefly into a liquid:
Link:http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/american-english/dip_1?q=dip
Sentence in reading:The preserved duck eggs sliced in half,with a ginger and vinegar dip.
Droop(Huan Qu)
Definition: to hang or incline downward
("Droop." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/droop>.)
Reading: Tomato and bean sellers drooped over crouched-up knees.
(Shark's Fin, p20)
(Yifan Liang)
Dissertation
Sentence: In fact, it's a page from Jenny's dissertation. (The third last line of Are All Texts Multimodal?, Page 3, Writer/Designer)
Definition: n. 1. a written thesis, often based on original research, usually required for a higher degree
2. a formal discourse
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/dissertation)
(Yifan Liang)
Disconcerting
Sentence: But I was also faced with many new ingredients that I found disconcerting - or disgusting. (Last line of Prologue: The Chinese Eat Everything, Page 9, Shark's Fin)
Definition: adj. causing a feeling of disturbance, embarrassment, or confusion; perturbing; worrying
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/disconcerting)
Damp (Junyi Chen)
Something that is damp is slightly wet. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Crawling out of bed on a damp October morning, in my small shared room in the Foreign Students' Building of Sichuan University." (Shark's Fin)
Drastically (Yusi Zhou)Obviously things have changed drastically, setting the stage for the intermingling I have hinted at. (The Larder. A Salad Bowl City)
Taking effect violently or rapidly (American Heritage Dictionary)
Decadent (Huan Qu)Definition: having low morals and a great love of pleasure, money, fame, etc.
"Decadent." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decadent>.
Reading:…for example in the hints that Westerners are sexually decadent and somehow unclean. (Sharks' Fin, p246)
dough ( Tianyu Ma)
definition: a mixture of flour, water, and other ingredients that is baked to make bread, cookies, etc.
sentence: The young bloke next to me has a lump of dough in his hand (shark's fin P77)
Dereliction (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: Contemporary chefs and gourmets groan when they imagine what has been lost over the centuries, and accuse the jealous old masters of dereliction in their duty to Chinese cuisine.
Definition: the act of no longer caring for, using, or doing something : the act of abandoning something
Example: The officer was formally charged with dereliction of duty.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dereliction)
Daunting (Junyi Chen)
Something that is daunting makes you feel slightly afraid or worried about dealing with it. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"After their initial amazement at being expected to study alongside a foreigner, or lao wai, most of my classmates have become used to me, although many of them still find the idea of actually talking to me impossibly daunting." (Shark's Fin)
Damp (Lianyan Gu)
Sentence: Crawling out of bed on a damp October morning. (Shark's Fin p15)Definition:
Discriminatory( Lanting He)
Text: For the United States, formal recognition of human rights would bring the discriminatory domestic policies towards African-Americans and the indigenouspopulation to international scrutiny
Definition: based on or showing prejudice; biased. capable of making fine distinctio. unbiased. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/discriminatory?showCookiePolicy=true
Distaste (Lanting He)
Text: Indian delegate Hansa Metha expressed distaste at the prospects of 'a vague resolution including mystic and psychological principles'.
Definition: often followed by for) an absence of pleasure (in); dislike (of); aversion (to)
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/distaste?showCookiePolicy=true
dreadful (Wonjun Lee)definition : causing or involving great suffering, fear, or unhappiness; extremely bad or serious
they left the castle together and walked to that dreadful hovel where you were staying.
deducible(Zeyu Yin)
Text:
If we accept your premise, your conclusions are easily deducible.
Definition: derived by reasoning.
defame(Zeyu Yin)
Text: If you try to defame my good name, my lawyers will see you in court. If rival candidates persist in defaming one another, the voters may conclude that all politicians are crooks.
Definition: harm someone's reputation; malign; slander.
decomposition(Zeyu Yin)
Text: Despite the body's advanced state of decomposition, the police were able to identify the murdered man.
Definition: decay
edible (Lianyan Gu)
Sentence: He must be wishing his horrible daughter had ordered something actually edible. (Shark's Fin p134)
Meaning: fit to be eaten as food; eatable; esculent.
Aaron ( Zeyu Yin) Extemporaneously . Link for the word:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extemporaneous.
Definition :composed, performed, or uttered on the spur of the moment : impromptu <an extemporaneous comment> (2) : carefully prepared but delivered without notes or text.
Citation:
"It would be difficult to exaggerate the role of the sweet potato." (Food ways intro)
meaning: overstate
Expatriate (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: Other expatriate friends took me out to restaurants and ordered their favourite dishes. (Shark's Fin, P9)
Definition: living in a foreign land ("Expatriate." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 2 Feb. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expatriate)
Exterminate (Sylvia Liang)
"Buffalo provided the best meat, but they were quickly exterminated east of the Mississippi River."
To exterminate a group of people or animals means to kill all of them. Here means use up all the resource.
Lanting He
ember
text: The shoulder turned out to be a perfect fit for long, slow cooking over the embers of a hickory fire.
definition: a glowing fragment (as of coal) from a fire; especially : one smoldering in ashes
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/embers
Eradicated (Wonjun Lee)
about 33 major families of mammals and birds were eradicated.
Verb destroy completely; put an end to.
Entrench (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: A series of photographs from the 1940s documents the entrenched disparity of South Carolina's segregated schools.
Definition: to place (someone or something) in a very strong position that cannot easily be changed
Example: officials who have tried to entrench themselves in office
Exotic (Seung Hyo Han)
foreign; not native (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
'Western food' was at that time a distant and exotic concept for most Chinese. (Shark's Fin p.61)
Eatery (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a usually small and informal restaurant
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eatery)
Original sentence: Today at the corner of Central and Rosehaven, you can park your car amid a jumble of little shopping plazas and walk to (...) a Salvadoran deli and two Salvadoran eateries (...)
(The Larder. p. 166)
Earmark (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: to mark in a distinguishing manner
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earmark)
Original sentence: A few years ago, a rumour that pigs had trampled all over Chinese black tealeaves earmarked for sale in Xinjiang spread like wildfire.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.250)
Effluent (Huan Qu)Definition: liquid (such as sewage or industrial chemicals) that is released as waste
"Effluent." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/effluent>.
Reading: one memorable mugful of bai kai shui tasted of petrol and God-knows-what other chemical effluents. (Sharks' Fin, p279)
Enamor
--"It was here that Gauguin first became enamored of tropical simplicity that eventually led him to take up residence in Tahiti." The Rest is Noise
Definition:
-By Yichu Lin
Exhaustive (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: Given that we had all been required to have exhaustive physical examinations before entering China including HIV tests, we were indignant (my own doctor had laughed heartily at the Chinese state's medical demands of a healthy young woman, especially the electrocardiogram).(Shark's Fin, 18)
Definition: testing all possibilities or considering all elements ("Exhaustive." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 12 Feb. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exhaustive?show=0&t=1392402557)
exuberant(Tianyu Ma)
definition: very lively, happy, or energetic : filled with energy and enthusiasm
"Exuberant." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exuberant>.
sentence: I make friends with one or two of them, including a rosy-faced and exuberant seventeen-year-old called Zeng Bo(shark's fin P78)
enclave (Sylvia Liang)
"The other was the image of ethic enclave." (Salad Bowl City, 166)
Definition: An enclave is an area within a country or a city where people live who have a different nationality or culture from the people living in the surrounding country or city.
Sentence: He must be wishing his horrible daughter had ordered something actually edible. (Shark's Fin p134)
Meaning: fit to be eaten as food; eatable; esculent.
Aaron ( Zeyu Yin) Extemporaneously . Link for the word:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extemporaneous.
Definition :composed, performed, or uttered on the spur of the moment : impromptu <an extemporaneous comment> (2) : carefully prepared but delivered without notes or text.
Citation:
- <caught by surprise, I had to make an extemporaneous speech at the awards banquet>
"It would be difficult to exaggerate the role of the sweet potato." (Food ways intro)
meaning: overstate
Expatriate (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: Other expatriate friends took me out to restaurants and ordered their favourite dishes. (Shark's Fin, P9)
Definition: living in a foreign land ("Expatriate." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 2 Feb. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expatriate)
Exterminate (Sylvia Liang)
"Buffalo provided the best meat, but they were quickly exterminated east of the Mississippi River."
To exterminate a group of people or animals means to kill all of them. Here means use up all the resource.
Lanting He
ember
text: The shoulder turned out to be a perfect fit for long, slow cooking over the embers of a hickory fire.
definition: a glowing fragment (as of coal) from a fire; especially : one smoldering in ashes
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/embers
Eradicated (Wonjun Lee)
about 33 major families of mammals and birds were eradicated.
Verb destroy completely; put an end to.
Entrench (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: A series of photographs from the 1940s documents the entrenched disparity of South Carolina's segregated schools.
Definition: to place (someone or something) in a very strong position that cannot easily be changed
Example: officials who have tried to entrench themselves in office
Exotic (Seung Hyo Han)
foreign; not native (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
'Western food' was at that time a distant and exotic concept for most Chinese. (Shark's Fin p.61)
Eatery (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a usually small and informal restaurant
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eatery)
Original sentence: Today at the corner of Central and Rosehaven, you can park your car amid a jumble of little shopping plazas and walk to (...) a Salvadoran deli and two Salvadoran eateries (...)
(The Larder. p. 166)
Earmark (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: to mark in a distinguishing manner
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earmark)
Original sentence: A few years ago, a rumour that pigs had trampled all over Chinese black tealeaves earmarked for sale in Xinjiang spread like wildfire.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.250)
Effluent (Huan Qu)Definition: liquid (such as sewage or industrial chemicals) that is released as waste
"Effluent." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/effluent>.
Reading: one memorable mugful of bai kai shui tasted of petrol and God-knows-what other chemical effluents. (Sharks' Fin, p279)
Enamor
--"It was here that Gauguin first became enamored of tropical simplicity that eventually led him to take up residence in Tahiti." The Rest is Noise
Definition:
- to inflame with love [usually used in the passive with of ]
- to cause to feel a strong or excessive interest or fascination [usually used in the passive with of or with] <baseball fans enamored of statistics>
-By Yichu Lin
Exhaustive (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: Given that we had all been required to have exhaustive physical examinations before entering China including HIV tests, we were indignant (my own doctor had laughed heartily at the Chinese state's medical demands of a healthy young woman, especially the electrocardiogram).(Shark's Fin, 18)
Definition: testing all possibilities or considering all elements ("Exhaustive." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 12 Feb. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exhaustive?show=0&t=1392402557)
exuberant(Tianyu Ma)
definition: very lively, happy, or energetic : filled with energy and enthusiasm
"Exuberant." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exuberant>.
sentence: I make friends with one or two of them, including a rosy-faced and exuberant seventeen-year-old called Zeng Bo(shark's fin P78)
enclave (Sylvia Liang)
"The other was the image of ethic enclave." (Salad Bowl City, 166)
Definition: An enclave is an area within a country or a city where people live who have a different nationality or culture from the people living in the surrounding country or city.
Equivalent. (Soowhan Yi)
text: Decause the tw sets of protons are equivalent, the N +1 rule is appied to both sets at the same time
Definition
equal in value, amount, function, meaning.
Enclave (Even)
Original sentence: The other was the image of ethnic enclave- the Chinatown, Little Italy, and the like.
Definition: an area with people who are different in some way from the people in the areas around it
Example: A similar no-fly zone was established in the north to protect a Kurdish enclave.
Enclave (Junyi Chen)
An enclave is an area within a country or a city where people live who have a different nationality or culture from the people living in the surrounding country or city. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"The other was the image of ethnic enclave - Chinatown, Little Italy, and the like - which scholars elaborated into the notion of urban ecology, a narrative of inevitable "invasion and succession". " (A Salad Bowl City)
Exquisite (Minho Cho)
sentence: There were many delightful surprises: exquisite roast goose, sparklingly fresh seafood... (Shark's Fin, pg.9)
Def: of special beauty or charm, or rare and appealing excellence
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/exquisite?s=t)
Entrepreneur (Seung Hyo Han)
a person who organizes and manages a business undertaking, assuming the risk for the sake of the profit (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
I thought it strange that an entrepreneur, of all people, should be so devoted to the man who wiped out private business in China. (Shark's Fin p.173)
Expatriate (Lumiao Zhang)
Original Sentence:"I wanted to avoid the expatriate centers of Beijing and Shanghai. "
Definition: An expatriate is someone who is living in a country which is not their own.
Epicureanism (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: Epicureanism tends to go hand in hand with a kind of back-to-nature fundamentalism.
Definition: the philosophy of Epicurus who subscribed to a hedonistic ethics that considered an imperturbable emotional calm the highest good and whose followers held intellectual pleasures superior to transient sensualism
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epicureanism)
Erupt (Huan Qu)
Definition: to happen or begin suddenly and violently
"Erupt." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/erupt>.
Reading: In the nineties. anti-Chinese sentiment in Xinjiang erupted into riots, bombings, and the assassination of Chinese officials. (Sharks' Fin)
text: Decause the tw sets of protons are equivalent, the N +1 rule is appied to both sets at the same time
Definition
equal in value, amount, function, meaning.
Enclave (Even)
Original sentence: The other was the image of ethnic enclave- the Chinatown, Little Italy, and the like.
Definition: an area with people who are different in some way from the people in the areas around it
Example: A similar no-fly zone was established in the north to protect a Kurdish enclave.
Enclave (Junyi Chen)
An enclave is an area within a country or a city where people live who have a different nationality or culture from the people living in the surrounding country or city. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"The other was the image of ethnic enclave - Chinatown, Little Italy, and the like - which scholars elaborated into the notion of urban ecology, a narrative of inevitable "invasion and succession". " (A Salad Bowl City)
Exquisite (Minho Cho)
sentence: There were many delightful surprises: exquisite roast goose, sparklingly fresh seafood... (Shark's Fin, pg.9)
Def: of special beauty or charm, or rare and appealing excellence
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/exquisite?s=t)
Entrepreneur (Seung Hyo Han)
a person who organizes and manages a business undertaking, assuming the risk for the sake of the profit (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
I thought it strange that an entrepreneur, of all people, should be so devoted to the man who wiped out private business in China. (Shark's Fin p.173)
Expatriate (Lumiao Zhang)
Original Sentence:"I wanted to avoid the expatriate centers of Beijing and Shanghai. "
Definition: An expatriate is someone who is living in a country which is not their own.
Epicureanism (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: Epicureanism tends to go hand in hand with a kind of back-to-nature fundamentalism.
Definition: the philosophy of Epicurus who subscribed to a hedonistic ethics that considered an imperturbable emotional calm the highest good and whose followers held intellectual pleasures superior to transient sensualism
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epicureanism)
Erupt (Huan Qu)
Definition: to happen or begin suddenly and violently
"Erupt." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/erupt>.
Reading: In the nineties. anti-Chinese sentiment in Xinjiang erupted into riots, bombings, and the assassination of Chinese officials. (Sharks' Fin)
Epitaph (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: Later it became clear to me that I was writing an epitaph. (From Shark's Fin)
Definition: something written or said in memory of a dead person. (From Merriam Webster)
Example: The epitaph reads “In loving memory of John Gray: husband, father, soldier.” (From Merriam Webster)
Eccentric (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: My classmates regarded this as eccentric, but then they regarded everything I did as eccentric. (Shark's Fin, 101)
Definition: tending to act in strange or unusual ways ("Eccentric." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 25 Feb. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eccentric?show=0&t=1393456355)
Enshrine: (Lumiao Zhang)
To contain or protect it. “Chicken wings have been enshrined as favorites by supermarkets and fast food chains.”
Epidemic (Junyi Chen)
If an activity that you disapprove of is increasing or spreading rapidly, you can refer to this as an epidemic of that activity. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Hordes of frighted migrant workers were fleeing the centre of the growing epidemic in Guangdong Province, and many of them were returning to Hunan, which is precisely where I was planning to spend the next four months." (Shark's Fin)
Embitter (Seung Hyo Han)
to make bitter; make resentful or morose (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
There was always an embittered look about his face, an edge of hostility and suspicion, and if he smiled at his acquaintances, his smile was tinged with a sneer of sarcasm. (Shark's Fin p.35)
Entrenched (Lanting He)Text: Nowhere is this debate more entrenched than in terms of gender relations and women's status.
Definition: an entrenched idea, position, etc is one which is firmly established and difficult to change
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/entrenched?showCookiePolicy=true
Ensconce (Minho Cho)
Sentence: Ensconced on one of the carpeted platforms, birdcages hanging above me, I ate nan bread... (Shark's Fin pg.240)
Def: to settle securely or snugly
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ensconce)
excerpt(Zeyu Yin)
Text: The cinematic equivalent of an excerpt from a novel is a clip from a film. alsoV.
Definition: selected passage (written or musical).
exceptionable(Zeyu Yin)
Text: Do you find the punk rock band Green Day a highly exceptionable, thoroughly distasteful group, or do you think they are exceptionally talented performers?
Definition: objectionable.
exasperate(Zeyu Yin)
Text: Johnny often exasperates his mother with his pranks
Definition: vex
exhume(Zeyu Yin)
Text: Could evidence that might identify the serial killer have been buried with his victim? To answer this question, the police asked the authorities for permission to exhume the victim's body.
Definition: dig out of the ground; remove from the grave.
Original Sentence: Later it became clear to me that I was writing an epitaph. (From Shark's Fin)
Definition: something written or said in memory of a dead person. (From Merriam Webster)
Example: The epitaph reads “In loving memory of John Gray: husband, father, soldier.” (From Merriam Webster)
Eccentric (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: My classmates regarded this as eccentric, but then they regarded everything I did as eccentric. (Shark's Fin, 101)
Definition: tending to act in strange or unusual ways ("Eccentric." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 25 Feb. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eccentric?show=0&t=1393456355)
Enshrine: (Lumiao Zhang)
To contain or protect it. “Chicken wings have been enshrined as favorites by supermarkets and fast food chains.”
Epidemic (Junyi Chen)
If an activity that you disapprove of is increasing or spreading rapidly, you can refer to this as an epidemic of that activity. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Hordes of frighted migrant workers were fleeing the centre of the growing epidemic in Guangdong Province, and many of them were returning to Hunan, which is precisely where I was planning to spend the next four months." (Shark's Fin)
Embitter (Seung Hyo Han)
to make bitter; make resentful or morose (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
There was always an embittered look about his face, an edge of hostility and suspicion, and if he smiled at his acquaintances, his smile was tinged with a sneer of sarcasm. (Shark's Fin p.35)
Entrenched (Lanting He)Text: Nowhere is this debate more entrenched than in terms of gender relations and women's status.
Definition: an entrenched idea, position, etc is one which is firmly established and difficult to change
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/entrenched?showCookiePolicy=true
Ensconce (Minho Cho)
Sentence: Ensconced on one of the carpeted platforms, birdcages hanging above me, I ate nan bread... (Shark's Fin pg.240)
Def: to settle securely or snugly
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ensconce)
excerpt(Zeyu Yin)
Text: The cinematic equivalent of an excerpt from a novel is a clip from a film. alsoV.
Definition: selected passage (written or musical).
exceptionable(Zeyu Yin)
Text: Do you find the punk rock band Green Day a highly exceptionable, thoroughly distasteful group, or do you think they are exceptionally talented performers?
Definition: objectionable.
exasperate(Zeyu Yin)
Text: Johnny often exasperates his mother with his pranks
Definition: vex
exhume(Zeyu Yin)
Text: Could evidence that might identify the serial killer have been buried with his victim? To answer this question, the police asked the authorities for permission to exhume the victim's body.
Definition: dig out of the ground; remove from the grave.
Fumble (Hanrui Dai):
Definition: Do or handle something clumsily.
Example: This little kid fumbles at his key.
Fodder (Lianyan Gu)
"Food is fodder for representations of both symbolic and sustentative want."(Food ways intro)
"Food is the raw material for representations of both symbolic and continuous want."
filthy (Yichao Zhao)
Original sentence: Their albumens were a filthy, translucent brown. (Shark's fin)
Definition: very dirty (merrianm-webster.com)
Feisty; (Lumiao Zhang)
Original sentence: David O. Selzinick and William Wyler recognized the box office appeal of films that offered an escape to a southern “place out of time”, filled with romance, feisty southern belles, handsome suitors, loyal servants, and evil carpetbaggers.
Definition: (of a person, typically one who is relatively small) lively, determined, and courageous
"a love story with a feisty heroine who's more than a pretty face"
fragility ( tsundu)
Sentence: i note the fragility of the temporary labels and press mine tight onto my napkin ring.
Definition: Easy broken or destroyed
fragile ( Merriam Webster)
Futuristic (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: In the Road (2006), McCarthy follows the futuristic journey of a father and sons as they make their way "south"...
Definition: relating to or telling about events in the future
Example: The film depicts a futuristic society.
frown (Wonjun Lee)
furrow one's brow in an expression of disapproval, displeasure, or concentration
Benjen Stark frowned.
Festered (Wonjun Lee)
(of a wound or sore) become septic; suppurate
he'd taken a glancing blow from an axe and the wound had festered until the whole arm had to come off.
furious(Zining Wang)
very powerful or violent
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/furious
We waited for the dishes to emerge from the tiny kitchen, amid the sounds of furious sizzling.(Shark's Fin)
Flinch (Seung Hyo Han)
to draw back, as from a blow, difficulty, etc. (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
He refusese to eat it, and flinches if you wave some under his nose. (Shark's Fin p.64)
Graze ( Tsundu)
Sentence; Two hours graze in the field below the house.
Definition: 1 To feed on growing herbage, attached algae, or phytoplankton.
2, To eat small portion of food throughout the day.
Graze ( Merriam Webster)
Forensic (Lumiao Zhang)
"…, forensically analyzing the food on my plate."
Definition: Connected with the scientific tests used by the police when trying to solve a crime.
Futile( Yuchen Han)
Sentence: We do not fight global warming because it is futile to do so.
Definition: unproductive of success
fungus(Zining Wang)
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fungus?show=0&t=1393467161
any one of a group of related plants (such as molds, mushrooms, or yeasts) that have no flowers and that live on dead or decaying things
The ribbons of cloud-ear fungus.
(Shark's Fin, 93)
Fiddly (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: awkward or difficult to handle because of many small parts or details
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fiddly)
Original sentence: And here it gets even more fiddly: each perpendicular cut goes all the way through to the board for part of its length, except for every third cut, which goes all the way through for its whole length... so she ends up with trios of jagged frills of kidney, joined together at one end.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p. 83)
Flutter (Seung Hyo Han)
to move with quick vibrations, flaps, etc. (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
A communist party flag fluttered above glass-topped desk in Mr. Chen's office, next to an ornamental hammer-and-sickle. (Shark's Fin p.173)
feast-or-famine (Sylvia Liang)
"The Indians lived in a feast-or famine condition much of the year."
Either too good or too bad.
Flattened (Lanting He)
Text: In some places there are herbs or flowers flattened between the pages, restaurant namecards, tickets for a Taoist temple or a train.
Definition: make or become flat or flatter. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/flatten?showCookiePolicy=true.
Feverishly (Lanting He)
Text: Others, written feverishly during a period of intense learning, are filled in a matter of days.
Definition: frantically . http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/feverishly?showCookiePolicy=true.
flick (Tianyu Ma)
definition: a light sharp jerky stroke or movement
"Flick." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flick>.
sentence: I flick on the gs tap and light the burner. (shark'fin P93)
fillet( Tianyu Ma)
definition: a piece or slice of boneless meat or fish"Fillet." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fillet>.
sentence: couldn't I at least have ordered some lean beef fillet for my poor parents?
(shark's fin P134)
Flit (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: to move or fly quickly from one place or thing to another
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flit)
Original sentence: And before you eat, you may take tea in a wooden gazebo in the courtyard, listening to the twitter of caged songbirds and watching goldfish flit in the pond.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.142)
Famine (Junyi Chen)
Famine is a situation in which large numbers of people have little or no food, and many of them die. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Some people have suggested that it was the experience of famine that drove the Chinese to seek gastronomic pleasure in unlikely places." (Shark's Fin)
Feeble (Junyi Chen)
If you describe someone or something as feeble, you mean that they are weak. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"I cast my mind back to the restaurant kitchen where I had spent that very morning - a crowded, oil-blacked room where feeble extractor fans had done little to combat the savage fumes of sizzling chilies, which made us all choke and weep. " (Shark's Fin)
flimsy (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: I seized a think bamboo cane and hit it in the face several times, but it was strong, and the cane was flimsy. (Shark's Fin, 234)
Definition: easily broken, torn, etc. : not strong or solid ("Flimsy." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 9 Apr. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flimsy)
Ferocious (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: very fierce or violent
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ferocious)
Original sentence: I had a few scarves wrapped loosely around my head and shoulders, to fend off the ferocious late-summer sun.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.251)
Flock (Tianyu Ma)definition:a group of animals (as birds or sheep) assembled or herded together
original sentence: shanghai itself has become the darling of food journalists, who flock there to scoff soup dumpligs.
fiery (Tianyu Ma)definition: having or producing fireof food : tasting very hot and spicy
"Fiery." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fiery>.
original sentence: and sichuan of fiery peasant fare.
Flank (Junyi Chen)
If something is flanked by things, it has them on both sides of it, or sometimes on one side of it. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"His investment - row after tidy row of rose bushes - flanks the main road into the village." (Shark's Fin)
Feminism(Yusi Zhou)
Feminism is defined as both "the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunites" and "organized activity in support of women's rights and interests."
Definition:the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities; organized activity in support of women's rights and interests(Merriam Webster online)
Flotsam(Yusi Zhou)
Investigators have said many times that flotsam in the Indian Ocean is responsible for false leads in the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
Definition: floating pieces, parts, etc., from a ship that has been wrecked(Merriam Webster online)
facade(Zeyu Yin)
Text: he ornate facade of the church was often photographed by tourists, who never bothered to walk around the building to view its other sides. Susan seemed super-confident, but that was just a facade she put on to hide her insecurity.
Definition: ront (of building); superficial or false appearance
factionI(Zeyu Yin)
Text: The quarrels and bickering of the two small factions within the club disturbed the majority of the members.
Definition: party; clique; dissension.
Definition: Do or handle something clumsily.
Example: This little kid fumbles at his key.
Fodder (Lianyan Gu)
"Food is fodder for representations of both symbolic and sustentative want."(Food ways intro)
"Food is the raw material for representations of both symbolic and continuous want."
filthy (Yichao Zhao)
Original sentence: Their albumens were a filthy, translucent brown. (Shark's fin)
Definition: very dirty (merrianm-webster.com)
Feisty; (Lumiao Zhang)
Original sentence: David O. Selzinick and William Wyler recognized the box office appeal of films that offered an escape to a southern “place out of time”, filled with romance, feisty southern belles, handsome suitors, loyal servants, and evil carpetbaggers.
Definition: (of a person, typically one who is relatively small) lively, determined, and courageous
"a love story with a feisty heroine who's more than a pretty face"
fragility ( tsundu)
Sentence: i note the fragility of the temporary labels and press mine tight onto my napkin ring.
Definition: Easy broken or destroyed
fragile ( Merriam Webster)
Futuristic (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: In the Road (2006), McCarthy follows the futuristic journey of a father and sons as they make their way "south"...
Definition: relating to or telling about events in the future
Example: The film depicts a futuristic society.
frown (Wonjun Lee)
furrow one's brow in an expression of disapproval, displeasure, or concentration
Benjen Stark frowned.
Festered (Wonjun Lee)
(of a wound or sore) become septic; suppurate
he'd taken a glancing blow from an axe and the wound had festered until the whole arm had to come off.
furious(Zining Wang)
very powerful or violent
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/furious
We waited for the dishes to emerge from the tiny kitchen, amid the sounds of furious sizzling.(Shark's Fin)
Flinch (Seung Hyo Han)
to draw back, as from a blow, difficulty, etc. (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
He refusese to eat it, and flinches if you wave some under his nose. (Shark's Fin p.64)
Graze ( Tsundu)
Sentence; Two hours graze in the field below the house.
Definition: 1 To feed on growing herbage, attached algae, or phytoplankton.
2, To eat small portion of food throughout the day.
Graze ( Merriam Webster)
Forensic (Lumiao Zhang)
"…, forensically analyzing the food on my plate."
Definition: Connected with the scientific tests used by the police when trying to solve a crime.
Futile( Yuchen Han)
Sentence: We do not fight global warming because it is futile to do so.
Definition: unproductive of success
fungus(Zining Wang)
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fungus?show=0&t=1393467161
any one of a group of related plants (such as molds, mushrooms, or yeasts) that have no flowers and that live on dead or decaying things
The ribbons of cloud-ear fungus.
(Shark's Fin, 93)
Fiddly (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: awkward or difficult to handle because of many small parts or details
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fiddly)
Original sentence: And here it gets even more fiddly: each perpendicular cut goes all the way through to the board for part of its length, except for every third cut, which goes all the way through for its whole length... so she ends up with trios of jagged frills of kidney, joined together at one end.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p. 83)
Flutter (Seung Hyo Han)
to move with quick vibrations, flaps, etc. (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
A communist party flag fluttered above glass-topped desk in Mr. Chen's office, next to an ornamental hammer-and-sickle. (Shark's Fin p.173)
feast-or-famine (Sylvia Liang)
"The Indians lived in a feast-or famine condition much of the year."
Either too good or too bad.
Flattened (Lanting He)
Text: In some places there are herbs or flowers flattened between the pages, restaurant namecards, tickets for a Taoist temple or a train.
Definition: make or become flat or flatter. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/flatten?showCookiePolicy=true.
Feverishly (Lanting He)
Text: Others, written feverishly during a period of intense learning, are filled in a matter of days.
Definition: frantically . http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/feverishly?showCookiePolicy=true.
flick (Tianyu Ma)
definition: a light sharp jerky stroke or movement
"Flick." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flick>.
sentence: I flick on the gs tap and light the burner. (shark'fin P93)
fillet( Tianyu Ma)
definition: a piece or slice of boneless meat or fish"Fillet." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fillet>.
sentence: couldn't I at least have ordered some lean beef fillet for my poor parents?
(shark's fin P134)
Flit (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: to move or fly quickly from one place or thing to another
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flit)
Original sentence: And before you eat, you may take tea in a wooden gazebo in the courtyard, listening to the twitter of caged songbirds and watching goldfish flit in the pond.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.142)
Famine (Junyi Chen)
Famine is a situation in which large numbers of people have little or no food, and many of them die. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Some people have suggested that it was the experience of famine that drove the Chinese to seek gastronomic pleasure in unlikely places." (Shark's Fin)
Feeble (Junyi Chen)
If you describe someone or something as feeble, you mean that they are weak. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"I cast my mind back to the restaurant kitchen where I had spent that very morning - a crowded, oil-blacked room where feeble extractor fans had done little to combat the savage fumes of sizzling chilies, which made us all choke and weep. " (Shark's Fin)
flimsy (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: I seized a think bamboo cane and hit it in the face several times, but it was strong, and the cane was flimsy. (Shark's Fin, 234)
Definition: easily broken, torn, etc. : not strong or solid ("Flimsy." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 9 Apr. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flimsy)
Ferocious (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: very fierce or violent
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ferocious)
Original sentence: I had a few scarves wrapped loosely around my head and shoulders, to fend off the ferocious late-summer sun.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.251)
Flock (Tianyu Ma)definition:a group of animals (as birds or sheep) assembled or herded together
original sentence: shanghai itself has become the darling of food journalists, who flock there to scoff soup dumpligs.
fiery (Tianyu Ma)definition: having or producing fireof food : tasting very hot and spicy
"Fiery." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fiery>.
original sentence: and sichuan of fiery peasant fare.
Flank (Junyi Chen)
If something is flanked by things, it has them on both sides of it, or sometimes on one side of it. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"His investment - row after tidy row of rose bushes - flanks the main road into the village." (Shark's Fin)
Feminism(Yusi Zhou)
Feminism is defined as both "the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunites" and "organized activity in support of women's rights and interests."
Definition:the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities; organized activity in support of women's rights and interests(Merriam Webster online)
Flotsam(Yusi Zhou)
Investigators have said many times that flotsam in the Indian Ocean is responsible for false leads in the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
Definition: floating pieces, parts, etc., from a ship that has been wrecked(Merriam Webster online)
facade(Zeyu Yin)
Text: he ornate facade of the church was often photographed by tourists, who never bothered to walk around the building to view its other sides. Susan seemed super-confident, but that was just a facade she put on to hide her insecurity.
Definition: ront (of building); superficial or false appearance
factionI(Zeyu Yin)
Text: The quarrels and bickering of the two small factions within the club disturbed the majority of the members.
Definition: party; clique; dissension.
Gnaw (Lianyan Gu)
Sentence: The old woman puts it, feet first, into her mouth, and begins to gnaw. (Shark's Fin p 136)
Meaning: to bite or chew on, especially persistently.
Gastronomy (Lianyan Gu)
Sentence: Chinese gastronomy is unlike European gastronomy: it has very different criteria for the appreciation of food. (Shark's Fin p 134)
Meaning: the art or science of good eating
Game (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: animals under pursuit or taken in hunting; especially: wild animals hunted for sport or food
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/game?show=0&t=1390451810)
Original sentence: As settlers reached the frontier, they planted corn and other food plants, but until these could be harvested, they relied on game or fish (although fish played a large role only along the coasts of the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico.)
(Edge, John. Foodways. p. 1)
gospel ( Yuchen Han Conner)
Original sentence: Notice how in the Gospel of John repeatedly these issues come down to Christology.
Definition: the four books in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) that tell the story of Christ's life and teachings; a unquestionable truth
Example: The Gospel writer is editorializing because this is what he believes
Grudging (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: When her brother, home from the European Theater, asks her to cook him some, she complies grudgingly:"Collard greens!" she said, spitting the word from her mouth as if it were a poisonous seed.
Definition: unwilling, reluctant
Example: Her theories have begun to win grudging acceptance in the scientific community. (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grudging)
Gastronomic (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: But nothing had prepared me for the gastronomic assaults of that first trip to Hong Kong and China in the autumn of 1992.
Definition: Of or relating to gastronomy (The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company)
Gastronomic (Junyi Chen)
Gastronomic is used to describe things that are concerned with good food. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"But nothing had prepared me for the gastronomic assaults of that first trip to Hong Kong and China in the autumn of 1992. " (Shark's Fin)
Griddle (Seung Hyo Han)
a heavy, flat metal plate with a handle, or a special flat, heated surface on the top of a stove, used for cooking pancakes and other foods (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
After frying them golden in oil, he tucks the guo kui under the griddle, where they back crisp at the side of the charcoal brazier. (Shark's Fin p.16)
Gutted (Lanting He)
Text: long, terrible processions of the lame and dying through gutted streets.
Definition: to remove the intestines from; eviscerate http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american/gutted?showCookiePolicy=true
Glutamate (Seung Hyo Han)
a salt or ester of glutamic acid (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Their umami flavours come from the building blocks of proteins, amino acids and nucleotides, which include not only glutamates, but also inosinates and guanylates. (Shark's Fin p.97)
graffiti (Tianyu Ma)
definition: pictures or words painted or drawn on a wall, building, etc.
"Graffiti." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/graffiti>.
sentence: The desk has been carved with graffiti by previous generations of students (shark's fin P76)
Gastronomy (Sylvia Liang)
"Westerners remain fixated, obsessed even, with the weird fringes of Chinese gastronomy." (Shark's fin, 11)
The activity and knowledge involved in preparing and appreciating good food.
gullible( Yuchen Han)
Sentence: The advertisement is aimed at gullible young women worried about their weight.
Definition: .naive and easily deceived or tricked.
Grandiloquent (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: At one contest I attended, each competitor had produced an ornamental cold platter, or pin pan, in which tiny slices of multicoloured ingredients were assembled into grandiloquent collages. (Shark's Fin, P90)
Definition: a lofty, extravagantly colorful, pompous, or bombastic style, manner, or quality especially in language ("Grandiloquent." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grandiloquent)
Gadget (Huan Qu)
Definition:an often small mechanical or electronic device with a practical use but often thought of as a novelty
("Gadget." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gadget>.)
Reading: Advances in food technology and the availability of new household gadgets like washing machines have only just begun to liberate women from the treadmill of domestic labor. (Shark's Fin, p98)
Gourmet (Junyi Chen)
A gourmet is someone who enjoys good food, and who knows a lot about food and wine. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Think, for a moment, of the words we use to describe some of the textures most adored by Chinese gourmets: gristly, slithery, slimy, squelchy, crunchy, gloopy." (Shark's Fin)
Grubby (Minho Cho)
sentence: I have returned to my grubby worker's flat, which a few European student friends and I have kept on...(Shark's Fin. p.133)
Def: Dirty, slovenly
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/grubby?s=t)
Gruelling (Jenny Yu)
sentence: Although his parents were still in their forties, they looked older, worn out by a life of gruelling agricultural labour. (Shark's Fin, 118)
Definition: trying or taxing to the point of exhaustion("Grueling." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grueling
Gelatinous (Lumiao Zhang)
is used to describe substances that are like a very think liquid and often sticky. “ A Chinese gourmet will distinguish between the bouncy gelatinous quality of sea cucumber.”
Grapple (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: I spent evenings politely munching my way through goose intestines and grappling with chicken’s feet, but I can’t say I really enjoyed them.
Definition: to seize with or as if with a grapple
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grapple)
Glitter (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: Kashgar was one of a string of thriving oasis towns that lay on the route from Central Asia to the glittering Tang Dynasty capital Chang'an.
Definition: to shine brightly : to shine with bright points of light
Example: Her eyes glittered with intelligence and amusement.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glittering)
Gleam (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: Coppersmiths beat their gleaming metal into the curves of cooking pots and kettles, while knife merchants lurked amid rows of bejeweled daggers.
Definition: to shine brightly
Example: The sun gleamed on the water.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gleam)
Gaggle (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a group, aggregation, or cluster lacking organization
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gaggle)
Original sentence: A gaggle of hungry customers were seated at benches around his stall, tucking in.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.251)
Gruelling (Junyi Chen)
A gruelling activity is extremely difficult and tiring to do. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Although his parents were still in their forties, they looked older, worn out by a life of gruelling agricultural labour." (Shark's Fin)
Sentence: The old woman puts it, feet first, into her mouth, and begins to gnaw. (Shark's Fin p 136)
Meaning: to bite or chew on, especially persistently.
Gastronomy (Lianyan Gu)
Sentence: Chinese gastronomy is unlike European gastronomy: it has very different criteria for the appreciation of food. (Shark's Fin p 134)
Meaning: the art or science of good eating
Game (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: animals under pursuit or taken in hunting; especially: wild animals hunted for sport or food
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/game?show=0&t=1390451810)
Original sentence: As settlers reached the frontier, they planted corn and other food plants, but until these could be harvested, they relied on game or fish (although fish played a large role only along the coasts of the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico.)
(Edge, John. Foodways. p. 1)
gospel ( Yuchen Han Conner)
Original sentence: Notice how in the Gospel of John repeatedly these issues come down to Christology.
Definition: the four books in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) that tell the story of Christ's life and teachings; a unquestionable truth
Example: The Gospel writer is editorializing because this is what he believes
Grudging (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: When her brother, home from the European Theater, asks her to cook him some, she complies grudgingly:"Collard greens!" she said, spitting the word from her mouth as if it were a poisonous seed.
Definition: unwilling, reluctant
Example: Her theories have begun to win grudging acceptance in the scientific community. (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grudging)
Gastronomic (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: But nothing had prepared me for the gastronomic assaults of that first trip to Hong Kong and China in the autumn of 1992.
Definition: Of or relating to gastronomy (The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company)
Gastronomic (Junyi Chen)
Gastronomic is used to describe things that are concerned with good food. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"But nothing had prepared me for the gastronomic assaults of that first trip to Hong Kong and China in the autumn of 1992. " (Shark's Fin)
Griddle (Seung Hyo Han)
a heavy, flat metal plate with a handle, or a special flat, heated surface on the top of a stove, used for cooking pancakes and other foods (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
After frying them golden in oil, he tucks the guo kui under the griddle, where they back crisp at the side of the charcoal brazier. (Shark's Fin p.16)
Gutted (Lanting He)
Text: long, terrible processions of the lame and dying through gutted streets.
Definition: to remove the intestines from; eviscerate http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american/gutted?showCookiePolicy=true
Glutamate (Seung Hyo Han)
a salt or ester of glutamic acid (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Their umami flavours come from the building blocks of proteins, amino acids and nucleotides, which include not only glutamates, but also inosinates and guanylates. (Shark's Fin p.97)
graffiti (Tianyu Ma)
definition: pictures or words painted or drawn on a wall, building, etc.
"Graffiti." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/graffiti>.
sentence: The desk has been carved with graffiti by previous generations of students (shark's fin P76)
Gastronomy (Sylvia Liang)
"Westerners remain fixated, obsessed even, with the weird fringes of Chinese gastronomy." (Shark's fin, 11)
The activity and knowledge involved in preparing and appreciating good food.
gullible( Yuchen Han)
Sentence: The advertisement is aimed at gullible young women worried about their weight.
Definition: .naive and easily deceived or tricked.
Grandiloquent (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: At one contest I attended, each competitor had produced an ornamental cold platter, or pin pan, in which tiny slices of multicoloured ingredients were assembled into grandiloquent collages. (Shark's Fin, P90)
Definition: a lofty, extravagantly colorful, pompous, or bombastic style, manner, or quality especially in language ("Grandiloquent." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grandiloquent)
Gadget (Huan Qu)
Definition:an often small mechanical or electronic device with a practical use but often thought of as a novelty
("Gadget." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gadget>.)
Reading: Advances in food technology and the availability of new household gadgets like washing machines have only just begun to liberate women from the treadmill of domestic labor. (Shark's Fin, p98)
Gourmet (Junyi Chen)
A gourmet is someone who enjoys good food, and who knows a lot about food and wine. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Think, for a moment, of the words we use to describe some of the textures most adored by Chinese gourmets: gristly, slithery, slimy, squelchy, crunchy, gloopy." (Shark's Fin)
Grubby (Minho Cho)
sentence: I have returned to my grubby worker's flat, which a few European student friends and I have kept on...(Shark's Fin. p.133)
Def: Dirty, slovenly
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/grubby?s=t)
Gruelling (Jenny Yu)
sentence: Although his parents were still in their forties, they looked older, worn out by a life of gruelling agricultural labour. (Shark's Fin, 118)
Definition: trying or taxing to the point of exhaustion("Grueling." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grueling
Gelatinous (Lumiao Zhang)
is used to describe substances that are like a very think liquid and often sticky. “ A Chinese gourmet will distinguish between the bouncy gelatinous quality of sea cucumber.”
Grapple (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: I spent evenings politely munching my way through goose intestines and grappling with chicken’s feet, but I can’t say I really enjoyed them.
Definition: to seize with or as if with a grapple
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grapple)
Glitter (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: Kashgar was one of a string of thriving oasis towns that lay on the route from Central Asia to the glittering Tang Dynasty capital Chang'an.
Definition: to shine brightly : to shine with bright points of light
Example: Her eyes glittered with intelligence and amusement.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glittering)
Gleam (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: Coppersmiths beat their gleaming metal into the curves of cooking pots and kettles, while knife merchants lurked amid rows of bejeweled daggers.
Definition: to shine brightly
Example: The sun gleamed on the water.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gleam)
Gaggle (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a group, aggregation, or cluster lacking organization
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gaggle)
Original sentence: A gaggle of hungry customers were seated at benches around his stall, tucking in.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.251)
Gruelling (Junyi Chen)
A gruelling activity is extremely difficult and tiring to do. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Although his parents were still in their forties, they looked older, worn out by a life of gruelling agricultural labour." (Shark's Fin)
Hectic (Jenny Yu)
Sentence in the reading: During those hectic days, the fat was boiled in a large pot and rendered into lard. (Edge Foodways, P4)
Definition: 1. of, relating to, or being a fluctuating but persistent fever
2. red, flushed
3. characterized by activity, excitement, or confusion
("Hectic." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 25 Jan. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hectic)
Hors d'oeuvre (Even)
The preserved duck eggs were served as an hors d'oeuvre in a fashionable Hong Kong restaurant.
Definition: a food served in small portions before the main part of a meal.
Example: I'd like a tray of assorted hors d'oeuvres.
Hideous (Yusi Zhou)
Sentence: The next moment a hideous, grinding screech, as of some monstrous machine running without oil, burst from the big telescreen at the end of the room. (George Orwell 1984)
Definition: unpleasant (the pocket oxford dictionary)
Haul (Seung Hyo Han)
to pull with force; move by pulling or drawing; tug; drag (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
The strong men hauled the great flabby beast on to the stove bench. (Shark's Fin p.229)
Hew(Yuchen Han)
Original sentence: I hewed him on his neck with my left hand,and he released his hands that seized me by the throat.
Definition: strike with an axe; cut down, strike
Holocaust
Definition:a mass slaughter of people
Example:The museum is devoted to the Holocaus
Haggle (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: Buyers squeezed the flesh of sheep, haggled over cows, donkeys and goats (Shark's Fin, 236)
Definition: to talk or argue with someone especially in order to agree on a price ("Haggle." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 1 Apr. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/haggle?show=0&t=1396402761)
Hearty (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: I quickly became a regular at the Bamboo Bar, one of the restaurants near the university that was known for its hearty flavors and friendly atmosphere.
Definition: done or expressed in a very open, cheerful, and energetic way
Example: His grandmother remains hale and hearty in her old age.
Headlong (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: without taking time to think about your actions
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/headlong)
Original sentence: I was also flung headlong into a maelstrom of specialised culinary vocabulary.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p. 81)
hovel (Wonjun Lee)
a small, squalid, unpleasant, or simply constructed dwelling.
they left the castle together and walked to that dreadful hovel where you were staying.
Haute (Minho Cho)
sentence: The master-apprentice system declined during the Cultural Revolution, when haute cuisine was blacklisted and even small-time street traders were banned as capitalists.(Shark's Fin Pg.79)
Def: high; elevated; upper, high class
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/haute?s=t)
Sentence in the reading: During those hectic days, the fat was boiled in a large pot and rendered into lard. (Edge Foodways, P4)
Definition: 1. of, relating to, or being a fluctuating but persistent fever
2. red, flushed
3. characterized by activity, excitement, or confusion
("Hectic." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 25 Jan. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hectic)
Hors d'oeuvre (Even)
The preserved duck eggs were served as an hors d'oeuvre in a fashionable Hong Kong restaurant.
Definition: a food served in small portions before the main part of a meal.
Example: I'd like a tray of assorted hors d'oeuvres.
Hideous (Yusi Zhou)
Sentence: The next moment a hideous, grinding screech, as of some monstrous machine running without oil, burst from the big telescreen at the end of the room. (George Orwell 1984)
Definition: unpleasant (the pocket oxford dictionary)
Haul (Seung Hyo Han)
to pull with force; move by pulling or drawing; tug; drag (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
The strong men hauled the great flabby beast on to the stove bench. (Shark's Fin p.229)
Hew(Yuchen Han)
Original sentence: I hewed him on his neck with my left hand,and he released his hands that seized me by the throat.
Definition: strike with an axe; cut down, strike
Holocaust
Definition:a mass slaughter of people
Example:The museum is devoted to the Holocaus
Haggle (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: Buyers squeezed the flesh of sheep, haggled over cows, donkeys and goats (Shark's Fin, 236)
Definition: to talk or argue with someone especially in order to agree on a price ("Haggle." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 1 Apr. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/haggle?show=0&t=1396402761)
Hearty (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: I quickly became a regular at the Bamboo Bar, one of the restaurants near the university that was known for its hearty flavors and friendly atmosphere.
Definition: done or expressed in a very open, cheerful, and energetic way
Example: His grandmother remains hale and hearty in her old age.
Headlong (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: without taking time to think about your actions
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/headlong)
Original sentence: I was also flung headlong into a maelstrom of specialised culinary vocabulary.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p. 81)
hovel (Wonjun Lee)
a small, squalid, unpleasant, or simply constructed dwelling.
they left the castle together and walked to that dreadful hovel where you were staying.
Haute (Minho Cho)
sentence: The master-apprentice system declined during the Cultural Revolution, when haute cuisine was blacklisted and even small-time street traders were banned as capitalists.(Shark's Fin Pg.79)
Def: high; elevated; upper, high class
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/haute?s=t)
Hors(Yingshan Fang)
Definition:a small amount of food served before a meal, or at a party
Link:http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/american-english/hors-d-oeuvre?q=hors
Sentence in reading:The preserved duck eggs were served as an hors in a restaurant in Hong Kong.
Definition:a small amount of food served before a meal, or at a party
Link:http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/american-english/hors-d-oeuvre?q=hors
Sentence in reading:The preserved duck eggs were served as an hors in a restaurant in Hong Kong.
Hark (Even)
Original sentence: It harks back to the steel mills of the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century.
Definition: to pay close attention
Example: Upon hearing the offending ringing, the teacher sarcastically cried, “Hark! Could that possibly be a cell phone?”
Original sentence: It harks back to the steel mills of the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century.
Definition: to pay close attention
Example: Upon hearing the offending ringing, the teacher sarcastically cried, “Hark! Could that possibly be a cell phone?”
Homily (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: And he gave his homily a Confucian slant.
Definition: a usually short talk on a religious or moral topic
Example: The priest gave a brief homily on forgiveness. (From Merriam Webster Online Dictionary)
Haggle (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: Buyers squeezed the flash of sheep, haggled over cows, donkeys and goats.
Definition: to cut roughly or clumsily
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/haggle)
Hegemony (Lanting He)
Text: Early resistance to the international codification of human rights by the world's leading powers demonstrates a crucial point: there is nothing inherent in human rights as a concept, nor
the human rights system, that provides a tool for Western cultural hegemony.
Definition: ascendancy or domination of one power or state within a league, confederation, etc, or of one social class over othershttp://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/hegemony?showCookiePolicy=true
Original Sentence: And he gave his homily a Confucian slant.
Definition: a usually short talk on a religious or moral topic
Example: The priest gave a brief homily on forgiveness. (From Merriam Webster Online Dictionary)
Haggle (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: Buyers squeezed the flash of sheep, haggled over cows, donkeys and goats.
Definition: to cut roughly or clumsily
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/haggle)
Hegemony (Lanting He)
Text: Early resistance to the international codification of human rights by the world's leading powers demonstrates a crucial point: there is nothing inherent in human rights as a concept, nor
the human rights system, that provides a tool for Western cultural hegemony.
Definition: ascendancy or domination of one power or state within a league, confederation, etc, or of one social class over othershttp://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/hegemony?showCookiePolicy=true
Infuriated (Junyi Chen)
to make furious (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary)
"Although he likely was referring to BP's commitment to helping individual citizens, his choice of words - "small people" - infuriated the public because it demeaned those impacted by the spill and implied that the disruptions to their lives was not of great concern. " (Writer/Designer)
Inspect (Seung Hyo Han)
to look at carefully; examine critically, esp. in order to detect flaws, errors, etc. (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Mu Ma started inspecting the few temple relics. (Shark's Fin p.221)
Incinerated (Even)
Original sentence: Most southerners know (or should know) that an incinerated chicken or a hot dog with burn stripes is not barbecue.
Definition: “Burning completely to ashes.”
Example: The waste is incinerated in a large furnace.
Inroad (Seung Hyo Han)
a sudden invasion or raid (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Since I first lived in Chengdu, 'Western food' has made enormous inroads into China. (Shark's Fin p.67)
inexplicable(Zining Wang)
not able to be explained or understood (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary)http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inexplicable
From: A sign out front showing a smiling pig that seems to be inexplicably happy about its contribution to the menu.
(Edge Foodways Ethnographic Entries Selection)
immense (Wonjun Lee)
extremely large or great, especially in scale or degree
You could see it from miles off, a pale blue line across the northern horizon, stretching away to the east and west vanishing in the far distance, immense and unbroken.
Ineptitude (Wonjun Lee)
the quality or state of being inept; especially
I can ineptitude in any one day.
Indelible
--"..., so that even the least of his countless manuscripts bears an indelible stamp of beauty." Debussy on Music
Definition:
-By Yichu Lin
Invasion (Junyi Chen)
If you refer to the arrival of a large number of people or things as an invasion, you are emphasizing that they are unpleasant or difficult to deal with. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"The other was the image of ethnic enclave - Chinatown, Little Italy, and the like - which scholars elaborated into the notion of urban ecology, a narrative of inevitable "invasion and succession". " (A Salad Bowl City)
Incongruous( Lanting He)
Text: Yet the surfaces that surrounded me were as busy and incongruous as ever.
Definition: strange because of not agreeing with what is usual or expected. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incongruous
Insinuating （Huan Qu）
Definition： tending gradually to cause doubt, distrust, or change of outlook often in a slyly subtle manner
（"Insinuating." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insinuating>）
Reading： And then there was a slow, insinuating lethargy of the place itself.
(Shark's Fin, p22)
Indignant (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: Given that we had all been required to have exhaustive physical examinations before entering China including HIV tests, we were indignant (my own doctor had laughed heartily at the Chinese state's medical demands of a healthy young woman, especially the electrocardiogram).(Shark's Fin, 18)
Definition: feeling or showing anger because of something unjust or unworthy
("Indignant." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 12 Feb. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indignant)
to make furious (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary)
"Although he likely was referring to BP's commitment to helping individual citizens, his choice of words - "small people" - infuriated the public because it demeaned those impacted by the spill and implied that the disruptions to their lives was not of great concern. " (Writer/Designer)
Inspect (Seung Hyo Han)
to look at carefully; examine critically, esp. in order to detect flaws, errors, etc. (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Mu Ma started inspecting the few temple relics. (Shark's Fin p.221)
Incinerated (Even)
Original sentence: Most southerners know (or should know) that an incinerated chicken or a hot dog with burn stripes is not barbecue.
Definition: “Burning completely to ashes.”
Example: The waste is incinerated in a large furnace.
Inroad (Seung Hyo Han)
a sudden invasion or raid (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Since I first lived in Chengdu, 'Western food' has made enormous inroads into China. (Shark's Fin p.67)
inexplicable(Zining Wang)
not able to be explained or understood (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary)http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inexplicable
From: A sign out front showing a smiling pig that seems to be inexplicably happy about its contribution to the menu.
(Edge Foodways Ethnographic Entries Selection)
immense (Wonjun Lee)
extremely large or great, especially in scale or degree
You could see it from miles off, a pale blue line across the northern horizon, stretching away to the east and west vanishing in the far distance, immense and unbroken.
Ineptitude (Wonjun Lee)
the quality or state of being inept; especially
I can ineptitude in any one day.
Indelible
--"..., so that even the least of his countless manuscripts bears an indelible stamp of beauty." Debussy on Music
Definition:
- a : that cannot be removed, washed away, or erased b : making marks that cannot easily be removed <an indelible pencil>
- a : LASTING <indelible memories> b : UNFORGETTABLE, MEMORABLE <an indelible performance>
-By Yichu Lin
Invasion (Junyi Chen)
If you refer to the arrival of a large number of people or things as an invasion, you are emphasizing that they are unpleasant or difficult to deal with. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"The other was the image of ethnic enclave - Chinatown, Little Italy, and the like - which scholars elaborated into the notion of urban ecology, a narrative of inevitable "invasion and succession". " (A Salad Bowl City)
Incongruous( Lanting He)
Text: Yet the surfaces that surrounded me were as busy and incongruous as ever.
Definition: strange because of not agreeing with what is usual or expected. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incongruous
Insinuating （Huan Qu）
Definition： tending gradually to cause doubt, distrust, or change of outlook often in a slyly subtle manner
（"Insinuating." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 9 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insinuating>）
Reading： And then there was a slow, insinuating lethargy of the place itself.
(Shark's Fin, p22)
Indignant (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: Given that we had all been required to have exhaustive physical examinations before entering China including HIV tests, we were indignant (my own doctor had laughed heartily at the Chinese state's medical demands of a healthy young woman, especially the electrocardiogram).(Shark's Fin, 18)
Definition: feeling or showing anger because of something unjust or unworthy
("Indignant." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 12 Feb. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indignant)
Indispensable (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: My hand-made Sichuanese knife has become my indispensable cooking tool.
Definition: extremely important and necessary
Example: Fully aware that he was an indispensable assistant, he decided that it was high time that he be paid what he was worth.
In tow (Junyi Chen)
If you have someone in tow, they are following you closely because you are looking after them or you are leading them somewhere. (INFORMAL) (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"So, of course, now that my father has come to visit Chengdu for the second time, this time with my mother in tow, I have done the Sichuanese thing and invited them out for a hotpot supper. " (Shark's Fin)
Intestine (Huan Qu)
Definition: a long tube in the body that helps digest food after it leaves the stomach（"Intestine." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intestine>.）Reading: It is only when I notice my father struggling with a rubbery goose intestine that I realise something is not quite right. (
illiterate (Junyi Chen)
Someone who is illiterate does not know how to read or write. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Liu Yaochun's parents no longer lived in a mud hut, but they were still illiterate." (Shark's Fin)
Inhale (Huan Qu)Definition:to breathe in
"Inhale." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inhale>.
Reading: ...you can sense the pollution as you inhale. (Sharks' Fin, p279)
illegitimate (Junyi Chen)
A person who is illegitimate was born of parents who were not married to each other. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"The illegitimate child whose mother had run away to the city because of social ostracism." (Shark's Fin)
Original Sentence: My hand-made Sichuanese knife has become my indispensable cooking tool.
Definition: extremely important and necessary
Example: Fully aware that he was an indispensable assistant, he decided that it was high time that he be paid what he was worth.
In tow (Junyi Chen)
If you have someone in tow, they are following you closely because you are looking after them or you are leading them somewhere. (INFORMAL) (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"So, of course, now that my father has come to visit Chengdu for the second time, this time with my mother in tow, I have done the Sichuanese thing and invited them out for a hotpot supper. " (Shark's Fin)
Intestine (Huan Qu)
Definition: a long tube in the body that helps digest food after it leaves the stomach（"Intestine." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intestine>.）Reading: It is only when I notice my father struggling with a rubbery goose intestine that I realise something is not quite right. (
illiterate (Junyi Chen)
Someone who is illiterate does not know how to read or write. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Liu Yaochun's parents no longer lived in a mud hut, but they were still illiterate." (Shark's Fin)
Inhale (Huan Qu)Definition:to breathe in
"Inhale." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inhale>.
Reading: ...you can sense the pollution as you inhale. (Sharks' Fin, p279)
illegitimate (Junyi Chen)
A person who is illegitimate was born of parents who were not married to each other. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"The illegitimate child whose mother had run away to the city because of social ostracism." (Shark's Fin)
Jettison( Yuchen Han Conner)
Original sentence: This may seem like a bit of a leap, but let's jettison some historical baggage.
Definition: throw away, of something encumbering
Example: Both should jettison their fears and old thinking and embrace this wind of change.
Jumble (Even)
Original sentence: Today at the corner of the Central and Rosehaven, you can park your car amid a jumble of little shopping plazas and walk to a Vietnamese grocery.
Definition: causing things to be mixed together in a way that is not neat or orderly
Example: The contest editor has jumbled the letters of some common words.
Jostle (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: to push against (someone) while moving forward in a crowd of people
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jostle)
Original sentence: We all take turns to cook amid the jostling, subversive crowd.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p. 94)
Jangle (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: to make a harsh or discordant often ringing sound
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jangle)
Original sentence: If one seasoning was out of proportion, the flavor would jangle.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p. 104)
Jeer (Huan Qu)
Definition: to shout insulting words at someone : to laugh at or criticize someone in a loud and angry way
Source: "Jeer." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jeer>.
Reading: If anything goes wrong, they jeer and giggle. (Shark's Fin, p94)
Original sentence: This may seem like a bit of a leap, but let's jettison some historical baggage.
Definition: throw away, of something encumbering
Example: Both should jettison their fears and old thinking and embrace this wind of change.
Jumble (Even)
Original sentence: Today at the corner of the Central and Rosehaven, you can park your car amid a jumble of little shopping plazas and walk to a Vietnamese grocery.
Definition: causing things to be mixed together in a way that is not neat or orderly
Example: The contest editor has jumbled the letters of some common words.
Jostle (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: to push against (someone) while moving forward in a crowd of people
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jostle)
Original sentence: We all take turns to cook amid the jostling, subversive crowd.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p. 94)
Jangle (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: to make a harsh or discordant often ringing sound
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jangle)
Original sentence: If one seasoning was out of proportion, the flavor would jangle.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p. 104)
Jeer (Huan Qu)
Definition: to shout insulting words at someone : to laugh at or criticize someone in a loud and angry way
Source: "Jeer." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jeer>.
Reading: If anything goes wrong, they jeer and giggle. (Shark's Fin, p94)
knead(Tianyu Ma)
definition: to prepare (dough) by pressing a mixture of flour, water, etc., with your hands
"Knead." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knead>.
sentence: The woman kneads her dough and rolls it into balls on an oiled wooden board.
(shark's fin and Sichuan pepper P16)
Kindred (Huan Qu)
Definition: alike or similar
"Kindred." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kindred>.
Reading: I find in him a kindred spirit. (Shark's Fin, p78)
definition: to prepare (dough) by pressing a mixture of flour, water, etc., with your hands
"Knead." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knead>.
sentence: The woman kneads her dough and rolls it into balls on an oiled wooden board.
(shark's fin and Sichuan pepper P16)
Kindred (Huan Qu)
Definition: alike or similar
"Kindred." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kindred>.
Reading: I find in him a kindred spirit. (Shark's Fin, p78)
Lanting He
Ladder
And then, I descended the narrow ladder again to a cavernous kitchen bubbling with pots and tureens.
Definition: A ladder is a vertical or inclined set of rungs or steps
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladder
Leer (Even)
They leered up at me like the eyeballs of some nightmarish monster, dark and threatening.
Definition: to look at someone in an evil or unpleasantly sexual way
Example: She complained that some disgusting man was leering adreat her.
Lurk
--"The diabolical tritone lurks everywhere." The Rest is Noise
Definition:
-By Yichu Lin
Lambast (Seung Hyo Han)
to beat soundly; thrash (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)A couple of critics lambasted me for it. (Shark's Fin p.183)
lofty (Wonjun Lee)
of imposing height.
Crows nested in the timbers of its lofty ceiling..
(Yifan Liang)
Layout
Place: Visual Mode, Page 6, Writer/Designer
Definition: n. arrangement, design
(http://www.wordreference.com/thesaurus/layout)
Lure (Seung Hyo Han)
to attract, tempt, or entice (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
It wasn't food that originally lured me to go and live in China, or at least that's what I told myself. (Shark's Fin p.16)
Ladle (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: to take up and carry (a liquid) by using a large spoon : to serve (a liquid) with a ladle
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ladle)
Original sentence: I flick on the gas tap and light the burner, ladle some oil into the blackened wok.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p. 93)
Leer (Tianyu Ma)
definition: to look at someone in an evil or unpleasantly sexual way
"Leer." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leer>.
sentence: My classmates leer over me, ready for a laugh.
Licentiousness (Lanting He)
Text: Whenever the camera was not focusing on its stars' physical assets, it was usually lingering, with no less licentiousness, on their liquid assets.
Definition: the quality of being licentious; permissiveness .http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/licentiousness?showCookiePolicy=true
Ladder
And then, I descended the narrow ladder again to a cavernous kitchen bubbling with pots and tureens.
Definition: A ladder is a vertical or inclined set of rungs or steps
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladder
Leer (Even)
They leered up at me like the eyeballs of some nightmarish monster, dark and threatening.
Definition: to look at someone in an evil or unpleasantly sexual way
Example: She complained that some disgusting man was leering adreat her.
Lurk
--"The diabolical tritone lurks everywhere." The Rest is Noise
Definition:
- a : to lie in wait in a place of concealment especially for an evil purpose b : to move furtively or inconspicuously c : to persist in staying
- a : to be concealed but capable of being discovered specifically : to constitute a latent threat b : to lie hidden
- to read messages on an Internet discussion forum (as a newsgroup or chat room) without contributing
-By Yichu Lin
Lambast (Seung Hyo Han)
to beat soundly; thrash (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)A couple of critics lambasted me for it. (Shark's Fin p.183)
lofty (Wonjun Lee)
of imposing height.
Crows nested in the timbers of its lofty ceiling..
(Yifan Liang)
Layout
Place: Visual Mode, Page 6, Writer/Designer
Definition: n. arrangement, design
(http://www.wordreference.com/thesaurus/layout)
Lure (Seung Hyo Han)
to attract, tempt, or entice (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
It wasn't food that originally lured me to go and live in China, or at least that's what I told myself. (Shark's Fin p.16)
Ladle (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: to take up and carry (a liquid) by using a large spoon : to serve (a liquid) with a ladle
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ladle)
Original sentence: I flick on the gas tap and light the burner, ladle some oil into the blackened wok.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p. 93)
Leer (Tianyu Ma)
definition: to look at someone in an evil or unpleasantly sexual way
"Leer." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leer>.
sentence: My classmates leer over me, ready for a laugh.
Licentiousness (Lanting He)
Text: Whenever the camera was not focusing on its stars' physical assets, it was usually lingering, with no less licentiousness, on their liquid assets.
Definition: the quality of being licentious; permissiveness .http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/licentiousness?showCookiePolicy=true
Lethargy (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: And then there was the slow, insinuating lethargy of the place itself.
Definition: a lack of energy or a lack of interest in doing things
Example: Symptoms of the disease include loss of appetite and lethargy.
Original Sentence: And then there was the slow, insinuating lethargy of the place itself.
Definition: a lack of energy or a lack of interest in doing things
Example: Symptoms of the disease include loss of appetite and lethargy.
(Yifan Liang)
Myriad
Sentence: There were many delightful surprises: exquisite roast goose, sparklingly fresh seafood and myriad delicate dim sum dumplings. (The last 4th line of Prologue: The Chinese Eat Everything, Page 9, Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper by Fuchsia Dunlop)
Definition: adj. innumerable
n. a large indefinite number
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/myriad)
Mock (Lianyan Gu)
Original Sentence: My family mocked me. ( Shark's Fin p95)
Meaning: to laugh at or make fun of. (Merriam- Webster)
Mutton (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: Snack-sellers were lighting fires under their stoves, setting up cauldrons of soup to boil, and chopping piles of vegetables and hunks of mutton. (Shark's Fin, 236)
Definition: the meat of an adult sheep used as food ("Mutton." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mutton)
Meme (Junyi Chen)
an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary)
"For instance, lolcats, a well-known Internet meme, are multimodal. " (Writer/Designer)
Motley (Huan Qu)
Definition: made up of many different people or things
"Reed." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reed>.
Reading: I chose to eat a bowlful of their noodles rather than mine, sitting at a table in the sun with a motley assortment of Uyghur sheep-traders.
Lanting He
Mendicants
Traders and monks and mendicants, and purple-cheeked young girls with turquoise in their pigtails and brilliant smiles,Definition: The term mendicant (from Latin: mendicans, "begging") refers to begging or relying on charitable donations, and is most widely used for religious followers or ascetics who rely exclusively on charity to survive.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mendicant
Mansion (Even)
Original sentence: In 1941, Governor W. Lee. O’Daniel threw a free barbecue on the grounds of the governor’s mansion to celebrate his inauguration.
Definition: “A large and impressive house or the house of a wealthy person.”
Example: If I ever win the lottery, I'm going to buy a mansion with 10 bedrooms and an indoor swimming pool!
mythic (Lianyan Gu)
Original sentence: This mythic world exists today (the stuff of southern food p286）
definition: pertaining to, of the nature of, or involving a myth.
magnitude (Wonjun Lee)
A task of this magnitude requires a lot of resources,
the great size or extent of something
Meld (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: ...pottery made by enslaved potters who melded American technology and European ceramic forms.
Definition:
muffle (Yichao Zhao)
Sentence: As usual, the sky is a muffled grey.(Shark's fin)
Definition: to wrap or cover (someone or something) in clothing or cloth for warmth or protection(merriam-webster.com)
murky (Yichao Zhao)
Sentence: ... a cormorant fisherman is trying is luck in the murky water. (Shark's fin)
Definition: very dark or foggy of a liquid : not clear (merriam-webster.com)
munch (Yusi Zhou)
Sentence: Italians continued cooking pasta and making spaghetti sauce for dinner, even if they might munch on an all-American hotdog for lunch.(The Larder. A Salad Bowl City)
Definition: to chew or eat (food) audibly or with pleasure. (American Heritage Dictionary)
municipality
Sentence: ..., suburbs here seldom became separate incorporated municipalities.
Definition: A political unit, such as a city, town, or village, incorporated for local self-government. (American Heritage Dictionary)
Maelstrom (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a situation in which there are a lot of confused activities, emotions, etc.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maelstrom)
Original sentence: I was also flung headlong into a maelstrom of specialised culinary vocabulary.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p. 81)
Mangle (Minho Cho)
sentence: Sichuanese dialect is like Mandarin put through a mangle. (Shark's Fin pg.80)
Def: a machine for smoothing or pressing clothes.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mangle?s=t)
Mince (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: There were no mincing machines or food processors to save us time.
Definition: to cut (food) into very small pieces
Example: The recipe says that you should mince the onions.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mince)
Marinate(Tianyu Ma)
definition: to put meat or fish in a sauce for a period of time to add flavor or to make the meat or fish more tender : to soak in a marinade
"Marinate." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marinate>.
sentence: the snaking strands of pork, marinated in salt soy sauce. (shark's fin P93)
'
Malicious (Huan Qu)
Definition: having or showing a desire to cause harm to another person : having or showing malice
"Malicious." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malicious>
Reading: Unlike many of my compatriots, I have never thought of Chinese popular attitudes to Xinjiang and Tibet as malicious. (Sharks' Fin,p 247)
Mugful (Huan Qu)Definition: a large drinking cup with a handle
"Mug." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mug>.
Reading: I drink a mugful of bai kai shui, plain boiled water, instead. (Sharks' Fin, p279)
Monotonous (Seung Hyo Han)
going on in the same tone without variation (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Monotonous, pale, dusty hills rose to the north. (Shark's Fin p.117)
Maelstrom (Seung Hyo Han)a violently confused or dangerously agitated state of mind, emotion, affairs, etc. (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
I was also flung headlong into a maelstrom of specialised culinary vocabulary. (Shark's Fin p.81)
Munch (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: I spent evenings politely munching my way through goose intestines and grappling with chicken’s feet, but I can’t say I really enjoyed them.
Definition: to eat with a chewing action
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/munch)
Marinade (Seung Hyo Han)
a spiced pickling solution, esp. a mixture of oil, wine or vinegar, and spices, in which meat, fish, etc. is steeped, often before cooking (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
And then he prodded his taciturn friend to give me the recipe for smoked rabbit, which involved skinning the animal alive, rubbing it in a marinade of salt and spices, flattening its body between two heavy stones, crucifying it on a cross of wooden sticks, and then smoking it over a smouldering fire of pine, camphor and cypress leaves. (Shark's Fin p.53)
Malignant (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: The spirits of the childless, neglected and unfed, are malignant.
Definition: evil in nature, influence, or effect ("Malignant." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malignant)
Moss(Tianyu Ma)
sentence: its claw bearded with moss like fur
definition:
a type of green plant that has very small leaves and no flowers and that grows on rocks, bark, or wet ground
Moonlit (Seung Hyo Han)
lighted by the moon (COLLIN ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Once we all drove out of the city on a moonlit night. (Shark's Fin p.159)
metallurgy (Huan Qu)
Definition: a science that deals with the nature and uses of metal
"Metallurgy." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metallurgy>.
Reading: It was a terrifying place, a blighted metropolis where the chimneys of the local metallurgy and chemical plants spewed their vile.... (Sharks' Fin, p279)
Myriad
Sentence: There were many delightful surprises: exquisite roast goose, sparklingly fresh seafood and myriad delicate dim sum dumplings. (The last 4th line of Prologue: The Chinese Eat Everything, Page 9, Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper by Fuchsia Dunlop)
Definition: adj. innumerable
n. a large indefinite number
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/myriad)
Mock (Lianyan Gu)
Original Sentence: My family mocked me. ( Shark's Fin p95)
Meaning: to laugh at or make fun of. (Merriam- Webster)
Mutton (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: Snack-sellers were lighting fires under their stoves, setting up cauldrons of soup to boil, and chopping piles of vegetables and hunks of mutton. (Shark's Fin, 236)
Definition: the meat of an adult sheep used as food ("Mutton." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mutton)
Meme (Junyi Chen)
an idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture (Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary)
"For instance, lolcats, a well-known Internet meme, are multimodal. " (Writer/Designer)
Motley (Huan Qu)
Definition: made up of many different people or things
"Reed." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reed>.
Reading: I chose to eat a bowlful of their noodles rather than mine, sitting at a table in the sun with a motley assortment of Uyghur sheep-traders.
Lanting He
Mendicants
Traders and monks and mendicants, and purple-cheeked young girls with turquoise in their pigtails and brilliant smiles,Definition: The term mendicant (from Latin: mendicans, "begging") refers to begging or relying on charitable donations, and is most widely used for religious followers or ascetics who rely exclusively on charity to survive.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mendicant
Mansion (Even)
Original sentence: In 1941, Governor W. Lee. O’Daniel threw a free barbecue on the grounds of the governor’s mansion to celebrate his inauguration.
Definition: “A large and impressive house or the house of a wealthy person.”
Example: If I ever win the lottery, I'm going to buy a mansion with 10 bedrooms and an indoor swimming pool!
mythic (Lianyan Gu)
Original sentence: This mythic world exists today (the stuff of southern food p286）
definition: pertaining to, of the nature of, or involving a myth.
magnitude (Wonjun Lee)
A task of this magnitude requires a lot of resources,
the great size or extent of something
Meld (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: ...pottery made by enslaved potters who melded American technology and European ceramic forms.
Definition:
muffle (Yichao Zhao)
Sentence: As usual, the sky is a muffled grey.(Shark's fin)
Definition: to wrap or cover (someone or something) in clothing or cloth for warmth or protection(merriam-webster.com)
murky (Yichao Zhao)
Sentence: ... a cormorant fisherman is trying is luck in the murky water. (Shark's fin)
Definition: very dark or foggy of a liquid : not clear (merriam-webster.com)
munch (Yusi Zhou)
Sentence: Italians continued cooking pasta and making spaghetti sauce for dinner, even if they might munch on an all-American hotdog for lunch.(The Larder. A Salad Bowl City)
Definition: to chew or eat (food) audibly or with pleasure. (American Heritage Dictionary)
municipality
Sentence: ..., suburbs here seldom became separate incorporated municipalities.
Definition: A political unit, such as a city, town, or village, incorporated for local self-government. (American Heritage Dictionary)
Maelstrom (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a situation in which there are a lot of confused activities, emotions, etc.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maelstrom)
Original sentence: I was also flung headlong into a maelstrom of specialised culinary vocabulary.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p. 81)
Mangle (Minho Cho)
sentence: Sichuanese dialect is like Mandarin put through a mangle. (Shark's Fin pg.80)
Def: a machine for smoothing or pressing clothes.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mangle?s=t)
Mince (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: There were no mincing machines or food processors to save us time.
Definition: to cut (food) into very small pieces
Example: The recipe says that you should mince the onions.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mince)
Marinate(Tianyu Ma)
definition: to put meat or fish in a sauce for a period of time to add flavor or to make the meat or fish more tender : to soak in a marinade
"Marinate." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marinate>.
sentence: the snaking strands of pork, marinated in salt soy sauce. (shark's fin P93)
'
Malicious (Huan Qu)
Definition: having or showing a desire to cause harm to another person : having or showing malice
"Malicious." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malicious>
Reading: Unlike many of my compatriots, I have never thought of Chinese popular attitudes to Xinjiang and Tibet as malicious. (Sharks' Fin,p 247)
Mugful (Huan Qu)Definition: a large drinking cup with a handle
"Mug." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mug>.
Reading: I drink a mugful of bai kai shui, plain boiled water, instead. (Sharks' Fin, p279)
Monotonous (Seung Hyo Han)
going on in the same tone without variation (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Monotonous, pale, dusty hills rose to the north. (Shark's Fin p.117)
Maelstrom (Seung Hyo Han)a violently confused or dangerously agitated state of mind, emotion, affairs, etc. (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
I was also flung headlong into a maelstrom of specialised culinary vocabulary. (Shark's Fin p.81)
Munch (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: I spent evenings politely munching my way through goose intestines and grappling with chicken’s feet, but I can’t say I really enjoyed them.
Definition: to eat with a chewing action
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/munch)
Marinade (Seung Hyo Han)
a spiced pickling solution, esp. a mixture of oil, wine or vinegar, and spices, in which meat, fish, etc. is steeped, often before cooking (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
And then he prodded his taciturn friend to give me the recipe for smoked rabbit, which involved skinning the animal alive, rubbing it in a marinade of salt and spices, flattening its body between two heavy stones, crucifying it on a cross of wooden sticks, and then smoking it over a smouldering fire of pine, camphor and cypress leaves. (Shark's Fin p.53)
Malignant (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: The spirits of the childless, neglected and unfed, are malignant.
Definition: evil in nature, influence, or effect ("Malignant." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malignant)
Moss(Tianyu Ma)
sentence: its claw bearded with moss like fur
definition:
a type of green plant that has very small leaves and no flowers and that grows on rocks, bark, or wet ground
Moonlit (Seung Hyo Han)
lighted by the moon (COLLIN ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Once we all drove out of the city on a moonlit night. (Shark's Fin p.159)
metallurgy (Huan Qu)
Definition: a science that deals with the nature and uses of metal
"Metallurgy." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metallurgy>.
Reading: It was a terrifying place, a blighted metropolis where the chimneys of the local metallurgy and chemical plants spewed their vile.... (Sharks' Fin, p279)
nostril(Tianyu Ma)
definition: one of the two openings of the nose
"Nostril." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nostril>.
sentence: Not far away, just behind the university offices, there's a snack stall, which I can find just by following my nostrils.
(shark's fin P16)
notorious(Zining Wang)
generally known and talked of; especially : widely and unfavorably known
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/notorious
Sichuan dialect is a notoriously distorted version of Mandrain. (shark's fin)
Nondescript (Sylvia Liang)
Even the cheapest and most nondescript restaurants served stir-fries and soups more delicious than any I had tasted in England. (Shark's Fin, 9)
Defition The appearance is rather dull, and not at all interesting or attractive.
Nauseating (Lianyan Gu)
Sentence: Watching a Chinese person eat, say, a chicken's foot for the first time can be a nauseating experience. (Shark's Fin p 136)
Meaning: causing sickness of the stomach
Nauseating (Junyi Chen)
If you describe someone's attitude or their behaviour as nauseating, you mean that you find it extremely unpleasant and feel disgusted by it. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Watching a Chinese person eat, say, a chicken's foot for the first time can be a nauseating experience." (Shark's Fin)
Nucleotide (Seung Hyo Han)
any of several phosphate esters of nucleosides: the basic unit of nucleic acids (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Their umami flavours come from the building blocks of proteins, amino acids and nucleotides, which include not only glutamates, but also inosinates and guanylates. (Shark's Fin p.97)
definition: one of the two openings of the nose
"Nostril." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nostril>.
sentence: Not far away, just behind the university offices, there's a snack stall, which I can find just by following my nostrils.
(shark's fin P16)
notorious(Zining Wang)
generally known and talked of; especially : widely and unfavorably known
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/notorious
Sichuan dialect is a notoriously distorted version of Mandrain. (shark's fin)
Nondescript (Sylvia Liang)
Even the cheapest and most nondescript restaurants served stir-fries and soups more delicious than any I had tasted in England. (Shark's Fin, 9)
Defition The appearance is rather dull, and not at all interesting or attractive.
Nauseating (Lianyan Gu)
Sentence: Watching a Chinese person eat, say, a chicken's foot for the first time can be a nauseating experience. (Shark's Fin p 136)
Meaning: causing sickness of the stomach
Nauseating (Junyi Chen)
If you describe someone's attitude or their behaviour as nauseating, you mean that you find it extremely unpleasant and feel disgusted by it. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Watching a Chinese person eat, say, a chicken's foot for the first time can be a nauseating experience." (Shark's Fin)
Nucleotide (Seung Hyo Han)
any of several phosphate esters of nucleosides: the basic unit of nucleic acids (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Their umami flavours come from the building blocks of proteins, amino acids and nucleotides, which include not only glutamates, but also inosinates and guanylates. (Shark's Fin p.97)
observe (Wonjun Lee)
and animal lovers to observe any examples of extinction that may occur,
notice or perceive (something) and register it as being significant.
Outrage (Huan Qu)Definition: extreme anger : a strong feeling of unhappiness because of something bad, hurtful, or morally wrong
"Outrage." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outrage>.
Reading: In Kashgar it is an outrage. (Sharks' Fin, p247)
(Yifan Liang)
Oozy
Sentence: Their albumens were a filthy, translucent brown, their yolks an oozy black, ringed with a layer of greenish, mouldy grey. (Line 6 of Prologue: The Chinese Eat Everything, Page 8, Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper by Fuchsia Dunlop)
Definition: adj. 1. moist or dripping
2. resembling, or containing mud; slimy
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/oozy)
Ostracism (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: The illegitimate child whose mother had run away to the city because of social ostracism. (Shark's Fin, 119)
Defnition: 1. a method of temporary banishment by popular vote without trial or special accusation practiced in ancient Greece 2.exclusion by general consent from common privileges or social acceptance
"Ostracism." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ostracism
Omnivorousness (Seung Hyo Han)
eating any sort of food, esp. both animal and vegetable food (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Affection, too, played a part in my growing omnivorousness. (Shark's Fin p.45)
Outlandish (Junyi Chen)
If you describe something as outlandish, you disapprove of it because you think it is very unusual, strange, or unreasonable. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Teacher Yu's friends found what I had cooked so outlandish that they saw no need to be polite in their comments." (Shark's Fin)
Ostracism (Junyi Chen)
Ostracism is the state of being ostracized or the act of ostracizing someone. (FORMAL) Exclusion by general consent from common privileges or social acceptance. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
" The illegitimate child whose mother had run away to the city because of social ostracism." (Shark's Fin)
Oolong (Seung Hyo Han)
a dark tea from China and Taiwan that is partly fermented before being dried (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
We set water from the spring to boil and Sansan made the tea, infusing the leaves of oolong in a small clay pot and pouring the hot liquid into tiny bowls. (Shark's Fin p.159)
Ornamental (Junyi Chen)
Ornamental things have no practical function but are put in a place because they look attractive. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"A communist party flag fluttered above glass-topped desk in Mr. Chen's office, next to an ornamental hammer-and-sickle." (Shark's Fin)
Obscene (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: Outside every kebab shop and butcher's stall in the region, sheep carcasses hang, their football-sized lumps of tail-fat obscenely exposed. (Shark's Fin 244)
Definition: So large an amount or size as to be very shocking or unfair (Merriam Webster Online)
Example: He spends an obscene amount of money on clothes. (Merriam Webster Online)
Outspoken(Yusi Zhou)
"Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, and Pharrell are the biggest pop icons of the year – and they're all outspoken feminists," declared a Time article online.
Definition: talking in a free and honest way about your opinions (Merriam Webster Online)
and animal lovers to observe any examples of extinction that may occur,
notice or perceive (something) and register it as being significant.
Outrage (Huan Qu)Definition: extreme anger : a strong feeling of unhappiness because of something bad, hurtful, or morally wrong
"Outrage." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/outrage>.
Reading: In Kashgar it is an outrage. (Sharks' Fin, p247)
(Yifan Liang)
Oozy
Sentence: Their albumens were a filthy, translucent brown, their yolks an oozy black, ringed with a layer of greenish, mouldy grey. (Line 6 of Prologue: The Chinese Eat Everything, Page 8, Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper by Fuchsia Dunlop)
Definition: adj. 1. moist or dripping
2. resembling, or containing mud; slimy
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/oozy)
Ostracism (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: The illegitimate child whose mother had run away to the city because of social ostracism. (Shark's Fin, 119)
Defnition: 1. a method of temporary banishment by popular vote without trial or special accusation practiced in ancient Greece 2.exclusion by general consent from common privileges or social acceptance
"Ostracism." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ostracism
Omnivorousness (Seung Hyo Han)
eating any sort of food, esp. both animal and vegetable food (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Affection, too, played a part in my growing omnivorousness. (Shark's Fin p.45)
Outlandish (Junyi Chen)
If you describe something as outlandish, you disapprove of it because you think it is very unusual, strange, or unreasonable. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Teacher Yu's friends found what I had cooked so outlandish that they saw no need to be polite in their comments." (Shark's Fin)
Ostracism (Junyi Chen)
Ostracism is the state of being ostracized or the act of ostracizing someone. (FORMAL) Exclusion by general consent from common privileges or social acceptance. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
" The illegitimate child whose mother had run away to the city because of social ostracism." (Shark's Fin)
Oolong (Seung Hyo Han)
a dark tea from China and Taiwan that is partly fermented before being dried (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
We set water from the spring to boil and Sansan made the tea, infusing the leaves of oolong in a small clay pot and pouring the hot liquid into tiny bowls. (Shark's Fin p.159)
Ornamental (Junyi Chen)
Ornamental things have no practical function but are put in a place because they look attractive. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"A communist party flag fluttered above glass-topped desk in Mr. Chen's office, next to an ornamental hammer-and-sickle." (Shark's Fin)
Obscene (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: Outside every kebab shop and butcher's stall in the region, sheep carcasses hang, their football-sized lumps of tail-fat obscenely exposed. (Shark's Fin 244)
Definition: So large an amount or size as to be very shocking or unfair (Merriam Webster Online)
Example: He spends an obscene amount of money on clothes. (Merriam Webster Online)
Outspoken(Yusi Zhou)
"Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, and Pharrell are the biggest pop icons of the year – and they're all outspoken feminists," declared a Time article online.
Definition: talking in a free and honest way about your opinions (Merriam Webster Online)
Privation (Huan Qu)
Reading: In the wake of the war, privation was, for many, a constant. (Edge Foodways, P11)
Definition: The state of being deprived; especially : lack of what is needed for existence.
（"Privation." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/privation>.）
Puzzlement (Lianyan Gu)
Original Sentence: He replied, smiling at my puzzlement. (Shark's Fin p105)
Meaning: the state of being puzzled.
Pundit (Junyi Chen)
A pundit is a person who knows a lot about a subject and is often asked to give information or opinions about it to the public. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"This ironic usage of the eagle supports the comedic tone of the program, in which Colbert pretends to be a conservative pundit. " (Writer/Designer)
Plantain (Seung Hyo Han)a large tropical musaceous plant (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
I say good morning to the elderly watchman at the gate of the Foreign Students' Building, and wander out past a row of plantain trees. (Shark's Fin p.15)
punctuation(Tianyu Ma)
Reading: For instance, avoiding spaces and punctuation in file names is useful when producing multimodal projects in certain kinds of technological systems. (writer/designer P87)
Definition: the marks (such as periods and commas) in a piece of writing that make its meaning clear and that separate it into sentences, clauses, etc. "Punctuation." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punctuation>.
Penchant (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: Seven centuries after Marco Polo wrote about the Chinese penchant for dog.
Definition: a strong and continued inclination
Example: Aside from the Catholic penchant for fish on Fridays, there is also the tradition of eating red beans and rice on Monday … —Tom Piazza, Why New Orleans Matters, 2005
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penchant)
Porcelain (Seung Hyo Han)
a hard, white, nonporous, translucent variety of ceramic ware, made of kaolin, feldspar, and quartz or flint (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
On this particular evening we are offered a characteristic chequerboard of sixteen square porcelain dishes, each one containing a different, vegetarain starter. (Shark's Fin p.143)
Pitch (Junyi Chen)
If someone makes a pitch for something, they try to persuade people to do or buy it. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"First, since you won't have team members to bounce ideas off of, be sure to do a thorough job in preparing your pitch presentation and proposal. " (Writer/Designer)
Pester（Huan Qu）
Definition： to annoy or bother (someone) in a repeated way
（"Pester." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pester>.）
Reading: As usual, I was hovering around the food stalls that day, watching the cooks at work and pestering them with questions. (Sharks' Fin p238)
Pidgin （Huan Qu）
Definition: a language that is formed from a mixture of several languages when speakers of different languages need to talk to each other
("Pidgin." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pidgin>.)
Reading: When this culturally coded material culture entered the homes of white southerners, the advertising copy and catchy jingles in black pidgin dialect reinforced the ideas about black inferiority, especially for white children.
(The Lardar, the stuff of Southern Food)
Pale (Seung Hyo Han)feeble; weak (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Monotonous, pale, dusty hills rose to the north. (Shark's Fin p.117)
Proletariat (Yusi Zhou)
Sentence: And the Ministry had not only to supply the multifarious needs of the Party, but only to repeat the whole operation at a lower level for the benefit of the proletariat.( George Orwell 1984)
Definition: member of the proletariat.(the pocket oxford dictionary)
prochiral
Def:In stereochemistry, prochiral molecules are those that can be converted from achiral to chiral in a single step.
The carbon to which the enantiotopic hydrogens are attached is called a prochiral carbon because it will become an asymmetric center if the one of the hydrogens is replaced by a deuterium.
Poised (Lianyan Helen Gu)
original sentence: Unbeknownst to Hernandez and his family, the United States was poised on the brink of a massive new immigration. (P173 A Salad Bowl City)
definition: being in balance or equilibrium
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/poised?s=t)
Palatable (Minho Cho)
sentence: stir-fried snake - turned out to be unexpectedly palatable.
Def: acceptable or agreeable to the palate or taste; savory
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/palatable?s=t)
Perennial (Minho Cho)
sentence: ...balmy days when the sun shines brightly, only slightly blurred by the perennial Sichuan haze. (Shark's Fin, pg.16)
Def: lasting for an indefinitely long time; enduring, perpetual; everlasting; continuing; recurrent.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/perennial?s=t)
Palate (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: Chillies are used not in violence, but to awaken and stimulate the palate, to make it alive to the possibilities of other tastes.
Definition: the top part of the inside of your mouth : the roof of your mouth
Example: The restaurant serves Korean food adapted for the American palate.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/palate)
Persecute (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: Senior chefs were persecuted, and the new doctrine of equality smashed the bond of subservience between apprentice and master.
Definition: to treat (someone) cruelly or unfairly especially because of race or religious or political beliefs
Example: The country's leaders relentlessly persecuted those who fought against the regime.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/persecute)
powdery (Zining Wang)
like powder
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/powdery
She draws a long flow chart on the blackboard in powdery chalk as she takes us through the various procedures of the recipe, scrawling down the technical terms in Chinese characters.
(Shark's Fin)
Reading: In the wake of the war, privation was, for many, a constant. (Edge Foodways, P11)
Definition: The state of being deprived; especially : lack of what is needed for existence.
（"Privation." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/privation>.）
Puzzlement (Lianyan Gu)
Original Sentence: He replied, smiling at my puzzlement. (Shark's Fin p105)
Meaning: the state of being puzzled.
Pundit (Junyi Chen)
A pundit is a person who knows a lot about a subject and is often asked to give information or opinions about it to the public. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"This ironic usage of the eagle supports the comedic tone of the program, in which Colbert pretends to be a conservative pundit. " (Writer/Designer)
Plantain (Seung Hyo Han)a large tropical musaceous plant (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
I say good morning to the elderly watchman at the gate of the Foreign Students' Building, and wander out past a row of plantain trees. (Shark's Fin p.15)
punctuation(Tianyu Ma)
Reading: For instance, avoiding spaces and punctuation in file names is useful when producing multimodal projects in certain kinds of technological systems. (writer/designer P87)
Definition: the marks (such as periods and commas) in a piece of writing that make its meaning clear and that separate it into sentences, clauses, etc. "Punctuation." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punctuation>.
Penchant (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: Seven centuries after Marco Polo wrote about the Chinese penchant for dog.
Definition: a strong and continued inclination
Example: Aside from the Catholic penchant for fish on Fridays, there is also the tradition of eating red beans and rice on Monday … —Tom Piazza, Why New Orleans Matters, 2005
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/penchant)
Porcelain (Seung Hyo Han)
a hard, white, nonporous, translucent variety of ceramic ware, made of kaolin, feldspar, and quartz or flint (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
On this particular evening we are offered a characteristic chequerboard of sixteen square porcelain dishes, each one containing a different, vegetarain starter. (Shark's Fin p.143)
Pitch (Junyi Chen)
If someone makes a pitch for something, they try to persuade people to do or buy it. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"First, since you won't have team members to bounce ideas off of, be sure to do a thorough job in preparing your pitch presentation and proposal. " (Writer/Designer)
Pester（Huan Qu）
Definition： to annoy or bother (someone) in a repeated way
（"Pester." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pester>.）
Reading: As usual, I was hovering around the food stalls that day, watching the cooks at work and pestering them with questions. (Sharks' Fin p238)
Pidgin （Huan Qu）
Definition: a language that is formed from a mixture of several languages when speakers of different languages need to talk to each other
("Pidgin." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pidgin>.)
Reading: When this culturally coded material culture entered the homes of white southerners, the advertising copy and catchy jingles in black pidgin dialect reinforced the ideas about black inferiority, especially for white children.
(The Lardar, the stuff of Southern Food)
Pale (Seung Hyo Han)feeble; weak (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Monotonous, pale, dusty hills rose to the north. (Shark's Fin p.117)
Proletariat (Yusi Zhou)
Sentence: And the Ministry had not only to supply the multifarious needs of the Party, but only to repeat the whole operation at a lower level for the benefit of the proletariat.( George Orwell 1984)
Definition: member of the proletariat.(the pocket oxford dictionary)
prochiral
Def:In stereochemistry, prochiral molecules are those that can be converted from achiral to chiral in a single step.
The carbon to which the enantiotopic hydrogens are attached is called a prochiral carbon because it will become an asymmetric center if the one of the hydrogens is replaced by a deuterium.
Poised (Lianyan Helen Gu)
original sentence: Unbeknownst to Hernandez and his family, the United States was poised on the brink of a massive new immigration. (P173 A Salad Bowl City)
definition: being in balance or equilibrium
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/poised?s=t)
Palatable (Minho Cho)
sentence: stir-fried snake - turned out to be unexpectedly palatable.
Def: acceptable or agreeable to the palate or taste; savory
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/palatable?s=t)
Perennial (Minho Cho)
sentence: ...balmy days when the sun shines brightly, only slightly blurred by the perennial Sichuan haze. (Shark's Fin, pg.16)
Def: lasting for an indefinitely long time; enduring, perpetual; everlasting; continuing; recurrent.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/perennial?s=t)
Palate (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: Chillies are used not in violence, but to awaken and stimulate the palate, to make it alive to the possibilities of other tastes.
Definition: the top part of the inside of your mouth : the roof of your mouth
Example: The restaurant serves Korean food adapted for the American palate.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/palate)
Persecute (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: Senior chefs were persecuted, and the new doctrine of equality smashed the bond of subservience between apprentice and master.
Definition: to treat (someone) cruelly or unfairly especially because of race or religious or political beliefs
Example: The country's leaders relentlessly persecuted those who fought against the regime.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/persecute)
powdery (Zining Wang)
like powder
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/powdery
She draws a long flow chart on the blackboard in powdery chalk as she takes us through the various procedures of the recipe, scrawling down the technical terms in Chinese characters.
(Shark's Fin)
Pine (for sth. ) (Junyi Chen)
If you pine for something, you want it very much, especially when it is unlikely that you will be able to have it. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Instead of pining for a Chinatown, Drew Appleby built a website. "(A Salad Bowl City)
Piquant (Lumiao Zhang )
Original sentence : "The cold chicken tossed in a piquant dressing of soy sauce, chili oil, and Sichuan peppers.
Definition: Food that is piquant has a pleasantly spicy taste
Pamphlet (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: If you analyzed breast cancer pamphlets, you probably found that almost all of them featured a pink ribbon and a script-like font. (Writer/Design, P46)
Definition: a small, thin book with no cover or only a paper cover that has information about a particular subject ("Pamphlet." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pamphlet?show=0&t=1392943962)
Plume (Huan Qu)
Definition: something (such as smoke, steam, or water) that rises into the air in a tall, thin shape
"Plume." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plume>.
Reading: One chimney on a lower slope sent its filthy plume directly into the compound where he worked. (Sharks' Fin, p280)
quarrel (Wonjun Lee)
an angry argument or disagreement, typically between people who are usually on good terms
keep your quarrels out of my armory, or I'll make them my quarrels.
Pluck (Huan Qu)
Definition: to pull (something) quickly to remove it
("Pluck." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pluck>.)
Reading: Teenaged, I learned how to pluck and clean pheasants, and I made my own pastry and mayonnais by hand. (Shark's Fin, p95)
Palatial (Lanting He)
Text: They want palatial lifestyles.
Definition: of, resembling, or suitable for a palace; sumptuous. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/palatial?showCookiePolicy=true .
If you pine for something, you want it very much, especially when it is unlikely that you will be able to have it. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Instead of pining for a Chinatown, Drew Appleby built a website. "(A Salad Bowl City)
Piquant (Lumiao Zhang )
Original sentence : "The cold chicken tossed in a piquant dressing of soy sauce, chili oil, and Sichuan peppers.
Definition: Food that is piquant has a pleasantly spicy taste
Pamphlet (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: If you analyzed breast cancer pamphlets, you probably found that almost all of them featured a pink ribbon and a script-like font. (Writer/Design, P46)
Definition: a small, thin book with no cover or only a paper cover that has information about a particular subject ("Pamphlet." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pamphlet?show=0&t=1392943962)
Plume (Huan Qu)
Definition: something (such as smoke, steam, or water) that rises into the air in a tall, thin shape
"Plume." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plume>.
Reading: One chimney on a lower slope sent its filthy plume directly into the compound where he worked. (Sharks' Fin, p280)
quarrel (Wonjun Lee)
an angry argument or disagreement, typically between people who are usually on good terms
keep your quarrels out of my armory, or I'll make them my quarrels.
Pluck (Huan Qu)
Definition: to pull (something) quickly to remove it
("Pluck." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pluck>.)
Reading: Teenaged, I learned how to pluck and clean pheasants, and I made my own pastry and mayonnais by hand. (Shark's Fin, p95)
Palatial (Lanting He)
Text: They want palatial lifestyles.
Definition: of, resembling, or suitable for a palace; sumptuous. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/palatial?showCookiePolicy=true .
Pulpy (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: A willingness to tackle the more intricate ingredients has become a badge of honor, signifying the rejection of infantilised fast-food culture, with its dumbed-down eating rituals, bland tastes and pulpy texture.
Definition: the inner, juicy part of a fruit or vegetable
Example: The fruit has sweet, juicy pulp and hard, black seeds.
Original Sentence: A willingness to tackle the more intricate ingredients has become a badge of honor, signifying the rejection of infantilised fast-food culture, with its dumbed-down eating rituals, bland tastes and pulpy texture.
Definition: the inner, juicy part of a fruit or vegetable
Example: The fruit has sweet, juicy pulp and hard, black seeds.
Pejorative (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: Strangely, Yu Bo describes himself as a "man without culture" in that pejorative Chinese manner, although, in his own way, he is one of the most cultured people I've met in China.
Definition: having negative connotations; especially : tending to disparage or belittle : depreciatory
Example: Children born with an extra chromosome 21 are healthy, conspicuously happy and destined to live for many years. But they are not considered, in that pejorative word, ‘normal’.
Plaque (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: 'It was by the side of the kitchen fire,' says a plaque on the wall, 'that Mao Zedong gathered the whole family together for meetings.(Shark's Fin, 175)
Definition: a flat, thin piece of metal or wood with writing on it that is used especially as a reminder of something (such as a historic event or an achievement
("Plaque." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plaque?show=0&t=1395972876)
Predisposition (Lanting He)
Text: This logic is often stretched to suggest that whereas Western societies embody a cultural predisposition towards the international human rights framework, it is considered foreign, unfamiliar, and extraneous in other cultural settings.
Definition: the condition of being predisposed
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/predisposition?showCookiePolicy=true
Pluck (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: He plucked the onion from the domed walls of his tandoor oven.
Definition: to pull (something) quickly to remove it
Example: My sister plucked a white hair from my head.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pluck)
Original Sentence: Strangely, Yu Bo describes himself as a "man without culture" in that pejorative Chinese manner, although, in his own way, he is one of the most cultured people I've met in China.
Definition: having negative connotations; especially : tending to disparage or belittle : depreciatory
Example: Children born with an extra chromosome 21 are healthy, conspicuously happy and destined to live for many years. But they are not considered, in that pejorative word, ‘normal’.
Plaque (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: 'It was by the side of the kitchen fire,' says a plaque on the wall, 'that Mao Zedong gathered the whole family together for meetings.(Shark's Fin, 175)
Definition: a flat, thin piece of metal or wood with writing on it that is used especially as a reminder of something (such as a historic event or an achievement
("Plaque." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plaque?show=0&t=1395972876)
Predisposition (Lanting He)
Text: This logic is often stretched to suggest that whereas Western societies embody a cultural predisposition towards the international human rights framework, it is considered foreign, unfamiliar, and extraneous in other cultural settings.
Definition: the condition of being predisposed
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/predisposition?showCookiePolicy=true
Pluck (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: He plucked the onion from the domed walls of his tandoor oven.
Definition: to pull (something) quickly to remove it
Example: My sister plucked a white hair from my head.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pluck)
Patronising (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: He gave me a kindly and patronising smile. (Shark's Fin 241)
Definition: (Patronize) to give money or support to (someone or something) (Merriam Webster)
Example: He hated being patronized and pitied by those who didn't believe his story. (Merriam Webster)
Pillage (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: Alligator flesh the downy antlers of the young deer, rabbit's kidneys, the palms of chicken's feet, those orangutan lips...a riot of animals, pillaged for our titillation (Shark's Fin, 285)
Definition: the act of looting or plundering especially in war ("Pillage." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pillage?show=0&t=1398298248)
Parlance (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: This word means, in modern Chinese parlance, 'a fierce and cruel person, or a glutton'; (Shark's Fin, 285)
Definition: language used by a particular group of people ("Parlance." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parlance)
Perpetrate(Yusi Zhou)
He can't say the Holocaust is terrible but at the same time embrace those who deny the Holocaust and seek to perpetrate another destruction of the Jewish people," Netanyahu said on CNN.
Definition: to cause (something that should be stopped, such as a mistaken idea or a bad situation) to continue(Merriam Webster online)
Placate(Yusi Zhou)
"I think what President Abbas is trying to do is to placate Western public opinion that understands that he delivered a terrible blow to the peace process," he said.
Definition: to cause (someone) to feel less angry about something (Merriam Webster online)
Original Sentence: He gave me a kindly and patronising smile. (Shark's Fin 241)
Definition: (Patronize) to give money or support to (someone or something) (Merriam Webster)
Example: He hated being patronized and pitied by those who didn't believe his story. (Merriam Webster)
Pillage (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: Alligator flesh the downy antlers of the young deer, rabbit's kidneys, the palms of chicken's feet, those orangutan lips...a riot of animals, pillaged for our titillation (Shark's Fin, 285)
Definition: the act of looting or plundering especially in war ("Pillage." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pillage?show=0&t=1398298248)
Parlance (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: This word means, in modern Chinese parlance, 'a fierce and cruel person, or a glutton'; (Shark's Fin, 285)
Definition: language used by a particular group of people ("Parlance." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/parlance)
Perpetrate(Yusi Zhou)
He can't say the Holocaust is terrible but at the same time embrace those who deny the Holocaust and seek to perpetrate another destruction of the Jewish people," Netanyahu said on CNN.
Definition: to cause (something that should be stopped, such as a mistaken idea or a bad situation) to continue(Merriam Webster online)
Placate(Yusi Zhou)
"I think what President Abbas is trying to do is to placate Western public opinion that understands that he delivered a terrible blow to the peace process," he said.
Definition: to cause (someone) to feel less angry about something (Merriam Webster online)
Quaint (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: Nonetheless, as I knew perfectly well, everyone on the bus would dimly remember some middle-school textbook that rambled on about the colorful, singing-and-dancing ethnic minorities of China, with thier outlandish styles of dress and quaint social customs. (Shark's Fin 242)
Definition: having an old-fashioned or unusual quality or appearance that is usually attractive or appealing (Merriam Webster)
Example: The writer talks about the quaint customs of the natives. (Merriam Wesbter)
Original Sentence: Nonetheless, as I knew perfectly well, everyone on the bus would dimly remember some middle-school textbook that rambled on about the colorful, singing-and-dancing ethnic minorities of China, with thier outlandish styles of dress and quaint social customs. (Shark's Fin 242)
Definition: having an old-fashioned or unusual quality or appearance that is usually attractive or appealing (Merriam Webster)
Example: The writer talks about the quaint customs of the natives. (Merriam Wesbter)
Rife(Huan Qu)
Reading: At the cusp of the millennium, the region was rife with restaurants serving updated takes on traditional recipes. (Edge Foodways, P13)Definition: Prevalent especially to an increasing degree
（"Rife." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rife>）
Rhetoric( Tianyu Ma)
Reading: In one of Cheryl's classes, a student group created a webtext (a scholarly essay presented in multimedia form) about the visual rhetoric of movie posters in certain genres and across historical periods. (Writer/designer p83)
Definition: the art of speaking or writing effectively"Rhetoric." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhetoric>.
Relic (Seung Hyo Han)
an object, custom, etc. that has survived, wholly or partially, from the past (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Mu Ma started inspecting the few temple relics. (Shark's Fin p.221)
(Yifan Liang)
Reckless
Sentence: Although in some ways I'm a cautious person, I have a streak of recklessness that tends to land me regularly in situations outside my zone of comfort. (Second line of second paragraph, Page 10, Prologue, Shark's Fin) Definition: adj. having or showing no regard for danger or consequences; heedless; rash
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/reckless)
Revolting (Even)
It was my first trip to Asia and I had rarely seen anything so revolting on a dinner table.
Definition: extremely unpleasant or offensive
Example: The bloody scenes in the movie were positively revolting.
Relish (Sylvia Liang)"The pioneer also relished the meat of the black bear."
Enjoy the flavor.
Retention (Huan Qu)
Definition: the act of keeping someone or something
(Retention. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved January 30, 2014, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retention)
Reading: Any discussion of the material culture of southern foodways must consider the retention of African heritage, since food in the American South has been so strongly shaped by African Americans.
(The Lardar, Stuff of Southern Food, p283)
Ravage: (Lumiao Zhang)
Original Sentence: “The ravages of the Civil War took their toll…”
Definition:The ravages of the weather, time, war, etc. are the damaging effects of it.
“The State could not protect its citizens from the ravages of inflation.”
Roving (Lianyan Gu)
Original sentence: Here we find material culture on wheels, a roving symbol of the power of taste, memory, and the African American heritage of southern food ways. （the stuff of southern food p285）
definition: not restricted as to location or area of concern
rivalry (Yichao Zhao)
Definition: a state or situation in which people or groups are competing with each other (merriam-webster.com)
Original Sentence: in your fifty groups, your fifty languages, and histories, and your fifty blood hatred and rivalries (a salad bowl city)
Ramshackle (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: It was a simple place, housed in a ramshackle wooden cottage, but the food was sensational and I never tired of it.
Definition: in a very bad condition and needing to be repaired
Example: The movie's ramshackle plot is confusing and not believable.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ramshackle)
Renegade (Sylvia Liang)
Sentence: He is a naively devoted communist who believes the party line that the students who demonstrated in Tiananmen Square in 1989 were manipulated by a 'small handful of political renegades'. Shark's Fin 78
Definition: A member of a group or profession who behaves in a way that is opposed to the normal behavior or beliefs of that group or profession.
Revulsion (Minho Cho)
Sentence: It will disgust you, disconcert you, and make your compatriots view you, at times, with a scarcely disguised revulsion. (Shark's Fin, pg.135)
Def: a strong feeling of repugnance, distaste, or dislike
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/revulsion?s=t)
Rudimentary (Seung Hyo Han)of, or having the nature of, a rudiment or rudiments (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
We had only rudimentary equipment: there were no micing machines or food processors to save us time. (Shark's Fin p.95)
Reed (Huan Qu)
Definition: a tall, thin grass that grows in wet areas
"Reed." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reed>.
Reading: But it was ture, the ice was mud-streaked and threaded with reeds to prove it. (Sharks' Fin, p238)
Reading: At the cusp of the millennium, the region was rife with restaurants serving updated takes on traditional recipes. (Edge Foodways, P13)Definition: Prevalent especially to an increasing degree
（"Rife." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rife>）
Rhetoric( Tianyu Ma)
Reading: In one of Cheryl's classes, a student group created a webtext (a scholarly essay presented in multimedia form) about the visual rhetoric of movie posters in certain genres and across historical periods. (Writer/designer p83)
Definition: the art of speaking or writing effectively"Rhetoric." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rhetoric>.
Relic (Seung Hyo Han)
an object, custom, etc. that has survived, wholly or partially, from the past (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
Mu Ma started inspecting the few temple relics. (Shark's Fin p.221)
(Yifan Liang)
Reckless
Sentence: Although in some ways I'm a cautious person, I have a streak of recklessness that tends to land me regularly in situations outside my zone of comfort. (Second line of second paragraph, Page 10, Prologue, Shark's Fin) Definition: adj. having or showing no regard for danger or consequences; heedless; rash
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/reckless)
Revolting (Even)
It was my first trip to Asia and I had rarely seen anything so revolting on a dinner table.
Definition: extremely unpleasant or offensive
Example: The bloody scenes in the movie were positively revolting.
Relish (Sylvia Liang)"The pioneer also relished the meat of the black bear."
Enjoy the flavor.
Retention (Huan Qu)
Definition: the act of keeping someone or something
(Retention. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved January 30, 2014, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retention)
Reading: Any discussion of the material culture of southern foodways must consider the retention of African heritage, since food in the American South has been so strongly shaped by African Americans.
(The Lardar, Stuff of Southern Food, p283)
Ravage: (Lumiao Zhang)
Original Sentence: “The ravages of the Civil War took their toll…”
Definition:The ravages of the weather, time, war, etc. are the damaging effects of it.
“The State could not protect its citizens from the ravages of inflation.”
Roving (Lianyan Gu)
Original sentence: Here we find material culture on wheels, a roving symbol of the power of taste, memory, and the African American heritage of southern food ways. （the stuff of southern food p285）
definition: not restricted as to location or area of concern
rivalry (Yichao Zhao)
Definition: a state or situation in which people or groups are competing with each other (merriam-webster.com)
Original Sentence: in your fifty groups, your fifty languages, and histories, and your fifty blood hatred and rivalries (a salad bowl city)
Ramshackle (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: It was a simple place, housed in a ramshackle wooden cottage, but the food was sensational and I never tired of it.
Definition: in a very bad condition and needing to be repaired
Example: The movie's ramshackle plot is confusing and not believable.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ramshackle)
Renegade (Sylvia Liang)
Sentence: He is a naively devoted communist who believes the party line that the students who demonstrated in Tiananmen Square in 1989 were manipulated by a 'small handful of political renegades'. Shark's Fin 78
Definition: A member of a group or profession who behaves in a way that is opposed to the normal behavior or beliefs of that group or profession.
Revulsion (Minho Cho)
Sentence: It will disgust you, disconcert you, and make your compatriots view you, at times, with a scarcely disguised revulsion. (Shark's Fin, pg.135)
Def: a strong feeling of repugnance, distaste, or dislike
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/revulsion?s=t)
Rudimentary (Seung Hyo Han)of, or having the nature of, a rudiment or rudiments (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
We had only rudimentary equipment: there were no micing machines or food processors to save us time. (Shark's Fin p.95)
Reed (Huan Qu)
Definition: a tall, thin grass that grows in wet areas
"Reed." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reed>.
Reading: But it was ture, the ice was mud-streaked and threaded with reeds to prove it. (Sharks' Fin, p238)
Resignation (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: I greeted the discovery of a clawed turtle's foot in my mouth or a bit of tripe in my rice bowl with resignation rather than relish.
Definition: an act of giving up a job or position in a formal or official way (from Merriam Webster Online)
Example: The manager received resignations from three members of the staff. (from Merriam Webster)
Roar (Junyi Chen)
If someone roars with laughter, they laugh in a very noisy way. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"They roared with laughter at the menu, barely able to comprehend that I would offer my guests a meal consisting of only three or four dishes." (Shark's Fin)
Original Sentence: I greeted the discovery of a clawed turtle's foot in my mouth or a bit of tripe in my rice bowl with resignation rather than relish.
Definition: an act of giving up a job or position in a formal or official way (from Merriam Webster Online)
Example: The manager received resignations from three members of the staff. (from Merriam Webster)
Roar (Junyi Chen)
If someone roars with laughter, they laugh in a very noisy way. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"They roared with laughter at the menu, barely able to comprehend that I would offer my guests a meal consisting of only three or four dishes." (Shark's Fin)
Respite (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: Although I hadn't completed my research project on China's ethnic minorities, I'd always been attracted by the diverse cultures of the western regions, and their grasslands and deserts- wide open spaces that offered respite from the crowded intensity of China proper. (Shark's Fin 237)
Definition: a short period of time when you are able to stop doing something that is difficult or unpleasant or when something difficult or unpleasant stops or is delayed (Merriam Webster Online)
Example: The bad weather has continued without respite. (Merriam Webster Online)
Original Sentence: Although I hadn't completed my research project on China's ethnic minorities, I'd always been attracted by the diverse cultures of the western regions, and their grasslands and deserts- wide open spaces that offered respite from the crowded intensity of China proper. (Shark's Fin 237)
Definition: a short period of time when you are able to stop doing something that is difficult or unpleasant or when something difficult or unpleasant stops or is delayed (Merriam Webster Online)
Example: The bad weather has continued without respite. (Merriam Webster Online)
Ramble (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: Nonetheless, as I knew perfectly well, everyone on the bus would dimly remember some middle-school textbook that rambled on about the colorful, singing-and-dancing ethnic minorities of China, with their outlandish styles of dress and quaint social customs. (Shark's Fin 242)
Definition: to walk or go from one place to another place without a specific goal, purpose, or direction (Merriam Webster Online)
Example: She rambled for several minutes before introducing the main speaker. (Merriam Webster Online)
Original Sentence: Nonetheless, as I knew perfectly well, everyone on the bus would dimly remember some middle-school textbook that rambled on about the colorful, singing-and-dancing ethnic minorities of China, with their outlandish styles of dress and quaint social customs. (Shark's Fin 242)
Definition: to walk or go from one place to another place without a specific goal, purpose, or direction (Merriam Webster Online)
Example: She rambled for several minutes before introducing the main speaker. (Merriam Webster Online)
Regime:
Simmer (Lianyan Gu)
Sentence: A hotpot simmers in the centre of the table. (Shark's Fin p 133)
Meaning: to cook or cook in a liquid at or just below the boiling point.
Aaron ( Zeyu Yin ) self-suffcient :
link:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-sufficient?show=0&t=1390512915
Definition: able to live or function without help or support from others
Example <" Using google can make you self- sufficient.">
Seethe (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: By noon the field seethed with people and livestock, heat and dust (Shark's Fin, 236)
Definition: to be in a state of constant activity ("Seethe." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seethe)
Smite(Huan Qu)
Reading: In 1976 a farmer named Jimmy Carter from the southern Georgia town of Plains became president, and the nation was soon smitten with the foods of her home state, most famously peanuts and grits. (Edge Foodways, P12)
Definition: captivate, take
（"Smite." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smite>.）
Scrumptious (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: The dinner was scrumptious. (Shark's Fin, 231)
Definition: delightful, excellent; especially : delicious
（"Scrumptious." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 9 Apr. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scrumptious)
Stupendous (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: The ingredients were locally produced and they tasted stupendous. (Shark's Fin, 231)
Definition: causing astonishment or wonder （"Scrumptious." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 9 Apr. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stupendous?show=0&t=1397139045)
Swine(Tianyu Ma)
Reading: As soon as she could, the pioneer farmer planted corn and established a herd of swine. (Foodway P2)
Definition:any of various stout-bodied short-legged omnivorous artiodactyl mammals (family Suidae) with a thick bristly skin and a long flexible snout; especially : a domesticated one descended from the wild boar
"Punctuation." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punctuation>.
Skirt (Seung Hyo Han)
to lie along or form the border or edge of (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
They skirt around me as if I am some kind of freak, snigger almost themselves when I address them, and avoid looking me in the eye. (Shark's Fin p.77)
Silhouette (Hanrui Dai):
Definition: The dark shape or outline of someone or something in restricted light against a bright background.
Example: He turned around and only a silhouette of her body.
swirling(Lanting He)
Text: He understands the magnetic draw, the cosmic energy swirling about the city.
Definition:turning in a twisting spinning fashion.
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/swirling?showCookiePolicy=true
(Yifan Liang)
Sheer
Sentence: Even the cheapest and ... , and the sheer variety of the food on offer was dazzling. (Last second line of Prologue: The Chinese Eat Everything, Page 9, Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper by Fuchsia Dunlop)
Definition: adj. /adv. 1. very steep
2. absolute, complete
3. transparent, bright or shining
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/sheer)
(Yifan Liang)
Sulphurous
Sentence: ... even if it had six legs or a sulphurous aroma. (Third last sentence of second paragraph, Page 10, Prologue, Shark's Fin)
Definition: adj. of, relating to, or resembling sulphur
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/sulphurous)
segregated (Yichao Zhao)
Original sentence: Navigating the segregated south. (The stuff of Southe)
Definition: set apart or separated from others of the same kind or group (merriam-webster.com)
Sustenance (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: something (such as food) that keeps someone or something alive
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sustenance)
Original sentence: Oysters from Galveston Bay in Texas, shrimp from the waters beyond Biloxi, Miss., and Mobile, Ala, and pompano from Pensacola Bay, Fla., are the stuff of sustenance and ceremony.
(Edge, John. Foodways. p. 10)
Surreptitious
--"Surreptitiously, I tried to wipe them on the tablecloth." Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper, p.8
adj.
Definition:
Sneer (Wonjun Lee)
a contemptuous or mocking smile, remark, or tone.
he sneered
-By Yichu Lin
slime(Tianyu Ma)
sentence: A slick of toxic black slime form the yolk clung to my chopsticks. (shark's fin P8)
definition: a thick, slippery liquid
"Albumen." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/albumen>.
Slick (Huan Qu)Definiton: skillful and clever
("Slick." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slick>.)
Reading: I felt like a peasant, completely out of touch with the slick modernity of Hong Kong. (Sharks' Fin, p 186)
(Yifan Liang)
Start up
Sentence: ... but what about ... the sounds that let us know when a computer is starting up? (The 8th last line of Aural Mode, Page 8, Writer/Designer)
Definition: v. 1. to come or cause to come into being for the first time; originate
2. to spring or jump suddenly from a position or place
3. to set in or go into motion, activity, etc: he started up the engine,the orchestra started up
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/start%20up)
segregate (Lianyan Gu)
Original sentence: The material culture of southern food and race symbolized the segregated South, and the physical evidence of that past remains today.
definition: to separate from others
Lanting He
Slaw
text: When it comes to Memphis Barbecue,it's all about the pig--preferably pulled and piled on a sandwich,topped with sauce and slaw, and served with a glass of sweet tea.
definition: a salad made of raw sliced or chopped cabbage
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slaw
Zeyu Yin
shenanigan
definition:a devious trick used especially for an underhand purpose
example:
students engaging in youthful shenanigans on the last day of school
link:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shenanigan
struggling (Lianyan Helen Gu)
original sentence: Scholars struggling with this reality began searching for a better metaphor. (p169 A Salad Bowl City )
definition: to contend with an opposing force
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/struggling?s=t)
stark (Lanting He)
Text: In the peace museum, rows of stark black-and-white photos chronicled, unblinkingly, the inexpressible horror of the bomb.
Definition: having a very plain and often cold or empty appearance.
unpleasant and difficult to accept or experience
very obvious: very plain and easily seen http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stark?show=0&t=1391737521
(Yifan Liang)
Sack
Definition: n. a large bag made of coarse cloth, thick paper, etc, used as a container
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/sack)
(Yifan Liang)
Streak
Sentence: Although in some ways I'm a cautious person, I have a streak of recklessness that tends to land me regularly in situations outside my zone of comfort. (Second line of second paragraph, Page 10, Prologue, Shark's Fin)
Definition: n. a short stretch or run, esp of good or bad luck
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/streak)
Surreal (Minho Cho)
sentence: while my father experimented with surrealist dishes like purple mashed potatoes with green scrambled eggs. (Shark's Fin pg.9)
Def: Having the qualities of surrealist art; bizarre, dreamlike.
(http://www.oed.com.proxy.library.emory.edu/view/Entry/195018?redirectedFrom=surreal#eid)
Squeamish (Minho Cho)
sentence: it is a nice looking, full-colour book that cheerfully enacts the worst nightmares of every foreigner who might be squeamish about Chinese food. (Shark's Fin. Pg.12)
Def: easily nauseated or disgusted
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/squeamish?s=t)
Spellbind (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: to bind or hold by or as if by a spell
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spellbind)
Original sentence: With me I had the crumpled namecard of a Sichuanese er hu (Chinese two-stringed violin) player called Zhou Yu, whom I had met on the streets of my hometown, Oxford, spellbinding a crowd with his melodies.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p. 16)
Smear (Minho Cho)
sentence: With the heel of her hand, she smears each ball into a long tongue of pastry which she rubs with lard and a smattering of spicily seasoned pork. (Shark's Fin, pg.16)
Def: to spread or daub (an oily, greasy, viscous, or wet substance) on or over something
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/smear?s=t)
Smudged (Lanting He)
Text: My kitchen notebooks from that time are stained and smudged, splattered with cooking oil and batter.
Definition: to smear, blur, or soil or cause to do so. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/smudged?showCookiePolicy=true.
Smatter (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: to dabble in
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smatter)
Original sentence: With the heel of her hand, she smears each ball into a long tongue of pastry which she rubs with lard and a smattering of spicily seasoned pork.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p. 16)
Subversive (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: (subversion) a systematic attempt to overthrow or undermine a government or political system by persons working secretly from within
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subversion)
Original sentence: We all take turns to cook amid the jostling, subversive crowd.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p. 94)
Subside (Sylvia Liang)
Sentence: Even when the madness of the political campaigns subsided.
Definition: Becomes less intense.
Smug (Huan Qu)
Definition: having or showing the annoying quality of people who feel very pleased or satisfied with their abilities, achievements, etc.
Source: "Smug." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smug>.
Reading: My classmates are disappointed by my success, and I feel extremely smug. (Shark's Fin, p94)
Swathe (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: I was still eating as a European, because whole swathes of Chinese gastronomy remained in accessible to me.
Definition: a band used in swathing
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swathe)
Scruple (Yifan Liang)
Sentence: ... nay they do not scruple eating Cats, Rats, and such like animals... (Fourth last line, Page 10, Shark's Fin)
Definition: v. to have doubts (about), esp for a moral reason
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/scruple)
syntax (Huan Qu)Definition: the way in which words are put together to form phrases, clauses, or sentences
("Syntax." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/syntax>.)
Reading: So I'd picked up all kinds of English phrases and neologisms that weren't really English, and my syntax was often a little foreign. (Sharks' Fin, p186)
"Slick." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slick>.
Sentence: A hotpot simmers in the centre of the table. (Shark's Fin p 133)
Meaning: to cook or cook in a liquid at or just below the boiling point.
Aaron ( Zeyu Yin ) self-suffcient :
link:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-sufficient?show=0&t=1390512915
Definition: able to live or function without help or support from others
Example <" Using google can make you self- sufficient.">
Seethe (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: By noon the field seethed with people and livestock, heat and dust (Shark's Fin, 236)
Definition: to be in a state of constant activity ("Seethe." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seethe)
Smite(Huan Qu)
Reading: In 1976 a farmer named Jimmy Carter from the southern Georgia town of Plains became president, and the nation was soon smitten with the foods of her home state, most famously peanuts and grits. (Edge Foodways, P12)
Definition: captivate, take
（"Smite." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smite>.）
Scrumptious (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: The dinner was scrumptious. (Shark's Fin, 231)
Definition: delightful, excellent; especially : delicious
（"Scrumptious." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 9 Apr. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scrumptious)
Stupendous (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: The ingredients were locally produced and they tasted stupendous. (Shark's Fin, 231)
Definition: causing astonishment or wonder （"Scrumptious." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 9 Apr. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stupendous?show=0&t=1397139045)
Swine(Tianyu Ma)
Reading: As soon as she could, the pioneer farmer planted corn and established a herd of swine. (Foodway P2)
Definition:any of various stout-bodied short-legged omnivorous artiodactyl mammals (family Suidae) with a thick bristly skin and a long flexible snout; especially : a domesticated one descended from the wild boar
"Punctuation." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Jan. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punctuation>.
Skirt (Seung Hyo Han)
to lie along or form the border or edge of (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
They skirt around me as if I am some kind of freak, snigger almost themselves when I address them, and avoid looking me in the eye. (Shark's Fin p.77)
Silhouette (Hanrui Dai):
Definition: The dark shape or outline of someone or something in restricted light against a bright background.
Example: He turned around and only a silhouette of her body.
swirling(Lanting He)
Text: He understands the magnetic draw, the cosmic energy swirling about the city.
Definition:turning in a twisting spinning fashion.
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/swirling?showCookiePolicy=true
(Yifan Liang)
Sheer
Sentence: Even the cheapest and ... , and the sheer variety of the food on offer was dazzling. (Last second line of Prologue: The Chinese Eat Everything, Page 9, Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper by Fuchsia Dunlop)
Definition: adj. /adv. 1. very steep
2. absolute, complete
3. transparent, bright or shining
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/sheer)
(Yifan Liang)
Sulphurous
Sentence: ... even if it had six legs or a sulphurous aroma. (Third last sentence of second paragraph, Page 10, Prologue, Shark's Fin)
Definition: adj. of, relating to, or resembling sulphur
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/sulphurous)
segregated (Yichao Zhao)
Original sentence: Navigating the segregated south. (The stuff of Southe)
Definition: set apart or separated from others of the same kind or group (merriam-webster.com)
Sustenance (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: something (such as food) that keeps someone or something alive
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sustenance)
Original sentence: Oysters from Galveston Bay in Texas, shrimp from the waters beyond Biloxi, Miss., and Mobile, Ala, and pompano from Pensacola Bay, Fla., are the stuff of sustenance and ceremony.
(Edge, John. Foodways. p. 10)
Surreptitious
--"Surreptitiously, I tried to wipe them on the tablecloth." Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper, p.8
adj.
Definition:
Sneer (Wonjun Lee)
a contemptuous or mocking smile, remark, or tone.
he sneered
- done, made, or acquired by stealth : CLANDESTINE
- acting or doing something clandestinely : STEALTHY <a surreptitious glance>
-By Yichu Lin
slime(Tianyu Ma)
sentence: A slick of toxic black slime form the yolk clung to my chopsticks. (shark's fin P8)
definition: a thick, slippery liquid
"Albumen." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/albumen>.
Slick (Huan Qu)Definiton: skillful and clever
("Slick." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slick>.)
Reading: I felt like a peasant, completely out of touch with the slick modernity of Hong Kong. (Sharks' Fin, p 186)
(Yifan Liang)
Start up
Sentence: ... but what about ... the sounds that let us know when a computer is starting up? (The 8th last line of Aural Mode, Page 8, Writer/Designer)
Definition: v. 1. to come or cause to come into being for the first time; originate
2. to spring or jump suddenly from a position or place
3. to set in or go into motion, activity, etc: he started up the engine,the orchestra started up
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/start%20up)
segregate (Lianyan Gu)
Original sentence: The material culture of southern food and race symbolized the segregated South, and the physical evidence of that past remains today.
definition: to separate from others
Lanting He
Slaw
text: When it comes to Memphis Barbecue,it's all about the pig--preferably pulled and piled on a sandwich,topped with sauce and slaw, and served with a glass of sweet tea.
definition: a salad made of raw sliced or chopped cabbage
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slaw
Zeyu Yin
shenanigan
definition:a devious trick used especially for an underhand purpose
example:
students engaging in youthful shenanigans on the last day of school
link:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shenanigan
struggling (Lianyan Helen Gu)
original sentence: Scholars struggling with this reality began searching for a better metaphor. (p169 A Salad Bowl City )
definition: to contend with an opposing force
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/struggling?s=t)
stark (Lanting He)
Text: In the peace museum, rows of stark black-and-white photos chronicled, unblinkingly, the inexpressible horror of the bomb.
Definition: having a very plain and often cold or empty appearance.
unpleasant and difficult to accept or experience
very obvious: very plain and easily seen http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stark?show=0&t=1391737521
(Yifan Liang)
Sack
Definition: n. a large bag made of coarse cloth, thick paper, etc, used as a container
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/sack)
(Yifan Liang)
Streak
Sentence: Although in some ways I'm a cautious person, I have a streak of recklessness that tends to land me regularly in situations outside my zone of comfort. (Second line of second paragraph, Page 10, Prologue, Shark's Fin)
Definition: n. a short stretch or run, esp of good or bad luck
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/streak)
Surreal (Minho Cho)
sentence: while my father experimented with surrealist dishes like purple mashed potatoes with green scrambled eggs. (Shark's Fin pg.9)
Def: Having the qualities of surrealist art; bizarre, dreamlike.
(http://www.oed.com.proxy.library.emory.edu/view/Entry/195018?redirectedFrom=surreal#eid)
Squeamish (Minho Cho)
sentence: it is a nice looking, full-colour book that cheerfully enacts the worst nightmares of every foreigner who might be squeamish about Chinese food. (Shark's Fin. Pg.12)
Def: easily nauseated or disgusted
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/squeamish?s=t)
Spellbind (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: to bind or hold by or as if by a spell
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spellbind)
Original sentence: With me I had the crumpled namecard of a Sichuanese er hu (Chinese two-stringed violin) player called Zhou Yu, whom I had met on the streets of my hometown, Oxford, spellbinding a crowd with his melodies.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p. 16)
Smear (Minho Cho)
sentence: With the heel of her hand, she smears each ball into a long tongue of pastry which she rubs with lard and a smattering of spicily seasoned pork. (Shark's Fin, pg.16)
Def: to spread or daub (an oily, greasy, viscous, or wet substance) on or over something
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/smear?s=t)
Smudged (Lanting He)
Text: My kitchen notebooks from that time are stained and smudged, splattered with cooking oil and batter.
Definition: to smear, blur, or soil or cause to do so. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/smudged?showCookiePolicy=true.
Smatter (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: to dabble in
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smatter)
Original sentence: With the heel of her hand, she smears each ball into a long tongue of pastry which she rubs with lard and a smattering of spicily seasoned pork.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p. 16)
Subversive (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: (subversion) a systematic attempt to overthrow or undermine a government or political system by persons working secretly from within
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/subversion)
Original sentence: We all take turns to cook amid the jostling, subversive crowd.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p. 94)
Subside (Sylvia Liang)
Sentence: Even when the madness of the political campaigns subsided.
Definition: Becomes less intense.
Smug (Huan Qu)
Definition: having or showing the annoying quality of people who feel very pleased or satisfied with their abilities, achievements, etc.
Source: "Smug." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smug>.
Reading: My classmates are disappointed by my success, and I feel extremely smug. (Shark's Fin, p94)
Swathe (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: I was still eating as a European, because whole swathes of Chinese gastronomy remained in accessible to me.
Definition: a band used in swathing
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swathe)
Scruple (Yifan Liang)
Sentence: ... nay they do not scruple eating Cats, Rats, and such like animals... (Fourth last line, Page 10, Shark's Fin)
Definition: v. to have doubts (about), esp for a moral reason
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/scruple)
syntax (Huan Qu)Definition: the way in which words are put together to form phrases, clauses, or sentences
("Syntax." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/syntax>.)
Reading: So I'd picked up all kinds of English phrases and neologisms that weren't really English, and my syntax was often a little foreign. (Sharks' Fin, p186)
"Slick." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slick>.
schisms(Yingshan Fang)Reading:Religion and sports affiliations may be minor differences,but barbecue styles are schisms.(Foodway P11O)Definiti
Stilted (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: A teacher translated the word into stilted English.
Definition: awkward especially because of being too formal
Example: The conversation was somewhat stilted as we didn't seem to share any interests.
Stern (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: A stern member of the local Public Security Bureau read us the national regulations on "aliens."
Definition: very serious especially in an unfriendly way
Example: He gave me a stern look.
Smear (Junyi Chen)
If you smear a surface with an oily or sticky substance or smear the substance onto the surface, you spread a layer of the substance over the surface. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"With the heel of her hand, she smears each ball into a long tongue of pastry which she rubs with lard and a smattering of spicily seasoned pork." (Shark's Fin)
Steer(Huan Qu)Definition: to control the direction in which something (such as a ship, car, or airplane) moves
"Steer." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steer>.
Reading: In England I eat as much organic produce as possible, avoid factory-farmed meat and poultry, and steer clear of junk food, mostly. "Sharks' Fin, p279)
stockyard (Sylvia Liang)
"In comparison to the vast steel plants of Pittsburgh or stockyards of Chicago." (Salad Bowl City, 171)
Definition: Enclosed yard where cattle, pigs, horses, or sheep are kept temporarily.
sizzling (Zining Wang)
to make a hissing sound like the sound water makes when it hits hot metal
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sizzling
We waited for the dishes to emerge from the tiny kitchen, amid the sounds of furious sizzling.(Shark's Fin)
scrawl（Zining Wang）
to write or draw (something) very quickly or carelessly
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scrawling?show=0&t=1392771532
She draws a long flow chart on the blackboard in powdery chalk as she takes us through the various procedures of the recipe, scrawling down the technical terms in Chinese characters.
(Shark's Fin)
Scrawl (Junyi Chen)
If you scrawl something, you write it in a careless and untidy way. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"She draws a long flow chart on the blackboard in powdery chalk as she takes us through the various procedures of the recipe, scrawling down the technical terms in Chinese characters." (Shark's Fin)
Stupor (Minho Cho)
sentence: In the beginning we were lively and animated, but gradually a deep stupor overcame us all... (Shark's Fin. pg.32)
Def: suspension or great diminution of sensibility.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/stupor?s=t)
Slash (Sylvia Liang)
Sentence: : The whole surface is covered with perfectly precise slashes. (Shark's Fin 83)
Definition: A strong sweeping cut made with a sharp instrument.
Smirk (Huan Qu)
Definition: to smile in an unpleasant way because you are pleased with yourself, glad about someone else's trouble, etc.
Source: "Smirk." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smirk>.
Reading: MY teammates smirk, and someone makes a witty remark under his breath in Sichuanese dialect which I don't understand. (Shark's Fin, p93)
Original Sentence: A teacher translated the word into stilted English.
Definition: awkward especially because of being too formal
Example: The conversation was somewhat stilted as we didn't seem to share any interests.
Stern (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: A stern member of the local Public Security Bureau read us the national regulations on "aliens."
Definition: very serious especially in an unfriendly way
Example: He gave me a stern look.
Smear (Junyi Chen)
If you smear a surface with an oily or sticky substance or smear the substance onto the surface, you spread a layer of the substance over the surface. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"With the heel of her hand, she smears each ball into a long tongue of pastry which she rubs with lard and a smattering of spicily seasoned pork." (Shark's Fin)
Steer(Huan Qu)Definition: to control the direction in which something (such as a ship, car, or airplane) moves
"Steer." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/steer>.
Reading: In England I eat as much organic produce as possible, avoid factory-farmed meat and poultry, and steer clear of junk food, mostly. "Sharks' Fin, p279)
stockyard (Sylvia Liang)
"In comparison to the vast steel plants of Pittsburgh or stockyards of Chicago." (Salad Bowl City, 171)
Definition: Enclosed yard where cattle, pigs, horses, or sheep are kept temporarily.
sizzling (Zining Wang)
to make a hissing sound like the sound water makes when it hits hot metal
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sizzling
We waited for the dishes to emerge from the tiny kitchen, amid the sounds of furious sizzling.(Shark's Fin)
scrawl（Zining Wang）
to write or draw (something) very quickly or carelessly
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scrawling?show=0&t=1392771532
She draws a long flow chart on the blackboard in powdery chalk as she takes us through the various procedures of the recipe, scrawling down the technical terms in Chinese characters.
(Shark's Fin)
Scrawl (Junyi Chen)
If you scrawl something, you write it in a careless and untidy way. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"She draws a long flow chart on the blackboard in powdery chalk as she takes us through the various procedures of the recipe, scrawling down the technical terms in Chinese characters." (Shark's Fin)
Stupor (Minho Cho)
sentence: In the beginning we were lively and animated, but gradually a deep stupor overcame us all... (Shark's Fin. pg.32)
Def: suspension or great diminution of sensibility.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/stupor?s=t)
Slash (Sylvia Liang)
Sentence: : The whole surface is covered with perfectly precise slashes. (Shark's Fin 83)
Definition: A strong sweeping cut made with a sharp instrument.
Smirk (Huan Qu)
Definition: to smile in an unpleasant way because you are pleased with yourself, glad about someone else's trouble, etc.
Source: "Smirk." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smirk>.
Reading: MY teammates smirk, and someone makes a witty remark under his breath in Sichuanese dialect which I don't understand. (Shark's Fin, p93)
Sceptical (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: I am obliged to work with nine young men who make strenuous efforts to avoid talking to me, and who are openly sceptical about the idea of a foreign woman becoming a Sichuanese chef. (From Shark's Fin)
Definition: not convinced that something is true; doubtful. Skeptical. (From The Free Online Dictionary)
Example: I am sceptical about what he told me.
Strenuous (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: I am obliged to work with nine young men who make strenuous efforts to avoid talking to me, and who are openly sceptical about the idea of a foreign woman becoming a Sichuanese chef. (From Shark's Fin)
Definition: requiring or showing great energy and effort. (From Merriam Webster)
Example: Today has been a very strenuous day.
Stack (Junyi Chen)
If you stack a number of things, you arrange them in neat piles. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Encouraged by Zhou Yu and Tao Ping, I have ticked the boxes on the order form myself, and our waitress has already stacked my chosen raw ingredients around the pot." (Shark's Fin)
Sizzle (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: Here, the two spices are sizzled in oil until the chillies are darkening, but not yet burnt and bitter: a marvellous taste. (Shark's Fin, 103)
Definition: to burn up or sear with or as if with a hissing sound ( "Sizzle." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sizzle?show=0&t=1393458136)
scarper（Zining Wang） flee, run away
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scarper
I find they all scraper to the store cupboards. (Shark's Fin, 93)
Slather (Minho Cho)
Sentence: this kind of food was hardly a challenge for someone whose mother had always cooked regional Indian for the family, and slathered her food in harissa. (Shark's Fin, pg.135)
Def: To spread or apply thickly.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/slather?s=t)
Sterilization (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: It was illegal, of course, to have so many children, but they had a relative in the local government who had forged a sterilization document for the mother as a special favour. (Shark's Fin, 125)
Definition: the process of making (someone or something) unable to produce children, young animals, etc.
( "Sterilization." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sterilization
Spat (Minho Cho)
Sentence: He is so early-twentieth-century elegant that I almost expect to see spats if I cast my eyes to his feet. (Shark's Fin, 147)
Def: a short gaiter worn over the instep and usually fastened under the foot with a strap, worn especially inthe late 19th and early 20th centuries(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/spats?s=t)
Shattering (Junyi Chen)
Something that is shattering shocks and upsets you very much. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Yet, while researching my Sichuanese cookery book was a joy from beginning to end, the Hunan book was a completely different experience, shattering in many ways." (Shark's Fin)
Surreal (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: It turned out to be a surreal weekend.(Shark's Fin, 174)
Definition: very strange or unusual
( "Surreal." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surreal)
Springy (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: The noodles were fresh and springy in my mouth, utterly delicious.
Definition: returning to an original shape when pressed down, twisted, stretched, etc.
Example: <pillows made with springy foam that bounces right back>
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/springy)
Seethe ( Minho Cho)
Sentence: By noon the field seethed with people and livestock. (Shark's Fin pg.236)
Def: to surge or foam as if boiling
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Seethe)
Spate (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a large number of things that appear or happen in a short period of time
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spate)
Original sentence: More recently, in the early nineties, a spate of offensive publications showing Muslims with pigs or pork triggered street protests in four Chinese provinces.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.249)
Spit (Huan Qu)Definition: o eject (as saliva) from the mouth
"Spit." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spit>.
Reading: I want to spit it out immediately... (Sharks' Fin, p279)
Slosh (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: (of a liquid) to move in a noisy or messy way
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slosh)
Original sentence: As the liquid sloshed through the windpipes, the lungs themselves hissed gently and began to expand.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.251)
Sling (Junyi Chen)
If you sling something over your shoulder or over something such as a chair, you hang it there loosely. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"No one in the village possessed a camera, so news of my arrival with an old Olympus SLR slung around my neck had spread like wildfire." (Shark's Fin)
Shrine (Junyi Chen)
A shrine is a place that people visit and treat with respect because it is connected with a dead person or with dead people that they want to remember. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Behind her, and beyond the curtain that hung over the main door of the house, a black-and -white image of her deceased husband presided over the family shrine." (Shark's Fin)
Smouldering (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: But when I lived in Chengdu, a number of these kebabs became a kind of sensory analogy for the smell of smouldering hash. (Shark's Fin 242)
Definition: (Smolder) to burn slowly without flames but usually with smoke (Merriam Webster Online)
Example: The remains of the campfire smoldered. (<Merriam Webster Online)
Spew (Huan Qu)
Definition:to flow out of something in a fast and forceful way
"Spew." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spew>.
Reading: It was a terrifying place, a blighted metropolis where the chimneys of the local metallurgy and chemical plants spewed their vile.... (Sharks' Fin, p279)
spiky(Tianyu Ma)
sentence: its legs fringedwith spiky yellow hair
definition: having sharp points : formed into points
"Spiky." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spiky>.
Symposia(LantingHe)
Text: Thus, in subsequent symposia held in San Francisco, smaller and less powerful countries capitalised on the opportunity to contribute
Definition:a conference or meeting for the discussion of some subject, esp an academic topic or social problem http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/symposia?showCookiePolicy=true
Original Sentence: I am obliged to work with nine young men who make strenuous efforts to avoid talking to me, and who are openly sceptical about the idea of a foreign woman becoming a Sichuanese chef. (From Shark's Fin)
Definition: not convinced that something is true; doubtful. Skeptical. (From The Free Online Dictionary)
Example: I am sceptical about what he told me.
Strenuous (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: I am obliged to work with nine young men who make strenuous efforts to avoid talking to me, and who are openly sceptical about the idea of a foreign woman becoming a Sichuanese chef. (From Shark's Fin)
Definition: requiring or showing great energy and effort. (From Merriam Webster)
Example: Today has been a very strenuous day.
Stack (Junyi Chen)
If you stack a number of things, you arrange them in neat piles. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Encouraged by Zhou Yu and Tao Ping, I have ticked the boxes on the order form myself, and our waitress has already stacked my chosen raw ingredients around the pot." (Shark's Fin)
Sizzle (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: Here, the two spices are sizzled in oil until the chillies are darkening, but not yet burnt and bitter: a marvellous taste. (Shark's Fin, 103)
Definition: to burn up or sear with or as if with a hissing sound ( "Sizzle." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 25 Feb. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sizzle?show=0&t=1393458136)
scarper（Zining Wang） flee, run away
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scarper
I find they all scraper to the store cupboards. (Shark's Fin, 93)
Slather (Minho Cho)
Sentence: this kind of food was hardly a challenge for someone whose mother had always cooked regional Indian for the family, and slathered her food in harissa. (Shark's Fin, pg.135)
Def: To spread or apply thickly.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/slather?s=t)
Sterilization (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: It was illegal, of course, to have so many children, but they had a relative in the local government who had forged a sterilization document for the mother as a special favour. (Shark's Fin, 125)
Definition: the process of making (someone or something) unable to produce children, young animals, etc.
( "Sterilization." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 5 Mar. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sterilization
Spat (Minho Cho)
Sentence: He is so early-twentieth-century elegant that I almost expect to see spats if I cast my eyes to his feet. (Shark's Fin, 147)
Def: a short gaiter worn over the instep and usually fastened under the foot with a strap, worn especially inthe late 19th and early 20th centuries(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/spats?s=t)
Shattering (Junyi Chen)
Something that is shattering shocks and upsets you very much. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Yet, while researching my Sichuanese cookery book was a joy from beginning to end, the Hunan book was a completely different experience, shattering in many ways." (Shark's Fin)
Surreal (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: It turned out to be a surreal weekend.(Shark's Fin, 174)
Definition: very strange or unusual
( "Surreal." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 26 Mar. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surreal)
Springy (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: The noodles were fresh and springy in my mouth, utterly delicious.
Definition: returning to an original shape when pressed down, twisted, stretched, etc.
Example: <pillows made with springy foam that bounces right back>
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/springy)
Seethe ( Minho Cho)
Sentence: By noon the field seethed with people and livestock. (Shark's Fin pg.236)
Def: to surge or foam as if boiling
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Seethe)
Spate (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: a large number of things that appear or happen in a short period of time
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spate)
Original sentence: More recently, in the early nineties, a spate of offensive publications showing Muslims with pigs or pork triggered street protests in four Chinese provinces.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.249)
Spit (Huan Qu)Definition: o eject (as saliva) from the mouth
"Spit." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spit>.
Reading: I want to spit it out immediately... (Sharks' Fin, p279)
Slosh (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: (of a liquid) to move in a noisy or messy way
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slosh)
Original sentence: As the liquid sloshed through the windpipes, the lungs themselves hissed gently and began to expand.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.251)
Sling (Junyi Chen)
If you sling something over your shoulder or over something such as a chair, you hang it there loosely. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"No one in the village possessed a camera, so news of my arrival with an old Olympus SLR slung around my neck had spread like wildfire." (Shark's Fin)
Shrine (Junyi Chen)
A shrine is a place that people visit and treat with respect because it is connected with a dead person or with dead people that they want to remember. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Behind her, and beyond the curtain that hung over the main door of the house, a black-and -white image of her deceased husband presided over the family shrine." (Shark's Fin)
Smouldering (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: But when I lived in Chengdu, a number of these kebabs became a kind of sensory analogy for the smell of smouldering hash. (Shark's Fin 242)
Definition: (Smolder) to burn slowly without flames but usually with smoke (Merriam Webster Online)
Example: The remains of the campfire smoldered. (<Merriam Webster Online)
Spew (Huan Qu)
Definition:to flow out of something in a fast and forceful way
"Spew." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spew>.
Reading: It was a terrifying place, a blighted metropolis where the chimneys of the local metallurgy and chemical plants spewed their vile.... (Sharks' Fin, p279)
spiky(Tianyu Ma)
sentence: its legs fringedwith spiky yellow hair
definition: having sharp points : formed into points
"Spiky." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spiky>.
Symposia(LantingHe)
Text: Thus, in subsequent symposia held in San Francisco, smaller and less powerful countries capitalised on the opportunity to contribute
Definition:a conference or meeting for the discussion of some subject, esp an academic topic or social problem http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/symposia?showCookiePolicy=true
Texture (Lianyan Gu)
Sentence: The main problem was texture. (Shark's Fin p135)
Meaning: the visual and especially tactile quality of a surface
Lanting He
Turret
I scrambled up a flight of stone stairs to the open rooftop, where the building's golden turrets stood out against the cloudless blue.
Definition:
In architecture, a turret (from Italian: torretta, little tower; Latin: turris, tower) is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turret
Taciturn (Seung Hyo Han)
almost always silent; not liking to talk; uncommunicative (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
And then he prodded his taciturn friend to give me the recipe for smoked rabbit, which involved skinning the animal alive, rubbing it in a marinade of salt and spices, flattening its body between two heavy stones, crucifying it on a cross of wooden sticks, and then smoking it over a smouldering fire of pine, camphor and cypress leaves. (Shark's Fin p.53)
(Yifan Liang)
Tapir
Definition: n. any perissodactyl mammal of the genus Tapirus, having an elongated snout, three-toed hind legs, and four-toed forelegs.
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/tapir)
tremor (Sylvia Liang)
"The East Site felt tremors of racial change in the late 1960s." (Salad Bowl City, 171)
Definition: Threat to make a group less stable.
Infuse (Seung Hyo Han) to pour (a liquid) in, into, or upon (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
We set water from the spring to boil and Sansan made the tea, infusing the leaves of oolong in a small clay pot and pouring the hot liquid into tiny bowls. (Shark's Fin p.159)
Throb
(Wonjun Lee)beat or sound with a strong, regular rhythm; pulsate steadily.
His arm was throbbing.
Triumvirate (Lianyan Gu)
"The great triumvirate of southern vegetables was turnips, cowpeas, and sweet potatoes." (Food ways intro)
"The great three things of southern vegetables were turnips, cowpeas, and sweet potatoes.
Totemic: (Lumiao Zhang)
Original Sentence“Perhaps the sunshine, the fresh air, and the pot and thickened by roux, file, or okra, or a combination of the three, have long been considered totemic dishes of the region, eaten by people of all classes.”
Definition: A totemic is an object that is regarded as a symbol by a particular group of people who treat it with great respect.
“There was a kind of totemic feeling about the objects.”
Translucent (Jenny Yu)
Sentence in the reading: Their albumens were a filthy, translucent brown, their yolks an oozy black, ringed with a layer of greenish, mouldy grey. (Shark's Fin, P8)
Definition: 1. permitting the passage of light 2. free from disguise or falseness ("Translucent." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 2 Feb. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/translucent?show=0&t=1391355905)
Lanting He
bathtubs
text: Leonard's, among the city's first barbecue restaurants, opened in 1922,, borrowing cooking techniques from the area's African American backyard barbecuers who cooked in old bathtubs pr in pits dug into the ground.
definition: : a large and long container in which people take baths or showers
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bathtub
Trepidation (Yifan Liang)
Sentence: ... have always been a cause for trepidation for outsiders because of the use of shark;s fin... (Third last sentence, Page 10, Shark's Fin)
Definition: n. 1. a state of fear or anxiety
2. a condition of quaking or palpitation, esp one caused by anxiety
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/trepidation)
Tavern (Lumiao Zhang)
Original sentence:” For seventy-five cents, travelers could purchase this listing of businesses that served African Americans across the country, including restaurant, hotels and taverns.
Definition “ a pub or an inn”
toss (Yichao Zhao)
Definition: to mix lightly until well coated with a dressing or until the elements are thoroughly combined(toss a salad) (merriam-webster.com)
Original sentence: People are creating what might be called "salad bowl suburbs"--a new, mixed-up, tossed salad of cultures. (a salad bowl city)
Trepidation (Minho Cho)
sentence: Chinese banquets have always been a cause for trepidation for outsiders because of the use of shark's fin. (Shark's Fin. Pg.10)
Def: tremulous fear, alarm, or agitation; perturbation
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/trepidation?s=t)
Toady (Huan Qu)Definition: a person who praises and helps powerful people in order to get their approval
"Toady." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toady>.
Reading: Yet this is so often mixed with such toadying because of the relative wealth of my home nation that it is never a disadvantage. (Sharks' Fin p246)
twirl (Yichao Zhao)
Sentence: twirly flatbreads stuffed with minced pork(Shark's fin)
Definition:to turn or spin around and around (merriam-webster.com)
Tingle (Junyi Chen)
When a part of your body tingles, you have a slight stinging feeling there. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Eaten hot, they are crunchy and chewy and savoury, and the Sichuan pepper makes your lips dance and tingle." (Shark's Fin)
Tuck (Huan Qu)
Definition : to eat with pleasure
("Tuck." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tuck>.)
Reading: I explain to my parents how to cook pieces of raw food in the broth and then dip them into the seasonings, and soon we are all tucking in. (Sharks' Fin, p134)
Trample (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: to cause damage or pain by walking or stepping heavily on something or someone
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trample)
Original sentence: A few years ago, a rumour that pigs had trampled all over Chinese black tealeaves earmarked for sale in Xinjiang spread like wildfire.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.250)
Titillation (Lanting He)
Text: The third and final great titillation in Hindi movies, as strong in its way as either sex or religion, was simple, filthy richness.
Definition: the act of arousing, teasing, or exciting someone pleasurably and often superficially. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/titillation?showCookiePolicy=true
Tinge ( Huan Qu)
Definition: a slight color, flavor, or quality
"Tinge." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tinge>.
Reading: Even when the taste is not so extreme, the water, unmasked by tealeaves, tend to have a metallic tinge. (Sharks' Fin, p279)
Sentence: The main problem was texture. (Shark's Fin p135)
Meaning: the visual and especially tactile quality of a surface
Lanting He
Turret
I scrambled up a flight of stone stairs to the open rooftop, where the building's golden turrets stood out against the cloudless blue.
Definition:
In architecture, a turret (from Italian: torretta, little tower; Latin: turris, tower) is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turret
Taciturn (Seung Hyo Han)
almost always silent; not liking to talk; uncommunicative (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
And then he prodded his taciturn friend to give me the recipe for smoked rabbit, which involved skinning the animal alive, rubbing it in a marinade of salt and spices, flattening its body between two heavy stones, crucifying it on a cross of wooden sticks, and then smoking it over a smouldering fire of pine, camphor and cypress leaves. (Shark's Fin p.53)
(Yifan Liang)
Tapir
Definition: n. any perissodactyl mammal of the genus Tapirus, having an elongated snout, three-toed hind legs, and four-toed forelegs.
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/tapir)
tremor (Sylvia Liang)
"The East Site felt tremors of racial change in the late 1960s." (Salad Bowl City, 171)
Definition: Threat to make a group less stable.
Infuse (Seung Hyo Han) to pour (a liquid) in, into, or upon (COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY)
We set water from the spring to boil and Sansan made the tea, infusing the leaves of oolong in a small clay pot and pouring the hot liquid into tiny bowls. (Shark's Fin p.159)
Throb
(Wonjun Lee)beat or sound with a strong, regular rhythm; pulsate steadily.
His arm was throbbing.
Triumvirate (Lianyan Gu)
"The great triumvirate of southern vegetables was turnips, cowpeas, and sweet potatoes." (Food ways intro)
"The great three things of southern vegetables were turnips, cowpeas, and sweet potatoes.
Totemic: (Lumiao Zhang)
Original Sentence“Perhaps the sunshine, the fresh air, and the pot and thickened by roux, file, or okra, or a combination of the three, have long been considered totemic dishes of the region, eaten by people of all classes.”
Definition: A totemic is an object that is regarded as a symbol by a particular group of people who treat it with great respect.
“There was a kind of totemic feeling about the objects.”
Translucent (Jenny Yu)
Sentence in the reading: Their albumens were a filthy, translucent brown, their yolks an oozy black, ringed with a layer of greenish, mouldy grey. (Shark's Fin, P8)
Definition: 1. permitting the passage of light 2. free from disguise or falseness ("Translucent." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 2 Feb. 2014. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/translucent?show=0&t=1391355905)
Lanting He
bathtubs
text: Leonard's, among the city's first barbecue restaurants, opened in 1922,, borrowing cooking techniques from the area's African American backyard barbecuers who cooked in old bathtubs pr in pits dug into the ground.
definition: : a large and long container in which people take baths or showers
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bathtub
Trepidation (Yifan Liang)
Sentence: ... have always been a cause for trepidation for outsiders because of the use of shark;s fin... (Third last sentence, Page 10, Shark's Fin)
Definition: n. 1. a state of fear or anxiety
2. a condition of quaking or palpitation, esp one caused by anxiety
(http://www.wordreference.com/definition/trepidation)
Tavern (Lumiao Zhang)
Original sentence:” For seventy-five cents, travelers could purchase this listing of businesses that served African Americans across the country, including restaurant, hotels and taverns.
Definition “ a pub or an inn”
toss (Yichao Zhao)
Definition: to mix lightly until well coated with a dressing or until the elements are thoroughly combined(toss a salad) (merriam-webster.com)
Original sentence: People are creating what might be called "salad bowl suburbs"--a new, mixed-up, tossed salad of cultures. (a salad bowl city)
Trepidation (Minho Cho)
sentence: Chinese banquets have always been a cause for trepidation for outsiders because of the use of shark's fin. (Shark's Fin. Pg.10)
Def: tremulous fear, alarm, or agitation; perturbation
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/trepidation?s=t)
Toady (Huan Qu)Definition: a person who praises and helps powerful people in order to get their approval
"Toady." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/toady>.
Reading: Yet this is so often mixed with such toadying because of the relative wealth of my home nation that it is never a disadvantage. (Sharks' Fin p246)
twirl (Yichao Zhao)
Sentence: twirly flatbreads stuffed with minced pork(Shark's fin)
Definition:to turn or spin around and around (merriam-webster.com)
Tingle (Junyi Chen)
When a part of your body tingles, you have a slight stinging feeling there. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"Eaten hot, they are crunchy and chewy and savoury, and the Sichuan pepper makes your lips dance and tingle." (Shark's Fin)
Tuck (Huan Qu)
Definition : to eat with pleasure
("Tuck." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tuck>.)
Reading: I explain to my parents how to cook pieces of raw food in the broth and then dip them into the seasonings, and soon we are all tucking in. (Sharks' Fin, p134)
Trample (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: to cause damage or pain by walking or stepping heavily on something or someone
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trample)
Original sentence: A few years ago, a rumour that pigs had trampled all over Chinese black tealeaves earmarked for sale in Xinjiang spread like wildfire.
(Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper. p.250)
Titillation (Lanting He)
Text: The third and final great titillation in Hindi movies, as strong in its way as either sex or religion, was simple, filthy richness.
Definition: the act of arousing, teasing, or exciting someone pleasurably and often superficially. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/titillation?showCookiePolicy=true
Tinge ( Huan Qu)
Definition: a slight color, flavor, or quality
"Tinge." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tinge>.
Reading: Even when the taste is not so extreme, the water, unmasked by tealeaves, tend to have a metallic tinge. (Sharks' Fin, p279)
trichromatic(Yingshan FangTrichromacy or trichromaticism is the condition of possessing three independent channels for conveying color information, derived from the three different cone types.[1] Organisms with trichromacy are called trichromatic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichromatic
Human color vision is trichromatic based on three elements,each tied to one type of cone.
Titillate (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: A well-orchestrated Sichuanese banquet will titillate your palate in every conceivable way: it will awaken your tastebuds through the judicious use of chilli oil...(Shark's Fin, 102)
Definition: to excite pleasurably : arouse by stimulation ("Titillate." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 25 Feb. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/titillate)
Trait (Junyi Chen)
A trait is a particular characteristic, quality, or tendency that someone or something has. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"The refined appreciation of food seems to be an eternal trait of Chinese culture." (Shark's Fin)
Tweak(Yusi Zhou)
Tweaking"What I fear is all we're doing is tweaking folks," he said, adding that the sanctions targeting individuals were "not creating the kind of pain within Russia that will cause Putin to change," he said.
Definition: to injure (a part of your body) slightly (Merriam Webster online)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichromatic
Human color vision is trichromatic based on three elements,each tied to one type of cone.
Titillate (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: A well-orchestrated Sichuanese banquet will titillate your palate in every conceivable way: it will awaken your tastebuds through the judicious use of chilli oil...(Shark's Fin, 102)
Definition: to excite pleasurably : arouse by stimulation ("Titillate." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 25 Feb. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/titillate)
Trait (Junyi Chen)
A trait is a particular characteristic, quality, or tendency that someone or something has. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"The refined appreciation of food seems to be an eternal trait of Chinese culture." (Shark's Fin)
Tweak(Yusi Zhou)
Tweaking"What I fear is all we're doing is tweaking folks," he said, adding that the sanctions targeting individuals were "not creating the kind of pain within Russia that will cause Putin to change," he said.
Definition: to injure (a part of your body) slightly (Merriam Webster online)
Upshot (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: the final result
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upshot)
Original sentence: The upshot was a pattern of ethnic enclaves.
(The Larder. p. 168)
Unitary (Lanting He)
Text: A defining feature of a world-economy is that it is not bounded by a unitary political structure.
Definition:
Underpinning (Lanting He)
Text: such low level of profit would make the capitalist game entirely uninteresting to producers, removing the basic social underpinnings of such a game.
Definition: a supporting structure or foundation, esp. one placed beneath a wall. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american/underpinning?showCookiePolicy=true
Uncontested (Lanting He)
Text: The problem lies with the acceptance of such claims as the 'Muslim view' on human rights-as if there is a homogenous and uncontested position that has somehow made its way into every Muslim society and community around the globe.
Definition: not having been challenged, called into question, or disputed.
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/uncontested
Utter (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: The noodles were fresh and springy in my mouth, utterly delicious.
Definition: complete and total
Example: It's hard to believe that we were utter strangers just a few days ago.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/utterly)
Undaunted (Junyi Chen)
If you are undaunted, you are not at all afraid or worried about dealing with something, especially something that would frighten or worry most people. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"'Aha!' he replied, undaunted by my counter-arguments." (Shark's Fin)
utensils(Lanting He)
Text: He also brought a single-burner kerosene stove, kitchen utensils and a rough estimation of clothes -- though he could not possibly calculate how long he would be away from home.
Definition:an implement, tool, or container for practical use http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/utensils?showCookiePolicy=true
Definition: the final result
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/upshot)
Original sentence: The upshot was a pattern of ethnic enclaves.
(The Larder. p. 168)
Unitary (Lanting He)
Text: A defining feature of a world-economy is that it is not bounded by a unitary political structure.
Definition:
- of a unit or units
- based on or characterized by unity
- individual; whole
- of or relating to a system of government in which all governing authority is held by the central government. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/unitary?showCookiePolicy=true
Underpinning (Lanting He)
Text: such low level of profit would make the capitalist game entirely uninteresting to producers, removing the basic social underpinnings of such a game.
Definition: a supporting structure or foundation, esp. one placed beneath a wall. http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/american/underpinning?showCookiePolicy=true
Uncontested (Lanting He)
Text: The problem lies with the acceptance of such claims as the 'Muslim view' on human rights-as if there is a homogenous and uncontested position that has somehow made its way into every Muslim society and community around the globe.
Definition: not having been challenged, called into question, or disputed.
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/uncontested
Utter (Yuqi Ted Wu)
Sentence: The noodles were fresh and springy in my mouth, utterly delicious.
Definition: complete and total
Example: It's hard to believe that we were utter strangers just a few days ago.
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/utterly)
Undaunted (Junyi Chen)
If you are undaunted, you are not at all afraid or worried about dealing with something, especially something that would frighten or worry most people. (Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary)
"'Aha!' he replied, undaunted by my counter-arguments." (Shark's Fin)
utensils(Lanting He)
Text: He also brought a single-burner kerosene stove, kitchen utensils and a rough estimation of clothes -- though he could not possibly calculate how long he would be away from home.
Definition:an implement, tool, or container for practical use http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/utensils?showCookiePolicy=true
Ubiquitous (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: Although you see camels grazing in the foothills of the Pamirs, to the south of Kashgar, the ubiquitous meat of Xinjiang is the fat-tailed sheep, also prized by the Iranians and other Central Asians. (Shark's Fin 244)
Definition: Seeming to be seen everywhere (Merriam Webster Online)
Example: The company's advertisements are ubiquitous.
Original Sentence: Although you see camels grazing in the foothills of the Pamirs, to the south of Kashgar, the ubiquitous meat of Xinjiang is the fat-tailed sheep, also prized by the Iranians and other Central Asians. (Shark's Fin 244)
Definition: Seeming to be seen everywhere (Merriam Webster Online)
Example: The company's advertisements are ubiquitous.
Venison (Migyeong Jang)
Definition: the edible flesh of a game animal and especially a deer
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/venison)
Original sentence: Bags of frozen quail and dove, venison sausage, and pork roasts are stacked next to tubs of crabmeat.
(The Larder. p. 276)
Vexing (Huan Qu)
Definition: causing or likely to cause vexation
（Vexing. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved January 30, 2014, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vexing）
Sentence: One of the vexing problems about studying the southern plantation is that you come to know the masters better than you know the slaves.
(The Larder. p 281)
valiant (Huan Qu)
Definition: very brave or courageous
("Valiant." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/valiant>.)
Reading: The creation of professional cooking academies was a valiant attempt to modernise attitudes.(Shark's Fin, p80)
Definition: the edible flesh of a game animal and especially a deer
(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/venison)
Original sentence: Bags of frozen quail and dove, venison sausage, and pork roasts are stacked next to tubs of crabmeat.
(The Larder. p. 276)
Vexing (Huan Qu)
Definition: causing or likely to cause vexation
（Vexing. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved January 30, 2014, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vexing）
Sentence: One of the vexing problems about studying the southern plantation is that you come to know the masters better than you know the slaves.
(The Larder. p 281)
valiant (Huan Qu)
Definition: very brave or courageous
("Valiant." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2014. <http://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/valiant>.)
Reading: The creation of professional cooking academies was a valiant attempt to modernise attitudes.(Shark's Fin, p80)
Voluptuous (Even Guo)
Original Sentence: Invert it and its blunt spine can be used to pound meat to a paste for meatballs: a time-consuming method, but the puree it produces is perfectly smooth and voluptuous.
Definition: giving pleasure to the senses
Example: I love this concert because of the voluptuous richness of the music.
Venomous (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: They wander the earth looking for mischief, venomous in their hunger. (Shark's Fin, 129)
Definition: expressing very strong hatred or anger ("Venomous." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/venomous?show=0&t=1395273465)
Verandah (Huan Qu)
Definition: a usually roofed open gallery or portico attached to the exterior of a building"Veranda." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/veranda>.
Reading: On an upstairs verandah, Memet Imin and his band set up their instruments and bgan to sing and play... (Sharks' Fin, p245)
Veneer (Minho Cho)
Sentence: Chinese monstrosities covered in a thin veneer of Islamoiserie. (Shark's Fin pg.245)
Def: a thin layer of wood or other material for facing or inlaying wood
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/veneer?s=t)
Vile (Huan Qu)
Definition: very bad or unpleasant
"Vile." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vile>.
Reading: It was a terrifying place, a blighted metropolis where the chimneys of the local metallurgy and chemical plants spewed their vile.... (Sharks' Fin, p279)
Original Sentence: Invert it and its blunt spine can be used to pound meat to a paste for meatballs: a time-consuming method, but the puree it produces is perfectly smooth and voluptuous.
Definition: giving pleasure to the senses
Example: I love this concert because of the voluptuous richness of the music.
Venomous (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: They wander the earth looking for mischief, venomous in their hunger. (Shark's Fin, 129)
Definition: expressing very strong hatred or anger ("Venomous." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/venomous?show=0&t=1395273465)
Verandah (Huan Qu)
Definition: a usually roofed open gallery or portico attached to the exterior of a building"Veranda." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/veranda>.
Reading: On an upstairs verandah, Memet Imin and his band set up their instruments and bgan to sing and play... (Sharks' Fin, p245)
Veneer (Minho Cho)
Sentence: Chinese monstrosities covered in a thin veneer of Islamoiserie. (Shark's Fin pg.245)
Def: a thin layer of wood or other material for facing or inlaying wood
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/veneer?s=t)
Vile (Huan Qu)
Definition: very bad or unpleasant
"Vile." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vile>.
Reading: It was a terrifying place, a blighted metropolis where the chimneys of the local metallurgy and chemical plants spewed their vile.... (Sharks' Fin, p279)
Encroachment: (Xingshang Zhang) "While the encroachment of chain food establishment threatens mountain cookery just as it does traditional southern cuisine in general" Definition: Encroachment is a term which implies "advance beyond proper limits", or intrusion on one's territory or rights.
Wriggle (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: Fish leapt and eels wriggled in tanks of water, ducks and chickens squawked in their pens. (Shark's Fin, 19)
Definition:
1: to cause to move in short quick contortions 2: to introduce, insinuate, or bring into a state or place by or as if by wriggling ("Wriggle." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 12 Feb. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wriggle)
witty(Zining Wang)
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/witty
marked by or full of clever humor or wit
Reading: MY teammates smirk, and someone makes a witty remark under his breath in Sichuanese dialect which I don't understand. (Shark's Fin, p93)
waltz( Tianyu Ma)
definition: a dance in which a couple moves in a regular series of three steps; also : the music used for this dance
"Waltz." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waltz>.
sentence: you can't just waltz into a Chinese restaurant and attempt to judge the food as you might a Michelin- starred restaurant in Paris. ( shark'fin P134)
Wangle (Minho Cho)
Sentence: He managed to wangle a casual job in the Shufeng Garden, a well-respected Chengdu restaurant. (Shark's Fin p.142)
Def: to bring about, accomplish, or obtain.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/wangle?s=t)
- rally (Xingshang Zhang) elected officials from the Talmadges of Georgia to President Lyndon B Johnson of Texas have used BBQ to raise funds and rally the faithful. Definition: To call together for a common purpose; assemble
- cookery (Xingshang Zhang) "While the encroachment of chain food establishment threatens mountain cookery just as it does traditional southern cuisine in general" Definition: 1 the art or practice of preparing food. 2 place for cooking.
- plantation (Xingshang Zhang): one of vexing problem about studying the southern plantation is that you come to know the masters better than you know the slaves. Definition: a settlement in a new country or region <PlymouthPlantation> similar to colony.
- retention:(Xingshang Zhang) this assemblage underscores the complex racial order in the urban south and process of culture retention, and exchange that took place between slave owners and enslaved people. Definition: : the act of keeping someone or something: the act of keeping extra liquid, heat, etc.,
- roving: (Xingshang Zhang) here we find material culture on the wheels, a roving symbol of the power of taste, memory, and the African American heritage of southern food ways. definition: : a: not restricted as to location or area of concern
b : capable of being shifted from place to place - devil-may-care(Xingshang Zhang) : An era of chivalry and true hospitality, a gallantry of devil-may-care cavaliers and lovely ladies fair. definition: related words: carefree.
Wriggle (Jenny Yu)
Sentence: Fish leapt and eels wriggled in tanks of water, ducks and chickens squawked in their pens. (Shark's Fin, 19)
Definition:
1: to cause to move in short quick contortions 2: to introduce, insinuate, or bring into a state or place by or as if by wriggling ("Wriggle." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. 12 Feb. 2014 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wriggle)
witty(Zining Wang)
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/witty
marked by or full of clever humor or wit
Reading: MY teammates smirk, and someone makes a witty remark under his breath in Sichuanese dialect which I don't understand. (Shark's Fin, p93)
waltz( Tianyu Ma)
definition: a dance in which a couple moves in a regular series of three steps; also : the music used for this dance
"Waltz." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 2 Mar. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waltz>.
sentence: you can't just waltz into a Chinese restaurant and attempt to judge the food as you might a Michelin- starred restaurant in Paris. ( shark'fin P134)
Wangle (Minho Cho)
Sentence: He managed to wangle a casual job in the Shufeng Garden, a well-respected Chengdu restaurant. (Shark's Fin p.142)
Def: to bring about, accomplish, or obtain.
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/wangle?s=t)
yolk (Tianyu Ma)
sentence: Their albumen were a filthy, translucent brown, their yolk and oozy black,(Shark's fin P8）
definition: the yellow part in the center of an egg "Albumen." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/albumen>.
sentence: Their albumen were a filthy, translucent brown, their yolk and oozy black,(Shark's fin P8）
definition: the yellow part in the center of an egg "Albumen." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/albumen>.
cormorant (Xingshang Zhang)
sentence: I can see a row of wutong tree and, beyond them, the brocade river, where cormorant fisherman is trying his luck in the murky water.
definition: a type of dark-colored bird that has a long neck and that eats fish that it catches in the ocean
hubbub (Xingshang Zhang)
sentence: But if we lived in luxurious isolation, we had only to step outside the dormitory to be overwhelmed by the hubbub of Sichuan life.
definition: a loud mixture of sound or voices
a situation in which there is much noise, confusion, excitement, and activity
Juddering (Xingshang Zhang)
sentence: The juddering old framework of the state economy was falling apart, along with the political controls of the Maoist era.
definition: chiefly British
: to vibrate with intensity <the engine stalled and keptjuddering — Roy Spicer>
Fumble(Xingshang Zhang)
sentence: You couldn't just parachute into China and started achieving---after half a year, perhaps, you might be able to start fumbling your way through the political and social system.
definition: to search for something by reaching or touching with your fingers in an awkward or clumsy way
Fiendish(Xingshang Zhang)
sentence: Yet the spicy cooking of Chengdu never lived up to the fiendish reputation that so terrified visitors from other parts of China.
definition: : very evil or cruel
: extremely bad, unpleasant, or difficult
Jubilant (Xingshang Zhang)
Sentence: Every failure is jubilantly ridiculed .
Definition: feeling or expressing great joy.
Scramble (Xingshang Zhang)
sentence: We scrambled competitively to be first to collect our team's allocation of, say, thirty glinting crucian carp, which we hd to clean in the sinks on the balcony, ripping their grills out and slitting their bellies as they jumped and twitched in our hands.
Definition: To move or climb over something quickly using hands.
soggy (Xingshang Zhang)
sentence: Ironically, just as the western middle classes are losing their faith in science, and getting soggy with emotion over the holistic tradition of the East, the Chinese seem to be on the blink of ditching what's left of their own philosophical and technological heritage.
Definition: Saturated with water or moisture. (I guess here probably means westerners start to focus more on holistic tradition. ??)
Ditching (Xingshang Zhang)
sentence: sentence: Ironically, just as the western middle classes are losing their faith in science, and getting soggy with emotion over the holistic tradition of the East, the Chinese seem to be on the blink of ditching what's left of their own philosophical and technological heritage.
Definition: The abandoned hole. Here probably means giving up.
sentence: I can see a row of wutong tree and, beyond them, the brocade river, where cormorant fisherman is trying his luck in the murky water.
definition: a type of dark-colored bird that has a long neck and that eats fish that it catches in the ocean
hubbub (Xingshang Zhang)
sentence: But if we lived in luxurious isolation, we had only to step outside the dormitory to be overwhelmed by the hubbub of Sichuan life.
definition: a loud mixture of sound or voices
a situation in which there is much noise, confusion, excitement, and activity
Juddering (Xingshang Zhang)
sentence: The juddering old framework of the state economy was falling apart, along with the political controls of the Maoist era.
definition: chiefly British
: to vibrate with intensity <the engine stalled and keptjuddering — Roy Spicer>
Fumble(Xingshang Zhang)
sentence: You couldn't just parachute into China and started achieving---after half a year, perhaps, you might be able to start fumbling your way through the political and social system.
definition: to search for something by reaching or touching with your fingers in an awkward or clumsy way
Fiendish(Xingshang Zhang)
sentence: Yet the spicy cooking of Chengdu never lived up to the fiendish reputation that so terrified visitors from other parts of China.
definition: : very evil or cruel
: extremely bad, unpleasant, or difficult
Jubilant (Xingshang Zhang)
Sentence: Every failure is jubilantly ridiculed .
Definition: feeling or expressing great joy.
Scramble (Xingshang Zhang)
sentence: We scrambled competitively to be first to collect our team's allocation of, say, thirty glinting crucian carp, which we hd to clean in the sinks on the balcony, ripping their grills out and slitting their bellies as they jumped and twitched in our hands.
Definition: To move or climb over something quickly using hands.
soggy (Xingshang Zhang)
sentence: Ironically, just as the western middle classes are losing their faith in science, and getting soggy with emotion over the holistic tradition of the East, the Chinese seem to be on the blink of ditching what's left of their own philosophical and technological heritage.
Definition: Saturated with water or moisture. (I guess here probably means westerners start to focus more on holistic tradition. ??)
Ditching (Xingshang Zhang)
sentence: sentence: Ironically, just as the western middle classes are losing their faith in science, and getting soggy with emotion over the holistic tradition of the East, the Chinese seem to be on the blink of ditching what's left of their own philosophical and technological heritage.
Definition: The abandoned hole. Here probably means giving up.