xīn jià niáng (by Wang Jian)
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| 新 | xīn | meso- (chem.); new; newly |
| 嫁 | jià | marry (a husband) |
| 娘 | niáng | mother; young lady |
| 三 | sān | three |
| 日 | rì | Japan; day; sun; date; day of the month |
| 入 | rù | to enter |
| 廚 or 厨 | chú | kitchen |
| 下 | xià | under; second (of two parts); next (week, etc.); lower; below; underneath; down(wards); to decline; to go down; latter |
| 洗 | xǐ | to wash; to bathe |
| 手 | shǒu | hand; convenient |
| 作 | zuò | to regard as; to take (somebody) for; to do; to make |
| 羹 | gēng | soup |
| 湯 or 汤 | tāng | (surname); soup |
| 未 | wèi | 1-3 p.m.; 8th earthly branch; not yet; did not; have not; not |
| 諳 | ān | be versed in; know well |
| 姑 | gū | paternal aunt |
| 食 | shí, sì | animal feed; eat; food; to feed |
| 性 | xìng | sex; nature; surname; suffix corresponding to -ness or -ity |
| 先 | xiān | early; prior; former; in advance; first |
| 遣 | qiǎn | dispatch |
| 小 | xiǎo | small; tiny; few; young |
| 姑 | gū | paternal aunt |
| 嘗 or 尝 | cháng | indicator of past tense; to taste; flavor; already; ever; once; test; already; formerly |
New bride
After three days she goes down to the kitchen,
washes her hands, and makes soup.
She does not yet know her aunt's tastes,
so she first tries out a few flavours.
DJW