Well, summer is here, the hottest time of the year. Do you feel burned by the sun? We do! But we always try to use sun protection. In Chinese, "晒 (shài)" means "to sun" or "to shine." "晒太阳 (shài tàiyang)" means "to bask in the sun." Most people who bask in the sun this year will use some sort of sun protection, which is called "防晒 (fángshài)." "防 (fáng)” means "to prevent" or "to guard against.”
But "晒 (shài)" also has another more modern meaning; it can also mean "to show" or "to share." The internet is a great source of information, and it can also be a platform for creativity. One example is that people have now begun to add new meanings to words. Nowadays, people like to use "晒 (shài)" to mean "to demonstrate special skills" and "to share wonderful life experiences with others," or even "to flaunt something they are proud of." Just look at these examples of the most recent uses of "晒 (shài)" on the internet: "晒工资 (shài gōngzī)" means "to divulge one's salary," "晒幸福 (shài xìngfú)" means "to show happiness," and "晒照片 (shài zhàopiàn)" means "to share pictures."
Examples:
Tā zài hǎitān shàng shài tàiyang.
他 在 海滩 上 晒 太阳。
She sunned herself on the beach.
Xiàtiān yào zhùyì fángshài.
夏天 要 注意 防晒。
We should pay attention to sun protection in summer.
Dàjiā dōu xǐhuan zài wǎng shàng shài zhàopiàn.
大家 都 喜欢 在 网 上 晒 照片。
We all like to share and show our pictures online.
Xiànzài de míngxīng dōu xǐhuan zài wēibó shàng shài xìngfú.
现在 的 明星 都 喜欢 在 微博 上 晒 幸福。
These days, celebrities like to use micro-blogs to share and show their happiness.
Practice:
1. Which one of the following is not the correct meaning of "晒 (shài)?"
A. to bask B. to share C. to protect
2. What does "我喜欢晒照片 (wǒ xǐhuan shài zhàopiàn)" mean?
A. I like to take photos.
B. I like to share and show pictures.
C. I like to take photos for others.
Answers to the practice questions: 1. C 2. B
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