used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading 'What I am going to tell you,' Ping Wang began, 'is purely a family matter.
accountsnounUS /əˈkaʊnts/
plural of “account” — a record or narrative description of past events
From this reading That, of course, accounts for my speaking English fairly well.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading 'What I am going to tell you,' Ping Wang began, 'is purely a family matter.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading When I was ten years old I was sent to a school at Hongkong, kept by an Englishman, and I remained there until I was eighteen.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading When I was ten years old I was sent to a school at Hongkong, kept by an Englishman, and I remained there until I was eighteen.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading 'What I am going to tell you,' Ping Wang began, 'is purely a family matter.
a youthful male person
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
plural of “boy” — a youthful male person
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading When I was ten years old I was sent to a school at Hongkong, kept by an Englishman, and I remained there until I was eighteen.
ChinanounUS /ˈtʃaɪnə/
a communist nation that covers a vast territory in eastern Asia; the most populous country in the world
From this reading It is the reason why I left China.
relating to or characteristic of Christianity
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading That, of course, accounts for my speaking English fairly well.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
being one more than seventeen
From this reading When I was ten years old I was sent to a school at Hongkong, kept by an Englishman, and I remained there until I was eighteen.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
a man who is a native or inhabitant of England
From this reading When I was ten years old I was sent to a school at Hongkong, kept by an Englishman, and I remained there until I was eighteen.
to certain extent or degree
From this reading That, of course, accounts for my speaking English fairly well.
a social unit living together
From this reading 'What I am going to tell you,' Ping Wang began, 'is purely a family matter.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading That, of course, accounts for my speaking English fairly well.
characteristic of or befitting a friend
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
the act of departing
From this reading 'What I am going to tell you,' Ping Wang began, 'is purely a family matter.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
Hongkong
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When I was ten years old I was sent to a school at Hongkong, kept by an Englishman, and I remained there until I was eighteen.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading 'What I am going to tell you,' Ping Wang began, 'is purely a family matter.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading 'What I am going to tell you,' Ping Wang began, 'is purely a family matter.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is the reason why I left China.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading When I was ten years old I was sent to a school at Hongkong, kept by an Englishman, and I remained there until I was eighteen.
Kwang-ngan
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading It is the reason why I left China.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
mandarinnounUS /ˈmændərən/
shrub or small tree having flattened globose fruit with very sweet aromatic pulp and thin yellow-orange to flame-orange rind that is loose and easily removed; native to southeastern Asia
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading 'What I am going to tell you,' Ping Wang began, 'is purely a family matter.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
missionariesnounUS /ˈmɪʃəneriz/
plural of “missionary” — someone who attempts to convert others to a particular doctrine or program
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading When I was ten years old I was sent to a school at Hongkong, kept by an Englishman, and I remained there until I was eighteen.
PingverbUS /pɪŋ/
hit with a pinging noise
From this reading 'What I am going to tell you,' Ping Wang began, 'is purely a family matter.
purelyadverbUS /ˈpjʊrli/
restricted to something
From this reading 'What I am going to tell you,' Ping Wang began, 'is purely a family matter.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading It is the reason why I left China.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading When I was ten years old I was sent to a school at Hongkong, kept by an Englishman, and I remained there until I was eighteen.
an educational institution
From this reading When I was ten years old I was sent to a school at Hongkong, kept by an Englishman, and I remained there until I was eighteen.
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading When I was ten years old I was sent to a school at Hongkong, kept by an Englishman, and I remained there until I was eighteen.
the utterance of intelligible speech
From this reading That, of course, accounts for my speaking English fairly well.
inflected form of “teach” — impart skills or knowledge to
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
impart skills or knowledge to
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
express in words
From this reading 'What I am going to tell you,' Ping Wang began, 'is purely a family matter.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading When I was ten years old I was sent to a school at Hongkong, kept by an Englishman, and I remained there until I was eighteen.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That, of course, accounts for my speaking English fairly well.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It is the reason why I left China.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
in or at that place or location
From this reading When I was ten years old I was sent to a school at Hongkong, kept by an Englishman, and I remained there until I was eighteen.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading 'What I am going to tell you,' Ping Wang began, 'is purely a family matter.
untilprepositionUS /ənˈtɪl/
up to a particular time
From this reading When I was ten years old I was sent to a school at Hongkong, kept by an Englishman, and I remained there until I was eighteen.
precisely as stated
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
Wang
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading 'What I am going to tell you,' Ping Wang began, 'is purely a family matter.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading That, of course, accounts for my speaking English fairly well.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading 'What I am going to tell you,' Ping Wang began, 'is purely a family matter.
at the time that
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading It is the reason why I left China.
in the company of; together with
From this reading My father was the mandarin of Kwang-ngan, and although he did not become a Christian, he was very friendly with the English missionaries, and when I was quite a little boy he asked them to teach me all the things which English boys were taught.
a late time of life
From this reading When I was ten years old I was sent to a school at Hongkong, kept by an Englishman, and I remained there until I was eighteen.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading 'What I am going to tell you,' Ping Wang began, 'is purely a family matter.
