Red Sorghum

Red Sorghum 1988

hónggāoliáng

An old leper who owned a remote sorghum winery dies. Jiu'er, the wife bought by the leper, and her lover, identified only as "my Grandpa" by the narrator, take over the winery and set up an idealized quasi-matriarchal community headed by Jiu'er. When the Japanese invaders subject the area to their rule and cut down the sorghum to make way for a road, the community rises up and resists as the sorghum grows anew.

HSK 1
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3.86 Beginner Director Zhang Yimou 🍅 85%

Cast

Vocabulary

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zhào approved for distribution; to provide (wages etc) as usual (e.g. while an employee is on maternity leave) ∼HSK 3
tíng huǒ to cease fire; ceasefire ∼HSK 3
men menfolk (collective term for men of different generations); husbands and their fathers etc ∼HSK 3
huó zhe alive ∼HSK 3
qīn zuǐ to kiss (on the mouth) ∼HSK 3
father, grandfather ∼HSK 3
to be scared of dying ∼HSK 3
shēng huǒ to make a fire; to light a fire ∼HSK 3
méi at a loss; unable to do anything about it; to have no choice ∼HSK 3
zhǐ pài to assign; to appoint; assignment ∼HSK 3
kàng to resist Japan (esp. during WW2); anti-Japanese (esp. wartime activities) ∼HSK 3
Mín people, subjects, citizens ∼HSK 3
go over, pass over, exceed ∼HSK 3
jué kǒu (of a watercourse) to breach its banks; (of a dam) to burst ∼HSK 3
shū eldest of father's younger brothers; uncle (term used to address a man about the age of one's father) ∼HSK 3
liáng shuǐ cool water; unboiled water HSK 3
ting to ask about; to make some inquiries; to ask around HSK 3
xia the location below sth; afterwards HSK 3
xíng li luggage HSK 3
zi trousers; pants HSK 3
fáng house; building HSK 3
shì to pass away; to die HSK 3
zhěng tiān all day long; whole day HSK 3
shàng lái to come up; to approach; (verb complement indicating success) HSK 3
zhì jīn so far; to this day; until now HSK 3
good fortune; happiness; luck HSK 3
tián sweet HSK 3
earth; dust; clay; local; indigenous; crude opium; unsophisticated; one of the eight categories of ancient musical instruments 音 HSK 3
bān to move (i.e. relocate oneself); to move (sth relatively heavy or bulky); to shift; to copy indiscriminately HSK 3
qiáo bridge HSK 3
huà to make into; to change into; -ization; to ... -ize; to transform; abbr. for 化学 HSK 3
fǎn zhèng anyway; in any case; to come over from the enemy's side HSK 3
chū at first; (at the) beginning; first; junior; basic HSK 3
kùn to trap; to surround; hard-pressed; stranded; destitute HSK 3
xiū to decorate; to embellish; to repair; to build; to write; to cultivate; to study; to take (a class) HSK 3
duàn to break; to snap; to cut off; to give up or abstain from sth; to judge; (usu. used in the negative) absolutely; definitely; decidedly HSK 3
to press; to push down; to keep under (control); pressure HSK 3
zhōu wéi environs; surroundings; periphery HSK 3
pèi to join; to fit; to mate; to mix; to match; to deserve; to make up (a prescription); to allocate HSK 3
zhuā zhù to grab hold of; to capture HSK 3
調 diào to transfer; to move (troops or cadres); to investigate; to enquire into; accent; view; argument; key (in music); mode (music); tune; tone; melody HSK 3
leather; skin; fur; pico- (one trillionth); naughty HSK 3
zhí dào until HSK 3
Dāo surname Dao HSK 3
shàng miàn on top of; above-mentioned; also pr. [shàng mian] HSK 3
diagram; picture; drawing; chart; map; to plan; to scheme; to attempt; to pursue; to seek HSK 3
huǒ fire; urgent; ammunition; fiery or flaming; internal heat (Chinese medicine); hot (popular); classifier for military units (old); Kangxi radical 86 HSK 3
zhào according to; in accordance with; to shine; to illuminate; to reflect; to look at (one's reflection); to take (a photo); photo; as requested; as before HSK 3
guī dìng to stipulate; to specify; to prescribe; to fix (a price); to set (a quota); regulations; rules; provisions; stipulations HSK 3
niú ox; cow; bull; newton (abbr. for 牛顿); (slang) awesome HSK 3