目 does not really mean "attractive", it only means "eye; item".
價目 = (marked) price
刺目刺眼 = irritating to the eye
甲 does sometime represent "1st in order", it also means "shell". If there is no secondary character to provide contextual information, it could be translated either way.
甲蟲 = beetle, insect with shell
指甲 = finger nail
In Japanese, at least, 甲 is also used in legal contracts, in the sense of "the first party." Is this true in Chinese, too?
ReplyDeleteYes, it is used that way in Chinese, as well. As in 甲方 and 乙方 to represent the first and second party. Or "Party A" and "Party B"; in that sense, "甲乙丙丁" is somewhat used analogously with "ABCD," as a graded paper in school can also bear a grad of 甲, 乙, 丙, or 丁, corresponding respectively with A, B, C, and D.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what's used to correspond with "F" as the failing grade, though. Getting "丙" would be bad enough for most parents.
Glenn,
ReplyDelete差 is used to for "F" or "Failure". When I went to primary school, the teacher's grading system was:
優 = A (90% and above)
良 = B (80% and above)
中 = C (70% and above)
下 = D (60% and above)
差 = F (60% and below)
Usually students start to get worried if their grade around 良.