| 三 | [ sān ] surname San |
| 三 | [ sān ] three, 3 |
| 三C; | [ sān ] see 3C[san1 C] |
| 三K黨 | [ sān dǎng ] Ku Klux Klan, KKK |
| 三P; | [ sān ] (slang) threesome |
| 三七 | [ sān qī ] pseudoginseng (Panax pseudoginseng), hemostatic herb |
| 三七二十一 | [ sān qī èr shí yī ] three sevens are twenty-one (idiom), the facts of the matter, the actual situation |
| 三七仔 | [ sān qī zǐ ] (slang) pimp |
| 三七開 | [ sān qī kaī ] ratio seventy to thirty, thirty percent failure, seventy percent success |
| 三七開定論 | [ sān qī kaī dìng lùn ] thirty percent failure, seventy percent success, the official PRC verdict on Mao Zedong |
| 三三兩兩 | [ sān sān liǎng liǎng ] in twos and threes |
| 三下五除二 | [ sān xià wǔ chú èr ] three, set five remove two (abacus rule), efficiently, quickly and easily |
| 三下兩下 | [ sān xià liǎng xià ] quickly and effortlessly (idiom) |
| 三不 | [ sān bù ] the three no's (abbreviated catchphrase) |
| 三不五時 | [ sān bù wǔ shí ] (Tw) from time to time, frequently |
| 三不朽 | [ sān bù xiǔ ] the three imperishables, three ways to distinguish oneself that aren't forgotten by history: through one's virtue 立德[li4 de2], one's service 立功[li4 gong1] and one's writings 立言[li4 yan2] (from the Zuo Zhuan 左傳|左传[Zuo3 Zhuan4]) |
| 三不沾 | [ sān bù zhān ] air ball (basketball) |
| 三不知 | [ sān bù zhī ] to know nothing about the beginning, the middle or the end, to know nothing at all |
| 三不管 | [ sān bù guǎn ] of undetermined status, unregulated |
| 三世 | [ sān shì ] the Third (of numbered kings) |
| 三中全會 | [ sān zhōng quán huì ] third plenum of a national congress of the Chinese Communist Party |
| 三九天 | [ sān jiǔ tiān ] the twenty seven days after the Winter Solstice, reputed to be the coldest days of the year |
| 三五 | [ sān wǔ ] several, three or five |
| 三五成群 | [ sān wǔ chéng qún ] in groups of three or four (idiom) |
| 三井 | [ sān jǐng ] Mitsui (Japanese company) |
| 三亞 | [ sān yà ] Sanya prefecture level city, Hainan |
| 三亞市 | [ sān yà shì ] Sanya prefecture level city, Hainan |
| 三人成虎 | [ sān rén chéng hǔ ] three men talking makes a tiger (idiom); repeated rumor becomes a fact |
| 三人行 | [ sān rén xíng ] (slang) threesome |
| 三人行，則必有我師 | [ sān rén xíng zé bì yoǔ wǒ shī ] If three walk together, one of them can teach me sth (Confucius) |
| 三人行，必有我師 | [ sān rén xíng bì yoǔ wǒ shī ] lit. if three walk together, one can be my teacher (idiom, from the Analects of Confucius), you have sth to learn from everyone |
| 三仇 | [ sān choú ] animosity or resentment towards three groups (the bureaucrats, the wealthy, and the police) due to perceived abuse of power |
| 三代 | [ sān daì ] three generations of a family, the three earliest dynasties (Xia, Shang and Zhou) |
| 三代同堂 | [ sān daì tóng táng ] three generations under one roof |
| 三令五申 | [ sān lìng wǔ shēn ] to order again and again (idiom) |
| 三件套式西裝 | [ sān jiàn taò shì xī zhuāng ] three-piece suit |
| 三伏 | [ sān fú ] three periods forming the hottest periods of summer, from mid-July to mid-August, namely: 初伏 (mid-July), 中伏 (late July to early August), 末伏 (mid-August) |
| 三伏天 | [ sān fú tiān ] three periods forming the hottest periods of summer, from mid-July to mid-August, namely: 初伏 (mid-July), 中伏 (late July to early August), 末伏 (mid-August) |
| 三位一體 | [ sān weì yī tǐ ] Holy Trinity, trinity |
| 三位博士 | [ sān weì bó shì ] the Magi, the Three Wise Kings from the East in the biblical nativity story |
| 三俠五義 | [ sān xiá wǔ yì ] Sanxia wuyi (lit. Three knight-errants and five righteous one), novel edited from stories of late Qing dynasty pinghua 評話|评话 master storyteller Shi Yukun 石玉昆 |
| 三個世界 | [ sān ge shì jiè ] the Three Worlds (as proposed by Mao Zedong), i.e. the superpowers (USA and USSR), other wealthy countries (UK, France, Japan etc), and the developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America |
| 三個代表 | [ sān gè daì ] the Three Represents enunciated by Jiang Zemin 江澤民|江泽民 as the duty of the Chinese Communist party in 2001, namely: to represent productivity of an advanced society, forward progress of advanced culture and the fundamental interests of the people |
| 三個和尚沒水吃 | [ sān gè hé shang meí shuǐ chī ] see 三個和尚沒水喝|三个和尚没水喝[san1 ge4 he2 shang5 mei2 shui3 he1] |
| 三個和尚沒水喝 | [ sān gè hé shang meí shuǐ hē ] lit. three monks have no water to drink (idiom), fig. everybody's business is nobody's business, (If there is one monk, he will fetch water for himself. If there are two, they will fetch water together. But if there are three or more, none will take it upon himself to fetch water.) |
| 三個女人一個墟 | [ sān gè nǚ rén yī gè xū ] three women makes a crowd |
| 三個女人一臺戲 | [ sān ge nǚ rén yī taí xì ] three women are enough for a drama (idiom) |
| 三個臭皮匠，勝過一個諸葛亮 | [ sān gè choù pí jiang shèng guò yī gè zhū gě liàng ] variant of 三個臭皮匠，賽過一個諸葛亮|三个臭皮匠，赛过一个诸葛亮[san1 ge4 chou4 pi2 jiang5 , sai4 guo4 yi1 ge4 Zhu1 ge3 Liang4] |
| 三個臭皮匠，合成一個諸葛亮 | [ sān gè choù pí jiang hé chéng yī gè zhū gě liàng ] lit. three ignorant cobblers add up to a genius (idiom); fig. collective wisdom |
| 三個臭皮匠，賽過一個諸葛亮 | [ sān gè choù pí jiang saì guò yī gè zhū gě liàng ] lit. three ignorant cobblers add up to a genius (idiom); fig. collective wisdom, wisdom of the masses exceeds that of any individual |
| 三個臭皮匠，賽過諸葛亮 | [ sān gè choù pí jiang saì guò zhū gě liàng ] lit. three ignorant cobblers add up to a genius (idiom); fig. collective wisdom, wisdom of the masses exceeds that of any individual |
| 三個臭皮匠，頂個諸葛亮 | [ sān gè choù pí jiang dǐng gè zhū gě liàng ] lit. three ignorant cobblers add up to a genius (idiom); fig. collective wisdom, wisdom of the masses exceeds that of any individual |
| 三倍 | [ sān beì ] triple |
| 三催四請 | [ sān cuī sì qǐng ] to coax and plead |
| 三價 | [ sān jià ] trivalent |
| 三元 | [ sān yuán ] (old) first place in civil service examinations at three levels: provincial 解元[jie4 yuan2], metropolitan 會元|会元[hui4 yuan2] and palace 狀元|状元[zhuang4 yuan2] |
| 三元區 | [ sān yuán qū ] Sanyuan district of Sanming city 三明市[San1 ming2 shi4], Fujian |
| 三元運算 | [ sān yuán yùn suàn ] ternary operator (computing) |
| 三元醇 | [ sān yuán chún ] propyl alcohol C3H7OH |
| 三元音 | [ sān yuán yīn ] triphthong (such as putonghua uei etc) |
| 三光 | [ sān guāng ] the sun, the moon, and the stars |
| 三光政策 | [ sān guāng zhèng cè ] Three Alls Policy (kill all, burn all, loot all), Japanese policy in China during WWII |
| 三兩 | [ sān liǎng ] two or three |
| 三八 | [ sān bā ] International Women's Day 婦女節|妇女节[Fu4 nu:3 jie2], 8th March, foolish, stupid |
| 三八大蓋 | [ sān bā dà gaì ] (coll.) Arisaka Type 38 rifle (Japanese army rifle used 1905-1945) |
| 三八節 | [ sān bā jié ] International Women's Day (March 8) |
| 三八線 | [ sān bā xiàn ] 38th parallel, forming the DMZ border between North and South Korea |
| 三公消費 | [ sān gōng feì ] see 三公經費|三公经费[san1 gong1 jing1 fei4] |
| 三公經費 | [ sān gōng jīng feì ] "three public expenditures" of the PRC government, i.e. air travel, food and entertainment, and public vehicles |
| 三分 | [ sān fēn ] somewhat, to some degree |
| 三分之一 | [ sān fēn zhī yī ] one third |
| 三分熟 | [ sān fēn shú ] medium rare (of steak) |
| 三分鐘熱度 | [ sān fēn zhōng rè dù ] brief period of enthusiasm, flash in the pan |
| 三分頭 | [ sān fēn toú ] regular men's haircut, short back and sides |
| 三包 | [ sān baō ] "three-guarantee service": repair, exchange, refund |
| 三北 | [ sān beǐ ] China's three northern regions, 東北|东北[Dong1 bei3], 華北|华北[Hua2 bei3] and 西北[Xi1 bei3] |
| 三北防護林 | [ sān beǐ fáng hù lín ] Green Wall of China, a massive afforestation program on the eastern margin of the Gobi Desert aimed at stopping the desert's expansion, started in 1978 and planned to be completed by 2050 |
| 三十 | [ sān shí ] thirty, 30 |
| 三十二位元 | [ sān shí èr weì yuán ] 32-bit (computing) |
| 三十二相 | [ sān shí èr xiàng ] the thirty-two physical characteristics of Buddha |
| 三十八度線 | [ sān shí bā dù xiàn ] 38th parallel, dividing line agreed at Yalta between US and Soviet zones of influence in Korea, now the DMZ between North and South Korea |
| 三十六字母 | [ sān shí liù zì mǔ ] thirty six initial consonants of Song phonetic theory |
| 三十六計 | [ sān shí liù jì ] The Thirty-Six Stratagems, a Chinese essay used to illustrate a series of stratagems used in politics, war, and in civil interaction, all the possible schemes and stratagems |
| 三十六計，走為上策 | [ sān shí liù jì zoǔ weí shàng cè ] of the thirty-six stratagems, the best option is to flee (idiom), the best thing to do is leave |
| 三十六計，走為上計 | [ sān shí liù jì zoǔ weí shàng jì ] see 三十六計，走為上策|三十六计，走为上策[san1 shi2 liu4 ji4 , zou3 wei2 shang4 ce4] |
| 三十年河東，三十年河西 | [ sān shí nián hé dōng sān shí nián hé xī ] the river flows thirty years to the East, thirty years to the West (proverb), change is the only constant |
| 三十而立 | [ sān shí ér lì ] thirty years old and therefore independent (idiom, from Confucius) |
| 三千大千世界 | [ sān qiān dà qiān shì jiè ] cosmos (Buddhism) |
| 三原 | [ sān yuán ] Sanyuan County in Xianyang 咸陽|咸阳[Xian2 yang2], Shaanxi |
| 三原則 | [ sān yuán zé ] the Three Principles (in many contexts) |
| 三原縣 | [ sān yuán xiàn ] Sanyuan County in Xianyang 咸陽|咸阳[Xian2 yang2], Shaanxi |
| 三叉戟 | [ sān chā jǐ ] trident |
| 三叉神經 | [ sān chā shén jīng ] trigeminal nerve |
| 三反 | [ sān fǎn ] "Three Anti" campaign (anti-corruption, anti-waste, anti-bureaucracy), early PRC purge of 1951-52 |
| 三反運動 | [ sān fǎn yùn dòng ] "Three Anti" campaign (anti-corruption, anti-waste, anti-bureaucracy), early PRC purge of 1951-52 |
| 三句話不離本行 | [ sān jù huà bù lí běn háng ] to talk shop all the time (idiom) |
| 三台 | [ sān taí ] Santai county in Mianyang 綿陽|绵阳[Mian2 yang2], north Sichuan |
| 三台縣 | [ sān taí xiàn ] Santai county in Mianyang 綿陽|绵阳[Mian2 yang2], north Sichuan |
| 三合一 | [ sān hé yī ] three in one, triple |
| 三合一疫苗 | [ sān hé yī yì ] DTP vaccination |
| 三合土 | [ sān hé tǔ ] mortar, concrete, cement |
| 三合星 | [ sān hé xīng ] triple star system |
| 三合會 | [ sān hé huì ] triad, Chinese crime gang, triad society, anti-Manchu secret society in Qing-dynasty China |
| 三合院 | [ sān hé yuàn ] residence consisting of structures surrounding a courtyard on three sides |
| 三味線 | [ sān weì xiàn ] shamisen, three-stringed Japanese musical instrument |
| 三和弦 | [ sān hé xián ] triad, musical chord of three notes, such as major triad do-mi-so |
| 三國 | [ sān guó ] Three Kingdoms period (220-280) in Chinese history, several Three Kingdoms periods in Korean history, esp. from 1st century AD to unification under Silla 新羅|新罗[Xin1 luo2] in 658 |
| 三國史記 | [ sān guó shǐ jì ] History of Three Kingdoms (Korean: Samguk Sagi), the oldest extant Korean history, compiled under Kim Busik 金富軾|金富轼[Jin1 Fu4 shi4] in 1145. The three kingdoms are Goguryeo 高句麗|高句丽[Gao1 gou1 li2], Baekje 百濟|百济[Bai3 ji4], Silla 新羅|新罗[Xin1 luo2]. |
| 三國志 | [ sān guó zhì ] History of the Three Kingdoms, fourth of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史[Er4 shi2 si4 Shi3], composed by Chen Shou 陳壽|陈寿[Chen2 Shou4] in 289 during Jin Dynasty 晉朝|晋朝[Jin4 chao2], 65 scrolls |
| 三國演義 | [ sān guó yǎn yì ] Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong 羅貫中|罗贯中[Luo2 Guan4 zhong1], one of the Four Classic Novels of Chinese literature, a fictional account of the Three Kingdoms at the break-up of the Han around 200 AD, portraying Liu Bei's 劉備|刘备[Liu2 Bei4] Shu Han 蜀漢|蜀汉[Shu3 Han4] as heroes and Cao Cao's 曹操[Cao2 Cao1] Wei 魏[Wei4] as villains |
| 三圍 | [ sān weí ] BWH, abbr. for a woman's three measurements, namely: bust 胸圍|胸围[xiong1 wei2], waist 腰圍|腰围[yao1 wei2] and hip 臀圍|臀围[tun2 wei2] |
| 三地門 | [ sān dì mén ] Santimen township in Pingtung County 屏東縣|屏东县[Ping2 dong1 Xian4], Taiwan |
| 三地門鄉 | [ sān dì mén xiāng ] Santimen township in Pingtung County 屏東縣|屏东县[Ping2 dong1 Xian4], Taiwan |
| 三大紀律八項注意 | [ sān dà jì lǜ bā xiàng zhù yì ] the Three Rules of Discipline and Eight Points for Attention, a military doctrine issued in 1928 by Mao Zedong for the Red Army, which included a number of injunctions demanding high standards of behavior and respect for civilians during wartime |
| 三天不打，上房揭瓦 | [ sān tiān bù dǎ shàng fáng jiē wǎ ] three days without a beating, and a child will scale the roof to rip the tiles (idiom), spare the rod, spoil the child |
| 三天兩頭 | [ sān tiān liǎng toú ] lit. twice every three days (idiom); practically every day, frequently |
| 三天打魚，兩天曬網 | [ sān tiān dǎ yú liǎng tiān shaì wǎng ] lit. to fish for three days and sun-dry the nets for two days (proverb), fig. not to persevere in doing sth, to do sth by fits and starts |
| 三夷教 | [ sān yí ] the three foreign religions (Nestorianism, Manicheanism and Zoroastrianism) |
| 三姑六婆 | [ sān gū liù pó ] women with disreputable or illegal professions (idiom) |
| 三字經 | [ sān zì jīng ] Three Character Classic, 13th century reading primer consisting of Confucian tenets in lines of 3 characters |
| 三字經 | [ sān zì jīng ] (slang) swearword, four-letter word |
| 三官大帝 | [ sān guān dà dì ] the three gods in charge of heaven, earth and water (Daoism) |
| 三家村 | [ sān jiā cūn ] lit. village of three households, name of essay column in Beijing newspaper from 1961-1966, written by Deng Tuo 鄧拓|邓拓, Wu Han 吳晗|吴晗 and Liao Mosha 廖沫沙, criticized as anti-party during the Cultural Revolution |
| 三寶 | [ sān baǒ ] the Three Precious Treasures of Buddhism, namely: the Buddha 佛, the Dharma 法 (his teaching), and the Sangha 僧 (his monastic order) |
| 三寶太監 | [ sān baǒ taì jiàn ] Sanbao Eunuch, official title of Zheng He 鄭和|郑和[Zheng4 He2], also written 三保太監|三保太监 |
| 三寶鳥 | [ sān baǒ ] (bird species of China) oriental dollarbird (Eurystomus orientalis) |
| 三寸不爛之舌 | [ sān cùn bù làn zhī shé ] to have a silver tongue, to have the gift of the gab |
| 三對三鬥牛 | [ sān duì sān doù niú ] three-on-three basketball game |
| 三小 | [ sān ] (Tw) (vulgar) what the hell? (from Taiwanese 啥潲, Tai-lo pr. [siánn-siâ], equivalent to Mandarin 什麼|什么[shen2 me5]) |
| 三尖杉酯鹼 | [ sān jiān shān zhǐ jiǎn ] harringtonine (chemistry) |
| 三屜桌 | [ sān tí zhuō ] three-drawer desk (traditional Chinese piece of furniture) |
| 三山 | [ sān shān ] Sanshan district of Wuhu city 蕪湖市|芜湖市[Wu2 hu2 shi4], Anhui |
| 三山區 | [ sān shān qū ] Sanshan district of Wuhu city 蕪湖市|芜湖市[Wu2 hu2 shi4], Anhui |
| 三岔口 | [ sān chà koǔ ] At the Crossroads, famous opera, based on a story from 水滸傳|水浒传[Shui3 hu3 Zhuan4] |
| 三島由紀夫 | [ sān daǒ yoú jì fū ] Mishima Yukio (1925-1970), Japanese author, pen name of (平岡公威|平冈公威, Hiraoka Kimitake) |
| 三峽 | [ sān xiá ] Three Gorges on the Chang Jiang or Yangtze, namely: Qutang Gorge 瞿塘峽|瞿塘峡[Qu2 tang2 Xia2], Wuxia Gorge 巫峽|巫峡[Wu1 Xia2] and Xiling Gorge 西陵峽|西陵峡[Xi1 ling2 Xia2], Sanxia or Sanhsia town in New Taipei City 新北市[Xin1 bei3 shi4], Taiwan |
| 三峽大壩 | [ sān xiá dà bà ] Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River |
| 三峽水庫 | [ sān xiá shuǐ kù ] Three Gorges Reservoir on the Changjiang or Yangtze |
| 三峽鎮 | [ sān xiá zhèn ] Sanxia or Sanhsia town in New Taipei City 新北市[Xin1 bei3 shi4], Taiwan |
| 三度 | [ sān dù ] third (musical interval) |
| 三廂 | [ sān xiāng ] sedan (automobile body type) |
| 三廢 | [ sān feì ] three types of waste product, namely: waste water 廢水|废水[fei4 shui3], exhaust gas 廢氣|废气[fei4 qi4], industrial slag 廢渣|废渣[fei4 zha1] |
| 三弦 | [ sān xián ] sanxian, large family of 3-stringed plucked musical instruments, with snakeskin covered wooden soundbox and long neck, used in folk music, opera and Chinese orchestra |
| 三得利 | [ sān dé lì ] Suntory, Japanese beverage company |
| 三從四德 | [ sān cóng sì dé ] Confucian moral injunctions for women, namely: obey in turn three men father, husband and son, plus the four virtues of morality 德[de2], physical charm 容, propriety in speech 言 and efficiency in needlework 功 |
| 三心二意 | [ sān xīn èr yì ] in two minds about sth (idiom), half-hearted, shilly-shallying |
| 三思而後行 | [ sān sī ér hoù xíng ] think again and again before acting (idiom); consider carefully in advance |
| 三思而行 | [ sān sī ér xíng ] think three times then go (idiom); don't act before you've thought it through carefully |
| 三手病 | [ sān shoǔ bìng ] repetitive strain injury (resulting from frequent use of one's thumb, wrist etc) |
| 三拗湯 | [ sān aò tāng ] san'ao decoction (TCM) |
| 三振 | [ sān zhèn ] to strike out, strikeout (baseball, softball), (Tw) to ditch, to eliminate from consideration |
| 三振出局 | [ sān zhèn chū jú ] see 三振[san1 zhen4] |
| 三教 | [ sān ] the Three Doctrines (Daoism, Confucianism, Buddhism) |
| 三教九流 | [ sān jiǔ liú ] the Three Religions (Daoism, Confucianism, Buddhism) and Nine Schools (Confucians, Daoists, Yin-Yang, Legalists, Logicians, Mohists, Political Strategists, Eclectics, Agriculturists), fig. people from all trades (often derog.) |
| 三文治 | [ sān wén zhì ] sandwich (loanword) |
| 三文魚 | [ sān wén yú ] salmon (loanword) |
| 三族 | [ sān zú ] (old) three generations (father, self and sons), three clans (your own, your mother's, your wife's) |
| 三旬九食 | [ sān xún jiǔ shí ] lit. to have only nine meals in thirty days (idiom), fig. (of a family) on the brink of starvation, in dire straits |
| 三明 | [ sān míng ] Sanming prefecture level city in Fujian |
| 三明市 | [ sān míng shì ] Sanming prefecture level city in Fujian |
| 三明治 | [ sān míng zhì ] sandwich (loanword), CL:個|个[ge4] |
| 三星 | [ sān xīng ] Sanxing or Sanhsing Township in Yilan County 宜蘭縣|宜兰县[Yi2 lan2 Xian4], Taiwan, Samsung (South Korean electronics company) |
| 三星 | [ sān xīng ] three major stars of the Three Stars 參宿|参宿[Shen1 xiu4] Chinese constellation, the belt of Orion, three spirits 福[fu2], 祿|禄[lu4], and 壽|寿[shou4] associated with the Three Stars 參宿|参宿[Shen1 xiu4] Chinese constellation |
| 三星堆 | [ sān xīng duī ] archaeological site of Sanxingdui outside Chengdu (Sichuan), exhibiting remarkable bronze artifacts from the 11-12th centuries BC |
| 三星鄉 | [ sān xīng xiāng ] Sanxing or Sanhsing Township in Yilan County 宜蘭縣|宜兰县[Yi2 lan2 Xian4], Taiwan |
| 三星集團 | [ sān xīng jí tuán ] Samsung Group |
| 三春 | [ sān chūn ] the three spring months |
| 三昧 | [ sān meì ] Samadhi (Buddhist term) |
| 三更 | [ sān gēng ] third of the five night watch periods 23:00-01:00 (old), midnight, also pr. [san1 jin1] |
| 三更半夜 | [ sān gēng bàn yè ] in the depth of the night, very late at night |
| 三曹 | [ sān caó ] the Three Caos (Cao Cao 曹操 and his sons Cao Pi 曹丕 and Cao Zhi 曹植), who established the Wei or Cao Wei dynasty 曹魏, and were all three noted poets and calligraphers |
| 三月 | [ sān yuè ] March, third month (of the lunar year) |
| 三月份 | [ sān yuè fèn ] March |
| 三月街 | [ sān yuè jiē ] Third Month Fair, traditional festival of the Bai Nationality 白族[Bai2 zu2] |
| 三朋四友 | [ sān péng sì yoǔ ] friends, cronies |
| 三板 | [ sān bǎn ] sampan |
| 三柱門 | [ sān zhù mén ] (sports) (cricket) wicket (set of stumps and bails) |
| 三框欄 | [ sān kuàng lán ] radical 匚[fang1] (Kangxi radical 22) |
| 三條 | [ sān ] three of a kind (poker) |
| 三極管 | [ sān jí guǎn ] triode (vacuum tube or transistor) |
| 三權分立 | [ sān quán fēn lì ] separation of powers |
| 三權鼎立 | [ sān quán dǐng lì ] separation of powers |
| 三次 | [ sān cì ] third, three times, (math.) degree three, cubic (equation) |
| 三次元 | [ sān cì yuán ] three-dimensional, the real world (cf. 二次元[er4 ci4 yuan2]) |
| 三次冪 | [ sān cì mì ] cube (third power, math.) |
| 三次方 | [ sān cì fāng ] cube (third power, math.) |
| 三次方程 | [ sān cì fāng chéng ] cubic equation (math.) |
| 三次曲線 | [ sān cì qū xiàn ] cubic curve (geometry) |
| 三歸依 | [ sān guī yī ] the Three Pillars of Faith (Buddha, dharma, sangha), see also 三寶|三宝[san1 bao3] |
| 三段論 | [ sān duàn lùn ] syllogism (deduction in logic) |
| 三毛貓 | [ sān maó maō ] tortoiseshell cat, calico cat |
| 三民 | [ sān mín ] Sanmin district of Kaohsiung city 高雄市[Gao1 xiong2 shi4], south Taiwan |
| 三民主義 | [ sān mín zhǔ yì ] Dr Sun Yat-sen's 孫中山|孙中山 Three Principles of the People (late 1890s) |
| 三民區 | [ sān mín qū ] Sanmin district of Kaohsiung city 高雄市[Gao1 xiong2 shi4], south Taiwan |
| 三民鄉 | [ sān mín xiāng ] Sanmin district of Kaohsiung city 高雄市[Gao1 xiong2 shi4], south Taiwan |
| 三氟化硼 | [ sān fú huà péng ] boron trifluoride |
| 三氯化磷 | [ sān lǜ huà lín ] phosphorous trichloride |
| 三氯化鐵 | [ sān lǜ huà tiě ] ferric chloride FeCl3 |
| 三氯已烯 | [ sān lǜ yǐ xī ] trichloroethylene |
| 三氯已烷 | [ sān lǜ yǐ wán ] trichloroethane |
| 三氯氧磷 | [ sān lǜ yǎng lín ] phosphorous oxychloride |
| 三氯氰胺 | [ sān lǜ qíng àn ] melamine C3H6N6 |
| 三氯甲烷 | [ sān lǜ jiǎ wán ] chloroform CHCl3, trichloromethane |
| 三水 | [ sān shuǐ ] Sanshui District of Foshan City 佛山市[Fo2 shan1 Shi4], Guangdong |
| 三水區 | [ sān shuǐ qū ] Sanshui District of Foshan City 佛山市[Fo2 shan1 Shi4], Guangdong |
| 三水縣 | [ sān shuǐ xiàn ] Sanshui county in Guangdong |
| 三江並流 | [ sān jiāng bìng liú ] Three Parallel Rivers National Park, in mountainous northwest Yunnan World Heritage protected area: the three rivers are Nujiang 怒江[Nu4 jiang1] or Salween, Jinsha 金沙江[Jin1 sha1 jiang1] or upper reaches of Changjiang and Lancang 瀾滄江|澜沧江[Lan2 cang1 Jiang1] or Mekong |
| 三江侗族自治縣 | [ sān jiāng dòng zú zì zhì xiàn ] Sanjiang Dong autonomous county in Liuzhou 柳州[Liu3 zhou1], Guangxi |
| 三江平原 | [ sān jiāng píng yuán ] Sanjiang or Three rivers plain in Heilongjiang, vast wetland watered by Heilongjiang 黑龍江|黑龙江[Hei1 long2 jiang1] or Amur, Songhua 松花江[Song1 hua1 jiang1], Ussuri 烏蘇里江|乌苏里江[Wu1 su1 li3 jiang1] |
| 三江源 | [ sān jiāng yuán ] Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve, high plateau region of Qinghai containing the headwaters of Changjiang or Yangtze, Huanghe or Yellow River and Lancang or Mekong River |
| 三江生態旅遊區 | [ sān jiāng shēng taì lǚ yoú qū ] Sanjiang Ecological Tourist Area in Wenchuan county 汶川縣|汶川县[Wen4 chuan1 xian4], northwest Sichuan |
| 三河 | [ sān hé ] Three rivers, Sanhe county level city in Langfang 廊坊[Lang2 fang2], Hebei |
| 三河市 | [ sān hé shì ] Sanhe county level city in Langfang 廊坊[Lang2 fang2], Hebei |
| 三河縣 | [ sān hé xiàn ] Sanhe county in Beijing |
| 三法司 | [ sān fǎ sī ] the three judicial chief ministries (in imperial China) |
| 三洋 | [ sān yáng ] Sanyō, Japanese electronics company |
| 三流 | [ sān liú ] third-rate, inferior |
| 三浦 | [ sān pǔ ] Miura (Japanese surname and place name) |
| 三浦梅園 | [ sān pǔ meí yuán ] MIURA Baien (1723-1789), Japanese neo-Confucian philosopher and pioneer economist, author of The Origin of value 價原|价原[Jia4 yuan2] |
| 三溫暖 | [ sān wēn nuǎn ] sauna (loanword) (Tw) |
| 三灣 | [ sān wān ] Sanwan township in Miaoli county 苗栗縣|苗栗县[Miao2 li4 xian4], northwest Taiwan |
| 三灣鄉 | [ sān wān xiāng ] Sanwan township in Miaoli county 苗栗縣|苗栗县[Miao2 li4 xian4], northwest Taiwan |
| 三炮 | [ sān paò ] (Northeastern dialect) simple-minded person |
| 三無 | [ sān wú ] lacking three key attributes (or at least one of them) |
| 三無人員 | [ sān wú rén yuán ] person without identification papers, a normal residence permit or a source of income |
| 三無企業 | [ sān wú qǐ yè ] enterprise with no premises, capital or regular staff |
| 三無產品 | [ sān wú chǎn pǐn ] product lacking one or more of three requirements such as production license, inspection certificate, and manufacturer's name and location |
| 三焦 | [ sān ] (TCM) the three truncal cavities (thoracic, abdominal and pelvic), known as the "triple heater" or "San Jiao" |
| 三牲 | [ sān shēng ] the three sacrificial animals (originally cow, sheep and pig; later pig, chicken and fish) |
| 三班倒 | [ sān bān daǒ ] three-shift system (work rostering) |
| 三瓦兩舍 | [ sān wǎ liǎng shè ] places of pleasure (like brothels, tea houses etc) |
| 三生有幸 | [ sān shēng yoǔ xìng ] the blessing of three lifetimes (idiom), (courteous language) it's my good fortune... |
| 三用表 | [ sān yòng ] instrument console (diving) |
| 三田 | [ sān tián ] Mita, Sanda, Mitsuda etc (Japanese surname or place name) |
| 三田 | [ sān tián ] 3 annual hunting bouts, 3 qi points |
| 三甲 | [ sān jiǎ ] 3rd rank of candidates who passed the imperial examination |
| 三略 | [ sān lvè ] see 黃石公三略|黄石公三略[Huang2 Shi2 gong1 San1 lu:e4] |
| 三番五次 | [ sān fān wǔ cì ] over and over again (idiom) |
| 三番兩次 | [ sān fān liǎng cì ] repeatedly (idiom) |
| 三疊紀 | [ sān dié jì ] Triassic (geological period 250-205m years ago) |
| 三百六十行 | [ sān baǐ liù shí háng ] all walks of life (idiom), every trade |
| 三皇 | [ sān huáng ] the three legendary sovereigns of the third millennium BC: Suiren 燧人[Sui4 ren2], Fuxi 伏羲[Fu2 Xi1] and Shennong 神農|神农[Shen2 nong2], or 天皇|天皇[Tian1 huang2], 地皇|地皇[Di4 huang2] and 人皇|人皇[Ren2 huang2] |
| 三皇五帝 | [ sān huáng wǔ dì ] three sovereigns 三皇[san1 huang2] and five emperors 五帝[wu3 di4] of myth and legend, the earliest system of Chinese historiography |
| 三皇炮捶 | [ sān huáng paò chuí ] Paochui - "Three Emperor Cannon Punch" (Chinese Martial Art) |
| 三相點 | [ sān xiàng diǎn ] triple point (thermodynamics) |
| 三硝基甲苯 | [ sān jī jiǎ běn ] trinitrotoluene (TNT) |
| 三碳糖 | [ sān tàn táng ] triose (CH2O)3, monosaccharide with three carbon atoms, such as glyceraldehyde 甘油醛[gan1 you2 quan2] |
| 三磷酸腺苷 | [ sān lín suān xiàn gān ] adenosine triphosphate (ATP) |
| 三秒膠 | [ sān ] superglue |
| 三稜草 | [ sān léng caǒ ] sedge herb (Cyperus rotundus) |
| 三稜鏡 | [ sān léng jìng ] (triangular) prism |
| 三穗 | [ sān suì ] Sansui county in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture 黔東南州|黔东南州[Qian2 dong1 nan2 zhou1], Guizhou |
| 三穗縣 | [ sān suì xiàn ] Sansui county in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong autonomous prefecture 黔東南州|黔东南州[Qian2 dong1 nan2 zhou1], Guizhou |
| 三等分 | [ sān děng fēn ] trisection (math.), trisecting an angle |
| 三等分角 | [ sān děng fēn ] trisection (math.), trisecting an angle |
| 三節鞭 | [ sān jié biān ] three-section staff (old-style weapon) |
| 三級 | [ sān jí ] grade 3, third class, category C |
| 三級士官 | [ sān jí shì guān ] staff sergeant |
| 三級片 | [ sān jí piàn ] third category movie (containing sexual or violent content) |
| 三級跳 | [ sān jí ] triple jump (athletics), hop, skip and jump |
| 三級跳遠 | [ sān jí yuǎn ] triple jump (athletics), hop, skip and jump |
| 三索錦蛇 | [ sān suǒ jǐn shé ] copperhead race (Elaphe radiata), kind of snake |
| 三維 | [ sān weí ] three-dimensional, 3D |
| 三維空間 | [ sān weí kōng jiān ] three-dimensional space, 3D |
| 三綱五常 | [ sān gāng wǔ cháng ] three principles and five virtues (idiom), the three rules (ruler guides subject, father guides son and husband guides wife) and five constant virtues of Confucianism (benevolence 仁, righteousness 義|义, propriety 禮|礼, wisdom 智 and fidelity 信) |
| 三緘其口 | [ sān jiān qí koǔ ] (idiom) reluctant to speak about it, tight-lipped |
| 三義 | [ sān yì ] Sanyi township in Miaoli county 苗栗縣|苗栗县[Miao2 li4 xian4], northwest Taiwan |
| 三義鄉 | [ sān yì xiāng ] Sanyi township in Miaoli county 苗栗縣|苗栗县[Miao2 li4 xian4], northwest Taiwan |
| 三聚氰胺 | [ sān jù qíng àn ] melamine C3H6N6 |
| 三聚體 | [ sān jù tǐ ] trimer (chemistry) |
| 三聯書店 | [ sān lián shū diàn ] Joint Publishing, bookstore chain and publisher, founded in Hong Kong in 1948 |
| 三聯管 | [ sān lián guǎn ] triplet |
| 三胚層動物 | [ sān peī céng dòng wù ] triploblastic animals (having three germ layers) |
| 三胞胎 | [ sān baō taī ] triplets |
| 三腳兩步 | [ sān liǎng bù ] hurriedly, just a few steps away |
| 三腳架 | [ sān jià ] tripod, derrick crane |
| 三腳貓 | [ sān maō ] jack of all trades |
| 三膲 | [ sān ] variant of 三焦[san1 jiao1] |
| 三自 | [ sān zì ] abbr. for 三自愛國教會|三自爱国教会[San1 zi4 Ai4 guo2 Jiao4 hui4], Three-Self Patriotic Movement |
| 三自愛國教會 | [ sān zì aì guó huì ] Three-Self Patriotic Movement, PRC government-sanctioned Protestant church from 1949 |
| 三自教會 | [ sān zì huì ] Three-Self Patriotic Movement, PRC government-sanctioned Protestant church from 1949 |
| 三色堇 | [ sān sè jǐn ] pansy |
| 三色紫羅蘭 | [ sān sè zǐ luó lán ] pansy |
| 三色貓 | [ sān sè maō ] calico cat |
| 三芝 | [ sān zhī ] Sanzhi or Sanchih township in New Taipei City 新北市[Xin1 bei3 shi4], Taiwan |
| 三芝鄉 | [ sān zhī xiāng ] Sanzhi or Sanchih township in New Taipei City 新北市[Xin1 bei3 shi4], Taiwan |
| 三茶六飯 | [ sān chá liù fàn ] lit. to offer three kinds of tea and six different dishes, to be extremely considerate towards guests (idiom) |
| 三菱 | [ sān líng ] Mitsubishi |
| 三葉星雲 | [ sān yè xīng yún ] Trifid Nebula M20 |
| 三葉草 | [ sān yè caǒ ] clover, trefoil |
| 三葉蟲 | [ sān yè chóng ] trilobite |
| 三藏 | [ sān zàng ] Tripitaka (602-664), Tang dynasty Buddhist monk and translator who traveled to India 629-645, same as 玄奘 |
| 三藏法師 | [ sān zàng fǎ shī ] Tripitaka (602-664), Tang dynasty Buddhist monk and translator who traveled to India 629-645, same as 玄奘 |
| 三藩之亂 | [ sān fān zhī luàn ] Three feudatories rebellion against Qing 1673-1681 during the reign of Kangxi |
| 三藩叛亂 | [ sān fān pàn luàn ] rebellion against the Qing of 1670s, pacified by Kangxi |
| 三藩市 | [ sān fān shì ] San Francisco (California) |
| 三蘇 | [ sān sū ] the Three Su father and sons (referring to Northern Song literati Su Xun 蘇洵|苏洵[Su1 Xun2], Su Shi 蘇軾|苏轼[Su1 Shi4] and Su Zhe 蘇轍|苏辙[Su1 Zhe2]) |
| 三號木桿 | [ sān haò mù gān ] spoon (golf) |
| 三號電池 | [ sān haò diàn chí ] C size battery (PRC), AA battery (Taiwan), see 二號電池|二号电池 (C battery in Taiwan) and 五號電池|五号电池 (AA battery in PRC) |
| 三親六故 | [ sān qīn liù gù ] old friends and relatives |
| 三角 | [ sān ] triangle |
| 三角債 | [ sān zhaì ] triangular debt |
| 三角凳 | [ sān dèng ] three-legged stool |
| 三角函數 | [ sān hán shù ] trigonometric function |
| 三角學 | [ sān xué ] trigonometry |
| 三角巾 | [ sān jīn ] sling (for a wounded arm) |
| 三角座 | [ sān zuò ] Triangulum (constellation) |
| 三角形 | [ sān xíng ] triangle |
| 三角恐龍 | [ sān kǒng lóng ] triceratops (dinosaur) |
| 三角戀愛 | [ sān liàn aì ] love triangle |
| 三角板 | [ sān bǎn ] set square, triangle (for drawing right angles) |
| 三角柱體 | [ sān zhù tǐ ] triangular prism (math.) |
| 三角法 | [ sān fǎ ] trigonometry (math.) |
| 三角洲 | [ sān zhoū ] delta (geography) |
| 三角測量法 | [ sān cè liáng fǎ ] triangulation (surveying) |
| 三角肌 | [ sān jī ] deltoid muscle (over the shoulder) |
| 三角腹帶 | [ sān fù daì ] athletic supporter |
| 三角褲 | [ sān kù ] briefs, panties |
| 三角褲衩 | [ sān kù chǎ ] briefs, panties |
| 三角錐 | [ sān zhuī ] triangular pyramid (math.) |
| 三角鐵 | [ sān tiě ] triangle (musical instrument), angle iron |
| 三角關係 | [ sān guān xì ] triangle relationship, a love triangle |
| 三角龍 | [ sān lóng ] triceratops |
| 三言兩句 | [ sān yán liǎng jù ] in a few words (idiom); expressed succinctly |
| 三言兩語 | [ sān yán liǎng yǔ ] in a few words (idiom); expressed succinctly |
| 三論宗 | [ sān lùn zōng ] Three Treatise School (Buddhism) |
| 三貂角 | [ sān ] Cape San Diego or Santiao, easternmost point of Taiwan Island |
| 三貞九烈 | [ sān zhēn jiǔ liè ] (of a widow) faithful to the death to her husband's memory |
| 三資企業 | [ sān zī qǐ yè ] foreign, private and joint ventures |
| 三足烏 | [ sān zú wū ] three-legged Golden Crow that lives in the sun (in northeast Asian and Chinese mythology), Korean: samjog'o |
| 三足金烏 | [ sān zú jīn wū ] three-legged Golden Crow that lives in the sun (in northeast Asian and Chinese mythology), Korean: samjog'o |
| 三趾啄木鳥 | [ sān zhǐ zhuó mù ] (bird species of China) Eurasian three-toed woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus) |
| 三趾濱鷸 | [ sān zhǐ bīn yù ] (bird species of China) sanderling (Calidris alba) |
| 三趾翠鳥 | [ sān zhǐ cuì ] (bird species of China) oriental dwarf kingfisher (Ceyx erithacus) |
| 三趾鴉雀 | [ sān zhǐ yā què ] (bird species of China) three-toed parrotbill (Cholornis paradoxa) |
| 三趾鷗 | [ sān zhǐ oū ] (bird species of China) black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) |
| 三跪九叩 | [ sān guì jiǔ koù ] to kneel three times and kowtow nine times (formal etiquette on meeting the emperor) |
| 三軍 | [ sān jūn ] (in former times) upper, middle and lower army, army of right, center and left, (in modern times) the three armed services: Army, Navy and Air Force |
| 三軍用命 | [ sān jūn yòng mìng ] (of a team) to throw oneself into the battle |
| 三輪車 | [ sān lún chē ] pedicab, tricycle |
| 三輪車夫 | [ sān lún chē fū ] pedicab driver |
| 三農 | [ sān nóng ] see 三農問題|三农问题[san1 nong2 wen4 ti2] |
| 三農問題 | [ sān nóng wèn tí ] the three rural issues: agriculture, rural areas and peasants |
| 三迭紀 | [ sān dié jì ] Triassic (geological period 250-205m years ago), also written 三疊紀|三叠纪 |
| 三退 | [ sān tuì ] withdrawal from the Communist Party, the Communist Youth League, and the Young Pioneers of China |
| 三通 | [ sān tōng ] T-joint, T-piece, T-pipe, three links |
| 三連勝 | [ sān lián shèng ] hat-trick (sports) |
| 三道眉草鵐 | [ sān daò meí caǒ wú ] (bird species of China) meadow bunting (Emberiza cioides) |
| 三邊形 | [ sān biān xíng ] triangle |
| 三部曲 | [ sān bù qǔ ] trilogy |
| 三都水族自治縣 | [ sān dū shuǐ zú zì zhì xiàn ] Sandu Shuizu autonomous county in Qiannan Buyei and Miao autonomous prefecture 黔南州[Qian2 nan2 zhou1], Guizhou |
| 三都縣 | [ sān dū xiàn ] Sandu Shuizu autonomous county in Qiannan Buyei and Miao autonomous prefecture 黔南州[Qian2 nan2 zhou1], Guizhou |
| 三酸甘油酯 | [ sān suān gān yoú zhǐ ] triglyceride |
| 三里屯 | [ sān lǐ tún ] Sanlitun (Beijing street name) |
| 三里河 | [ sān lǐ hé ] Sanlihe (Beijing street name) |
| 三重 | [ sān chóng ] Sanchong or Sanch'ung city in New Taipei City 新北市[Xin1 bei3 shi4], Taiwan, Mie Prefecture in central Japan |
| 三重 | [ sān chóng ] treble |
| 三重奏 | [ sān chóng zoù ] trio (musical ensemble) |
| 三重市 | [ sān chóng shì ] Sanchong or Sanch'ung city in New Taipei City 新北市[Xin1 bei3 shi4], Taiwan |
| 三重縣 | [ sān chóng xiàn ] Mi'e prefecture in central Japan |
| 三鍵 | [ sān jiàn ] triple bond (chemistry), triple link |
| 三鐵 | [ sān tiě ] triathlon (Tw), (athletics) throwing events excluding the hammer throw (i.e. discus, javelin and shot put) |
| 三長兩短 | [ sān cháng liǎng duǎn ] unexpected misfortune, unexpected accident, sudden death |
| 三門 | [ sān mén ] Sanmen county in Taizhou 台州[Tai1 zhou1], Zhejiang |
| 三門峽 | [ sān mén xiá ] Sanmenxia prefecture level city in Henan |
| 三門峽市 | [ sān mén xiá shì ] Sanmenxia prefecture level city in Henan |
| 三門縣 | [ sān mén xiàn ] Sanmen county in Taizhou 台州[Tai1 zhou1], Zhejiang |
| 三阿姨 | [ sān ā yí ] auntie, third eldest of sisters in mother's family |
| 三陪小姐 | [ sān peí jie ] female escort, bar girl |
| 三隻手 | [ sān zhī shoǔ ] pickpocket |
| 三音 | [ sān yīn ] third (musical interval, e.g. do-mi) |
| 三音度 | [ sān yīn dù ] third (musical interval) |
| 三項 | [ sān xiàng ] three items, three events, three terms, tri-, trinomial, ternary (math.), triathlon (abbr. for 三項全能|三项全能) |
| 三項全能 | [ sān xiàng quán néng ] triathlon |
| 三項式 | [ sān xiàng shì ] trinomial (math.) |
| 三頭六臂 | [ sān toú liù bì ] lit. to have three heads and six arms (idiom), fig. to possess remarkable abilities, a being of formidable powers |
| 三頭肌 | [ sān toú jī ] triceps muscle, triceps brachii |
| 三顧茅廬 | [ sān gù maó lú ] lit. three humble visits to a thatched cottage, cf famous episode in the fictional Romance of Three Kingdoms 三國演義|三国演义 in which Liu Bei 劉備|刘备 recruits Zhuge Liang 諸葛亮|诸葛亮 (the Hidden Dragon 臥龍|卧龙) to his cause by visiting him three times |
| 三馬同槽 | [ sān mǎ tóng caó ] three horses at the same trough (idiom, alluding to Sima Yi 司馬懿|司马懿[Si1 ma3 Yi4] and his two sons); conspirators under the same roof |
| 三駕馬車 | [ sān jià mǎ chē ] troika |
| 三體 | [ sān tǐ ] trisomy |
| 三體問題 | [ sān tǐ wèn tí ] three-body problem (mechanics) |
| 三魂 | [ sān hún ] three immortal souls in Daoism, representing spirit and intellect |
| 三魂七魄 | [ sān hún qī pò ] three immortal souls and seven mortal forms in Daoism, contrasting the spiritual and carnal side of man |
| 三鮮 | [ sān xiān ] three fresh ingredients (in cooking) |
| 三鹿 | [ sān lù ] Sanlu (brand) |
| 三鹿集團 | [ sān lù jí tuán ] Sanlu Group, Chinese state-owned dairy products company involved in the 2008 melamine poisoning scandal |
| 三點全露 | [ sān diǎn quán loù ] (slang) naked, nude |
| 三點水 | [ sān diǎn shuǐ ] name of "water" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 85), see also 氵[shui3] |
| ⇒ 21三體綜合症 | [ èr shí yī sān tǐ zōng hé zhèng ] trisomy, Down's syndrome |
| ⇒ 一倡三歎 | [ yī chàng sān tàn ] (of literature, music) deeply moving (idiom) |
| ⇒ 一哭二鬧三上吊 | [ yī kū èr naò sān shàng ] to make a terrible scene (idiom), to throw a tantrum |
| ⇒ 一唱三嘆 | [ yī chàng sān tàn ] see 一倡三歎|一倡三叹[yi1 chang4 san1 tan4] |
| ⇒ 一問三不知 | [ yī wèn sān bù zhī ] lit. to reply "don't know" whatever the question (idiom), fig. absolutely no idea of what's going on, complete ignorance |
| ⇒ 一日三秋 | [ yī rì sān qiū ] a single day apart seems like three seasons (idiom) |
| ⇒ 一日三餐 | [ yī rì sān cān ] to have three meals a day |
| ⇒ 一日不見，如隔三秋 | [ yī rì bù jiàn rú gé sān qiū ] one day apart seems like three years (idiom) |
| ⇒ 一板三眼 | [ yī bǎn sān yǎn ] lit. one strong beat and three weak beats in a measure of music (four beats in the bar) (idiom); fig. scrupulous attention to detail |
| ⇒ 一波三折 | [ yī bō sān zhé ] calligraphic flourish with many twists, fig. many twists and turns |
| ⇒ 一畝三分地 | [ yī mǔ sān fēn dì ] a piece of land of 1.3 mu 畝|亩[mu3], (fig.) one's turf |
| ⇒ 一而再，再而三 | [ yī ér zaì zaì ér sān ] again and again |
| ⇒ 三三兩兩 | [ sān sān liǎng liǎng ] in twos and threes |
| ⇒ 三十年河東，三十年河西 | [ sān shí nián hé dōng sān shí nián hé xī ] the river flows thirty years to the East, thirty years to the West (proverb), change is the only constant |
| ⇒ 三對三鬥牛 | [ sān duì sān doù niú ] three-on-three basketball game |
| ⇒ 下三濫 | [ xià sān làn ] riffraff, scum, lowlife, despicable, inferior |
| ⇒ 下三爛 | [ xià sān làn ] variant of 下三濫|下三滥[xia4 san1 lan4] |
| ⇒ 不三不四 | [ bù sān bù sì ] dubious, shady, neither one thing nor the other, neither fish nor fowl, nondescript |
| ⇒ 不孝有三，無後為大 | [ bù yoǔ sān wú hoù weí dà ] There are three ways to be unfilial; having no sons is the worst. (citation from Mencius 孟子[Meng4 zi3]) |
| ⇒ 不等邊三角形 | [ bù děng biān sān xíng ] scalene triangle |
| ⇒ 不管三七二十一 | [ bù guǎn sān qī èr shí yī ] regardless of the consequences, recklessly relying on a hopelessly optimistic forecast |
| ⇒ 不規則三角形 | [ bù guī zé sān xíng ] scalene triangle (math.) |
| ⇒ 丙三醇 | [ bǐng sān chún ] glycerine, same as 甘油 |
| ⇒ 丟三落四 | [ diū sān là sì ] forgetful, empty-headed |
| ⇒ 九三學社 | [ jiǔ sān xué shè ] Jiusan Society, one of the eight political parties of the CCP |
| ⇒ 乾嘉三大家 | [ qián jiā sān dà jiā ] Three great poets of the Qianlong and Jiaqing era (1735-1820), namely: Yuan Mei 袁枚, Jiang Shiquan 蔣士銓|蒋士铨 and Zhao Yi 趙翼|赵翼 |
| ⇒ 事不過三 | [ shì bù guò sān ] a thing should not be attempted more than three times (idiom), don't repeat the same mistake again and again, bad things don't happen more than three times |
| ⇒ 二氯異三聚氰酸鈉 | [ èr lǜ yì sān jù qíng suān nà ] sodium dichloroisocyanurate |
| ⇒ 五大三粗 | [ wǔ dà sān cū ] burly, strapping, big and strong |
| ⇒ 五講四美三熱愛 | [ wǔ jiǎng sì meǐ sān rè aì ] the five emphases, four beauties and three loves (PRC policy introduced in 1981, including emphasis on manners, beauty of language and love of socialism) |
| ⇒ 人有三急 | [ rén yoǔ sān jí ] (jocularly) to need to answer the call of nature |
| ⇒ 伊洛瓦底三角洲 | [ yī luò wǎ dǐ sān zhoū ] Irrawaddy Delta in south Myanmar (Burma) |
| ⇒ 低三下四 | [ dī sān xià sì ] servile |
| ⇒ 偏三輪 | [ piān sān lún ] old-style cycle with lateral third wheel and passenger seat |
| ⇒ 偏三輪摩托車 | [ piān sān lún mó tuō chē ] motorbike with sidecar |
| ⇒ 傳三過四 | [ chuán sān guò sì ] to spread rumors, to gossip |
| ⇒ 入木三分 | [ rù mù sān fēn ] written in a forceful hand, penetrating, profound |
| ⇒ 兩岸三地 | [ liǎng àn sān dì ] China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau (media term used esp. since 1997) |
| ⇒ 兩面三刀 | [ liǎng miàn sān daō ] two-faced, three knives (idiom); double-cross, double dealing and back stabbing |
| ⇒ 八二三炮戰 | [ bā èr sān paò zhàn ] bombardment of Kinmen by PRC forces that started August 23rd 1958, also called the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis |
| ⇒ 公司三明治 | [ gōng sī sān míng zhì ] club sandwich |
| ⇒ 六韜三略 | [ liù taō sān lvè ] "Six Secret Strategic Teachings" 六韜|六韬[Liu4 tao1] and "Three Strategies of Huang Shigong" 三略[San1 lu:e4], two of the Seven Military Classics of ancient China 武經七書|武经七书[Wu3 jing1 Qi1 shu1], attributed to Jiang Ziya 姜子牙[Jiang1 Zi3 ya2] |
| ⇒ 其三 | [ qí sān ] thirdly, the third |
| ⇒ 再三 | [ zaì sān ] over and over again, again and again |
| ⇒ 再三再四 | [ zaì sān zaì sì ] repeatedly, over and over again |
| ⇒ 再衰三竭 | [ zaì sān jié ] weakening and close to exhaustion (idiom); in terminal decline, on one's last legs |
| ⇒ 冰凍三尺，非一日之寒 | [ bīng dòng sān chǐ feī yī rì zhī hán ] three feet of ice does not form in a single day (idiom); Rome wasn't built in a day |
| ⇒ 初三 | [ chū sān ] third year in junior middle school |
| ⇒ 前三甲 | [ qián sān jiǎ ] top three |
| ⇒ 勾三搭四 | [ goū sān dā sì ] to make hanky-panky, to seduce women |
| ⇒ 十三 | [ shí sān ] thirteen, 13 |
| ⇒ 十三張 | [ shí sān zhāng ] Chinese poker |
| ⇒ 十三日 | [ shí sān rì ] thirteenth day of a month |
| ⇒ 十三經 | [ shí sān jīng ] the Thirteen Confucian Classics, namely: Book of Songs 詩經|诗经[Shi1 jing1], Book of History 尚書|尚书[Shang4 shu1], Rites of Zhou 周禮|周礼[Zhou1 li3], Rites and Ceremonies 儀禮|仪礼[Yi2 li3], Classic of Rites 禮記|礼记[Li3 ji4], Book of Changes 易經|易经[Yi4 jing1], Mr Zuo's Annals 左傳|左传[Zuo3 Zhuan4], Mr Gongyang's Annals 公羊傳|公羊传[Gong1 yang2 Zhuan4], Mr Guliang's Annals 穀梁傳|谷梁传[Gu3 liang2 Zhuan4], The Analects 論語|论语[Lun2 yu3], Erya 爾雅|尔雅[Er3 ya3], Classic of Filial Piety 孝經|孝经[Xiao4 jing1], Mencius 孟子[Meng4 zi3] |
| ⇒ 十三點 | [ shí sān diǎn ] half-witted, nitwit |
| ⇒ 半夜三更 | [ bàn yè sān gēng ] in the depth of night, late at night |
| ⇒ 南三角座 | [ nán sān zuò ] Triangulum Australe (constellation) |
| ⇒ 吳三桂 | [ wú sān guì ] Wu Sangui (1612-1678), Chinese general who let the Manchus into China and helped them establish the Qing Dynasty, later leading a revolt against Qing in an effort to start his own dynasty |
| ⇒ 周三徑一 | [ zhoū sān jìng yī ] circumference of a circle is proverbially three times its radius |
| ⇒ 唐三藏 | [ táng sān zàng ] Tripitaka (602-664), Tang dynasty Buddhist monk and translator who traveled to India 629-645, same as 玄奘 |
| ⇒ 唐詩三百首 | [ táng shī sān baǐ shoǔ ] Three Hundred Tang Poems, an anthology collected around 1763 by Sun Zhu 孫誅|孙诛[Sun1 Zhu1] |
| ⇒ 地三鮮 | [ dì sān xiān ] dish consisting of stir-fried potato, eggplant and green pepper |
| ⇒ 垂涎三尺 | [ chuí xián sān chǐ ] to drool (over) (idiom), to yearn for, to covet, to crave |
| ⇒ 增三和弦 | [ zēng sān hé xián ] augmented triad (musical chord) |
| ⇒ 大三 | [ dà sān ] third-year university student |
| ⇒ 大三和弦 | [ dà sān hé xián ] major triad do-mi-so |
| ⇒ 大三度 | [ dà sān dù ] major third (musical interval) |
| ⇒ 大小三度 | [ dà sān dù ] major and minor third (musical interval) |
| ⇒ 大年三十 | [ dà nián sān shí ] last day of the lunar year, Chinese New Year's Eve |
| ⇒ 大江健三郎 | [ dà jiāng jiàn sān láng ] Oe Kenzaburo (1935-) Japanese novelist and 1994 Nobel laureate |
| ⇒ 太子十三峰 | [ taì zǐ shí sān fēng ] thirteen peaks of Meili Snow Mountains in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 迪慶藏族自治州|迪庆藏族自治州[Di2 qing4 Zang4 zu2 Zi4 zhi4 zhou1], Yunnan, also written 梅里雪山[Mei2 li3 Xue3 shan1] |
| ⇒ 奔三 | [ bēn sān ] Pentium III microprocessor, abbr. for 奔騰三|奔腾三 |
| ⇒ 奔三 | [ bèn sān ] to be pushing 30 |
| ⇒ 安倍晉三 | [ ān beì jìn sān ] Abe Shinzo (1954-), Japanese LDP politician, prime minister 2006-2007 and from 2012 |
| ⇒ 富不過三代 | [ fù bù guò sān daì ] wealth never survives three generations (idiom) |
| ⇒ 封三 | [ fēng sān ] inside back cover |
| ⇒ 小三 | [ sān ] mistress, the other woman (coll.), grade 3 in elementary school |
| ⇒ 小三勸退師 | [ sān quàn tuì shī ] consultant who breaks up sb's extramarital relationship for a fee |
| ⇒ 小三和弦 | [ sān hé xián ] minor triad la-do-mi |
| ⇒ 小三度 | [ sān dù ] minor third (musical interval) |
| ⇒ 小淵惠三 | [ yuān huì sān ] Obuchi Keizo (1937-2000), Japanese politician, prime minister 1998-2000 |
| ⇒ 巴三覽四 | [ bā sān lǎn sì ] to talk about this and that (idiom); to ramble incoherently |
| ⇒ 帕斯卡三角形 | [ pà sī kǎ sān xíng ] Pascal's Triangle (math.) |
| ⇒ 年三十 | [ nián sān shí ] last day of the lunar year, Chinese New Year's Eve |
| ⇒ 幾次三番 | [ jǐ cì sān fān ] lit. twice then three times (idiom); fig. repeatedly, over and over again |
| ⇒ 建三江 | [ jiàn sān jiāng ] Jiansanjiang, large-scale agricultural development in Sanjiang river plain in Heilongjiang |
| ⇒ 張三 | [ zhāng sān ] John Doe, Zhang San, name for an unspecified person, first of a series of three: 張三|张三, 李四[Li3 Si4], 王五[Wang2 Wu3] Tom, Dick and Harry |
| ⇒ 張三李四 | [ zhāng sān lǐ sì ] Zhang the Third and Li the Fourth (idiom), Tom, Dick and Harry |
| ⇒ 張三，李四，王五，趙六 | [ zhāng sān lǐ sì wáng wǔ zhaò liù ] four proverbial names, Tom, Dick and Harry |
| ⇒ 拼命三郎 | [ pīn mìng sān láng ] brave man, willing to risk his life |
| ⇒ 挑三揀四 | [ sān jiǎn sì ] to be picky, to be choosy |
| ⇒ 挑三窩四 | [ sān wō sì ] to sow discord everywhere |
| ⇒ 接二連三 | [ jiē èr lián sān ] one after another (idiom), in quick succession |
| ⇒ 推三阻四 | [ tuī sān zǔ sì ] to use all sorts of excuses |
| ⇒ 撫遠三角洲 | [ fǔ yuǎn sān zhoū ] Bolshoi Ussuriisk Island in the Heilongjiang or Amur river, at mouth of the Ussuri River opposite Khabarovsk, same as Heixiazi Island 黑瞎子島|黑瞎子岛[Hei1 xia1 zi5 Dao3] |
| ⇒ 新官上任三把火 | [ xīn guān shàng rèn sān bǎ huǒ ] (of a newly appointed official) to make bold changes on assuming office (idiom) |
| ⇒ 明十三陵 | [ míng shí sān líng ] the Ming tombs (mausoleum park of the Ming emperors in Changping district of Beijing) |
| ⇒ 星期三 | [ xīng qī sān ] Wednesday |
| ⇒ 春秋三傳 | [ chūn qiū sān zhuàn ] Three Commentaries on the Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋[Chun1 qiu1], including Mr Gongyang's annals 公羊傳|公羊传[Gong1 yang2 Zhuan4], Mr Guliang's annals 穀梁傳|谷梁传[Gu3 liang2 Zhuan4] and Mr Zuo's annals or Zuo Zhuan 左傳|左传[Zuo3 Zhuan4] |
| ⇒ 是藥三分毒 | [ shì yaò sān fēn dú ] every medicine has its side effect |
| ⇒ 朝三暮四 | [ zhaō sān mù sì ] lit. say three in the morning but four in the evening (idiom); to change sth that is already settled upon, indecisive, to blow hot and cold |
| ⇒ 木衛三 | [ mù weì sān ] Ganymede (moon of Jupiter), aka Jupiter III |
| ⇒ 東三省 | [ dōng sān shěng ] the three provinces of Northeast China, namely: Liaoning Province 遼寧省|辽宁省[Liao2 ning2 Sheng3], Jilin Province 吉林省[Ji2 lin2 Sheng3] and Heilongjiang Province 黑龍江省|黑龙江省[Hei1 long2 jiang1 Sheng3] |
| ⇒ 東方三博士 | [ dōng fāng sān bó shì ] the Magi, the Three Wise Kings from the East in the biblical nativity story |
| ⇒ 東華三院 | [ dōng huá sān yuàn ] Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (Hong Kong) |
| ⇒ 林三趾鶉 | [ lín sān zhǐ chún ] (bird species of China) common buttonquail (Turnix sylvaticus) |
| ⇒ 染色體三倍體症 | [ rǎn sè tǐ sān beì tǐ zhèng ] trisomy |
| ⇒ 桃園三結義 | [ taó yuán sān jié yì ] Oath of the Peach Garden, sworn by Liu Bei 劉備|刘备[Liu2 Bei4], Zhang Fei 張飛|张飞[Zhang1 Fei1] and Guan Yu 關羽|关羽[Guan1 Yu3] at the start of the Romance of Three Kingdoms 三國演義|三国演义[San1 guo2 Yan3 yi4] |
| ⇒ 棕三趾鶉 | [ zōng sān zhǐ chún ] (bird species of China) barred buttonquail (Turnix suscitator) |
| ⇒ 橫三豎四 | [ héng sān shù sì ] in disorder, in a tremendous mess |
| ⇒ 此地無銀三百兩 | [ cǐ dì wú yín sān baǐ liǎng ] lit. 300 silver taels not hidden here (idiom); fig. to reveal what one intends to hide |
| ⇒ 毀三觀 | [ huǐ sān guān ] (Internet slang) (of a situation, video clip etc) to make one think "wtf!" |
| ⇒ 毛鄧三 | [ maó dèng sān ] Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory & the Three Represents, abbr. for 毛澤東思想|毛泽东思想[Mao2 Ze2 dong1 Si1 xiang3], 鄧小平理論|邓小平理论[Deng4 Xiao3 ping2 Li3 lun4] and 三個代表|三个代表[San1 ge4 Dai4 biao3] |
| ⇒ 泛珠三角 | [ fàn zhū sān ] Pan-Pearl River delta, The nine provinces of Southern China around Guangzhou and the Pearl River delta, South China |
| ⇒ 泛珠江三角 | [ fàn zhū jiāng sān ] the Pan-Pearl river delta (economic zone including the 5 provinces around Guangzhou and Hong Kong) |
| ⇒ 浙江三門縣 | [ zhè jiāng sān mén xiàn ] Sanmen County in Zhejiang |
| ⇒ 湄公河三角洲 | [ meí gōng hé sān zhoū ] Mekong River Delta |
| ⇒ 火冒三丈 | [ huǒ maò sān zhàng ] to get really angry |
| ⇒ 無事不登三寶殿 | [ wú shì bù dēng sān baǒ diàn ] lit. One doesn't visit a temple without a cause. (idiom), fig. to visit sb with an ulterior motive (esp. to ask for sth), having a hidden agenda |
| ⇒ 無風三尺浪 | [ wú fēng sān chǐ làng ] lit. large waves in windless conditions (idiom), fig. trouble arising unexpectedly |
| ⇒ 狂三詐四 | [ kuáng sān zhà sì ] to deceive and swindle across the board (idiom) |
| ⇒ 狡兔三窟 | [ tù sān kū ] lit. a crafty rabbit has three burrows, a sly individual has more than one plan to fall back on (idiom) |
| ⇒ 珠三角 | [ zhū sān ] Pearl River Delta |
| ⇒ 珠江三角洲 | [ zhū jiāng sān zhoū ] Pearl River Delta (PRD) |
| ⇒ 甘油三脂 | [ gān yoú sān zhī ] triglyceride |
| ⇒ 甘油三酯 | [ gān yoú sān zhǐ ] triglyceride |
| ⇒ 癟三 | [ biē sān ] (Wu dialect) bum, wretched-looking tramp who lives by begging or stealing |
| ⇒ 白三烯 | [ baí sān xī ] leukotriene (biochemistry) |
| ⇒ 百勝難慮敵，三折乃良醫 | [ baǐ shèng nán lǜ dí sān zhé naǐ liáng yī ] (a line from a poem by the Tang poet Liu Yuxi 劉禹錫|刘禹锡[Liu2 Yu3 xi1]) one gains very little insight into one's enemy from a hundred victories, but he who breaks his arm three times will be a good doctor, (fig.) one learns more from one's failures than from one's successes |
| ⇒ 百慕大三角 | [ baǐ mù dà sān ] Bermuda Triangle |
| ⇒ 直角三角 | [ zhí sān ] a right angled triangle |
| ⇒ 直角三角形 | [ zhí sān xíng ] a right angled triangle |
| ⇒ 禮拜三 | [ lǐ baì sān ] Wednesday |
| ⇒ 第三世界 | [ dì sān shì jiè ] Third World |
| ⇒ 第三人稱 | [ dì sān rén chēng ] third person (grammar) |
| ⇒ 第三位 | [ dì sān weì ] third place |
| ⇒ 第三十 | [ dì sān shí ] thirtieth |
| ⇒ 第三國際 | [ dì sān guó jì ] see 共產國際|共产国际[Gong4 chan3 Guo2 ji4] |
| ⇒ 第三地 | [ dì sān dì ] territory belonging to a third party (as a neutral location for peace negotiations or as a transit point for indirect travel or trade etc) |
| ⇒ 第三季度 | [ dì sān jì dù ] third quarter (of financial year) |
| ⇒ 第三帝國 | [ dì sān dì guó ] Third Reich, Nazi regime (1933-1945) |
| ⇒ 第三方 | [ dì sān fāng ] third party |
| ⇒ 第三狀態 | [ dì sān zhuàng taì ] suboptimal health status |
| ⇒ 第三產業 | [ dì sān chǎn yè ] tertiary sector of industry |
| ⇒ 第三眼瞼 | [ dì sān yǎn jiǎn ] nictitating membrane (zoology) |
| ⇒ 第三紀 | [ dì sān jì ] third period, tertiary (geological era since the extinction of the dinosaurs at the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary 65 million years ago) |
| ⇒ 第三者 | [ dì sān zhě ] sb who is romantically involved with sb already in a committed relationship, the other woman, the other man, third person, third party (in dispute), disinterested party, number three in a list |
| ⇒ 第三聲 | [ dì sān shēng ] third tone in Mandarin, falling-rising tone |
| ⇒ 等腰三角形 | [ děng yaō sān xíng ] isosceles triangle |
| ⇒ 等邊三角形 | [ děng biān sān xíng ] equilateral triangle |
| ⇒ 管他三七二十一 | [ guǎn tā sān qī èr shí yī ] who cares, no matter what, regardless of the consequences |
| ⇒ 約法三章 | [ yuē fǎ sān zhāng ] to agree on three laws (idiom), three-point covenant, (fig.) preliminary agreement, basic rules |
| ⇒ 約翰三書 | [ yuē hàn sān shū ] Third epistle of St John |
| ⇒ 網開三面 | [ wǎng kaī sān miàn ] to leave the net open on three sides (idiom); let the caged bird fly, to give one's opponent a way out, lenient treatment |
| ⇒ 總會三明治 | [ zǒng huì sān míng zhì ] club sandwich |
| ⇒ 繞梁三日 | [ raò liáng sān rì ] reverberates around the rafters for three days (idiom); fig. sonorous and resounding (esp. of singing voice) |
| ⇒ 老三篇 | [ laǒ sān piān ] Lao San Pian, three short essays written by Mao Zedong before the PRC was established |
| ⇒ 老三色 | [ laǒ sān sè ] the three plain colors used for clothing in the PRC in the 1960s: black, gray and blue |
| ⇒ 肱三頭肌 | [ gōng sān toú jī ] triceps brachii (back of the upper arm) |
| ⇒ 腺嘌呤核苷三磷酸 | [ xiàn lìng hé gān sān lín suān ] adenosine triphosphate (ATP) |
| ⇒ 舉一反三 | [ jǔ yī fǎn sān ] to raise one and infer three, to deduce many things from one case (idiom) |
| ⇒ 英倫三島 | [ yīng lún sān daǒ ] British Isles |
| ⇒ 莫三比克 | [ mò sān bǐ kè ] Mozambique (Tw) |
| ⇒ 萊齊耶三世 | [ laí qí yē sān shì ] Letsie III of Lesotho |
| ⇒ 著三不著兩 | [ zhaó sān bù zhaó liǎng ] scatter-brained, thoughtless |
| ⇒ 話到嘴邊留三分 | [ huà daò zuǐ biān liú sān fēn ] A still tongue makes a wise head. (idiom) |
| ⇒ 說三道四 | [ shuō sān daò sì ] to make thoughtless remarks (idiom), to criticize, gossip |
| ⇒ 調三窩四 | [ sān wō sì ] to sow the seeds of discord everywhere (idiom) |
| ⇒ 貨問三家不吃虧 | [ huò wèn sān jiā bù chī kuī ] see 貨比三家不吃虧|货比三家不吃亏[huo4 bi3 san1 jia1 bu4 chi1 kui1] |
| ⇒ 貨比三家 | [ huò bǐ sān jiā ] to shop around (idiom) |
| ⇒ 貨比三家不吃虧 | [ huò bǐ sān jiā bù chī kuī ] shop around first and you won't get ripped off (idiom) |
| ⇒ 退避三捨 | [ tuì bì sān shè ] lit. to retreat three day's march (idiom); fig. to give way in the face of superior strength, a strategic withdrawal |
| ⇒ 連三併四 | [ lián sān bìng sì ] one after the other, in succession (idiom) |
| ⇒ 連中三元 | [ lián zhòng sān yuán ] (old) to rank first in the imperial examinations at the provincial capital, the national capital and the palace successively, (sports etc) to achieve three successes in a row (three matches in a row, three goals in a match etc) |
| ⇒ 週三 | [ zhoū sān ] Wednesday |
| ⇒ 金三角 | [ jīn sān ] Golden Triangle (Southeast Asia) |
| ⇒ 金泳三 | [ jīn yǒng sān ] Kim Young-sam (1927-2015), South Korean politician, president 1993-1998 |
| ⇒ 金背三趾啄木鳥 | [ jīn beì sān zhǐ zhuó mù ] (bird species of China) common flameback (Dinopium javanense) |
| ⇒ 錢三強 | [ qián sān qiáng ] Qian Sanqiang |
| ⇒ 鐵三 | [ tiě sān ] triathlon |
| ⇒ 鐵人三項 | [ tiě rén sān xiàng ] triathlon |
| ⇒ 長三 | [ cháng sān ] (old) high-class prostitute |
| ⇒ 長三角 | [ cháng sān ] Yangtze River Delta (abbr. for 長江三角洲|长江三角洲[Chang2 jiang1 San1 jiao3 zhou1]) |
| ⇒ 長三角經濟區 | [ cháng sān jīng jì qū ] Yangtze River Delta Economic Zone (economic region including Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu) |
| ⇒ 長江三峽 | [ cháng jiāng sān xiá ] Three Gorges or Yangtze Gorges, namely: Qutang Gorge 瞿塘峽|瞿塘峡[Qu2 tang2 Xia2], Wuxia Gorge 巫峽|巫峡[Wu1 Xia2] and Xiling Gorge 西陵峽|西陵峡[Xi1 ling2 Xia2] |
| ⇒ 長江三角洲 | [ cháng jiāng sān zhoū ] Yangtze River Delta |
| ⇒ 長江三角洲經濟區 | [ cháng jiāng sān zhoū jīng jì qū ] Yangtze River Delta Economic Zone (economic region including Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu) |
| ⇒ 開三次方 | [ kaī sān cì fāng ] cube root, to extract a cube root |
| ⇒ 阿三 | [ ā sān ] (derog.) an Indian |
| ⇒ 陸海空三軍 | [ lù haǐ kōng sān jūn ] army, navy, air force |
| ⇒ 隔三岔五 | [ gé sǎn chà wǔ ] see 隔三差五|隔三差五[ge2 san1 cha4 wu3] |
| ⇒ 隔三差五 | [ gé sān chà wǔ ] every few days (idiom) |
| ⇒ 雌三醇 | [ cí sān chún ] estriol |
| ⇒ 韋編三絕 | [ weí biān sān jué ] lit. the leather binding (of the bamboo scroll) has broken three times, fig. to study diligently |
| ⇒ 顛三倒四 | [ diān sān daǒ sì ] confused, disorderly, incoherent |
| ⇒ 馬三家 | [ mǎ sān jiā ] Masanjia town in Yuhong District 于洪區|于洪区[Yu2 hong2 Qu1] in Liaoning, known for its labor camp where Falun Gong practitioners etc are believed to have been detained and tortured |
| ⇒ 馬三立 | [ mǎ sān lì ] Ma Sanli (1914-2003), Chinese comedian |
| ⇒ 黃石公三略 | [ huáng shí gōng sān lvè ] "Three Strategies of Huang Shigong", one of the Seven Military Classics of ancient China |
| ⇒ 黃腳三趾鶉 | [ huáng sān zhǐ chún ] (bird species of China) yellow-legged buttonquail (Turnix tanki) |
