30.30
3
(*ㄙㄢˋ [san4] ).
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三十，三十三 thirty, thirty-three;
十三 thirteen;
三分之一 one third;
三倍 threefold;
三次，三回，三番 three times (see Adv.↓).
一問三不知 deny all knowledge of event;
coupled with “two,” indicating several, a few: 三兩個 two or three;
三言兩語 a few words spoken;
三句不離本行 always the trade talk;
三差兩錯 a few, just a few mistakes;
三長兩短 if s.t. untoward should happen;
三天兩頭 every other day or so;
三心兩意 wavering, undecided;
三窩兩塊 siblings, children of different mothers;
coupled with “three”: 三三兩兩 (stroll, come in) in twos and threes;
coupled with “four”: 三番四復 so many times;
coupled with “five,” several: 三五個人 several persons;
三回五次 repeatedly;
三年五載 in a few years;
三令五申 have repeatedly issued orders (to people);
三上五下 up and down (in intermittent actions);
三下五除二 rapidly sold out (orig. a sentence in teaching abacus);
三五成群 in odd groups of threes or fives;
三頭六臂 three-headed and six-armed monster, person with exhaustless resources;
三親六眷 all the kinsmen;
三六九等 (coll.) make fine distinctions, calculate costs;
不管三七二十一 3×7=21, i.e., (do s.t.) without further ado;
coupled with “eight,”multifarious: 三災八難 of a child prone to various illnesses.
三緘其口 (AC, allu.) mouth sealed three times, absolute refusal to talk;
三顧茅蘆 (AC allu.) a Hahn prince three times called on famous scholar to solicit his help;
(*[san4]) 三思而後行 think thrice before acting.
2.三瓣（子）嘴兒 [san1ban4]([zi0])[tzueer0], adj., hare-lipped.
3.三白 [san1bai2], n., (“three whites”) the white melon (white in skin, pulp and seeds).
4.三部曲 [san1bu4qU3], n., a trilogy; a musical composition with statement of theme, development and conclusion.
5.三不知 [san1bu4zhi1], adv., phr., (MC) I don't know how: 三不知逢著貴客 have the pleasure to meet you (visitor) without knowing to whom I owe the honor.
6.三不朽 [san1bu4xiu3], phr., the three forms of immortality: 立德 in character, 立言 in words, and 立功 in deeds－influences which will last for ever.
7.三叉 [san1cha1], adj. & n., forked (road); 三叉路 forked roads (also wr. 三岔).
8.三青子 [san1qing1zi0], n., cunning, irresponsible fellow.
9.三秋 [san1qiu1], phr., (1) (LL) three seasons: 一日不見，如三秋兮 a day absent from you is like three seasons (or years); (2) (LL) the three months of autumn; (3) (LL) the last month of autumn.
10.三尺 [san1chi3], phr., (1) three feet: 三尺童子 a young kid; (2) (AC allu.) laws and statutes, written on three-foot bamboo strips; 三尺水 (LL) a gleaming sword.
11.三大件兒 [san1da4jia4er0], n., (MC) the fetters, the shackles and the neck lock.
12.三代 [san1dai4], n., (1) the classical Three Dynasties: 夏 [xia4] 商 [shang1] and 周 [zhou1]; (2) three generations.
13.三點水兒 [san1dian2shueeer0], n., the radical “
”(water); index No. “63A.” 14.三段論法 [san1duan4lun4fa3], n., (logic) syllogism.
15.三對六面 [san1dui4liu4mian4], phr., two parties to contract plus one eyewitness.
16.三冬 [san1dong1], phr., three winters.
17.三多 [san1duo1], n., the three blessings: 多福，多壽，多男子 luck, longevity and male progeny.
18.三讀（會） [san1du2] ([hui4]), phr., third reading in legislative assembly.
19.三二 [san1er4], adj., several.
20.三分 [san1fen1], adj., thirty percent: 三分人材，七分打扮 three-tenths natural figure and seven-tenths make-up.
21.三墳五典 [san1fen2wu2dian3], n., lost anc. books of historical records.
22.三伏 [san1fu2], n., three periods of ten days each after summer solstice－hottest days.
23.三竿 [san1gan1], phr., 日上三竿 the sun is three poles high－late in the morning.
24.三綱 [san1gang1], n., (Confu.) the three mainstays (“hawsers”) of social order: the relationships of 君臣，父子，夫妻 ruler-subject, father-child and husband-wife; 三綱五常 the main principles of social order ( 五常 plus two other relations: between brothers and friends).
25.三更 [san1geng1] (sp. pr. [san1jing1]), n., the third watch－midnight.
26.三光 [san1guang1], n., the sun, the moon and stars.
27.三行兒 [san1hang2er0], phr., the cook, the sauce man and the waiter in a restaurant; (Canton) mason, carpenter and blacksmith.
28.三合（兒）房 [san1he2]([er0])[fang2], n., a Chin. courtyard with rooms on three sides (cf. 四合房 41.41).
29.三合土 [san1he2tu3], n., native cement, made up of lime, sand and soil (also 三和土).
30.三合油 [san1he2you2], n., sauce made up of sesame oil, soya sauce and vinegar.
31.三花臉（兒） [san1hua1lian3], n., clown in Chin. opera.
32.三魂 [san1hun2], phr., 三魂七魄 the three finer spirits and seven baser instincts that motivate human body.
33.三朝 [san1zhao1], phr., (1) third day of child's birth; phr. (2) a bride's homecoming on the third day after matrimony.
34.三正 (1) [san1zheng1], phr., the year beginnings of the Three Dynasties: 夏 in 寅 month, 商 in 丑，and 周 in 子 ; (2) ([san1zheng4]) (AC) the three regular constituents of heaven, earth and man.
35.三家村 [san1jia1cun1], n., a small remote hamlet (of only a few houses).
36.三甲 [san1jia3], n., as in 三甲進士 the three grades of [jin4shi4] degree.
37.三角 [san1jiao3], n. & adj., a triangle; triangular; 三角洲 a delta; 三角木 a cleat, a wedge; 三角釘 caltrops, a device of spikes; 三角術，三角法 trigonometry; 平面三角術 plane trigonometry; 弦面三角術 spherical trigonometry; 三角形 triangle; 二等邊三角形 isosceles triangle; 直角，直邊三角形 right, equilateral triangles; 鈍角，銳角三角形 obtuse-angled, acute-angled triangle; 三角（兒）眼 eyes that slope outwards.
38.三腳
（兒） [san1jiao3deng4]([er0]), n., three-legged stool. 39.三腳架 [san1jiao3jia4], n., a tripod, a three-legged support for camera.
40.三腳貓 [san1jiao3mao1], n., an odd fellow, one who may do odd things.
41.三焦 [san1jiao1], n., (Chin. med.) the three points: 上焦 entrance to stomach, 中焦 the duodenum, and 下焦 entrance to bladder.
42.三教 [san1jiao4], phr., Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism.
43.三節 [san1jie2], phr., the three important festivals of the year: 端午 5th of 5th lunar month, 中秋 mid-autumn, 15th of 8th lunar month, and the New Year.
44.三節棍 [san1jie2gun4], n., an anc. weapon, a three-jointed bar.
45.三晉 [san1jin4], phr., the anc. state of Jihn 晉, later divided into three states: 趙 Jauh 魏 Weih and 韓 Harn.
46.三徑 [san1jing4], n., (poet, allu.) a scholar's garden of retreat.
47.三九 [san1jiu3], phr., (1) (AC) short for 三公九卿 (Han Dyn.) three councillors and nine ministers: 三九公宴 state dinner to them; (2) the third nine days (19-27) after winter solstice.
48.三級跳遠 [san1ji2tiao4yUan3], n., hop, step and jump.
49.三隻手 [san1zhi1shou3], n., (sl.) a pickpocket.
50.三隻眼 [san1zhi1yan3], adj., clear-eyed, clear-sighted, “three-eyed”--of one who sees clearly everything that is going on.
51.三軍 [san1jUn1], n., (1) (AC) the army in gen.; (2) the armed forces (the army, navy, and airforce).
52.三框闌兒 [san1kuang2la2er0], n., the radical “
”(“three-sided frame”). 53.三窟 [san1ku4], phr., 狡兔三窟 “fox's three holes,”(fig.) many provisions for cunning escape.
54.三稜鏡 [san1leng2jing4], n., a prism.
55.三輪兒（車） [san1luerer0]([che1]), n., pedicab, three-wheeled cart.
56.三路兒 [san1lu4er0], adj., thirdclass.
57.三昧 [san1mei4], n., (1) (Budd.) purity and calm arising from correct realization (also 三摩地 from Sanskr. “samadhi”); (2) secret, expert knowledge (of poetry, good tea, etc.): 箇中三昧 secrets known only to experts.
58.三明 [san1ming2], n., see [san1guang1]↑.
59.三木 [san1mu4], n., see san1dah jiaher0↑.
60.三年艾 [san1nian2ai4], n., (AC allu.) early preparations (against future trouble).
61.三色 [san1se4], n., the three basic colors: red, yellow and blue.
62.三生 [san1sheng1]1, phr., three incarnations, future, present and past: 三生有幸 lucky indeed.
63.三牲 [san1sheng1]2, n., the sacrifices of pig, sheep and ox.
64.三鮮 [san1xian1], adj., (soup, etc.) made of three kinds of fresh ingredients.
65.三弦（兒） [san1xian2] ([san1xia2er0]), n., a three-stringed instrument.
66.三星 [san1xing1], n., three stars of luck: 福祿壽 happiness, honor and longevity.
67.三心兩意 [san1xin1liang1yi4], adj., phr., undecided, hesitant.
68.三思 *[san4si1] ([san1si1]), phr., think thrice (before acting).
69.三頭 [san1tou2], phr., (1) three-headed: 三頭政治 triumvirate; 三頭二面 double-faced, cunning; (2) 三頭兩日 in two or three days; (3) 三頭對案 two parties and witness confront in court.
70.三才 [san1cai2], phr., the three “geniuses”(life forces): 天，地，人 the heaven, the earth and man.
71.三寸丁 [san1cun4ding1], n, (MC) a physically very small man, a “shrimp.”
72.三寸舌 [san1cun4she2], n., the tongue, symbolic of a great talker: 憑我三寸不爛之舌 on the strength of my eloquence.
73.三從 [san1cong2], phr., (Confu. 儀禮 ) the three “obeys” for women:－obey father at home, obey husband when married, and obey son when husband dies (cf. 四德 41.41).
74.三塗 [san1tu2], phr., (Budd.) 火塗，刀塗，血塗 three kinds of punishment in hell, by fire, chopping by knife and tearing apart by beasts.
75.三字經 [san1zi4jing1], n., formerly, a primary textbook for children, all composed of three word phrases.
76.三族 [san1zu2], n., (AC) with various interpretations: (1) parents, brothers and wife and children; (2) relatives of father, of mother and of wife (誅三族 all killed in crime against the throne); (3) three generations of grandfather, father and son; (4) brothers of father, of self and of son.
77.三位一體 [san1wei4yi2ti3], phr., the Christian Trinity.
78.三五 [san1wu3], adj., several, three to five (days, etc.); (rare, AC )15 (3×5): 三五而盈 (the moon) is full on the 15th day of a month.
79.三陽 [san1yang2], phr., 三陽開泰 the [yang1] spirits on the upsurge in spring; surge of good luck.
80.三一律 [san1yi1lU4], n., the dramatic unities of action, time, and place.
81.三友 [san1you3], phr., three kinds of friends to be sought after: 友直，友諒，友多聞 those that are straight, those that are honest and those that know a great deal; 歲寒三友 the pine, the bamboo, and the winter-sweet.
82.三元 [san1yUan2], phr., (1) those who come out first in civil examinations at the provincial capital, the national capital and the palace: 鄉試，會試，殿試; (2) the 15th day of the first, seventh, and tenth lunar months.
83.三月 [san1yUe4], n., March.