便?

[simonf]

Hi - I'm trying to cope with multiple meanings of 便. I can understand it in combinations like 随便 or 以便, but when standalone it eludes me. For example, here are phrases from Prince and Pauper: 而汤姆则从小便失去母爱. Tom since childhood lost maternal love, but what exactly does 便 mean? Or later, 王子为了想体验一下当平民的滋味, 便建议和汤姆互换衣服穿 . It's not "conveniently/casually" suggested to exchange clothes, right?

Thanks,

Simon

[Quest]

便 = 就 in your examples.

[simonf]

Ah. Thanks!

[in_lab]

I'm sorry to point this out, but someone had to.

He said 小便. Alternate reading of sentence: Tom lost his mother's love from urine.

[kimichen]

便 and 就 are similar in meanings but different in the voice (语气).

而汤姆则从小便失去母爱 a voice of fact.

而汤姆则从小就失去母爱 somehow empahsise the loss of mother love.

(not sure about mother love, I've never heard any English speakers say mother love.)

王子为了想体验一下当平民的滋味, 便建议和汤姆互换衣服穿

Focus on the willingness of the princess

王子为了想体验一下当平民的滋味, 就建议和汤姆互换衣服穿

Focus on the act

Maybe there is a different opinion.

[對話的喧囂]

1.汤姆则从小便失去母爱 便=就

2. 王子为了想体验一下当平民的滋味, 便建议和汤姆互换衣服穿 便=於是(so, therefore),或是就