Results of the "2006: Nation and world in one Chinese word", an online survey inviting people to select one Chinese character or word that summarizes and comments on the situation in China and the world in 2006 were released on Sunday.

The event, hosted by the National Language Resources Tracing and Research Center, the Commercial Press and Sina.com ran for nearly two months. Finally, the options were whittled down to the top four key words following netizen recommendations, expert assessments and several rounds of online ballot casting. They are as follows, with experts' explanations.

Domestically:

Chao (stir-fry): This is an original Chinese cooking method, and a dish is delicious if properly stir-fried. However, today, it seems everything, including news, stocks, funds, people and housing, can be taken and stir-fried, which means media hype, stock and fund speculation, sacking one's boss or employee and real estate manipulation in Chinese. The country is just like a big frying spatula, turning and tossing cold things until they become warm and then hot. Daily trivialities are "fried" into news and common people are made into stars; expectations can be "fried" into reality and ideals into bubbles�� after all, the key issue is to maintain the right temperature.

Hexie (harmony): No word has appeared more frequently appeared in the vision of the Chinese people as a whole. It is vividly interpreted by the public as "everyone having food to eat and everyone being able to speak", that is, material guarantees and spiritual freedoms. ��He' originally refers to an ancient musical instrument made of different bamboo tubes that each produces different notes, but together form a beautiful melody. In this instance harmony does not mean a complete, indiscriminate agreement, but a state of peaceful co-existence achieved by reserving differences and respecting others. Harmony between people, people and nature, people and society is stressed. Harmony is an ideological concept as well as a social ideal. For the vast number of people, harmony is becoming a way of life, and an expectation of the future.

Internationally:

Luan (disturbance): The year 2006 was a year of global disturbances - the world was disturbed by growing nuclear threats; the seasons were disturbed by global warming; the mind was disturbed by ever escalating ethnic conflicts. Both the eyes and hearts were disturbed as powers wrestled secretly with one another and the Middle East spent another year in disorder. Disturbance describes chaos in the world, but also highlights diversity in politics, culture, values and interests. Beneath the surface is also vigor and vitality.

Shiyou (oil): Today, because of dwindling energy resources, oil is "black gold" in every sense of the word and is the lifeline of economies. Oil economy, oil politics and oil diplomacy - this precious resource lay underground for billions of years is now the reason for the most thrilling events in the international arena.

By People's Daily Online