Lessons in the Shanghai Dialect

Author: F. L. Hawks Pott

Pages: 324,747 Pages

Audio Length: 4 hr 30 min

Languages: en

Summary

Play Sample

Notes.

(1) It will have been noticed that in Lesson VI. Leh-li° was used in the Present Tense Continuous of the Verb, and that Leh-la° was used for the Past Continuous. It was pointed out then that these words really signify “Here” and “There.” The literal sense would be “I am here eating,” and “I was there eating.”
(2) It is very important that beginners should distinguish clearly between meh-z° and z°-°thi. Any concrete object may be called a meh-z°. But an abstract action or affair is always z°-°thi
(2) In mandarin-speaking districts toong-si 東西 (Lit. “East-West”) is often used for meh-z°, and sometimes it is heard in the Shanghai District.
(3) In the fifth sentence of the First Exercise, notice how the °ts is tacked on to the °hau, and not to the sau
(4) In the tenth sentence of First Exercise notice how the dok su has become a verbal adjective. Lit. “Reading book time.”
(5) In the fifteenth sentence of the First Exercise the force of the theh after chuh is that it has been entirely eaten up. Theh often comes after verbs to express completed action.
(6) In the sixteenth sentence of the First Exercise, °Ngau-°ts ih °kheu means literally “Bitten a mouthful.”
(7) In the seventeenth sentence we have two verbs used together—°tang and wa°Literally “Beat” or “strike spoil.”
(8) In the seventh sentence of the Second Exercise twenty minutes past ten is expressed zeh °tien koo° nyan° fung. °Tien is a shortened form for °tien-tsoong. Koo° means “passed over” or “beyond.”
(9) In the twelfth sentence of the First Exercise notice the use of kuh, It has the force of the relative pronoun, and the translation would be “the books which you have read.”
(10) In the sixth sentence of the Second Exercise “some” may be translated by °kyi-kuh

LESSON XII
Some Verbal Idioms

We have already explained the use of °khau-°i, nung-keu°, and we°. There are other ways of expressing the possibility and impossibility of doing things in Chinese. For instance one way is by the addition of tuh le or ’veh le after the verb. Thus: Dok-tuh-le (讀得來) means “Able to read.” Dok-’veh-le (讀勿來) means “Unable to read it.” Many verbs of one character admit of this construction. Thus: Wo°-tuh-le means “Able to speak.” Wo°-’veh-le means “Unable to speak.” Tsoo°-tuh-le (做得來), “Able to do.” Tsoo°-’veh-le (做勿來), “Unable to do.”

Verbs made up of two characters do not take tuh-le and ’veh-le after them. Thus we do not hear °hyau-tuh-’veh-le for “Unable to know,” but ’veh we° °hyau-tuh (勿會曉得).

The literal meaning of tuh-le is “Obtain, come,” and the literal meaning of ’veh-le is “Not come.”

We also have the use of tuh-kuh after verbs, expressing possibility, and ’veh-tuh, expressing impossibility. Thus we have tsoo°-tuh-kuh (做得個), meaning “it is possible to do a thing,” and tsoo°-’veh-tuh (做勿得), meaning “it is impossible to do a thing.” With verbs of physical action, we have tuh-°doong (得動) and ’veh-°doong (勿動) used after the verb implying possibility and impossibility. Thus we have °tseu-tuh-°doong (走得動), meaning “I have the physical ability to walk,” and °tseu-’veh-°doong (走勿動), meaning “I have not the physical ability to walk.” In the same way we have tsoo°-tuh-°doong (做得動) and tsoo°-’veh-°doong (做勿動). ’Veh-°doong literally means “Not move.”

Strange to say we have °zoo-’veh-°doong (坐勿動), meaning “I have not the physical ability to sit up,” and °zoo-tuh-°doong (坐得動), meaning “I have the physical ability to sit up.”

°Ma-tuh-°doong (買得動) means “Possible to buy.” °Ma-’veh-°doong (買勿動) means “Impossible to buy.”

With verbs of hearing and seeing impossibility is expressed in still another way. Thus we have khoen°-tuh-kyien° (看得見), meaning “It is possible to see,” and khoen°-’veh-kyien° (看勿見) meaning “It is impossible to see it.” Literally translated these expressions are “See, obtain, behold,” and “See, not behold.” We also have khoen°-tuh-tsheh (看得出), meaning to see a thing clearly. Literally “See, obtain, come forth,” and khoen°-’veh-tsheh (看勿出), meaning not to be able to see, or literally “See, not come forth.”

In the same way we have thing-tuh-tsheh (聽得出) and thing-’veh-tsheh (聽勿出) in regard to hearing. Instead of thing-tuh-kyien° and thing-’veh-kyien° we have thing-tuh-dzak (聽得着) and thing-’veh-dzak (聽勿着). Literally “Hear, obtain” and “Hear, not obtain.”

We have already explained the use of °hau after verbs expressing completed action. We also have other words used much in the same way. Thus dok-°hau-tse (讀好哉), dok-wen-tse (讀完哉) or dok-°ba-tse (讀罷哉) all mean the same thing. The verb wen means “to finish.” Accordingly in asking a question tsoo°-°hau-meh (做好末), tsoo°-wen-meh (做完末) and tsoo°-°ba-meh (做罷末), all mean “Have you finished it?”

Verbal nouns are often formed by the addition of deu (頭) or fah (法) after the verb. Thus tsoo°-deu (做頭) or tsoo°-fah (做法) means the manner of doing a thing.

VOCABULARY

To move, to excite, °doong 動.
To hear, thing (聽). Heard, thing-kyien° 聽見
To knock, to strike, khau 敲.
To finish, wen 完.

Kan (間) is the classifier used with rooms.

A room, ih kan 一間.
A bed room, ih kan vaung-kan 一間房間.
A guest room, ih kan khak-daung-kan 一間客堂間.
An office, ih kan °sia-z°-kan 一間寫字間.
A shroff’s room, ih kan tsang°-vaung-kan 一間帳房間.
A study, ih kan su-vaung 一間書房.
A dining room, ih kan chuh-van°-kan 一間吃飯間.
A kitchen, ih kan sau-van°-kan 一間燒飯間 or dzu-vaung 廚房 or tsau°-kan 灶間.
All, °loong-°tsoong 攏總 or koong°-°tsoong 共總.
All in general, most, da-ke 大槪.
Few, °sau 少.
Each, °me 每.
Every, kauh 各.
Other, bih 別.
High, kau 高.
Low, ti 低.
Broad, khweh 闊.
Narrow, ‘ah 狹.
Deep, sung 深.
Shallow, °tshien 淺
Too (denoting excess), thuh 忒.
Above, °zaung-deu 上頭.
Below, °‘au-deu 下頭, °‘au-°ti-deu 下底]頭, °‘au-°ti 下底.
Under, beneath, °ti-°‘au 底下.
Outside, nga°-deu 外頭.
After, °‘eu 後.
Behind, °‘eu-°ti 後底, °‘eu-°ti-deu, 後底頭 °‘eu-deu 後頭.
Before, zien 前, zien-deu 前頭.
Earth, di° 地 or di°-jeu 地球.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) °Zaung-deu °yeu thien, °‘au-deu °yeu di°.
(2) °Yeu too-hau° z° °ngoo °sia-’veh-le.
(3) Noong° we°-sa°-°lau °tseu le man°-le-°si?Iung-we° °ngoo °tseu ’veh-°doong °lau.
(4) Tsoong-kok wo° zak-zen nyung wo° le kwha° meh, °ngoo thing-’veh-tsheh.
(5) °Yeu-kuh su °ngoo dok ’veh le.
(6) Di°-zak vaung-°ts °kyi-hau° kau, °kyi-hau° kwheh?
(7) Di°-zak vaung-°ts °yeu °kyi kan?
(8) °Yeu ih kan khak-daung, ih kan °sia-z°-kan, ih kan chuh-van°-kan, °lau s° kan vaung-kan.
(9) Di°-kuh meh-z° °yeu sa° yoong°-deu va?’M-sa° yoong°-deu.
(10) Sa° nyung la° khau mung?°Ngoo ’veh zung thing-kyien° °yeu sa° nyung la° khau mung.
(11) Di° diau loo° thuh ‘ah, °ting °hau noong° °tseu la° zien-deu, °ngoo °tseu la° °‘eu-deu.
(12) °Tshing khak-nyung khak-daung °li °zoo.
(13) Dzoong °Zaung-°he tau° °tsh di° °yeu °kyi-hau° loo°?
(14) Vaung-°ts nga°-deu °z °lang °tien, vaung-°ts °li-hyang° °z nyih °tien.
(15) Di°-diau ‘oo °yeu-kuh di°-faung °z sung °tien, °yeu-kuh di°-faung °z °tshien °tien.
(16) Noong° na°-nung °hyau-tuh di° tsaung z°-thi?Iung-we° °ngoo thing-tuh °yeu nyung wo° °lau.
(17) Ze-voong tsoo° le ’veh °hau, °loong-°tsoong kuh i-zaung thuh doo°.
(18) Kauh nyung °yeu kauh nyung kuh z°-°thi.

(一) 上頭有天, 下頭有地.
(二) 有多化字我寫勿來.
(三) 儂爲啥佬走來慢來死? 因爲我走勿動佬.
(四) 中國話若然人話來快末, 我聽勿出.
(五) 有個書我讀勿來.
(六) 笫宅房子幾化高, 幾化闊.
(七) 第宅房子有幾間.
(八) 有一間客堂, 一間寫字間, 一間吃飯間, 佬四間房間.
(九) 第個物事有啥用頭否? 嘸啥用頭.
(十) 啥人拉敲門? 我勿曾聽見有啥人拉敲門.
(十一) 第條路忒狹, 頂好儂走拉前頭, 我走拉後頭.
(十二) 請客人客堂裏坐.
(十三) 從上海到此地有幾化路?
(十四) 房子外頭是冷點, 房子裏向是熱點
(十五) 第條河有個地方是深點, 有個地方是淺點.
(十六) 儂那能曉得第樁事體? 因爲我聽得有人話佬.
(十七) 裁縫做來勿好, 攏總個衣裳忒大.
(十八) 各人有各人個事體.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) Where is your teacher?He is in the study writing.
(2) Did you tell the table boy to bring the tea?
(3) If the carpenter does not make it well, I shall call another man.
(4) This manner of doing it is bad; I want you to do it better.
(5) I walked to Shanghai, and then I could walk no further.
(6) Then what did you do?I called a ricsha and came back.
(7) Is the Master in?He has gone out.
(8) Three days ago I went to see the pagoda.
(9) There is water beneath the earth.
(10) The cat is under the chair.
(11) When I have finished reading the book, I want to learn to write characters.
(12) Tell him to come inside.
(13) This table is too low; I cannot write characters on it.
(14) May I come in?Come right in.

(一) 儂個先生拉啥地方? 拉寫字間裏寫字.
(二) 担茶來, 儂對細崽話否?
(三) 若然木匠做來勿好, 我要叫別人來做.
(四) 實蓋做頭是勿好, 我要儂做來好點.
(五) 我走到上海難末走勿動哉.
(六) 難末儂那能做頭? 我叫之東洋車佬轉來.
(七) 先生垃拉否? 出去拉.
(八) 三日前頭我去看第座塔.
(九) 地底下有水.
(十) 貓拉椅子底下.
(十一) 我讀罷之書要學寫字.
(十二) 叫伊到裏向來.
(十三) 第隻檯子忒低, 勿好寫字.
(十四) 我可以進來否? 進來末哉.

Notes.

（1) In regard to °sau, meaning ”few,” it should be noted that it never occurs before a noun. If you wish to say a few men the idiomatic expression would be °yeu ’veh too °kyi-kuh nyung (有勿多幾個人) or m-meh °kyi-hau° nyung (無沒幾化人). The men are few would be nyung °sau (人少). °Sau is often used to qualify verbs. Thus we have °sau dok kuh, meaning “to read less.”
（2) As already pointed out in a previous lesson what correspond to prepositions in English are really postpositions in Chinese, as they come after the nouns instead of before them. When used as adverbs, however, they generally precede the verbs. Thus we have °li-hyang° °zoo for “Sit inside,” °zaung-deu °zoo (上頭坐) for “take a higher seat.” This is the usual polite phrase said to a guest when he enters your guest room. He will take a seat near the door, and you ask him “to be seated higher.”
（3) The first sentence of the First Exercise is really an oath, and is used when one is calling Heaven and Earth to witness that his words are true.
（4) Note the impersonal use of °yeu in the second sentence of the First Exercise. Literally it is “There are many characters.”
（5) In the seventh sentence of the Second Exercise you have the usual form of inquiring whether the gentleman you wish to see is at home. You say Sien-sang leh-la° va°? “is the master there?” The answer is leh-la°, if he is at home, meaning “He is there.” If he is not at home, the answer may be tsheh chi° la°, “he has gone out,” or ’veh leh-la°, “he is not there.”

LESSON XIII
Auxiliary Verbs

The verb °chi (起) is often used as an auxiliary verb after the principal verb to express the idea of inception. Thus dok-°chi (讀起) means “Begin to read.” °Chi also expresses the idea of erectness, but when used in this sense, le (來) follows the °chi. Thus Lih-°chi-le (立起來) means “Stand up.” Lok-°chi-le (䟿起來) means “Get up.” It also has a progressive meaning, as when you say Doh-°chi-le (讀起來) it means “read on,” “go on reading.”

We have the °chi, also used in combination with tuh (得). Thus Lok-tuh-°chi (䟿得起) means “Able to get up.” Lok-’veh-°chi (䟿勿起) means “Unable to get up.” °Ma-tuh-°chi (買得起) means “Can afford to buy it.” °Ma-’veh-°chi (買勿起) means “Cannot afford to buy it.” Kwhung°-’veh-°chi (睏勿起) means “unable to sleep.” Khoen°-’veh-°chi (看勿起) means “to look down upon,” “to disdain.”

°Zaung (上) and °‘Au (下) are used both as principal verbs and as auxiliaries. Thus we have the expressions °Zaung san (上山), meaning “to go up hill.” °‘Au san (下山), “to go down hill.” °‘Au zen (下船), “to go on board a boat,” °Zaung su (上書), “to take an advanced lesson in a book,” etc. In these cases they are used as principal verbs.

As auxiliary verbs, they express motion upwards and motion downwards.

They are not confined to verbs of motion, but are used freely with other verbs. To both of them le (來) and chi° (去) are frequently added.

Thus we have dok-°‘au-chi° (讀下去), meaning “Read on down.” Tsoo°-°‘au-chi° (做下去), meaning “Go on doing it.” Thiau°-°‘au-le (跳下來), meaning “Jump down.” Thiau°-°zaung-chi° (跳上去), meaning “Jump up to that place.” Thiau°-°zaung-le (跳上來) “Jump up to this place.”

Although the Chinese language is, strictly speaking, a monosyllabic language, yet as has already been noticed there is a strong tendency to use two or more words together forming as it were disyllables or trisyllables. In this lesson some verbs are used, composed of two characters occurring together.

VOCABULARY

To like, to enjoy, hwen-°hyi 歡喜.
To play, take recreation, beh-siang° 勃相.
To converse, bak-wo° or dan-dan 白話, 談談.
To believe, siang-sing° 相信.
To fall, lauh 落 (of things) or tih 跌 (of men or animals).
To stand up, lih 立.
To get up, lok 䟿.
To be willing, °khung 肯.
To back the book, pe° 背
To think, °siang 想.
To sleep, kwhung° 睏
To wipe, kha 揩.
To fly, fi 飛.
To reckon, soen° 算.
To build, °zau 造.
A stove, ih kuh °hoo-loo 一個火爐, or ih tsak °hoo-loo
A rat, ih tsak °lau-°ts 一隻老鼠, or ih tsak °lau dzoong 一隻老蟲.
A washstand, ih tsak kha-mien°-de-°ts 一隻揩面檯子.
A temple, ih zoo° miau° 一座廟.
A window, ih sen° tshaung 一扇窗.

Ban (爿) is the Classifier for firms, shops, etc.

A tea shop, ih ban dzo-kwen° 一爿茶館.
A pair of chop-sticks, ih saung kwhan 一雙筷.
Words, seh-wo° 說話 or wo°-deu or 話頭.
A sentence, ih kyui° seh-wo° 一句說話.
Only, pih-koo° 必過, or dok-°z 獨自, or tsuh-tuh 只得.
Not only, ’veh-dan°-°z 勿但是, or ’veh-dan° 勿但, or ’veh-°ba 勿罷.
Heavy, °dzoong 重.
Light (in weight), chung 輕.
Cheap, jang 強
Dear (in price), kyui° 貴.
Happy, kha°-weh 快活.
Clear or distinct, tshing-°saung 清爽.
Soochow, Soo-tseu 蘇州.
Therefore, °soo-°i 所以 or keh-°lau 蓋佬.
First, sien 先.
Together ih-dau 一淘, ih-doong 一同.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) Di°-kuh °liang we° bang-°yeu hwen-°hyi ih-dau bak-wo°.
(2) °Ngoo dok-ba°-ts su iau° tsheh-chi° beh-siang°.
(3) Zak-zen yi °khung ma° meh, noong° °ma-meh-tse.
(4) Di° zoo° vaung-°ts °zau-°chi-le ’man kwha°.
(5) °Ngoo kyau° i-kuh °siau-noen lih-°chi-le pe° su.
(6) °Ngoo °siang di°-kuh ‘auh-sang-°ts kyung-tsau ’veh zung kha mien°.
(7) Tsoong-kok nyung chuh van° yoong° ih saung kwhan, nga°-kok nyung yoong° tau °lau tsho.
(8) Zauh ya°-deu la° vaung-kan-°li °ngoo thing-tuh ih tsak °lau-°ts leh-la° kyau°.
(9) Zak-zen yi wo° yi ’veh zung tan meh, i-kuh seh-wo° °ngoo °khung siang-sing°.
(10) Thien °hau meh °ngoo iau° tau° dzo-kwen°-°li chi° °zoo-°zoo dan-dan chuh dzo.
(11) °Yeu bih saung-°‘a-°ts va°?°Ngoo pih-koo° °yeu di°-saung.
(12) Zauh-ya°-deu °ngoo kwhung°-’veh-dzak, °soo-°i kyung-tsau lok-’veh-°chi.
(13) Thien nyih kuh zung-kwaung iau° khe tshaung °lau mung, °lang meh iau° kwan.
(14) Tsoong-kok wo°, wo° le ’veh tshing-°saung meh bih nyung ’veh °toong kuh.
(15) Di°-tsak kha-mien°-de-°ts noong° °ma le jang va°?’Veh °hau soen° jang, °ngoo °siang ’man kyui°.
(16) Noong° °kyi kwhe° yang-dien °ma le kuh?Zeh kwhe° yang-dien la°.
(17) Noong° we°-sa°-°lau °ma le zeh-ke° kyui°?Iung-we° tsuh-tuh di°-kuh ih tsak.
(18) °Ngoo tsheh-chi° bau loo° ’veh-dan° khoen°-kyien° ih zoo° miau°, miau° mung zien ‘a °yeu ih zoo° thah.
(19) Di°-tsak °hoo-loo °z °dzoong kuh nyi chung kuh?°Z ’man °dzoong kuh.
(20) °Tshing sien-sang °zoo °zaung chi°.
(21) Sien-sang kyau° ‘auh-sang-°ts dok-°‘au-chi°.
(22) °I-°pung su dzoong de-°ts laung° lauh-°‘au-le.
(23) °Siau-noen dzoong iui°-°ts laung° tih-°‘au-le.
(24) °Ngoo khoen°-kyien° ih tsak °tiau dzoong thien laung° fi-°‘au-le.
(25) °Ngoo ming-tsau iau° °‘au zen tau° Soo-tseu chi°.

(一) 第個兩位朋友歡喜一淘白話.
(二) 我讀罷之書要出去勃相.
(三) 若然伊肯賣末儂買末哉.
(四) 第座房子造起來蠻快.
(五) 我叫伊個小囝立起來背書.
(六) 我想第個學生子今朝勿曾揩面.
(七) 中國人吃飯用一雙筷外國人用刀佬叉.
(八) 昨夜頭拉房間裏我聽得一隻老鼠垃拉叫.
(九) 若然伊話伊勿曾担末伊個說話我肯相信.
(十) 天好末我要到茶館裏去坐坐談談吃茶.
(十一) 有別雙鞋子否? 我必過有第雙.
(十二) 昨夜頭我睏勿着所以今朝䟿勿起.
(十三) 天熱個辰光要開窗佬門冷末要關.
(十四) 中國話話來勿淸爽末別人勿懂個.
(十五) 第隻揩面檯子儂買來強否? 勿好算強我想蠻貴.
(十六) 儂幾塊洋錢買來個? 十塊洋錢拉.
(十七) 儂爲啥佬買來實蓋貴? 因爲只得第個一隻.
(十八) 我出去跑路勿但看見一座廟廟門前也有一座塔.
(十九) 第隻火爐是重個呢輕個? 是蠻重個.
(二十) 請先生坐上去.
(二十一) 先生叫學生子讀下去.
(二十二) 伊本書從檯子上落下來.
(二十三) 小囝從椅子上跌下來.
(二十四) 我看見一隻烏從天上飛下來.
(二十五) 我明朝要下船到蘇州去.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) Do you like to eat this?
(2) In the day time men work, in the night time they sleep.
(3) The cat came in by the window and the rat ran out by the door.
(4) I conversed with him, and he taught me many words in Chinese.
(5) I want you to wipe the windows.
(6) Last night I only slept four hours.
(7) I not only bought a washstand, I also bought a stove and three chairs.
(8) Children like to play, men like to study.
(9) Why do you go to the tea shop?Because there I can hear many men conversing, and so learn many Chinese words.
(10) Are you willing to go with me to see the temple?
(11) To-day I am very happy, because I have finished the book.
(12) The child jumped down from the table.
(13) Please write on down.
(14), When will you go up the hill with me to take a look?
(15) The teacher first hears the scholars back the book, and then gives them an advanced lesson.

(一) 第樣物事儂歡喜吃否?
(二) 日裏個辰光人做工夫拉夜裏末睏.
(三) 貓是從窗裏進來老鼠從門裏跑出去.
(四) 我對伊白話佬伊教我多化中國話.
(五) 要儂去揩揩窗.
(六) 昨夜頭我必過睏之四點鐘工夫.
(七) 我勿但買之一隻楷面檯子也買之一隻火爐佬三把椅子.
(八) 小囝歡喜勃相大人歡喜讀書.
(九) 儂爲啥佬到茶館裏去? 因爲伊頭我可以聽得多化人白話佬學中國話.
(十) 儂肯搭我一淘到廟裏去看看否?
(十一) 今朝我蠻快活因爲一本書讀完哉.
(十二) 小囝從檯子上跳下來.
(十三) 請寫下去.
(十四) 儂幾時搭我一淘上山去看看?
(十五) 先生先聽學生子背書難末對伊拉上書.

Notes.

（1) Note that siang-sing° means “to like” as well as to believe. °Ngoo siang-sing° ih kuh nyung (我相信一個人) means, “I like him.”
（2) The expression “to back the book” arises from the old Chinese custom of the pupil turning his back upon the teacher when he recites his lesson.
（3) Notice the order of the words in the eleventh sentence of the First Exercise. The verb °Yeu comes first in the sentence.
（4) The word la° is added at the end of the sixteenth sentence of the First Exercise merely for euphony.
（5) In the twentieth sentence of the First Exercise we have another polite way of asking a person to take a higher seat in the guest room.
（6) In sentences twenty-two and twenty-three of the First Exercise we have the use of lauh and tih for “fall”. It is difficult to distinguish between the two, but tih is used always when we speak of a person falling down.
（7) The correct way of translating the first sentence of the Second Exercise is Di°-yang meh-z° nong° hwen°-hyi chuh va°? Di°-yang means “this sort.”
（8) The thirteenth sentence of the Second Exercise of course refers to the fact that the Chinese write from the top down and not across the page.
（9) The last clause of the fifteenth sentence of the Second Exercise should be nan-meh theh yi-la °zaung su“Then for them, advances in the book.”

LESSON XIV
Causality, and Necessity

The idea of causality, in the sense of causing a person to do a thing, is expressed in Chinese by the use of the auxiliary verbs kau (敎) and tsha (差). Thus “I caused him to do it,” would be °ngoo kao yi tsoo° (我敎伊做). “I caused him to go,” would be °ngoo tsha yi chi (我差伊去). The word tsha literally means “to send.” The word kau is the same as kyau°, but used with different pronunciation and different tone. When one of higher rank causes a person of lower rank to do a thing the word s° (使) is used. Thus S° °ngoo ieu-mung, “Caused me to sorrow.”

“Must” is expressed by the expressions tsoong-iau° (總要), pih-ding° iau° (必定要), ih-ding° iau° (一定要).

“It must be” is tsoong °z (總是). Thus “It must be so” is tsoong-°z zeh-ke° (總是實蓋).

“Ought” implying obligation, is expressed by iung-ke (應該). Thus “You ought to do it” is noong° iung-ke tsoo° kuh (儂應該做個).

VOCABULARY

Perhaps, khoong-pho° 恐怕.
Just now, a little while ago, khan khan 纔纔, or ’veh too °kyi-z 勿多幾時.
Quickly, ‘au-sau° 豪燥, or kwha°-kwha° 快快.
Moreover, °ping-°tshia 幷且, or r-°tshia 而且, or hwaung-°tshia 况且.
Although, soe-zen 雖然, or soe-°z 雖是.
Yet, zen-r 然而.
Still (in the sense of in addition), wan 還, or wan-iau° 還要. °ngoo wan-iau° °ma 我還要買, “I still wish to buy more.”
On the contrary, or on the other hand, °tau 倒.
To complete, dzung-koong 成功.
To light (a lamp or candle), °tien 點.
To light (a fire), sang 生.
To take with you, ta° chi 帶去.
To bring with you, ta° le 帶來.
To kill, sah 殺, or sah-theh 殺脫.
To kill with a blow, °tang sah 打殺.
To die, °si 死, or °si-theh 死脫.
To live, weh 活.
A lamp, ih °tsan tung 一盞燈.
To tell, narrate, kau°-soo° 告訴.
To sweep the ground (floor), °sau-di° 掃地.

Foong (封) is the classifier used for letters and other sealed parcels.

A letter, ih foong sing° 一封信.
An envelope, ih foong sing° khauh 一封信殼, or ih foong sing° foong 一封信封.
A candle, ih kung lah tsok 一根臘燭.
Fire, °hoo 火.

Tsang (張) is the classifier denoting sheets.

A sheet of paper, ih tsang °ts or ih tsang °ts-deu 一張紙頭.
A fowl, ih tsak kyi 一隻鷄.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) °Ngoo-nyi° iung-ke tsoo°-kuh z°-°thi, °tau ’veh tsoo°.
(2) Thien °lang-°ts meh pih-ding° iau° sang °hoo.
(3) Ya°-deu iau° dok su meh, tsoong-iau° °tien tung.
(4) °Ngoo ’veh °hyau-tuh na°-nung tsoo°-deu, °ngoo-kuh bang-°yeu °i-kyung °si-theh tse.
(5) Tan ih tsang °ts-deu le, °ngoo iau° °sia ih foong sing°.
(6) °Ngoo la° su-vaung °li zing °ngoo-kuh mau-°ts, soe-zen °tien-ts lah-tsok °‘a zing-’veh-dzak kuh.
(7) °Ngoo iau° ‘auh dok tsoong-kok z° °ping °tshia iau° ‘auh °sia tsoong-kok z°
(8) Soe-zen noong° wo° ’veh zung tan tsheh chi° zen-r °ngoo ’veh °khung siang-sing°.
(9) Kwha°-tien chi° kyau° i-sung le, °khoong pho° yi iau° °si tse.
(10) Sien-sang leh-la° va°?Yi khan-khan leh-°li, yien-dze ’veh °hyau-tuh °a-°li chi° tse.
(11) Zak-zen yi wan ’veh zung le,°ngoo °tung yi ’veh tuh.
(12) °Ngoo kyau° yoong°-nyung sah ih tsak kyi, la° chuh van° kuh zung-kwaung iau° chuh kuh.
(13) Di°-tsak de-°ts mok-ziang° tsoo° le wan °hau.
(14) °Ngoo ’man kha°-weh thing-tuh noong° wo° °ngoo °yeu ih foong sing° le, °khoong-pho° °z °ngoo-kuh bang-°yeu °sia le kuh.
(15) Nyung iau° sien tsoo° dzung-koong ih tsaung z°-°thi, nan-meh °khau-°i tsoo° bih yang°.
(16) M-meh ih kuh nyung hwen-°hyi °si.

(一) 我伲應該做個事體倒勿做.
(二) 天冷之末必定要生火.
(三) 夜頭要讀書末總要點燈.
(四) 我勿曉得那能做頭我個朋友已經死脫哉.
(五) 担一張紙頭來我要寫一封信.
(六) 我拉書房裏尋我個帽子雖然點之臘燭也尋勿着個.
(七) 我要學讀中國字幷且要學寫中國字.
(八) 雖然儂話勿曾担出去然而我勿肯相信.
(九) 快點去叫醫生來恐怕伊要死哉.
(十) 先生垃拉否? 伊纔纔垃裏現在勿曉得那裏去哉.
(十一) 若然伊還勿曾來我等伊勿得.
(十二) 我叫用人殺一隻雞拉吃飯個辰光要吃個.
(十三) 第把檯子木匠做來還好.
(十四) 我蠻快活聽得儂話我有一封信來恐怕是我個朋友寫來個.
(十五) 人要先做成功一樁事體難末可以做別樣.
(十六) 嘸沒一個人歡喜死.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) I told you a little while ago that I did not want you to open the window; why do you not listen to me?
(2) Light the lamp and put it on the table in the study.
(3) If a guest comes, I want you to light the fire in the reception room.
(4) Do not strike the dog; perhaps you will kill him.
(5) You must study diligently, and then you can learn to speak Chinese.
(6) How many hours a day ought I to study?I think you should study at least four hours a day: two in the morning and two is the afternoon.
(7) If your letter has been written, I will send the servant to take it.
(8) Early in the morning I want you to sweep the floor and wipe the table and chairs.
(9) Although the carpenter works quickly, he cannot finish it in a week.
(10) When you have finished this do not think there is nothing more to do, but come and tell me.
(11) I did not tell you to take it away, but on the contrary told you to put it in the office.
(12) If the doctor does not come immediately, this man cannot live.
(13) Who caused you to do it?He caused me to do it.

(一) 纔纔我叫儂勿要開窗儂爲啥勿聽說話?
(二) 要點燈拉書房裏擺拉檯子上.
(三) 客人來末拉客堂間裏要儂生火.
(四) 勿要打狗恐怕要打殺哉.
(五) 儂總要用心讀書難末可以學讀中國話.
(六) 一日我應該讀幾點鐘工夫? 我想頂少要讀四點鐘工夫拉上半日兩點鐘佬下半日兩點鐘.
(七) 信寫好之末我差用人担去個.
(八) 早晨頭要儂掃掃地揩揩檯子佬椅子.
(九) 木匠雖然做來快一禮拜工夫勿能做好.
(十) 第個做好之來告訴我勿要想無啥做.
(十一) 我勿曾叫儂帶出去倒叫儂放拉寫字間裏.
(十二) 醫生勿就來末第個人勿能彀活.
(十三) 啥人教儂做個? 伊教我做個.

Notes.

(1) Wan is sometimes used to qualify adjectives. Thus Wan °hau (還好) means “fairly good” or “pretty good.”
(2) Soe-zen and Zen-r are generally used together; the first introducing the first clause, and the second, the second clause.
(3) In the first sentence of the First Exercise notice the formation of the verbal noun, “the things which we ought to do.”
(4) In the ninth sentence of the First Exercise notice that kwha° °tien does not mean “faster,” but is used for “quickly.”
(5) In the eleventh sentence of the First Exercise °Tung yi ’veh tuh means lit. , “Wait him not get;” that is, “I cannot wait for him.”
(6) In the fourteenth sentence of the First Exercise notice the use of le. Le and chi are frequently used with other verbs to make the direction of the action clear. Thus °Sia le is, “Write come to me”; °Sia chi° is, “Write send away,” or “Write go.”
(7) In the fifth sentence of the Second Exercise, Diligently can be expressed by Yoong° sing, “Use heart or mind.”
(8) In this lesson frequent use has been made of the verb °Si (死). In speaking of a person dying the more euphonious expression is Koo°-s° 故世.

LESSON XV
Further Remarks on Numerals, the Relative Pronoun

Numbers above one hundred are expressed as follows: One hundred and one, is ih pak ling ih, and so on to ih pak ling °kyeu; then the ling is dropped, and we have ih pah zeh (一百十), ih pak zeh ih, ih pak zeh nyi°, ih pak zeh san, etc. Ling really means “in addition.”

The hundreds are expressed simply by nyi pak (二百), “two hundred,” san pak (三百), “three hundred,” etc. “One thousand” is ih tshien (一千). In expressing “one hundred and one,” we say ih pak ling ih (一百零一). In expressing “one thousand and one,” we say ih tshien ling ling ih.

“Ten thousand” is ih man° (一萬). “One million” is ih pak man° (一百萬). The ordinal numerals are expressed in Chinese by prefixing di° (第) before the cardinal. Thus “the first” is di° ih (第一) or deu-ih (頭一), “the second” di° nyi° (第二), and so forth.

°Soo 所 (lit. a place) is often used as a relative pronoun. It translates the English “who,” “which,” “what,” “that,” and “the things which.” The clause it introduces usually comes before the subject of the sentence. Thus “All which you do, I am able to do also,” would be noong° °soo tsoo° kuh z°-°thi °ngoo °‘a nung-keu° tsoo° kuh. As has already been pointed out kuh often has the force of the relative.

VOCABULARY.

To wonder, be surprised, hyi-ji 希奇.
To wear, tsak 著.
To take off, thoeh 脫 or thoeh-theh 脫脫.
To wear a hat, ta° 戴.
To take off a hat, dzu 除.
To laugh, siau° 笑.
To ridicule, °lang-siau° (Lit. Cold laugh) 冷笑, or hyi°-siau° 戲笑.
Laughable, °hau-siau° 好笑.
Very laughable, siau°-sah-tse 笑殺哉.
By the side of, pien-deu 邊頭, or baung-pien 傍邊.
Place, han deu 壗頭.
My place, °ngoo han-deu 我壗頭.
Right (Direction), yeu° 右.
Right hand, yeu° °seu 右手.
Left, tsoo° 左. (Sometimes pronounced tsi°.)
Left hand, tsi° °seu 左手.
Right side, yeu° pien (右邊), yeu° pan-pan (右板爿).
Early, °tsau 早.
Late, an° 晚.
Sharp, kwha° 快. (Same character as that used for fast.)
Dull, dung° 鈍.
Sweet, dien 甜.
Bitter, °khoo 苦.
Ugly, pho° 怕. (Same character as that used for fear.)
Pretty, tshui° 趣.
A shop, ih ban tien° 一爿店.
Take care, °taung-sing 當心, or °siau-sing 小心.
Take great care, too°-°taung-sing 多當心.
Tools, implements, ka-sang 傢生.
Furniture, ka-°hoo 傢伙.
A tea pot, ih °po dzo-‘oo 一把茶壺.
A class (in a school), ih pan 一班.
To sing, ts’aung 唱.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) °Ngoo tau° tien° °li chi° khoen°-kyien° too-hau° meh-z°, dan°-°z °ma-’veh-°chi kuh.
(2) °Taung sing °tseu °hau.
(3) °Taung sing di°-kuh° yang-dien, faung° °hau la° siang-°ts °li.
(4) Zung-kwaung an° tse, zieu° chi° kwhung°.
(5) Kyung-tsau °ngoo ’m-sa° °hau, lok-’veh-°chi.
(6) °Ngoo °soo kau°-soo° noong° kuh ih tsaung z°-°thi ’veh iau° te° bih nyung wo°.
(7) Yoong°-nyung wan ’veh zung le °z peh °ngoo hyi-ji.
(8) °Taung-sing° di°-°po tau °z ’man kwha° kuh.
(9) Yi te° °ngoo wo° kuh z°-°thi °z °hau-siau° kuh.
(10) °Ngoo loo° °laung bang yi ’veh dzak, ’veh °hyau-tuh tau° °‘a-°li chi° tse.
(11) Di°-°po dzo-‘oo tan tau° sien-sang han-deu chi°.
(12) I-kuh nyung tsi° °seu °sia z°, da°-ke nyung yeu° °seu °sia kuh.
(13) Nyih-°li °soo tsak kuh i-zaung, ya°-°li kwhung° kuh z-eu° iau° thoeh-theh kuh.
(14) Nga-kok sien-sang tsing° mung-kheu thoeh-theh mau°-°ts, tsoong-kok nyung ’veh thoeh-theh kuh.
(15) I-tsak mau ’man °hau khoen°, dan°-°z °i tsak °keu °z pho°-le-°si.
(16) Too-hau° nyung hwen-°hyi chuh dien kuh meh-z°, ’m-nyung hwen-°hyi chuh °khoo kuh.
(17) Dzung °li °yeu °kyi-hau° nyung?Khoong-pho° °yeu zeh man°.
(18) Di°-kuh ‘auh-sang-°ts, ’man yoong° sing dok su, la° ih pan °li °z deu ih.
(19) Ih kuh nyung tan le ih pak ling san kuh doong-dien.

(一) 我到店裡去看見多化物事但是買勿起個.
(二) 當心走好.
(三) 當心第個洋錢放好拉箱子裏.
(四) 辰光晚哉就去睏.
(五) 今朝我無啥好䟿勿起.
(六) 我所告訴儂個一莊事體勿要對別人話.
(七) 用人還勿曾來是撥我希奇.
(八) 當心第把刀是蠻快個.
(九) 伊對我話個事體是好笑個.
(十) 我路上掽伊勿着勿曉得到那裏去哉.
(十一) 第把茶壺担到先生壗頭去.
(十二) 伊個人左手寫字大槩人右手寫個.
(十三) 日裏所著個衣裳夜裏睏個時候要脫脫個.
(十四) 外國先生進門口脫脫帽子中國人勿脫脫個.
(十五) 一隻猫蠻好看但是一隻狗是怕來死.
(十六) 多化人歡喜吃甜個物事嘸人歡喜吃苦個.
(十七) 城裏有幾化人? 恐怕有十萬.
(十八) 第個學生子蠻用心讀書拉一班裏是頭一.
(十九) 一個人担來一百零三個銅錢.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) When I was in the carriage, I told the coachman to take care.
(2) The clothes which that maiden wears are very pretty.
(3) The boat is by the side of the river.
(4) Yesterday I met a man who told me that he saw a carpenter kill a man with a sharp knife.
(5) Although I do not speak Chinese well, please do not laugh at me.
(6) I asked a man which road to take; he told me to go to the right.
(7) I did not meet a single person on the road.
(8) This bird is very beautiful; can it sing?
(9) When it is warm you do not want to wear many clothes.
(10) This tea is bitter and not good to drink.
(11) Yesterday I walked very far, and so could not get up to-day.
(12) Take this letter to the teacher.

(一) 我拉馬車裏個辰光叫馬夫當心.
(二) 伊個小姐着個衣裳蠻趣.
(三) 一隻船拉河邊上.
(四) 昨日我掽着一個人告訴我話伊看見一個木匠担之快個刀殺一個人.
(五) 我雖然中國話話來勿好請儂勿要笑我.
(六) 我問一個人走那裏一條路伊話右手一條.
(七) 我路上一個人也掽勿着.
(八) 第隻窵蠻趣會唱否?
(九) 天熱末儂勿要着多化衣裳.
(十) 第個茶苦個勿好吃個.
(十一) 昨日我走之多化路所以今朝䟿勿起哉.
(十二) 第封信担到先生壗頭去.

Notes.

(1) Han-deu is very frequently used with persons and personal pronouns. Thus you do not say Tan tau° yi for take it to him, but Tan tau° yi han-deu chi°. “Leave it with me” would be °Pa la° °ngoo han-deu
(2) The second sentence of the First Exercise is often used in speaking to a guest when he is departing. When he is about to go, he announces the fact by saying Chi° tse (去哉), meaning “I am going.” You say Man° chi° (慢去), meaning “Go slowly,” and then when he is walking away, °Taung sing °tseu °hau (當心走好).
(3) In the fifth sentence of the First Exercise M-sa° °hau means “not at all well.”
(4) In the tenth sentence of the First Exercise notice how the object yi splits up the verb into two parts.
(5) In the sixth sentence of the Second Exercise “to the right” is expressed by yeu° °seu (右手).

LESSON XVI
Verbal Idioms

The idea of there being time to accomplish a thing is expressed by adding the words tuh-ji° (得及) after the principal verb. If there is not sufficient time to do a thing you add ’veh-ji° (勿及) after the principal verb. Thus, Tsoo°-tuh-ji° (做得及) means “there is time to do a thing.” Tsoo°-’veh-ji° (做勿及) means “there is not time.”

This expression is used most frequently with the verb le (來). Le-tuh-ji means “there is time,” and le-’veh-ji means “there is not time.”

The idea of a thing being important is expressed by the words iau°-°kyung kuh (要緊個). “Not being important,” by the words ’veh iau° °kyung (勿要緊), or ’veh nge° sa° (勿礙啥). “Is it important?” or “Does it make any difference?” would be nge° sa° va° (礙啥否).

’Veh lauh is often used after verbs giving the idea of inability to do a thing. Thus Chuh ’veh lauh (吃勿落) means “unable to eat.” °Zoo ’veh lauh (坐勿落) “Unable to sit because of lack of room.” We also have the affirmative forms °zoo tuh lauh (坐得落) and chuh tuh lauh (吃得落).

VOCABULARY

Lest, °sang-ts 省之.
Either, or, ok-°z 或是, ok-tse 或者.
Difficult, van-nan 煩難, or nan 難.
Easy, yoong-yi° 容易.
Slowly, gently, man°-man°-nung 慢慢能.
Walk slowly, man°-man°-ts °tseu 慢慢之走.
Besides, in addition, ling°-nga° 另外, dze-nga° 在外, or wan 還.
How much more, ‘oo-°hwaung 何况 (with nyi at the end of the clause).
Still more, kung°-°ka 更加, yoeh°-ka 越加.
To start (on a journey), °doong-sung 動身. (Lit. to move the body.)
To become ill, sang bing° 生病.
To heal, i-°hau 醫好, or khoen°-°hau 看好.
To welcome (a guest), nyung-tsih 迎接.
To return (a debt or thing borrowed), wan 還.
To cry, khok 哭.
To lead, °ling 領.
To borrow or to lend, tsia° 借. (See Note).
To wash, zing° 淨.
Illness, mau-bing° 毛病.
A sedan coolie, ih kuh jau°-pan 一個轎班, or ih kuh jau°-foo 一個轎夫.
A star, ih kuh sing 一個星.
A grave mound, ih kuh vung-san 一個墳山.
A goat, ih tsak san-yang 一隻山羊.
A hog or pig, ih tsak ts-loo 一隻猪獹.
A stool, ih tsak ngeh-°ts 一隻杌子.
A chest of drawers, ih tsak tsheu-deu 一隻抽頭.
A drawer, ih tsak tsheu thi 一隻抽屜.
A wash bowl, ih tsak mien°-bung 一隻面盆.
A plate, ih tsak bung-°ts 一隻盆子.
A Chinese eating bowl, ih tsak °wen 一隻碗.
A farmer, ih kuh tsoong°-dien nyung 一個種田人.

°Kwen (管) is the classifier for tubular things.

A Chinese or foreign pen, ih °kwen pih 一管筆.
A Chinese ink tablet, ih kuh nyien°-°ts 一個硯子, or nyien°-de 硯台.
A piece of ink, ih khwe° muh 一塊墨.
Foreign ink, muh-°s 墨水.
Clean, koen-zing° 乾淨.
Stop, ding 停.
Moon, nyoeh-liang° 月亮.
Precious, °pau-pe° 寶貝.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) Di°-kuh °z iau° °kyung kuh, °tshing noong° ’veh iau° maung-kyi°.
(2) Di°-kuh °siau-noen van° chuh ’veh lauh, °khoong-pho° °yeu mau-bing°.
(3) Kyung-tsau le-’veh-ji°, ming-tsau °lau tsoo°.
(4) °Liang kuh nyung ih tsak iui°-°ts laung° °zoo-’veh-lauh.
(5) ‘Auh-sang-°ts mung° sien-sang °‘a-°li-deu dok °chi °lau °‘a-°li-deu ding.
(6) Tshau zing°-°hau-°ts meh, faung° la° tsheu-thi °li.
(7) Tsoong°-dien-nyung °i-kyung °ma-°ts san tsak san-yang, i-kuh bang-°yeu ling°-nga° wan iau° °ma s° tsak.
(8) Noong° iung-ke °de loong-tsoong nyung °hau, ‘oo-°hwaung °de z°-ka nyung °hau nyi.
(9) Bung-°ts °lau °wen iau° kung°-ka koen-zing°.
(10) Noong° iung-ke °tsau-zung-deu °doong-sung, °‘au-pen°-nyih °doong-sung le-’veh-ji° tau° kuh.
(11) Noong° °kyi-z wan peh la° °ngoo?Ok-tse kyung-tsau °‘au-pen°-nyih, ok-tse ming-tsau °tsau-zung-deu.
(12) °Ngoo-kuh bang-°yeu sang-bing° °soo-°i iau° °tshing i-sung khoen° khoen°.
(13) Ya°-°li la° thien laung° °khau-°i khoen° too-°hau sing °lau nyoeh-liang°, nyih-°li pih-koo° khoen°-kyien° nyih-deu.
(14) Di°-kuh °siau-noen nyih-°li ’veh khok, dan°-°z ya°-deu doo° khok.
(15) °Ngoo tsia°-peh yi san-seh kwhe° yang-dien, ’veh hyau° tuh yi °kyi-z wan.
(16) Kyau° jau°-foo man°-man°-°ts °tseu iung-we° °di-diau ka ‘ah °lau.
(17) Iung-we° loo° ’veh nyung tuh °soo-°i °ngoo °tshing bih nyung °ling loo°.
(18) °Ngoo la° bang-°yeu han-deu tsia°-°ts nyan° kwhe° yang-dien iung-we° iau° °ma ih tsak kha-mien°-de °lau s° tsak ngeh-°ts.
(19) Kha °hau-ts mien°, mien°-bung iau° faung° °hau.
(20) °Ngoo °tseu tau° mung-°kheu-deu nyung-tsih khak-nyung.
(21) °Ngoo mung° i-sung °di-kuh mau-bing° i-tuh-°hau va°, yi wo° man°-man° nung we° °hau kuh.
(22) °Ts-deu, muh, pih, nyien°-de, tsoong-kok nyung soen° dok-su-nyung kuh s° yang °pau-pe°.

(一) 第個是要緊個請儂勿要忘記.
(二) 第個小囝飯吃勿落恐怕有毛病.
(三) 今朝來勿及明朝佬做.
(四) 兩個人一隻椅子上坐勿落.
(五) 學生子問先生那裏頭讀起佬那裏頭停.
(六) 抄淨好之末放拉抽屜裏.
(七) 種田人已經買之三隻山羊伊個朋友另外還要買四隻.
(八) 儂應該待攏總人好何况待自家人好呢.
(九) 盆子佬碗要更加乾淨.
(十) 儂應該早晨頭動身下半日動身來勿及到個.
(十一) 儂幾時還撥拉我? 或者今朝下半日或者明朝早晨頭.
(十二) 我個朋友生病所以要請醫生看看.
(十三) 夜裏拉天上可以看多化星佬月亮日裏必過看見日頭.
(十四) 第個小囝日裏勿哭但是夜頭大哭.
(十五) 我借撥伊三十塊洋錢勿曉得伊幾時還.
(十六) 叫轎夫慢慢之走因爲第條街狹佬.
(十七) 因爲路勿認得所以我請別人領路.
(十八) 我拉朋友壗頭借之廿塊洋錢因爲要買一隻揩面檯佬四隻杌子.
(十九) 揩好之面面盆要放好.
(廿) 我走到門口頭迎接客人.
(廿一) 我問醫生第個毛病醫得好否, 伊話慢慢能會好個.
(廿二) 紙頭, 墨, 筆, 硯台, 中國人算讀書人個四樣寶貝.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) Which is easier, to learn to read Chinese or to learn to write Chinese?
(2) I told you there was not time to do it; why do you still want to do it?
(3) Why do you cry?Because I have heard that my friend is dead.
(4) We will go early to-morrow morning to meet our friends, who have come from abroad.
(5) Goats like to stand on the tops of the grave mounds.
(6) You say that this temple is so fine to see, that I want to go more than ever to see it.
(7) Please, teacher, do not speak so fast.If you will speak more slowly, I can understand.
(8) If you do not return it immediately, no matter, I can wait two or three days.
(9) Why did not the pupil come to school?Because he was sick.
(10) I told the servant to put my clothes in the drawer.
(11) The Chinese when they eat, use bowls; the foreigners use plates.
(12) This fan belongs either to the teacher or to the pupil.
(13) If you want to learn to write you must buy a pen, a piece of ink, and an ink tablet.
(14) If you borrow money from another person, and do not return it, he will be unhappy.
(15) I told the driver to stop the carriage at my friend’s house.

(一) 那裏一樣容易點學讀中國書呢還是學寫中國字.
(二) 我對儂話來勿及做儂爲啥佬仍舊要做?
(三) 儂爲啥佬哭? 因爲我聽得我個朋友已經過世哉.
(四) 明朝早晨頭我伲要去迎接外國來個朋友.
(五) 山羊歡喜立拉坟山上.
(六) 儂話第座廟是實蓋好看所以我更加要去看.
(七) 請先生勿要話來實蓋快, 若然先生話來慢點, 我可以聽得出.
(八) 若然儂勿是就還勿礙啥, 我可以等兩三日.
(九) 學生子爲啥佬勿到學堂裏來? 因爲伊生病佬.
(十) 我叫用人放我個衣裳拉抽屜裏.
(十一) 中國人吃飯個辰光用碗外國人用盆子.
(十二) 第把扇子或者是先生個或者是學生子個.
(十三) 若然儂要學寫字儂總要買一管筆一塊墨佬一個硯台.
(十四) 若然儂拉別人壗頭借銅錢佬勿還個伊要勿快活.
(十五) 我叫馬夫停馬車拉我個朋友屋裏.

Notes.

(1) The word for “to borrow” and “to lend” is exactly the same in Chinese. The only way you can distinguish between them is by auxiliary words used in connection with them. Thus Tsia° peh (借撥) means “to lend.” Tsia° le (借來) means “to borrow.” Again Tsia° chi° (借去) means “to lend.” But we have such constructions as °Ngoo tsia° la° yi (我借拉伊), meaning “I lend to him,” and °Ngoo la° yi han-deu tsia° kuh (我拉伊壗頭借個), meaning “I borrowed it from him.”
(2) In the fifth sentence of the First Exercise Dok° °chi means “read begin,” and ding means “stop.” This is an ordinary form for asking where to begin the lesson and where to end it.
(3) In the fourteenth sentence of the First Exercise notice how doo° qualifies the verb khok
(4) The twenty-second sentence of the First Exercise is a paraphrase of a Chinese proverb.

LESSON XVII
More Verbal Idioms

In asking questions °yeu tuh? (有得) sometimes precedes a verb with the sense, “is there to be had?” Thus °Yeu-tuh °ma va°? (有得買否) means, “Is there to be bought?” °Yeu-tuh chuh va°? (有得吃否) means, “Is there anything to eat?” The answers to these questions would be °yeu-tuh °ma kuh (有得買個), °yeu tuh chuh kuh (有得吃個), “It can be bought.” “There is something to eat.”

’Veh pih (勿必) means “It is not necessary.” Thus ’Veh pih khok (勿必哭), “It is not necessary to cry.” ’Veh pih chi° (勿必去), “It is not necessary to go.”

Ih ngan ’veh (一顏勿) before the verbs means, “Not at all.” Thus °Ngoo ih ngan ’veh °hyau-tuh (我一顏勿曉得) means, “I do not know at all.” Ih ngan ’veh zung khoen°-kyien° hyih (一顏勿曾看見歇) means, “I have not seen it at all.” Ih ngan ’veh iau° khoen° (一顏勿要看) means, “I do not want to see it at all.”

VOCABULARY

To visit, to pay respects to, maung° 望, or pa° maung° 拜望.
To worship, pa° 拜.
To pay a ceremonial visit, pa° khak 拜客.
To bathe, zing° yok 淨浴.
To catch, seize, arrest, tsauh 捉.
To prepare, to provide, yui°-be° 預備.
To move a thing, °doong 動.
Loose, unstable, °doong °lau °doong 動佬動.
Immovable, °doong-°‘a ’veh-°doong 動也勿動.
To remove (a residence), pen 搬, or pen-dzang 搬塲.
To commence work, °doong °seu 動手, or khe koong 開工.
To open school, khe ‘auh 開學.
To dismiss school, faung° ‘auh 放學.
A finger, ih tsak tsih-deu 一隻指頭.
A toe, ih tsak kyak-tsih-deu 一隻脚指頭.
A cup, ih tsak pe-°ts 一隻杯子.
A clock, ih tsak z°-ming-tsoong 一隻自鳴鐘.
A watch, ih tsak piau 一隻表.
A well, ih tsak °tsing 一隻井.
A basket, ih tsak lan 一隻籃.
An apple, ih tsak bing-°koo 一隻平菓.
A crab apple, ih tsak hwo-‘oong 一隻花紅.
A towel, ih diau °seu-kyung 一條手巾.
A life, ih diau sing°-ming° 一條性命.
A hill, mountain, ih zoo° san 一座山.
A board, ih kwhe° °pan 一塊板.

Fok (幅) is the classifier of paintings or engravings.

A painting, ih fok wo° 一幅畫.
A chart or map, ih fok doo 一幅圖, or ih fok di°-°li-doo 一幅地理圖.
A picture, ih fok wo° doo 一幅畫圖.
One time, ih we 一回, ih thaung° 一盪.
Two times, twice, °liang we 兩回, or °liang thaung° 雨盪.
Whosoever, van-i° 凡係.
No matter who, ’veh lung° sa° nyung 勿論啥人.
Whatsoever, no matter what, ’veh lung° sa° 勿論啥, dzoe-bien°-sa° 隨便啥, or ’veh kyui-sa° 勿拘啥.
Whichever, dzoe-bien° 隨便.
Whatever time you please, dzoe-bien° °kyi-z 隨便幾時.
Wet, sak 濕.
Dry, koen 乾.
Always, dzang-tsaung 常庄, or dzang-dzang 常常.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) Z°-ming-tsoong kuh yoong°-deu °z peh nyung hyau°-tuh zung-kwaung.
(2) I-tsak mau ’m-sa° yoong°-deu, ih ngan ’veh we° tsauh lau-°ts.
(3) Ming-tsau °ngoo iau° tsheh chi° maung° bang-°yeu.
(4) °Ngoo thing-tuh sien-sang ’m-sa° °hau °soo-°i le maung° maung°.
(5) °Ngoo mung° mok-ziang° °zau vaung-°ts °kyi-z iau° °doong-°seu.
(6) °Liang tsak °seu °yeu zeh tsak tsih deu, °liang tsak kyak °yeu zeh tsak kyak-tsih-deu.
(7) Sang bing° meh tsoong-iau° °tshing i-sung we°-ts nyung kuh sing°-ming° °z iau° °kyung kuh.
(8) °Zaung san °z van-nan, °‘au san °z yoong-yi°.
(9) Di°-foong sing° iau° sa° nyung tan chi°?’Veh lung° sa° nyung °khau-i tan chi°.
(10) Kyung-ya°-deu iau° yui° be° °hau, we°-ts ming-tsau °tsau-zung-deu iau° °doong-sung.
(11) Yien°-°dze chi° ok-tse ming-tsau chi°, dzoe-bien° noong° meh tso.
(12) °Tsing °li °s °i-kyung koen tse, ’veh hyau°-tuh na°-nung tsoo°-deu.
(13) Zing°-ts yok iau° yoong° °seu-°kyung kha koen sung-°thi.
(14) Khan-khan °ngoo faung° nyan tsak bing-°koo la °lan °li, yien°-°dze pih-koo° °yeu °so-°ng tsak, ’veh hyau°-tuh sa° nyung tan-theh kuh.
(15) °Tsh-di° piau °yeu-tuh °ma va°?°Tsh-di° yang° yang° °yeu tuh °ma kuh.
(16) °Loong-°tsoong kuh z°-°thi °ngoo °i-°kyung hyau°-tuh, noong° ’veh pih te° °ngoo wo°.
(17) Di°-°pung su ih ngan m-meh wo°-doo.
(18) I-tsak pe-°ts °li °yeu sa° meh-z°?Pih-koo° °lang °s.
(19) Tsoo° di°-tsak de-°ts iau° yoong° °kyi kwhe° °pan?
(20) Di° sen tshaung tsoo° le ih ngan ’veh °hau, dzang-tsaung °doong-°lau °doong.
(21) Chi° koo° hyih meh?Chi° koo°-°ts °liang we.
(22) Sien-sang wo° ming-tsau ’veh °hau le, we°-ts iau° pen-dzang °lau.
(23) Van-i° nyung yoong° sing meh °khau-°i dzung-koong z°-°thi.

(一) 自鳴鐘個用頭是撥人曉得辰光.
(二) 伊隻貓無啥用頭一顔勿會捉老鼠.
(三) 明朝我要出去望朋友.
(四) 我聽得先生無啥好所以來望望
(五) 我問木匠造房子幾時要動手.
(六) 兩隻手有十隻指頭兩隻脚有十隻脚指頭.
(七) 生病末總要請醫生爲之人個性命是要緊個.
(八) 上山是煩難下山是容易.
(九) 第封信要啥人担去? 勿論啥人可以担去.
(十) 今夜頭要預備好爲之明朝早辰頭要動身.
(十一) 現在去或者明朝去隨便儂末哉.
(十二) 井裏水已經乾哉勿曉得那能做頭.
(十三) 淨之浴要用手巾揩乾身體.
(十四) 纔纔我放廿隻平菓拉籃裏現在不過有十五隻勿曉得啥人担脫個.
(十五) 此地錶有得賣否? 此地樣樣有得賣個.
(十六) 攏總個事體我已經曉得儂勿必對我話.
(十七) 第本書一顔無沒畫圖.
(十八) 伊隻杯子裏有啥物事? 必過冷水.
(十九) 做第隻檯子要用幾塊板.
(二十) 第扇窗做來一顔勿好常庄動佬動.
(廿一) 去過歇末? 去過之兩回.
(廿二) 先生話明朝勿好來爲之要搬塲佬.
(廿三) 凡係人用心末可以成功事體.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) When I have finished studying, I shall go to visit my friends.
(2) No matter who comes; tell him I am busy (have affairs).
(3) When the weather is wet I cannot go out to walk.
(4) The pupils should not eat apples in the school room.
(5) Children like to play the game of catching men.
(6) The pupils read badly to-day; I think they did not prepare.
(7) At what time does the school open, and at what time does it close?
(8) I shall be pleased to have a conversation with you whenever you come.
(9) This child does not want to study a bit; I think it would be best for him to go and do business.
(10) I have already told you two or three times; do not forget.
(11) Next month we shall remove our residence.
(12) Near Shanghai there are no high hills, only grave mounds.
(13) I cannot open this window; it is immovable.
(14) Has the clock already struck?
(15) How many eggs are there in the basket?

(一) 我讀罷之書要出去望朋友.
(二) 勿論啥人來對伊話我有事體.
(三) 天濕末我勿能彀出去跑路.
(四) 拉學堂間裏學生子勿應該吃平菓.
(五) 小囝歡喜做捉人個勃相.
(六) 今朝學生子讀來勿好我想伊拉勿曾預備.
(七) 啥辰光開學, 啥辰光放學?
(八) 儂隨便幾時來我蠻歡喜對儂白話.
(九) 第個小囝一顔勿歡喜讀書我想頂好伊出去做生意.
(十) 我已輕對儂話兩三回勿要忘記.
(十一) 下個月我伲要搬塲.
(十二) 近上海無沒高山必過坟山.
(十三) 第扇窗開勿來個動也勿動.
(十四) 鐘已輕敲過末.
(十五) 籃裏有幾個蛋?

Notes.

(1) In the fourth sentence of the First Exercise ’m-sa° °hau means “not at all well.”
(2) In the eleventh sentence of the First Exercise the expression Dzoe-bien° noong° meh tse is one very frequently used. It implies, “do it whenever and however you please”
(3) In the fourteenth sentence of the First Exercise Tan theh means “take away.” We have already had the use of Theh after verbs, as Thoeh-theh, “to take off clothes.”It can be used with almost any verb of motion. We have Peh theh, “to give away.” Chuh-theh, “to eat up.” Chi°-theh, “to cast off, disown.” Ma°-theh, “to sell away, etc.”
(4) In the fifteenth sentence of the First Exercise Yang° yang° repeated means, “Things of every sort.”
(5) Note that the usual expression in Chinese to say you are busy is °Ngoo °yeu z°-°thi. It is never very polite to tell any one that you are busy. A person asking whether you were busy would say maung va°?“Are you busy?”
(6) In the fifth sentence of the Second Exercise the game Tsauh nyung, frequently played by Chinese children, is referred to.
(7) In the eighth sentence of the Second Exercise the clauses should be reversed. Noong° dzoe-bien° °kyi-z-le should come first.
(8) In the ninth sentence of the Second Exercise “to go and do business” is Chi° tsoo° sang-i°
(9) In the fourteenth sentence of the Second Exercise Tsoong khau koo° meh is the usual way of asking the question. Tsoong is shortened form of Z°-ming tsoong

LESSON XVIII
More Verbal Idioms

Siang (相) is often placed before transitive verbs and usually gives the idea of mutual or reciprocal. In some cases it is reflexive. As instances of reciprocal action we have siang-°tang (相打), “to fight with one another.” Siang-mo° (相駡), “to revile one another.” siang-lien (相聯), “to be connected together.” Siang-paung (相幫), “to help one another.”

Khe (開) or Khe-le (開來) is used with many verbs to give the idea of spreading wide open. Thus Than-khe-le (攤開來) means “to unroll a bundle.” Hyih-khe-le (揭開來) means “to open a box.” Fung-khe (分開), “to divide,” san°-khe (散開), “to scatter wide cast.” Tshih-khe (切開) or tshih-khe-le (切開來) means “to cut open, etc.”

Not inclined to do a thing is expressed by the phrase ’veh kau-hyung° (勿高興). Thus ’Veh kau-hyung° chi° (勿高興去), “not inclined to go.”

VOCABULARY

To follow, kung 跟.
To tie, vok 縛.
To tie firmly, vok-lau 縛牢, or vok lau-dzu° 縛牢住.
To desire, to expect, maung° 望, or po-maung° 把望.
To bite, °ngau 咬.
To bark, kyau 叫.
To blow, tsh 吹.
To blow out, to extinguish, tsh °iung 吹隱.
To blow into a blaze or flame, tsh yaung° 吹旺.
To fly, fi 飛.
To explain, °ka-seh 解釋.
To forsake, desert, depart from, li-khe 離開.
To permit, °hyui 許.
To allow, nyang° 讓.
Colour, ngan-suh 顏色.
Variegated colours, °ng-ngan-loh-suh 五顏六色.
Thought or meaning, i°-s° 意思.
A thief, ih kuh zuk 一個賊.

Mien° (面) is used as the classifier for flat objects.

A drum, ih mien° koo 一面鼓.
Hope, maung°-deu 望頭.
Wind, foong 風.
Wine, °tsieu 酒.
Rope, ih diau zung, 一條繩 or ih kung zung 一根繩.

Tsung (尊) is the classifier denoting idols or cannon.

A Buddhist idol, ih tsung veh 一尊佛, or ih tsung boo-sah 一尊菩薩.
A Taoist god or idol, ih tsung zung-dau° 一尊神道.
A piece of bread, ih kwhe° men-deu 一塊饅頭.
A piece of meat, ih khwe° nyok 一塊肉.

Khoo (顆) is the classifier used with plants, trees and flowers.

A tree, ih khoo zu° 一顆樹.
A flowering plant, ih khoo hwo 一顆花.
Cotton seed, hwo-°ts 花子.
A Chinese mile, ih °li 一里, or ih °li-loo° 一里路.
To regret, to be placed in an embarrassing position, nan-we-dzing 難爲情.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) Di°-kuh °liang kuh ‘auh-sang-°ts °ngoo ’veh °hyui tsheh chi° beh-siang° we°-ts la° ‘auh-daung °li siang mo° °lau.
(2) Di° kyui° seh-wo° kuh i°-s° °ngoo ’veh °toong °tshing sien-sang °ka-seh.
(3) Di°-tsak °tiau fi le kau-le-°si.
(4) Tsauh-dzak-°ts i-kuh zuh iau° yoong° ih kung zung vok-lau-°ts.
(5) Di° khoo hwo kuh ngan suh ’man tshui°.
(6) Ya°-°li kwhung° kuh z-‘eu° tung iau° tsh °iung.
(7) °Ngoo faung° la° tshaung-°kheu laung° kuh ih tsang °ts-deu peh foong tsh-theh tse.
(8) Zak-zen °tshing khak °lau m-meh °tsieu °z nan-we-dzing kuh.
(9) ’Veh iau° pho°, di°-tsak °keu ’veh °ngau kuh.
(10) °Ngoo tau° miau° °li khoen°-kyien° ih tsung veh °lau too-°hau boo-sah.
(11) °Ngoo thing-tuh °yeu nyung la° khau °koo.
(12) Di°-deu tau° °Zaung-°he °yeu °so-°ng °li-loo°.
(13) Soe-zen di° khoo zu° ’man °hau khoen°, zen-r ’veh khe hwo kuh.
(14) Zak-zen noong° iau° tau° san laung°, nyang° °ngoo kung noong° chi°.
(15) Men-deu °tshing noong° tshih-khe-le peh ih kwhe° la° °ngoo chuh.
(16) Bing° sang le ’man °dzoong, yien°-°dze i-sung m-meh maung°-deu.
(17) Tsoong°-dien-nyung nau hwo-°ts san°-khe-le.
(18) ‘Auh-sang-°ts beh-siang° ’man kau-hyung°, dok su ’veh da° kau-hyung°.
(19) Li-khe-ts °Zaung-°he nan-meh °ngoo tau° Soo-tseu chi° tse.
(20) °Ngoo po-maung° yi le, ’veh hyau°-tuh yi na°-nung wan ’veh zung le.

(一) 第個兩個學生子我勿許出去勃相爲之拉學堂裏相駡佬.
(二) 第句說話個意思我勿懂請先生解釋.
(三) 第隻鳥飛來高來死.
(四) 捉着之一個賊要用一根繩縛牢之.
(五) 第顆花個顔色蠻趣.
(六) 夜裏睏個時候燈要吹隱.
(七) 我放拉窗口上個一張紙頭撥風吹脫哉.
(八) 若然請客佬無沒酒是難爲情個.
(九) 勿要怕第隻狗勿咬個.
(十) 我到廟裏看見一尊佛佬多化菩薩.
(十一) 我聽得有人拉敲鼓.
(十二) 第頭到上海有十五里路.
(十三) 雖然第顆樹蠻好看然而勿開花個.
(十四) 若然儂要到山上讓我跟儂去.
(十五) 饅頭請儂切開來撥一塊拉我吃.
(十六) 病生來蠻重現在醫生無沒望頭.
(十七) 種田人拿花子散開來.
(十八) 學生子勃相蠻高興讀書勿大高興.
(十九) 離開之上海難末我到蘇州去哉.
(二十) 我把望伊來勿曉得伊那能還勿曾來.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) The dog bit the sheep two or three times; it will probably die.
(2) To-day there is no wind, and so it is not cold.
(3) Men ought not to drink too much wine.
(4) I have eaten a slice of meat and drunk a cup of tea, and now am able to walk.
(5) Men can walk, only birds can fly.
(6) There are many trees and flowers on the hill.
(7) Many Chinese worship Buddhist and Taoist idols.
(8) I wanted to follow you, but the teacher would not permit me.
(9) Let me go and tell him that you have already returned.
(10) I will use my knife and cut open the pear.
(11) I heard the dogs barking in the night and so could not sleep.
(12) Children like to play at beating the drum.
(13) These flowers are of many different colours.
(14) How many miles is it to Soochow?
(15) When the pupils take an advanced lesson, the teacher should first explain it to them.

(一) 狗咬之羊兩三回恐怕要死脫.
(二) 今朝無沒風所以勿冷.
(三) 人勿應該多吃酒.
(四) 我已經吃之一塊肉佬一碗茶佬現在走得動哉.
(五) 人會走必過鳥會飛.
(六) 山上有多化樹佬花.
(七) 多化中國人拜菩薩佬神道.
(八) 我要跟儂但是先生勿許我去.
(九) 讓我去告訴伊儂已輕轉來哉.
(十) 我要用我個刀切開第隻生梨.
(十一) 夜裏我聽得狗垃拉叫所以睏勿着.
(十二) 小囝歡喜敲鼓做勃相.
(十三) 第顆花是五顔六色個.
(十四) 到蘇州有幾化里路.
(十五) 學生子要上書先生應該先對伊拉解釋.

Notes.

(1) In the Buddhist religion in China a Buddha or one of his manifestations is known as a ’veh, the bodhisattvas are known as Boo-sah
(2) A Chinese mile is about one-third of an English mile.
(3) In the sixteenth sentence of the First Exercise notice the expression ’man °dzoong, “very heavy.” This is the way the Chinese speak of a serious illness. They also speak of a disease being light, chung, just as we do.
(4) In the eighteenth sentence of the First Exercise ’veh da° means “not very,” This is a very frequent expression.
(5) In the seventh sentence of the First Exercise, tshaung-°kheu laung° means “on the window sill.”

LESSON XIX
Asking Questions, Expecting Negative and Affirmative Answers

In addition to the interrogative forms already given there are ways of asking questions when a negative, or when an affirmative answer is expected.

Thus when the negative answer is expected, the clause begins with °chi (豈) and ends with nyi (呢). Thus °Chi °yeu sa° yoong°-deu nyi (豈有啥用頭呢). “Is it of any use?” It implies that it is not of any use and expects the negative answer. °Chi (豈) corresponds to the Latin num, and implies No, or a negative of the proposition conveyed.

When the affirmative answer is expected the clause begins with °chi ’veh (豈吥) and ends with the usual interrogative va° (否).

Thus °Chi ’veh iung-ke tsoo° va° (豈吥應該做否), “Ought you not to do it?” Implies that you ought to do it and expects the affirmative answer.

It will be seen that in this case also the °chi (豈) expects the negative of the proposition conveyed, that is, the negative of a negative proposition which is an affirmative. In other words the answer is, “That you ought not not to do it,” or “You ought to do it.”

VOCABULARY

Every place or everywhere, kauh tshu° 各處, or kauh-tau°-lauh-tshu° 各到落處.
Of course, z°-zen 自然.
Afterwards, hereafter, °‘eu-°seu 後首, °‘eu-le 後來, or °i-°‘eu 以後.
Until, dzuk-tau° 直到; wait until, °tung-tau° 等到.
Daily, nyih nyih 日日, or nyih-dzok 日逐.
About, iak-kwe 約親, or iak-tsak 約酌.
About the same (not much difference), tsho-’veh-too 差吥多.
Secretly, ‘en°-‘en°-°li 暗暗裏.
True, tsung 眞.
False, °ka 假.
Secure, °‘wung-taung° 穩當.
A long time, dzang-°yoen 長遠, dzang-°yoen-tse 長遠哉, or ta-z-tse 多時哉.

Phih (疋) is the classifier denoting whole pieces of dry goods.

A piece of cloth, ih phih poo° 一疋布.
A piece of shirting, ih phih yang poo° 一疋洋布.
A piece of silk, ih phih dzeu 一疋綢.
A piece of satin, ih phih doen°-°ts 一疋緞子.
Grass, °tshau 草.
Vegetation in general, hwo-°tshau-zu°-mok 花草樹木.
Coal, me 煤.
To add, ka 加.
To add a little, ka-°thien 加點.
Honest, lau-zeh 老實
A piece of land, ih kwhe° di°-bi 一塊地皮.
A piece of stone, ih kwhe° zak-deu 一塊石頭.
To pawn, taung° 當, or taung°-theh 當脫.
To mortgage, ah 押, or ah-theh 押脫.
To change a dollar into cash, de° 兌.
A ten cent piece, ih kauh 一角.
One cent, ih fung 一分.
Twenty cents, °liang kauh 兩角, si° khe 四開.
A half a dollar, pen° kwhe° yang-dien 半塊洋錢.
Small money, °siau kauh-°ts 小角子, or °siau yang-dien 小洋錢.
Change, °tsau-deu 找頭.
Ricksha coolie, tsho-foo 車夫.
A great many, kyau-kwan 交關.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) We°-ts °lang °lau °hoo-loo °li iau° ka-°thien me.
(2) °Ma °hau-ts, °tsau-deu iau° peh °ngoo.
(3) ’Veh zung °zoo toong-yang-tsho iung-ke tah tsho-foo sien °kaung ding° peh yi °kyi kauh.
(4) I-kuh nyung °i-kyung taung°-theh-ts i-kuh i-zaung.
(5) °Ngoo iau° °ma i-kwhe° di°-bi dan°-°z °ngoo thing-tuk °i-kyung ah-theh tse.
(6) °Mo ’man hwen-°hyi chuh °tshau.
(7) °Ngoo pih-koo° °yeu pen° kwhe° yang-dien °soo-°i °ma-’veh-°chi.
(8) Yi ’veh °khung lau-zeh wo° °soo-°i °ngoo ’veh °hau siang-sing°.
(9) Noong° °chi ’veh iung-ke tsoo° dzuk-tau° tsoo° °hau va°?
(10) °Ngoo soe-zen kauh-tau° lauh-tshu° zing °‘a zing-’veh-dzak.
(11) Noong° wo° lau-zeh wo°, nyung z°-zen siang-sing° kuh.
(12) Nyih nyih dok su z°-zen °khau-°i ‘auh kuh.
(13) °Tung tau° noong° dok-wen °ts di°-°pung su nan-meh noong° we° wo° tsoong-kok wo°.
(14) Di°-kuh °liang phih poo° kuh ngan-suh tsho-’veh-too ih yang° kuh.
(15) ‘En°-‘en°-°li tsoo° z°-°thi °chi °yeu sa° yoong°-deu nyi?
(16) Di°-deu tau° Soo-tseu °yeu °kyi-hau° °li soo?Iak-kwhe °yeu san pak °li-loo°.
(17) Di°-kwhe° zak-deu iau° °pa le °’wung-taung° °tien.
(18) Yi chi°-ts dzang-°yoen-tse wan ’veh zung °tsen le.
(19) °Ngoo sien iau° ‘auh dok su °‘eu-le ‘auh °sia z°.
(20) Hwo-°tshau-zu°-mok nyung nyung hwen-°hyi khoen°.
(21) Doo° yang-dien de°-°ts °siau yang-dien iau° taung sing iung-we° °yeu too-hau° °siau kauh-°ts °z °ka kuh.
(22) Tsung °lau °ka van-nan khoen°-tuh-tsheh.
(23) Di°-°pung su °yeu kyau-kwan z° °ngoo suh-’veh-tsheh kuh.

(一) 爲之冷佬火爐裏要加點煤.
(二) 買好之找頭要撥我.
(三) 勿曾坐東洋車應該搭車夫先講定撥伊幾角.
(四) 伊個人已經當脫之伊個衣裳.
(五) 我要買伊塊地皮但是我聽得已經押脫哉.
(六) 馬蠻歡喜吃草.
(七) 我必過有半塊洋錢所以買勿起.
(八) 伊勿肯老實話所以我勿好相信.
(九) 儂豈勿應該做直到做好否?
(十) 我雖然各到落處尋也尋勿着.
(十一) 儂話老實話人自然相信個.
(十二) 日日讀書自然可以學個.
(十三) 等到儂讀完之第本書難末儂會話中國話.
(十四) 第個兩疋布個顔色差勿多一樣個.
(十五) 暗暗裏做事體豈有啥用頭呢?
(十六) 第頭到蘇州有幾化里數? 約規有三百里路.
(十七) 第塊石頭要擺來穩當點.
(十八) 伊去之長遠哉還勿曾轉來.
(十九) 我先要學讀書後來學寫字.
(二十) 花草樹木人人歡喜看.
(廿一) 大洋鈿兌之小洋錢要當心因爲有多化小角子是假個.
(廿二) 眞佬假煩難看得出.
(廿三) 第本書有交關字我識勿出個.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) I do not know where the child has gone to; I have looked for him everywhere and do not know where to find him.
(2) Call the servant to come and add some coal.
(3) I told the pupil to sit here until the teacher returned.
(4) I was almost beaten to death by him.
(5) Take the dollar and change it into cash.
(6) An honest man speaks true words.
(7) I thought he was coming, but afterwards he wrote a letter to me and told me he could not come.
(8) The children have played for a long time and now they should go to sleep.
(9) Can you say that you did not know this?
(10) Is it not good to do things so as to please others?
(11) I had to walk here because I had no small money, and so could not call a ricksha.
(12) If he said he would do it, of course he will do it.
(13) How many cash can you get for a dollar?
(14) That man is not at all honest, and he has already pawned a lot of clothes which were not his own.
(15) This man wears silk and satin; he must have a lot of money.

(一) 小囝到那裏去我勿曉得, 我各到落處去尋伊尋勿着.
(二) 叫傭人來加點煤.
(三) 我叫學生子坐拉第頭等到先生轉來.
(四) 我差勿多撥伊打殺哉.
(五) 拿第塊洋錢兌銅錢.
(六) 老實個人話眞個說話.
(七) 我想伊要來但是後來伊寫一封信來話伊勿好來.
(八) 小囝勃相之長遠哉現在應該去睏.
(九) 儂豈可以話第個是儂勿曉得否?
(十) 做事體撥別人快活豈吥是好否?
(十一) 因爲我無沒小洋錢勿能彀叫東洋車所以我只好走.
(十二) 若然伊話要做個難末自然要做個.
(十三) 一塊洋錢可以兌幾化銅錢?
(十四) 伊個人一顔勿老實已經當脫之多化勿是伊自家個衣裳.
(十五) 第個人着之綢佬緞子個衣裳伊一定有多化洋錢.

Notes.

(1) In the third sentence of the First Exercise the expression °kaung ding° (講定) means “to settle the price.” Literally it signifies declaiming to a fixed point.
(2) In the sixteenth sentence of the First Exercise °Soo (數) is added after °li (里) for the sake of euphony.
(3) In the twenty-third sentence of the First Exercise suh (識) is used. This is always used of knowing characters in the Chinese language. Sometimes it is used in the expression Suh hoo° kuh (識貨個), meaning “to understand affairs.” A man who does not suh hoo° is a stupid fellow.

LESSON XX
More Verbal Idioms

Tuk dzu° (得住) and ’veh dzu° (勿住) are often used after the verb Lih (立) to stand, and give the sense of “able to stand,” or “unable to stand.” Thus Lih-tuh-dzu° (立得住) means “able to stand,” and Lih-’veh-dzu° (立勿住) unable to stand. The same words are used after other verbs also. Thus we have Khau°-tuh-dzu° (靠得住), meaning “Worthy to be trusted” and Khau°-’veh-dzu° (靠勿住), meaning “Unworthy to be trusted.”

Tuh-koo° (得過) is also used after verbs, and ’Veh-koo° (勿過). Thus we have °Tang-tuh-koo° (打得過), meaning “Able to beat him.” Literally “Beat, obtain surpass.” °Tang-’veh-koo° (打勿過) means “Unable to beat him.” Literally “Beat, not surpass.”

The expressions I°-tuh-koo° (意得過) and I°-’veh-koo° (意勿過) are also idiomatic. The former means, “Within the range of pity;” the latter “Beyond the range of pity,” or “greatly to be commiserated.”

VOCABULARY

Year, nyien 年, or soe° 歲.
To steal, theu 偷.
To beg, °thau 討.
A beggar, °thau-van°-kuh 討飯個. Lit. “To beg rice,” or kau°-hwo°-°ts 告化子.
To marry a wife, °thau-nyang-°ts 討娘子. Lit. “To beg for a wife.” See note.
To tie (as a small parcel), tsah 紥.
To bind with a cord, °paung 綁
To command, fung-foo° 分付.
Price, ka°-dien (價錢) or ‘aung-dzing 行情. Most frequently used is the market.
How much is it, or what is the price? Sa° ka°-dien? 啥價錢 or sa° ‘aung-dzing?
A soldier, ih kuh ping-ting 一個兵丁.
A thief, ih kuh zuh 一個賊.
A robber, ih kuh °jang-°dau 一個強盜.
A magistrate or mandarin, ih kuh kwen-°foo, or ih kuh kwen 一個官府. ih we° (一位) is often used as the classifier.
Mandarin dialect, kwen wo° 官話 or kok-nyui° 國語.
Shanghai dialect, °Zaung-°he °thoo-bak 上海土白.
A Buddhist priest, ih kuh oo-zaung° 一個和尙.
A Taoist priest, ih kuh dau°-z 一個道士.
A nun, ih kuh nyi-koo 一個尼姑.
Number, soo°-mak 數目.

Tsang (張) is the classifier used for sheets of things.

A newspaper, ih tsang sing-vung-°ts 一張新聞紙.
A proclamation, ih tsang kau°-z° 一張告示.
A sheet of paper, ih tsang °ts-deu 一張紙頭.

Pau (包) is the classifier used for bales of things.

A bale of merchandize, ih pau hoo°-suh 一包貨色.

Te (堆) is the classifier used for piles of things.

A pile of timber, ih te mok-deu 一堆木頭.
A pile of bricks, ih te lok-tsen 一堆䃙磚.

°Kwen (管) is the classifier for tubular things.

A flute, ih °kwen dih 一管笛.
A pen, ih °kwen pih 一管筆.
A pencil, ih °kwen khan-pih 一管鉛筆.
Green, lok 綠.
Red, ‘oong 紅.
Blue, lan 藍.
Yellow, waung 黃.
Black, huh 黑.
Few, °sau 少.
Truly, zeh-°dze 實在.
More than, ’veh °ba 勿罷. More than a hundred men is ’veh °ba ih pak nyung 勿罷一百人.
Less than, ’veh siau 勿消, or ’veh °men 勿滿.
A small quantity of, °tien (used after the verb) 點.
People, pak-sing° 百姓.
Tea, dzo 茶.
Tea leaf, dzo-yih 茶葉.
The whole of a thing, ih tshih 一切.
A man or two, koen-°po-nyung 干把人.
About (used with a number), °po 把.
About a hundred, pak °po 百把.
Nearly, mau 毛.
Nearly three miles, mau san °li-loo° 毛三里路.
A queue, ih diau °bien-°ts 一條辮子.
Hair on the head, deu-fah 頭髪.
News, sing°-sih 信息.
To take things by force, °tsiang 搶, or °tsiang doeh 搶奪.
To tie up, °paung 綁, or vok 縳.
To put forth a proclamation, tsheh kau°-z° 出告示.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) I-kuh zuh dzang-tsaung le theu meh-z°, tsauh dzak-ts meh iau° °paung yi °chi-le.
(2) °Ngoo khoen°-kyien° sing-vung-°ts laung° wo° kwen-°foo °i-kyung tsheh kau°-z° tsha ping-ting chi° tsauh °jang-dau°.
(3) Noong° na°-nung °lau peh yi °tang, iung-we° °ngoo °tang-’veh-koo° yi °lau.
(4) °Ngoo la° miau° °li khoen°-kyien° too-hau° ‘oo-zaung° la° pa° boo-sah.
(5) Noong° iau° ‘auh kwen-wo° nyi ‘auh °Zaung-°he °thoo-bak.
(6) ‘Oo-zaung° tah-ts dau°-z° °z °liang yang° kuh, ‘oo-zaung° m-meh deu-fah, dau° z° °yeu °bien-°ts kuh.
(7) °Ngoo dzang-°yoen ’veh khoen° sing-vung-°ts tse, kyung-tsau °yeu sa° sing°-sih va°?
(8) Di°-kuh ih pau hoo°-suh sa°-ka° dien?
(9) I-kuh °siau-noen °kyi soe° tse?Lok soe°.
(10) Nyi-°s-ziang° °i-kyung °ma-ts ih te lok-tsen yui°-be° °zau vaung-°ts.
(11) Ya°-°li °yeu nyoeh-liang°, nyung hwen-°hyi tsh dih.
(12) Di°-kuh ih pau °li-hyang° °yeu °kyi °kwen pih?°Yeu ih pak °kwen.
(13) Yi we°-sa°-°lau ’veh °thau-nyang-°ts?Iung-we° yien°-°dze °thau-’veh-°chi °lau.
(14) San laung° °Ngoo khoen° too-hau° hwo, °yeu ‘oong °lau waung °lau bak, zeh-°dze °khau-°i wo° °ng-ngan-loh-suh kuh.
(15) Nga°-kok nyung hwen-°hyi yoong° khan-pih °sia z°.
(16) Tau° °Zaung-°he ’veh °men nyan° °li-loo°, °lau ’veh °ba zeh-nyi° °li-loo°.
(17) Iung-we° °ngoo khoen°-kyien° i-kuh °thau van°-kuh dzang-°yoen ’veh chuh sa°, keh-°lau kyau° yoong°-nyung peh °tien meh-z° yi chuh.
(18) Di° kuh pau iau° tsah °hau tan tau° tien° °li chi°.
(19) °Lau-zeh kau°-soo° °ngoo °z zeh-ke° ka°-dien ’va°?
(20) S° °lau tshih °lau pah °z sa° kuh soo°-mak?°Z zeh °kyieu.
(21) Nyi-koo °z, ’veh tsheh ka° kuh °siau-°tsia.

(一) 伊個賊常莊來偷物事捉着之末要綁伊起來.
(二) 我看見新聞紙上話官府已經出告示差兵丁去捉強盜.
(三) 儂那能佬撥伊打? 因爲我打勿過伊佬.
(四) 我拉廟裏看見多化和尙拉拜菩薩.
(五) 儂要學官話呢學上海土白.
(六) 和尚搭之道士是兩樣個和尙無沒頭髪道士有辮子個.
(七) 我常遠勿看新聞紙哉今朝有啥信息否?
(八) 第個一包貨色啥價錢?
(九) 伊個小囝幾歲哉? 六歲.
(十) 泥水匠已經買之一堆碌磚預備造房子.
(十一) 夜裏有月亮, 人歡喜吹笛.
(十二) 第個一包裏向有幾管筆? 有一百管.
(十三) 伊爲啥佬勿討娘子? 因爲現在討勿起佬.
(十四) 山上我看多化花有紅佬黃佬白實在可以話五顔六色個.
(十五) 外國人歡喜用鉛筆寫字.
(十六) 到上海勿滿念里路佬勿罷十二里路.
(十七) 因爲我看見伊個討飯個長遠勿吃啥蓋佬叫傭人撥點物事伊吃.
(十八) 第個包要紥好拿到店裏去.
(十九) 老實告訴我是實蓋價錢否.
(二十) 四佬七佬八是啥個數目? 是十九.
(廿一) 尼姑是勿出嫁個小姐.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) If you do not read the newspaper, you will not know the news, and then when you converse with others, you will have nothing to say.
(2) When a man dies the Chinese invite Buddhist and Taoist priests to the house to perform funeral ceremonies.
(3) I put my pen and pencil on my writing table, but now I cannot find them; has any one been in and taken them?
(4) Which do you think is the pleasanter to listen to, mandarin or the Shanghai dialect?
(5) When I was young I very much liked to play the flute.
(6) A thief enters secretly and steals things, a robber kills men and enters and takes things by force.
(7) Chinese are called yellow men, foreigners white men.
(8) When you go to the shop, ask the price of the boots, and come and tell me.
(9) I caught the thief and bound him to the tree.
(10) If you use a foreign pen to write Chinese characters, they do not look well; you must learn to use a Chinese pen.
(11) The Chinese beggars in the city are numberless.
(12) When the Mandarin has important things to announce to the people, he puts forth a proclamation.
(13) I saw more than a thousand soldiers.
(14) The merchant bought more than five hundred chests of tea.
(15) Are three hundred dollars sufficient to buy the house?Less than three hundred will do.

(一) 苦然儂勿看新聞紙信息儂勿會曉得難沒儂搭別人白話儂無啥好話.
(二) 人死之末中國人請和尙佬道士到屋裏來念經.
(三) 我個筆佬鉛筆擺拉寫字檯上但是現在尋勿着, 有啥人進來拿脫否?
(四) 儂想官話佬上海土白那裏一樣好聽點?
(五) 年紀輕個時候我蠻歡喜吹笛.
(六) 賊末偷伴之進來偷物事強盜末打殺之人佬進來搶物事.
(七) 中國人是叫黄人外國人是叫白人.
(八) 儂到店裏去問鞋子個價錢來告訴我.
(九) 我捉之伊個賊佬綁伊拉樹上.
(十) 若然用外國筆佬寫中國字是勿好看個儂終要學用中國筆.
(十一) 城裏個告化子無數目拉.
(十二) 官府有要緊個事體對百姓話末伊要出告示.
(十三) 我看見勿罷一千兵丁.
(十四) 生意人買之勿罷五百箱個茶葉.
(十五) 買房子三百塊洋錢有末? 勿消三百塊個.

Notes.

(1) To marry a wife is expressed by °Thau nyang-°ts. When we speak of a woman being married we use the expression Tsheh ka° (出嫁), literally to go forth from the house or family. The woman leaves her own family entirely and joins the family of the husband whom she marries.
(2) The words ’Veh-°ba (勿罷), more than, and ’Veh siau (勿消), less than, are used in answer to questions. The words ’Veh-°men (勿滿) are often used for less than, meaning literally “Not full.”
(3) In the second sentence of the Second Exercise “to perform funeral ceremonies” should be translated Tsoo° koong-tuh (做功德), or Nyan°-kyung (念經). It means to say masses for the soul of the departed.
(4) In the thirteenth sentence of the Second Exercise, “More than a thousand soldiers” can be expressed Ih tshien too (一干多) and in the fourteenth sentence “More than five hundred chests of tea” °Ng pak too (五百多).
(5) In the fifteenth sentence of the Second Exercise the answer would be ’Veh siau san pak kwhe° (勿消三百塊).
(6) In the fifth sentence of the Second Exercise “When I was young” is translated Nyien kyi° chung° kuh z-‘eu° (年紀輕個時候), literally “The time when my years were light”.
(7) In the eleventh sentence of the Second Exercise “Numberless” is translated m-soo°-mak (無數目), literally “Without number.”

LESSON XXI
Verbal Idioms, Ordinals, and Remarks on the Expression of Time

To express the idea of “about to do a thing” in Chinese you can use the words tsiang-iau° (將要). Tsiang-iau°-chi° (將要去) means “about to go.” Tsiang-iau° °si (將要死) means “about to die.” Another way of expressing the same idea is by adding kwha° tse after the verb. Kwha° means “fast.” Chi° kwha° tse (去快哉) means “I will go fast,” that is, in a moment. Le kwha° tse (來快哉) means “will come fast,” that is, in a few minutes. Thih-°tsung is often used, meaning “just on the point of doing a thing.” Thus °Ngoo thih-°tsung iau° chi° (我貼準要去) means “I was just going.”

The expression “According to,” or “as it seems to me,” is expressed in Chinese by the words tsau° °ngoo khoen° (照我看). Tsau° °ngoo (照我) used alone would mean “Follow me,” “Follow my example.”

The Ordinals are formed from the Numerals in a very simple way. The word deu (頭) is prefixed before the first numeral and di° (第) before all the others. Thus “the first” is deu ih (頭一), the second is di° nyi° (第二), the third is di° san (第三), and so on. When first is used with the verb in the sense of the action being prior to some other action the word sien (先) is used. Thus we have Noong° veh zung tsheh chi° kuh zien-deu °ngoo sien iau° kau°-soo° noong° ih tsaung z°-°thi (儂勿曾出去個前頭我先要告訴儂一莊事體), meaning, “Before you go I first want to tell you something.” Again Sien tsoo° di°-yang° nan-meh tsoo° i-yang° (先做第樣難末做伊樣) means “First do this and then do that.” Again we have for the same expression Sien tsoo° di° kuh, man° tsoo° i-kuh (先做第個慢做伊個), “First do this, slowly do that.”

REMARKS ON TIME

About midnight, pen°-ya°-°po 半夜把.
Just before daylight, thien-liang°-kwha° 天亮快.
In the evening, waung-hwung-deu 黃昏頭, or waung-hwung-°doong 黃昏動.
Last month, zien-nyoeh 前月, or zien kuh nyoeh 前個月.
Next month, °‘au-nyoeh 下月, or °‘au kuh nyoeh 下個月.
First part of the month, nyoeh deu 月頭, or nyoeh-deu-laung° 月頭上.
The end of the month, nyoeh °ti 月底.
The middle of the month, nyoeh-pen° 月半.
Every month, nyoeh-nyoeh 月月, nyoeh-too 月多, or °’me-nyoeh 每月.
First day of the month, tshoo-ih 初一; second day of the month, tshoo nyi° 初二, and so on up to the tenth day of the month, which is tshoo zeh. After that di° 第 is used instead of tshoo. Thus the thirteenth of the month would be di° zeh-san 第十三.
A year, ih-nyien 一年.
Half a year, pen°-nyien 半年.
This year, kyung-nyien 今年.
Last year, jeu°-nyien 舊年.
Next year, khe-nyien 開年, le-nyien 來年, ming-nyien 明年.
Every year, nyien-nyien 年年, each year, °’me-nyien 每年. (See note).
The new year, sing-nyien 新年.
New year’s day, nyien-tshoo-ih 年初一.
The end of the year, nyien ya° 年夜, literally “the night of the year.” Also we have nyien-°ti 年底.
At the beginning of the year, nyien-deu-laung° 年頭上.
To pass from the old year to the new, koo° nyien 過年.
°Zaung-pen° and °‘au-pen° are used with year, month, and night, just as they are used with day to denote the first half and the second half. Thus we have °zaung-pen°-nyien 上半年 for the first half of the year, and °‘au-pen°-nyien 下半年 for the second half.
Rice (bought in the shop), °mi 米.
Work, sang-wei 生活.
Answer, we-sing° 回信.
Beginning, °chi-deu 起頭.
Again, tse° 再.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) Leh-la° nyoeh-pen°, nyoeh-liang° °ting °hau khoen°.
(2) °Hoo-loo iau° °iung kwha° tse °soo-°i iau° ka-°thien me.
(3) Tsau° °ngoo khoen°, di° kuh nyung °z khau°-’veh-dzu° kuh.
(4) °Tsau-zung-deu nyih-deu tsheh le, ya°-kwha° lauh-san.
(5) Di°-kuh °z °ngoo di° nyi° kuh nyi-°ts, deu ih kuh °i-kyung tsheh mung tse.
(6) Nyien tshoo ih too-hau° nyung chi° pa° nyien.
(7) Jeu° nyien °mi kyui°-le-°si, kyung nyien jang tse.
(8) Noong° °‘a-°li-deu koo° nyien?°Ngoo °siang la° ok-°li koo° nyien.
(9) Noong° su dok°-ts °kyi-z tse?Pih-koo° pen° nyien.
(10) Nyien ya° nyung nyung °yeu z°-°thi, sing-nyien °li °loong-°tsoong nyung beh-siang°.
(11) Yi tsiang-iau° chi° kuh z-‘eu° °yeu nyung le kyau° yi ’veh iau° chi°.
(12) °Tshing zoo° ih hyih, sien-sang iau° le kwha° tse.
(13) Thien-liang°-kwha° °z °ting °lang kuh z-‘eu°.
(14) °‘Au kuh nyoeh °ngoo iau° tsheh mung, tau° Soo-tseu chi°.
(15) Jeu°-nyien sang-i° ih ngan ’veh °hau kyung-nyien po-maung° yi °hau-°tien.
(16) °Zaung-pen°-nyien di° kuh ‘auh-sang-°ts su dok le man °hau, °‘au-pen°-nyien ih ngan ’veh °hau.
(17) I-zak vaung-°ts °kyi-z °khau-°i °zau °hau?°Ngoo °siang khe-nyien °khau-°i °zau °hau.
(18) Lok nyoeh tshoo-san °ngoo °sia ih foong sing° peh la° yi, yien°-°dze °z tshih nyoeh tshoo-ih dan°-°z wan ’veh zung °yeu we-sing° le.
(19) Noong° ’veh zung tsheh chi°, sang-weh iau° sien tsoo° °hau.
(20) Nyoeh-deu laung° peh doong-dien, yien°-°dze ’veh °hau peh kuh.

(一) 垃拉月半月亮頂好看.
(二) 火爐要隱快哉所以要加添煤.
(三) 照我看第個人是靠勿住個.
(四) 早晨頭日頭出來夜快落山
(五) 第個是我第二個兒子頭一個已經出門哉.
(六) 年初一多化人去拜年.
(七) 舊年米貴來死今年強哉.
(八) 儂那裏頭過年? 我想拉屋裏過年.
(九) 儂書讀之幾時哉? 必過半年.
(十) 年夜人人有事體新年裏攏總人勃相.
(十一) 伊將要去個時候有人來叫伊勿要去.
(十二) 請坐一歇先生要來快哉.
(十三) 天亮快是頂冾個時候.
(十四) 下個月我要出門到蘇州去.
(十五) 舊年生意一顔勿好今年把望伊好點.
(十六) 上半年第個學生子書讀來蠻好下半年一顔勿好.
(十七) 伊宅房子幾時可以造好? 我想開年可以造好.
(十八) 六月初三我寫一封信撥拉伊現在是七月初一但是還勿曾有回信來.
(十九) 儂勿曾出去生活要先做好.
(二十) 月頭上撥銅錢現在勿好撥個.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) We will close the school on the fifth of next month.
(2) For how many weeks will you close the school?For about six weeks.
(3) Sometimes in the evening as the sun is sinking there are many beautiful colours in the sky.
(4) As it appears to me you can finish this book in six months.
(5) Just as I was about to go to sleep, I heard some one call out that the house was on fire.
(6) The thief enters about midnight.
(7) Before you go to school you should first wash your face and hands.
(8) On the first day of the year all the shops close their doors.
(9) When will you begin to study Chinese again?I think next year.
(10) A year has twelve months, a month has thirty days or twenty-nine days.If it has thirty days, it is called a large month; if it has twenty-nine days, it is called a small month.
(11) Last month I was sick, but now I am better.
(12) Where were you yesterday afternoon?I had gone out to pay New Year’s calls.
(13) At New Year’s time every one wears their best clothes.
(14) Now I have no money; I will pay you at the end of the month.

(一) 下個月初五伲要放學.
(二) 放之幾個禮拜? 約酌六個禮拜.
(三) 拉夜快日頭落山個時候常時拉天上有多化趣個顔色.
(四) 照我看第本書儂六個月功夫可以讀完.
(五) 我貼準要困個時候聽見人喊房子火着哉.
(六) 賊進來是半夜把個時候.
(七) 儂勿曾到學堂裏先要揩面佬淨手.
(八) 拉年初一攏總個店全關門個.
(九) 儂幾時再起頭讀中國書? 我想開年起頭.
(十) 一年有十二個月一個月或者有三十日或者有念九日, 若然三十日是叫大月若然念九日是叫小月.
(十一) 前個月我生病哉但是現在我好點.
(十二) 昨日下半日儂拉那裏頭? 我出去拜年哉.
(十三) 垃拉新年裏各人着頂好看個衣裳.
(十四) 現在無沒銅錢垃拉月底撥儂.

Notes.

(1) In regard to the expressions Nyien-nyien and Nyoek-nyoeh it may be remarked that a very common way of forming the plural in Chinese is by the repetition of the noun. Thus Nyung-nyung means men in general.
(2) In the sixth sentence of the First Exercise the expression Pa° nyien means “to pay respects at New Year’s time.” Pa°, to worship, is used of worshipping deities, and also of worshipping or paying respect to men.
(3) In the fifth sentence of the Second Exercise the expression for a house to be on fire is °Hoo-dzak tze, (火着哉).
(4) In the eighth sentence of the Second Exercise “all the shops” is translated °loong-°tsoong kuh tien° zen (攏總個店全); the zen (全) makes the assertion more emphatic.

LESSON XXII
On Comparison

The usual way of forming the Comparative Degree of Adjectives has already been stated.

When two things are compared with one another in Chinese the words °pi (比) or °pi-ts (比之) are used between them. Thus °Mo °pi-ts °keu doo° (馬此之狗大) means, “the horse is larger than the dog.” Yi °pi noong° °hau (伊此儂好), “He is better than you.”

There are a good many other ways of expressing comparison. Thus ’Veh jih (勿及) means, “not equal to.” Also we have ’Veh zu (勿如), meaning, “not equal to, or not up to.”

VOCABULARY

To present or send, to escort a person on the way, soong° 送.
To count, °soo 數.
To reckon, soen° 算.
To send (a person), tsha 差.
To send a letter, kyi° 寄.
To deport oneself, to treat others, °de 待.
To treat rudely, °de man° 怠慢.
To keep, observe, °seu 守.
To knock the head on the ground, to kowtow, kheh-deu 磕頭.
A loaf, ih kuh men-deu 一個饅頭.
A stone mason, ih kuh zak-ziang° 一個石匠.
A hammer, ih kuh laung-deu 一個榔頭, or ih °po 一把.
A wine shop, ih ban °tsieu tien° 一爿酒店.

Te° (一對) is the classifier denoting a pair or a brace.

A pair of fowls, ih te° kyi 一對雞.
A pair of candles, ih te° lah-tsok 一對臘燭.
A husband and wife, ih te° foo-tshi 一對夫妻.

°Kheu (口) is the classifier for some articles of furniture, and for a well.

A book case, ih °kheu su-dzu 一口書櫥.
Convenient, bien°-taung° 便當.
Clever, wise, tshoong-ming 聰明.
Propriety, custom, kwe-°kyui 規矩.
Coffin, ih °kheu kwen-ze 一口棺材.
Sometimes, dzang-z 常時.
As if, like, °hau-°ziang 好像.
To compare, °pi 比.
An account, tsang° 張.
Reason, yoen-koo° 緣故.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) La° nyien ya° kauh nyung iau° soen° tsang°.
(2) Noong° we°-sa°-°lau iau° chi°?iung-we° yi tsha °ngoo chi° °lau.
(3) Sing° kyi°-tsheh chi° meh?’Veh zung, zieu° iau° kyi° chi°.
(4) Zak-ziang° iau° yoong° °kyi kwhe° zak-deu?°Ngoo ’veh hyau°-tuh ’veh-zung soen° koo° hyih.
(5) Yi dzang-tsaung °de °ngoo ’man °hau, °soo-°i °ngoo iau° soong° °tien meh-z° la° yi.
(6) Su-dzu °li noong° °pa-ts °kyi °pung su?’Veh °hyau-tuh we°-°ts ’veh zung °soo °lau.
(7) Khak nyung tsheh chi° meh iung-ke soong° yi tau° mung-°kheu.
(8) Di°-°kheu kwen-ze sa° nyung tsoo° kuh?Mok-ziang° tsoo° kuh.
(9) Noong° kuh °mo °pi °ngoo kuh kwha° too-hau°.
(10) Di°-kuh ‘auh-sang-°ts °pi-ts i-kuh tshoong-ming °tien.
(11) Di°-kuh ih te° lah-tsok °khau-°i °pi °pi khoen°, ih ngan m-meh doo° °siau.
(12) I-kuh °liang kuh nyung siang-mo° kuh yoen-koo° °z we°-°ts la° °tsieu tien° °li too-chuh-ts °tsieu °lau.
(13) Yien°-°dze foo° tsang° ’veh bien°-taung°, °tung tau° °‘au kuh nyoeh.
(14) Di°-kuh ih te° foo-tshi ’man °hau ih ngan ’veh siang-mo°.
(15) Di°-kuh nyung tsoo° z°-°thi, ’veh jih i-kuh nyung °hau.
(16) Pa° nyien kuh z-‘eu° °siau-noen iung-ke te° doo° nyung kheh-deu.
(17) °Nga-kok nyung chuh van° kuh zung-kwaung hwen-°hyi chuh men-deu.
(18) Di°-kuh nyung ih ngan ’veh °toong sa°, °z °hau-°ziang ’veh zung dok hyih su.
(19) Sien-sang dzang-tsaung kyau° ‘auh-sang-ts° °seu kwe-°kyui.
(20) ’Veh iau° °de man° bih nyung.

(一) 拉年夜各人要算帳.
(二) 儂爲啥佬要去? 因爲伊差我去佬.
(三) 信寄出去末? 勿曾, 就要寄去.
(四) 石匠要用幾塊石頭? 我勿曉得勿曾算過歇.
(五) 伊常莊待我蠻好所以我要送點物事拉伊.
(六) 書橱裏儂擺之幾本書? 我勿曉得爲之勿曾數佬.
(七) 客人出去末應該送伊到門口.
(八) 第口棺材啥人做個? 木匠做個.
(九) 儂個馬比我個快多化.
(十) 第個學生子比之伊個聰明點.
(十一) 第個一對臘燭可以比比看一顔無末大小.
(十二) 伊個兩個人相駡個緣故是爲之拉酒店裏多吃之酒佬.
(十三) 現在付帳勿便當等到下個月.
(十四) 第個一對夫妻蠻好一顔勿相駡.
(十五) 笫個人做事體勿及伊個人好.
(十六) 拜年個時候小囝應該對大人磕頭.
(十七) 外國人吃飯個晨光歡喜吃饅頭.
(十八) 第個人一顔勿懂啥好像勿曾讀歇書.
(十九) 先生常莊叫學生子守規矩.
(二十) 勿要待慢別人.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) The Chinese use rice to make wine.
(2) This man treats his servants very well.
(3) According to Chinese custom before a man dies his coffin is made.
(4) If I wish you to come, I will send you a letter.
(5) To take the child along with us will not be convenient.
(6) He is older than you.
(7) The stone mason uses stones, the carpenter uses wood.
(8) I pay my bills at the end of the month.
(9) He and I have had a quarrel because he treated me rudely.
(10) I wish the carpenter to come and make a book case.
(11) Because I have forgotten so many characters, it is as if I had not read this book before.
(12) A scholar is wiser than a farmer.
(13) If a man takes too much wine he can not do his work.
(14) My friend came to visit me, and then I escorted him to his home.
(15) This book I will present to you, do not return it.

(一) 中國人用米做酒.
(二) 第個人待伊個用人蠻好.
(三) 照中國規矩一個人勿曾死先要做棺材.
(四) 若然要儂來末我寄一封信來.
(五) 帶小囝去是勿便當.
(六) 伊比之儂年紀大點.
(七) 石匠用石頭木匠用木頭.
(八) 我個帳是拉月底付個.
(九) 因爲伊待慢我所以我對伊相駡.
(十) 我要木匠來做一口書橱.
(十一) 因爲我忘記脫之多化字所以好像我勿曾讀歇第本書.
(十二) 讀書人比之種田人聰明點.
(十三) 若然一個人多吃之酒伊勿會做生活.
(十四) 我個朋友來望望我後來我送伊到伊屋裏去.
(十五) 第本書我送撥儂勿要還個.

Notes.

(1) In the fifth sentence of the First Exercise notice the use of Soong° °tien. °Tien means “a few things.”
(2) In the ninth sentence of the First Exercise kwha° too-hau° means “very much faster.”
(3) In the sixteenth sentence of the First Exercise the expression Kheh-deu refers to the most formal salute of the Chinese. It is used by an inferior before a superior. The usual polite salutation is to clasp the hands together and move them from the feet to the forehead. This is called Tshaung° zo° (唱喏) or Tsauh-ih (作揖).
(4) In the nineteenth sentence of the First Exercise we have the expression °Seu kwe-°kyui (守規矩). This is very frequently used. It means to act according to the laws of propriety. It is a command frequently given to children.

LESSON XXIII
The Points of the Compass

The four cardinal points of the compass in Chinese are expressed: Toong, nen, si, pok (東, 南, 西, 北) East, South, West, North. Thus it will be seen that they do not follow the same order as we. North East is Toong-pok (東北), lit. East North. North West is Si-pok (西北), lit. West North. South East is Toong-nen (東南) , and South West is Si-nen (西南).

The word pien (邊) is generally added when direction or place is indicated. Thus we have for the North Pok-pien, for the West Si-pien. Pien literally means “side,” and is a shortened form of pien-deu (邊頭).

In giving directions as to locality, the Chinese make very frequent use of the points of the compass. If you wish a person to go towards the North you say dzau pok (朝北) “towards the North.”

VOCABULARY

To break, smash, se° 碎, °tang-se° 打碎, or khau-se° 敲碎.
To beget to nourish, °yang 養, or sang °yang 生養.
To lose, to forfeit, seh 失, or seh-theh 失脫.
To arrange, to attend to matters, to direct ban° 辦.
A Compradore, °ma-ban° 買辦.
To consult, saung-liang 商量, tsung-tsak 斟酌.
To point with the hand, °tien 點, or °ts-°tien 指點.
To separate, fung 分, or fung-khe 分開.
To hinder, oppose, °tsoo 阻, or °tsoo-taung° 阻檔.
To answer, we-deu 回頭, or we-tah 回答.
To exchange, to barter, wen° 換, or diau° 調.
To attend to a thing to make it right, loong° 弄, or loong°-°hau 弄好.
To distinguish, fung-pih 分別.
A difference, ih kuh fung-pih 一個分別.
Wages, koong-dien 工錢.
Salary, sok-sieu 束脩, sing-foong° 薪俸, or sing-°soe 薪水.
Misery, °khoo-nau° 苦腦.
Rain, °yui 雨,
To rain, lauh °yui 落雨.
Coolie, tsheh-tien° 出店.
A duck, ih tsak ah 一隻鴨.
A broom, ih °po °sau-°tseu 一把掃箒.
A snake, ih diau zo 一條蛇.
A stick of bamboo, ih kung tsok-deu 一根竹頭.
Glass, poo-li 玻璃.
A glass (for the table), ih tsak poo-li pe-°ts 一隻玻璃杯子.

°Doong (桶) is the classifier for casks, tubs and buckets.

A bucket of water, ih °doong °s 一桶水.

Bing (瓶) is the classifier for bottles.

A bottle of medicine, ih bing yak 一瓶藥.

Siang (箱) is the classifier for boxes of things.

A box of dollars, ih siang yang-dien 一箱洋錢.
A box of tea, ih siang dzo-yih 一箱茶葉.
Tired, sa-doo 弛瘏.
Square, faung 方.
Round, yoen 圓.
Little (to a small extent), sau-we 稍爲.
Thick, °‘eu 厚.
Thin, bok 薄.
Instead of, °de-thi° 代替.
Sufficient, keu-z° 榖事, keu-z°-tse 彀事哉, or °yeu-tse 有哉.
Together with (two persons doing a thing), da-ka 大家.
To get wet, ling-sak 淋濕.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) Tsoong-kok tsok-deu doo° °yeu yoong°-deu, °khau-°i tsoo° lan °lau de-°ts °lau iui°-°ts °lau too-hau° meh-z°.
(2) °Ngoo mung°-°ts yi san we, dan°-°z yi ih kyui° ’veh we-deu.
(3) Tsoong°-dien-nyung °yang too-hau° kyi °lau ah.
(4) °Hau-la-va°?°Hau-la zia°-zia°.
(5) Kyung-tsau °hau-°tien va°?Zauh-ya°-deu chuh-ts yak °lau kyung-tsau sau-we °hau-°tien.
(6) Nyih-deu toong-pien tsheh °lau si-pien lauh.
(7) Pok-pien °lang °lau nen-pien °noen.
(8) °Ngoo-nyi iau° da-ka saung-liang na°-nung tsoo°-deu.
(9) Di°-kuh poo-li ’man bok kuh, yoong-yi° °tang-se°.
(10) Khoen°-kyien° nyung iau° tsoo° ’veh °hau kuh z°-°thi meh, iung-ke °tsoo-taung° yi.
(11) Khoen°-yang-nyung seh-theh-ts ih tsak yang °lau iau° chi° zing yi.
(12) Sien-sang iau° °kyi-hau° sok-sieu?Iau° san-seh kwhe° °yang-dien ih nyoeh.
(13) Noong°-kuh yoong°-nyung °kyi-hau° koong-dien ih nyoeh?Zeh kwhe° yang-dien ih nyoeh.
(14) Toong-pok foong iau° lauh °yui.
(15) Yien°-°dze la° lauh °yui, tsoong-iau° tan ih °ting san° °sang-°ts ling sak.
(16) Zauh-nyih °ngoo °tseu-°ts san-seh °li-loo°, °soo-°i kyung-tsau ’man sa-doo.
(17) °Ngoo °tien peh yi khoen° ih diau zo.
(18) Di°-kuh kwen-°foo ’veh we° ban° z°-°thi.
(19) Noong° °tau le-tse, °ngoo thih-tsung iau° tau° noong° han-deu chi°.
(20) Di°-kuh nyung seh-theh-°ts yi-kuh sang-i °lau sang-°ts dzang-yoen kuh bing° zeh-dze °khoo-nau° tuh-juh.
(21) Di°-tsak siang-°ts °z faung kuh, di°-tsak °doong °z yoen-kuh.
(22) Tsheh-tien° le wo° iau° doong-dien we°-ts iau° chi° °ma ih °po °sau-°tseu °lau.
(23) Di°-kuh °ts-deu thuh bok iau° noong° chi° wen° °‘eu-°tien kuh.
(24) Noong° thuh sa-doo, °ngoo le °de noong° tsoo°.
(25) Di°-sen° °mung ’veh °hau khe, chi° kyau° mok-ziang loong °hau.
(26) Yi-kuh seh-wo° tah-ts noong°-kuh seh-wo° °yeu fung-pih.
(27) Di°-kuh °liang kuh nyung dzang-tsaung siang-mo°, fung-khe meh °hau.

(一) 中國竹頭大有用頭可以做籃佬檯子佬椅子佬多化物事.
(二) 我問之伊三回但是伊一句勿回頭.
(三) 種田人養多化雞佬鴨.
(四) 好拉否? 好拉謝謝.
(五) 今朝好點否? 昨夜頭吃之藥佬今朝稍爲好點.
(六) 日頭東邊出佬西邊落.
(七) 北邊冷佬南邊煖.
(八) 我伲要大家商量那能做頭.
(九) 第個玻璃蠻薄個容易打碎.
(十) 看見人要做勿好個事體末應該阻擋伊.
(十一) 看羊人失脫之一隻羊佬要去尋伊.
(十二) 先生要幾化束脩? 要三十塊洋錢一月.
(十三) 儂個用人幾化工錢一月? 六塊洋錢一月.
(十四) 東北風要落雨.
(十五) 現在拉落雨終要擔一頂傘省之淋濕.
(十六) 昨日我走之三十里路所以今朝我蠻弛瘏.
(十七) 我點擦伊看一條蛇.
(十八) 第個官府勿會辦事體.
(十九) 儂倒來哉我貼準要到儂壗頭去.
(二十) 第個人失脫之伊個生意佬生之長遠個病實在苦惱得極.
(廿一) 第隻箱子是方個第隻桶是圓個.
(廿二) 出店來話要銅錢爲之要去買一把掃帚佬.
(廿三) 第個紙頭忒薄要儂去換厚點個.
(廿四) 儂忒弛瘏我來代儂做.
(廿五) 第扇門勿好開去叫木匠弄好.
(廿六) 伊個說話搭之儂個說話有分別.
(廿七) 第個兩個人常莊相駡分開末好.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) Is there any answer?Yes, please wait until I write it.
(2) The cold wind blows from the North; you ought to wear more clothes.
(3) The scholar was unable to answer what the teacher asked him.
(4) I want to consult with you on an important matter.
(5) When it rains the children cannot go out to play.
(6) I have a fan, you have a knife, I want a knife, you want a fan, let us exchange.
(7) I killed the snake with a stick.
(8) Tell the compradore what you want to buy and he can buy it for you.
(9) I have lost my watch and am willing to give five dollars to the man who finds it and returns it to me.
(10) My salary is not sufficient; I must ask you to increase it.
(11) This coolie wipes and sweeps very clean.
(12) I pointed out the river to him on the map.
(13) I cannot go away until I have arranged this matter.
(14) I could not study diligently to-day because I was too tired.
(15) How many bottles of medicine have you taken?I have already finished three.

(一) 有啥回信否? 有個, 請等一歇等我寫好之.
(二) 冷風從北邊吹來儂應該多着點衣裳.
(三) 先生問個, 學生子回頭勿出.
(四) 我要搭儂商量要緊個事體.
(五) 落之雨小囝勿好出去勃相.
(六) 我有一把扇子儂有一把刀我要一把刀儂要一把扇子讓我伲調一調.
(七) 我用之一根棒打殺之一條蛇.
(八) 儂對買辦話儂要買啥伊可以對儂買個.
(九) 我失脫之我個表情願撥拾着之佬還撥我個人五塊洋錢.
(十) 我個薪水勿彀事我終要請儂加點.
(十一) 第個出店揩佬掃蠻割瀝.
(十二) 地圖上我點撥伊看一條河.
(十三) 我勿曾辦好第莊事體我勿能彀出去.
(十四) 今朝我勿能彀用心讀書因爲我忒弛瘏.
(十五) 儂吃之幾瓶藥? 我已經吃完之三瓶.

Notes.

(1) Those learning to speak Chinese must be careful never to refer to the remuneration given to their teachers as koong-dien (工錢), but to use the polite form of speech, sok-sieu or sing-foong (束脩, 薪俸). Sok-sieu means literally “dried meat,” and comes from the ancient custom of paying a teacher in kind. The teacher himself could refer to remuneration as sing° soe (薪水).
(2) °Eu (厚) and Bok (薄) refer to things. In speaking of a person being thin we use the word seu° (瘦), and of being fat, the word tsaung° 壯.
(3) The fourth sentence of the First Exercise is the usual salutation meaning, “How do you do?”“Does it go well with you?”The answer is also the usual one.
(4) In the ninth sentence of the Second Exercise Zing nyoen° (情願) means “to be willing.”
(5) In the seventh sentence of the First Exercise °Noen means “warm” (煖).
(6) In the eleventh sentence of the First Exercise Koen°-yang-nyung means “shepherd.” Literally “Look-sheep-man.”
(7) In the twenty-fifth sentence of the First Exercise the word Loong has a very wide meaning. There is hardly anything in China that you cannot Loong-°hau, that is, “put to rights.”

LESSON XXIV
Some Remarks on Gender

As already remarked, words in Chinese do not change their form to indicate gender. Sometimes, however, words indicating gender are placed before them. Nen (男), “Male” and °Nyui (女), “female”, are used with human beings in this way. Thus we have Nen nyung (男人) for “man”, and °Nyui nyung (女人) for “woman”. Nen noen (男囝) means “a male child,” and °Nyui noen (女囝) “a female child.”

When speaking of the male and female of animals Yoong (雄) and Tsh (雌) are used. Thus we have Yoong kyi (雄鷄) for “cock,” and Tsh kyi (雌鷄) for “hen,” Yoong s-°ts (雄獅子) for “lion,” and Tsh s-°ts (雌獅子) for “lioness.”

VOCABULARY

To crow, di 啼.
To offend, tuh-°dzoe 得罪.
To hide oneself, ben°-°loong 背攏.
To hide a thing, khaung°-°loong 囥攏, or khaung° 囥.
To gain or make a profit, dzan° 賺.
Profits in business, dzan°-deu 賺頭.
To lose in business, zeh 折, zeh-theh 折脫, zeh-°pung 折本.
To congratulate a person, koong-°hyi 恭喜.
To become rich, fah-dze 發財.
To lock, °soo 鎖.
To bar or bolt the door, sen 閂.
The bar, or bolt of the door, sak 栅.
To plant, tsoong° 種.
To examine carefully, dzo 查, or dzo-°khau 查考.
To examine a class, °khau-su 考書.
To fall, tih 跌.
To save, kyeu° 救.
To stop, ding 停.
Stop a minute, ding-ih-ding 停一停.
Garden, hwo-yoen 花園.
College, su-yoen° 書院.
University, da°-‘auh 大學.
A lock, ih °po °soo 一把鑕.
A key, ih °po yak-dz 一把鑰匙.
A creek or canal, ih diau pang 一條浜.
A two story house, ih zoo° leu 一座樓, or leu-vaung 褸房.

Dzung (層) is the classifier for a story of a house or for anything like a ladder.

A three-storied house, san dzung leu 三層樓.
A ladder, ih dzung voo-thi 一層扶梯.

Dzaung° (幢) is the classifier denoting things piled one on top of the other.

A pile of clothes, ih dzaung° i-zaung 一幢衣裳.

Da° (埭) is the classifier for rows of things.

A row of trees, ih da° zu 一埭樹.
Spring (the first of the seasons), tshung 春.
Summer, ‘au° 夏.
Autumn, tshieu 秋.
Winter, toong 冬.
A season, kyi° 季.
The four seasons, s°-kyi° 四季.
Politeness, khak-chi° 客氣.
Happiness, fok-chi° 福氣.
Slippery, wah 滑.
Hard, ngang° 硬.
Soft, °nyoen 軟.
Smooth, kwaung 光.
Rough, mau 毛.
Good (moral), °zen 善.
Wicked, auh 惡.
Fierce, hyoong 凶.
Precious, °pau-pe° 寶貝.
Clear, tshing 清.
Muddy, wung 渾.
Level, bing 平.
Light (opposite of dark), liang° 亮.
Dark, en° 暗.
At last (in the end), tau°-°ti 到底.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

(1) Di°-laung° wah lau, taung-sing °tien °tseu.
(2) S°-kyi° kyau° tshung ‘au° tshieu toong.
(3) °Ngoo bang°-dzak-ts ih kuh nyung °lau iau° yi nyang° loo°, °soo-°i te° yi wo° tuh-°dzoe, tuh °dzoe.Yi wo° ’veh iau° khak-chi°.
(4) Noong° tsoo° °di-kuh sang-i, ih nyien iau° dzan° °kyi-hau°?m-sa° dzan°-deu °tau zeh-°pung.
(5) Nyien tshoo ih, bang°-dzak-ts nyung tsau° kwe-°kyui iung-ke te° yi wo° koong-°hyi, fah-dze.
(6) Nyung tsoo° auh kuh z°-°thi, °z la° en°-°li tsoo° kuh.
(7) We°-ts pho° bih nyung iau° dzo-dzak °lau, i-kuh nyung chi° ben°-°loong.
(8) Ya°-°li tsoong-iau° °soo mung°, °khoong-pho° zuh tsing° le theu meh-z°.
(9) Tsoong-kok mung° yoong° sak le sen kuh, nga°-kok mung° yoong° yak-dz le °soo kuh.
(10) °Siau-noen la° beh-siang° kuh z-‘eu° tih la° pang °li, kwha°-°tien chi° kyeu° yi.
(11) Yoong tiau we° kyau°, tsh tiau ’veh we° kyau°.
(12) Tsh s-°ts °pi-ts yoong s-°ts kung°-ka hyoong.
(13) Di°-kuh nyung °yeu san kuh nen-noen, °lau ih kuh °nyui-noen, zeh-dze °yeu fok-chi°.
(14) Di°-kuh meh-z° °z °pau-pe° kuh, iau° khaung° °hau.
(15) °‘Au-°li-pa°, su-yoen° °li iau° °khau-su.
(16) Di°-kuh ih da° vaung-°ts kau-le-°si, °loong-°tsoong °z s° dzung leu.
(17) Di°-diau loo° ’veh bing, van-nan °tseu kuh.
(18) Tshing °s °hau chuh kuh, wung °s ’veh °hau chuh.
(19) Zak-deu °z ngang° kuh, men-deu °z °nyoen kuh.
(20) Tau°-°ti meh °zen nyung ih ding° iau° tuh-dzak fok-chi°.

(一) 地上滑佬當心點走.
(二) 四季叫春夏秋冬.
(三) 我碰着之一個人佬要伊讓路, 所以對伊話得罪得罪, 伊話勿要客氣.
(四) 儂做第個生意一年要賺幾化? 無啥賺頭倒折本.
(五) 年初一碰着之人照規矩應該對伊話恭喜發財.
(六) 人做惡個事體是拉暗裏做個.
(七) 爲之怕別人要查着佬, 伊個人去背攏.
(八) 夜裏終要鎖門, 恐怕賊進來偷物事.
(九) 中國門用栅來閂個, 外國門用鑰匙來鎖個.
(十) 小囝拉勃相個時候跌拉浜裏, 快點去救伊.
(十一) 雄窵會叫, 雌窵勿會叫.
(十二) 雌獅子比之雄獅子更加凶.
(十三) 第個人有三個男囝佬一個女囝, 實在有福氣.
(十四) 第個物事是寶貝個, 要囥好.
(十五) 下禮拜, 書院裏要考書.
(十六) 第個一埭房子高來死, 攏總是四層樓.
(十七) 第條路勿平, 煩難走個.
(十八) 淸水好吃個, 渾水勿好吃.
(十九) 石頭是硬個, 饅頭是軟個.
(二十) 到底末善人一定要得着福氣.

(Translate into Chinese)

(1) In the garden the gardeners have planted three rows of apple trees.
(2) After the cock crows in the morning I am unable to sleep any more.
(3) This man is very polite, and so every one likes him.
(4) In the winter we close all the doors and windows and light a fire, in the summer we open all the doors and windows.
(5) The water in the creek is muddy and not fit to drink.
(6) Some men become rich in business, and some lose money.
(7) Lock the door and do not let the cat come in.
(8) The child fell off the chair and therefore cries.
(9) Yesterday I went to see a seven storied pagoda.
(10) This account is not right; it is not reckoned clearly.
(11) I cannot find out that this man has done anything wicked.
(12) When I met the robber I cried out to others to come and save my life.
(13) This man is very fierce; he is always fighting.
(14) At the end of the year, all the scholars in the college must be examined.
(15) I have lost my key and cannot open my box.
(16) I think you have not lost it, but you have hidden it away somewhere, and have forgotten where you put it; let me go and look for it.

(一) 拉花園裏種花園個種三埭蘋菓樹.
(二) 早晨頭雞啼個以後我勿能再睏.
(三) 第個人是蠻客氣所以攏總人歡喜伊.
(四) 冬天個時候我伲關攏總個門佬窗佬生火夏天個時候我伲開攏總個門佬窗.
(五) 浜裏水是渾佬勿好吃個.
(六) 有人做生意是發財有人末折本.
(七) 鎖門佬勿要讓貓進來.
(八) 小囝從椅子上跌下來所以拉哭.
(九) 昨日我去看七層樓個塔.
(十) 第個帳勿對個算來勿淸爽.
(十一) 我查勿出第個人做啥惡事.
(十二) 我碰着之強盜我喊人來救命.
(十三) 第個人凶來死所以常莊相打.
(十四) 拉年底書院裏攏總個學生子要考書.
(十五) 我失脫之我個鑰匙佬勿好開我個箱子.
(十六) 我想儂勿曾失脫恐怕儂已經囥好佬忘記擺拉啥地方, 讓我去尋尋看.

Lessons in the Shanghai Dialect

Summary

LESSON XII Some Verbal Idioms

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

LESSON XIII Auxiliary Verbs

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

LESSON XIV Causality, and Necessity

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

LESSON XV Further Remarks on Numerals, the Relative Pronoun

VOCABULARY.

EXERCISES

LESSON XVI Verbal Idioms

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

LESSON XVII More Verbal Idioms

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

LESSON XVIII More Verbal Idioms

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

LESSON XIX Asking Questions, Expecting Negative and Affirmative Answers

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

LESSON XX More Verbal Idioms

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

LESSON XXI Verbal Idioms, Ordinals, and Remarks on the Expression of Time

REMARKS ON TIME

EXERCISES

LESSON XXII On Comparison

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

LESSON XXIII The Points of the Compass

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

LESSON XXIV Some Remarks on Gender

VOCABULARY

EXERCISES

LESSON XII
Some Verbal Idioms

LESSON XIII
Auxiliary Verbs

LESSON XIV
Causality, and Necessity

LESSON XV
Further Remarks on Numerals, the Relative Pronoun

LESSON XVI
Verbal Idioms

LESSON XVII
More Verbal Idioms

LESSON XVIII
More Verbal Idioms

LESSON XIX
Asking Questions, Expecting Negative and Affirmative Answers

LESSON XX
More Verbal Idioms

LESSON XXI
Verbal Idioms, Ordinals, and Remarks on the Expression of Time

LESSON XXII
On Comparison

LESSON XXIII
The Points of the Compass

LESSON XXIV
Some Remarks on Gender