The relations in Chinese are exceedingly complex. Here only the simplest will be given. To be able to understand the complicated ramifications will take a long time, and can only be learnt by long experience.

It must be noted that different words are used when one speaks of his own relations from what are used when another person is referring to them. In the latter case more polite language is employed.

Thus the following words for “father” are used: If you yourself are speaking of your father, you might call him Ya (?), or °Lau-nyang-ka (???), or Kya-°voo (??), or °Voo-tshing (??), or Kya-nyien (??). Other people would refer to your father if they were polite as Tsung-da°-zung (???) Lit. “The honorable great man.” Kya (?) or Ling°-tsung (??). Children often call their father Tia-tia (??), or Ya-ya (??), or Pak-pak (??).

So in regard to mother. If you speak of her you say Nyang (?), or Kya-°moo (??), or °Moo-tshing (??), or Kya-dz (??). If you speak of the mother of another person you may say Ling°-daung (??).

Brother is different as to whether you refer to an older or a younger one. An older brother is Ak-koo (??). A younger brother is Hyoong-°di (??). Brothers (plural) is Di°-hyoong or hyoong-°di (??). A familiar term for a younger brother is °Di-°di (??). An older sister is Ah-°tsi (??). A younger sister is Me°-me° (??). °Tsi-me° (??) means sister or sisters.

In referring to a son a father would call him Nyi-°ts (??) or °Siau-noen (??); others would refer to your son by saying Ling°-laung (??) or (??) Koong-laung. In speaking of one’s own daughter you would say °Siau-°nyui (??); others would refer to her as Tshien-kyung (??) Lit. “A thousand catties of gold,” or Ling°- e° (??).

VOCABULARY

• To love, e° ?.
• To love reciprocally, siang-e° ??.
• To injure, ‘e° ?.
• To be injured, °zeu-‘e° ??.
• To begin, °chi ?.
• A beginning, °chi-deu ??, or khe-dzang ??.
• To repair, sieu ?, or seu-tsauh ??.
• Repairs, sieu-°li ??.
• To take hold of, to grasp, nyah ?.
• To receive or accept, °zeu ?.
• To suffer, °zeu-°khoo ??, or °zeu-nan° ??.
• To hand, to deliver in person, dzeu° ?.
• To save, be economical, °sang ?, or tsoo° nyung-ka ???.
• To save time, °sang koong-foo ???.
• To waste, to be extravagant, saung ?.
• To seal officially, or to seal an envelope; to deify; to exalt to a high station, foong ?.
• To rely upon, to entrust, khau° ?, khau°-thauh ??, or thauh ?.
• A battery or a fort, ih kuh phau°-de ????.
• A deer, ih tsak lok ???.
• To hunt, °tang-lih ??.
• A hare, ih tsak thoo°-°ts ????.
• A fox, ih tsak ‘oo-li ????.
• A wolf, ih tsak za-laung ????.
• A squirrel, ih tsak soong-°su ????.
• A weasel, ih tsak waung-laung ????.
• A pheasant, ih tsak °ya-kyi ????.
• A goose, ih tsak ngoo ???.
• A set of dice, ih foo° deu°-°ts ????.
• To gamble with cash, °too doong-dien ???.
• To gamble with dice, zak deu°-°ts ???.
• A set of dominoes, ih foo° ba ???.
• To gamble with dominoes, teu° ba ??.
• Again, tse° ?.
• Medicine, yak ?.
• Tobacco, ien ?.
• A gun, ih °kwen yang-tshiang ????.
• Powder, °hoo-yak ??. Lit Fiery medicine.
• Tide flowing out, lauh-°s ??.
• Tide coming in, tsang°-°s ??.
• Firmly, lau ?.
• As, ziang ?.
• All (collective), thok ?.

EXERCISES

(Translate into English)

• (1) Zauh-nyih °ngoo tan-°ts yang-tshiang tau° san laung° chi° °tang-lih, °tang-dzak-ts san tsak lok lau s° tsak thoo°-°ts °lau ih tsak soong-°su.
• (2) °Ngoo °bang-dzak-°ts ih kuh nyung la° °tang °tiau, yi °i-kyung °tang-dzak-°ts s° tsak °ya-kyi °lau ih tsak °ya-ngoo.
• (3) Teu° ba °lau zak deu-°ts thok °z ’veh °hau.
• (4) Di°-kuh phau°-de °yeu °ng tsung phau° °lau too-°hau °hoo-yak.
• (5) Zauh-ya°-deu °yeu waung-laung theu kyi, ’veh hyau°-tuh °z waung-laung nyi wan-°z ‘oo-li, kyung-ya°-deu °ting °hau °tung yi le °lau yoong° yang-tshiang °tang-sah yi.
• (6) °Ngoo la° yi han-deu °zeu-°ts too-hau° meh-z°, iau° soong°-°tien sa° la° yi.
• (7) Di°-foong sing° iau° foong-°hau dzeu° peh la° i-sung.
• (8) Seu-tsauh vaung-°ts zieu° iau° °chi-deu, iung-we° °yeu too-hau° di°-faung iau° sieu-°li, zak-zen °tse an° meh °khoong-pho° le-’veh ji°.
• (9) Too chuh °tsieu °lau too chuh ien° °z saung sung-°thi.
• (10) Di°-kuh bing° °dzoong-tuh-juh, chuh yak °‘a m-yoong°-deu.
• (11) Tsoo° nyung-ka meh, °khau-°i nyih-nyih °sang doong-dien.
• (12) Di°-kuh si-°tse hwen-°hyi °too doong-dien °lau chuh °tsieu, zeh-dze khau°-’veh-dzu° kuh.
• (13) °Ngoo thauh noong° tsoo° ih tsaung z°-thi, noong° we°-sa° ’veh zung tsoo°?
• (14) Zeh-°ke tsoo°-deu saung koong-foo, iau° tsau° °ngoo wo° meh °hau.
• (15) Di°-hyoong iung-ke da-ka siang-e°, ’veh iau° siang-mo° °lau siang-°tang.
• (16) Tsung-da°-zung °hau-la°-va? Zia°-zia°, °lau-nyang-ka °hau-la°.
• (17) Ya-nyang °i-kyung tsheh mung, pih-koo° ak-koo la° ok-°li.
• (18)°Ngoo °yeu ih kuh ah-°tsi °lau °liang-kuk me°-me°.
• (19) °Kyi-z iau° khe zen? Lauh-°s zieu° khe.
• (20) Za-laung °z ’man hyoong-kuh °ya-seu°, hwen-°hyi chuh yang.
• (21) Di°-kuh ih pe yak iau° peh la° bing° nyung chuh.
• (22) Noong° °yeu °kyi-we° °ling-laung? °Yeu °liang-kuh °siau-noen.

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(Translate into Chinese)

• (1) You should do to others as you would they should do to you.
• (2) If we do not call the carpenter and mason to repair this house, we shall not be able to live in it.
• (3) When I began I considered the study of Chinese very difficult; now I consider it easier.
• (4) The younger brother should listen to the older brother’s words.
• (5) You should love others as yourself.
• (6) On the other side of the river there are many forts.
• (7) This man wastes his money in drinking wine.
• (8) Where did you get the money to buy these clothes? I saved it from my wages.
• (9) The deer can run faster than the dog, but gets tired sooner.
• (10) The father is head of the house.
• (11) Hand this bowl of tea to the guest.
• (12) I trust to you to help me do the work.
• (13) The fox comes at night to steal chickens.
• (14) Pheasants are fine birds to look at and are very good to eat.
• (15), Geese and ducks like to remain in the water.
• (16) The older sister takes care of her little sister.
• (17) Take hold of it firmly in your hand and do not let it fall on the ground.
• (18) According to what Chinese say, to become a good man you must repair your heart.

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