- (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.