Chinese Without a Teacher (1922)/The Merchant

by Herbert Allen Giles

THE MERCHANT.

Ask the compradore to come	請買辦來	Ch‘ing mi-pahn li.
Who are you?	你是甚麼人	Nee shirt shummo ren?
What are you doing?	你做甚麼	Nee dzaw shummo?
I keep the accounts	我算賬	Waw sooahn jahng.
How many hands do you employ in the hong?	行裏用多少人	Hahng-lee yoong taw show ren?
Fifty men are too many	五十人太多	Woo-shirt ren t‘i taw.
The business is not large	買賣不大	Mi-mi poo tah.
Hire ten more men	再僱十個人	Dzi koo shirtka ren.
A steamer has come	輪船來咯	Loon ch‘wahn li-la
Has it come up to the jetty?	到了碼頭沒有	Towla maht‘o mayo?
What steamer is it?	是甚麼輪船	Shirt shummo loon ch‘wahn?
What cargo is there on board?	船上裝甚麼貨	Ch‘wahn-shahng jwong shummo hwaw?
There are 200 bales Grey Shirtings	有二百疋洋布	Yo ur pi p‘ee yahng-poo.
Is there any Opium?	有洋藥沒有	Yo yahng-yow mayo?
Put it in the godown	擱在棧房裏	Kawdzi jahn-fahnglee.
Hire four cargo-boats	僱四隻駁船	Koo sir chirp paw ch‘wahn.
The steamer leaves to-morrow	輪船明天開行	Loon ch‘wahn. mingt‘e-enn k‘i shing.
At what o'clock?	幾點鐘	Chee te-enn-joong?
At half-past eight in the morning	八點半鐘	Pah te-enn pahn-joong.
This steamer is very fast	這個輪船狠快	Chayka loon ch‘wahn hun k‘wi.
The cabins are also very good	客艙也狠好	K‘aw ts‘ahng yay hun how.
What is the fare from here to Shanghai?	打這兒到上海得多少錢	Tah-cher tow Shahng-hi tay taw show ch‘e-enn?
Twenty taels	二十兩銀子	Urshirt layang yeendza.
Food is provided on board	船上管飯	Ch‘wahn-shahng kooahn fahn.
Where's the captain?	船主在那兒	Ch‘wahn-joo dzi nar?
The captain has gone to the Consulate	船主上領事官衙門	Ch‘wahn-joo shahng ling-shirt-kwahn yahmun.
When will he be back?	多喒回來	Taw-dzahn hooey-li?
In a very short time	一會兒就來	E-hwer cheeoo-li.
Take a seat	請坐	Ch‘ing dzaw.
What's in this?	這裡頭有甚麽	Chaw lee-t‘o yo shummo?
I don't know	我不知道	Waw poo-che-tow.
I'll come again to-morrow	我明天回來	Waw mingt‘e enn hooey-li.
Where is the "Customs"?	海關在那兒	Hi-kwahn dzi nar?
Send this to the "Pow-shoon" hong	送寶順洋行	Soong "Pow-shoon" yahng hahng.
Where does this letter come from?	這一封信是那兒來的	Chay-yee-fung-sheen shirt nar li-ty?
There's no answer	沒有回信	Mayo hooey sheen.
He needn't wait	他不等用	T‘ah poo yoong tung.
Bring me a pen and ink	拿筆墨來	Nah pee-maw li.
I don't want Chinese pens and ink	不要中國筆墨	Poo yow choong-kwo pee-maw.
Bring me a sheet of paper	拿一張紙	Nah yee jahng jug.
Have all the letters come?	信都來了沒有	Sheen to li-la ma-yo?
Who‘s that man outside?	外頭那個人是誰	Wi-t‘o negga ren shirt shooey?
It‘s Mr.— of the "Kwong-loong" hong	廣隆東家	Kwong-loong toong-cheeah.
Ask him to come in	請他進來	Ch‘ing t‘ah cheen-li.
Ask the compradore if these notes are good	問買辦這個票子好不好	Wun mi-pahn, chayka p‘eeowdza how-poo-how.
I have 1,000 piculs of rice	我有一千担白米	Waw yo yee ch‘e-enn tahn pi-mee.
I want $3.00 per picul	每一担要三塊錢	May yee tahn, yow sahn k‘wi ch‘e-enn.
Too dear	太貴	T‘i kooey.
Can't let you have it for less	少咯不買	Showla poo mi.
Come and look at it	你來看一看	Nee li k‘ahn-e-k‘ahn.
Have you any coal?	你有煤沒有	Nee yo may ma-yo?
I'll write to you to-morrow	我明天給你寫信	Waw mingt‘e-enn kay nee seeay sheen.
To-morrow is Sunday	明天禮拜	Ming t‘e-enn leepi.
Send a man	打發一個人來	Tahfah-yeeka ren li.
Wait a little; I'll go myself	等一等我自己去	Tung-e-tung; waw adze chee ch‘ü.
You needn't come	你不用來	Nee poo yoong li.
What else do you want?	你還要甚麼	Nee hi yow shummo?
I don't want any. thing	我不要甚麼	Waw poo yow shummo.
Where's your master?	我的東家在那兒	Neety toong-cheeah dzi nar?
He's in the office	在寫字房	Dzi seeaydzafahng.
I am going out now	現在我要出門	Shendzi waw yow ch‘oo mun.
I am going to the "Customs"	我上海關	Waw shahng Hi-kwahn.
The Commissioner of Customs has come	稅務司來咯	Shooey-woo-sir li-la.
The pilot is on board, waiting	引水的在船上等著	Yeen-shooeyty dzi ch‘wahn-shahng tungja.