Professional Documents
Culture Documents
i^
If
P G R A M M A 11
I
OF THE
CHINESE LANGUAGE.
f
BY
IN TWO PARTS. (j
iir
PART I.
1864.
23
nil
..I
To
The Honoiable
if. (il^ljomh^,
THIS VOLUME
BY THE
AUTHOR.
^MlM
PREFACE.
of features with his own, and the closer the affinity of the lang-uaga
S[)oken by the sister states of Europe. The large, sparkling eyes of the
eastern nations, so f\ir as they are unmixed with the IVlongolians from
the deserts of Asia, have for more than 3000 years, revelled in sensua-
lity; but combined with it poetr}', fiction and wit, with which the
graver nations of the west still amuse their children or entertain them-
selves during the long winter evenings.
The gigantic works the}' created for themselves and their gods ara
as many expressions of their character and sentiments, and repres^pnt
them to us as a people anxious to perpetuate their own existence on this
eartlj, or to induce their gods to quit their abodes of bliss and dwell with
man in the workf- of /n's creation.
Crossing the Himalaya how different is the aspect of affairs. Poly-
gamy and its accompanying vices is here exchanged with Polyandry.
The panorama before us is not unlike an encampment of proletarians,
who are living upon the scanty crumbs fallen from the overtlowing tables
of their neighbours. The wings of imagination are clipped. Tied to a
barren soil, hemmed in by mountains and deserts, who wonders, that the
Tibetian's daily song is "'
My home is not here ", that he has created
:
anotlier world equally poor and comfortless; and that his ciiaritabia
disposili()n hns imposed upon him the task of providing for the necessi-
ties of the citizens of that world.
The language spoken by this people and further eastward to tlie
Paciflc : Cochin China, Siam and Burmalf belongs to the mo-
in China,
nosyllabic tongues and is noted for poverty and inflexibility. The pho-
r.etic system introdroduced into Tibet, Burmah and Siam has indeed to
a certain degree assisted in advancing general education but this b is;
been more than counteracted by the influence of Budhism and the lui-
cient superstition, as received from the Chinese.
China appears to have been the cradle of that peculiar kind
of civilization which distinguishes it from the rest of the world. But;
their ideas petrefied in hieroglyphics before they were fully developed ;
the local dialects, liowever miicli they ditfar from each other. Now you hear
a veruiiciilar, which reminds you of Scandinavia; again you fi\ncy your-
self in France ;and again you are overheaped wirh gutturals, more than
in Holland and other parts of the Netherlands. But in spite of the jerks
and unearthly sounds, the result of an imperfect articidation, Ciiiua made
considerable prog-i'ess in civilization, which enabled it to subdue and re-
firm the surrounding b-arbarians, and to exercise a nominal sway from
Central Asia to the Pacilic and down to the Malayan Peninsula. In all
tha.^e states, even in .Japan, the Chinese characters became the medium
ot official communication, and occupy, up to this moment, the same po-
sition that Latin did in Europe during the middle age.
If the dialects in China were reduced to a phonetic system, wo
should have as many different lang'uages as we have in EuropH and
among the aborigines of America. We
should find that the Chinese
vernacular is bv no monns a purely monosyllabic tongue, and that theiiir-
ther we advance towards the north, the more similarity we find in the
form of the languiiges b.5t\^''een China, Japan and the American Indians.
Jn the Canton, Ilakka and other southern dialecrs we frecpiently
hear the finals p, t, and k further to the north and in what is g»^ne-
;
further north this abrupt sound terminates in a long vowel. Hence the
name of the Governor General of Canton, wlio was captured by the
English, is pronounced yip in Punti ; yap in Hakka yl (abruptly) in ;
the southern, and yeh (long) in the northern Court dialect. The only
iinal consonant left in the latter dialect is the N, and the nasal Ng. The
P. becomes B the ; M—
N the or; H W
changes into the guttural Ch. as
it is pronounced in all its finances in Germany, or the X
in Greece.
If we now pass over to Japan we find, that if the language be cor-
rectlv written, not a single syllable terminates in a consonant but the N.
All the prefixes and suffixes are, as in China, Siara and Tibet, inflexible
particles, and the possessive " of" stands detached as in the English lan-
guage, as Mimasaka no kami, the knmi of Mimasaka Suruga no kami
: ;
the kami of Suruga. It certainly cannot be mere accident that the same
form should be found in many languages of the American Indians.
When in America and called upon to read a few lines in a book ia
which the Indian language was transcribed according to S[)anish pro-
nunciation, I was struck with the similarity of the sounds with the Ja-
])anese. In opening another book, alsj written in the same language, I
found on the title page the English word ''Acts" prefixed to "Apos-
tehiu,'' i. c, the " Acts of the Apostles." The Nu, Japanese No, had ei-
ther from ignorance or from a desire to europeanize the language, been
affixed to the the word Apostle.
Tiiis threw at once some light on the clnracter of the language and
the probablo origin of the Indians. Their long words, I was sure, were
strunj^ together from ignorance lor all the names underneath the por-
;
traits of chiefs indicate, tliat the language was originally a syllabic (if
not a monosyllabic) one, like the Cianese and Japanese, and that when
VII
INTRODUCTION.
SiviilarUy «f Chinese, Japanese and Avierlcan Indian Dialects.
})Ound hissing sounds and vowels as in China, and the absence of the R
is no less rennii-kable. Ilitheito however, ihe orthography of the works
]»nblished in the Otorni, Quiche and other languages of Yucatan, Cen-
tral America and ]\Iexico is too incorrect to enable us to decide on any
point without a thorough knowledge of at least one of them. Even the
copies, which Stephen made from the manuscripts of the priests, betray
a lamentable inconsistency of orthography.
American Indians apparenlhj one Face n-iih the Japanese and E. Asiatics.
If we comparo
the stature, features, hair and complexion of the In-
dians, we
cannot help declaring them to be either Japanese, Chinese or
other cognate tribes of eastern Asia, I have seen women and children^
whom nobody would have taken for Indians, had he found them in one
of the Islands of Japan. In passing accross the Isthmus of Panama
and Mexico, I was struck with the simihirity of architecture between
the Chinese and these peo[)le. Instead of excavating mountains, instead
of making expensive vaults, all the principal edifices are erected on ele-
vated ground. The tiles of the roofs are concave and con' ex, just as wo
have them in China the anchors of their boats are the same as we find
;
them in Japan and the north of China, i. e. with four hooks without a
barb and innumerable other manners, customs and peculiarities of civi-
;
The large fleets of fishing- boats about the coasts of Japnn and China
are, we know, frequently overtaken by tremendous gales and eitber des-
troyed or carried eastwards. We know of Japanese junks having- betm
picked up beyond the Sandwich Islands and close to the shore of Ame-
rica after an absence of more than nine months. But mnch more.
Larg-e fleets of war junks, sometimes manned by as many as 100,000 men,
have left the coast of China and Japan, and have been scittered by the
N. W. gales, tl)at only few of them ever survived or returned. It is not
tmlikely, that these junks, being well provisioned, have continued in their
eastward course, until, within 28 dej^^-rees N. L. they fell in with the
trade wind, which compelled them to chang'e their course, and carried
them towards Mexico or lower Calilbinia, where they laid the founda-
tion to that kind of civilization resembling- so much the Chinese and
Japanese. Look at the Chinese dress 5 or 6 centuries ago, and you have the
bead —dress of the Mexicans; look at the monstrous uniforms, coats-of-
mail, and the head —
dress of the Japanese women, and you will be struck
with theii;. similarity to the Mexicans. As all the kings, cliiefs, and
priests, in one word, all the creators of tiiat peculiar civilizition were
daslroyed hij the Spaniards, we need not wonder at tlie low el>b of edu-
cation of the present race, vvbo are merely the children of peasants and
the lower classes. Were Cliinese who speak the different dialects and
well versed in their own literature, and Japinese of education, well fur-
nished with ancient works, sent with scien'^iHc men to America, v,'e may
rest assured, they would soon decypher the inscriptions now fast going
to ruin.
HammarT/ of Similarity tf the American Indians with the Japanese, Chinexe
and Northern Asiatics.
1. Lamjua-^e. MnnosylUbic, as spokon bv 'be (Jtomi and other tribes. Hiero-
pflypb.? or iden'.^iaphic char;iciers. on the same piinciple ai the Chinese absence of
;
the R (iinrtn:ir those trilies where the ideograi'hic ch^iactei's are found prevalence of
;
hissini? sounds an.l gutturals, and mast words terminating in avowel-2. Polysylla-
bic languas^e of a syllai)ic chat-icter, representini? not sound, but si/llah/rs as in Ja-
pan. Japanese words detected in the Indian languaHjo Japanese form of the poj-
;
sessise cis'-" prevalence of the B. and the terniination of every wird in a vowel,
;
except the N.
2. Ueli;4ion. The nnost ancient religion of the Indians now formina t^e wan-
dering tribes, is the belief in one great Spirit, whom they worship like the Japanese
their Sin JfiijI
(spirit) without image. In both places long, hortatory addresses are
delivered to audience, and both exhibit profound reverence of that spirit, and
tlie
d.'ep reli'.:i'>u3 feelin!?s. The polytheistic t'orin of worship as found in Mexico &c.,
is, accoriUn< to accu-pted history, the most m
ule'-n one and was, if we believe Chin-
e^ie lei»ends. iniroduced by [Judhist and Sh-iman priests about the bei^inninp; of the
Bixth century of oui era, which nearly oincides with the commencement of the Tol-
tecian hi.story, which is put down at A. 0. 596. The dragon or serpf-ut worship
was very prevalent. Tliat the Chinese draizon is norhing but a serpent, can be
proved from the f:ict. that at this moment si^rpcats are kept in temples as renresen-
tatives of the ancient dragon. They resembled the Chinese and (Mudliist) J;ipanese
in their ideis of •'the transmigration of the soul ;" in their monastic forms and dis-
cipline ;
--
in their penauccs. ablutions. almsirivinu'S and public festivals in ihc wor-
;
ship of thiur househoiil i:ods, in the devotions of the jirie-.ts to the study f -istroloj^y
f
and aitiouyiii) ; m
the admission of virgin females to the vows and riles of the cloi»-
TNTIIODUCTIOX.
i^ummari/ of Shiulariti/ ^c. S,-c. Origin of the Written Language.
amulets; in some of ibeir forms of burnius? the dead, ^nd the preservation of the
ashes in urns, and in the assumption of ho rii;ht to educate the youth." Amony
i
other superstitious notions i^ the one of a celestial dragon endeavouring; to devour tha
sun during; an eclijise, and their fondness for the drum, gong and rattles.
3. Customs. —
The drai;on standard, banner Imces, as we find them in Chinese
Budhist temples eusicrns and banners stuck in a ferula, fixed at the back of a war-
;
rior. A Kind of heraldry, as we meftt amontj the Japanese. Some of their nuptials
were symbolized by the ceremony of tyiny; the garments of thatwo contracting par-
ties to;;ether. 'I'here was only one lawful wife, thongh a plurality of concubines.
I have already refe'red to the similarity of dress, architecture and anchors of
ships.
Physiologically considered there is not the slightest diflference between tbeso
triljesand thosv of Japan and China, and the tribes among themselves differ no more
from each other than the people of Europe of one and the same stock.
Crossing over to the Atlantic we meet with legends pointing to a northeastern
and eastern immigration. Pictures of bearded men dre here and there found, and
" figures in distress with Caucasian " features have long been preserved among the
Toltecs. Teutonic words are here and theie interspersed among the piratical Caribs,
Makusi and other tribes, and the strange proper names found among the Mexicans,
and of which there are no roots in the same tongue, indicate a very slight influence
of eastern origin, but not sutlicient to change the fundamental Asiatic character of
civilization.
The key to this would be, frequent hostile expeditions along the coast of Europe
and northern Africa being, by storm and the gulf stream, carried into tho Caribic se»,
where the few that survived, were soon absorbed by the natives. But much more
than that; we know that Irish priests arrived at Iceland as early as A.D. 793, or
more than 70 years before the Normans, and certain leaends inform us, that Irish-
men, pressed by Roman and Germanic invaders, crossed the Atlantic even earlier
than the above period and settled in Florida, where they were met with by the ad-
venturers from Iceland. They appear, however to have either been killod or been
absoided by the natives, who on one occasion seized no less than 1 00 whites, carried
them into the interior, and would have murdered them, had not another white, ap-
parently a chief, saved them. Tlie character he gave of the natives was similar to
th it later given by the Spaniards. P'rom thut time (A. D. 1G27) all intercourse
with America is broken off and the land forgotten.
When the ancient Chinese felt t!ie need of a written medium for
commnnicatiati their ideas to one anotlier, they represented them by hie-
rou-lyphics. Thiise were originally nothing but rude outlines of natural
objects, as :
—O ^'^e sun. To express morning-, a line was drawn be-
neath the sun (^) indicating that the sun is above the horizon. Other
ab-ttract ideas, having reference to space, were represented in a similar
manner, as: — above_j:__, below "": .The character r^jsresen^edl by sun and
4- H -& Ui^ i^
ideogTajibic or combination of Ideas ;
/
'
6
Ciin
^^ (Shing jing phonetic, or such as giving sound ; V
be reduced under two heads hierogyphic and ideographic characters.
:
The former representing the radicals, and the latter the compound cha-
racters, must be well distiiigaished
from words. Many radicals or primi-
tives may form one compound
character but one or two such charac- ;
The 214 radicals we would call Relatives, and the primitives formed
by a combination of one or more radicals we would call Phonetics. We
must be well understood, that we only deal with those characters, which
we suppose spoken language, as it existed
to be the representatives of the
at the time, when
the written characters were introduced.
The phonetics were either simple or compounds, i. e. sometimes only
a single radical was required to express the monosyllabic word, whilst
again certain compounds assuming the power of phonetics.
Three piinciples guided them in the formation of characters.
1. the representative
2. the ideographic and ;
3. the phonetic.
1. Of tho first class tlie number is not very great. None" of the
characters of which they are composed, has anything to do with the
sound or spoken word ; f. i. rlr. tso- to sit down is composed of ^yan /v»
mian, and 't'6 IL, earth. As the author could not find a form which in
xr
INTRODUCTION.
Character of the Written Latujiuige.
child.
Yan* ^
to be pregnant, is composed of 7^ ^nai, to be, and 'tsz
None
~f*
of the characters has any reference to the word yan*, but a
—
pregnant woman is represented as being Avitli a child.
2. The ideograi^hic and phonetic principles are in most instances com-
bined ; but not always, f. i. mak, ^g ink expresses the idea of hakj ^^
black, and jH ^t'Oj substance=a black substance.
Yukj ^^ a prison, is composed of two ^hiin, yC dogs, and jin ^,
word, to say, to speak. The author's idea of a prison, therefore, must
have been th;it of a plnce wiiere one is constantlv annoyed as when l)er-
u'oen two dog-^, or where men holil coavcr^.iLioii of u.s vile a character as
that of dogs.
pvedominatos over every other in the for-
3. ^']_iH^pha,netio principle
mation of characters. almost entiile't^ tt to the
Its extensive ai)pIication
'3'esiguation of the syllabic system of the language. These syllables prove
incontesribly, that the authors of the written language emieavoured to *
T//e Jtelutives.
73. ^:^
79. :§! ,Shu
'Tai Evil.
Weapons.
m 4^ *Ch'i
Shek,
An
A
arrow.
stone.
112.-5
80. fl^ iMo Do not. 113 ^J^ ? ^^^^^ To admonish.
81. J^fc Ti To compare. 114. ft] 'Yau To creep,
84. -^ HP Breath.
117. JJL L-^'Pi
To stand up.
85. :5iC'i' .>f<'Shui.
C Strokes."!
80. j/C'^'"^ 'I^o Fire.
125.
12G.
^ ^Ia> Aged.
rfn ;! And, still.
127. A
;^ Lo? plough.
128. -^*
'I An ear.
121).
^^ Lutj A pencil.
130.
r^ >] Yuk, Flesh.
131 •p, iShan
lan A minister.
132. g Tsz^ Self; from.
134. A mortar.
135. "g* Shit The tongue.
136. ^ 'Ch'un Error.
137. -^ ^Chau A boat ; a vessel.
139. ^ Shik,
ljJJ|I-^^'
Color.
145. ^^ J Clothing.
11 Sti'okes. 15 Strikes.
100. 16 Strokes.
212. }^% Xung- A dragon.
213. H^ jKwai A tortoise.
17 Strokes.
21-1. '^ Yeukj A flute.
a capitiil fish, a
whale, the lar-
^ Jcin-, capital (city) t^ jii a lisli. fi^ tk'in^ gest
ters.
of mons-
to perform ac-
^ jC <kung to lubour. j] \i\ [with] vigour, ^/j (kung-
tions deserving
praise merito-
;
rious &c.
Xjvung'
to labour :5: p=ok J ^^^'^fll'^.^^^fe^kung
blows ^
j
^^ "^^^'^^^^ 5 to
I o^t, "I assault.
^
These few examples show, that the ancient Chinese, after having
the hieroglyphics, endeavoured to represent their ideas as ex-
(liscar<le<l
pressed in the vernacular tongue. The further we go to the north, or
the» nearer >ive approaoh antiquity, the greater will be the siujilarity be-
LiA-- tween the sound
of the dissected character and the spoken language.
The purely phonetic system, where the sound represents the spoken
language, irrespective of <Jie meaning of the cnn-)])ound, is the most pre-
..^valent, and to this the stndent sliould pav his undivided attention,
^^"'^'^ '' "
p,-,
Examples of^the Phonetic jlrtj jTHuig.
Add to the relative,
to \l\ ,shiin.
XVIT
INTJ{ODUCTI0i\.
{ a roll of pa-
Add rtl J^an, a napkin, to fu or fuk @ & you have ifg fiik, i
^^^'"J'/''^''"^;
( niaps L^c.
„
__
7J\ shP a sig-n of heaven, do. do. do. ^ fuk, happiness.
and tone exactly to luk^ emoluments of office ; prosperity &c. And the
,
sixtii day of the sixth month is, by virtue of the double liik^ (G, 6) a dpu-
bly lucky day aud officers of high rank, in order to derive the full be-
;
^' ^&
J?^^ sun'
..,,..,
jShu, the
^ .- ,
fanciful style, or
, 5^^^
^<-T'
.. •,
sun' tszH
f the seal cha-
racters
2- Tf^W" **^i*
n , the plain, square characters used for writing prefaces
4. YTW il^^^^S';; )
a stiff form of the running hand.
h. Jp.^ ^tso „ , the free running hand.
—
verniicuhr tong-ue, tjs a mediutn of coiiimiinicatinir one's idejTs.
Few verbs are used sing-ly. Some combine with words, whose mean-
ing* differs greatly from their own. We
would therefore call the first
word the root, and the second its termination. Words always combining
with this latter form should be called Di.^atjllahic words with such a ter-
mination or suffix.
As is a subject of considerable importance, upon which is de-
this
pending the future development, perfection, and scientific treatment of
the language, the foundation u])on which will rest the whole weight of
the possibility of reducing the ideogi-aphic characters to a phonetic sys-
tem, I have collected a considerable number of phfases illustrative of
what is here asserted.
Tsam^ chii^ 'ki yat, Wft^ 9 To live there for a few days.
,Fan chii^ sz' jhoung yX^ j£ i^^P To live separately in four villages.
Jvwfin cliii^ (kai chap^ ^JTEl^lFi^ ^^^' ^^^^ n^^^ oi" barrier,
tCluiu „ W^ „ ,, copy.
'Se „ ^ „ ,. write.
'To „ '^J „ ;,
pour out ; to overturn.
,Ch'apj „ iW ?j ,)
insert, to set in ; to thrust into (as a flag
staft).
(I^j'ii
„ IS ji 'J
l^sli, to whip (as a horse).
^^t, „ ^. „ ., do.
sTs'z „ ^ ,; ,,
declioe, as an office; to refuse.
I^'^'t,
„ IM " ?' P"sh away.
,P^au J, fM yj ). throw away.
'Kam ,, i/:|jj „ „ diminish, to substract : to abbreviate.
^^''^-ii
,, 1^ >j >5 .remove all.
-^ "
Is " "
''''''"^'
^^ ^"''''•
•
''^' » m „ „ fear, to be afraid of.
Ngan „ BR; „ ^^ i-each with your eves.
ouau „ -f- i.gacii ^-(.j^ y^jj^. ijjjjj^ig^
^^ ^^
cChui
s 00?
„
g
15^ „
^^ ^^ persue, to catch, to reach,
'J
„ provide, or to guard against.
I'ak, 'to ^t'in W f^^^l ^"F ^^^ 8'°* ^^"^ whole emi)ire.
„ yuk, sheK,
'J'sokj ^^Wi ^5 „ have ciit a gem.
provisions (la-,
Fat, „ 'haucleung iStilPrt n tl^sin-ibute
tions).
*Sliam ch'ut, jts'ing- sjau ® Hi tra i "^^ fi^<^'l out the cause of an affaii-_
Examples.
,run
^ „ „ bring to, to carry away.
1
XXVI
INTRODUCTION.
V forward, to advance.
jTs'ia „ l^lj „
Chukj „ i£ „ ,,
arrest.
,Cliui „ M V » persue.
'Ts'eung- „ ^ „ ,,
snatch away.
'P'aii „ ^ „ „ race.
'^Sheung „ _t „ j, ascend.
,Ch'ang „ ^ „ „ pole.
cT'o „ ^ „ .;
^"li''^^^^ to drag.
jT'o „ 3S j; V abscond.
,L6 „ W » >>
i"ix-
J
Hung „ ff ,, „ get aside.
^'L'i „ ^^ „ ,, stand aside.
]''aii'
„ ^pj „ „ sleep with, or close to.
sTs'iia „ ^ ,, ,,
preserve.
'Pi „ i$ n ;;
gi^e all.
^K^ai „ ik „ „ keep.
Hup, „ "n „ „ join together,
^Ch'e „ "T^ V V close,
Tso- ,, is „ „ finish.
XXVIIT
INTRODUCTION.
^Li'm „ f^ „ „ gather.
PiV „ ^ ,; „ encroach.
'To „ fl? .; „ hideaway.
'Tsau ,, ^ V V run away.
,Kira 3ft „ n P^it in together.
„
,Clui „ @ ,y V g'l^asp.
Ki'pj '
„ ^ „ „ clasp.
/ram » 'TH " " cany (on a pole accross the shoulder).
jT'oi » -JO " J' cany (between two).
^Senng „ ^ » „ meditate.
-Miii „ fl " " purchase.
^Ch'an^ „ ^ „ „ pole (a boat).
'Ts4ng •,
1^ 5' 'J iuvite.
Ki' >,
^f >> ;' send (to have received).
'Tsau J?
;^ >.< » run.
,Cha shatj jj
JSW " " ^^^^^ ^^ ^''^^^•
Tso- 'wan j> :^^^ ?' " sit down safely, to be firmly seated.
'Tsau'hi ;, ^^ » r »"""•
^^^^•
'Lo ch'ut, .J
tUtli " " ^"''''^'^
Defect of Ihc hi^si Dictionar)j. The learned not always the popular men.
The preceiliu;;' «xiiupl3s wiii suliicij r,o iudicute the way, which will
lead to au intelligible phonetic language. If a ruler as intelligent as
Kanglii could be induc(!d to appoint a commission of three or four men in
each province, to classify the verbs according to their prefixes and suffixes,
to make a collection of the com])oiinds of nouns and other parts of sneech
to have books written witii this newly arranged material and iutrod-
—
duced into the schools, one generation would be sufficient to ojjen the
eyes of the leained and to convince them of the benefit the nation mu»t
derive from a phonetic sys^^em, which men and women could ac(|uire
within tlie short time of a couple of months.
learn is not'current colloquial hence they talk to the poor and ignorant
;
and are not understood, not because the}^ cannot read and write works in
the Chinese language, but because they never assenibleit around the hi-e-
place, where father, mother and children open their hearts unrestrainedly
and convei-se in a tongue, which will give to future generations the ma-
terial for a polished and intelligible vernacular.
This conviction which has forced itself upon my mind as often as I
have sat among a group of native men, women and children, I can no
longer conceal. Profound Chinese scholars, who are all the year round
sitting" with a loquacious teacher, who almost knows what they mean to
sa}' before they have expressed half their ideas, have frequently sneered
at the idea, that the (jhinese languag-e could ever be reduced to a nhono-
tic system and that the ideographic characters could bo dispensed with.
I^ut could they ever hold easy converxation with an uneducated native?
I frankly declare they could not and during the last war we had an
;
»- pun-' dvefs.
le- >,
,) timg- „ move.
„ t'iim' » spy out.
'» 'ching „ mend.
,, fat, „ dispatch.
>,
J an » force one to write an order for money,
J. ^hai 'cheung » sole shoes.
» sui' „ ^ „ smash.
„ cp'ing » ^ » level.
„ 'fo ,>
^^ » strike lire,
chekj cUg'an ^hiin » "^^j^ To make a silver ring- for tlie neck.
A black smith.
To ring- the bell.
„ tune an intrument.
do.
„ perform mass.
do.
„ play a comedy,
5. forge.
A beg'gar.
To commit onanism.
Boisterous weather.
Gentle N. W. wind.
A game.
To feel the pulse.
do.
„ wound.
» strike so as to occasion swelling'.
XXXV
TNTRODUCTION.
E.miiipirs of the use of'ta, to strike.
>, jkHin
1. a as in quota ;
2. a as in father j
3. e as in men ;
4. e as in say ;
5. i as in pin ;
XXX \ II
INTRODUCTION.
Orthograj)hy.
6. 1 as in machine ;
7. o as in loiip-, lord ;
8. o as in so, lioe :
9. u as hull
10. u as in school
11. li as in Giite;
12. u as in turn ;
'
13. ai in while
14. ai as in aisle, ayej
15. au as in now;
16. au as in howl (only pi'onounced hrnader and lonpor) •
17. eu as in Capernaum;
18. iu as in pew ;
19. oi as in hoy ;
20. ui as in Louis ;
21. ui as in cooing ;
24. 'ng is a nasal sound, made by stopping the nose when it is spoken.
The consonants need no illustration, as the}' are uniformly pronounced as
in English :
ch as in church ;
ng as in sing
f as in fife ; p as in pap ;
h as in have s as in sea
k as in king . sh as in shut
kw as in quality ;
t as in title
I as in lame ts as in wits j
m as in main ;
w as in wing
n a?! in nun y as in yard.
The nhove comprise all the vowels, diphthongs and consonants, found in
1. Difference of Intonation.
3 8
(1)
Y g
The shang^ ^shing ( marked 2 ) is the upper tone, and i3
The
^^ k'ii' ^shing (marked 3) is the departing tone ;
and
The 71
g jih, ,shing (marked 4
pouthefn variations it always terminates abruptly
) is the entering tone.
; but ends in a long
In its
Intonation.
3.
J-^ „ hii^ ,, \ 4:, 3. -p.^ „ ,hii' 1 4l
yf»p>
The 1. 2. & 3. tones of the Punti are nearly represented in the fol-
lowing scale.
High tones
Lovi' tones
HiGH Tones,
Chin, 'chin, chin', chit,
^Jgf^|^ hlanket; to unroll; to fight ; to break.
,Kam, 'k^m, kam^ tap,
I^J^J^g ^ to seal; to contract; amirror; armour.
Low Tones,
Xin, -lin, lin' lit,
j2 Jj^-|$^|j to connect, to remove ; to select ; to arrange.
IWan Svan, wan^ wut,
-2i:jt:m^ To .ay; to grant; to revolve ; sliopery
A^firaled words seldom have the Inqlier tone in the
.fing shing or
the hirer tone m
the MC shbifj. This peculiarity in the Punt/ is worth
noticmg, as it vail considerably assist the student's memory.
(3)
Grammar of the Ciuxese Language.
)
^
particle
U' to hate ;
;
^
^ f cWai, to
\ WaV
do to be;
; rr
on account of. J^T
j"
(
'Ho good.
Ho' to love.
( Okj bad, wicked.
A glance into Dr. Williams' " Tonic Dictionary " will convince the
student of the necessity of paying strict attention to the pronunciation
of the aspirates.
1. Examples.
to carry ,T'am to covet
,Kam ^
gold metal Ivdm to inspect
4. Phrases.
4. Is this word aspirated or not ?
I cannot see )
Hakka ^Ha :j^\\ K'on' /m tau'.
Go- r: *
^ ,
""''
'Tseu
Grammar of the Chinese Language-
5 Compounds.
Compounds are,
1. Descjiptive 3. Synonymous ; or
2. Explanatory ; 4. Symphonious.
1. They
are mostly of so stereotype a character as to be quite unin-
jlligible iftransposed. The only analogy we have of this kind in the
Eng-lisli language is in certain projier-naraes of places. The sentence,
?.g. He comes from Norfolk, would lose its g-eograpliical signification and
bence Itecome unintelligible, were we to say, He comes from the Folk of
the North, because the historical origin of the compound has been for-
gotten by the people.
A. brickmaker ^^^j^jjj ^ ^Chiin ^ng^i ^sz' fu^ lit: A master of biicks & tiles.
A. bricklayer yjg^^fC^jfi'^^Kai'shui „ ,, clay and water.
Brother, Brethren, ^j^ c^-ing' tai- Jit: elder & younger brothers, brethren.
Sisters ^^^ ''^^^ "^^'^^'
» " sisters.
to form such.
Relatives ^>^ Ts'an ts'ik, lit :relalions contracted by marriage.
Compouvds. Classifiers.
"^"'"s^ri at'"' } mm-^'f&.m .^'^S •«' ,.l ko- .ts-^ =11 king>.
To take a wife
^'^M Tsii' '16 ,p'o.
When will the teacher come ? ^^^^Hff^ ,Sin ^shang 'ki-^shi ,loL
I want a tea cup ^'^>^tt '%o oi- cch'a ^pui.
'Ngo
P^^'
^^^''
6. Classifiers.
A added to or precedes every noun, whenever it stands
classifier is
in relation to numerals. Our words herd (in herd of cattle) ; sheets (in
sheets of paper) pieces ; (in pieces of silk) correspond exactly to
these
classifiers, which the student will do well to commit to memory before,
he proceeds further.
1 . Ko' jgj is applied to men, as yat, ko' ^yan —'i^\ one man.
Shap, ko' 'nil 'tsai
'JriS:i^if '-^'en girls.
(7)
Grammar of tub Chinese Language.
6. Classifiers.
Chek,
2.
arms, eyes &c.
^ is applied to boats, vessels, birds, quadrupeds, legs,
In Hahka colloquial it is also applied to man.
Examples.
Yat, chek, -t'eng "^^ One boat.
To call B^yR ^^^' £^oi- 2- To embark, to take passage in, ^l? tap,. To
weigh^^ ch'ing'. To buy ^ ^mai. To raise ^ 'kii. To
open tTPQ 'ta Jioi.
Examples.
Yat, One
—'aU*^
tui' shai pair of shoes.
Yat, tfii' mat, '^T'fi^ One pair of stockings.
Exercises.
Make a pair of shoes. Knit a pair of stockings. Write a pair of sceoHs!.
Put on this pair of shoes. T?ke off this pair s^tockings.
Note 2. — In kiu' Joi and similar phrases the object must be put between
the two verbs. Exception : In negative sentences, as ;
Glassifiers.
Examples.
^Shenng ^ngan ,fa Jing- ^WCiP.'^^ A two-eyed peacock's feather.
^Slieung" 'hau kirn' ^P ^^Ij A double edg-ed sword.
5. Trt IS is applied to thing's held in the hand like an umbrella
fan, knife, cfcc.
33XAMPLES.
,Chu ^ni 'pa ,che t^B^ffi^S Hold this umbrella.
6. ^Cheung ^
is applied to thing-s that are spread out, as a sheet
Examples.
'Pi ^sam (Cbenng 'chi kwo' -ngo i^zilS^W)*©^ Grive me three
sheets of paper.
,Nim hit' ,ni ,chi pat, ^|5^1^fx ^ Take away that pencil.
'Sai ^ni ,chi cUga ts'at, ^B^I^SFIS Wash this tooth brush.
-L6ung jti'u lo- ^to hii' tak, Pl^i^iio fiii'f'^ Both roads are passable.
Clnsiiificrs.
'K'u 'hi (Sara ^kdn Jcung; 'sho iH^zn jPy ^}^)]' Ke erects three coun-
cil chambers.
Tsoi' ^Heung Mvong- fyau ,sam ^kan ^kung kuk, '^^^M^^W} "^^
There are three arsenals in Hongkong-.
11. To*
U
frequently stands for ]J^ to pass over or through
sage\tc.
ft pM-
«Hi ,to 'leiing 16* ^k^iu tS ^SMIS ^^^^^^^ two bridges inaddition.
,in
—'WM A puff of smoke.
^^^^^^^ ^' '^''^ ^'^^
Shik, ,Ioi lok, yat, chan^ 'ii
g^^jg:— l^^iji ^"^
just now.
a cloud of smoke.
> „ yeung*—[$j((0|Ji}'# Like
14. Nap, M is applied to grain, seed, buttons &c.
—-^ji^pl]'^ So much as one bean.
Yat, nap, tau* kom' ,to
„ „ ,8hatit,yap,'k'uke'=ng&nnoi*— 5|di:B^^;AlS>'i^SP^p3
A grain of r-and fell into his eye*:.
(jn )
Classifiers.
,T6 siin' yat, ^ch'eung 'ts'oi ^^"^^^ I think I was very luoky.
20. Kin* "(^ is applied to articlest)f dress, to atF;tir3 of business &c. &c.
«Ngo V'lu
I have an
yat, kiu' sz' w^i' kwo' ^ni ,chi
afl^jtir to communicate to you.
^^ —^ff^fS'^Mi'SJvn
,N5 y.t, kiu' t,.' kok„ hai' ok, mai'
nj^—ft^^ff^.^, J|
This sort of goods is indeed difficult of sale.
Clasfii/iers.
Yat, fdi^chl kom^ pok, —-l^ '^'tftH'-^ -'^^ ^^^^^' ^^ ^ P^^^® of paper.
Ko' fAi' p6' 'pi kwo' ^a-o f^Sf]^ Give me that piece of cloth.
j;!f
ij| ill
*22. jT^iin ^
stands for lumps, clods, Ami is chiefly applied to
detached substances of earth, dough &c.
„ miu*
— Ul '^ A lump of douj^h.
Note 3. — r5
' is frequently pronounced 'til, chiefly so in connecLion witii
flowers. ^
(12)
Ira.mMar or THE Chinese LANftUAOB.
Classifier.'^.
Yat, tsik, ^ho .sh'in ti' — jg^f |ili-t]l ^ l"cky spot [for a^grave.]
•
29. jPau ^ a bundle dec.
Purchase a bale of cotton.
— H^HtE'^'S
»Mdi jinin rik yat, j)au
52. ,T6
J} One quire.
„
—"^^ ^^^
fShii volume.
Tukj ,ni 'pun ^shii
gJ^^TJ^^ Eead this book.
34. T'6' ^^ is applied not to single volumes but to sets of books, and
woiks containing more than one volume.
Cla,<<Sffjrr.<i.
37. 'Ha fTp is applied to blows with the hand or stick Jtc.
Yat, 'ha 'shau —
•
—^'^^
42. Kukj is applied to games of chess or chess boards.
Yat, kukj ;k'i One game of chess.
43. Kon ni is applied to bamboo.
I
"T, to pistols and revolvers 6;c,
jHam ( }^
'Ni 'yau shap^ ,mnn tai^ ^p'clu
j/j^^-hP^^^itg
You have ten pieces of cannon.
48. ,Fong ^
ton, pork &c.
is applied to squares of ink or inkstones; of beef, mut-
Classifiers.
50. "^Fo ;^ is used for heads, pearls and other small round things.
Yat, ^fo ,cLan ^chii —'^^10^ A pearl.
Yap,
Went
ts'ak, chai^ ^cham ^shau shap, ,u 'fo AM^^^'if+MS
into the encampment of the robbers and more than
cut otf ten heads.
„ ti^
— 'l^X^i^ One piece of ground.
Wo^ yeuk, tai^ luk, 'fun J^O^^^^nT^ The sixth article of the treaty
of peace.
'Yau 4euug wai^ jan hak, Joi t'am' ^ni ^"ffi 'fe A^^^fS^
Two gentlemen have come to visit you.
54. jUn |§| also written j^ is applied to things round, circular &c.
ten dollars.
^'^f>ji§^~PA P
55. JJn ^ is applied to officers of governmeut.
Classifiers.
A drop of ink.
61. Tarn' ^^ :^B A burden, a picul etc.
64:. 'Hau (3 (see No 47) is applied to thin .gs with sharp edges &o.
—j^-^^
07. 'Mi \<i applied to fishes &c.
Yat, ^mi ;U A iisli.
^Yau ^ki shapj ^pan ^cli'un shik, liii' jing ^ch'un ^^~p^^ &i
^^^ Several tens of processions have goue to usher in the spring.
Yat, '{)an tau^ fu^ —'t^^P--^ ^ frame of bean curd.
71. ^Ki'm ^
of bamboo.
is applied to tubes^ which are in China chiefly mide
There are a few more classifiers not contained in the preceding list ;
but as they never occm* in colloquial, and but seldom in books, there is
no need for burdening the student's memory with them.
The Nouns,
Adjectives, and Verbs are ag-ain subdivided into ur,, tsz*
and dead cliaracters). The former com [)rise the Verbs
jind 'sz tsz^ (living-
the latter the Nouns and Adjectives. Figurative or ineta])horicaI expres-
sions are called 'ka tso'.
j^
fff
by foreign students to Chinese
Little attcTition has as yet been paid
composition. They have read books, con)mitted sentences to memory and
copied Chinese writing but few have so far masitered the Chinese ))Pn or
;
does not wish to wasto'his valuable time) of a foreigner writing the Chinese
characters so elegantly, that tbey can be presented to persons of rank-
but no less to the lack of practical works in the various dialects serving
ns competent guides to a knowledge of the written language.
8. Gender, Number and Gate 0/ Nouns, and Moods and Tenses of Verbs.
The Chinese language having no inflexion ot Nouns, Adjectives and
Verbs, these distinctions are represented bj' words used as prefixes and
Buffixes, and by auxiliary Verbs and ])articlos.
9. T/ie Article.
Examples.
Book language in the upper line, and
Punti Colloipiial in the lower.
The man [be-
fore me]
(
)
B. Kn A>t ^/'j^
-tt^ _a* j-r
'Ts^z ,van fu^ ,chi Jol.
oXsbacL (
I^-B^fi Aa(-5)K?!^ .Nl ko' ,yan fu^ .k^ ,lof.
^'no[" tu-l
^' Wfm^^M: .Sz shh^ pat, kit, ^kwo.
"flrSXt^^^ Ko'^nu,vaTisl.eunoMiau\shan-
w'il'en
younV
"'^s'tm ^
'^'
( :kli&U^& shat, 4iu M ke' Mo >.Ill,^
The man liar-TB. i*: ^^ff^ifliV^^^ Jv'i jan cwai tulv, <sam.
ous intentions. (P. 1010 A®® ^U^ 'I^o k" 0''^^^ ,wai tuk, ,sam.
i-
Neither the (cCo]!: ^MMX^^^ Che' ko' jnn^ pat, ^chnn- ^^.^
llow can the man f R 4^.fl^f]S ,vaa 'chc ^nio tak, ,on .nang
void of virtue
hold an ofiice ?
{
(
B. V 7^""^'^
V^tA-C%%^
"^J-
""
^^^o ko\sh^
I n-ave himjC. Hcf^ffi-^Mfc!^ J^ 'F^ c^^ayat,
,11.
'a i.ear.
\ p. |^ pfl—'lij -y.^ J^JitS „ yat, ko' ,slia Ji kwo^
I jjurchased1 a ship
, T (p
P-
I?®—
rm
^
^^ /'-
^Mai,shiinyat,chek,or [dc^il.
Thon^li in g-enoral Tsouns have no gender, there are, hesiiles the Ad-
jectives ^i^
{a\\m -nii, male and female, as applied to man, clriractevs
expressing- the gender of each peculiar s[)ecies of animate nature.
1. The male and female, the creative and receptive, the active and
passive, the positive and neg'ative principle of nature is |^)/ and f^/^
OUAMMAR Ol' THE ClflNHSIO IjANaUAOR.
famule of" birds. ( /t-lKljllE Jlung- ^ts'z (Sneak Sc write /I's'z chniig-.)
( ajla.}
female of quadrupeds. (
^tX^Ij 'J^Iau 'p'an (Sj)eak -p'an ^mau.) (G)
T). The. male and female or masculine and feminine character of in-
animate niiture is expressed bv l^i!^ cKong and .yau (strong- and soft.)
Examples.
It is a man i^ ^\ Ua? cnam ,yan.
. It is a woman "jj^j^C/^ ;> '"^ »
A coek KiiV Jvai,kung;ahpn|^^,kai W\
A bull ^X-p ^Mau ,ngau. A cow 'if-L^ 'p'an ^ngau.
(Kung- ^ and 'nu j^W; are the general terms used in colloquial for ex-
l^ressing the gender of every species of animate nature except
man.
Is this a cock or a hen-bird?
^)i^^]%^lS.iM& r^i chek, tseuk,
hai- (kung wakj hai* 'n:'i.
Where is the sow? iWMWM''mf^ cChil ^nii tsoi= .p^^^ ^^'ii' c^i- (")
2. Number.
Every noun may express the singular as well as the plural. ^JNgo
ke' jmim ,t'o ^^''i|^ f 1 1x£ niay mean. My pupil, or my pupils- ko' ok^
cyan ^1^0^ J\. may express : that bad man or those bad men. Where
distinctness is required, the characters Hang -^^ jmun if\ piii' J^,
l"i^ fM, sts'5 ^, cts'i'ii
]ll^, jch'au j^ are put after the substantive j kok,
]\oTE 6. —iYam ^yeung are also applied to concave and convex objects
^, .cliii
If, cbnng' M, sf=^i^ Hs, sliu>
{H;,^to
fj^, ,kai ^ and ,kai
'f'^,.li;'im )^, yn '^, ^ts'im ;^, man- Jl\, ^tsung- fj, either precede
01- follow the noun.
-N"-o 'tan"- ^ T^j "ui 'tang-, 1/]^^ are )ised both in books and colloquial.
jMan -mo Jvun ^shciing- jan 'tang .loi ^.^^'g^MA^^ Civil and
military oliicurs and merchants arrivea.
Plural Aumher.
jMuu ^pj is only applied to man, and used in colloquial as well as
mhooks; e.g. ^T'a cUiuu "flM/ Jn '^^^Y- Its application is more limited
than 'tang '^^j and it is never used but in connection Arith a pronoun.
jTs'o ^, cch'ai 'Pl", and jcli'iiu J^ also denote the plural and are, like
the preceding, only applied to man.
chiiV 3*^ "1'^'^ '^^ii ^4^ ^'"'^ Indefinite Pronouns, when used without IS^ouns,
and Adjectives when joined to a Noun.
Their position is indicated in the following rhyme :
Bljing' ,y:ui ,to tsoi^ ,t'in Mc' AlfTi-t^^C All saints are in heaven.
,To Joi qiu ^^1^31'tT All have arrived.
/I'c) s'ni oi' ^"1)P§- '^ I do not like any.
jYan ^to or 'ho ^to ^yan yv^ or jtj'^ A Many men or very many men.
/Fs'im is frequently used without a Noun, as: ^ts'im ap, ;^fH All signed.
Ti^ llJlfr, as :
and iH
=i\,<i-o ti^ f^PJil we ; =ni ti^
''''^ seldom heard).
W^M you ('tang and ,mun ^
'Ng-o ti^ yik, hii' |,|[fitli^i We also go.
Ilam^ p^tng^ lang- PX^^jifP/'^ all, e.cj. Ham' P^'ing^ lang^ ^to hai^ yat,
expressed by repetition, as : ,yan cy;^n J\,,/\ every man. jYan ryan hai^
'kom yeung^ w;?
all da^'s.
AA w'--^ wtfS'j J^^i y^h U H Every day or on
Muii^ kwok, t% [lil All kingdoms. Pak, ,pan |i:| ^K In every way.
Ke' P|^ added to Pronouns and Adjectives also implies the plural, as
Hai^ 'ni ke^ #f®Pfyt They are yours. ,Chan hai^ 'ho ke^ Mi^tt^^
The are really good ones.
Cuses.
Court Coll Punti Coll
Genitive. Genitive.
Dat'ice.
''{]
%, ,wo ^il, tui' #j", t^ai^
^, ,chu|f, ,ii 1)\ and ,u "^^are
words denoting the dative. In the Piniti Colloquial it'unjr |^j, kwo' )iH,
kiing- -^ and cmai J^ are of jnoie frequent occurrence.
Court D'uth.'ct.
.Wo „ "^wiMi)
Punti Colloquial.
K'apj jts'in 'ii ,kung .yan ^a Ja^^'-^i-yv CJive money to the workmen.
Accusative.
Pnnti CoUoqniah
'Ng-o oi^ ^ni ^J^^f^'t I love you.
Court Dialect.
«
jNgan 'tsz ^to faP 'liu ^M'T'W*vl T -^^^ monpy is spent. f'l*^
Vocative.
The vocative is seldom expressed. In writings ^fu P^, 'yii "fjli, sii
||\ and in colloquial (0 [^p[, (ft B^, (tsoi ^, &c. occur most frequently.
Examples.
Fu'- <fu ^cP'f T^ather
J 'ju Joi !
I^'fe^ Come here, Sir I
Sl^li^ my husband!
Ablative.
The ablative isexpressed in as many ways as in English.
1. By Prepositions ;
2. By words expressing the passive form of the verb;
3. By words assuming the nature of Prepositions ; and
4. By tik, {^^ &c.
1. jYau jing kvvok, Joi ^:9i!^^ He comes from England.
Tbz' jHeung 'kong p{ ^i^ From Hongkong.
-i ,t6 shat, jyan iH7J^\ To kill with a sword.
2. Pi- syau ^sheung fix A"^ Injured ])y men.
3. ^KHi tap, .shiin ,loi tS#)IS^ He came by ship.
a substantive, the meaning is not always so obvious ; for tik, \X^ when
following adjectives expressing space, form, colour, quality or condition
sometimes converts the positive into the comparative. It is then pro-
nounced (ti as :
'Ni 'yau pak, ^ti hwh ,ni |$^ Q ^^^B^ Have you any whiter ?
Note 9. —'Ho jjj* is used as an Adverb ; -K'ii ^hang ,wai 'ho iBfT
>§i(f He conducts himself well. 416 'kau ^^% Very long.
(•35)
GuAMMAIi or TUB ClII.V.ESE LANGUAdn:.
Tikj [{>J is omitled wlieii two Adjectives are ])ut together, as: i'lV
2. Comparafice.
'Wo jif Good. Kang'lio M5? Better, ChP 'ho ^il" The best.
'Ng-o pi^ kau' -ni kan-' 'ho ^}^Wjli'S^MM' I am better than you.
^.\i pi- st'a ^ko 'f^'^j^tiifci^t You are taller than he.
^Kung tSL'nnt;^ j.P pat^ talc, fining- ,fu ,cbi' yimg' ^Ei^L^f-l^'A
^j'fi usefulness of" a mechanic
The is not to be coui|iitre(l
with that of the luisbandinan.
titj fit, ^1^
Still better.
also expresses the comparative, vlt^ i'di, 4i6 ^ WJ^
tit, fai' lit, 4i6 M'l^M W The sooner the better.
Hole, ,shan<^ pat, 'ho pi^ ,sin ,sliang '^^^ PTi^k^^fe^ The pupil
cannot be compareJ with his master, i. e. be is inferior to bis master,
AVo hai^ Icv^-ai' ,ii cngau ^H'feia J^® Peace is more precious tliau
silver.
Mi^ 'yau ^nan ^ii Hs'z ^^Ic-iH.>7n O^L There have never been diffi-
ij^ ^to ii^ pat, tsuk, ^l^^A-^^^ The more he has, the less he
is satisfied.
.Yau okj ~)ti^ More wicked. ^Yau kwai' TC'S More strange
Yik/ho ^^ Better.
jKiiig 'sz pat, 'ho pui' '\i ^JE'T* ^TW^M Rather die than oi)pose
reason.
Pat, ,ii ^$P, pat, yeukj ^;^, mok, yeuk, ^^"" also express
rather, better.
Adjcctloes. Compdratioe.
0]K more, surpluss, fony' iJL more, how much more, 'ch'un yfi\ still
tnrtlier, much more,
Ti ,to sbap, ko' W-3^~l l^ ^^^^ *^^ more, or in addition.
Tak, -yuu ^ix cyan Q ^p] ^j^J^; /v More than one hundred men.
'N-o shi^ pit, hii', hn ,u ^^>jL'i:\m^L%^-
cho fono' I must be
off, how mucli more mu-;t you.
'Ch'an Hrz 'yau .-ts^oi /vJlli-L-W '^ ^^'^"' mucli more is this mnn talented.
Pat, hi? 'ng- ,kan ^ pifc JT^ Not less than five catties,
K6 pak, 'p'ui
sliirig' r^lp^ J-| Im
Move than a Lutidred times higlier.
Tlie comparative is implied in the following sentences.
^Kom ye'ung^ hai^ iit. fi'it, <h6 ^^^W-WMik^ Mftch better that way.
Ko' neung ko^ ,yan j.in ko' dio ,ni fi| 1^.1^61 A^fi ^J PjS. Which is
]N\)TE 10 — Care must taken not confound the meaning of Kwo' )i^,
be to
when used sense from the preceding.
in a different
Adjectives. Suiierhit'tce
o. Superlative.
Chi' shin= M# The best ; Chi' 4i5 H^J do. ^f^ Chi' talc,
,San lai' ,sbam M W^W^A^ilM ^1^^ new regulations are very rig'(S»rous.
-Ni 'kom 'han ^sam j/]\| K'^^ How harsh you are
„ to^ 'li
5TixS^^ ^'ery unreasonable, no firmness of
purpose.
,Yan pat, shing' shtV A-^ W X^Z An exceedingly large nuDiber of men.
Ok, pat, shing' ^>^0 Exceedingly wicked.
IN'oTE 11. — Giitzlaff and J'reniare s:iy that niut, ^'^ is used in the same
sense as pat, when following 'ho 3tj'. Tint all the examiilws
given by Premare, show the reverse; whilst Giitzlaff" fails to
give a single sentence to confirm his assertion. Both express
^'cery,''but one gives a i^ositis-e, and the other a negative
meaniu"-.
(30)
Grammar of the Chinese Language.
Shap, (fan ^to tse* 'ni ~jrf}^^mi^ I «"^ extremely thankful to you^
^Ch'm ,kw^an S^, ,chMn iit^ M.'M. cCh^u ch'euk, Jlip-, cli'6uk,
lap, -^-_LL, ch'euk, tslit, -P-^^, ch'euk, iitj -^;^ and a few others
all express, to surpass, to excel &c.
The following; are tlie most common characters used in Punti Collo-
quial to denote the superlative degree.
1. Cham- 1^ and ,\i ~j^ are only used by the emperor foi the roy-
al We, Ourselves:.
*Kwa cyan !^/\. tbelonely, solitary, who has not his equal, We, Ourselves.
J, ^^1—- ^^^^
^"^^'S
lienevolent, virtuous par excenence, We, Oar-
selves.
(81)
Grammar of the Ciiinkse Language,
2. kSubstitutes Jbr 1.
,,
jkwan po^ >2)S gij ti" j) I, the hoppo.
Ilau- „ 'W.^
the youth. I,
The last five terms are chielly in use among relatives and literary
men.
'IV4n- ts'ipj rJI^ Ij yo"i" unworthy handmaid.
-1'4 ts'i'p, t^^ I> your handmaid,
Fi'in^ cyan ^li/v ^, the prisoner.
Plural.
Second Person.
1 1^, -ni f^, Hi ^ and the more obsolete forms Hi 25Cj 'Dili Ty*
yeukj ^^ and -ii $P all express thou or you.
, -fm^ : I
^Lo tai^* cyan :^A A a^icl 'I^" *'"' ^^^ :^/t"^ are terms chiefly ap-
plied to venerable persons of rank. ^Lo ,sin ^shang
^^/^
Venerable Sir, or teacher, is frequently heard in polite society.
fSban fu- fl$3c Spiritual father, is the term by which Eom. Catholic
p)-i<;sts ore adilresscd by tbeh' conveits.
jT'oi fan^ ^Q
|z| Exalted Pattern do.
All these terms are substitutes for the second person tJioii and 3/0?*,
and must be used in polite conversation and elegant writing.
5. Punti Colloquial.
In Punti Colloquial -ni f:$ for the singular and ^ni ti^ f>5^?li£ for
the plural are the must current expressions for tho^o and yo7(,. To make
too much use of the plural, is not considered elegant. Whilst the stu-
dent, therefore, should endeavour to acrpiaint himself with all the col-
loquial (or vulgar) terms in use among the people, he should nevertheless
take care to get such a command of the language, as to be able to con-
verse with educated people with case.
6. Personal Pronouns.
The words in general use to express the third Personal Pronoun are
,k4 ^, ,f a fiH, ,i 1^. ,kHi ^, %'ii fg and ,chi :^. ,K4 shut, ^
gJtj He, she or it says. cK4 ^chung Jifp Among them. Wai^ ,k'i
-Nn'o ^clii fClii ^^3<^ I know it. Tlii^clii -^^ Remove it.
/J's'an
quently for
pi,
it.
fkung- ;§5? .^^'^^ 9^ >
'^^ 2* ^^^ ^^^^ S ^i^ndi fre-
^Ts'an jloi ^ij|/|^ He has come (himself). (T'lu 'tsz ^kung- fkang
5^"f^:3§ltt The Emperor ploughs himself. 'Siu ,yan 'fan shi^ /J>A
J)C^ The inferior man reverses it. 'Kong 'che ojgij^ He who speaks.
^K'ii wa^ tHfg He said. ^K'ii 'tim ko' ,tang fg^J^ (0^ He lights
the lamp, ^K'ii 'ts4no; 'nl Joi JBinW^^ He invites you.
7. Possessive Pronouns.
The Possessive Pronoun is expressed by the Personal Pronoun with
or without certain additional particles, as :
send a
^Ngo 'mb
letter.
^ts'an ki' sun' Joi ^"©iSWfSyl^ % mother will
,. ,t^ono- ^^ Do.
long- '^nl) Y'our son.
Kwai' kwokj m [^ Your honorable country.
Ling' oi' ^^ Your daugliter.
'^Ngo ke' lic^lyi Mine. L\i ko' i'Wf^ Thine. ^vMi ke' fg^j^ His.
Pronouns
that
is
by 'che ^,
seldom expressed.
'pi i^^fe, 'na M aud ^vo Jig.
(8(>)
Demunstratice Pronouns,
11. Examples.
'Ts'z jan mong^ jliang itt A^^T This man leads a bad life.
^ij Hs^z t^it In this place. Tsoi^ ^ts^z '^^t do. ,U 'ts^z ^0
i]^ Like this ; thus. 'Ts'z hau' jt^ ^ After this (henceforth).
Cbe' ko' ^yan ;xM.tlS A This man. Che' ^shi ^0>j- This time.
jK'i syan ^A This or that man. Jv'i ye' S'S That night.
'Che and 'sho ^
and fyX are Pronouns expressing the Demon-
strative and Relative Pronouns in the same character.
The former is only used in the literary style, the latter is ffequently
heard in conversation.
jTs'ung -ngo 'che -yt^-^ Those who follow me.
P 'die pat, 'ho takj jkim ZH/^"^ P] -f^^^ These two cannot be
had together,
whom
Shi^
I
^11
love
go 'sho
(my
oi- ,chi ,yan
beloved).
^^^J^J]''^ ^ /\, These are those
(37)
Grammar of the Chinese Language.
brought the
sun' .loi ^che shi' 'pi ^fp^^:;^f^ It is that man who
letter.
'Na ,shl hau^ M^^"^ At that time. 'Na ko' jan JR^A That man.
jWai '1^ and jwai jfj^ when combined with jshi Bsf , time, become
Demonstratives, e. _</. cWai sshi ;i^H^ At that time.
(Kam ^nln '^^ This (the present) year. '=Pun iitj 2|^ j^ This montl).
13. In Ctinton Colloquial tins and that are expressed ))y ^Ni ko' ^B
10, ,ni tP PJStiife ko' ti^ iWA and 'ko ko' Hafl, as :-
^K'ii yap, ,ni ^kau .po ^t'au IB AB^I^M^IR He entered this shop.
,iNi kin^ Ve hai^ kik, 4ni ke' B/6 ff if SS^^I^ This is an ex-
tremely fine thing-.
,Ni ti^ ,yan hai^ ,sai kwok, Joi ke= ^fl^AKi^M®'^^^ These
men are fiom western countries.
'Ko ko' jau hai^ shat, 'shau ok, -fQJg Af^'g^^^ Those men
are truly wicked.
When the Demonstrative Pronouns are used without a substantive,
Pit, ^yau 'sho ^sz ^^-^ ryf'S^ He must have something- to think of.
sMo 'sho pat, cWai ^J^^^ There is nothing that be would not do.
p. C.— ;Mo 'sho pat, .chi ^W^^^M There is nothing- that he does
not know (omniscient).
(38)
Grammar of the Chinese Languaoe.
. Shi^ ,Vi 'slio =i ,kun ,k^i ^sho ,yau JJllft ^ii^Sfti^Jf^? L'^'*'^
*Ngo ^sho lok, ,chi cyan ^f^Jf^^^A The men I delight in.
^^^mWAZM'^iMkZt-^^^
and
in taithtully carrying out people's designs
Filial piety consists
appropriately recording
their doings.
Mi^ ^yau hok, 'yeung 'tsz ,f hau^ ka' 'che -ya ^'^ ^^-f'lfu J0
^i^liSL There are none [no women] who first learn the nursing of
children and afterwards marry.
a D.—Ji'i shiif, tik, ,san ,man shi= ^shat, 'shau 4io Siftfixfl^iHS
^ Iq ^X The news he communicates is indeed very good.
P. C.-^Yau ko' ,mun ,t'o ,meng kiu> Atak,
There was a disciple whcse name whs Atak.
'^W\^^^^'^M
Mi= ^yau kSipj ^t'h .chf .ts'oi ^'^^{^ '^^
There is none whose
could he com})ar{?d to his.
tal+'nt
15. lu Punti CoUoiiuinl the Eelative Pronoun is expressed in the
following manner.
,Poug cli'an^ ^ngo k6' hai^ ngoi^ kwok, ,yan ^§!r^J^^^M^S
J\. Tliose who pntronize me, are foreigners.
(39)
GlIAMMAR OF TIIKChINFSE LanOUAOK.
^Ng-o ^sho ^chiu ke' ^yan ^ t'jf IK ^[vt A The men (wliom) 1 called
^
=Chino- luu= ,ni iV- =ye > LaP 'huke^ oa" ^M^M^Wf^^'U
nyCjK. He who tore this, is not a good man.
^i\go ch^ut, shai' ko' ,kan uk,, hai, 'hb ^vau ^bi k6' ^Jfe [Ij
tft'O [^
>M'W»'it7y^^''B^ The house in which I was born, was erected long- ago.
;iam kok, ^ni ke^ ^kung- ,fu hai^ ko' ti' jan tMfflfS'^P^X;^^
1Ei Uv J\ ^^ "^^'^0 obstructs your labour, is that man.
llok, ,ni tP ke^ ha? >i [is^in ke' jan ^^^M^f^^^SPU
y\. Those who study this, are men of pro])0rty.
^iXgo 'sbai ko' tP ,yan ,^m bai^ ,ni ti^ ke' llSS^fS ^^ A P§"1il ^ji
Rv'"fyt -f I'equire those men, not these.
16. 'Reciprocal Pronouns.
These are tsz* @, 'ki Ei, ^tsSan ^^, ,kung ^, and ,shan jj''
and are combined in the following- manner, as : — tsz- 'ki ^S 5 tsz- jka
Mutual, each other, one another, are expressed ^by ^seung 71^, u'
^seung Sffi and tui' 0^*
Examples.
.Seungoi' i'B'S To love one another. ^Seun;^ 'tu fflfT To
fight witb each other. U' ^seung- han' Hi>l''0lR To hate each other.
^^vAnx^ fpong- ^6^ To assist each other. U' ^seung jwo muk, ^4^3
1^ To live in mutual harmony.
(40)
GllAMMAR OF TUE ClIINESE LANGUAGE.
^Ngo tsj5* 'ki kin' kwo' 'k'ii ^j^ pf 2< M^iStS I sf^w him myself.
^Ngo tsz'- 'kf 'hi tak, ,nf ti^ \y6 ^ g \±MU^M^^ ^ can lift
this myself. ^KHi ,s6ung nau' 10. ffi fH They scold one another.
jShui fl^, shukj f/t, and Jio ^, stand for who ? jho ifcrf, mat,
^ye ^S^^ and ,pin tik, ^9y for which and what ?
Examples.
vour dress ?
'Pi jSam cyan shuk, tai^ f^^ A?/t>^ Who is the eldest of those
three ? _ _^^
'Ho sin' shuk, sham' 'ho ,oi slnik, sham' '^^ShW^^^KW
Could anything be more ridiculous or more lamentable
ShP sho jnu ;^^ A Who is it ? cHo sz' i^^ What business ?
,IIo ku' fj ft^ What is tlij reason ? Why ? ^Wai ,ho pat, liii^ ^fejflf
A^^ Why? On what !u-;-oiint wouKI you not g'O
Sz^ Jio ^ii 'ts'z ^f^lirijlt How is it, that matters have come to this ?
riit.lun^hosyau
At what phice ?
^Ijgfjf A Whosoever.'' Jlo ch^u= ff^^ Where?
Mni^ mat, ^ye sz^ 1^-{i^^ Wliat is the matter ?
-Ni oi^ j)ln ko' jii f^'-g' i^l f@ Which do you prefer ?
^Ni q.on- kH^p, ,pin ko> k6' ,ni f5'^^iiitei:E''S Of which
(whom) do you speak/
Tai^ 'ki yat^ ^^oi ^jv->^ Fl On what day do you come?
5R
^Ni 'eai mat, S'e ,ni f:^^!^!!^!^/^ What are you looking- at ?
6\Z>.— 'Cham ,mo "^B.^^ ^^i^^m^ c^o ®jg and shap. ,mo fh'$ all
are
^iN'i cmun
you capable of knowing ?
,chi t^ ,se sham= ,mo j/jtff^ B' ifi ^S
j^lt
18. In Punti Colloquial there are only a few Interrogative Pronouns in
general use.
Examples.
Hai' jDin ko' cyan ke' 'ka_n ,ni W&MK^^iM^Ji^ Whose dog- is it ?
Wai' mat, ^ye 'la ^kHi ^Ig'&iftTtB Why (for what reason) do you
strike kirn ?
Hai^ fpin ch'ii' jan 'fe?^^ A. Whence (from what place) is this man i
All is expressed (1.) by ^fan /t, as: — ^fan ^kam ^chi jau )\i^^J\
All the men of the present age.
,Fan =yau hiit, hi^ 'chc jl^lDl^ ^ AH mortals.
Indefinite Pruntmyis.
Cliung-^ cham ^t^ng cham^ nieng^ c^^l^SSMw All obey Our com-
Clmng' jSii ^tam 'po ^.^^'fSlS All recpiire security. [mamis.
^Kw^ pat, tikj chung' ^^pj^*^ A- few would not resist a multitude,
3. ,Chu g^ as:— ^Chii^kung-^^ All you gentlemen.
fUhii sz* ^^^ -^^^ affairs.
18. Tai^
pleased [with
M A^ :—^
if].
as TaiSka ,chnng i' A^
4* .^ All are
(For the rest of the Collective Pronouns seo Adjectives).
Another and other ,T'a ftli, pit, M, lir.g^ ^ and ^ i^
Examples.
Indefinite Pronouns.
'Yan pit, yeun-^ piV .mo ,ni ^^ijl^ 1^7 fish's Have you any other
stuff t
means.
Ling^ ^yau ^Tigan jts4n 3^"'^] SS He has some money besides.
Any, any one, an}' body, any body else, are exj)ressed in the following
riauner
^Ni -yau 'tsau ^mo ^ni tifS ^v^ Have you any wine ?
f5^
nSoro ,tb ,mb lok, :|IcSP^^^ No, I have not any.
^Ni t.e' tak, =ngo ,to ^shiu ,ngan ^mo ,ni f^^^fg t#|J^i^^J^SS^J'#
Can you lend me any money ?
^Wgo ,kam csbi /m ,ts^ang =yau .ngan ft^ 4"B$P§-'§'-^ifi I have not
any at present.
'Yau jan man^ k'ap,
inquired after you ?
^ni ,m6 ,ni ^ AT^'^ Iki/S^M^)^ Has any body
,M(\
"UJO.
k, ,mo yat,' ko' ^PJ, M^iS No, not any. [or Yat, ko' ,th
Pat, lun^ cho jan fAn^ 'ts'z fat, 'ngo pit, fat, ,chi shap, tai^ din ^pKH W
A^H it ft |6 # Wl ^ +Ji n Any body transgressing this law
shall be lined ten dollars.
Aught, as :
— Chiu' 'ngo jii kin' !IH$»C.^»M/ ^^i" aught I know.
Loth, 'Leung ko' j^^fflii as: — ^JNi ti^ 'leung ko' ^yan ^ib 'im peng^
-^]b 'ts'z ,kii ^mong '^~f"^^ Botli mother and cliild ])erished.
Jfing tai^ 'leung ,yan ,kim fnn' ITit, jl^iPH Afl^Uft ^o^h
bi others have transgressed the law.
20. Pvnti CoUoquial.
^Sheung 'shau '^^ Both hands.
'Leung yeung' ke' Pl|^^^i5£ Both kinds; both ways.
'Leung ,kan hai^ ,san =hi ke' ffipji'fj IliTfli^Pyt Both houses
have re-
-Leung- wai' shik^ ii'iir -lin j^ f>/ ^^"ffi ) I^oth geutlemen have (Unecl
^Leung- ko' ,th liaP ,Hnj? li^ S^ ^j^lS^fp #'] l^"^^>i '-^I'e
have one.
clever.
'L3ung kin' 'ho W 'cha pjf 'ff ^^'^^Borh pieces are very dirty.
Certain. ^Man jan kwo' 'ts'z ^/V^^il't A certain person passed
along.
-31 an hak, clai ^^%^ A certain strang-er is here.
^Yau p6^ fShii j^rn 'ho tuk, ^^ OH^Pa-J^S^ There is a certain book
which you should not read.
-Yau ,yan
said so.
hai^ 'kom 'kong lok, ^ A.fe'Slu^i^^'^ Certain persons
*^
liave
Each, every, Kok, kwok, ^yau ck'i ^{l<j^/^ Every nation has its
own flag'.
Kok, (beung yat, .yan ^^vpj) '/\. One person from each villaL>'e.
-Mui ch'ii' ^sheung takj ngon- -^/^ .Jl ^tt /^ You may laud at each
place.
Wak,
wrong.
-nl wak, 'ngo M cheuk, UX^ffl^^^^uX' Either you or I am
Indefinite Pronoun'i.
Ko^ Menu-
One ot the
ko' ,yan
two men
^clii yat, ,t/au ^ng-o ^ye
{i.e. either the
filSflS A^—
one or other) must have stolen
fHullil*
my
thing-s.
Eveiy, every one, every body, every thing are expressed by kok,
-0', ^mui ^, chukj yat, 3^ ', by the Collective Pronouns .chii ^,
(k'ai g , fiiu^ /Li ifcc. ; and by the repetition of the subjects spoken of.
Kok, kwokj ^yau jWong ^'[icj-^i Every kingdoni has its [own] so-
vereign.
-Mill .nin s/} hai^ 'kom ^^r^'Ml'lm Affairs are the same every year.
Chung' (Sliang ^.^, Every living creature.
Kin^ kin' bai' yat, yeung' TT TT W? 'W Every thing is the same.
Eew is expressed by ^ki ko' ^fl> sho' ^ji, ,to ^shiu ^:j^^ and =kwa
-KHi jmo 'ki ^to shik, mat, iB^^^^if^ He has little provision.
Examples.
^KMi ^yau I10 (to (fong fat, jH^iff" ^^S He has many means.
-No-o^tang>n =hO(to'kvvo shat, ^-^^Jif^-M'H We have a
great deal of iruit.
Indefinite Pronouns.
Clii\to
Neither
M^
is
Most. Chi\to ^fu :mm M^'S^S
Most sufFeriao-s.
expressed by a double negative, or by a Collective Pronoun
precediug' the final neg-ative, as :
(I shik, 'k'ii ^to cmo ^^10.-^^ He hns neither food nor raiment.
No is expressed by a large number of negatives, as :
Tsung cm6 |B^, ,kai .mo ^^, ,ih cmo ^ji^E and other Collective
Pronouns followed by ti/e negative particles c^o y^^, pat, '°yau A^^
&c. express none, none at all, not any.
Nothing, not any thing.
^K'ii c'm jts^ang tso- ,kung ^fu jH'^a^fSX;^ He has done nothing.
^KMi > .ts'ang ^yau ,liang ts^o'
any thing wrong. •
iW^^'Ufii^ He has not done
^K'ii ,t6 ^mh ts^o' kwo' |^|^ t^iiB )JSL He has not done any thing wrong
at all.
,'M ,(;hi tiV 'tiin yeung^ ^ta Sun' ^1§ ^ ^lj.1/|^ fT^ One does not
know what to do.
(47)
GRAMJIAn OF THE ClII.VKSE LaNOTIAOR.
Indeflnife Pronotms.
,Ni tP ,shii ,chuno- ^yan 1a ko' '\\h ke\ =yau 'ki ko' ,'m 'h6 ke' 5^?^^
Pl^^lI1laS'P.^ll"S1SPaiffP|t Of these books some are good,
the others are bad.
People. ,Yan /un ^hi 'kong AMJiS^ People like to talk.
King' wai' sheung^ tui' 'che pat, p'tV ,mo Ivwai V^L S _t W-^^ W
fl^^i Such as fear God do not fear the devil.
-^iNgo >
kP tak, kom' lio ke' ,t'in ^lEflpfl'llxP^??
member such a fine day as this.
I never re-
14. Numerals.
The mode
:KU H^J^ H ^ | writing
, ,, , , JU'f?? iVi-'^fciA- PI *=3f* f capital of
(b,) Tui^ =se tik, sbo' muk, tsz^
;
^IZ^MWl @ ^ P^
abbreviated
(.,) ,Yh ^mh tik, sIkV muk, '
tsz^
form used cur- in
'S^Wri^Vfrn^i
or ,Su ,chau 'ma sIkV mnk, i*"^J'M N -JT
tsz? ;-.Vi^>Tl accounts. (,
I'^nt
(48)
Grammar of the Chinese Language.
Indcjlmte Pronouns.
1. Cardinal J^iumhers.
"
a. h. c.
-^
1
H
S I
Yat,
2 ^ II p (ir.)
3 H g- III cSam
4 . 6t >C Sz^
5 31 f£ ^ 'Ng
6 y>» P^ JL Luk,
? -b ^ I^ Ts^at,
8 A U ^ Puta
9 ;fc ^ is: ^Kau---
^
>b
The
10 + to
first mode of writing is the one generally followed in books
1+ Shap,
the ;
11 ~| — Shapj 3^at,
12 -pZl » i'
13 +H » ,sdm
14 +1^ " sz^
15 +^ » ^ng
16 "I y^ » lukj
17 "h-t » ts^at,
18 +A » pdt,
19 '\% » 'kau
20 Z1+ Pshap,
21 Zl~h — Pshapjjat'
30 ;r^~r' (Sam shap^
40 P^]+ Sz'shap,
50 jE-h 'Ng shap,
60 yST I Lukj shap,
70 -ti" Ts^at, shap,
Note 15.
—''Leung pjf is generally used for two in Colloquial, as:
Tak, yat,
moans 110; Q*^
P^^k, 'ng- 150 Jcc.
The eudlcss kalpas of the Budhists and Tauiats arc frequently expressed
by ,t'ai ^,
jeung ^^
^kau )§, ^kan pjj, ,ching" IE, and tsoi' ^ .
A\meral Yat^.
*'*
,Fi yat, tsV -^ Not merely one mistake.
'
Yat, piin'^'hi, yat, pun' p'tV '^^'•§- 'H^Th I^^ partly rejoiced and
Yat, (Shang
—'5E The whole life. [pfi'tly feared.
Note 16. —The most common way of expressing one Million is Yat.,
j):'ik, man'
—n ' /ij ]^0 mill yat, ^ts'in man-
— ''T*-J§cr or Yat^ ^king
(50)
GUAMMAR OF THE CHINESE LANGUAGE.
3; V H 2.
^Leung tai' P!^^ The two great ones, i.e. Heaven and Earth.
'Leung tso' n^ita Plaintiff and defendant.
-Leung 'mi Prj^x '^^^ *^^^ beauties, i.e. genius in man and beuaty
'Leung 'leung chung- t^|1JjJ^, Two taels. [in woman-
4. Sam ^ 2.
The Numeral Three is often used in connection with certain objects hav-
ing regard either to popular belief, relations of life, certain offices of
government, or ironically, as a slang.
Examples.
fSam 'p6
^W "^^6 three Budhas.
^Siim ^ts'oi m^^ The three powers (heaven, earth and man).
(S^m tsukj nn^^ The three kindreds (father, mother and wife).
^Sam (kong zn^f^ The three relations or ties (prince and minister,
father and son, husband and wife).
Sam sz ^^
The three Commissioners in a province, viz.
the Treasurer, the Judge, and the Superintendent of Salt.
Sam chek ^ehau z~* /^"^ A thief (a person with three hands).
4. 8z' !5^ 4.
Examples.
'
'^Ni kom' sz' 'hoi che' f/J\p||'^ J^0^ What a courteous man you are !
Ng- ,sing
(r,>3)
7. Lukj ^\ 6.
Examples.
The four quarters of the earth with the zenith and
Luk }ji>p, >^i^
The six supreme tribunals at Pekino^. [ua-iir.
Lukj po- ^^iljl
Luk, sfoiij^- ;;a% -^ The six departments of ad ministration iu a ])roviace
in iaiitation of the six hoards.
Put, chang /Vtr The eight roads by winch the tributary grain ar-
rives at Peking.
Shap, and ebap^ fan^ "i and ~| :Z| ^i'^ equivalent to perfect.
Hundred, thousand, ten thousand are used in a similar manner; but while;
shap, expresses perfection of quality, hundred itc. c(mipiise ciiiefly a
M;in^ fioiiiv
^Jj All parts of t.lie world.
-Mi'm' sliiii' Sitt Forallag'ps.
Yikj chiiV '^3^|S All the people.
9. Ordinal 2^ umbers.
'i'lie Ordinal Numbers are expressed by the pn-fix tai^ beforo the Cardinal
Niiiribi'i's, as :
1^- C. — jSiQ to' ko' yC^^l^^ The nist who arrived, or, the one who ar-
rived first.
,Shau 'm\ Vo' W i\^MM^ The last who arrived, or, the one who
arrived last.
L\ L.—'Ts'z pat, a' ^ii ^pi jit?^5S 7$1^S This is not inferior to that.
10. The Quotation Numbers are expressed in the same way as the Or-
KoTE 17. —The Chinaman vv^ould express the latter sentence in the fol-
lowing n^.anner — : Tide, h;u- yat, ko' tu' ^sin kwo' 'k'ii ^•i'j'Dj^ Ji^^^'j /C
j^ |j3. Only one person arrived before liira.
(54)
Gkammar of tiik Chinese Language.
The Nuineralia Tterativa are expressed by the chnracters ts'z' ^, jui fS] ,
ExAjMPLES.
4vMi ,p5 ,ni tP tuk, yat, ts'z' tEl^^i^g — ^ He boiled this only
once.
-Ngo jing- jShing- ^kii 'ki ^fan ^]^i|§j^tl3.-^ui! ^ promised him se-
veral times.
'Ngo ^fan fiV %'ii lei, pin $ic?^fi'^^^ ^ ordered him several times,
'llo ,to ^ui iif ^|E| Many times. Lii- tsV J^^ Frequently. ?Lui
ts'z' :^:y^, do. tLin ts'z' ^5/C Maiiy times in succession. Sit, sit,
J^J^ constantly; tsoi' ,s:im -{^f zzi ; jCh'ung jciriing tip^ tip, l^M^
*^ all express many a time, often.
11. The Multiplication Numbers are expressed in the following way.
, Single, as: — /frin ^sliam ^J\^ ^nly one dress.
Talc, yat, ko' jvan 7:^ — |jS/x Only one single individual.
^
'
(Ch'^ung ^^ '^
and(Shcung express double, as :
,Sam sch'nng ^chi tsak, lak, ^il.^/ciWi^^ Tluve doubled make six.
sifiers.
13. Measures of Capacity.
^^^:/i^
—"^ ^ suk. make one ^kwai.
Shap^ ,:kwai ^wai yat, ts'iit,
| 3^^ 'llM 10 ,kwai make one ts'iit.
Shap; ts'iit, twai yat, ,ch'au ~h|M® 'l>^ 10 ts'iit, make one ,ch'au.
Shape ,ch'au jwai yat, cheuk, "i"^:^® '^ lC\ch'au make one cheuk,.
'Ng- cheuk, ^vvai yat, yeuk, 3l 'Vf^ —"^ 5 cheuk, make one yeuk,.
^Leung yeuk, jwaf yat, ki^p, P|^ h^^ —'-^ 2 yeuk, make one kop,.
Shap^ kop, swai yat, ,shiug | "W^ 'TV 1^' k5p, make one .shing-.
Shap, (Shingf jwai yat, 'tau "T'Tl ^ '^ 10 shing- make one hok,
'Ng- 'tau jWai yat, huk, 3l-^^ 'fj'\ 5 'tau make one huk,
^Leung- huk, jWai yar, shek, Pfm-f /^ '^ 2 huk, make (me shek,
^Ping- tsak, shap, luk, huk, ^^Pv y^Bi 1 pii^g is equal to l(i huk,.
!
Of the preceding measures the kop, the half (Sliing, the whole ^shing and
the 'tau are the only ones in actual use among the Chinese.
11. Measures of Lcnglh.
Y'at, nap, ^wai yat, fan' — '^jtu.^ '"^ir 1 grain is one fan'.
Shap^ fan' ^wai yat, ts'iin' — yT Mi —'^ 1*^ i^^' make one inch.
Shaj), ts'iin' ^wai yat, ch'ek, "^'-^ '}\, 10 inches make one foot.
Yat,ch6ung-~p/\.^ —"^C
|
Pun' ts'iin' .wai y.it, Ji ^"^ J| —"jM ^^''1^' :"' '"^^^^ i'^ one ,li.
-i\g ts'un" rwai yat, iau^ 3^ ^ %h — yV 1''^^'*- i'^^l^'^'^ nvAi.^\ one fan.'
(5G)
Grammar of the Chinese Lanouaob.
,S/im pak, Ink; shap, pc? cwai yat, ^li zzi @r>»^*|
liundred and sixty po' make one ^li (mile).
^S — 'ftL Three
-No* cb'ek, jWai yat, p5* 3l/\.^ "^ 5 cli'ekj make 1 po^
P shapj sz' p6^ cAvai yat, fan' Zl"T P3'^>i| '^ 24 po^ make 1 fan'.
Lnkj shap, po- jWai yat, kok, y^^t'^J^ '^ 60 po^ make 1 kok,.
Sz' kok, £wai yat, 'mau l^l;^^ 'Sa 4 kok, make 1 'man.
Pak, ^mau swai yat, ^k'ing 'S'SilS ^S
— 100 ^maii make 1 'k'ing.
At present, from the -mau downwards, the denominations are lau' yp,
,li M, ^1^0 %, csz M, f^nd fat, ^..
17. Weights.
Yat, nap, ^shii ^wai yat, 'shii '4^1^^ "^ One kernel of g-rnin is
Shapi 'sbii ^wai yat, -lui ~pl^ Ji| —
"^ 10 'shd. make 1 4uf. [I 'shii.
Shapj 'lui jWai yat, ,chu "X ^S "^^ 10 -lui make one
—'f^
^chii.
Sliap^ lukj 4eung cwai yat, ^kan j y^^^>if '/f* 10 'Icung- make 1
P (kan swai yatj -yan —-fx^fi^ '71 2 ,knu make 1 -yan, [Jean.
^Sara shapj ,kan ^wai yat, Jvwan zziryfXM —'^ 30 ^kan make one
jkwan.
1 tam\
Q —-in^ '5
MM
Pak, i- shap, ,kan ^wai yat, shek, 120 Jianmake
At present the current weig-hts are :
[one shek,.
ft
,Kan ^Leung Js'in
n m. »
Fan'
W.
,Li
%
JIo ^Sz Fat,
1 10 100 1,000 10,000 100,000 1,000,000 10,000,000
1 10 100 1,000 10,000 100,000 1,000,000
1 10 100 1,000 10,000 . 100,000
1 10 100 1,000 •
10,000
1 10 100 1,000
1 10 100
1^ 10
I^T^j^,,, 1^5
—'Lemig [iii] is translated Tael ;
Jvan JX Catty; Turn' ^
I'icul ; Shek^ ^ Stone.
(57)
Cin\MMAR OK THE CllINKSE liANdHAOE.
lS84fpt]4 1804l^^-!l0n.irpM|l01irp5t'
1885 ZuW 1805 ^^:H"')o^g^,, 915 ?:,^p:
i'-u«
180G f:^ rf-l I
\^^\ 1310 j^ jr<
lsr.7T^PlS77T^ 1387 T^ "T 1807 j?| ^907
^ 1917 ~r fi
isGy
tig^ji87'j3^P 1880 aa J3 ^ 1890 ^ .
1'
'09 t± 1919 li -;.Sc
1870|:^^jlS80|5M 1800 ^g lOOoJj-t'li^ioU^ 1920^
1S71^-,^; 1881^2^ 1801 ^^p 1901^^,1911^^ 1921^^0
lS72 4r^^':l*^-i-p 1802^^ 19024-gll'^l-i^ 1022
^>j;;
1873S^M.18S3"^" 1803
^B 1903
^^P 191^ >^5: 19^3-^*^1
The months are divided into decades, called shcung^ cts'iin JlIrJ'
^chung sts'lin ^^ and h;? jts'iiu ~P^, the first, the middle and the
third decades. ,Ts'iin noi' '^ ft means within ten days; ;ts'iin ngoi-
Only the tirst month has a name and is called ^ching iit, JE.M >
^^^^ ^'^^^
» 23. Ch'ii'^shLi
In virg'O.
September 8. Pak.lo^ ill
?> 23. ,Ts'au ,fa.n
In Libra.
-3±. ti'y
October 8. cHon 15^ I
21. The Chinese divide the day (our 24 hours) into twelve periods, which
are again subdivided into Hak, and in modern times, by the introduc-
tion of the watch, into minutes and seconds.
Note 18. —In former times it was the custom of the emperor to an-
nounce the intersahiry month, on which occasion lie used to stay within
the gate Lence the character king within the gate.
;
(59)
Grammmi of tiik Ctiinkse Laxottaotc.
Day
(OO)
Grammar of thr Ciiinksk Lanohaor.
The Chinese call it ut, tsz- */^^ the movable character, indicative (.f
1. Aicriliaries.
ITi tak, lok, ilfit^Pff Yes ! I am able to get up. /. e. I have the i)bv-
•_
^Ni Shcung tak, ,shan 'ting ,'m ^sheung tak, ,ni i/$ Jt # UJTM^m JT.
^NI nim= tak, ,ni ti^ ,ni Ipi^^M^Jid^ljJi Can you repeat this ?
it is useless
p.-'Kons > „ (w) mvsn
^teflS-^EJ I
> to ;;;,;;:;;.
i. e.
P.-WAS'm .. WSP|#)
Mok, 'yan tak, shiit, ^^-f^gJt Jt is not in my power to say.
In almost negative phrases formed with tak, the negative may either
all
precede or follow the Auxiliary. In Punti Colloquiid, however, the ne-
gative ought to be ])laced before the Verb, and the Auxiliary before the
Adverb.
g.-JM
E. " 'se tak, flu' P§;S#I^1
t^ya-^/j^ C
p
Cannot , .,
write quickly. -n
C.-'Setak,pat,fai> M^^A^f
P.—.'M ,hang tak, ^im PS^T^jS,] n
('aunot ,
go i-
>.— VjT
-J-yf^ f
Jar,
C.— Jiang H\n
pat, tak, ilA^l^'^^ )
C. ^Y(3 tak, ^n.un lim' ^ii ^fo ^MMW^jiVJ^ He was so intensely ir-
ritated, that his countenance was as red as fire.
^N^f'cbun ^ngo^yam ,ni ko' ,pui ,ni WiW.^ fife JSliT^il^ Would you
allow me to drink this cup ?
'Y;im tak, lok, -ife^ng' You may. Hu= tak, lok, ^-^P-^ you may
depart,
SSing tak, hau^ Joi ,mai iin' -^"##^^^ You will avoid snbse-
queal hatied.
J':i pat, tak, E>P^# Would that &c.
ITan^ pat, tak, tfi.^^^ Would that he.., also: How I wish i^c.
Han' pat, tak, ^k5 kwo' qc'ii tS^#lS®tS Would that I were
[taller than he.
,Pa pat, tak, ^k^ii Joi Q^f^JEyR Would that he wo-.ikl come.
There are a few instances in the Court Colloquial where tik, is inter-
changed with tak, e.g'.
Hok^ tik, yat, ko' ftit, ^i ^Hy '1@)S'yL» I l^ave learnt one method.
^Ni 'ho (Chi t5' -m5 ^ni f^ Pf ^}1 %\\ fj ^Jit Are you quite sure of it ?
Note 20. —Tak is frequently used in connection with tsai', denoting ihe
superlative, as :—- tin tak, tsai' X^if^il^ Too far ; t;')m' tak, tsai' f^
^^\^ Excessively weak (said of tea) ;
p(V tak, kik, ^tffS Ex-
t)euu.dy cruel.
(03)
Grammar of the Chinese Language.
Cheukj ^^.
Most of these sentences, also express the Imperfect and Perfect Tenses.
Examples.
^•k cheuk, 'k'vi
^^fg Seize or seized him.
Mong^ chouk, 3^;^ Look, looked or have looked.
C.—jTs'am pat, cheuk, ^^A\W ) ^ , , ^ ^
G. —jTs'am j
,
m cheuk, ^nS.^
2^1'^/^ J
r
I can, or could not find It.
;M ,chi sho ch'ii' cheuk, lok, Pg-^-n jt^'^^-jgl I do not know what
has become of him.
Ling' jan jfim '^hi "^ /K^X^ Make people rejoice. [by it.
£'M 'pi %'ii ,king kwo^ Paf^tSlf S Do not let him pass.
The preceding examples will show the difficulty of always finding out the
exact meaning of a word used in so varied a mannei*.
Pit, ^^, fSii ^Jl and their components mean ; —Must.
'Ni shi' pit, Joi j&^^Ji'^ You must (?ome.
Pit, iu' u' pi' ch'ut, cmun ^^MWffi Hi Pi Must prepare for going out.
Note 21.-^1 chi' J^.^ in order to ; chi' n ^Jit cause that- chi' tat,
^jH To communicate
extjud kuowleil^ic.
5 cl:i' ii' ^^ respecting; chi' ^chi ^.^H to
(6r,)
Tiin jing 'kom tscV ^i^t^fnx It really ought to be done that way
,Yi»g ,koi «sz MWM Ought to die.
,Ying
him ten
,koi mt, ^k'il shap, tai^ ,ua
dollars.
JSli^-^ fE+AM Ought to fine
<fec.
^, ^seung ^ All mean to
i' yukj 'k5m tS(V ^^'^^^^$X I wish to have it done in that way.
'Ngo iu' £nai 'shui ,sz tu^ Joi $|^M>^^ffilWy|^ ^ ^^"* ^^^^ ^^'
son to come.
Hai^ tsui' iu^ ^chi sz^ WiWL^'^V' Very pressing affair.
'Ngo oi' ko' chekj ^kau 'tsai ^'Sffl^^^jf? I like that puppy.
Oi' 'ni hok, 'ho sz' ^f^^^^f ^ I wish you to learn good things.
Shik,_ kwo' chung' 'seung ^>^)SS ^ li^^e eaten some, but want
Mat, sshui 'kom 'cho ^tong '0*p^H^|>R ^ Who dares to oppose us.
'Yau ^ To have.
'Ni ^yau ,kung (fu tso^ jmo ^ni "Klt^JC;^"^^^ Have you any
work to do ?
*Ni ^yau 'ho ,to ,to 'tsai -mo ,ni fS^^^f ^T/ff-fl*^ flave you
many knives?
'Yau ban- fJ^jJ^ Not many (lit. The supply is limited).
s'M jkwi'ui -ngo sz^ Pa^^"^ What have I to do with the matter?
(It is no affair of mine.)
'Ngo (t'ing jan wtV ^^/VbH I ^^"^^ heard people say so.
^Ni to' kwo' 'shang ,shing ,'m ,ts'ang ^{, i1$3\M,%WS^^^^-^ Have
you been to Canton or not ? Mi^ ^ts'ang ^'^ I have not.
Examples:
Ni i ,king ^hik, ko' -ye i/t^^^SiM^Ml®' The things you have eaten.
(07)
Grammar of the Ciiinesk Lanoijap.e.
^NI 'yau £no-an ,mh ,ni '^^^JIMBS Have you any money?
MP jts'ang- ^^^^ have none.
^yau I
°yiiu lE W ^e ^i^s some ; 'ngo ^sin ^yau ^:^"']^ I liad some ; ^ngo
<t.s'ang 'yau ^^^ I have had ; 'ng-o ,tscung 'yau, I shall have ; ])ut
'Yau ,yan wa' kwo' 'ngo ,chi ^AfS®|i^ ti^ Some body has told me.
Shi' ^, hai' i^, swai %$, 'nai /Jr and tsoi^ ^ express to he.
Examples.
Shuk,'k'ii;Hfg It is his.
Singular.
Plural.
5. 1^^ Future.
^Ngoplt/se ^iJi^M ^
Do.
-^Ng'O shi^ pit, Joi ^^iM^^ I shall (must) cei tainly come.
^Ni ,tse.mg Joi 'pi sai' ^ni ke' ,ts'in fyj'^f ^#t<t:f>J^''{!^Ltl You '.vill
7. ImferJ'ect Tense.
8. Examples.
'K'ii hit' kwo' tH^5JS. ^aj be translated He went : away, or he has left,
-K'ii yapj uk, ^chi ^shi ^ngo 'i ,king ch'nt, jmiin llH./Vy^i'Clli^^" LL
^^fctj P^ When be entered the house, I had just left.
Silt, 4ia jshi ^ngo ^fong- ch'ut, ^"T^H^fi^l^iii Just when snow was
falling I went out.
Examples.
=Ni 'ki ,sbi Joi ,ni fS^^Hf ^tl|£ When did you arrive ?
4vii ,ts'in ,nin ^sz hV JBlf^i^bPi'vlJ He died the year before last^
'Wong fit, ,k'i ,kung 't^i iin^ ..sliing fi J3 Jt^lT^BM Last month
lu! assaulted the city.
9. Vcrfcct Ten6e.
The characters expressing the Perfect tense are in Punti Coll: ;ts'ang
1t, .hiu % lin^T, ^i B and^ ,king Bfi; kwo' M, l^V f$, ,hV
Examples.
«Ni shik, fiiii^ ,'ra ,ts'ang ^h fS^^I^Pg-^^J Have you dinerl or not ?
m
Has
ke' % hno ch'ut,
your mother g-one out or not
,mun ,'m ,ts'ang ,m6 ifP^^^^f^^^'^i^^
?
^Ni ke' hok, .shang 4iai jiin ch'ii' ,ni i^^U^^M^^^)^ Where
is your pupil ? 'Tsau Jo po' ^'^^P^ He has run away.
The characters used in books are pat, ^,"1 Ci> 'i (kiug ti^i^fe' ke^ ^yfc>.
V Examples.
'Kong patj ^^^ when he had finished speaking.
With t.he exception of shllt, all the other characters denote the Perfect
tense.
Ip, ,king pVii' ,ping ^kung 'ta ^^^.^^^^CTT I have appointed sol-
diers to the attack.
B. Mi- ^sheung pat, li- ;^-^^^U Has not always been without gain.
Some peculiarities are connected with the use of 'Hu. As they chiefly oc-
cur in Mandarin Colloquial, I will quote a few sentences from Preniare.
^Lh jshan tai* 'tarn ^liu '^^y^^^'M I ^"i" an old woman I have mucli
courage (I am very bold in accepting- your favour.)
Pin' pat, p'lV ^t'ti t'ui' 4iu ^^tftftfiiS T You need not fear he has
(or will) retire.
Che' yau- shi^ ^nan ^t'ai mukj 'lifi 3^3^:§Si@ @ f Also this is a
' YA patj ,kw^n 'ni sz' 'liu -^ ^ pg ^ f/J^ J I^ i*^ i^^"6 of your business.
'Ya ,tseung tsau^ kwo' tak, yat, 'tsz 4iu ^-^MM,% H ^ T He
will hereafter obtain a livelihood.
Yak, 4iu che' -cli'eung- tai' ^fai P^ "f ^^M^J& After he has suifered
so much reproach.
JCong cts'oi ydk, ^liu sch'a -liu BI'MPST^T I ^^^ j^^^t taken a
cup of tea.
'm hii' niu 'h5 4iii f>5ti T ^? r You had just left, when &c.
'Lni '\m 'yd mi^ T T ifc^ ^s it not yet completed ?
'Liu 4iu 'liu 'chi shi' 'yau yat, ,s6 p'a' J T TK:^^—^S|[S
Finished it is indeed ; but I liave some fear.
Che^ Hang lik, ,nang ,ii ,ho 'liu tak, M^^MM^i^T % How are
J ,shang yap, uk. ;shi ^k'i peng- <yan 'i ,king 'sz 'liu ^5E/V Mf^3^
^yK. S^M^ T 'The patient had already expired, when the physician
[entered.
,Ping t.V ,tsiu tik„ -shing 'i ,king fuk, hak, ^liu ^^\yM&)CM^^i
'(^^j^ J The city had already been recovered, when succour arrived.
(72)
Gramjiau of thk Ciiine.se Language.
^K'ii ^hi .shan ko' .shi ^k'i ts'ak, ^i ,king- 'tsau ^liti
lEtezS'fi^f SM
S^^J^ J When he arose, the thieves had ah'eady decamped.
Where thereno inflexion of the Verb, there can also be uo form, which
is
-i chi' lil^ and chi' ^i^l^ are sometimes used to give emphasis to
the adject or the object for which a thing is given.
Examples.
,Ng kill' seung' Jiung chi' ii^ pi^ ^"f^ffi-^ii^JSI't T callfnl yon,
[Sir, to prepare.
J£wan Hsz oi' jan chP 'i py fuk, ^^'^A^lHifjliU The sup-
erior man loves mankind, in order to extend happiness among them.
'i yik, ,t'a ^wai ck'i lok^ ^^MM^^^ To benefit others is his
[ delight.
Ching' ;hang ^chi Jvun, (kun jfii jChiii ^clii /lin 'chiin jt'au jtfT'^r>^
S [^TM'^^^-IW-^ Ji^st whilst he was walking, an officer called
[back.
him
T='!p, .shiin ,chi ,shi, 'k'ii ^pa ,che tit, lok, ^shui tl^j^;2B#fHffi.iS
^^"W/^^ Whilst going on board the ship, his umbrella dropped into the
[water.
Kin' ^k'ii ^ni shl^ pit, oi' 'k'ii ^t@f5^;^^^^tH Seeing him, you
must love him.
In many other sentences the Present Participle is implied of which we
shall give more examples, when we come to the Adverbs of Time.
13. The Passive Voice.
The Indicative Mood of the Passive Voice is formed by kin' Jci> shau-
j^, M^i jSj I'i" V^^ suning ^^, and by the Prepositions ^11 ^, (i'l
"J"?
wai' %^ <tc.
Gham:\i\ii of Till-; (.'ii i ni;si.; liANouAnic
Ex AM PL lis.
«No-o kill' Ju p'in' ^ ^MlM am I ilecoived.
'Ni shau' cyan lioi- f^^ AW Vou have been injured.
t^K'ii ^ts5 ,n:'ui iwai fejfiH^S He is troubled.
PP ^k'ii 'ta ^ftltT Struck by him.
M\xn<g ck'i kau' fan^ ^li-^^)|[ Tauj^Lt by him. hs^
cMun- Xi 'ho Jin ^Ji ^ f^ Pitied by him.
^'^'^
Wai^ ^ni 'sho yik, Jlf^j^ff |f Benefitted by you.
WaP jyan 'sho u^ jj| ^ i^,^ Hated by men.
Shi^ ,t'au ke' 'ye ;^^Pf5l:^ They are stolen goods.
Hai^ ^nl tso^ ke' f^^feftPg^ fliade by you.
,Hi ,u 'pi W^fj^l^^ Cheated by him.
14. TJte Potential Mood.
The Potential Mood of the Passive voice is expressed by 'ho "pf
Examples.
'Ho oi^ ^k'ii Wf ^fg He may be loved.
-K'ii 'ho
,Ni kin^
jmung o\' |H P) ^^
He may be loved.
sz^ 'ho tso^ ijiSft^ Pfft This affair may by done.
There is no peculiar lorn: of expressing the subjunctive. We may some-
times conclude from the context that the sentence implies the subjunc-
tive Mood ; but the passages may often be translated differently.
ExAJVirLES.
'^K'ii wa^ ^ngo oi' ^ni iEWr^X^^ r-i^ He says that I love you.
^Ngo ^t'ing ,yan wiV ^k'ii oi^ ^ni Ifell AfStS^fS^ I have heard peo-
ple say that he loves you.
15. The Conditional Mood.
Tlie Conditional Mood is expressed by tlie Conjunctions jii $0, ycuk, :^,
't'ong iffy, 't'ong- JM, ,yau ^@, 'kau ^ and by their combinations. (22)
NoTK 22. —
The preceding words are frequently used in a different sense,
and the student will do well to pay attention to their transposition.
Examples.
Examples.
B. L._Yeuk/h6 ,liaug,wai, tsak, pat, p'tV ,yan ^Sf 'if SfjJ^ifl A
If" you act well, then you need not fear men.
Yeuk, Mii tak, ,shan tsak, mongHak/ho ^fe#:S'M^JM#fi^ It'
^kom
^ ^Wi If not taught.
'Kwo yeuk, hai^
^^i^^^^ Indeed if it be thus.
'Shai sing' kwo' hai^ shin^ ^ye
f^l'4:^lS# ^I If nature be good.
Yeuk,
Yeuk,
ki' siin tsun'
^U^^ li" the work be finished.
,Yau yeuk, ^^S, cVau ch'it, JSlS'j ch'it, ^shai |§"^, ch'it, wak,
Ix^ are all used in the sense of if, suppose, perhaps. As also, Tsung'
,kam yat, rf 'pun ^heung Wi^ B ^ij^^^ Suppose he should to-day
arrive at his native place &c.
cHung (hung cU 'ya ^^^JJlUvh Really awkward. ^Siiu ^siiu .il ^ya f W|
ff0i{Pi!ii Very faithful. ,U jl ^ii 7a fifii^nifc With singular gra-
(Yau ^yau ji
'pJC'I^^^PtEi-yiiWith great equanimity. [vity.
Ex[iressions like these frequently occur in the Four IJooks.
(75)
GnAM:\fAH OF THE CHINESE LaNHUAOE.
Plan^ pat, kin' ^c'li ffi 'f'l^M Would that I could see iiim.
Uu' 111 tak, cP'ino- ^on 0.vh\^^^ I wish you enjoyment of])f>ace.
Many Verbs have by some Grammarians been jiut under the head of Au-
xiliaries^ which are better treated under Adverbs and Preposition.s.
16. Adverbs.
1. Adverbs of Place.
Where? F.—'^i ^pin ch'ii' ^ch'ii ^i i^4'$:)fjMM' Where do you live?
^Ni <hai jiin yat, cirti' ,ku chii^ ,ni
i^PJI.iS— j£;g jii^jS. Do.
,Pin nih M Mnl^B^ Where ? '
Here. P.— ^K'ii tsoi^ ^tsz tg^.il:k He is here. Tsoi'- ,ni ch'iP :^^
jjgn. It is here.
Tsoi^ ,ni ,pin ^^JU^ Here, or at this place, llai ch'li' Pf|,^ [He]
is here, there, is a very common ex])ression.
C. D.— Che' -li iW^l and tsoi^ che= "li ^io?M, tsor 'ts'z ^'it, 'ts'z
ch'iP itfMt and ,u 'ts'/ MAt All mean here.
Ko' cirii' iW&. There. Where the Punti mix much with the Ilakka
wo hear now and then 'na (piii C^nn ,]iin) for there.
^'Jj, 'na 'sho tsoi^ MJ^'^, '"''» l^o' ^'l»'i' Sf^iliDlk All menu there.
(7G)
GnAMMAll OF TllK ClIINESE LaN'OUAGE.
Hither, this way. P.—,Loi ^ni ch'ii' ^!]l^|^, ITeun<;' ^ni ch'ii' hii' [«)
thither, that way. Hii' ko' ch'ii' lok, iflM^^ 'J'hither he went.
C. D.—Ti ch'ii' f^J^, heung' ^pi fo) t^, -na yat, ch'ii' 5R '^ All
signify thither.
Yonder. P.— Hai^ ko' ch'ii' tso^ 1^'l0|^ ^ Yonder lie is sitting.
C. D.—Ti ngon^ f^^ Yonder shore. 'Pi ch'ii' fjjj^ Yonder place.
lokj Jt*^ Up and down. -Sheung lot cp'ino- ^on Jtl^-^^ As-
cending- and descending- may you enjoy peace. Tsoi- 'ts'z, tsoi- ^])i -^liL?
^^iJX Here and there.
2. Adverbs of Time.
When cshi H$, Shik, i-m^ ,chf .shi ^|R;2B$ Wlien they were dining-.
-Ni 'ki ^shi -slieung ^king- iS'^^^Ju^^ When do yo:i g-o to the ca-
cMing- (Cliiu 'tso hif '3n Wj"T''S' Df^part early to-mort-ow morning.
Tsam- cshi ^Bvj- A short, a little while. KaW yat, jft Recently,
^Ho^kau
Day time.
if:A Long ago. 'l 'kau BA ^o- Chau' ,shi Sfl$
Yat, ,kan ^j By day. Ye^kau if^ pj By night.
cShing y6^ j^^ The whole night. ^Mau hak, jj^M Late, dark.
B.— Kam -shi '4^B$ Now, at present. In* tsoi^ ^^, in- ckam J^
4^ do.
C. D.— Kam a -^ffi, muk, ha^ g ~P, tong^ ,kam
1S*4^, ,kam ,fu
'^y^ all signify now, at present.
Ching^ jkam \r"^ Just now.
P.— Tsik,hak, i\l$\l huk,h:'i^ ^J"]^ and tsik, -shi IflH^ Immediately,
C. D.—Lap, hak, aLM, -^ts'ui ,shi I^Uj, ,tang ,shi S^t, tsik, ,in
^!1.^ &^'. immediately. 'Tang yat, ,shi ^— ^B$ Wait a little. Maa^
num^ 'IS'|!§ By and by.
^H$ How —
—"^^^SS^i
l\—'Ki cshi soon ? Yat, ^t'ing tsau* hii' As
soon as he heard it he departed. B. — Yat, king As eoon as.
'Tso Early.
f- 'Tso ,shan -f-^ do. T'ai'^tso ^fc-^ Very early.
Sheung^ 'tso "j^-^ Still early. Suk, ye^ MilS, ,cbiu ^man "#]%, 'tso
-miin -^ij^ ,chiu tsik, §5^ All signify muniing and evening; early
and late.
P. C.
He
Hai* 'ho au^ 1^iJ# It is very late. 'Hi ^shan an' M^^
rises late. 'Tso tak, tsai- -^^^[j'^ Too early.
ly, of late. cTs'ung cts'in i/i {i]!j , heung\sin fRJ 7T:, ,ts'in jshi igij n^f
cMo 'chi ciiio ^chung ^^n fi^li?, Sving-iin 7j<jJ Eternally, infinitely.
Tai-yat, f^
— First. Clii\sin M,^; chi' ,ch'o ^%/; tsui\sin
—'^
'
ctJn tan' TC-S New year's day. jjn juin JQ^ The first year of the
^Ch'o kin' ?5^M The first interview. [reig-n of a sovereign.
Chi' ,to ^^
—
At most. Chi' 'siu M/)"*; tsui' ^^iu §>h At least.
Hii' 'ki jto jui ,ni ^^ i:^ [EJ B^S How many times did he go ?
Hii' (Sam ts'z' -^zziyC Went three times.
^K'li tso^ -ngo cp'ong ^pin JE. rl^^JC^i^ He sat on my side or next to me.
P.— ,To ^ Much. ,To,ti^iJ^ More. ,K:'i ,ti ,t'im J!ini1\J'3^ Af^^l
[little nioi'e.
a
,U Hs'z khm' ,to tnfy^'^ As mitch as this, jj ,iii ti^ kom^ ,to ^P
B^fi^l^B"^ i^o. Sham^ 'ho ^4f Very well. Shap, /an 'ho +^
J?X Perfectly well, thoroughly good.
'Ho pat, (Seung ^t'ung ^^^'S |^I ;
,Ch'u tak, 'lin ^i^]^ ; and tui^
'Pi kau' kwo' ^k'ii ^yau ,to ^^''^©tS^^ He gave him abundantly.
'P'o to ,
0^ Rather much. T'o ,chi yat, i^ ^R — ,g. Know ra-
Equally well.
Wak, ^che /m hai- ^^^§1^ Perhaps (probably) not.
7. Of Indication.
C—'Sing 4iu k'euk, shi^ yat, mung- 3§ ~f iPiJ '^ When be awoke,
lo! it was a dream.
cWai Jio pat, 'se tsz- ^Mi'^pV^Mi-^ Why do you not write?
(tin jho pat, ^hoi ^tan /^W^ pqjP- Why did you not make out the ac-
[count?
,Ho ku^ ^ii: On what account? ^U ,ho ^O^of How ? ,Ho ai i^^fl'ii
Hot, pat, clau chii- -k'ii,^ ^''Ih tE iB Why did you not detain him ?
Mok, ,fi ^ni ^bing ^u ^ ^^f^ Ki^ Was it not your brother ?
,0n ,nang t'iit, ,shan ,tsoi ^ib®5' rI ^o^"" ^^^^ *^®y '^'® '^^^'^ ^" ^^*
^Cham yeung^ {^^M (P-— Tim yeung^ ^kW-) I" ^^^'^^^ manner?
<Chani ,mo hon' tak, cb'ut, ;j£^MWwtU (P—'Tim =t'ai tak, ch'nt,
'Cham noi- ^mo ^tsung- tsik, jJE^flRfeiM* How is it that there are no
9. Of' AJ'fir7nation and Negation.
Shi^- 'y^ ;^ifc Yes, so it is. P.— Chan bai^ 'kom yeung^ ^1^1®'!^
Indeed it is so. Shat, 'shau hai- -k'ii ^ gTi^Mfi Indeed (truly) it is
he. ^M
Teng-^ ,in Undoubtedly. 'Kwo ,in
^p^ Truly.
^Ts'in ^^ By
man- all means. Pit, £in iU^PJ^ x\ssuredly.
Pat, yat, Jj^ Not many days. Pat, gin ^fi^ Not so.
Pfit, cwai ^t^; pat, =chi ^ [fc ; P.—pat, tuk, ^'^.; pat, tan^ ^
^; pat, ch'i' ^*§^ and pat, 'chi ^H signify Not only.
Pat. jt'ai '^ch'e shiit, >T*;jB-B-fl^ I^'^l i^ot detail it, but [and] snid &c. •
B. ^Fi jin jyan pat, 'ho ^p ^ /\.>f» Pf None but a virtuous man will do.
5M6 yuno- kwi? Ill- "^J'/rJliri©^ I^o not trouble youi'self about it.
and jho ^
when followed by the negatives pat, ^^, ,mb fflE 8cc., an-
swer to our absolutely [not] entirely [notj and other words expressing-
;
intensity of assertion.
Hara^ pfing^ h\ng^ .t6 hai^ liin^ H^i|||fPvfP#|L They are altogether
in confusion.
c'M 'ho liin^ tso- P§-Jf JL1^ You must not do it confusedly.
Mak, ,hoi l^if^ Break it assunder.
M;ik, lun^ ^f^4 Tear it assunder.
Kak, ,hoi ,t'ung ^k'ii 'kong R^^^ [^lE^ To speak to each separately.
11. Of Conclusion.
P.—cShau 'mi ^^ At last, in the end ; lastly.
(80)
Grammar of the Chinese Language,
Adverbs. P>-epositions.
Aljout, round about. (Chan cWai /^ji:^. (Chau ^wai Vau H'o ^l^
^^ j/C There is fire round about us.
About, nearly. Tai\yeuk, J^^^; ,ch'a pat, ,to ^^^-y ,chVi pat,
Lun^ jan
pecting, about,
ijffl A. To
is
talk about men. Chi' ji
only used in the literary style.
^^ Concerning, res-
,Tseung hii' ^-^ About to depart. ^Tseuug 'sz ^-^t About to die.
According to, Chiu' fl^. Chiii' ^ni 'sho 'kong lJRf/>J7rg^ According
Chiu' lut, fat, Hr'^J^ According to law. [to what you say.
Hopi ^li
'o JM According to reason.
Accross. jWang kwo' ^t'ln fPf^ipJ ^ Went accross the field; or 'Til
Prepositions.
After,
is
,Kan 'mi
some body coming-
^^.
after
Tau jan
me.
,kan 'nj^o ^mf ^ ASBfic>S There
B.— Yun hak, luk, tsuk, ,i ttV A^P^IBifiJ^'] The guests arrived
one after the other.
-K'U bau* jHg hii' iH'^ Fi'^S* He departed after me.
Against. Yik, ^, ngak. ^. Nguk, 'shui 'Is^tK Tlie current is
against us. ^Ngo 'tang tsok, yat, ^yau ngak^ (fung 5^^pT^ O '^^iS
^^ Yesterday the wind was against us.
tsok, liin' ke' jan f^l-p^TpSL^^yV There are rebels amongst you.
'Yau /ra 'ho ke' tsoi^ noi^ ^Pa^T^'te^Eft There are some among
them which are not good.
,Chung ,ki\n >u hak, ke', pak, ke' k'ap, ,wong ke^ 4? ^^S^S'S
'i^^^^'i^ There are some black, white and yellow ones among them.
At, tsoi^ ^. Tsoi^ ^ka ^^ At home. In- tsoi^ ^iS At present.
Before. ^Ts'in hJ . 'Ta cheung^ ^chi ^ts'in fTi^-2 RllJ Before the war.
,Sin kwo' -ni :^Mf^^ Before you. ,Ts'in yat, mB The day before
yesterday; ^Ts'in hau- '^\\ -^ Before and after (speaking of space), ^fein
Behind. Hau' ^^2 and hau' j)in -f^?^. "K'ii -k'i laj), tsoi^ -ngo hau- ,pfn
Below. Ha- ,pin P»>^. Tsoi- nk, h:? j/ui -yau Hsau .fong 'jSh^'J*
Preposition.^.
,Ni fai' shekj h{i^ ^yau jch'ung lui- BS^SI^^SSI There are in-
sects beneath this stone. Tsoi^ ^^^^ li'i" ^jau ^kau ck'ii ^^ ^ |^
1^^^ There is an acquaduct beneath the place. 'Ngo tsoi^ "k'ii ke'
Beyond, kak, ngoi' Ttfy^P- Kak, ngoi' ^cbi jan m^r-^;^ Favor
beyond measure. Kwo' han' 5^©|^ Beyond the fixed time.
Pat, ngoi' ^u 'ts'z ^^|*^ltt Not beyond this. Fat, ^sho pat, k'ap,
By, 'i \iJi. Man' man' pat/ho ^^>^Rl By no means. 'I tak,
Down, 4Ia "f^. ^Ha ^shan ~P|Ij Down the hill. 'IIii Jau "PtS
Down stairs.
Contrary to. Pat, hop, to' 'li ^^^Mffl Contrary to right principles.
(t » A AT -M AH OF TlIK ChIN!:sK LaXCUAOE.
Prcpofiitions.
For, instead of. 'K'ii toi' 'ngo 'sheung ^king fSf'^^JlM ^^^ will
For, because of, ^Yan 'ts'z ,chi kiV ^^'I'L^ilX I'^'^r this reason. y
Wai- ^nii 'tsai 'sz huk, ^^ff'5t>'C He cries on account of the dtf^Ix
For the sake of. Wai' I'l' M0H i*'*>i* tlie sake of gain, [of his daughter.
Tsz^ ^Hcung 'kong chi= ^shang ^shing Q §^§M 'M^ ^''^"^ Hong-
kong to Canton.
cYau ki.n- k'aj), ^iin m|£'SiS ^1"""^ *^^e near to the remote.
T*=z- 'ku ^i cloi @ 1^ j^>!^ From of old. .Ts'ung fat, kwok, 'i Joi ^
ftHiil/l^ From France. ,Yau 4d ,u ,yau jaa ,u ^ [i^dlA
jp' Does it come from yourself or from others.
Tsz' ^wong 5I hau- pj -fifl^-^ From the time lie left and afterwrards.
In, Tsoi- ^, noi- f%. Tsoi' cshing '^^. In the town. Tsoi' 'shui noi*
^^K W I'^ t'le water. Tsoi" ,fa jiin ^^^3 In tlie Garden.
In conse(|uence of, ,Yan j^. ^Yan "lang ku^ -ngo 'tang ^kai peng^ jij
Into. Yap, noi' Aft- Yap, 4o 'shii , lung noi' A"? 0*11 ft <^^'^t
iiito a rat hole. 'Ts'ing yap, noi' np^' A ft Please enter [into the room].
,Ch;nn 'shui yap, ,kong S-pK Af^ Four the water into the jar.
In virtue of, cP'ang f^. ;P'ang ,t:'iu ,c]u -ngan JSi^L^^^S The mo-
ney shall be ])aid in virtue of tlie oh'-quc.
Prepositiotis.
fKii chii^ kau^ 'kau Juno- ^sliing- JS" fi 3& /L Iti Iw He lives near Kau-
(T'iu kwok, -i ^i
^^}^ ^ The Kingiiom of heaven is near. [lung-.
Of, jC'hung Fp. -Ngo sp'ang- -yau (Chung, ^ni hai^ chi' 'h5 ke' ^^
^^i^M^'kJ^^ Of all ray friends yon are the best.
Kan^ Joi JS,^ Of late. I' ,ii ^siu fa' SlAMUt Easy of digestion.
'Kong k'apj ^^~R To speak of
Off, <-iJn ,li Jt|#. ,Li 'ts'z =h6 ^iin MPitWM I^ i« ^'^^ off.
On, upon, Sheung^ J^. ^Ni po- ^shii tsoi^ ^t'oi sheung- ^ n^^^'^
f^Jl The book is on the table.
Fong' -h^ tsoi^ ^ngo yau^ j/in
right side.
^ f^1ph^^3^ Put it down on ray
Tsoi^ fi^ h(i' ^h^~J^. On the ground. ,U ^ching iit^ t^JE H In the
lirst month. IviV |^,^ On purpose.
i'
cMo jts'in ^'J^ Out of pocket. Ch'ut, jshing \i\ Gone out ^ of town.
Ch'ut, jU jk'i jkan ptj^^i^ To go out from amongst them.
'K'il jyau 'shui ch'ut, Joi iHoO /K[l|y|^ He came out of the water.
Opposite, Tui^rnin^iij'jlj. ^K'ii tui' min^ chu' lok, tS^ffift^^
lie is living opj)osite Ud.
'Ni k6= i' hai^ ,seung ^fun ^ngo k6^ i^^'^M^M'^^^ R~^^^ Your views
are tlie opposite of raine.
Owing to, jYan ^.Vi ^ch'e jhang ku' ,kam ^yau jp'an jk'ung jiJ^flJ^^YT
,Ch'u 'ts'z vat, kin^ ,chi ngoi' ,kai hai^ 'h^ ^it—''^^^\'Wi^M'
All are good, save tliis one piece.
Since, K? ,in ^CP,i l^i' .in ," ^^'^^ ^JM^itt Since it is thus.
Prepositio7is.
Tsz^ ^cliiu chl' 'ng § ^fllfe^ From morniiig till noon. [this day.
Ngat, ,kam ]^^, k'ap, ,kam Ik^, toi^ ,u ,kam ^f/^^ signify till
[nou^
To (sign of dative, see Cases.) Tui' ^, ^i ^, wo^ ^, chi' M. Tui'
4c'u WiV f'ttSiS Speak to bin:.
Under. H:V "T*. Tsoi' uk, pui' ,chi W '^ M^f^T* Under the roof.
^i\i ke' ,cli'a tit, lok, ,t'oi hiV f$P|t3C^-/^m^ Your fork has fallen
under the table.
Prepositions. Conjunctions.
^\j -ni kit, yenk, Mf/J^l*:^'^ To enter into a com])act witli you. 'U
ciaun ^t'ung- lok, Jfflmj^|^| To rejoice with the people. 'i\go ^t'ling-
And is expressed by k'ap, ^, ^ch'e ^, ping' SE^W? s'l ffil, "y^'i ilLr
-ii tpi, ^t'uug
1^, din j^, Jing ^ &c.
Conjunctions.
'j.y S'^ yr- '^^^ negation is then expressed with more emphasis, as: —
4v'iin 'shau ping' /I H kwan' ^th ,chi fg l>X^M^^^^t fT^ Uo
struck him wiih the hand and not with the stick.
Pat, ,si 5! tak, ^w^.rfij-f^f He does not think and yet obtains all that
Conjunctwns.
jLin 3^. Fu^ cli'-i ,liing t;ii^ 1>CM ^^ JliR father and the brothers.
sT'ung |nl. =Ni £t'ung- 'k'ii hii' tak, f/J^ iSj fe ^^^ You and he may go.
.Lina- ^. Yat, puk, Jino- ,sam '
H ^ZT. One hundred and tlirec.
Also is expressed hy yik, ^, yau^ ^, 'ya i^, k'ai), !S, jil^'a sin ^
.1?^, 'T^ =yau -tji^ .fee.
Yau* tso^ ch'ut, man* mat, ^'Slti S -t^ He also made all thing's.
,Ni chek, ,kai yik, hai* ^k'ii ,shiu lok, ^/S %^^^M^&^^^ He also
roasted this chicken.
«Ya -t^. 'Siu ^nii -ya ,m5 fuk, /h'i^^Mt^ My little daughter is also
Tiufortunate.
^Ya shi* ^mo ,ts'an Ii* pi* 'liu 'tfi<:ft'^^i/|J(fft T This also has been
prepared by m}^ mother.
^Y^ ml* 'ho ,chi -t^i^ Pf^W This also is not yet known.
^Ya -yau jsho, 'ya H-nu mat, ^^^M^r^i^i^ There were open
places and also secluded parts.
as in conversation, as :
,Sui ,in hai* ^lang, ^ngo pat, kok, 'lang B^P^,\%'^, ^T^iSl'^
Thoug-h it be cold, I do not feel cold.
Yik, ^, sin ,^i k'euk, JP, sheung-* 'jpj, =ya -jjl, ex\M'essyet, still, when
used as Adverstative Conjunctions.
^K'n ,k'iin ,sui r\n tai* yik, -yau sz* ^k'! 'sho pat, ^nang jP. tiluJ^ y/,\ y^
yff^^^-^^pjf^^^^ Though his power be great; yet there are things
which he cannot accomplish.
KVuk, pat, sik, -liu iP^'^TO T Yet it is not to be regretted.
As, as: }J (Shan koui^ ^ko /;(Pp4PP 0J As high as a mountain.
(Do)
Grammar of thb Ciunivsk LANoirAOK.
ConjnncUons.
,Ni p5^ ,shii ,u ko' tP ki^ra^ tui' B/6 n|^#iP®f|^/Ptf:;^ This book is
as large as tliat.
=K'ii qcong ^h6 =ts'z tsai^ ^tsau ^lu tS^itTlEl'l hVS^ He speaks as a
clninkard.
Chin' ^ngo jii kin' HfI'J^,'S'» ^ ^'^ ^'^'" ^^ "^.Y huinhle opinion goes.
Tseung^ ^ts'z ^<^X ^^^^K 'f^'z §1K, '^ong fat, t^i^ all signify as it
[were.
Becau^se. ,Yan ^wai P^ @. ^Ngo j'm oi' ^k'ii, jan ^wai ^k'ii /in 'ho ^
P§''il«riS, @^lBP§"jlr I do not like him, because he is not a good
[man.
Besides, ling' ngoi^ :^ ^P- Ling- ngoi^ %'ii /m bai' Jing IP ;^:^|'fj5
Pal^f'n tfJ Besides, he is not clever.
Fong' 'ch'e ^ni ,shan ^yau peng- C^_hL1/>:^^?^ Besides von are sick.
Both, ])ing' T}^. ^Hing tai- hai^ shin* ping' ,ts'ung ^niing yU^ W? «
3E^M'^>^ ^^.y brothers are both virf-nons and talented.
^Shain jlin jhai mok, sai' iT^^M^^II'tJ^ Tbey robbed him both of his
jacket and of his shoes.
But, tan' ^. 'Ni hai' 'pun 't'5 ke', t^n* =ngo liai^ ^iin Joi ke' i^^^i^
±"1^, #.|!c'f:m^f'i^ You are from here, but I am from afar, i.
'Nfffl ,kan ,fong hai' 'h6 6m', swai =ni ,kan pat, ,in ^^MM'^f^^,
'r^f^i^^,^ ^^y I'oom is very dark; bnt yours is not.
But that. -Ngo ts.V tak, ym\<, pat, p':V ^ftf^^^.-f^tft I could do
it, hut that I am afraid.
p:ise ; Yeuk,
else I beat you.
pat, 'hd Joi %go 'ta 'ni ^^ T^^^ Hi^^ Come down,
Conjxmctions.
*fu :;^"'>^ pj ^^^ tX ^ jfij* Unless you pay the money I get out a
summons for you.
Yeuk, ^fi
^^^f', and ycuk, cmo ;:^^, are used in the same sense.
^^ —'A
|fl§
Only, tan^ ^H. Tan' ^Inu ynt, ^yan He only left one man.
Tan' pat, ^t'ing w;? "^.^ff^fS" Only beinQ- disobedient.
-iVgo 'fill toiig' pat^ ,chi ^^n m "^""M^ r o'lly pi''!f^('n(lcd ignorance.
rSllAAIMAK or TUK OniNKi^E TjANdUAOIJ.
Cvnjuncfwns.
'Chi tak, 'hi .ch'iiig' ft 1^-45 ^-S He coultl (hi iiotliino- but set out on
a journey.
'Chi '\ih ivr hik, viit, R /^T ^y^ f3 Only well jibout 5 or G duys.
Tai' ^j, as: — Tai- niin- "ui ^vj^f/jx Only remembering you.
,Tan hai- yat, ko= S^i^i —^ Only one.
jwai 'f^, cwai Pf^ atui ,wai iv^ are used as Adversative ConjunclioJis
and stand for onlii, hut.
Pat, hai^ ^ts'z, -nai 'pi ^Mit,7^f!k Not this, but tliat.
Tat, 'chi ^K> pat, 'chi ^ ifc, pat, 'cbi ^#„ pat, cli'i' ^^ pat,
^tiin ^^, pat, tuk, .^i^, pat, tai- >F^, pat, t;'ni- ^^ are in
^•eneral followed by -uai /y, but; yik, ^yau ^^ ^ there are also; yik,
Not only not, pat^ tuk, pat, >f»3i^^'» and similar sentences are also fol-
Hence, shi' 'i -^]>X, 'sho 'i ffflX^,xAn 'ts'z ^'';t, k.V 'ts'z tX it-
^8h;'in jko -ii tai- shi" ^1 pat, Joi \±\ 0j ii|>J T^J^^i^'*)^^ The mountain
ifi high and the rain heavy, hence he docs not come.
'Ni ,'m ,ts'ang ki.V ngo k.V Ms'z ^ng.. pat, .h.i f/Si^g-'^'^ft /f^<i'-t'X^
>^^y^ You did not call mc, hence 1 did no( ci
jurnc.
(08)
GHAMMAR OF THE ChIJVKSR LaNOUAGH
Co7i) unctions.
Respecting
ditional Mood.
't'ong- 'p^, 't'ong f^, 'kau ^ and 'sbai ^, see Verb, Con-
Lest, =hung f^. 'Rung ^k'! 'ta lan^ ,chi JSf S^'ffl^ Lesthebreak^it^
j'M Mio tai' ^sliing 'kong, 'hung ,keng 'sing -k'u P§-ff A^BSS^^
^^=10. Do not speak loud lest you awaken him.
Likewise, yik^ /m ^^/i^.
Foiig' 'ch'e ,k'i pat, ,fuu 'hi -ni i)L^M:^Wi^i^ Moreover he was
not pleased with you.
Ling' -yau ^to jts'oi pak, ^^ ^y^^ Moreover he has much wealth.
Nevertheless yik, ^, sheung- 'cb'e jp^^ &c.
Nor, yik. yff. 4i'u ,'m 'hang, 'ago yik, ,'m 'hang tS@#, ^k ^PS
jfc.
^ He will not, nor will I.
,M6 ck{i 'ho ,kwai, ,mo hV 'ho ,pan M^ ^^\ M' Mi^'o 'Ti¥ ^.^ bus
'Ngo cuiu cUgan, 'ni yik, jId'') jI^ !1v4k' kJ^/T/^ T have uo mon^y, nor
you either.
Notwithstanding ^sui ;in iSjtA-^
(99)
(jKAMMUt OF TIIK ClIFNESE LANGUAGE.
Conjunctions.
Jv'iin ,clii yik, 4i ^clu >lC'i'WjM^ ^'^^ l^e ask for it or was it given
[hi/nV
ITai^ ^ni vv-tk, l.ai^ hii kc' :V ,mui '^Ht^'^'^M^^W^t^ Was it you
or your sister?
^v'ii ;.n tso^ ^ii shi^ ^chm tak, pit, ko' ,yan tEOSfft' >^^fe-t?i f'-j S'J
lis /v He will no loiigoi- stay, so you may call another person.
Still. cWan -yau J^ W Still he has some.
Sheung'^ 'ch'e pat, <hano- fj^^^* "^ Still he would not,
cYing- hai^ s'm ^16 ^%^'^^ Still it is not good.
cYing sheimg^ -vvong- 'pi i/Jptlif^ Still he went there,
cln yik, \yau ,chi .^/ft^'f^^ Still it does exist.
Jii A mi- i^
f/S^^^^l ^till it is not righteousness.
Yau' i)at) Mio %,y^ '-^J
Still more improper.
.^^U1 i'
/C4'^ Still more singular, or still more strange.
Tlian, Mok, tui* ,ii ^fin ^>^ J^^ Nothing- greater than h<!a\ n.
That chi' ^, 'shaif^, ling^ ^, tsik, slu^ ^P/^, and tsik hai' 2P1^,
signify that is.
Thon, tsak, pjj as :—^Ts'nm tsak, u\chi ^-^jJM^, Seek then you
sliall find.
to you.
,Chi kwo' tsak, 'koi ^'R)MRy3>t, H" yon know your trnnsgci'essions
then reform.
,Ohi jUgan tsak, 'ho ^jEv'M'j ^ , Give the money then all is v/pII.
Cii'nt, £shing ^fong 'ho p"|^>7Mj% Leave the city, then all will he
well.
4Ni >u tak, ,fong- 'ho fnk, jan ^5^ WS^fr^^R A- ^'.yoi* 1"^^^p^s
Conjunrf'iovs. ExplH'vrx.
K'li ^sbeiino- hio'o tsnu- lok, f^Jl-^ic^J^y'^) Tl" he ascend, then T doa-
Tsfin'-cloi Wi^M^ "I'hen come. [cend.
Therefore, 'sho ^i W^l>X, shi^ 'i J^lH, k>? I^JC, sirr kiV ^!')^, ,yau
I^LlL
'ts'z ^^'c. (see hence).
Though see Althoua-h.
Too, yik, .in ^,^.
-Ni 'ho kiin^ 4ig-o yik^ ,in
JS^jfff^, $lc^M- yo'» ^^'^ very tired, nnd
Unless see except. T T too.
When, tong-' ^' Tong-^ tsoi= f>,t, kwok, ,ch.' ,shi' ^|bftg|^f^$r
When I was in France.
Whereas, /n .^, ChiiV tak, H^.^f
Wherefore, shi- kiV ^^iX'
Whether wak, ^. Wak, shirr wak, ok, ^^^^, Wiiether g-ood
Yet, sheuno- f^, yik, ^ff- [or bad.
They are generally emplo3'ed for impi-oving the style: and also as subsfi-
tntes for our punctuation, in which latter (piality they ore of the utmost
importance not only in wjiting- intelligible composition, but })articuhirly
in conversation.
They may be divided under five heads, i.e.:
1. — Auxiliaries composition;
in
2. — Substitutes Notes of Interrogation
for
— Substitutes Notes of Exclamation and Admiration;
:
•^- for
4. — Expressing the Indicative Mood and
—
;
•0. Interjections.
1. Avxiharies in Conpe.vfion.
In Tsuk, cH "^ki
/^"T^Ci '^'o I'eW upon your own resources, we lefjuire
only tsuk, ><£ and 'ki Ci ^o complete the sense, cU serving only as an
Auxiliary to the rhythm of the language.
Kan^ cii ,cM jil! t^' aW II:'s nearly attained to wisdom.
E.irplc lives.
T(V yi
(lopni'ted
^che pat, Mio Ji
tVom.
^Hili #^ PfSft 'Hic vi^lit way mjiy not ])0
/M.nng S'6 'clio ,t,'in ha' ,chi taP ^pnn ^y^i Pf'-di^^ "X'T*^ A^ijl
The duo medium is the g-reat root of every thing under lieaven.
i' 5II
ffi4^ I^^ it vig-hteousnoss ? =Bo ,u ^^ jMay I ?
'
IVz 'hi kan' ,.i ^yan ,ts'ing jve jit :e: iil/5^ Atw W 11"^ cl^es this
accord with human feelinp-s!
,\j M=fflj:._ K'au ,chi cii >j<^|^ Did you entreat him ?
Jn huu^ fai^ ,ii ,sam cii ^^^'I^Z/^jCi'I^ What pleasure can this afford
to your mind i
^Hing ^iin pat, tsuk, ,ii 't'ai ,ii iS'^^Tv^ '5f^#i$i " Have you not
eiiougii light and warm clothing for your body ?''
Jvwaa 'tsz ^to ;i'i ,tsf.i ^'^^ ^^rJc D'*«s a superior man need <=o
Shin^ ,tsoi jk'i ;in 'ya ^ ^ R Wife ^is words how excellent
Tai- ,tsoi nian^ -ya TCm-SC ^'lul How important Unit ([ueslion !
ExpletJN'S.
Ill Court CoUoiiuial we also meet tsak, ko' y^\ |SJ as an exclamation, as:
-Ya
/l"in
"jj^.
W
— Shin^
'ho jkwau
'che cvan 'ya
'ya,
^
tseuk, Ink, 'ho
f^ T^tEi Goodness
jts'z -yn,
is benevolence.
pak, yan^ Mio to^ 'ya,
,'Ng- kin' ,k'i tsun' 'ya, mi' km' ^k'i 'chf 'ya "§ ^^M^il'^^M
Xcili ^ have seen him progressing, bul never stopping.
Pat, 'ho 'ya ^ PTi^ You may not.
cln ^, (Sam pat, tsoi^in, i^^^^i His heart forsook him. Sjs'
'.She
Explrfioes.
The upper sentence is in the lilciiuy style, the luwer in the I'linti CoUo-
()ni;il, tiie sense being th») same in both.
Tsikj hai^ hennc>"' mi'n' ^mai jts'cung 'k'i cbii' 'k5in ^lo ^[1^^
As stupid as to stand with your face close to the wall (i. e. you know
iiothino- and can see nothing;').
-HL M I^K'f yik, jing qieung 'ts'z fuk, 'ya ,ye ^ #]§ ^ ^t M^ W
'Yix ,ye VPun 'tang^h6ungk(>' ti^ fuk, fan^ Jo ^^^^Mil^I'IlSfii'lSS
He ought also to enjny this happiness.
Expletives.
S M|.'M6yeuk,Snng>jan> M^^iAPM
'kom yeung'^tsz
Yeuk,/m ['Mai ko' 'bo 'ts'z Snng^ cyan iV Pyit^/iT-iEl
Not like tbe Sung ]teo]>le (who pulled up the i-ice, to make it look as
Inra'e as otber peoples).
S^ f
JCwan 'tsz yik, ^yau u' ai ^J-TffWB^'
U^ ,u i ,Kwan 'tsz ^au ,tsang ,yan k6' ^m^ ,m
Does then the superior man id:>o
#-?• W
ft" A^^fyi:
dislike (or balo) peojjle f
fj ^jH
Eu-pletices.
^ia ^i
1 K.,' ti^ ,to hni^ tsnn' tsy} ki ^chi t<V ke' clie=
fiii-^Slitl^^iiL U
lliis is to do one's duty.
MM f 'Ch'e ,ii ,sz ,yan ^che RMDI A^'
H'li'6 ,u 1 Yau^ 'h6 ^ts'z 'ko ko^ ,yan 'koni ke'
Just like this (or that) man.
XklWl^ M AH^'ft
jnfiO f
,Ho ,u ,k'i ,chi ^ya ff ^OSj^H-t^
,lio ,u IKo' (1^ mat, kin= shik, ^ni
hai^ Mi^fM-^M^mi^
What manner of knowledge is it then?
finfwf f ,U ,ho <sz 4io wai* yeung^ H /iR^t^^fpf ||^^
,U dio I'Ti'm yenng^ 'tszki.Vtak, Uh' cheidc,,ni '§^, M'T^^^^i^-^^M^M
How then can 3'ou call this atteiidino- 011 your }a rents /
mM f JIo ,tsoi H ,sz wai^ tat, 'ch6 i^f^cMMm^M^
Jlo ,t.soi I^Pln ycuno^ hai^ -iii kiiV ts6^ tat, ke^ ^ni ^jJl^M M i^^ ^4 iHC
How then do you call this Tat,
^^
U
f FiV hnb ,k'I shun^ 4 ,u 3c# J^HIH^ ^
,u 1 FiV 'wb ^kom tsau^ ,ou lok, ,lo 3c#®^^^-fl!-S
The parents will thus enjoy happiness.
^y< CsMiu ci pat, sau' 'che ^yau -i ,t'u ^ iTn^f* ^^ 'R ^^
'i ,fii LWo ,miu ,'m ,hoi ,fa ,t6 ^yau k6= lok, ^0 PSfi?j f^tPW
There are always some sproiits which do not flower.
F.j-pletices.
^Vu 'Che blX.no q.iu t.k, h-.u^ tui^ ke.= ..ue tlK##f^ng^#
Does he understand filial aiiu traternal duties?
^^ ^ jj fong' ,u ,ts'an cliek, ,r.\d 'rbe ,u r(n^)tM§l^^f^^-
How nincli more, since he is always near him,
.nan- ^chenng- chi= 'ch6 ,ye t|i#fii'ftl!?n
:$J ^fj Osiiai il tnk, la' ,i
'Che^yalg^fty&#]|P
r.->r^^^
I
s'M liai= 'ii.'i ,linn talt, kfini' f ai' i|.'ing ke' ,iiie Vami'M ("f &
Ll!t*¥''l'lt •• , ,,,
And those officers should not be j^'ood
,
who can
,
establish ,
sncfi
great peace ?
^ Ifil r^Ts'z ,{-1 kau' fa' ,ehi 'sho k'ap^ 'che ,ye li^^frMitZ^)]!^
'Che eye j y^!^|J ^
i
Ko' 11= ;ni hai^ kail' fan' tak, .loi ke' ,m6 fl 6\1 Pa 1^ ^ _^
rJ^I
wi#mat
A.nd thisshouid not have hecn obtained by the reforming doctrine
. . .
,
.
,
.
fM rSc ^'^ 'lii yP'il^'a shi= '«iu Cheung^ ,fn /m ^tsoi ^•S:3S^:S^J'5t
cia.tsoi •
^^r^
j
-Ngo 'lii ct'uno- ko' ti- -ino to- leung- ,van nna ^ ;^ loJ'J 'XiE
B^^c(/Ngn4^fuPg-B#,-/c
4 'i ,tu N ^Ngo ,c]ii t.V /n. tak, -hang ,n shai' ke' lok, f:fe^ifiPn#
Jr is ;dl o\er (njy ducuine will not relurm the wo; id.)
(107)
fiRAAIMAn OF THi; C-HINKsl:: LAXOirAnF.
Explctiei's.
f?n Q ^ I Jvnno- 4 clung' ,nAm niin' J 'i M j|? tL jE^ \(\\ \i\\ Q^
J 'i' 4 (L:i|>, chiin ri'n tso^ tin' Jai ^koin yeun;^' ,clii j!l ffjj ^-^ r^
He only sat on the throne and llie whole enipire was govern-
ed well.
Are there any virtuous men there (with whom you can hold intercourse?)
grSa^f,^^mwk'i,;han,'m/, M- i
f#i^#,lr?nB^
ja 4 )jTh -H tsz^ 'ki ko' ,slian
,i ^i (sau^ 'liai lok, tl ^.^' U B fi
Cultivate personal virtue and nothing else.
B^B^ f cKM
.nang 4 .u -> .u \l ^l B ^^ B ^
^J ,u 4 ,u C<Timtak,w{i'pa\loi)a\lo,ni ^J^HMll'li^ivS^
ilow dare von ahvays '^uv, Desist ! Desist I
(108)
Grammar of tub Chinksk LANorAOR.
Che' 0^.—^K^ii ^chi 'kom ke^ che' tEll:RSii^[^/[P^' Has he ordy that ?
'M(i R>f .— Chan ching' hai^ lok, ^ma SlEi%P#R>^ Is i'^ so '"^"1<'^'1 ^
^Ni ^._Mat,
do yon not
,'m 'pi ^ngo
let me
't'ai ^lia ,nl
have a look at
-fe.
it ?
Pg ^ Hc g^ iffi PjS Why
,Me n^.— ^iNi c'm ,chi to\me f^tPg-^P ^l|ni^ Do yon not know it?
^0 It^.— Mat, ^ni man^ tak, kmn' ch'ut. ,k'i ,a ,o 4lf^ M tl PU' |i|
La' oil.— 416 fai' H' liu' hV :jtf 'l^ltfei^ Be very quick !
Che' ^. Tsau' hai' 'k6m wa^ che' ^#I®:|SB^ Then speak in that
ChiO^. ,Tr, hai' 'k6in ,chi ^-l^lllir^^ Matters stand thus. [war.
,Chi ^. Pat, kwo' yo hai^ 'kom ,chi ^® ftil^RStllll: Not different
,Lo %%. ^K'ii to' ,lo tB^l]i|i He has arrived. [from that.
,Le #J. ,Chanchi'hai\Ie^^^^J It is so indeed.
,Le Kl. Mat, > hai^ ,le H^PSf^Pfl Why should it not be so ?
A careful attention paid to this subject will soon help the student
little
to acquire a proper knowledge of the .application of tkese important
particles.
Interjections!.
1. Of Sorrow.
,0i 4soi ^^ Alas! How sad! 'Ho sik, Pf*!^ What a pity !
,0 ,a ^ho sik, 'ho sik, |5^^ RTIS RTI^ Oh, how lamentable 1 how la-
mentable !
2. Of Jojt.
•S. Of Acchntuition.
Interjections.
J f^ Shame!
0/" Threatening and Warning.
8. Of Imitation.
^"Mh 0£The voice of b^hies wlien orvi'ig (cnlled ,nie ^shinu'.) [st;uu!<\s.
There are many more Interjections met with in l)()oks but as ; they aie
easily recognised, they do nut reijuire to be noticed here.
c^-X??lC50^^''cr..«
INDEX TO PART I.
Preface, page T to IV
Afiinity and Difference of Races, „ V
Different Dialects in China, ,, YI
t^iniilarity of (^'hinese, Jajianese and American
Indian Dialects, „ A^'II to IX
Origin and Character of the Written Lan-
guage „ IX to XII
Relatives, .. „ XII to XV
The Spidren Language. Verbs with certain
terminations &c., ,,
XV to XXXV
Orthography, „ XXXV & XXXVII
Difference of Intonation, P'^n^ '•
Aspirates, ,, 3
Vowel Sounds, ,,
3
Dialectical Difference, „ -t
(
'otn])Ounds, ,,
'^>
,, ^'^f
,, 22 ,, ,, ip.iiiove the ( .) sifter I* & Cii.
,, IX ,, 20 „ ,,
fur ;ihsiir(itnl read absorbed.
„ 9 „ 16 „ „ for Jm „ =Im.
„ 10 „ 8 „ „ for fat, „ fat,
„ 28 „ „ for 1=
^ „ i^
,,
;!.")
,, 2 &8 and elsewhere for ^ts'fn f{^ icad tbiu^
,, iJi) „ 8 from above for tak, read tak,
,„VS „ 11 „ „ for yeukj „ y6uk,
„ 87 •
..
."•)
,, 11 ,, ,, fur benatv ,, beaiitv.
:0 o
161970
t D
r'e'c^! VDE:^K 4.1/
•
LOAN
MAIN MAY 17 1971
MAY --
P.M.
iiwr,
RENEW/
LOUi
1 will 23 1978 I
URL
JAN 28 1959
4 3^
CD^UBi
P *^,
fi
*:^™lT58'' 00282
0099 >q^
v.l
AA 001 281 278