Chapter XIII: The Phö (1)

Non-Chinese races of Western and South-western China--Imperfect
knowledge regarding them--A traveller’s difficulties--Phö language
approaching extinction--The Miao-tzŭ rebellion--Relationship
of the Miao-tzŭ tribes--Art among the Phö--Music and
dancing--Characteristics of the language--Exercises--English-Phö
vocabulary.

[Sidenote: _THE NON-CHINESE RACES._]

The very imperfect nature of our knowledge regarding the non-Chinese races of Western and South-western China, constitutes the great impediment to their exact scientific classification. Notwithstanding this, however, there are certain well-marked distinctions that cannot fail to attract the eye and the ear of the traveller. So great a contrast do the Lolos bear to the Chinese, that not for a single moment can any idea of affinity be entertained. And the same holds good with the Miao-tzŭ of Kuei-chow and the Shans of Yün-nan who, with the Lolos, form the three great distinctive races of Kuei-chow, Yün-nan, and Ssŭ-ch’uan. With regard to the Ku-tsung of North-western Yün-nan and the Sifan of North-western Ssŭ-ch’uan, the former, from their physique, dress and language, are undoubted Tibetans, while the latter are in all probability a branch of the same stock. The term Man-tzŭ, although applied by the Ssŭ-ch’uanese to the inhabitants of the region to the west of Lolodom and often to the Lolos themselves, is generically used to designate the non-Chinese races of Western China.

Our knowledge of these races is defective, for the simple reason that no foreigner has ever paid them a lengthened visit, which is essential to a thorough grasp of their ethnological characteristics. Nor is this a matter for surprise, as the opportunities, which foreigners possess of visiting these tribes, whose haunts are removed from beaten tracks, are few and far between; and those few who have had such opportunities have been too much occupied with other work to study ethnological details or acquire a new language.

As recorded in the preceding pages, I passed through the countries of most of these tribes; but, like others, I found myself wanting in leisure to cultivate a closer intimacy with them. I need only appeal to travellers in Western China as to the facilities afforded for undertaking such a task. In what does the traveller’s day usually consist? He gets up at daybreak, hurries on to the end of the stage, writes up an account of the day’s journey, endeavours to get something to eat, and tries to enjoy a few hours’ sleep ere the labours of another day begin. The miseries of travel, too, breed a feeling of restlessness and a hankering after something more comfortable than his present experiences. But all the comfort the traveller in these regions may expect, and too frequently gets, is shelter in a miserable mud hovel without chair or table--hardly a promising spot in which to commence ethnological studies.

Nor is this all; given a chair and a table, the next difficulty is to find the man whose characteristics it is intended to study. The treatment which these aborigines receive at the hands of the Chinese, and the contempt in which they are held by them, have induced a timidity which is hard to overcome, and they have often expressed to me their fears that they would get into trouble through accepting my invitation to visit me.

In traversing the country between the Ta-tu River in Western Ssŭ-ch’uan and the north-west frontier of Yün-nan, I have frequently seen so-called Man-tzŭ suddenly quit the roadway and conceal themselves in the bordering brushwood and tall reeds until we had passed. And even when an interview has with difficulty been obtained, my visitors were always anxious to get away as soon as possible, so that the most the traveller can do is to note down a few of their more common words, without attempting the analysis of even a few simple sentences.

A few short vocabularies are all that I was able to collect during my journeys; but, towards the end of 1884, chance threw in my way an opportunity of entering more fully into the language of the principal branch of the aborigines of Kuei-chow, known to the Chinese as the Hei or Black Miao, or, as they call themselves, the Phö.

In that year Mr. Broumton, who was then in charge of the China Inland Mission station at Kuei-yang, came to Ch’ung-k’ing bringing with him a man belonging to this tribe from the south-east of Kuei-chow, and he was good enough to place the services of this individual at my disposal. He was fairly well versed in Chinese, and I endeavoured to learn something of his language, and, with his assistance, to translate a few of the easy exercises of Sir Thomas Wade’s Chinese Colloquial Course into Phö.

[Sidenote: _SUBJUGATION OF THE PHÖ._]

I should state that, according to my teacher, there is no written character, and my aim was to preserve a specimen of a tongue which must sooner or later become extinct. Of late years, the authorities of the province of Kuei-chow have been endeavouring to compel the Miao-tzŭ to adopt the Chinese dress and learn the Chinese language. Their efforts, too, are meeting with considerable success, and it is safe to predict that the Phö tongue is within a measurable distance of extinction.

About twenty years ago a desperate struggle commenced between the Chinese and the Phö, the alleged origin being attempted extortion on the part of the former. The struggle lasted for five years, and had it not been, so say the Phö, that the Chinese obtained a supply of foreign rifles, it would not have ended so disastrously for the aborigines. In bright clear weather no advantage was gained by the Chinese; but the Phö were pressed hard in rainy weather, when they were unable to keep the powder of their matchlocks dry. In this connection I may state that the Phö manufacture their own guns and ammunition--their powder, which is of a brown colour, being famous for its strength and superiority even among the Chinese.

The result of the struggle was that the Phö were terribly decimated; and the population of the tribe is now estimated not to exceed seventy thousand souls. The Chinese were assisted in the war against the Phö by the Ka-tou, generally called the Hua, or Coloured Miao, and so named because they wear fancy-coloured garments, just as the Phö are called Black Miao because they affect dark clothes.

There can be no doubt that the Miao-tzŭ are a race altogether different from the Chinese. In physique they are decidedly inferior; in dress, manners, and customs they stand alone; and their language, although it contains a considerable number of borrowed Chinese words, is undoubtedly distinct. The problem that presents itself to the traveller in Kuei-chow is not the affinity between the Miao-tzŭ and the Chinese, but the relationship of the Miao-tzŭ to each other. They are divided into a number of tribes whose traits are recognized not only by the Chinese, but even amongst themselves; and, as I have already observed, one tribe is prepared to go to war with the other. In physique they are the same, but in dress they differ. Do they speak the same language? The following is a comparative table of the numerals of three different tribes dwelling in South-east, Central, and North-west Kuei-chow, respectively:--

[Sidenote: _ASSIMILARITY OF DIALECTS._]

-----------+-----------------+-----------+-----------------
I. | II. | III. | IV.
Numerals.| S.E. Kuei-chow | Central | N. W. Kuei-chow
| Phö. | Kuei-chow.| Ka-tou.
-----------+-----------------+-----------+-----------------
1 | Yi | Yi | Yi
2 | Au | Ou | Ou
3 | Pieh | Peh | Pu
4 | Hlao | Plou | Pi
5 | Chia | Psŭ | Pa
6 | Tiu | Tsou | Chou
7 | Hsiung | Hsiang | Chiung
8 | Ya | Yi | Yi
9 | Chu | Chia | Chu
10 | Chiu | Ku | Ko
-----------+-----------------+-----------+-----------------

A glance at the above will show that there is a great resemblance; and, as the difficulty of transcribing the living sounds is great, I have no hesitation in saying that a more careful study will evolve a still more marked resemblance. The transcription of the Phö sounds in column II. may be taken as fairly accurate, for they have been repeated and repeated by me in many hundreds of combinations without leading to a single mistake. Nor is the comparison limited to the numerals. I have transcribed hundreds of words of different tribes, and the resemblance is equally evident.

The conclusion I have arrived at, after careful comparison and research, is that the Miao-tzŭ tribes of Kuei-chow are branches of the same stem, speaking somewhat different dialects of the same language. This conclusion, I must not omit to mention, is at variance with the statements of my Phö teacher, who insisted that the Ka-tou tongue is totally unintelligible to a Phö; but I am inclined to think that he was more than anxious to disclaim all affinity with his quondam enemy.

But there is another proof that they are of the same stock. At a gathering of the Phö held once a year, representatives of the other tribes are present and take part in the proceedings. This gathering, which takes place at full moon of the third Chinese month, is of a character altogether different from the annual fair held during the third month at Ta-li Fu, where many different races meet. The latter is a market pure and simple, whereas the former appears to partake of a religious nature, and to be connected with the coming harvests.

What the religious aspect is, it is difficult to say, for deep potations would seem to be the order of the day. The Miao-tzŭ, like the Lolos, are great drinkers, the wine being a native spirit. Art is not wanting among them; the women are exceedingly skilful at embroidery, and the beautiful silver ornaments--rings, clasps, bracelets, ear-rings, brooches, and necklaces--which they wear on _fête_ days, are highly finished. Some of the sterner sex also affect one large silver ear-ring in, if my memory is not at fault, the left ear.

The dress of the Phö male consists of black loose trousers surmounted by a short jacket with tight sleeves. The garments of the female are far more striking. They consist, to begin at the top, of a black turban, short jacket and kilt reaching almost to the feet, the wrists and backs of the sleeves and the hem of the kilt being ornamented with embroidery, usually with silk. At the gathering in question, music and dancing are much indulged in.

The musical instruments are manufactured from bamboos of different sizes, some of them from twelve to fifteen feet long, fitted with a mouth-piece, their lower ends being inserted in a large hollow cylinder (the hollowed out trunk of a tree), while the upper end of the longest reed is usually surmounted by a cone made of the sheath which grows at the joints of large bamboos. This instrument is called the _ki_, and from it a loud booming noise is, owing to the presence of the cylinder, extracted. The musicians move round in a circle as they play, followed on the outskirts by the young women, who dance in a slow, solemn manner. Of course the ladies, like their Lolo and Shan sisters, do not bind their feet. They lead altogether a freer life than the Chinese, both sexes sitting down to meals at the same table, and entering fully into the conversation even in the presence of a foreigner.

[Sidenote: _MUSIC AND DANCING._]

The language of the Phö, while following to a great extent the Chinese idiom, exhibits at the same time considerable divergence. A “cart-before-the-horse” principle is very marked throughout. An example or two will suffice to explain my meaning. The Chinese for “beef” and “mutton” is “niu jou” and “yang jou”--that is, “ox-meat” and “sheep-meat.” The Phö, on the other hand, say “ngi lia” and “ngi li,” which, literally translated, mean “meat-ox” and “meat-sheep.” Again, for “good man” the Chinese say “hao jên,” where “good man” is the subject of the sentence; the Phö say “nai ghou”--“man good,” and “very good man” is “nai ghou kuai,” that is, the adjective follows the noun and the adverb the adjective. There are eight tones readily distinguishable, but they are not so marked as in Chinese, where a false tone may lead to endless confusion. I have read over sentence after sentence to my teacher, carefully avoiding to distinguish tones, and, as a rule, he has interpreted in Chinese the exact meaning intended to be conveyed. With these brief remarks I leave the language to the student of philology. Appended are a few exercises and a short vocabulary in English and Phö. Those conversant with Chinese will at once detect the large admixture of Chinese words, which are for the most part only slightly modified; but the two most striking peculiarities of the language are the aspirated _l_ and the _v_ sound.

EXERCISES

IN

THE PHÖ LANGUAGE.

EXERCISE I.--SINGLE WORDS.

1. One. Yi.
2. Two. Au.
3. Three. Pieh.
4. Four. ‘Hlao.
5. Five. Chia.
6. Six. Tiu.
7. Seven. Hsiung.
8. Eight. Ya.
9. Nine. Chu.
10. Ten. Chiu.
11. Some. Nao hsiu.
12. A thousand. Yi say.
13. Several. Hao nao.
14. A hundred. Yi pa.
15. Ten thousand. Yi ver.
16. Not. A.
17. To come. Ta.
18. Many. Nao.
19. Few. Hsiu.
20. To be; have. Mai.
21. Good. Ghou.
22. Some; few. Pa.
23. Numerative. Lai.
24. To return. Loh.
25. Odd; more. Ka.
26. Man; men. Nai.
27. Long. Ta.
28. Inch. Sai.
29. Share; part. Fai.
30. Single. Chĭāng.
31. Catty. Chiang.
32. Flesh; meat. Ngi.
33. Cow. Lia.
34. Sheep. Li.
35. Fish. Nieh.
36. Bushel. Toh.
37. Wheat. Ka mieh.
38. Rice. Sai; Kah.
39. Buckwheat. Chiu.
40. Door. Tiu.
41. Tooth; teeth. Mpi.
42. Li--a measure. Li.
43. Mountain. Pieh.
44. High. ‘Hi.

WORDS COMBINED.

1.--16. 19. 20. 34. 57. 68.

2.--17. Two or three hundred. 2 or 3 thousand. 2 or 3. 3 or 5. Five
or seven hundred men.

3.--One. 27. 1865.

4.--1,000,300. 570,610. 700,020.

5.--1,000,000. 350,000. 5,000,001. 60,507. 100,000.

6.--70,191. 10,000,000. 461,000.

7.--50,088. 98,402. 1005. 4072. 8367. 10,006. 103.

8.--118. 254. 9,993,000.

9.--A number of people have come. There are some people. How many
people are there? There are several people come. Upwards of 30,000.

10.--Some score. Several score. Ten and more. Two. Some. Over ten.
Eight or nine. Ten and more. Nine or ten. Two hundred and more.
5000 and more.

11.--3-4/10 inches. A single one. Five catties of beef. Six catties
of mutton. Some catties of fish.

12.--Seven bushels of wheat. Nine bushels of rice. One bushel of
buckwheat.

13.--Some teeth. Several myriads of li in length. Forty thousand
li. There is a mountain full two hundred li high.

1.--Chiu tiu. Chiu chu. Au chiu. Pieh chiu ‘hlao. Chia chiu hsiung.
Tiu chiu ya.

2.--Chiu hsiung. Au pieh pa. Au pieh say. Pieh au lai. Pieh chia
lai. Chia hsiung pa nai.

3.--Yi. Au chiu hsiung. Yi say ya pa tiu chiu chia.

4.--Yi pa ver pieh pa lai. Chia chiu hsiung ver tiu pa ka. Hsiung
chiu ver au chiu.

5.--Yi pa ver. Pieh chiu chia ver. Chia pa ver yi. Tiu ver chia pa
hsiung. Chiu ver.

6.--Hsiung ver yi pa chu chiu yi. Yi say ver. ‘Hlao chiu tiu ver yi
say.

7.--Chia ver ya chiu ya. Chu ver ya say ‘hlao pa au. Yi say chia.
‘Hlao say hsiung chiu au. Ya say pieh pa tiu chiu hsiung. Yi ver
tiu. Yi pa pieh.

8.--Yi pa chiu ya. Au pa chia chiu ‘hlao. Chu pa chu chiu chu ver
pieh say.

9.--Mai pa lai nai ta. Mai pa lai. Mai hao nao nai. Mai nao hsiu
nai ta. Pieh ver nao.

10.--Pa chiu lai. Pa chiu lai. Chiu nao lai. Au lai. Pa lai. Chiu
lai nao. Ya chu lai. Chiu lai nao. Chu lai chiu lai. Au pa nao.
Chia say.

11.--Pieh sai ‘hlao fai ta. Chiang lai. Chia chiang ngi lia. Tiu
chiang ngi li. Pa chiang nieh.

12.--Hsiung toh ka mieh. Chu toh sai. Yi toh chiu.

13.--Pa tiu mpi. Pa ver li ta. Mai ‘hlao ver li. Mai pieh ‘hi au pa
nao li.

EXERCISE II.--SINGLE WORDS.

1. Thou. Moung.
2. I. Vai.
3. He. Ngi.
4. They. Ngi Tau.
5. You. Mich.
6. We. Pieh.
7. This. Nung.
8. At. Niang hang.
9. That. Moung.
10. That. Ai.
11. Son. Pu tia.
12. What. Kai shi.
13. To buy. Mai.
14. To sell. Mei.
15. To get. Tao.
16. Very. Kuai; va.
17. Who? Tê shi.
18. To want. Ou.
19. To be. Tiao.
20. East. Keh nich.
21. Daughter. Po a.
22. Things. Keh nung keh ai.
23. Large; great. ‘Hlioh.
24. Small. Niu.
25. Sign of poss. case. Pieh.
26. As. Liu.
27. That. Tieh.
28. Whence. Kêng hang.

WORDS COMBINED.

1.--Thine. Mine. His.

2.--You. We. They.

3.--Your. Our. Their.

4.--We two men.

5.--This. That.

6.--Here. There.

7.--As large as this. As small as that.

8.--What man?

9.--What thing or things?

10.--Who is that man? That man is a good man.

11.--To buy things. To sell things.

12.--He is a trader. What does he sell? He sells a good many things.

13.--I want good ones. Have you any? None.

14.--This is very good. That is bad.

15.--Who is it that has come? There is no one come.

16.--What place is he from? He is not of this place.

17.--How many people have come? A good number.

18.--I do not want this one. They want it.

19.--This is ours. That is theirs.

20.--Have you got this thing? We do not want it.

21.--How many people are there there? Ten people and more.

22.--Is he come? He is not come.

23.--This man is very good. That man is very bad.

24.--Whose is this thing? It is ours. How many have you of these?
Not many.

25. Have you got any very good ones there? None good. Unless you
have some very good, we do not want any.

1.--Moung pieh. Vai pieh. Ngi pieh.

2.--Mieh. Pieh. Ngi tau.

3.--Mieh pieh. Pieh pieh. Ngi tau pieh.

4.--Au au lai nai _or_ Vai au lai nai.

5.--Tieh nung. Tieh ai.

6.--Niang hang nung. Niang hang ai.

7.--‘Hlioh liu nung. Niu liu moung.

8.--Kai shi nai.

9.--Kai shi keh nung keh ai.

10.--Tieh nai tiao tê shi. Tieh nai tiao lai nai ghou.

11.--Mai keh nung keh ai. Mei keh nung keh ai.

12.--Ngi tiao mai mei nai. Mei kai shi. Mei hao nao keh nung keh ai.

13.--Vai ou ghou ti. Mai a mai. A mai.

14.--Tieh nung ghou kuai. Tieh moung a ghou.

15.--Mai kai shi nai ta. A mai nai ta.

16.--Ngi kêng hang to ta. Ngi a tiao hang nung nai.

17.--Ngi tau ta nao hsiu nai. Ngi tau ta hao nao nai.

18.--Vai a ou lai nung. Ngi tau ou lai nung.

19.--Tieh nung tiao pieh pieh. Tieh nung tiao ngi tau pieh.

20.--Mieh mai tieh nung a mai. Pieh a ou tieh nung.

21.--Mai nao hsiu nai moung. Mai chiu nao nai.

22.--Ngi ta a pa. Ngi a pa ta.

23.--Tieh nai nung ghou kuai. Tieh nai moung kuai a ghou.

24.--Tieh nung tê shi nai pieh. Pieh nai pieh. Moung mai nao hsiu
lai tieh nung. A mai nao.

25.--Mieh hang moung ghou kuai a mai. A mai ghou. Mieh a mai ghou
kuai pieh a ou.

EXERCISE III.--SINGLE WORDS.

1. To enter. Pou.
2. Wall of a city. Hao.
3. House, home. Chieh.
4. Inhabit, dwell. Niang.
5. Dust. Ka pai.
6. Street. Ka.
7. Up, ascend. Chieh.
8. Numerative of houses. Say.
9. A room. Ch’ung.
10. Inside. Keh tiung.
11. To open. Pu.
12. A shop. P’au.
13. To shut. Su.
14. Window. Kantlong.
15. To go out. ‘Hliu kou.
16. To go away. Moung.
17. To go towards. Moung.
18. Outside. Keh kou.
19. The head. Koh.
20. To know. Pang.
21. Road. Keh.
22. To do. Ai.
23. To pass. Tioh.
24. Trade. Chiang.

WORDS COMBINED

1.--To live in a house. 2.--To live at home. 3.--Inside the city
walls. Outside the city walls. 4.--Inside. Outside.

5.--In a room. 6.--Three houses. 7.--Eighteen rooms. 8.--Four
shops. 9.--Shut the door. 10.--Open the window. 11.--To go out. To
come in. 12.--To pass, to go past.

13.--Going or walking. 14.--To go up the street. 15.--Walking in
the street. 16.--To go east. To go west. 17.--The eastern and
western divisions of the city. 18.--To know. 19.--What doing?
or, why? 20.--Where do you live? I am in the city. 21.--How many
buildings have you over there? Thirty-five.

22.--Is the house you live in large or small? I live in three
small rooms. 23.--This house is a great deal better than that one.
24.--Open the door. Shut the window. 25.--To come into the room.

26.--There is a great deal of dust outside. 27.--What is he doing
at home? He is not at home. Do you know where he is gone? He is
gone up the street.

28.--That man keeps seven shops. Dealing in what? And where are
they all?

29.--They are inside the city. Three in the east division and four
in the west. We have no such thriving business here.

30.--Those shops have a large number of customers.

31.--There are five or six people come out. Who are they? I do
not know. 32.--No one lives in this room. 33.--That shop is mine.
34.--He did not come in. He went past westwards. What has he gone
out to do? He is gone up the street to buy something.

35.--There are a great number of people in the street.

1.--Niang chieh. 2.--Niang chieh. 3.--Hao keh tiung. Hao keh kou.
4.--Keh tiung. Keh kou.

5.--Ch’ung chieh keh tiung. 6.--Pieh lai chieh. 7.--Chiu ya ch’ung
chieh. 8.--‘Hlao lai p’au. 9.--Su tiu. 10.--Pu kantlong. 11.--‘Hliu
kou. Pou chieh. 12.--Tioh moung.

13.--‘Hei keh. 14.--Chieh ka. 15.--Tioh ka ‘hei keh. 16.--Moung keh
nieh. Moung keh chioh. 17.--Hao keh nieh. Hao keh chioh. 18.--Pang.
19.--Ai kai shi. 20.--Moung niang hang to. Vai niang hao keh tiung.
21.--Mieh niang ai mai hao nao chieh. Mai pieh chiu chia chieh.

22.--Moung niang lai chieh ‘hlioh niu. Vai niang pieh ch’ung chieh
niu. 23.--Lai chieh nung pi lai chieh ai ghou kuai. 24.--Tiu pu yeh
_or_ Pu tiu kantlong su yeh _or_ Su kantlong. 25.--Pou chieh ta.

26.--Keh kou ‘hlioh ka pai. 27.--Ngi chieh keh tiung ai kai shi. A
niang chieh. Moung hang to, moung pang a pang. Chieh ka moung.

28.--Tai lai nai mai hsiung lai p’au. Ngi lai p’au mai mei kai shi.
Pu niang hang to.

29.--Niang hao keh tiung. Hao keh nieh mai pieh lai. Hao keh chioh
mai ‘hlao lai. Pieh niang hang nung a mai tieh nai chiang ‘hlioh.

30.--Lai p’au mai keh nung keh ai nao nai.

31.--Keh kou ta chia tiu lai nai. Kai shi nai. Vai a pang. 32.--Lai
ch’ung chieh nung a mai nai niang. 33.--Lai p’au tiao vai pieh.
34.--Ngi a pou ta. Tioh moung chioh. Ngi moung ai kai shi. Chieh ka
mai keh nung keh ai.

35.---Tiu ka nai nao.

EXERCISE IV.--SINGLE WORDS.

1. Before. Keh tang.
2. Behind. Keh kai.
3. To call; bid. Koh.
4. To stand up. Hsiu.
5. To rise. Fa.
6. To recline. Pang.
7. Earth; ground. Tah.
8. Fast. ‘Hi.
9. Slow. A ‘hi.
10. All. Tou.
11. To love. A.
12. To sit. Niang.
13. Chair (sedan). Cho.
14. Storey (upper). Pang.
15. Below; down. Nga.
16. To return. Loh.
17. To arrive at. Leh.
18. Donkey. Lui.
19. Mule. Luh.
20. Numerative of horses, &c. Tei.
21. Numerative of carts, &c. Lai.
22. A pace. Tuoh.
23. Language. Si.
24. Public office. Ngah.
25. To speak. Kang.
26. Horse. Ma.
27. Cart. Lioh.
28. Fast (of animals). Hang.

WORDS COMBINED.

1.--To recline. To sit. To rise. To stand up. To walk. To go on
foot.

2.--To go fast. To go slow.

3.--In front. In rear.

4.--To come back. To have arrived.

5.--Do you like it or not? Not at all.

6.--To call somebody. Call some one here.

7.--A public office. Upstairs. On the ground.

8.--A cart. A sedan chair. Three horses. Two mules. Four donkeys.

9.--He is lying down on the road. Tell him to get up.

10.--I am, or was, sitting upstairs. He is, or was, sitting down
below.

11.--He was on foot. I came in a cart. He came on foot.

12.--I walk fast. He walks slow.

13.--I was walking in front. He was behind.

14.--Is that man come back or not? He is not back, but he soon will
be. Where is he gone to? He has gone to the public office. Did he
go in a chair or in a carriage? In a small chair. He does not like
being in a carriage.

15.--Do you like that man? I do not like any of those men.

16.--Has he been buying horses? No. Mules and donkeys. If he wanted
to buy horses, there is not a horse to be had. How many mules or
donkeys has he bought? Three mules and seven donkeys.

17.--Which are the better, the mules from this place or those from
that? The mules here are not so good as those there. The mules here
are slower than what you get there. Both the mules and donkeys from
that place are fast.

1.--Pang. Niang. Fa lo. Hsiu. ‘Hei moung. ‘Hei Keh.

2.--‘Hei ‘hi. ‘Hei a ‘hi.

3.--Keh tang. Keh kai.

4.--Loh. Leh yeh.

5.--Ā a ā. Tou a ā.

6.--Koh nai. Koh nai loh.

7.--Ngah. Ku pang. Ka tah.

8.--Lai lioh. Yi lai cho. Pieh tei ma. Au tei luh. ‘Hlao tei lui.

9.--Ngi niang tiu keh pang. Koh ngi fa loh.

10.--Vai niang ku pang niang. Ngi ka tah niang.

11.--Ngi yi tuoh yi tuoh ‘hei. Vai niang lioh loh. Ngi ‘hei keh loh.

12.--Vai ‘hei ‘hi. Ngi ‘hei a ‘hi.

13.--Vai keh tang ‘hei. Ngi keh kai ‘hei.

14.--Ngi tieh nai loh a pa. Ngi a pa loh. Ngi loh ‘hi. Ngi moung
hang to. Chieh ngah moung yeh. Ngi niang cho moung, ngi niang lioh
moung. Niang yi lai cho niu. Ngi a ā niang lioh.

15.--Ngi tieh nai moung ā a ā. Ngi tau au pieh nai vai tou a ā.

16.--Ngi mai tiao ma a tiao. Ngi mai luh lui. Ngi ou mai ma yi tei
ma tou a mai. Luh lui mai hao nao tei. Mai pieh tei luh hsiung tei
lui.

17.--Hang nung pieh luh ghou hang ai pieh luh ghou. Hang nung pieh
luh a mai hang ai pieh luh ghou. Hang nung pieh luh pi hang ai pieh
hang. Hang ai pieh luh lui tou hang.

EXERCISE V.--SINGLE WORDS.

1. True. Tei.
2. Upright. Ta ti.
3. To copy. Cha.
4. To write. Sei.
5. To teach. Chiao.
6. To learn. Liu.
7. To request. Sai.
8. To see. Ngieh.
9. To lay hold of. Tieh.
10. Written words. Li.
11. Before (in time). Hsüeh.
12. To recognize. Hsiang.
13. To seek. Hao.
14. To repay. Poh.
15. To wish. Hang.
16. To tell; inform. Hsieh.
17. To remember. Nieh.
18. To ask. Nai
19. To ride. Chieh.
20. To run; gallop. Yeh.
21. Like; similar. Toh.

WORDS COMBINED.

1.--Teacher. 2. To teach. 3. A pupil. 4. To take hold of a book.
To read. 5. To look out characters. To recognize characters. 6. To
copy. To write.

7.--To look out for a teacher. To engage a teacher. Be so good as
to inform me.

8.--I ask you. Be so good as to tell me.

9.--Do you remember.

10.--Correct pronunciation. Intelligible diction.

11.--To see. Have you seen it or not? Have you not seen it yet? I
have seen it.

12.--To ride. To run. Did you come on foot or on horseback? I came
on horseback. That horse gallops fast.

13.--Have you found a teacher? I have.

14.--Teacher, please teach me to talk.

15.--Teacher, please look out a word for me in the book. What word?
I want to find the word _Ngieh_, to see.

16.--Have you ever met with this word? I have. Tell me what word it
is. I do not remember the word. Are there any other words that you
do not remember? Of course there are. I remember but few compared
with the number I forget.

17.--Your pronunciation is correct. So is your diction.

18.--I will ask you whether you know this word or not. I have never
seen this word.

19.--I have requested a teacher to come and teach me. He will not
come. What is it you requested him to teach? I asked him to teach
us the spoken language. He says he objects to come on account of
the large number of pupils.

20.--Tell me, is that man’s pronunciation as good as yours? My
pronunciation is not very good. He knows more words than I do.

1.--Hsiang li.

2.--Tung tu.

3.--Chu tai.

4.--Tieh pai tu. Ngieh li.

5.--Chau li. Hsiang li.

6.--Chia lo. Sei li.

7.--Chau hsiang li. Hla hsiang li. ‘Hla chiao.

8.--Vai nai moung. ‘Hla moung hsieh.

9.--Nieh a nieh.

10.--Ghou ho shay. Kau si toh a.

11.--Pang yeh. Moung ngieh ku a pa. Moung a pa ngieh ku. Ngieh yeh.

12.--Chieh yeh. Moung ‘hei keh ta kai chieh ma ta. Vai chieh ma ta.
Tieh ma yeh hang.

13.--Moung hao hsiang li a pa. Hao yeh.

14.--‘Hla hsiang li chiao si.

15.--‘Hla hsiang ta pai tu [tou vai] hao lai li. Hao lai li toh. Ou
hao ngieh lai li.

16.--Lai li moung ngieh ku a pa. Ngieh ku yeh. Moung hsieh vai lai
li tiao kai shi. Vai a nieh lai li. Niang mai nieh lai li a mai.
Kai shi a mai. Ngieh hsiu a ngieh nao.

17.--Moung ghou ho. Kang si toh.

18.--Vai nai moung lai li nung moung hsiang a hsiang. Lai li nung
vai a pa pang ku.

19.--Vai ‘hla hsiang li chiao vai. Ngi a hang ta ‘hla ngi chiao
moung kai shi. ‘Hla ngi chiao pieh kang si. Ngi chiu chu tai nao a
hang ta.

20.--Moung hsieh vai, tieh lai nai ai pieh ho mai moung pieh ghou a
mai. Vai pieh ho a mai ghou. Ngi hsiang li pi vai hsiang nao.

EXERCISE VI.--SINGLE WORDS.

1. Paper. Tu.
2. Sheet. Lieh.
3. Pen. Chieh.
4. Numerative of pen. Kai.
5. Ink. Mö.
6. Numerative of ink. ‘Hli.
7. To take hold of. Wa.
8. Numerative of book. Pai.
9. Book. Tu.
10. To study. Ngi.
11. To end; finish. Chiu.
12. To be right; able. Ku-i.
13. To give. Pai.
14. Officer. Kuei lieh.
15. To meet. Hui.
16. To divide. Fai.
17. To hear. Tang.
18. Clear. Ka.
19. Also. Nung.
20. Understand. Tang.
21. Peaceful Pi.
22. A sound Poh.
23. To forget. Tung.
24. To err. Sa.
25. To be able. Pang.
26. A month. Pu.

WORDS COMBINED.

1--A sheet of paper. A volume. Two cakes of ink. Five pens.

2--To understand. To hear. To have forgotten.

3.--Quite right. To have finished. Not to be able to. It will do
well enough.

4.--Bring that volume here for me. Show me that sheet of paper.
Bring me ten pens and two cakes of ink.

5.--I hear that you are learning a language, and getting on very
well. Can you distinguish four dialects? I can distinguish them all.

6.--Have you read that book yet? I have read four-fifths of it.
Do you understand it? There are portions of it that I do not
understand. There are also some words that I do not know.

7.--How long have you been studying? I have been studying ten
months. Do you remember all the words in the book you have been
studying? Not all. I have forgotten a good number, and there are
some I do not remember accurately.

8.--Does that man understand the language? I have heard people say
that he does not. Does he know the written characters? That he
does. He knows four or five thousand. How do you know? Last month
we read together. If I tell him to copy, will he be able to? There
is no reason why he should not.

9.--Tell me, do you understand him when he speaks?

10.--You must on no account forget the books you read. Certainly
not. You are quite right.

1.--Yi lieh tu. Yi pai tu. Au ‘hli mö. Chia kai chieh.

2.--Tang. Tang. Tung keh.

3.--Ya sa. Chiu yeh. A pang. Ku-i.

4.--Moung ta pai tu tiao vai. Lieh tu moung vai nieh. Moung tou vai
mai chiu kai chieh, au ‘hli mö.

5.--Vai tang moung liu si, liu si ghou kuai. ‘Hlao tiu si moung
pang keh fai a pang. ‘Hlao tiu tou fai lu.

6.--Yi pai tu moung nieh chiu a pa. Chiu fai vai ngieh chiu ya fai.
Ming pai a ming pai. Mai pa fai a ming pai. Mai au pieh lai li a
hsiang.

7.--Moung tung li hao nao tai. Val tung chiu ta pieh tu. Tieh tu li
moung tou nieh a nieh. Nieh a chiu. Tung keh pa lai. Tu nieh sa yeh.

8.--Ngi tieh nai tang si a tang. Vai tang chiu ngi a tang tau. Ngi
hsiang li a hsiang. Li si hsiang. Hsiang chiu ‘hlao chia say li.
Moung hsieh pang. ‘Hla vai pieh niang yi tiao ngieh li. Vai koh ngi
sei li, ngi pang a pang. A mai a pang.

9.--Vai nai moung, ngi pieh si moung tang loh kai tang a loh.

10.--Moung tung ku li, a keh tung keh. A sa. Moung chiu tiao a sa.

EXERCISE VII.--SINGLE WORDS.

1. Mat. Tieh.
2. Bed. Ch’u.
3. Curtain. Hsiao.
4. To spread. Pou.
5. Cover, lid. Mo.
6. Table. Tang.
7. Chair. Kuei yüeh.
8. Wax. La.
9. Lamp. Tai.
10. Numerative of lamp. Lai.
11. Numerative of boat. Chao.
12. Wine. Chu.
13. Cup. O.
14. Tea. Chiang.
15. Bowl. Ti.
16. Kitchen. Kau sao.
17. To boil. Hao.
18. Rice. Ka.
19. Cooking pan. Vi.
20. Fork. Tia.
21. Spoon. Tiao Kên.
22. To spoil. P’a.
23. Fire. Tu.
24. To use. Hsia.
25. Difficult Hsia.
26. To drink. Hou.
27. Boat. Niang.
28. Bedding. Pang pung.

WORDS COMBINED.

1.--A bed. 2.--Curtains. Mats. Bedding.

3.--A table. A chair. 4.--A lamp. A candlestick.

5.--Kitchen. A knife. A fork. A spoon. A cooking pan. A cooking-pan
lid. A tea cup. A wine cup.

6.--To boil rice. 7.--It is spoiled. 8.--He spread a mat on the
bed. 9.--I want to lie down on this bed. Be quick and make the bed.
10.--Are there curtains upon the bed?

11.--He is lying on the bed. I was sitting on a chair.

12.--It is very dark in the room, bring a lamp.

13.--Some one has taken the lamp away.

14.--Who took away the candlestick that was on the table? It was I
that took it to the kitchen.

15.--There is no fire in the kitchen.

16.--A _vi ka_ is a pan for boiling rice. A _vi mo_ is the lid of a
rice pan. Tea cups may have covers.

17.--There is no great difference between a wine cup (_o chu_) and
a wine bowl (_ti chu_).

18.--The chairs and tables in that room are all spoiled.

19.--Have you bought those tea cups I told you to buy? I have.
Have you bought several? Twenty. Where did you buy them? They were
bought in a shop outside the city.

20--Have you mats in your apartments? There are mats on all the
beds in our apartments.

1.--Yi lai ch’u. 2.--Hsiao. Pêng tieh. Pang pung.

3.--Yi tieh tang. Yi lai Kuei yüeh. 4.--Yi lai tai. La tai.

5.--Kau sao. Yi ti tiu. Yi lai tia. Yi lai tiao kên. Yi lai vi ka.
Yi lai ka mo vi. Yi lai o chiang. Yi lai o chu.

6.--Hao ka. 7.--P’a yeh. 8.--Ngi niang ku ch’u pou tieh. 9.--Vai
ou niang lai ch’u nung pang yeh. Moung hang tai ta pung pou tiao.
10.--Lai ch’u mai hsiao a mai.

11.--Ngi niang ku ch’u pang yeh. Vai niang kuei yüeh.

12.--Chung chieh ‘hui tieh tai ta.

13.--Mai nai tieh lai tai moung yeh.

14.--Tieh tang keh vai lai la tai, tê shi tieh moung yeh. Tiao vai
ta tiao kau sao tieh moung yeh.

15.--Kau sao a mai tu.

16.--Vi ka tiao hao ka hsia. Vi mo tiao vi ka mo. O chiang tou ku i
mai mo.

17.--O chu ti chu au lai nung hsia fai.

18.--Chung chieh tang kuei yüeh tou p’a yeh.

19.--Vai koh moung mai o chiang moung mai a pa. Mai yeh. Mai tao pa
lai. Mai tao au chiu lai. Niang hang to mai lo. Tou niang hao keh
kou tiu pau mai lo.

20.--Mieh pieh tiu chieh mai tieh a mai. Pieh pieh tiu chieh ku
ch’u tou mai tieh.

EXERCISE VIII.--SINGLE WORDS.

1. Furniture. Chia shih.
2. Stool. Tang.
3. Numerative of stool. Lai.
4. To upset. Koh.
5. Pot. Chieh.
6. Flower. Pieh.
7. Vase. To.
8. To break. T’u.
9. To receive. Shou.
10. To repair. Hsüeh.
11. Plate. Pieh.
12. Saucer. Pieh niu.
13. To eat. Nang.
14. A little. Nang.
15. To blow. Choh.
16. Extinguish. Ta.
17. To burn. Pieh.
18. A stove. Sao.
19. Empty. Kung.
20. Full. Pai.
21. With. Na.
22. To reckon. Sui.
23. In fragments. Sai.
24. To light. Tiao; tou.
25. To pour. Liang.
26. To pour (as tea). Chia.
27. To take. Tieh.
28. In. Tiu.
29. Is; to be. Si.

WORDS COMBINED.

1.--Furniture. 2.--A stool. 3.--A stove.

4.--Flower vase. Wine pot. Tea pot. Dishes. Plates.

5.--Light the lamp. Blow out the lamp. Light the fire. Blow out the
fire.

6.--To pour or upset water. 7.--Empty pot. The pot is full.

8.--To spoil by breaking. To mend.

9.--Everything that is used in a house is furniture.

10.--Beds, tables, chairs, stools, are all room furniture.

11.--Table furniture consists of knives, forks, spoons, plates,
rice bowls and wine cups.

12.--Stoves are of different sizes. The house stove for cooking
rice is large. Bedrooms have all small stoves. The stove used to
warm a room is a small stove.

13.--May flower vases also be considered furniture? They may be so
considered.

14.--Wine pots, tea pots, and tea cups are all miscellaneous
furniture.

15.--The water in the cup is poured into the pan.

16.--_Chia chiang_ means to ask some one to pour tea into the cups.

17.--Have you lit the lamp? I lit it; but he blew it out.

18.--To blow out a lamp is to extinguish the flame of the lamp. To
extinguish fire is to put out a fire (as) in a fireplace.

19.--Is there water in these two kettles? One is full, the other is
empty. Fill the empty one with water.

20.--Who is it that has broken the flower vase? I do not know who
it was. Had I not better get some one to mend it at once? Yes, you
had much better tell some one to mend it.

1.--Chia shih. 2.--Yi lai tang. 3. Yi lai sao.

4.--To pieh. Chieh chu. Chieh chiang. Pieh. Pieh niu.

5.--Tou tai. Choh tai. Tiao tu. Ta tu.

6.--Liang ou. 7.--Kung chieh. Chieh pai.

8.--T’u p’a yeh. Hsüeh hsüeh.

9.--Tiu chieh hsia keh nung keh ai tou tiao chia shih.

10.--Ch’u, tang, kuei yüeh, tang tou tiao tiu chieh chia shih.

11.--Nang ka pieh chia shih tiao tu, tia, tiao kên, pieh niu, ti
ka, o chu.

12.--Lai sao mai ‘hlioh mai niu a toh. Chieh sao hao ka tiao sao
‘hlioh. Chieh ch’u keh tiung tou mai sao niu. Tiu chieh hsia sao
tiao tu tiao sao niu.

13.--Lai to pieh tou sui tiao chia shih a tiao. To pieh tou sui
tiao chia shih.

14.--Chieh chu, chieh chiang, o chiang tou si hsia chia shih.

15.--Ti ou liang tiao tiu vi.

16.--Chia chiang koh nai pa chiang chia tiao tiu o.

17.--Moung tou tai a pa. Vai tou ku tai. Tiao ngi choh ta yeh.

18.--Choh tai tiao ta tai tu. Ta tu tiao ta sao pieh tu.

19.--Au lai chieh keh tiung mai ou a mai. Yi lai pai yi lai kung.
Moung pa lai kung liang pai ou.

20.--Lai to pieh tê shi tui tu. Vai a pang tê shi. Hang moung koh
nai hsüeh hsüeh, ku i a ku i. Koh nai hsüeh hsüeh ghou kuai.

EXERCISE IX.--SINGLE WORDS.

1. The present. Nung.
2. Year. ‘Hniu.
3. Time. Shih.
4. Warm. Hsioh.
5. Yesterday. Tai nung.
6. Heaven; day. Vai.
7. Consequently. Chiu.
8. To fix. Ting.
9. Day-time. Fieh.
10. Light. Ka.
11. Half. Tang.
12. To engrave. Tioh.
13. Air; breath. Poung.
14. Section of time. Shau.
15. Cold. Si.
16. Snow. ‘Hliu.
17. Cool; cold. Hui.
18. Hurricane. ‘Hlioh chiang.
19. To return. Tiang.
20. To rise; get up. Fa.
21. Rain. Nung.

WORDS COMBINED.

1.--The year before last. Last year. This year. Next year. The year
after next. 2.--Last moon. This moon. Next moon.

3.--The weather may be distinguished as cold, hot, cool, warm,
windy, clear, snowy.

4.--Time. Day-break. Day-time. Night-time. A short space of time.

5.--That man there has studied upwards of twenty years, and has
been a teacher five or six months.

6.--I am going to-day, and I may be back next moon.

7.--You were not up at eight o’clock to-day.

8.--_‘Hniu tang_ and _Sai yang ‘hniu_ are the terms used for the
year before last and the year after next; _‘Hla tang_ and _‘Hla
kai_ for the moon before last and the moon after next.

9.--At this place it rains in the hot weather and snows in the cold.

10.--It blew hard last night, and at daybreak it was very cold.

11.--It is his habit to go out riding in the daytime, and to go
home at night and read.

12.--It rained last night, but it is fine to-day.

13.--This is a clear day.

14.--The weather is very mild this year; not so cold as it was last
year.

15.--You and I have been here a good many years.

16.--He came last year. I arrived last moon. They two were over
here last year.

1.--‘Hniu tang. ‘Hniu fa. ‘Hniu nung. Pu ‘hniu. Sai yang ‘hniu.
2.--Nga ‘hla. ‘Hla nung. Chieh ‘hla.

3.--Lai vai ku i fai, vai si, vai hsioh, vai hui, vai hsioh, ‘hlioh
chiang, ka vai, ta ‘hliu.

4.--Shih hou. Fieh vai. Vai ‘hliu. Yi shau.

5.--Tai lai nai ngieh ku au chiu nao ‘hniu pieh tu, tang chia tiu
‘hla pieh hsiang tu.

6.--Vai tai nung moung. Chieh ‘hla ku i tiang loh.

7.--Moung ya tien chung a fa loh.

8.--‘Hniu tang, sai yang ‘hniu ku i ch’iu. ‘Hla tang ‘hla kai ku i
ch’iu.

9.--Niang hang nung vai hsioh pieh shih hou ta nung, vai si pieh
shih hou ta ‘hliu.

10.--Tai nung nung chiu ‘hlioh chiang. Pieh vai pieh shih hou si va.

11.--Ngi ā vai ‘hlu ‘hliu kou chieh ma, chiu vai tiang chieh ngieh
tu.

12.--Tai nung chiu vai ta nung. Tai nung ka yeh.

13.--Tai nung ka vai.

14.--‘Hniu nung hsioh kuai, a mai ‘hniu ta si.

15.--Au au lai lei hang nung mai hao nao ‘hniu.

16.--Ngi si ‘hniu fa ta. Vai si nga ‘hla ta. Ngi au lai si ‘hniu fa
ta ku yeh.

EXERCISE X.--SINGLE WORDS.

1. Night Watch. Kêng.
2. Working man. ‘Hou.
3. Night. Pang.
4. Must. Tao.
5. To strike; beat. Tüeh.
6. To end. Chiu.
7. Early. Soh.
8. Late. Pang.
9. Noon. Tiung-tai.
10. Length of time. Tah pang.
11. Affair. Shih.
12. Circumstances. Ch’ing.
13. Put; place. ‘Hlia.
14. Each; every. Ka.
15. Kind. Tiu.
16. Short. Lai.
17. Clouds. Tang-ang.
18. Dark. Hui.
19. Mist. Ngioh.
20. Leisure. K’ung.
21. To do. Pieh.
22. Black. ‘Hlai.

WORDS COMBINED.

1.--Every year. Every moon. Every day. 2.--Each kind.

3.--Early in the morning. Noon. In the evening. Forenoon. Afternoon.

4.--By night. Before midnight. After midnight.

5.--To set the watch. To strike the watch. A watchman.

6.--The days are long. The days are short. The nights are long. The
nights are short.

7.--At what time? 8.--Time for work. 9.--A dull day. Clouds. There
is a mist. 10.--There must be one or some. 11.--Affairs. 12.--To
place. 13.--It is ended.

14.--He rises early; goes for a walk at noon; comes home in the
evening and reads; and in the third watch of the night he goes to
bed. He does the same every day.

15.--One’s self. You must go yourself to settle the business. He
lives by himself in that house.

16.--It rained in the forenoon. The afternoon was fine.

17.--It was warm before midnight, but cold after.

18.--The third watch is midnight.

19.--As regards the watches which a watchman strikes during the
night, the night is divided into five. The beginning of the first
is the watch-setting.

20.--When the days are long there is more time to do things. When
they are short one has no leisure for them, and they must just wait.

21.--When will he be back? Possibly to-morrow.

22.--Where is the tea-pot put? On the table in the room.

23.--When the sky is overcast, the day is dull.

24.--There was a thick mist this morning; and the mountains were
invisible.

1.--‘Hniu ‘Hniu. ‘Hla ‘hla. Tai tai. 2.--Ka tiu.

3.--Tiung tah. Hsing tiung tai. Tiung pang. Chieh tai. Tiung nga
tai.

4.--Tiung pang. Tang pang tang. Tang pang keh.

5.--Ting kêng. Tüeh kêng. ‘Hou kêng.

6.--Ta tai. Lai tai. Ta pang. Lai pang.

7.--Kai shi shih hou. 8.--Ai kou. 9.--‘Hui tai. Tang-ang. Ta ngioh.
10.--Sung ou mai. 11--Shih ch’ing. 12.--‘Hlia. 13.--Chiu yeh.

14.--Ngi tiung tah fa lo; Hsing tiung tai chieh ka hei; Tiung pang
moung chieh ngieh tu; Lei pieh kêng ngi pieh chiu yeh. Ngi tai tai
tou si tiu.

15.--Vai chiang lai. Moung chiang lai sung ou moung pieh shih. Lai
chieh tiao ngi chiang lai niang.

16.--Nga tai ta nung. Chieh tai ka yeh.

17.--Tang pang tang hsioh, tang pang keh si.

18.--Pieh kêng tiao tang pang.

19.--Tiung pang kêng ‘hou tüeh kêng, yi pang fai chia kêng. Tou
kêng tou tiao ting kêng.

20.--Ta tai pieh shih ai kou nao. Lai tai a mai k’ung, shih Ch’ing
sung ou ‘hlia nioh.

21.--Ngi kai shi shih ‘hou loh. Fu fa kai loh.

22.--Chieh chiang ‘hlia tiao hang to. ‘Hlia tiao chieh keh tiung
tang keh vai.

23.--Keh vai tang ang pai yeh tiao vai hui.

24.--Tai nung tiung ta ta ngioh ‘hlioh kuai; Pieh ‘hlioh tou ngieh
a pang.

EXERCISE XI.--SINGLE WORDS.

1. To fear. Hsi.
2. Clothes. Uh.
3. Dirty. Va.
4. To exchange. Tioh.
5. Dry. Nga.
6. Clean. Sang niang.
7. To brush. Shua.
8. To wash. So; sa.
9. Face. Mai.
10. Cold. Sang.
11. Leather. Ka li.
12. Hands. Pieh.
13. Basin. Keh.
14. To stitch. Ngang.
15. To patch. Hsi.
16. To put on. Nieh.
17. Shoes. Ha.
18. To take off. Ta.
19. A pair. Niu.
20. Stockings. Wa.
21. To change (as water). Vai.
22. Torn or broken. Ni.
23. Long (in time). La.
24. To wear. Tiao.
25. Numerative of clothes. P’ang.
26. Water. Ou.

WORDS COMBINED.

1.--To brush and wash. 2.--Dirty. Clean. 3.--Clothes. Boots. Shoes.
Stockings.

4.--To put on clothes. To take them off. To change clothes.

5.--To mend by stitching. 6.--A pair of shoes. Two pair of shoes.
Ten pair of stockings. A handkerchief. Eight articles of dress. A
wash-hand basin.

7.--The water in this basin is dirty. Change it and bring me some
clean water instead to wash my face.

8.--These clothes are dirty; take a brush and brush them. This
article of dress is torn, call some one here to mend it.

9.--Get up quick and dress.

10.--He has taken off his clothes and is lying down.

11.--He has had that thing on for several days without changing it.

12.--It is cold to-day; you must put on something more.

13.--Has he got on boots or shoes? He has on boots.

14.--This handkerchief is dirty; put it in the basin and wash it.

15.--Are you in the habit of wearing boots or shoes? In the house I
wear shoes. When I go to the office I wear boots.

16.--These leather boots of yours have been lying by a long time;
they must be brushed and washed.

17. When you wash your hands, do you prefer cold water or boiling
water? Both are bad. Cold water is too cold; boiling water is too
hot. Warm water is the best.

18.--Be quick and pour this water into the pan and warm it.

19.--This fire is out. This water has been on some time and will
not boil.

20.--To wash clothes it is best to use hot water. The water used to
clean boots must be cold.

1.--Shua so. 2.--Va. Sang niang. 3.--Uh. Ha. Ha. Wa.

4.--Nieh uh. Ta nga loh. Vai uh.

5.--Ngang hsi. 6.--Yi niu ha. Au niu ha. Chiu niu wa. Yi liu chang.
Ya p’ang uh. Yi lai keh sa mai.

7.--Keh ou nung va yeh. Vai sang niang tieh ta vai sa mai.

8.--P’ang uh nung va tieh shua shua i shua. Yi p’ang uh nung ni
yeh, koh lai nai ta ngang hsi.

9.--Moung hang fa loh nieh uh.

10.--Ngi ta uh pieh.

11.--Yi p’ang uh nung ngi nieh hao la a vai.

12.--Tai nung si, moung sung ou nao nieh yi p’ang uh.

13.--Ngi tiao ha ngi tiao hsüeh. Ngi tiao tiao ha.

14.--Liu chang nung va ‘hlia tiu keh so i so.

15.--Moung ā tiao ha kai ā tiao hsüeh. Vai tiu chieh niang tiao ha,
chieh ngah tiao hsüeh.

16.--Moung pieh niu ka li hsüeh ‘hlia la, sung ou shua so.

17.--Moung sa pieh, ā hsia ou sang ā hsia ou kai. Ou tiu a ghou. Ou
sang sang va, ou kai kai va. Tou ghou ou hsioh.

18.--Moung hang tieh ou nung liang tao tiu vi t’oh hsioh.

19.--Lai tu nung ta yeh. Tieh ou nung t’oh yi tang tai t’oh a kai.

20.--Ou so uh hsia ou hsioh tou ghou. So shua hsüeh sung ou hsia ou
sang.

EXERCISE XII.--SINGLE WORDS.

1. Farthest. Chiung.
2. To uncap. ‘Hlüeh.
3. To wear. Tou.
4. To dust. Ma.
5. Cap. Mau.
6. To cut. Ma.
7. Shoulders. Hang chieh.
8. Sweat. Tiang.
9. Shirt. Uh lai.
10. Single. Tei.
11. Lined. Tang.
12. Wadded. Pong.
13. Cotton. Mêng.
14. Trousers. K’au.
15. To cut (as clothes). Kêng.
16. Coat. Kua.
17. Sleeve. Mu.
18. Comb. Gah.
19. Hair (of the head). Ka ‘hliang.
20. Needle. Chiu.
21. Body. Chieh.
22. To mend. P’ai.
23. Must. Sung ou.
24. A thread. Foh.

WORDS COMBINED.

1.--Wadded clothes. Lined clothes. Clothes not lined.

2.--Waistcoat. Shirt. Coat. Trousers.

3.--Cap. To have the cap on. To take the cap off.

4.--To sew. A needle. A thread.

5.--A tailor. To cut out clothes. To make up clothes.

6.--A duster. To dust clothes. 7.--To bathe.

8.--The hair of the head. To comb the hair (head).

9.--Clothes not lined are such as have an outside with nothing
inside it. Clothes lined are such as have both a lining and an
outside. Wadded clothes are clothes with cotton between the outside
and the lining.

10.--A waistcoat is that article of dress which has a back and
front but no sleeves. The shirt is the garment without lining worn
innermost of all. The coat is the garment worn outermost of all.
When short it is called a riding jacket.

11.--Is this pair of trousers wadded or lined?

12.--Caps are distinguished as small caps and official caps.
Official caps are of two sorts, winter and summer caps. Out of
doors one must have a cap on; when one returns one may take it off.

13.--Do you know how to sew? I do not. Then call a tailor here to
mend my shirt.

14.--The waistcoat is cut out but not made up yet.

15.--The riding jacket is torn, it must be mended.

16.--Tap the dust off the clothes with a duster.

17.--Who is it that combs his hair with that wooden comb?

18.--The expression _sa chieh_ means to bathe the whole body. It is
a good thing to bathe every day.

1.--Uh pong. Uh tang. Uh tei.

2.--Uh liang chieh. Uh lai. Kua. K’au.

3.--Mau. Tou mau. ‘Hlüeh mau.

4.--Chiu foh (Ngang). Yi tieh chiu. Yi chiao foh.

5.--Hsiang ngang. Kêng uh. Ngang uh.

6.--Ka ‘hliang kei. Ma uh. 7.--Sa chieh.

8.--Ka ‘hliang. Hsia koh.

9.--Uh tei chiu mai yi tang a mai au tang. Uh tang mai pi kou pi
tiung. Uh pong tiao uh tang keh tiung mai mêng sang.

10.--Uh liang chieh mai keh kai keh mai a mai mu yi p’ang uh. Uh
lai tiao keh tiung nieh pieh uh tei. Kua tiao keh kou nieh pieh uh.
Uh lai kua koh ma kua.

11.--Yi lai k’au nung mai mêng sang kai mai tang.

12.--Mau fai au tiu mai mau niu mai mau ka lai. Mau ka lai mai au
tiu mai mau hui mai mau hsioh. Nai niang tiu ka sung ou tou mau,
pou chieh loh ku i ‘hlüeh mau.

13.--Moung pang chiu foh a pang. Vai a pang. Moung koh hsiang kêng
ta tieh vai pieh pang uh lai ai p’ai.

14.--Pang uh liang chieh moung kêng yeh a pa ngang.

15.--Pang ma kua ai ngi sung ou ngang p’ai.

16.--Ta kah ‘hliang kei ma i ma uh chieh ka pai.

17.--Lai gah tou ai, tiao tê shi hsia koh.

18.--Sa chieh tiao yi chieh tou sa. Tai tai sa chieh ghou kuai.

EXERCISE XIII.--SINGLE WORDS.