Novels: Start reading《鬼吹灯》Ghost Blows Out the Light by Zhang Muye

Advanced 2026-02-03 Novels source ↗

Written by Zhang Muye, this ultra-famous fantasy series is about a team of cursed tomb raiders. The novel reads like a mix between Indiana Jones and ancient Chinese ghost stories.

《鬼guǐ吹chuī灯dēng》第dì一yī章Zhāng

我wǒ的de祖父zǔ fù叫jiào胡Hú国Guó华Huá，胡Hú家祖jiā zǔ上shǎng是shì十shí里lǐ八bā乡xiang有名yǒu míng的de大地主dà dì zhǔ，最zuì辉hui煌huāng的de时期shí qī在zài城chéng里lǐ买mǎi了le三条sān tiáo胡Hú同tóng相连xiāng lián的de四十sì shí多duō间jiān宅子zǐ，其间qí jiān也Yě曾Zēng出chū过Guō一些yī xiē当dāng官Guān的de和hé经Jīng商Shāng的de，捐juan过Guō前qián清Qīng的de粮liáng台Tái、槽运yùn的de帮办bāng bàn。

民Mín谚有yǒu云yún：“富Fù不过bù guò三代sān dài。”这zhè话huà是非shì fēi常Cháng有道理yǒu dào li的de，家里jiā lǐ纵zǒng然rán有yǒu金山Jīn shān银yín山Shān，也Yě架jiǎ不bù住zhù败家子bài jiā zǐ孙Sūn的de挥hui霍。

到了dào liǎo民国Mín guó年间nián jiān，传chuān到dào我wǒ祖父zǔ fù这zhè一代yī dài就jìu开始kāi shǐ家道jiā dào中Zhōng落là了le，先xiān是shì分fēn了le家jiā，胡Hú国Guó华Huá也Yě分fēn到了dào liǎo不少bù shǎo家产jiā chǎn，足够zú gòu衣食yī shí无mó忧you的de过Guō一辈子yī bèi zi，可是kě shì他tā偏pian偏pian不bù肯kěn学好xué hǎo，当然dāng rán这zhè也Yě和hé当时dāng shí的de社会shè huì环Huán境jǐng有yǒu关Guān，先xiān是shì沉chēn迷mī赌dú博bó，后Hòu来lái又yòu抽chōu上shǎng了le福寿fú shòu膏gāo（大dà烟yan），把bǎ万mò贯guàn家jiā财cái败bǎi了le个gě精光jīng guāng。

胡Hú国Guó华Huá年轻nián qīng的de时shí候hòu吃chī喝hē嫖赌dú抽chōu五毒俱全wǔ dú jù quán，到dào最zuì后Hòu穷qíong得dé身上shēn shang连Lián一个yī ge大dà子儿zǐ r都Dū没有méi yǒu了le。人rén要是yào shi犯fàn了le烟yan瘾yín，就jìu抓zhua心xīn挠nāo肝的de无mó法fǎ忍rén受shòu，但dàn是shì没méi钱Qián谁shéi让ràng你nǐ抽chōu啊ā？昔Xī日里rì lǐ有钱yǒu qián的de时shí候hòu，烟yan馆guǎn里lǐ的de老板lǎo bǎn伙huó计Jì见jiàn了le他tā都Dū是shì胡Hú爷yé长cháng，胡Hú爷yé短duǎn的de，招zhao呼hu得dé殷勤qín周到zhōu dào，可是kě shì一yī但dàn你nǐ身无分文shēn wú fēn wén了le，他tā们men就jìu拿ná你nǐ当dāng臭chòu要饭yào fàn的de，连Lián哄hóng带dài赶gǎn，驱qū之zhī不bù及jí。

人rén要yāo穷qíong疯fēng了le，廉liān耻chǐ道德dào dé这些zhè xiē观念guān niàn就jìu不bù重要zhòng yào了le，胡Hú国Guó华Huá想xiǎng了le个gě办bàn法fǎ，去qù找zhǎo舅舅jìu jiu骗piàn点diǎn钱Qián。胡Hú国Guó华Huá的de舅舅jìu jiu知道zhī dào他tā是shì败家子bài jiā zǐ大dà烟yan鬼guǐ，平时píng shí一yī文Wén钱Qián都Dū不bù肯kěn给gěi他tā，但dàn是shì这zhè次cì胡Hú国Guó华Huá骗piàn舅舅jìu jiu说shuì要yāo娶媳xī妇fù，让ràng舅舅jìu jiu给gěi凑cǒu点diǎn钱Qián。

舅舅jìu jiu一yī听yǐn感gǎn动dòng得dé老lǎo泪lěi纵zǒng横héng，这个zhè ge不肖bù xiào的de外甥wài shēng总zǒng算suàn是shì办bàn件jiàn正事zhèng shì，要是yào shi娶个gě贤xiān惠huǐ的de媳xī妇好Fù Hǎo好hǎo管guǎn管guǎn他tā，收shōu收shōu他tā的de心xīn，说不定shuō bu dìng日rì后Hòu就jìu能Néng学好xué hǎo了le。

于是yú shì给gěi他tā拿ná了le二十èr shí块kuài大洋dà yáng，嘱zhú咐fǔ他tā娶个gě媳xī妇好Fù Hǎo好过hǎo guò日子rì zi，千万qiān wàn别Bié再zài沾zhan染rán那些nà xiē福寿fú shòu膏gāo了le，过Guō几天jǐ tiān得空dé kòng，还Huán要yāo亲自qīn zì去qù胡Hú国Guó华Huá家jiā看看kàn kan外甥wài shēng媳xī妇fù。

胡Hú国Guó华Huá鬼guǐ主意zhǔ yi最多zuì duō，为了wèi le应Yīng付Fù舅舅jìu jiu，他tā回家huí jiā之zhī后Hòu到dào村cūn里lǐ找zhǎo了le个gě扎zha纸人zhǐ rén纸马zhǐ mǎ的de匠jiàng人rén，就是jìu shì烧shāo给gěi死人sǐ rén的de那种nà zhǒng。这个zhè ge扎zha纸zhǐ师Shī傅Fù手shǒu艺yì很hěn高明Gāo míng，只要zhǐ yào手shǒu你nǐ说shuì得出dé chū来lái的de东Dōng西Xī，他tā都Dū能Néng做zuò的de惟妙惟肖wéi miào wéi xiào。

他tā按ǎn要yāo求qíu给gěi胡Hú国Guó华Huá扎zha了le个gě白Bái纸zhǐ糊hū裱的de纸zhǐ女人nu:3 rén，又yòu用yòng水彩shuǐ cǎi给gěi纸人zhǐ rén画huà上shǎng了le眉眼méi yǎn鼻子bí zi、衣服yī fu头tóu发fā，在zài远处yuǎn chù一yī看kān，嘿hei，真zhēn就jìu跟gēn个gě活huó人rén似shǐ的de。

胡Hú国Guó华Huá把bǎ纸人zhǐ rén扛到家dào jiā里lǐ，放fàng在zài里lǐ屋wū的de炕上shǎng，用yòng被子bèi zi把bǎ纸人zhǐ rén盖gǎi了le，心里xīn li想xiǎng的de挺tǐng好hǎo，等děng过Guō几天jǐ tiān舅舅jìu jiu来lái了le，就jìu推说tuī shuō我wǒ媳xī妇fù病bìng了le，躺tǎng在zài床chuáng上shǎng不bù能Néng见客jiàn kè，让ràng他tā远远yuǎn yuǎn的de看kān一眼yī yǎn就jìu行háng了le。想到xiǎng dào得意dé yì处chǔ，忍rén不bù住zhù哼heng起qǐ了le小曲xiǎo qǔ，溜liu哒进城jìn chéng抽chōu大dà烟yan去qù了le。

没méi过Guō几天jǐ tiān，舅舅jìu jiu就jìu上门shàng mén了le，买mǎi了le一些yī xiē花布huā bù点心diǎn xin之zhī类lěi的de来lái看kān外甥wài shēng媳xī妇fù，胡Hú国Guó华Huá就jìu按ǎn照zhào预先yù xiān想xiǎng好hǎo的de说shuì词cí推tuī脱tuō，说shuì媳xī妇fù身体shēn tǐ不适bù shì，不bù能Néng见客jiàn kè，让ràng舅舅jìu jiu在zài们men口kǒu揭jie开门kāi mén帘lián看kān了le一眼yī yǎn就jìu把门bǎ mén帘lián放下fàng xià来lái了le。

舅舅jìu jiu不bù愿yuàn意yì了le，噢，你nǐ小子xiǎo zǐ就jìu这么zhè me应Yīng付Fù你nǐ亲qīn娘niáng舅jìu啊ā？不行bù xíng，今天jīn tiān必须bì xū得dé见jiàn见jiàn新Xīn媳xī妇fù，生病shēng bìng了le我wǒ掏tao钱Qián给gěi新Xīn媳xī妇fù请qǐng郎中láng zhōng瞧qiáo病bìng。

胡Hú国Guó华Huá就jìu死sǐ活huó拦lān着zhāo不bù让ràng见jiàn，他tā越Yuè拦lān越Yuè显得xiǎn de有yǒu问题wèn tí，舅舅jìu jiu更gēng家jiā疑心yí xīn，两下liǎng xià里lǐ争zhēng执zhí起qǐ来lái。正zhēng在zài此时cǐ shí，里lǐ屋wū门Mén帘lián撩开kāi了le，出chū来lái一个yī ge女子nu:3 zǐ，长得zhǎng de白白bái bái净jìng净jìng的de，大dà脸liǎn盘子pán zi、大dà屁pǐ股gǔ小xiǎo脚jiǎo，胡Hú国Guó华Huá心里xīn li咯噔一下yī xià，哎ai呦，这不zhè bu就是jìu shì我wǒ找zhǎo人rén糊hū的de纸人zhǐ rén吗má？它tā怎zěn么má活huó了le？

女人nu:3 rén对duì舅舅jìu jiu施Shī了le一yī礼Lǐ说shuì近日jìn rì身体shēn tǐ不好bù hǎo，刚才gāng cái没méi出chū来lái迎接yíng jiē舅舅jìu jiu，失shī礼Lǐ之zhī处chǔ还Huán请qǐng恕shǔ罪zuì，现xiàn在zài突然tū rán又yòu觉得jué de身子shēn zi大dà好hǎo了le，今天jīn tiān就jìu留líu舅舅jìu jiu在zài家jiā吃chī顿dùn便biàn饭fàn，说shuì完wán就jìu转身zhuǎn shēn进去jìn qù做zuò饭fàn。

胡Hú国Guó华Huá的de舅舅jìu jiu一yī看kān乐Lè坏了huài le，这zhè外甥wài shēng媳xī妇fù多duō贤xiān惠huǐ，又yòu生shēng得dé旺wǎng夫fū的de好hǎo相貌xiàng mào，我wǒ那Nā死去sǐ qù的de妹子mèi zi泉quán下xià有yǒu知zhī，看见kàn jiàn他tā儿子ér zi娶了le这么zhè me好hǎo的de媳xī妇fù也Yě得dé高兴gāo xìng啊ā。舅舅jìu jiu一yī高兴gāo xìng又yòu给gěi了le胡Hú国Guó华Huá十shí块kuài大洋dà yáng。

胡Hú国Guó华Huá呆dai在zài当场dāng chǎng，心里xīn li慌huang乱luàn，也Yě不知bù zhī是shì该gāi庆幸qìng xìng还是hái shi该gāi害怕hài pà，时间shí jiān过Guō的de很hěn快kuài，一转眼yī zhuǎn yǎn就jìu到了dào liǎo晚上wǎn shang，白Bái纸人zhǐ rén做zuò了le一yī桌zhuō饭菜fàn cài，舅舅jìu jiu乐Lè得dé嘴zuǐ都Dū合gě不bù上shǎng了le，但dàn是shì胡Hú国Guó华Huá却què无心wú xīn吃chī喝hē，他tā看kān着zhāo坐Zuò在zài自己zì jǐ对面duì miàn的de那个nà ge女人nu:3 rén，就jìu觉得jué de心里xīn li跟gēn吃chī了le只zhī苍cang蝇yíng似shǐ的de恶ě心xīn。她tā的de脸liǎn很hěn白Bái，一点yī diǎn血色xuè sè没有méi yǒu，脸liǎn上shǎng的de红Hóng润rǔn都Dū是shì用yòng胭脂zhī抹mó上shǎng的de。

舅舅jìu jiu老lǎo眼yǎn昏花hūn huā，也Yě没méi觉得jué de那Nā女人nu:3 rén有yǒu什shén么má不对bù duì头tóu，七qī八bā杯bēi老酒lǎo jǐu下xià肚dǔ就jìu喝hē得dé伶仃大dà醉zuì，胡Hú国Guó华Huá借jiè了le辆liàng驴车Chē，把bǎ他tā送sòng回家huí jiā中Zhōng。

回去huí qu的de路上lù shang，越Yuè想xiǎng越Yuè觉得jué de害怕hài pà，干脆gān cuì也Yě不bù回家huí jiā了le，去qù城chéng里lǐ的de花Huā柳liǔ巷xiǎng中Zhōng过Guō了le一yī夜yè，连Lián抽chōu带dài嫖把bǎ舅舅jìu jiu刚gāng给gěi的de十shí个gě大洋dà yáng都Dū使shǐ光guāng了le。

最zuì后Hòu又yòu因为yīn wèi没méi钱Qián付Fù帐zhàng被bèi赶gǎn了le出chū来lái，无处wú chù可kě去qù，只zhī能Néng硬yìng着zhāo头tóu皮Pí回家huí jiā。到家dào jiā一yī看kān屋wū里lǐ黑Hēi着zhāo灯dēng，那个nà ge白Bái纸人zhǐ rén一yī动不动dòng bu dòng的de躺tǎng在zài自己zì jǐ的de床chuáng上shǎng，蒙mēng着zhāo被子bèi zi，之前zhī qián的de好象hǎo xiàng一切yī qiè根gēn本就běn jìu没méi发生fā shēng过Guō。

胡Hú国Guó华Huá一yī想xiǎng留líu着zhāo她tā晚上wǎn shang再zài变成biàn chéng活huó人rén怎zěn么má办bàn，不如bù rú我wǒ一yī把bǎ火Huǒ烧shāo了le它tā干净gān jìng。把bǎ白Bái纸人zhǐ rén抗kǎng到dào院子yuàn zi里lǐ，取出qǔ chū火Huǒ摺子zǐ，就jìu想xiǎng动手dòng shǒu烧shāo了le纸人zhǐ rén，这时zhè shí纸人zhǐ rén忽然hū rán开口kāi kǒu说话shuō huà：“你nǐ个gě死sǐ没méi良心liáng xīn的de，我wǒ好心hǎo xīn好意hǎo yì帮bāng你nǐ，却què想xiǎng烧shāo了le我wǒ！”

胡Hú国Guó华Huá吓xiǎ了le一yī跳tiào，深shēn更gēng半夜bàn yè中Zhōng只zhī听yǐn那Nā白Bái纸zhǐ糊hū的de女人nu:3 rén继jì续xù说shuì：“我wǒ是shì看kān你nǐ可怜kě lián，你nǐ虽然suī rán吃chī喝hē嫖赌dú，但dàn是shì心地xīn dì还Huán不bù算suàn坏huài，我wǒ想xiǎng嫁给gěi你nǐ，你nǐ愿yuàn意yì吗má？”

胡Hú国Guó华Huá拼pin命mǐng的de摇yāo头tóu，问wèn那Nā纸人zhǐ rén你nǐ到dào底dí是shì妖还是hái shi鬼guǐ？白Bái纸人zhǐ rén说shuì我wǒ当然dāng rán是shì鬼guǐ，只是zhǐ shì暂zǎn时shí附fù在zài这zhè纸人zhǐ rén身上shēn shang，不过bù guò你nǐ个gě穷qíong棒bǎng子zǐ还Huán别Bié嫌xiān弃qì我wǒ，我wǒ生前shēng qián很hěn富有fù yǒu，陪pēi葬的de金银jīn yín首shǒu饰shǐ够gòu你nǐ抽chōu十shí辈子bèi zi大dà烟yan的de，你nǐ岂不qǐ bù闻Wén富Fù死鬼sǐ guǐ强qiāng似shǐ穷qíong命mǐng人rén百Bǎi倍bèi？

一yī提到tí dào钱Qián胡Hú国Guó华Huá就jìu有些yǒu xiē心动xīn dòng，因为yīn wèi最近zuì jìn实shí在zài太tài穷qíong了le，就jìu连Lián衣服yī fu都Dū给gěi当dāng光guāng了le，不过bù guò他tā可不kě bu想xiǎng有yǒu命mǐng取qǔ财cái无mó命mǐng花钱huā qián，他tā曾经céng jīng听yǐn老人lǎo rén们men讲jiǎng起qǐ过Guō女鬼nu:3 guǐ勾gou汉子hàn zi的de事shì，一yī来lái二èr去qù就jìu把bǎ男人nán rén的de阳yáng气qì吸xi光guāng了le，那些nà xiē被bèi鬼guǐ缠chān上shǎng的de男人nán rén，最zuì后Hòu都Dū只zhī剩shèng下xià一yī副fù干gān皮包pí bāo着zhāo的de骨gū头tóu架jiǎ子zǐ。于是yú shì他tā对duì纸人zhǐ rén说shuì：“就jìu算suàn是shì你nǐ真心zhēn xīn对duì我wǒ好hǎo，我wǒ也Yě不bù能Néng娶你nǐ，毕Bì竟jǐng咱zán们men是shì人鬼殊途rén guǐ shū tú，阴阳yīn yáng阻隔zǔ gé，这zhè样yàng做zuò有违yǒu wéi天道tiān dào。”

白Bái纸人zhǐ rén说shuì你nǐ既然jì rán如此rú cǐ铁石tiě shí心xīn肠chāng，我wǒ也Yě不bù勉mián强qiāng你nǐ，不过bù guò将jiāng来lái早晚zǎo wǎn有yǒu你nǐ后Hòu悔huí的de那Nā一yī天tiān。你nǐ记jì住zhù了le，如rú果guǒ你nǐ的de日子rì zi真zhēn到了dào liǎo穷qíong得dé过Guō不下bù xià去qù的de时shí候hòu，你nǐ就jìu到dào十三shí sān里lǐ铺pǔ的de荒huāng坟fén来lái找zhǎo我wǒ，在zài那Nā片piān坟地fén dì的de最zuì中间zhōng jiān有yǒu座zuò没有méi yǒu墓mǔ碑bēi的de孤gū坟fén，里面lǐ miàn的de棺材cāi就是jìu shì我wǒ尸身shī shēn所suǒ在zài，棺中Zhōng有yǒu得dé是shì金银jīn yín珠宝zhū bǎo，只要zhǐ yào你nǐ敢gǎn来lái，那些nà xiē财物cái wù就jìu尽管jǐn guǎn随意suí yì拿ná去qù花用huā yòng。

说shuì完wán，白Bái纸人zhǐ rén就jìu一yī动不动dòng bu dòng了le，胡Hú国Guó华Huá壮Zhuàng着zhāo胆dán子zǐ，点diǎn了le把bǎ火Huǒ将jiāng白Bái纸人zhǐ rén烧shāo成了chéng le灰huī烬。

后Hòu来lái有yǒu几次jǐ cì穷qíong得dé实shí在zài没méi办bàn法fǎ了le，就jìu想xiǎng去qù十三shí sān里lǐ铺pǔ挖wa坟fén，但dàn是shì到dào最zuì后Hòu还是hái shi忍rén住zhù了le，东Dōng借jiè西Xī凑cǒu的de把bǎ日子rì zi混hǔn了le下xià来lái。两liǎng年Nián以yǐ后Hòu他tā山穷水尽shān qióng shuǐ jìn走zǒu投tóu无mó路Lù终zhong于Yú去qù了le那Nā片piān坟地fén dì，不过bù guò那是nà shi后Hòu话huà，咱zán们men暂zǎn且qiě不bù表biǎo。

这zhè年Nián的de春节Chūn jié发生fā shēng了le很hěn多事duō shì，胡Hú国Guó华Huá扎zha个gě纸人zhǐ rén骗piàn他tā舅舅jìu jiu钱Qián的de事情shì qing终zhong于Yú败bǎi露Lù了le，舅舅jìu jiu生气shēng qì上火shàng huǒ，一yī病bìng不bù起qǐ，没méi出chū三Sān天tiān就jìu撒sa手shǒu归西guī xī了le。

胡Hú家的jiā de亲戚qīn qi朋友péng you都Dū象xiàng防fāng贼似shǐ的de防fāng着zhāo他tā，别说bié shuō借jiè给gěi他tā钱Qián了le，就jìu连Lián剩shèng饭fàn都Dū不bù让ràng他tā蹭一口yī kǒu。胡Hú国Guó华Huá把bǎ家jiā中Zhōng最zuì后Hòu的de一对yī duì檀木Mù箱子xiāng zi卖mài了le两liǎng块kuài银洋yín yáng，这zhè箱子xiāng zi是shì他tā母亲mǔ qīn的de嫁妆zhuāng，一直yī zhí想xiǎng留líu个gě念想niàn xiǎng，没méi舍得shě de典当diǎn dàng。但dàn是shì烟yan瘾yín发fā做zuò，也Yě管guǎn不了bù le那Nā许多xǔ duō了le，用yòng这zhè两liǎng块kuài钱Qián买mǎi了le一yī小xiǎo块kuài福寿fú shòu膏gāo，赶gǎn回家huí jiā中Zhōng就jìu迫pǒ不bù及jí待dǎi的de点diǎn上shǎng烟yan泡pǎo倒dǎo在zài床chuáng上shǎng，猛měng吸xi了le两liǎng口kǒu，身体shēn tǐ轻飘飘qīng piāo piāo的de如rú在zài云端yún duān。

此刻cǐ kè他tā感gǎn觉jiào自己zì jǐ快kuài活huó似shǐ神Shén仙xian，平日píng rì里lǐ那些nà xiē被bèi人rén瞧不起qiáo bù qǐ，辱rǔ骂mǎ，欺qi负fù的de遭zāo遇Yù都Dū不bù重要zhòng yào了le。又yòu吸xi了le两liǎng口kǒu，忽然hū rán发现fā xiàn自己zì jǐ的de破pò床chuáng上shǎng还Huán趴pa着zhāo个gě黑Hēi呼hu呼hu的de东Dōng西Xī，定睛dìng jīng一yī看kān，原Yuán来lái床chuáng角Jué上shǎng趴pa着zhāo一yī只zhī大dà老鼠lǎo shǔ，这zhè老鼠lǎo shǔ的de岁数suì shu一定yī dìng小xiǎo不了bù le，胡Hú子zǐ都Dū变biàn白Bái了le，体tī型xīng跟gēn猫māo差不多chà bu duō大dà，它tā正zhēng在zài旁边páng biān吸xi着zhāo胡Hú国Guó华Huá烟yan枪qiāng里lǐ冒mào出chū的de烟yan雾wù，好象hǎo xiàng它tā也Yě晓xiáo得dé这zhè福寿fú shòu膏gāo的de好处hǎo chǔ，嗅xiǔ着zhāo鼻子bí zi贪tan婪lān的de享xiǎng受shòu。

胡Hú国Guó华Huá觉得jué de有趣yǒu qù，对duì大dà老鼠lǎo shǔ说shuì：“你nǐ这zhè家jiā伙huó也Yě有yǒu烟yan瘾yín？看kān来lái跟gēn我wǒ是shì同道tóng dào中人zhōng rén。”说shuì完wán自己zì jǐ抽chōu了le一口yī kǒu，用yòng嘴zuǐ向Xiàng那Nā老鼠lǎo shǔ喷pen云yún吐tú雾wù，老鼠lǎo shǔ好象hǎo xiàng知道zhī dào他tā没有méi yǒu恶ě意yì，也Yě不bù惧jǔ怕Pà他tā，抬tái起qǐ头tóu来lái接纳jiē nà喷pen向Xiàng它tā的de烟yan雾wù。过Guō了le半bàn晌，似shǐ乎hu是shì过Guō足jù了le瘾yín，缓缓huǎn huǎn的de爬pá着zhāo离开lí kāi。

如此rú cǐ数shǔ日rì，这zhè只zhī大dà老鼠lǎo shǔ每天měi tiān都Dū来lái同tóng胡Hú国Guó华Huá一起yī qǐ吸xi烟yan，胡Hú国Guó华Huá到处dào chù被bèi人rén轻qīng贱jiàn，周围zhōu wéi没有méi yǒu半个bàn ge朋友péng you，对duì这zhè只zhī老鼠lǎo shǔ惺惺相惜xīng xīng xiāng xī颇pó有yǒu好hǎo感gǎn，有时yǒu shí候hòu老鼠lǎo shǔ来lái得dé晚wǎn一点yī diǎn，胡Hú国Guó华Huá就jìu忍rén着zhāo烟yan瘾yín等děng它tā。

但dàn是shì好hǎo景Jǐng不bù长cháng，胡Hú国Guó华Huá家里jiā lǐ就jìu剩shèng下xià一yī张Zhāng床chuáng和hé四面sì miàn墙qiáng了le，再zài也Yě没有méi yǒu钱Qián去qù买mǎi烟yan土Tǔ，他tā愁chōu闷mēn无mó策Cè，叹tǎn息xī的de对duì老鼠lǎo shǔ说shuì：“老鼠lǎo shǔ啊ā老鼠lǎo shǔ，今天jīn tiān我wǒ囊nāng謦粮liáng绝jué，可kě再zài没méi钱Qián买mǎi福寿fú shòu膏gāo了le，恐kóng不bù能Néng与yú你nǐ常Cháng吸xi此cǐ味wěi。”言yán毕Bì唏嘘不已bù yǐ。

老鼠lǎo shǔ听yǐn了le他tā说话shuō huà，双shuāng目mù炯炯闪shán烁shuǒ，若ruǒ有所yǒu suǒ思sī，反身fǎn shēn离去lí qù。天黑tiān hēi的de时shí候hòu，老鼠lǎo shǔ叼diao回Huí来lái一yī枚mēi银元yín yuán放fàng在zài胡Hú国Guó华Huá枕zhén边biān，胡Hú国Guó华Huá惊喜jīng xǐ交jiāo加Jiā，连夜lián yè就jìu进城jìn chéng买mǎi了le一块yī kuài福寿fú shòu膏gāo，回Huí来lái后Hòu就jìu灯dēng下xià点diǎn烧shāo了le，大肆dà sì吞tun吐tú，和hé老鼠lǎo shǔ一起yī qǐ痛tòng快kuài淋līn漓的de吸xi了le个gě饱bǎo。

第dì二èr天tiān老鼠lǎo shǔ又yòu叼diao来lái三Sān枚mēi银元yín yuán，胡Hú国Guó华Huá乐Lè得dé简直jiǎn zhí都Dū不知bù zhī道dào说shuì什shén么má好hǎo了le，想起xiǎng qǐ来lái以前yǐ qián念niàn私sī塾时shí学xué的de一个yī ge典故diǎn gù，就jìu对duì老鼠lǎo shǔ说shuì：“知zhī管guǎn仲者zhě，鲍Bào书Shū牙yá是shì也Yě，君jun知zhī我wǒ贫pīn寒hán而ér厚hòu施Shī于Yú我wǒ，真是zhēn shi我wǒ的de知己zhī jǐ啊ā，如rú不bù嫌xiān弃qì，咱zán们men就jìu结jiē为wéi金Jīn兰lān兄弟xīong dì。”从此cóng cǐ与yú这zhè只zhī老鼠lǎo shǔ称chèn兄xīong道dào弟dì，呼hu其qí为wéi”鼠shǔ兄xīong”，饮食yǐn shí与共yǔ gòng，一起yī qǐ抽chōu大dà烟yan，还Huán在zài床chuáng上shǎng给gěi它tā用yòng棉絮摆bǎi了le个gě窝wō，让ràng老鼠lǎo shǔ也Yě睡shuì在zài床chuáng上shǎng。

人rén鼠shǔ相Xiāng安An，不bù亚Yà于Yú莫逆之交mò nì zhī jiāo，老鼠lǎo shǔ每天měi tiān都Dū出去chū qù叼diao回Huí来lái银元yín yuán，少shǎo则zé一二yī èr枚mēi，多duō则zé三五sān wǔ枚mēi，从此cóng cǐ胡Hú国Guó华Huá衣食yī shí无mó忧you。多年duō nián以yǐ后Hòu我wǒ的de祖父zǔ fù回Huí忆yǐ起qǐ来lái，总zǒng说shuì这zhè段Duàn日子rì zi是shì他tā一生yī shēng中Zhōng最zuì快kuài乐Lè的de时光shí guāng。

就jìu这么zhè me过Guō了le多半duō bàn年Nián，胡Hú国Guó华Huá渐jiǎn渐jiǎn富裕Fù yù了le起qǐ来lái，但dàn是不是shì bu shì有yǒu那么nà me句gōu话huà吗má？发财fā cái遇Yù好友hǎo yǒu，倒dǎo霉mēi碰pèng小人xiǎo rén，也Yě该gāi着zhāo胡Hú国Guó华Huá是shì穷qíong命mǐng，他tā就jìu被bèi一个yī ge小人xiǎo rén给gěi盯dīng上shǎng了le。

村cūn里lǐ有yǒu个gě无mó赖lǎi叫jiào王Wáng二èr杠子zǐ，他tā和hé胡Hú国Guó华Huá不一bù yī样yàng，胡Hú国Guó华Huá至少zhì shǎo曾经céng jīng富裕Fù yù过Guō，怎zěn么má说shuì也Yě当dāng过Guō二十多èr shí duō年Nián的de”胡Hú大dà少爷shào ye”。

王Wáng二èr杠子zǐ就jìu没méi那么nà me好hǎo的de命mǐng了le，从cóng他tā家祖jiā zǔ上shǎng八bā辈bèi到dào他tā这zhè代dài，都Dū没méi穿过chuān guò一yī条tiáo不bù露Lù腚的de裤kǔ子zǐ，他tā看kān胡Hú国Guó华Huá家jiā业Yè败bǎi了le，幸xìng灾zāi乐Lè祸huǒ，有事yǒu shì没事méi shì的de就jìu对duì胡Hú国Guó华Huá打dá骂mǎ侮辱rǔ，欺qi负fù欺qi负fù当年dāng nián的de胡Hú大dà少爷shào ye，给gěi自己zì jǐ心里xīn li找zhǎo点diǎn平衡píng héng。

最近zuì jìn他tā觉得jué de很hěn奇jī怪guǎi，胡Hú国Guó华Huá这zhè穷qíong小子xiǎo zǐ也Yě没méi做zuò什shén么má营yīng生shēng，家里jiā lǐ能Néng典当diǎn dàng的de都Dū典当diǎn dàng了le，他tā家亲jiā qīn戚qī也Yě死sǐ的de差不多chà bu duō了le，怎zěn么má天天tiān tiān在zài家jiā抽chōu大dà烟yan？他tā这zhè买mǎi烟yan土Tǔ的de钱Qián都Dū是shì从cóng哪nǎ来lái的de？说不定shuō bu dìng这zhè小子xiǎo zǐ做zuò了le贼，我wǒ不如bù rú悄qiao悄qiao地de盯dīng着zhāo他tā，等děng他tā偷tou东Dōng西Xī的de时shí候hòu抓zhua了le他tā扭niú送sòng到dào官Guān府fǔ，换huàn几jī块kuài大洋dà yáng的de赏sháng钱Qián也好yě hǎo。

可是kě shì盯dīng了le一yī段Duàn时间shí jiān发现fā xiàn胡Hú国Guó华Huá除chú了le偶óu尔ěr进城jìn chéng买mǎi些xiē粮食liáng shi和hé烟yan土Tǔ之外zhī wài，基jī本běn上shǎng是shì足jù不bù出chū户hù，也Yě从不cóng bù跟gēn任Rén何人hé rén来lái往wǎng。越Yuè是shì不知bù zhī道dào他tā的de钱Qián是shì怎zěn么má来lái的de，王Wáng二èr杠子zǐ就jìu越Yuè是shì心xīn痒yáng。

有yǒu天tiān胡Hú国Guó华Huá出去chū qù买mǎi吃的chī de东Dōng西Xī，王Wáng二èr杠子zǐ趁chěn机Jī翻fān墙qiáng头tóu进jìn了le他tā家jiā，翻fān箱xiāng倒dǎo柜guǐ的de想xiǎng找zhǎo找zhǎo胡Hú国Guó华Huá究jīu竟jǐng有yǒu什shén么má秘mǐ密Mì。突然tū rán发现fā xiàn床chuáng上shǎng有yǒu只zhī大dà老鼠lǎo shǔ正zhēng在zài睡觉shuì jiào，王Wáng二èr杠子zǐ顺手shùn shǒu把bǎ老鼠lǎo shǔ抓zhua起qǐ来lái扔reng到dào炉子lú zi上shǎng正zhēng在zài烧shāo的de一yī壶hū水Shuǐ里lǐ，然rán后Hòu把bǎ壶hū盖gǎi压yā上shǎng，心想xīn xiǎng等děng胡Hú国Guó华Huá回家huí jiā喝hē水Shuǐ，我wǒ在zài旁边páng biān看kān个gě乐Lè子zǐ。

还Huán没méi等děng王Wáng二èr杠子zǐ出去chū qù，胡Hú国Guó华Huá就jìu回Huí来lái了le，正好zhèng hǎo把bǎ他tā堵dú到dào屋wū里lǐ，胡Hú国Guó华Huá一yī看kān壶hū里lǐ的de大dà老鼠lǎo shǔ，已经yǐ jīng给gěi活huó活huó烫tǎng死sǐ了le，顿时dùn shí红Hóng了le眼睛yǎn jing，抄chāo起qǐ菜刀cài dāo就jìu砍kán，王Wáng二èr杠子zǐ被bèi砍kán了le十几shí jǐ刀Dāo，好hǎo在zài胡Hú国Guó华Huá是shì个gě大dà烟yan鬼guǐ，手shǒu上shǎng无力wú lì，王Wáng二èr杠子zǐ虽然suī rán中Zhōng了le不少bù shǎo刀Dāo，却què没méi受shòu致zhì命mǐng伤shāng，他tā全身quán shēn是shì血xiě的de逃tāo到dào保báo安An队duì求qíu救jìu，保báo安An队duì的de队长duì zhǎng是shì当地dāng dì一个yī ge军jūn阀的de亲戚qīn qi，当时dāng shí正zhēng在zài请qǐng这个zhè ge军jūn阀喝hē酒jǐu，队长duì zhǎng一yī看kān这zhè还Huán了得liǎo de？光guāng天tiān化日huà rì之下zhī xià就jìu持刀chí dāo行凶xíng xīong，没有méi yǒu王Wáng法fǎ了le吗má？赶gǎn紧jǐn命mǐng几个jǐ ge手下shǒu xià把bǎ胡Hú国Guó华Huá五wǔ花Huā大dà绑báng的de捆kún了le来lái。

胡Hú国Guó华Huá被bèi押ya到dào堂táng前qián，保báo安An队长duì zhǎng厉lǐ声shēng喝hē问wèn，为何wèi hé持刀chí dāo行凶xíng xīong要yāo杀shā王Wáng二èr杠子zǐ？

胡Hú国Guó华Huá泪lěi流líu满Mǎn面miàn，抽chōu泣qǐ着zhāo述shǔ说shuì了事liǎo shì情qíng的de始末shǐ mò，最zuì后Hòu哀ai叹tǎn着zhāo说shuì：“想xiǎng我wǒ当初dāng chū困kùn苦kǔ欲yù死sǐ，没有méi yǒu这zhè只zhī老鼠lǎo shǔ我wǒ就jìu活huó不到bù dào今日jīn rì，不料bù liào我wǒ一时yī shí疏忽shū hu竟jǐng令líng鼠shǔ兄xīong丧sǎng命mǐng，它tā虽suī非Fēi我wǒ所suǒ杀shā，却què因yīn我wǒ而ér死sǐ。九泉jǐu quán之下zhī xià负fù此cǐ良友liáng yǒu，情qíng何以hé yǐ堪kan，我wǒ一yī人rén做zuò事shì一yī人rén当dāng，既然jì rán砍kán伤shāng了le王Wáng二èr杠子zǐ，该gāi杀shā该gāi罚fá都Dū听凭tīng píng发落fā luò，只zhī求qíu长cháng官Guān容Róng我wǒ回家huí jiā安An葬了le我wǒ的de鼠shǔ兄xīong，就是jìu shì死sǐ也Yě瞑目mù了le。”

还Huán没méi等děng保báo安An队长duì zhǎng发fā话huà，旁边páng biān那个nà ge军jūn阀就jìu感gǎn叹tǎn不已bù yǐ的de对duì胡Hú国Guó华Huá说道shuō dào：“他tā奶nǎi奶nǎi的de，不bù忘wàng恩ēn是shì仁rén，不负bù fù心xīn是shì义Yì，对duì老鼠lǎo shǔ尚Shàng且qiě如此rú cǐ，何况hé kuàng对duì人rén呢ne？我wǒ念niàn你nǐ仁义rén yì，又yòu看kān你nǐ无mó依yi无mó靠kào，日rì后Hòu就jìu随Suí我wǒ从军cóng jūn做zuò个gě副fù官Guān吧bā。”

枪qiāng杆gan子zǐ就是jìu shì政权zhèng quán，乱luàn世Shì之中zhī zhōng，带dài兵bing的de人rén说shuì的话de huà就是jìu shì王Wáng法fǎ，军jūn阀头tóu子zǐ吩fen咐fǔ手下shǒu xià，把bǎ那个nà ge王Wáng二èr杠子zǐ用yòng鞭子biān zi抽chōu一yī顿dùn给gěi胡Hú国Guó华Huá出气chū qì，又yòu放fàng了le胡Hú国Guó华Huá回家huí jiā安An葬老鼠lǎo shǔ，胡Hú国Guó华Huá用yòng木Mù盒hé盛Shèng殓了le老鼠lǎo shǔ的de尸体shī tǐ，挖wa个gě坑keng埋mái了le，哭kū了le半bàn日rì，就jìu去qù投奔tóu bèn了le那个nà ge军jūn阀头tóu子zǐ。

常言cháng yán说shuì得dé好hǎo：饿è时shí吃chī糠甜tián如rú蜜mì，饱bǎo时shí吃chī蜜mì都Dū不bù甜tián。人rén到了dào liǎo穷qíong苦kǔ僚倒dǎo之zhī时shí，别人bié ren就是jìu shì给gěi他tā一yī碗wǎn粥yù、一块yī kuài饼bǐng也Yě会huì感恩戴德gǎn ēn dài dé，何况hé kuàng老鼠lǎo shǔ赠zěng送sòng给gěi胡Hú国Guó华Huá那么nà me多duō的de钱财qián cái，当然dāng rán老鼠lǎo shǔ的de钱Qián也Yě都Dū是shì偷tou来lái的de。圣人shèng rén说shuì渴kě死sǐ不bù饮yǐn盗dào泉quán之zhī水Shuǐ，不过bù guò那是nà shi至zhì圣kū至zhì贤xiān之zhī人rén的de品德pǐn dé标biao准zhǔn，古人gǔ rén尚Shàng且qiě难以nán yǐ做zuò到dào，何况hé kuàng胡Hú国Guó华Huá这zhè样yàng的de庸人yōng rén呢ne？以前yǐ qián听说tīng shuō在zài房Fáng中Zhōng吸xi烟yan，时间shí jiān久jǐu了le屋wū内nèi的de苍cang蝇yíng老鼠lǎo shǔ也Yě会huì上shǎng瘾yín，此cǐ言yán非Fēi虚xū。

Hover a word for its pinyin & meaning; click to pin it.

Lesson vocabulary 1092 words · 10 curated by the source

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
<p>家道中落	jiā dào zhōng luò	family fortune declining
败家子	bài jiā zǐ	prodigal son; spendthrift
五毒俱全	wǔ dú jù quán	addicted to all five vices (drinking, gambling, opium, etc.)
身无分文	shēn wú fēn wén	penniless; without a cent
惟妙惟肖	wéi miào wéi xiào	lifelike; vivid
人鬼殊途	rén guǐ shū tú	humans and ghosts walk different paths
山穷水尽	shān qióng shuǐ jìn	at the end of one’s rope; desperate
惺惺相惜	xīng xīng xiāng xī	kindred spirits appreciate each other
莫逆之交	mò nì zhī jiāo	the closest of friends; bosom friends
感恩戴德	gǎn ēn dài dé	deeply grateful; eternally thankful</p>
我	wǒ	I; me; my
的	de	of; ~'s (possessive particle); (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun); (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis); (used after a noun, verb or adjective to…
祖父	zǔ fù	father's father; paternal grandfather
叫	jiào	to shout; to call; to order; to ask; to be called; by (indicates agent in the passive mood); variant of 叫[jiao4]
胡	Hú	surname Hu; used in 衚衕\|胡同[hu2 tong4]; beard; mustache; whiskers
国	Guó	surname Guo
华	Huá	abbr. for China
家祖	jiā zǔ	(polite) my paternal grandfather
上	shǎng	used in 上聲\|上声[shang3 sheng1]
是	shì	to be (followed by substantives only); correct; right; true; (respectful acknowledgement of a command) very well; (adverb for emphatic assertion); variant of 是[shi4]
十	shí	ten; 10
里	lǐ	variant of 裡\|里[li3]; lining; interior; inside; internal; also written 裏\|里[li3]; surname Li
八	bā	eight
乡	xiang	country or countryside; home village or town
有名	yǒu míng	famous; well-known
大地主	dà dì zhǔ	a large landowner
最	zuì	variant of 最[zui4]; old variant of 最[zui4]; (before an adjective or verb) to the highest degree; (the) most ...; -est; (after 之[zhi1]) best or most extreme example (e.g. 世界之最[shi4 jie4 zhi1 zui4] "the greatest in the world")
辉	hui	(bound form) radiance; brilliance; to shine
煌	huāng	brilliant
时期	shí qī	period; phase; CL:個\|个[ge4]
在	zài	to exist; to be alive; (of sb or sth) to be (located) at; (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress)
城	chéng	city walls; city; town; CL:座[zuo4],道[dao4],個\|个[ge4]
买	mǎi	to buy; to purchase
了	le	(completed action marker); (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now); (modal particle intensifying preceding clause); (bound form) clear in one's mind; to understand clearly
三条	sān tiáo	three of a kind (poker)
同	tóng	like; same; similar; together; alike; with; used in 衚衕\|胡同[hu2 tong4]
相连	xiāng lián	to link; to join; link; connection
四十	sì shí	forty; 40
多	duō	many; much; more; a lot of; too many; in excess; (after a numeral) ... odd; how (to what extent) (Taiwan pr. [duo2]); (bound form) multi-; poly-
间	jiān	between; among; within a definite time or space; room; section of a room or lateral space between two pairs of pillars; classifier for rooms
宅
子	zǐ	son; child; seed; egg; small thing; 1st earthly branch: 11 p.m.–1 a.m., midnight, 11th solar month (7th December to 5th January), year of the rat; viscount, fourth of five orders o…
其间	qí jiān	in between; within that interval; in the meantime
也	Yě	surname Ye
曾	Zēng	surname Zeng
出	chū	to go out; to come out; to arise; to occur; to produce; to yield; to go beyond; to exceed; (used after a verb to indicate an outward direction or a positive result); classifier for…; variant of 出[chu1] (classifier for plays or chapters of classical novels)
过	Guō	surname Guo
一些	yī xiē	some; a few; a little; (following an adjective) slightly ...er
当	dāng	(onom.) dong; ding dong (bell); to be; to act as; manage; withstand; when; during; ought; should; match equally; equal; same; obstruct; just at (a time or place); on the spot; right; just at
官	Guān	surname Guan
和	hé	old variant of 和[he2]; surname He; (literary) harmonious (variant of 和[he2])
经	Jīng	surname Jing
商	Shāng	Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC); surname Shang
捐	juan	to relinquish; to abandon; (bound form) tax; levy
前	qián	front; forward; ahead; first; top (followed by a number); future; ago; before; BC (e.g. 前293年); former; formerly
清	Qīng	Qing (Wade-Giles: Ch'ing) dynasty of China (1644–1911); surname Qing
粮	liáng	grain; food; provisions; agricultural tax paid in grain
台	Tái	Taiwan (abbr.); surname Tai; desk; table; counter; typhoon
槽
运	yùn	to move; to transport; to use; to apply; fortune; luck; fate
帮办	bāng bàn	assist in managing; deputy
民	Mín	surname Min
谚
有	yǒu	to have; there is; (bound form) having; with; -ful; -ed; -al (as in 有意[you3 yi4] intentional)
云	yún	(classical) to say; surname Yun; short name for Yunnan 雲南\|云南[Yun2 nan2]
富	Fù	surname Fu
不过	bù guò	only; merely; no more than; but; however; anyway (to get back to a previous topic); cannot be more (after adjectival)
三代	sān dài	three generations of a family; the three earliest dynasties (Xia, Shang and Zhou)
这	zhè	(pronoun) this; these; (bound form) this; the (followed by a noun); (bound form) this; these (followed by a classifier) (in this sense, commonly pr. [zhei4], esp. in Beijing)
话	huà	dialect; language; spoken words; speech; talk; words; conversation; what sb said; CL:種\|种[zhong3],席[xi2],句[ju4],口[kou3],番[fan1]; old variant of 話\|话[hua4]
是非	shì fēi	right and wrong; quarrel
常	Cháng	surname Chang
有道理	yǒu dào li	to make sense; reasonable
家里	jiā lǐ	home
纵	zǒng	vertical; north-south (Taiwan pr. [zong1]); military unit corresponding to an army corps (Taiwan pr. [zong1]); to indulge; (literary) even if
然	rán	correct; right; so; thus; like this; -ly
金山	Jīn shān	Jinshan suburban district of Shanghai; Jinshan or Chinshan township in New Taipei City 新北市[Xin1 bei3 shi4], Taiwan
银	yín	silver; silver-colored; relating to money or currency
山	Shān	surname Shan
架	jiǎ	to support; rack; classifier for planes, large vehicles, radios etc
不	bù	no; not so; (bound form) not; un-
住	zhù	to live; to reside; to stay; to stop; to cease; (result complement indicating firmness or a stable achieved state)
孙	Sūn	surname Sun
挥	hui	to wave; to command; to scatter
霍
到了	dào liǎo	at last; finally; in the end
民国	Mín guó	Republic of China (1912-1949); used in Taiwan as the name of the calendar era (e.g. 民國六十年\|民国六十年 is 1971, the 60th year after 1911)
年间	nián jiān	in the years of; during those years; period (of dynasty or decade)
传	chuān	to pass on; to transmit; to transfer; to conduct (electricity)
到	dào	to reach; to arrive; to leave for; to go to; to (a place); until (a time); up to (a point); (verb complement indicating arriving at a place or reaching a point); considerate; thoug…
一代	yī dài	an era; an age; a generation
就	jìu	(after a suppositional clause) in that case; then; (after a clause of action) as soon as; immediately after; (same as 就是[jiu4 shi4]) merely; nothing else but; simply; just; precise…
开始	kāi shǐ	to begin; to start; beginning; start
家道	jiā dào	family financial circumstances
中	Zhōng	(bound form) China; Chinese; surname Zhong
落	là	to leave out; to be missing; to leave behind or forget to bring; to lag or fall behind
先	xiān	beforehand; first; earlier; at first; originally; for the time being; for now; (prefix) my late (in referring to deceased relatives older than oneself)
分	fēn	to divide; to separate; to distribute; to allocate; to distinguish (good and bad); (bound form) branch of (an organization); sub- (as in 分局[fen1 ju2]); fraction; one tenth (of cert…
家	jiā	used in 傢伙\|家伙[jia1 huo5] and 傢俱\|家俱[jia1 ju4]; home; family; (polite) my (sister, uncle etc); classifier for families or businesses; refers to the philosophical schools of pre-Han China; noun suffix for a specialist in some act…
不少	bù shǎo	many; quite a few; a good number of
家产	jiā chǎn	family property
足够	zú gòu	enough; sufficient
衣食	yī shí	clothes and food
无	mó	used in 南無\|南无[na1 mo2]
忧	you	to worry; worried; sorrow
一辈子	yī bèi zi	(for) a lifetime
可是	kě shì	but; however; (used for emphasis) indeed
他	tā	(third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his; (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日[ta1 ri4] and 他人[ta1 ren2])
偏	pian	to lean; oblique; to deviate from average; stubbornly
肯	kěn	old variant of 肯[ken3]; to agree; to consent; to be willing to
学好	xué hǎo	to follow good examples
当然	dāng rán	only natural; as it should be; certainly; of course; without doubt
当时	dāng shí	then; at that time
社会	shè huì	society
环	Huán	surname Huan
境	jǐng	border; condition; circumstances
关	Guān	surname Guan
沉	chēn	to sink; heavy; deep; to immerse; to keep down
迷	mī	to bewilder; fan; lost
赌	dú	to bet; to gamble
博	bó	(bound form) abundant; plentiful; extensive; wide; to win; to gain; to play; to gamble; learned; well-read; (bound form) doctoral degree (abbr. for 博士[bo2 shi4]); (bound form) blog…; old variant of 博[bo2]
后	Hòu	surname Hou; back; behind; rear; afterwards; after; later; post-
来	lái	to come; (used as a substitute for a more specific verb); hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回來\|回来[hui2 lai5]); ever since (as in 自古以來\|自古以来[zi4 gu3…
又	yòu	(once) again; also; both... and...; and yet; (used for emphasis) anyway
抽	chōu	to draw out; to pull out from in between; to remove part of the whole; to inhale (esp. smoke); (of fabric etc) to shrink; (of certain plants) to sprout; to bud; to whip; to thrash;…
福寿	fú shòu	happiness and longevity
膏	gāo	ointment; paste; CL:帖[tie3]
大	dà	big; large; great; older (than another person); eldest (as in 大姐[da4 jie3]); greatly; freely; fully; (dialect) father; (dialect) uncle (father's brother)
烟	yan	cigarette or pipe tobacco; smoke; vapour; tobacco plant
把	bǎ	to hold; to grasp; to hold a baby in position to help it urinate or defecate; handlebar; classifier: handful, bundle, bunch; classifier for things with handles; (used to put the ob…
万	mò	used in 万俟[Mo4 qi2]; surname Wan
贯	guàn	to pierce through; to pass through; to be stringed together; string of 1000 cash
财	cái	money; wealth; riches; property; valuables
败	bǎi	to defeat; to lose (to an opponent); to wither
个	gě	used in 自個兒\|自个儿[zi4 ge3 r5]; variant of 個\|个[ge4]
精光	jīng guāng	nothing left (money, food etc); all finished; bright and shiny; radiant; glorious
年轻	nián qīng	young
时	shí	old variant of 時\|时[shi2]; surname Shi
候	hòu	to wait; to inquire after; to watch; season; climate; (old) period of five days
吃	chī	to eat; to consume; to eat at (a cafeteria etc); to eradicate; to destroy; to absorb; to suffer (shock, injury, defeat etc); variant of 吃[chi1]
喝	hē	to drink; variant of 嗬[he1]
嫖
穷	qíong	poor; destitute; to use up; to exhaust; thoroughly; extremely; (coll.) persistently and pointlessly
得	dé	to obtain; to get; to gain; to catch (a disease); proper; suitable; proud; contented; to allow; to permit; ready; finished
身上	shēn shang	on the body; at hand; among
连	Lián	surname Lian
一个	yī ge	a; an; one; the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc)
子儿	zǐ r	(coll.) penny; buck
都	Dū	surname Du
没有	méi yǒu	haven't; hasn't; doesn't exist; to not have; to not be
人	rén	person; people; CL:個\|个[ge4],位[wei4],名[ming2]
要是	yào shi	(coll.) if
犯	fàn	to violate; to offend; to assault; criminal; crime; to make a mistake; recurrence (of mistake or sth bad)
瘾	yín	addiction
抓	zhua	to grab; to arrest; to scratch
心	xīn	heart; mind; intention; center; core; CL:顆\|颗[ke1],個\|个[ge4]
挠	nāo	to scratch; to yield
肝
法	fǎ	variant of 法[fa3]; France; French; abbr. for 法國\|法国[Fa3 guo2]; Taiwan pr. [Fa4]; old variant of 法[fa3]; law
忍	rén	to bear; to tolerate
受	shòu	to receive; to accept; to suffer; subjected to; to bear; to stand; pleasant; (passive marker); (LGBT) bottom
但	dàn	but; yet; however; still; merely; only; just
没	méi	(negative prefix for verbs) have not; not
钱	Qián	surname Qian
谁	shéi	who; also pr. [shui2]
让	ràng	to yield; to permit; to let sb do sth; to have sb do sth; to make sb (feel sad etc); by (indicates the agent in a passive clause, like 被[bei4])
你	nǐ	you (informal, as opposed to courteous 您[nin2]); you (Note: In Taiwan, 妳 is used to address females, but in mainland China, it is not commonly used. Instead, 你 is used to address both males and females.)
啊	ā	interjection of surprise; Ah!; Oh!
昔	Xī	surname Xi
日里	rì lǐ	daytime; during the day
有钱	yǒu qián	well-off; wealthy
馆	guǎn	variant of 館\|馆[guan3]; building; shop; term for certain service establishments; embassy or consulate; schoolroom (old); CL:家[jia1]
老板	lǎo bǎn	variant of 老闆\|老板[lao3 ban3]
伙	huó	(bound form) meals (as in 伙食[huo3 shi2])
计	Jì	surname Ji
见	jiàn	to see; to meet; to appear (to be sth); to interview; opinion; view
爷	yé	grandpa; old gentleman
长	cháng	long; (bound form) length; (bound form) strong point; forte; (bound form) to be good at; (literary) surplus; spare (Taiwan pr. [zhang4])
短	duǎn	short; brief; to lack; weak point; fault
招	zhao	to recruit; to beckon; to infect; a move (chess); device; to confess
呼	hu	to call; to shout; to exhale
殷
勤	qín	diligent; industrious; hardworking; frequent; regular; constant; (bound form) work; duty; attendance; (literary) diligent; industrious; hardworking (variant of 勤[qin2]); (literary) solicitous; attentive
周到	zhōu dào	thoughtful; considerate; attentive; thorough; also pr. [zhou1 dao5]
一	yī	one; single; a (article); as soon as; entire; whole; all; throughout; "one" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 1); also pr. [yao1] for greater clarity when spelling out …
们	men	plural marker for pronouns, and nouns referring to individuals
拿	ná	old variant of 拿[na2]; variant of 拿[na2]; to hold; to seize; to catch; to apprehend; to take; (used in the same way as 把[ba3]: to mark the following noun as a direct object)
臭	chòu	stench; smelly; to smell (bad); repulsive; loathsome; terrible; bad; severely; ruthlessly; dud (ammunition)
要饭	yào fàn	to beg (for food or money)
哄	hóng	roar of laughter (onom.); to roar (as a crowd)
带	dài	band; belt; girdle; ribbon; tire; area; zone; region; CL:條\|条[tiao2]; to wear; to carry; to take along; to bear (i.e. to have); to lead; to bring; to look after; to raise
赶	gǎn	to overtake; to catch up with; to hurry; to rush; to try to catch (the bus etc); to drive (cattle etc) forward; to drive (sb) away; to avail oneself of (an opportunity); until; by …
驱	qū	variant of 驅\|驱[qu1]; old variant of 驅\|驱[qu1]; to expel; to urge on; to drive; to run quickly
之	zhī	(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de5]); him; her; it
及	jí	and; to reach; up to; in time for
要	yāo	(bound form) to demand; to coerce
疯	fēng	insane; mad; wild
廉	liān	old
耻	chǐ	(bound form) shame; humiliation; disgrace
道德	dào dé	virtue; morality; ethics; CL:種\|种[zhong3]
这些	zhè xiē	these
观念	guān niàn	notion; thought; concept; sense; views; ideology; general impressions
重要	zhòng yào	important; significant; major
想	xiǎng	to think (about); to think of; to devise; to think (that); to believe (that); to desire; to want (to); to miss (feel wistful about the absence of)
办	bàn	to take care of (a matter); to deal with (a task, procedure etc); to organize (an event); to establish; to set up; to manage; to run (an enterprise); (law) to handle; to investigat…
去	qù	to go; to go to (a place); (of a time etc) last; just passed; to send; to remove; to get rid of; to reduce; to be apart from in space or time; to die (euphemism); to play (a part);…
找	zhǎo	to try to find; to look for; to call on sb; to find; to seek; to return; to give change
舅舅	jìu jiu	mother's brother; maternal uncle (informal); CL:個\|个[ge4]
骗	piàn	to cheat; to swindle; to deceive; to get on (a horse etc) by swinging one leg over
点	diǎn	to touch briefly; to tap; to mark with a dot; to check off (on a list); to order (food etc); to select; to mention; to bring up (a topic or person); to hint at; to imply; to admini…
知道	zhī dào	to know; to become aware of; also pr. [zhi1dao5]
鬼	guǐ	disembodied spirit; ghost; devil; (suffix) person with a certain vice or addiction etc; sly; crafty; resourceful (variant of 詭\|诡[gui3]); one of the 28 constellations of ancient Chi…
平时	píng shí	ordinarily; in normal times; in peacetime
文	Wén	surname Wen
给	gěi	to; for; for the benefit of; to give; to allow; to do sth (for sb); (grammatical equivalent of 被); (grammatical equivalent of 把); (sentence intensifier)
次	cì	next in sequence; second; the second (day, time etc); secondary; vice-; sub-; infra-; inferior quality; substandard; order; sequence; hypo- (chemistry); classifier for enumerated e…
说	shuì	to persuade; variant of 說\|说[shuo1]
娶
媳	xī	daughter-in-law
妇	fù	woman; old variant of 婦\|妇[fu4]
凑	cǒu	to gather together, pool or collect; to move close to
听	yǐn	smile (archaic); to listen to; to hear; to heed; to obey; a can (loanword from English "tin"); classifier for canned beverages; to let be; to allow (Taiwan pr. [ting4]); (literary) to administer; t…
感	gǎn	to feel; to move; to touch; to affect; feeling; emotion; (suffix) sense of ~
动	dòng	(of sth) to move; to set in movement; to displace; to touch; to make use of; to stir (emotions); to alter; abbr. for 動詞\|动词[dong4 ci2], verb
老	lǎo	prefix used before the surname of a person or a numeral indicating the order of birth of the children in a family or to indicate affection or familiarity; old (of people); venerabl…
泪	lěi	(bound form) tears; teardrops
横	héng	horizontal; across; crosswise; horizontal stroke (in Chinese characters); to place (sth) flat (on a surface); to cross (a river, etc); in a jumble; chaotic; (in fixed expressions) …
这个	zhè ge	(pronoun) this; (adjective) this
不肖	bù xiào	(literary) unlike one's parents; degenerate; unworthy
外甥	wài shēng	sister's son; wife's sibling's son
总	zǒng	(bound form) general; overall; to sum up; in every case; always; invariably; anyway; after all; eventually; sooner or later; surely; (after a person's name) abbr. for 總經理\|总经理[zong3…
算	suàn	to calculate; to figure out; to include; to count in; to count; to be valid; to carry weight; to regard as; to consider (to be ...)
件	jiàn	item; component; classifier for events, things, clothes etc
正事	zhèng shì	one's proper business
贤	xiān	worthy or virtuous person
惠	huǐ	favor; kindness; benefit; to benefit; surname Hui
妇好	Fù Hǎo	Fu Hao (c. 1200 BC), or Lady Hao, female Chinese general of the late Shang Dynasty 商朝[Shang1 chao2]
好	hǎo	good; appropriate; proper; all right!; (before a verb) easy to; (before a verb) good to; (before an adjective for exclamatory effect) so; (verb complement indicating completion); (…
管	guǎn	variant of 管[guan3]; surname Guan
收	shōu	to receive; to accept; to collect; to put away; to restrain; to stop; in care of (used on address line after name)
说不定	shuō bu dìng	can't say for sure; maybe
日	rì	(bound form) sun; day; day of the month; (bound form) Japan (abbr. for 日本[Ri4 ben3]); (vulgar) to fuck; to have sex with
能	Néng	surname Neng
于是	yú shì	thereupon; as a result; consequently; thus; hence
二十	èr shí	twenty; 20
块	kuài	lump; chunk; piece; classifier for pieces of cloth, cake, soap etc; (coll.) classifier for money and currency units
大洋	dà yáng	ocean; (old) silver dollar; (slang) Chinese yuan
嘱	zhú	to enjoin; to urge
咐	fǔ	used in 吩咐[fen1 fu5] and 囑咐\|嘱咐[zhu3 fu5]
好过	hǎo guò	to have an easy time; (feel) well
日子	rì zi	day; a (calendar) date; days of one's life
千万	qiān wàn	ten million; countless; many; one must by all means
别	Bié	surname Bie; to make sb change their ways, opinions etc
再	zài	again; once more; re-; further; beyond this point of time; (before an adjective) more; then (after sth, and not until then); no matter how ... (followed by an adjective or verb, an…
沾	zhan	to moisten; to receive benefit or advantage through a contact
染	rán	to dye; to acquire (bad habits etc); to add color washes to a painting
那些	nà xiē	those
几天	jǐ tiān	several days
得空	dé kòng	to have leisure time
还	Huán	surname Huan
亲自	qīn zì	personally; in person; oneself
看看	kàn kan	to take a look at; to examine; to survey; (coll.) pretty soon
主意	zhǔ yi	plan; idea; decision; CL:個\|个[ge4]; Beijing pr. [zhu2 yi5]
最多	zuì duō	at most; maximum; greatest (amount); maximal
为了	wèi le	for; for the purpose of; in order to
应	Yīng	surname Ying; Taiwan pr. [Ying4]
付	Fù	surname Fu
回家	huí jiā	to return home
村	cūn	village; (dialect) to scold; rustic; boorish; variant of 村[cun1]
扎	zha	to prick; mug or jug used for serving beer (loanword from "jar")
纸人	zhǐ rén	human figure made of paper or papier-mâché
纸马	zhǐ mǎ	paper dolls for ritual use in the shape of people or animals
匠	jiàng	craftsman
就是	jìu shì	exactly; precisely; only; simply; just; (used correlatively with 也[ye3]) even; even if
烧	shāo	to burn; to set on fire; to heat (over a fire); to boil (water, tea etc); to braise; to cook; to prepare food; to run a fever; fever; (coll.) to become full of oneself; to get carr…
死人	sǐ rén	dead person; (coll.) to die; (of a death) to happen
那种	nà zhǒng	that kind of
纸	zhǐ	variant of 紙\|纸[zhi3]; paper (CL:張\|张[zhang1],沓[da2]); classifier for documents, letters etc
师	Shī	surname Shi
傅	Fù	surname Fu
手	shǒu	hand; (formal) to hold; person engaged in certain types of work; person skilled in certain types of work; personal(ly); convenient; classifier for skill; CL:雙\|双[shuang1],隻\|只[zhi1]
艺	yì	skill; art
很	hěn	very; quite; (also, often used before an adjective without intensifying its meaning, i.e. as a meaningless syntactic element)
高明	Gāo míng	see 高明區\|高明区[Gao1 ming2 Qu1]
只要	zhǐ yào	so long as; provided; if
得出	dé chū	to obtain (a result); to arrive at (a conclusion)
东	Dōng	surname Dong
西	Xī	the West; abbr. for Spain 西班牙[Xi1 ban1 ya2]; Spanish
做	zuò	to make; to produce; to write; to compose; to do; to engage in; to hold (a party etc); (of a person) to be (an intermediary, a good student etc); to become (husband and wife, frien…
按	ǎn	to press; to leave aside or shelve; to restrain; to check or refer to; in the light of
求	qíu	to seek; to look for; to request; to demand; to beseech
白	Bái	surname Bai; Bai ethnic group
糊	hū	to paste; to stick; paste; muddled; scorched (in 糊了)
裱
女人	nu:3 rén	woman
用	yòng	to use; to make use of; to employ; (coverb) with; using; to need; to have to (usu. used in the negative or in questions); usefulness; utility; (bound form) expense; outlay; (courte…
水彩	shuǐ cǎi	watercolor
画	huà	to draw; to paint; picture; painting (CL:幅[fu2],張\|张[zhang1]); to draw (a line) (variant of 劃\|划[hua4]); stroke of a Chinese character (variant of 劃\|划[hua4]); (calligraphy) horizonta…
眉眼	méi yǎn	brows and eyes; appearance; looks; countenance
鼻子	bí zi	nose; CL:個\|个[ge4],隻\|只[zhi1]
衣服	yī fu	clothes; CL:件[jian4],套[tao4]
头	tóu	head; hair style; the top; end; beginning or end; a stub; remnant; chief; boss; side; aspect; first; leading; classifier for pigs or livestock; CL:個\|个[ge4]
发	fā	to send out; to show (one's feeling); to issue; to develop; to make a bundle of money; classifier for gunshots (rounds); hair; Taiwan pr. [fa3]
远处	yuǎn chù	distant place
看	kān	to look after; to take care of; to watch; to guard
嘿	hei	hey
真	zhēn	really; truly; indeed; real; true; genuine
跟	gēn	heel; to follow closely; to go with; (of a woman) to marry sb; with; compared with; to; towards; and (joining two nouns)
活	huó	to live; alive; living; work; workmanship
似	shǐ	used in 似的[shi4 de5]
扛
到家	dào jiā	perfect; excellent; brought to the utmost degree
放	fàng	to put; to place; to release; to free; to let go; to let out; to set off (fireworks)
屋	wū	(bound form) house; (bound form) room
炕
被子	bèi zi	blanket; quilt; CL:條\|条[tiao2],床[chuang2]
盖	gǎi	to cover; to build; a lid; since; approximately; surname Gai
心里	xīn li	chest; heart; mind
挺	tǐng	straight; erect; to stick out (a part of the body); to (physically) straighten up; to support; to withstand; outstanding; (coll.) quite; very; classifier for machine guns
等	děng	to wait for; to await; by the time; when; till; and so on; etc.; et al.; (bound form) class; rank; grade; (bound form) equal to; same as; (used to end an enumeration); (literary) (…
推说	tuī shuō	to plead; to claim as an excuse
病	bìng	illness; CL:場\|场[chang2]; disease; to fall ill; defect
躺	tǎng	to recline; to lie down
床	chuáng	bed; couch (furniture that one can lie down on) (CL:張\|张[zhang1]); bed; bottom (of rivers, oceans, gardens etc); frame; chassis; classifier for blankets, quilts etc; variant of 床[chuang2]
见客	jiàn kè	to receive visitors; to receive guests
远远	yuǎn yuǎn	distant; by far
一眼	yī yǎn	a glance; a quick look; a glimpse
行	háng	(bound form) row; line; (bound form) line of business; trade; profession; (bound form) commercial firm; (bound form) to rank (first, second etc) among one's siblings (by age); (in …
想到	xiǎng dào	to think of; to call to mind; to anticipate
得意	dé yì	proud of oneself; pleased with oneself; complacent
处	chǔ	to reside; to live; to dwell; to be in; to be situated at; to stay; to get along with; to be in a position of; to deal with; to discipline; to punish
哼	heng	to groan; to hum; humph!
起	qǐ	to rise; to raise; to get up; to set out; to start; to appear; to launch; to initiate (action); to draft; to establish; to get (from a depot or counter); verb suffix, to start; sta…
小曲	xiǎo qǔ	popular song; folk tune; ballad
溜	liu	to slip away; to skate
哒
进城	jìn chéng	to go to town; to enter a big city (to live or work)
上门	shàng mén	to drop in; to visit; to lock a door; (of a shop) to close; to go and live with one's wife's family, in effect becoming a member of her family
花布	huā bù	printed cloth; calico
点心	diǎn xin	light refreshments; pastry; dim sum (in Cantonese cooking); dessert
类	lěi	kind; type; class; category; (bound form) to resemble; to be similar to
照	zhào	variant of 照[zhao4]; to shine; to illuminate; according to; in accordance with; to shine; to illuminate; to reflect; to look at (one's reflection); to take (a photo); photo; as requested; as before
预先	yù xiān	beforehand; in advance
词	cí	old variant of 詞\|词[ci2]; word; statement; speech; lyrics; a form of lyric poetry, flourishing in the Song dynasty 宋朝[Song4 chao2] (CL:首[shou3])
推	tuī	to push; to cut; to refuse; to reject; to decline; to shirk (responsibility); to put off; to delay; to push forward; to nominate; to elect; massage
脱	tuō	to shed; to take off; to escape; to get away from
身体	shēn tǐ	the body; one's health
不适	bù shì	unwell; indisposed; out of sorts
口	kǒu	mouth; classifier for things with mouths (people, domestic animals, cannons, wells etc); classifier for bites or mouthfuls
揭	jie	to uncover; to lift up; to expose; to announce
开门	kāi mén	(lit. and fig.) to open a door; to open for business
帘	lián	flag used as a shop sign; variant of 簾\|帘[lian2]; hanging screen or curtain
把门	bǎ mén	to stand as a goalkeeper; to keep guard on a gate
放下	fàng xià	to lay down; to put down; to let go of; to relinquish; to set aside; to lower (the blinds etc)
愿	yuàn	honest and prudent; variant of 願\|愿[yuan4]; (bound form) wish; hope; desire; to be willing; to wish (that sth may happen); may ...; vow; pledge
意	yì	(bound form) idea; thought; meaning; sense; (bound form) intention; feeling; inclination; state of mind; (bound form) Italy (abbr. for 意大利[Yi4 da4 li4])
噢
小子	xiǎo zǐ	(literary) youngster; (old) young fellow (term of address used by the older generation); (old) I, me (used in speaking to one's elders)
这么	zhè me	so much; this much; how much?; this way; like this
亲	qīn	parent; one's own (flesh and blood); relative; related; marriage; bride; close; intimate; in person; first-hand; in favor of; pro-; to kiss; (Internet slang) dear
娘	niáng	mother; young lady; (coll.) effeminate; variant of 娘[niang2]
舅	jìu	maternal uncle
不行	bù xíng	won't do; be out of the question; be no good; not work; not be capable
今天	jīn tiān	today; the present time; now
必须	bì xū	to have to; must; compulsory; necessarily
新	Xīn	abbr. for Xinjiang 新疆[Xin1 jiang1]; abbr. for Singapore 新加坡[Xin1 jia1 po1]; surname Xin
生病	shēng bìng	to fall ill
掏	tao	to fish out (from pocket)
请	qǐng	to ask; to invite; please (do sth); to treat (to a meal etc); to request
郎中	láng zhōng	doctor (Chinese medicine); ancient official title; companions (respectful)
瞧	qiáo	to look at; to see; to see (a doctor); to visit
死	sǐ	to die; impassable; uncrossable; inflexible; rigid; extremely; damned
拦	lān	to block sb's path; to flag down (a taxi)
着	zhāo	variant of 著\|着[zhao1]; a move in chess (Taiwan pr. [zhuo2]); trick; tactic; (dialect) okay; all right; (dialect) to put in; to add
越	Yuè	generic word for peoples or states of south China or south Asia at different historical periods; abbr. for Vietnam 越南
显得	xiǎn de	to seem; to look; to appear
问题	wèn tí	question; problem; issue; topic; CL:個\|个[ge4]
更	gēng	to change or replace; to experience; one of the five two-hour periods into which the night was formerly divided; watch (e.g. of a sentry or guard)
疑心	yí xīn	suspicion; to suspect
两下	liǎng xià	twice; for a little while
争	zhēng	to strive for; to vie for; to argue or debate; deficient or lacking (dialect); how or what (literary)
执	zhí	to execute (a plan); to grasp
正	zhēng	first month of the lunar year
此时	cǐ shí	now; this moment
门	Mén	surname Men
撩
开	kāi	to open (transitive or intransitive); (of ships, vehicles, troops etc) to start; to turn on; to put in operation; to operate; to run; to boil; to write out (a prescription, check, …
女子	nu:3 zǐ	woman; female
长得	zhǎng de	to look (pretty, the same etc)
白白	bái bái	in vain; to no purpose; for nothing; white
净	jìng	variant of 淨\|净[jing4]; clean; completely; only; net (income, exports etc); (Chinese opera) painted face male role
脸	liǎn	face; CL:張\|张[zhang1],個\|个[ge4]
盘子	pán zi	tray; plate; dish; CL:個\|个[ge4]
屁	pǐ	fart; nonsense; (not) a damn thing
股	gǔ	thigh; part of a whole; portion of a sum; (finance) stock; share; strand of a thread; low-level administrative unit, translated as "section" or "department" etc, ranked below 科[ke1…
小	xiǎo	small; tiny; few; young
脚	jiǎo	foot; leg (of an animal or an object); base (of an object); CL:雙\|双[shuang1],隻\|只[zhi1]; classifier for kicks
咯
噔
一下	yī xià	(after a verb) a bit; a little (indicating brief duration, or softening the tone, or suggesting giving sth a try); all at once; suddenly
哎	ai	hey!
呦
这不	zhè bu	(coll.) As a matter of fact, ... (used to introduce evidence for what one has just asserted)
吗	má	(coll.) what?
它	tā	it; it (pronoun for an animal)
怎	zěn	how
么	má	exclamatory final particle; variant of 麼\|么[me5]
对	duì	right; correct; towards; at; for; concerning; regarding; to treat (sb a certain way); to face; (bound form) opposite; facing; matching; to match together; to adjust; to fit; to sui…
施	Shī	surname Shi
礼	Lǐ	surname Li; abbr. for 禮記\|礼记[Li3 ji4], Classic of Rites
近日	jìn rì	(in) the past few days; recently; (within) the next few days
不好	bù hǎo	no good
刚才	gāng cái	just now; a moment ago
迎接	yíng jiē	to welcome; to greet
失	shī	to lose; to miss; to fail
恕	shǔ	to forgive
罪	zuì	guilt; crime; fault; blame; sin; variant of 罪[zui4], crime
现	xiàn	to appear; present; now; existing; current
突然	tū rán	sudden; abrupt; unexpected
觉得	jué de	to think that ...; to feel that ...; to feel (uncomfortable etc)
身子	shēn zi	body; pregnancy; health
留	líu	old variant of 留[liu2]; to leave (a message etc); to retain; to stay; to remain; to keep; to preserve
顿	dùn	to stop; to pause; to arrange; to lay out; to kowtow; to stamp (one's foot); at once; classifier for meals, beatings, scoldings etc: time, bout, spell, meal
便	biàn	plain; informal; suitable; convenient; opportune; to urinate or defecate; equivalent to 就[jiu4]: then; in that case; even if; soon afterwards
饭	fàn	cooked rice; CL:碗[wan3]; meal; CL:頓\|顿[dun4]; (loanword) fan; devotee
完	wán	to finish; to be over; whole; complete; entire
转身	zhuǎn shēn	(of a person) to turn round; to face about; (of a widow) to remarry (archaic)
进去	jìn qù	to go in
乐	Lè	surname Le
坏了	huài le	shoot!; gosh!; oh, no!; (suffix) to the utmost
生	shēng	to grow; to give birth; to produce; to be born; to arise; to occur; to light (a fire); to live; to be alive; life; raw; uncooked; unprocessed; unfamiliar; strange; (bound form) stu…
旺	wǎng	prosperous; (of flowers) blooming
夫	fū	husband; man; manual worker; conscripted laborer (old)
相貌	xiàng mào	facial features; looks
那	Nā	surname Na
死去	sǐ qù	to die
妹子	mèi zi	(dialect) younger sister; girl
泉	quán	spring (small stream); mouth of a spring; coin (archaic)
下	xià	down; downwards; below; lower; later; next (week etc); second (of two parts); to decline; to go down; to arrive at (a decision, conclusion etc); measure word to show the frequency …
知	zhī	to know; to be aware
看见	kàn jiàn	to see; to catch sight of
儿子	ér zi	son
高兴	gāo xìng	happy; glad; willing (to do sth); in a cheerful mood
呆	dai	foolish; stupid
当场	dāng chǎng	at the scene; on the spot
慌	huang	to get panicky; to lose one's head
乱	luàn	in confusion or disorder; in a confused state of mind; disorder; upheaval; riot; illicit sexual relations; to throw into disorder; to mix up; indiscriminate; random; arbitrary
不知	bù zhī	not to know; unaware; unknowingly; fig. not to admit (defeat, hardships, tiredness etc)
该	gāi	should; ought to; probably; must be; to deserve; to owe; to be sb's turn to do sth; that; the above-mentioned
庆幸	qìng xìng	to rejoice; to be glad
还是	hái shi	still (as before); had better; unexpectedly; or
害怕	hài pà	to be afraid; to be scared
时间	shí jiān	(concept of) time; (duration of) time; (point in) time
快	kuài	rapid; quick; speed; rate; soon; almost; to make haste; clever; sharp (of knives or wits); forthright; plainspoken; gratified; pleased; pleasant
一转眼	yī zhuǎn yǎn	in the blink of an eye
晚上	wǎn shang	evening; night; CL:個\|个[ge4]; in the evening
桌	zhuō	table; desk; classifier for tables of guests at a banquet etc; old variant of 桌[zhuo1]
饭菜	fàn cài	food
嘴	zuǐ	mouth; beak; nozzle; spout (of teapot etc); CL:張\|张[zhang1],個\|个[ge4]
合	gě	100 ml; one-tenth of a peck; measure for dry grain equal to one-tenth of sheng 升 or liter, or one-hundredth dou 斗; variant of 合[he2]
却	què	old variant of 卻\|却[que4]; but; yet; however; while; to go back; to decline; to retreat; nevertheless; even though
无心	wú xīn	unintentionally; not in the mood to
坐	Zuò	surname Zuo
自己	zì jǐ	oneself; (attributive) one's own
对面	duì miàn	opposite; across (the street etc); directly in front of one; up ahead; face to face
那个	nà ge	that one; that thing; that (as opposed to this); (used before a verb or adjective for emphasis); (used to humorously or indirectly refer to sth embarrassing, funny etc, or when one…
只	zhī	variant of 隻\|只[zhi1]; variant of 只[zhi3]; grain that has begun to ripen; classifier for birds and certain animals, one of a pair, some utensils, vessels etc
苍	cang	dark green; grey; pale; the heavens; grey-haired
蝇	yíng	fly; musca; CL:隻\|只[zhi1]
恶	ě	used in 惡心\|恶心[e3 xin1]
她	tā	she
一点	yī diǎn	a bit; a little bit; (used in negative expressions) (not) the least bit; (after an adjective, used to form the comparative) a bit more, -er; a point (in a discussion etc); (calligr…
血色	xuè sè	color (of one's skin, a sign of good health); red of cheeks
红	Hóng	surname Hong
润	rǔn	moist; glossy; sleek; to embellish; to enhance; (neologism c. 2021) (slang) (loanword from "run") to emigrate (in order to flee adverse conditions)
胭
脂	zhī	fat; rouge (cosmetics); resin
抹	mó	to wipe
眼	yǎn	eye (CL:隻\|只[zhi1],雙\|双[shuang1]); (often used with 一[yi1]) a look; a glance; small hole; (bound form) salient point; classifier for wells, cave-dwellings etc
昏花	hūn huā	dim (eyesight); blurred (vision)
什	shén	what
不对	bù duì	incorrect; wrong; amiss; abnormal; queer
七	qī	seven; 7
杯	bēi	cup; trophy cup; classifier for certain containers of liquids: glass, cup; variant of 杯[bei1]; variant of 杯[bei1]; trophy cup; classifier for certain containers of liquids: glass, cup
老酒	lǎo jǐu	wine, esp. Shaoxing wine
肚	dǔ	tripe
伶
仃
醉	zuì	intoxicated
借	jiè	to borrow; (used in combination with 給\|给[gei3] or 出[chu1] etc) to lend; to make use of; to avail oneself of; (sometimes followed by 著\|着[zhe5]) by; with; variant of 借[jie4]
辆	liàng	classifier for vehicles
驴
车	Chē	surname Che
送	sòng	to send; to deliver; to transmit; to give (as a present); to see (sb) off; to accompany; to go along with
回去	huí qu	to return; to go back
路上	lù shang	on the road; on the way; en route
干脆	gān cuì	candid; direct and to the point; simply; just; might as well
花	Huā	surname Hua; old variant of 花[hua1]; variant of 花[hua1]; flower; blossom; also pr. [wei3]
柳	liǔ	willow
巷	xiǎng	lane
夜	yè	variant of 夜[ye4]; night
刚	gāng	(literary) hard; firm; strong; exactly; precisely; barely; only just; just; only a short while ago
使	shǐ	to make; to cause; to enable; to use; to employ; to send; to instruct sb to do sth; envoy; messenger
光	guāng	light; ray (CL:道[dao4]); bright; shiny; only; merely; used up; finished; to leave (a part of the body) uncovered
因为	yīn wèi	because; owing to; on account of
帐	zhàng	(bound form) curtain; tent; canopy; variant of 賬\|账[zhang4]
被	bèi	quilt; to cover (with); (literary) to suffer (a misfortune); used to indicate passive voice (placed before the doer of the action like "by" in English passive-voice sentences, or, …
无处	wú chù	nowhere
可	kě	(prefix) can; may; able to; -able; to approve; to permit; to suit; (particle used for emphasis) certainly; very; but; however
硬	yìng	hard; stiff; solid; (fig.) strong; firm; resolutely; uncompromisingly; laboriously; with great difficulty; good (quality); able (person); (of food) filling; substantial
皮	Pí	surname Pi
黑	Hēi	short name for Heilongjiang 黑龍江\|黑龙江[Hei1 long2 jiang1]
灯	dēng	lamp; light; lantern; CL:盞\|盏[zhan3]
动不动	dòng bu dòng	(typically followed by 就[jiu4]) apt to (lose one's temper, catch a cold etc); at the drop of a hat
蒙	mēng	(literary) sincere; honest; genuine
之前	zhī qián	before; prior to; ago; previously; beforehand
好象	hǎo xiàng	to seem; to be like (variant of 好像[hao3 xiang4])
一切	yī qiè	everything; every; all
根	gēn	root; basis; classifier for long slender objects, e.g. cigarettes, guitar strings; CL:條\|条[tiao2]; radical (chemistry)
本就	běn jìu	by nature; fundamentally; inherently
发生	fā shēng	to happen; to occur; to take place; to break out
变成	biàn chéng	to change into; to turn into; to become
不如	bù rú	not equal to; not as good as; inferior to; it would be better to
火	Huǒ	surname Huo
干净	gān jìng	clean; neat
抗	kǎng	to resist; to defy
院子	yuàn zi	courtyard; garden; yard; patio; CL:個\|个[ge4]; (old) servant
取出	qǔ chū	to take out; to extract; to draw out
摺
动手	dòng shǒu	to set about (a task); to raise a hand to hit sb; to touch; to handle (typically used in cautioning sb not to touch sth)
这时	zhè shí	at this time; at this moment
忽然	hū rán	suddenly; all of a sudden
开口	kāi kǒu	to open one's mouth; to start to talk
说话	shuō huà	to speak; to say; to talk; to gossip; to tell stories; talk; word
良心	liáng xīn	conscience
好心	hǎo xīn	kindness; good intentions
好意	hǎo yì	good intention; kindness
帮	bāng	old variant of 幫\|帮[bang1]; to help; to assist; to support; for sb (i.e. as a help); hired (as worker); side (of pail, boat etc); outer layer; upper (of a shoe); group; gang; clique; party; secret society
吓	xiǎ	to scare; to threaten; (interjection showing astonishment)
跳	tiào	to jump; to hop; to skip over; to bounce; to palpitate
深	shēn	old variant of 深[shen1]; (lit. and fig.) deep
半夜	bàn yè	midnight; in the middle of the night
继	jì	to continue; to follow after; to go on with; to succeed; to inherit; then; afterwards
续	xù	to continue; to replenish
可怜	kě lián	pitiful; pathetic; to have pity on
虽然	suī rán	although; even though (often used correlatively with 可是[ke3 shi4] or 但是[dan4 shi4] etc)
心地	xīn dì	character
坏	huài	bad; spoiled; broken; to break down; (suffix) to the utmost
嫁
拼	pin	to piece together; to put together; to risk all; to go all out
命	mǐng	life; order or command
摇	yāo	to shake; to wave; to rock; to sway
问	wèn	to ask; to inquire
底	dí	(equivalent to 的 as possessive particle)
妖
只是	zhǐ shì	merely; only; just; nothing but; simply; but; however
暂	zǎn	temporary
附	fù	variant of 附[fu4]; to add; to attach; to be close to; to be attached
棒	bǎng	excellent, amazing
嫌	xiān	to dislike; resentment; abbr. for 嫌犯[xian2 fan4], criminal suspect
弃	qì	to abandon; to relinquish; to discard; to throw away
生前	shēng qián	(of a deceased) during one's life; while living
富有	fù yǒu	rich; wealthy; affluent; to be rich in; to be replete with
陪	pēi	to accompany; to assist
葬
金银	jīn yín	gold and silver
首	shǒu	head; chief; first (occasion, thing etc); classifier for poems, songs etc
饰	shǐ	decoration; to decorate; to hide; excuse (to hide a fault); to impersonate
够	gòu	enough (sufficient); enough (too much); (coll.) (before adj.) really; (coll.) to reach by stretching out
辈子	bèi zi	all one's life; lifetime
岂不	qǐ bù	how couldn't...?; wouldn't it...?
闻	Wén	surname Wen
死鬼	sǐ guǐ	devil (used jocularly or contemptuously); the departed
强	qiāng	strong; powerful; vigorous; better; to force (qiang3); stubborn (jiang4); surname Qiang
百	Bǎi	surname Bai
倍	bèi	(two, three etc) -fold; times (multiplier); double; to increase or multiply
提到	tí dào	to mention; to raise (a subject); to refer to
有些	yǒu xiē	some; somewhat; rather; a bit
心动	xīn dòng	heartbeat; heart rate; (fig.) emotionally affected; aroused (of desire, emotion, interest etc)
最近	zuì jìn	recently; soon; nearest
实	shí	real; true; honest; really; solid; fruit; seed; definitely
太	tài	highest; greatest; too (much); very; extremely
可不	kě bu	see 可不是[ke3 bu5 shi4]
取	qǔ	to take; to get; to choose; to fetch
花钱	huā qián	to spend money
曾经	céng jīng	once; already; former; previously; ever; (past tense marker used before verb or clause)
老人	lǎo rén	old man or woman; the elderly; one's aged parents or grandparents
讲	jiǎng	to speak; to explain; to negotiate; to emphasize; to be particular about; as far as sth is concerned; speech; lecture
女鬼	nu:3 guǐ	female ghost
勾	gou	to hook; to cancel; to delineate; to arouse; surname Gou
汉子	hàn zi	man; fellow; (dialect) husband
事	shì	matter; thing; item; work; affair; CL:件[jian4],樁\|桩[zhuang1],回[hui2]
二	èr	two; 2; (Beijing dialect) stupid
男人	nán rén	a man; a male; men; CL:個\|个[ge4]
阳	yáng	positive (electric.); sun; male principle (Taoism); Yang, opposite: 陰\|阴[yin1]
气	qì	gas; air; smell; weather; to make angry; to annoy; to get angry; vital energy; qi
吸	xi	to breathe; to absorb
缠	chān	to wind around; to coil; to involve; to annoy
剩	shèng	to remain; to be left; to have as remainder; variant of 剩[sheng4]
副	fù	secondary; auxiliary; deputy; assistant; vice-; abbr. for 副詞\|副词 adverb; classifier for pairs, sets of things & facial expressions
干	gān	old variant of 乾\|干[gan1]; surname Gan; variant of 乾\|干[gan1]; tree trunk; main part of sth; to manage; to work; to do; capable; cadre; to kill (slang); to fuck (vulgar); (coll.) pissed off; annoyed
皮包	pí bāo	handbag; briefcase
骨	gū	used in 骨碌碌[gu1 lu4 lu4]; used in 骨碌[gu1 lu5]; used in 骨朵[gu1 duo5]
真心	zhēn xīn	wholeheartedness; sincerity
毕	Bì	surname Bi
竟	jǐng	unexpectedly; to go so far as to
咱	zán	variant of 咱[zan2]; see 咱[zan2]
阴阳	yīn yáng	yin and yang
阻隔	zǔ gé	to separate; to cut off
样	yàng	manner; pattern; way; appearance; shape; classifier: kind, type
有违	yǒu wéi	to run counter to
天道	tiān dào	natural law; heavenly law; weather (dialect)
既然	jì rán	since; as; this being the case
如此	rú cǐ	like this; so; such
铁石	tiě shí	iron and stone
肠	chāng	intestines
勉	mián	to exhort
将	jiāng	will; shall; to use; to take; to checkmate; just a short while ago; (introduces object of main verb, used in the same way as 把[ba3])
早晚	zǎo wǎn	morning and evening; (in reference to sth that is bound to happen) sooner or later; one of these days; (coll.) (this, or that) point of time; (dialect) at some time in the future
悔	huí	(bound form) to regret; to repent
天	tiān	day; sky; heaven
记	jì	to record; to note; to memorize; to remember; mark; sign; classifier for blows, kicks, shots
如	rú	as; as if; such as
果	guǒ	fruit; result; resolute; indeed; if really
不下	bù xià	to be not less than (a certain quantity, amount etc)
十三	shí sān	thirteen; 13
铺	pǔ	to spread; to pave (pu1); a shop; a bed (pu4)
荒	huāng	desolate; shortage; scarce; out of practice; absurd; uncultivated; to neglect
坟	fén	grave; tomb; CL:座[zuo4]; embankment; mound; ancient book
片	piān	disk; sheet
坟地	fén dì	graveyard; cemetery
中间	zhōng jiān	the middle; the inside; in the middle; within; between; among; during; in the meantime
座	zuò	seat; base; stand; (bound form) constellation; (archaic) suffix used in a respectful form of address (e.g. 師座\|师座[shi1 zuo4]); classifier for large immovable objects such as buildin…
墓	mǔ	grave; mausoleum
碑	bēi	a monument; an upright stone tablet; stele; CL:塊\|块[kuai4],面[mian4]
孤	gū	lone; lonely
里面	lǐ miàn	variant of 裡面\|里面[li3 mian4]
棺
材	cāi	material; ability; a capable individual
尸身	shī shēn	corpse; dead body
所	suǒ	actually; place; classifier for houses, small buildings, institutions etc; that which; particle introducing a relative clause or passive; CL:個\|个[ge4]
珠宝	zhū bǎo	pearls; jewels; precious stones
敢	gǎn	to dare; daring; (polite) may I venture
财物	cái wù	property; belongings
尽管	jǐn guǎn	despite; although; even though; in spite of; unhesitatingly; do not hesitate (to ask, complain etc); (go ahead and do it) without hesitating
随意	suí yì	as one wishes; according to one's wishes; at will; voluntary; conscious
花用	huā yòng	to spend (money)
壮	Zhuàng	Zhuang ethnic group, the largest ethnic minority in China
胆	dán	gall bladder; guts; inner container (e.g. bladder of a football, inner container of a thermos)
成了	chéng le	to be done; to be ready; that's enough!; that will do!
灰	huī	ash; dust; lime; gray; discouraged; dejected
烬
几次	jǐ cì	several times
挖	wa	to dig; to scoop out
混	hǔn	muddy; turbid (; ); Taiwan pr. [hun4]
两	liǎng	two; both; some; a few; tael, unit of weight equal to 50 grams (modern) or 1⁄16 of a catty 斤[jin1] (old)
年	Nián	surname Nian; grain; harvest (old); variant of 年[nian2]
以	yǐ	old variant of 以[yi3]; abbr. for Israel 以色列[Yi3 se4 lie4]
走	zǒu	to walk; to go; to run; to move (of vehicle); to visit; to leave; to go away; to die (euph.); from; through; away (in compound verbs, such as 撤走[che4 zou3]); to change (shape, form…
投	tóu	to throw (sth in a specific direction: ball, javelin, grenade etc); to cast (a ballot); to cast (a glance, a shadow etc); to put in (money for investment, a coin to operate a slot …
路	Lù	surname Lu
终	zhong	end
于	Yú	surname Yu; (of time or place) in; at; on; (indicating any indirect relation) to; toward; vis-à-vis; with regard to; for; (indicating a source) from; out of; (used in comparison) than; (used i…
那是	nà shi	(coll.) of course; naturally; indeed
且	qiě	and; moreover; yet; for the time being; to be about to; both (... and...)
表	biǎo	exterior surface; family relationship via females; to show (one's opinion); a model; a table (listing information); a form; a meter (measuring sth); watch (timepiece); meter; gauge
春节	Chūn jié	Spring Festival (Chinese New Year)
多事	duō shì	meddlesome; eventful
事情	shì qing	affair; matter; thing; business; CL:件[jian4],樁\|桩[zhuang1]
露	Lù	surname Lu
生气	shēng qì	to get angry; to be furious; vitality; liveliness
上火	shàng huǒ	to get angry; to suffer from excessive internal heat (TCM)
三	Sān	surname San
撒	sa	to let go; to let loose; to give expression to
归西	guī xī	to die (euphemism, lit. to return West or to the Western Paradise)
家的	jiā de	(old) wife
亲戚	qīn qi	a relative (i.e. family relation); CL:門\|门[men2],個\|个[ge4],位[wei4]
朋友	péng you	friend; CL:個\|个[ge4],位[wei4]
象	xiàng	elephant; CL:隻\|只[zhi1]; shape; form; appearance; to imitate
防	fāng	to protect; to guard against
贼
别说	bié shuō	to say nothing of; not to mention; let alone
蹭
一口	yī kǒu	readily; flatly (deny, admit and so on); a mouthful; a bite
一对	yī duì	couple; pair
檀
木	Mù	surname Mu
箱子	xiāng zi	suitcase; chest; box; case; trunk; CL:隻\|只[zhi1],個\|个[ge4]
卖	mài	to sell; to betray; to spare no effort; to show off or flaunt
银洋	yín yáng	flat silver (former coinage); also written 銀元\|银元
母亲	mǔ qīn	mother
妆	zhuāng	(of a woman) to adorn oneself; makeup; adornment; trousseau; stage makeup and costume; variant of 妝\|妆[zhuang1]
一直	yī zhí	straight (in a straight line); continuously; always; all the way through
念想	niàn xiǎng	to miss (the presence of); to cherish the memory of; aspiration; desire; sth one keeps thinking about; (coll.) keepsake; memento; (coll.) impression (of sb or sth in one's mind)
舍得	shě de	to be willing to part with sth
典当	diǎn dàng	to pawn
不了	bù le	no thanks (used to politely but informally decline)
许多	xǔ duō	many; a lot of; much
迫	pǒ	to oppress
待	dǎi	to stay; to remain
泡	pǎo	puffed; swollen; spongy; classifier for urine or feces
倒	dǎo	to fall; to collapse; to lie horizontally; to fail; to go bankrupt; to overthrow; to change (trains or buses); to move around; to resell at a profit
猛	měng	ferocious; fierce; violent; brave; suddenly; abrupt; (slang) awesome
轻飘飘	qīng piāo piāo	light as a feather
云端	yún duān	high in the clouds; (computing) the cloud
此刻	cǐ kè	this moment; now; at present
觉	jiào	a nap; a sleep; CL:場\|场[chang2]
神	Shén	God
仙	xian	immortal
平日	píng rì	ordinary day; everyday; ordinarily; usually
瞧不起	qiáo bù qǐ	to look down upon; to hold in contempt
辱	rǔ	disgrace; dishonor; to insult; to bring disgrace or humiliation to; to be indebted to; self-deprecating; Taiwan pr. [ru4]
骂	mǎ	to scold; to curse
欺	qi	to take unfair advantage of; to cheat
负	fù	to bear; to carry (on one's back); to turn one's back on; to be defeated; negative (math. etc)
遭	zāo	to suffer; to meet with (usu. misfortune); classifier for events: time, turn, incident
遇	Yù	surname Yu
发现	fā xiàn	to notice; to become aware of; to discover; to find; to detect; a discovery
破	pò	broken; damaged; worn out; lousy; rotten; to break, split or cleave; to get rid of; to destroy; to break with; to defeat; to capture (a city etc); to expose the truth of
趴	pa	to lie on one's stomach; (Tw) percent (from Japanese "pā", short for "pāsento")
定睛	dìng jīng	to stare at
原	Yuán	surname Yuan; (Japanese surname) Hara
角	Jué	surname Jue
老鼠	lǎo shǔ	rat; mouse (CL:隻\|只[zhi1])
岁数	suì shu	age (number of years old)
一定	yī dìng	surely; certainly; definitely; fixed; settled; a certain ...; a given ...
变	biàn	to change; to become different; to transform; to vary; rebellion
体	tī	used in 體己\|体己[ti1 ji5]; Taiwan pr. [ti3]
型	xīng	mold; style
猫	māo	cat (CL:隻\|只[zhi1]); (dialect) to hide oneself; (loanword) (coll.) modem
差不多	chà bu duō	almost; nearly; more or less; about the same; good enough; not bad
旁边	páng biān	side; adjacent place
枪	qiāng	gun; spear
冒	mào	old variant of 冒[mao4]; surname Mao
雾	wù	fog; mist; CL:場\|场[chang2],陣\|阵[zhen4]
晓	xiáo	dawn; to know; to make explicit
好处	hǎo chǔ	easy to get along with
嗅	xiǔ	to smell; to nose
贪	tan	to have a voracious desire for; greedy
婪	lān	avaricious
享	xiǎng	to enjoy; to benefit; to have the use of; old variant of 享[xiang3]
有趣	yǒu qù	interesting; fascinating; amusing
同道	tóng dào	same principle
中人	zhōng rén	go-between; mediator; intermediary
向	Xiàng	surname Xiang; to tend toward; to guide; variant of 向[xiang4]; variant of 向[xiang4]; direction; orientation; to face; to turn toward; to; towards; shortly before; formerly
喷	pen	to spout; to spurt; to spray; to puff
吐	tú	to spit; to say
惧	jǔ	to fear
怕	Pà	surname Pa
抬	tái	to lift; to raise; (of two or more persons) to carry; variant of 抬[tai2]
接纳	jiē nà	to admit or welcome (into a group); to accept (sb or sth)
半	bàn	half; semi-; incomplete; (after a number) and a half
晌
乎	hu	(classical particle similar to 於\|于[yu2]) in; from; than
足	jù	excessive
缓缓	huǎn huǎn	slowly; unhurriedly; little by little
爬	pá	to crawl; to climb; to get up or sit up
离开	lí kāi	to depart; to leave
数	shǔ	to count; to count as; to regard as; to enumerate; to list
每天	měi tiān	every day
一起	yī qǐ	(in) the same place; together; in company (with); altogether; in total; an instance of; a case of (murder, accident, dispute etc)
到处	dào chù	everywhere
轻	qīng	light; easy; gentle; soft; reckless; unimportant; frivolous; small in number; unstressed; neutral; to disparage
贱	jiàn	humble; cheap; lowly
周围	zhōu wéi	environs; surroundings; periphery
半个	bàn ge	half of sth
颇	pó	quite; rather; somewhat; partial; slanting
有时	yǒu shí	sometimes; now and then
晚	wǎn	evening; night; late
景	Jǐng	surname Jing
张	Zhāng	surname Zhang
四面	sì miàn	all sides
墙	qiáng	variant of 牆\|墙[qiang2]; wall (CL:面[mian4],堵[du3]); (slang) to block (a website) (usu. in the passive: 被牆\|被墙[bei4 qiang2])
土	Tǔ	surname Tu; Tu ethnic group
愁	chōu	to worry about
闷	mēn	stuffy; shut indoors; to smother; to cover tightly
策	Cè	surname Ce; variant of 策[ce4]
叹	tǎn	to sigh
息	xī	breath; news; interest (on an investment or loan); to cease; to stop; to rest; Taiwan pr. [xi2]
囊	nāng	used in 囊膪[nang1 chuai4] and 囊揣[nang1 chuai4]
謦
绝	jué	to cut short; extinct; to disappear; to vanish; absolutely; by no means; variant of 絕\|绝[jue2]
恐	kóng	afraid; to fear
与	yú	variant of 歟\|欤[yu2]
此	cǐ	this; these
味	wěi	taste; (fig.) (noun suffix) feel; sense
言	yán	words; speech; to say; to talk
唏
嘘
不已	bù yǐ	(used after a verb) endlessly; incessantly
双	shuāng	variant of 雙\|双[shuang1]; surname Shuang
目	mù	eye; (literary) to look; to regard; eye (of a net); mesh; mesh size; grit size (abbr. for 目數\|目数[mu4 shu4]); item; section; list; catalogue; (taxonomy) order; name; title
炯
闪	shán	to flash; to dodge; to sidestep; to sprain; a lightning flash
烁	shuǒ	bright
若	ruǒ	used in 般若[bo1 re3]
有所	yǒu suǒ	somewhat; to some extent
思	sī	to think; to consider
反身	fǎn shēn	to turn around
离去	lí qù	to leave; to exit
天黑	tiān hēi	to get dark; dusk
叼	diao	to hold with one's mouth (as a smoker with a cigarette or a dog with a bone)
回	Huí	Hui ethnic group (Chinese Muslims); to curve; to return; to revolve; variant of 迴\|回[hui2]
枚	mēi	(classifier for badges, coins, needles); a stalk; to pick
银元	yín yuán	flat silver (former coinage); also written 銀圓\|银圆; silver dollar
枕	zhén	(bound form) pillow
边	biān	side; edge; margin; border; boundary; CL:個\|个[ge4]; simultaneously
惊喜	jīng xǐ	nice surprise; to be pleasantly surprised
交	jiāo	to hand over; to deliver; to pay (money); to turn over; to make friends; (of lines) to intersect; variant of 跤[jiao1]
加	Jiā	Canada (abbr. for 加拿大[Jia1 na2 da4]); surname Jia
连夜	lián yè	that very night; through the night; for several nights in a row
一块	yī kuài	a piece; a chunk; (fig.) (coll.) (typically preceded by a specifier such as 這\|这[zhe4]) aspect; area; dimension (Example: 情感這一塊\|情感这一块[qing2 gan3 zhe4 yi1 kuai4] "the emotional aspec…
大肆	dà sì	wantonly; without restraint (of enemy or malefactor); unbridled
吞	tun	to swallow
痛	tòng	ache; pain; sorrow; deeply; thoroughly
淋	līn	to sprinkle; to pour
漓
饱	bǎo	to eat till full; satisfied
第	dì	(prefix indicating ordinal number, as in 第六[di4 liu4] "sixth"); (literary) grades in which successful candidates in the imperial examinations were placed; (old) residence of a high…
简直	jiǎn zhí	simply; really
道	dào	road; path (CL:條\|条[tiao2],股[gu3]); (bound form) way; reason; principle; (bound form) a skill; an art; a specialization; (Daoism) the Way; the Dao; to say (introducing a direct quot…
想起	xiǎng qǐ	to recall; to think of; to call to mind
以前	yǐ qián	before; formerly; previous; ago
念	niàn	variant of 念[nian4], to read aloud; to read; to study (a subject); to attend (a school); to read aloud; to give (sb) a tongue-lashing (CL:頓\|顿[dun4]); to miss (sb); idea; remembrance; twenty (banker's anti-fraud numer…
私	sī	personal; private; selfish
塾
学	xué	to learn; to study; to imitate; science; -ology
典故	diǎn gù	classical story or quote from the literature; the story behind sth
仲
者	zhě	(after a verb or adjective) one who (is) ...; (after a noun) person involved in ...; -er; -ist; (used after a number or 後\|后[hou4] or 前[qian2] to refer to sth mentioned previously);…
鲍	Bào	surname Bao
书	Shū	abbr. for 書經\|书经[Shu1 jing1]
牙	yá	tooth; ivory; CL:顆\|颗[ke1]
君	jun	monarch; gentleman
贫	pīn	poor; deficient
寒	hán	cold; poor; to tremble
而	ér	and; as well as; and so; but (not); yet (not); (indicates causal relation); (indicates change of state); (indicates contrast)
厚	hòu	thick; deep or profound; kind; generous; rich or strong in flavor; to favor; to stress
真是	zhēn shi	indeed; truly; (coll.) (used to express disapproval, annoyance etc)
知己	zhī jǐ	to know oneself; to be intimate or close; intimate friend
结	jiē	(of a plant) to produce (fruit or seeds); Taiwan pr. [jie2]
为	wéi	as (in the capacity of); to take sth as; to act as; to serve as; to behave as; to become; to be; to do; by (in the passive voice); variant of 為\|为[wei2]
金	Jīn	surname Jin; surname Kim (Korean); Jurchen Jin dynasty (1115–1234)
兰	lān	orchid; surname Lan
兄弟	xīong dì	brothers; younger brother; CL:個\|个[ge4]; I, me (humble term used by men in public speech); brotherly; fraternal
从此	cóng cǐ	from now on; since then; henceforth
称	chèn	to fit; to match; to suit; (coll.) to have; to possess; Taiwan pr. [cheng4]
兄	xīong	elder brother
弟	dì	younger brother; junior male; I (modest word in letter)
其	qí	his; her; its; their; that; such; it (refers to sth preceding it)
鼠	shǔ	(bound form) rat; mouse
饮食	yǐn shí	eating and drinking; food and drink; diet
与共	yǔ gòng	to experience together with sb
棉
絮
摆	bǎi	to arrange; to exhibit; to move to and fro; a pendulum; hem (at the bottom of a garment)
窝	wō	nest; pit or hollow on the human body; lair; den; place; to harbor or shelter; to hold in check; to bend; classifier for litters and broods
睡	shuì	to sleep; to lie down
相	Xiāng	surname Xiang
安	An	surname An
亚	Yà	Asia; Asian; Taiwan pr. [Ya3]
出去	chū qù	to go out
少	shǎo	few; less; to lack; to be missing; to stop (doing sth); seldom
则	zé	(literary) (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous clause) but; then; (bound form) standard; norm; (bound form) principle; (literary) to imitate; to follow; classifie…
一二	yī èr	one or two; a few; a little; just a bit
三五	sān wǔ	several; three or five
多年	duō nián	many years; for many years; longstanding
忆	yǐ	to recollect; memory
段	Duàn	surname Duan
一生	yī shēng	all one's life; throughout one's life
时光	shí guāng	time (esp. as sth that passes)
多半	duō bàn	most; mostly; most likely
渐	jiǎn	to imbue
富裕	Fù yù	see 富裕縣\|富裕县[Fu4 yu4 Xian4]
是不是	shì bu shì	is or is not (used to form yes-no questions)
那么	nà me	like that; in that way; to that extent; (before a number) ... or so; about ...; then; in that case
句	gōu	variant of 勾[gou1]
发财	fā cái	to get rich
好友	hǎo yǒu	close friend; pal; (social networking website) friend; CL:個\|个[ge4]
霉	mēi	mold; to become moldy
碰	pèng	variant of 碰[peng4]; to touch; to meet with; to bump; old variant of 碰[peng4]
小人	xiǎo rén	person of low social status (old); I, me (used to refer humbly to oneself); nasty person; vile character
盯	dīng	to watch attentively; to fix one's attention on; to stare at; to gaze at
赖	lǎi	to depend on; to rely on; to deny; to blame; to loiter; surname Lai
王	Wáng	surname Wang
杠
不一	bù yī	to vary; to differ
至少	zhì shǎo	at least; (to say the) least
二十多	èr shí duō	over 20
少爷	shào ye	son of the boss; young master of the house; your son (honorific)
从	cóng	variant of 從\|从[cong2]; surname Cong
辈	bèi	lifetime; generation; group of people; class; classifier for generations; (literary) classifier for people
代	dài	to be a substitute for; to act on behalf of; to replace; to substitute; generation; dynasty; age; period; (historical) era; (geological) eon
穿过	chuān guò	to pass through
条	tiáo	strip; item; article; clause (of law or treaty); classifier for long thin things (ribbon, river, road, trousers etc)
腚
裤	kǔ	trousers; pants
业	Yè	surname Ye
幸	xìng	trusted; intimate; (of the emperor) to visit; variant of 幸[xing4]; surname Xing
灾	zāi	disaster; calamity; variant of 災\|灾[zai1]; old variant of 災\|灾[zai1]
祸	huǒ	disaster; misfortune; trouble
有事	yǒu shì	to be occupied with sth; to have sth on one's mind; there is something the matter
没事	méi shì	it's not important; it's nothing; never mind; to have nothing to do; to be free; to be all right (out of danger or trouble)
打	dá	(loanword) dozen; Taiwan pr. [da3]
侮
当年	dāng nián	in those days; back then; in those years; to be in the prime of life
平衡	píng héng	balance; equilibrium
奇	jī	odd (number)
怪	guǎi	odd; strange; uncanny; to find strange; to regard as odd; (coll.) somewhat; rather
营	yīng	camp; battalion; to operate; to strive for
家亲	jiā qīn	older generation in one's household (often referring to one's parents); one's deceased close relatives
戚	qī	variant of 戚[qi1]; grief; sorrow; variant of 慼\|戚[qi1]; surname Qi
天天	tiān tiān	every day
哪	nǎ	how; which
悄	qiao	used in 悄悄[qiao1 qiao1]
地	de	-ly; structural particle: used before a verb or adjective, linking it to preceding modifying adverbial adjunct
偷	tou	to steal; to snatch; stealthily
扭	niú	to turn; to wring; to swing one's hips
府	fǔ	seat of government; government repository (archive); official residence; mansion; presidential palace; (honorific) Your home; prefecture (from Tang to Qing times)
换	huàn	to exchange; to change (clothes etc); to substitute; to switch; to convert (currency)
几	jī	small table; (literary) almost
赏	sháng	to bestow (a reward); to hand down; to appreciate (beauty)
也好	yě hǎo	that's fine; may as well; (reduplicated) regardless of whether ... or ...
除	chú	to get rid of; to remove; to exclude; to eliminate; to wipe out; to divide; except; not including
偶	óu	accidental; pair
尔	ěr	variant of 爾\|尔[er3]; thus; so; like that; you; thou
些	xiē	classifier indicating a small amount or small number greater than 1: some, a few, several
粮食	liáng shi	foodstuff; cereals; CL:種\|种[zhong3]
之外	zhī wài	outside; excluding
基	jī	(bound form) base; foundation; (bound form) radical (chemistry); (bound form) gay (loanword from English into Cantonese, Jyutping: gei1, followed by orthographic borrowing from Can…
本	běn	(bound form) root; stem; (bound form) origin; source; (bound form) one's own; this; (bound form) this; the current (year etc); (bound form) original; (bound form) inherent; origina…
户	hù	a household; door; family
从不	cóng bù	never
任	Rén	surname Ren
何人	hé rén	who
往	wǎng	to go (in a direction); to; towards; (of a train) bound for; past; previous; old variant of 往[wang3]
痒	yáng	to tickle
吃的	chī de	(coll.) food
趁	chěn	to avail oneself of
机	Jī	surname Ji
翻	fān	to turn over; to flip over; to overturn; to rummage through; to translate; to decode; to double; to climb over or into; to cross; variant of 翻[fan1]
进	jìn	to go forward; to advance; to go in; to enter; to put in; to submit; to take in; to admit; (math.) base of a number system; classifier for sections in a building or residential com…
箱	xiāng	box; trunk; chest
柜	guǐ	cabinet; cupboard; closet; counter (in 柜台)
究	jīu	after all; to investigate; to study carefully; Taiwan pr. [jiu4]
秘	mǐ	secret; mysterious; confidential (mi4); Peru (in 秘鲁, bi4)
密	Mì	surname Mi; name of an ancient state
睡觉	shuì jiào	to go to bed; to sleep
顺手	shùn shǒu	as an incidental action while doing sth else; while one is at it; in passing; smooth; easy; without difficulty
扔	reng	to throw
炉子	lú zi	stove; oven; furnace
壶	hū	pot
水	Shuǐ	surname Shui; Shui ethnic group
压	yā	to press; to push down; to keep under (control); pressure
心想	xīn xiǎng	to think to oneself; to think
正好	zhèng hǎo	just (in time); just right; just enough; to happen to; to chance to; by chance; it just so happens that
堵	dú	to block up (a road, pipe etc); (fig.) (of a person) choked up with anxiety or stress; (classifier for walls)
已经	yǐ jīng	already
烫	tǎng	to scald; to blanch (cooking); to perm; scalding hot
顿时	dùn shí	immediately; suddenly
眼睛	yǎn jing	eye; CL:隻\|只[zhi1],雙\|双[shuang1]
抄	chāo	to make a copy; to plagiarize; to search and seize; to raid; to grab; to go off with; to take a shortcut; to make a turning move; to fold one's arms
菜刀	cài dāo	vegetable knife; kitchen knife; cleaver; CL:把[ba3]
砍	kán	to chop; to throw sth at sb
十几	shí jǐ	more than ten; a dozen or more
刀	Dāo	surname Dao
无力	wú lì	powerless; lacking strength
致	zhì	(bound form) fine; delicate; exquisite; (literary) to send; to transmit; to convey; (bound form) to cause; to lead to; consequently
伤	shāng	to injure; injury; wound
全身	quán shēn	the whole body; (typography) em
血	xiě	see 血[xue4]
逃	tāo	to escape; to flee
保	báo	Bulgaria (abbr. for 保加利亞\|保加利亚[Bao3 jia1 li4 ya4])
队	duì	squadron; team; group; CL:個\|个[ge4]
救	jìu	variant of 救[jiu4]; to save; to assist; to rescue
队长	duì zhǎng	captain; team leader; CL:個\|个[ge4]
当地	dāng dì	local
军	jūn	(bound form) army; military
阀
酒	jǐu	wine (esp. rice wine); liquor; spirits; alcoholic beverage; CL:杯[bei1],瓶[ping2],罐[guan4],桶[tong3],缸[gang1]
了得	liǎo de	exceptional; outstanding; dreadful; appalling
化日	huà rì	sunlight; daytime
之下	zhī xià	under; beneath; less than
持刀	chí dāo	to hold a knife; knife-wielding
行凶	xíng xīong	violent crime; to commit a violent act (assault or murder)
紧	jǐn	tight; strict; close at hand; near; urgent; tense; hard up; short of money; to tighten
几个	jǐ ge	a few; several; how many
手下	shǒu xià	under one's control or administration; subordinates; (money etc) on hand; sb's financial means; when taking action
五	wǔ	five; 5
绑	báng	to tie; to kidnap
捆	kún	a bunch; bundle
押	ya	to mortgage; to detain in custody; (literary) to sign
堂	táng	(main) hall; large room for a specific purpose; CL:間\|间[jian1]; relationship between cousins etc on the paternal side of a family; of the same clan; classifier for classes, lectures…
厉	lǐ	strict; severe; fierce; to sharpen; surname Li
声	shēng	sound; voice; tone; noise; reputation; classifier for sounds
为何	wèi hé	why
杀	shā	to kill; to slay; to murder; to attack; to weaken; to reduce; (dialect) to smart; (used after a verb) extremely
流	líu	to flow; to disseminate; to circulate or spread; to move or drift; to degenerate; to banish or send into exile; stream of water or sth resembling one; class, rate or grade
满	Mǎn	Manchu ethnic group
面	miàn	face; side; surface; aspect; top; classifier for objects with flat surfaces such as drums, mirrors, flags etc; variant of 麵\|面[mian4]; flour; noodles; (of food) soft (not crunchy); (slang) (of a person) ineffectual; spineless
泣	qǐ	to sob
述	shǔ	(bound form) to state; to tell; to narrate; to relate
了事	liǎo shì	to dispose of a matter; to be done with it
情	qíng	(bound form) feelings; emotion; sentiment; passion; (bound form) situation; condition
始末	shǐ mò	whole story; the ins and outs
哀	ai	sad; sorrowful; grief; to mourn; to pity
当初	dāng chū	at that time; originally
困	kùn	to trap; to surround; hard-pressed; stranded; destitute; sleepy; tired
苦	kǔ	bitter; hardship; pain; to suffer; to bring suffering to; painstakingly
欲	yù	desire; appetite; passion; lust; greed; to wish for; to desire; variant of 慾\|欲[yu4]
不到	bù dào	not to arrive; not reaching; insufficient; less than
今日	jīn rì	today
不料	bù liào	unexpectedly; to one's surprise
一时	yī shí	a period of time; a while; for a short while; temporary; momentary; at the same time
疏忽	shū hu	to neglect; to overlook; negligence; carelessness
令	líng	used in 脊令[ji2 ling2]; used in 令狐[Ling2 hu2] (Taiwan pr. [ling4])
丧	sǎng	mourning; (old) corpse
虽	suī	although; even though
非	Fēi	abbr. for 非洲[Fei1 zhou1], Africa
因	yīn	old variant of 因[yin1]; cause; reason; because
九泉	jǐu quán	the nine springs; the underworld of Chinese mythology; Hades
良友	liáng yǒu	good friend; companion
何以	hé yǐ	(literary) why; how
堪	kan	(bound form) may; can; (in 堪輿\|堪舆[kan1 yu2]) heaven (contrasted with earth 輿\|舆[yu2])
罚	fá	to punish; to penalize; to fine; variant of 罰\|罚[fa2]
听凭	tīng píng	to allow (sb to do as he pleases)
发落	fā luò	to deal with (an offender)
容	Róng	surname Rong
瞑
说道	shuō dào	to state; to say (the quoted words)
奶	nǎi	breast; milk; to breastfeed; variant of 嬭\|奶[nai3]; mother; variant of 奶[nai3]
忘	wàng	to forget; to overlook; to neglect
恩	ēn	variant of 恩[en1]; favor; grace; kindness; (coll.) used like 嗯[en4] in online chat, expressing agreement
仁	rén	humane; kernel
不负	bù fù	to live up to
义	Yì	surname Yi; (Tw) Italy (abbr. for 義大利\|义大利[Yi4 da4 li4])
尚	Shàng	surname Shang
何况	hé kuàng	let alone; to say nothing of; besides; what's more
呢	ne	(sentence-final particle) used in questions to link back to prior discourse or context ("what about...?", "and...?"); (sentence-final particle) indicating that a state or situation…
仁义	rén yì	benevolence and righteousness
依	yi	to depend on; according to
靠	kào	to lean against or on; to stand by the side of; to come near to; to depend on; to trust; to fuck (vulgar); traditional military costume drama where the performers wear armor (old)
随	Suí	surname Sui
从军	cóng jūn	to enlist; to serve in the army
吧	bā	bar (loanword) (serving drinks, or providing Internet access etc); to puff (on a pipe etc); (onom.) bang; abbr. for 貼吧\|贴吧[tie1 ba1]
杆	gan	(bound form) pole; shaft
政权	zhèng quán	regime; political power
世	Shì	surname Shi
之中	zhī zhōng	inside; among; in the midst of (doing sth); during
兵	bing	soldiers; an army; arms; warlike
的话	de huà	if (coming after a conditional clause)
吩	fen	used in 吩咐[fen1 fu5]
鞭子	biān zi	whip; CL:根[gen1]
出气	chū qì	to vent one's anger; to breathe out; to exhale
盒	hé	small box; case
盛	Shèng	surname Sheng
殓
尸体	shī tǐ	corpse; dead body
坑	keng	pit; hollow; depression; (literary) to bury alive
埋	mái	to bury
哭	kū	to cry; to weep
投奔	tóu bèn	to seek shelter; to seek asylum
常言	cháng yán	common saying
饿	è	hungry; to starve (sb)
糠
甜	tián	sweet; (fig.) pleasant; endearing; lovely
蜜	mì	honey
僚
别人	bié ren	other people; others; other person
碗	wǎn	variant of 碗[wan3]; bowl; cup; CL:隻\|只[zhi1],個\|个[ge4]
粥	yù	used in 葷粥\|荤粥[Xun1 yu4]
饼	bǐng	round flat cake; cookie; cake; pastry; CL:張\|张[zhang1]
会	huì	can; to have the skill; to know how to; to be likely to; to be sure to; to meet; to get together; meeting; gathering; (suffix) union; group; association; (bound form) a moment (Tai…
赠	zěng	to give as a present; to bestow an honorary title after death (old)
钱财	qián cái	wealth; money
圣人	shèng rén	sage; the Sage (i.e. Confucius); (old) (respectful way of addressing a monarch) your sagacious majesty; (religion) saint
渴	kě	thirsty
饮	yǐn	old variant of 飲\|饮[yin3]; to drink
盗	dào	to steal; to rob; to plunder; thief; bandit; robber
至	zhì	to arrive; most; to; until
圣	kū	(literary) to dig with persistent effort (e.g. to gather wild vegetables); (bound form) peerless (in wisdom, moral virtue, skill etc); (bound form) peerless individual; paragon (sage, saint, emperor, master of a skill etc); (bound form) holy; sacred
品德	pǐn dé	moral character
标	biao	mark; label; to bear (a brand name, registration number etc); award; target; (old) the topmost branches of a tree; classifier for military units
准	zhǔn	to allow; to grant; in accordance with; in the light of; accurate; standard; definitely; certainly; about to become (bride, son-in-law etc); quasi-; para-
古人	gǔ rén	people of ancient times; the ancients; extinct human species such as Homo erectus or Homo neanderthalensis; (literary) deceased person
难以	nán yǐ	hard to (predict, imagine etc)
庸人	yōng rén	mediocre person
听说	tīng shuō	to hear (sth said); one hears (that); hearsay; listening and speaking
房	Fáng	surname Fang
久	jǐu	(of a period of time) long
内	nèi	inside; inner; internal; within; interior
虚	xū	emptiness; void; abstract theory or guiding principles; empty or unoccupied; diffident or timid; false; humble or modest; (of health) weak; virtual; in vain

My grandfather was named Hu Guohua. The Hu family ancestors were famous wealthy landowners throughout the region. At their peak, they owned over forty connected rooms across three alleyways in the city. The family had also produced some officials and merchants, having donated for positions as grain commissioners and canal transport assistants during the late Qing dynasty.

There’s a folk saying: ‘Wealth doesn’t last three generations.’ This is absolutely true – even if a family had mountains of gold and silver, it couldn’t withstand the squandering of prodigal descendants.

By the Republic era, when it passed down to my grandfather’s generation, the family fortune began to decline. First came the division of property, and Hu Guohua received quite a substantial share – enough to live comfortably for a lifetime. But he simply refused to behave properly. Of course, this was also related to the social environment of the time. First he became addicted to gambling, then he took up ‘longevity paste’ (opium), squandering away the entire family fortune.

In his youth, Hu Guohua indulged in all five vices – drinking, whoring, gambling, smoking, and more. In the end, he was so poor he didn’t have a single coin to his name. When opium cravings hit, the unbearable itching in one’s heart and liver was impossible to endure. But without money, who would let you smoke? In the old days when he had money, the opium den owners and workers would greet him as ‘Master Hu this’ and ‘Master Hu that,’ serving him with great attentiveness. But once you were penniless, they treated you like a stinking beggar, shooing and chasing you away.

When a man becomes desperately poor, concepts like shame and morality become unimportant. Hu Guohua came up with a plan – to go trick his uncle out of some money. Hu Guohua’s uncle knew he was a prodigal opium addict and normally wouldn’t give him a single cent. But this time, Hu Guohua lied to his uncle, saying he wanted to take a wife and asked his uncle to help gather some money.

His uncle was so moved he wept with joy. This worthless nephew was finally doing something proper! If he married a virtuous wife who could manage him and settle his heart, perhaps he might turn over a new leaf someday.

So he gave him twenty silver dollars, instructing him to marry a wife and live a good life, and to never touch that ‘longevity paste’ again. In a few days when he had time, he would personally visit Hu Guohua’s home to see his nephew’s wife.

Hu Guohua was full of crafty ideas. To deal with his uncle, he went back home and found a craftsman in the village who made paper effigies – the kind burned for the dead. This paper craftsman was highly skilled; whatever you could describe, he could make it lifelike.

Following instructions, he made Hu Guohua a paper woman pasted with white paper, then used watercolors to paint on eyebrows, eyes, nose, clothes, and hair. From a distance – hey – it really looked like a living person.

Hu Guohua carried the paper figure home and placed it on the kang bed in the inner room, covering it with a blanket. He thought his plan was quite clever – when his uncle came in a few days, he would just say his wife was sick and bedridden and couldn’t receive guests, letting him take a quick look from afar. Pleased with himself, he couldn’t help but hum a little tune as he strolled into the city to smoke opium.

A few days later, his uncle came to visit, bringing some floral fabric and pastries to see his nephew’s wife. Hu Guohua made excuses as he had planned, saying his wife was unwell and couldn’t receive guests, letting his uncle lift the door curtain at the entrance for just a glance before dropping it again.

His uncle wasn’t having it. ‘Oh, so this is how you treat your own uncle? No way – today I must meet the new bride. If she’s sick, I’ll pay for a doctor to examine her.’

Hu Guohua desperately blocked him from entering. The more he blocked, the more suspicious it seemed, making his uncle even more doubtful. The two began arguing. Just then, the inner room’s curtain was lifted, and out came a woman – fair and clean-looking, with a big round face, ample hips, and small bound feet. Hu Guohua’s heart skipped a beat – ‘Oh no, isn’t this the paper figure I had made? How did it come alive?’

The woman curtsied to the uncle and said she had been feeling unwell lately and hadn’t come out to greet him earlier, begging forgiveness for her rudeness. But now she suddenly felt much better, and today she would keep uncle for a simple home-cooked meal. Then she turned and went inside to cook.

Hu Guohua’s uncle was overjoyed – what a virtuous nephew’s wife! And with such a prosperous appearance! My late sister would be so happy in the afterlife knowing her son married such a fine wife. In his delight, the uncle gave Hu Guohua another ten silver dollars.

Hu Guohua stood there stunned, his heart in chaos, not knowing whether to feel lucky or afraid. Time passed quickly, and soon it was evening. The white paper woman had prepared a whole table of dishes. The uncle was so happy he couldn’t stop grinning, but Hu Guohua had no appetite. Looking at the woman sitting across from him made him feel as disgusted as if he’d swallowed a fly. Her face was so white, without a trace of color – all the rosy flush was just rouge painted on.

The uncle’s old eyes were dim, and he didn’t notice anything wrong with the woman. After seven or eight cups of old wine, he was completely drunk. Hu Guohua borrowed a donkey cart and sent him home.

On the way back, the more he thought about it, the more frightened he became. He simply decided not to go home and spent the night in the pleasure quarters in the city. Between smoking and visiting prostitutes, he spent all ten silver dollars his uncle had just given him.

Finally, having no money to pay the bill, he was thrown out. With nowhere else to go, he could only steel himself and go home. When he arrived, the house was dark. The white paper figure lay motionless on his bed, covered with a blanket, as if everything before had never happened.

Hu Guohua thought, ‘What if she comes alive again at night? Better to just burn her.’ He carried the paper figure to the courtyard, took out a fire starter, and was about to burn it when the paper figure suddenly spoke: ‘You heartless wretch! I kindly helped you, and you want to burn me!’

Hu Guohua was startled. In the dead of night, he heard the white paper woman continue: ‘I took pity on you. Though you drink, whore, and gamble, your heart isn’t truly bad. I want to marry you – are you willing?’

Hu Guohua shook his head vigorously and asked the paper figure whether she was a demon or a ghost. The paper woman said, ‘I’m a ghost, of course, just temporarily possessing this paper body. But don’t look down on me, you poor stick. In my life I was very wealthy – the gold and silver jewelry buried with me is enough for you to smoke opium for ten lifetimes. Haven’t you heard that a rich ghost is a hundred times better than a poor living man?’

At the mention of money, Hu Guohua was somewhat tempted, as he had been truly destitute lately – even his clothes had all been pawned. But he didn’t want to take money he couldn’t live to spend. He had heard old people tell of female ghosts seducing men, gradually draining their yang energy until those men possessed by ghosts were left as nothing but dried skin over bones. So he said to the paper figure: ‘Even if you truly mean well, I cannot marry you. After all, humans and ghosts walk different paths, separated by yin and yang – this would go against the natural order.’

The white paper woman said, ‘Since you’re so hard-hearted, I won’t force you. But someday you’ll regret it. Remember this – if your life ever becomes so poor you can’t go on, come find me at the desolate graves at Thirteen Mile Village. In the center of that graveyard is a solitary grave without a headstone – the coffin inside contains my body. The coffin is full of gold, silver, and jewels. If you dare come, take as much as you want.’

After saying this, the white paper woman became motionless. Hu Guohua gathered his courage, lit a fire, and burned the paper figure to ashes.

Later, there were several times when he was so desperate he thought about digging up the grave at Thirteen Mile Village, but he always held back, scraping by through borrowing here and there. Two years later, when he was truly at the end of his rope with nowhere to turn, he finally went to that graveyard – but that’s a story for another time.

Many things happened that Spring Festival. The truth about Hu Guohua making a paper figure to trick his uncle out of money was finally exposed. His uncle was so angry and upset that he fell ill and couldn’t recover, passing away within three days.

The Hu family’s relatives and friends all guarded against him like a thief. Forget about lending him money – they wouldn’t even let him have their leftover food. Hu Guohua sold the last pair of sandalwood boxes in his home for two silver dollars. These boxes were his mother’s dowry, which he had always wanted to keep as a memento and couldn’t bear to pawn. But when his opium craving hit, he couldn’t care about such things anymore. He used the two dollars to buy a small piece of ‘longevity paste,’ rushed home, and couldn’t wait to light up the opium and lie on the bed. After a couple of deep inhales, his body felt light as if floating on clouds.

At that moment, he felt as happy as an immortal. All those experiences of being looked down upon, cursed, and bullied didn’t matter anymore. After two more puffs, he suddenly noticed something dark crouching on his broken bed. Looking closely, he saw a big rat crouching at the corner of the bed. This rat must have been quite old – its whiskers had turned white, and it was about the size of a cat. It was beside him, inhaling the smoke rising from Hu Guohua’s opium pipe, as if it too knew the pleasures of ‘longevity paste,’ sniffing and greedily enjoying it.

Hu Guohua found this amusing and said to the big rat: ‘So you have an opium addiction too? Looks like we’re kindred spirits.’ Then he took a puff himself and blew the smoke toward the rat. The rat seemed to sense he meant no harm and wasn’t afraid of him, raising its head to receive the smoke blown its way. After a while, apparently having had its fill, it slowly crawled away.

This went on for several days. The big rat came every day to smoke with Hu Guohua. Hu Guohua was despised everywhere and had not a single friend. He felt a sympathetic kinship with this rat and quite liked it. Sometimes when the rat came late, Hu Guohua would endure his cravings and wait for it.

But good times don’t last. Hu Guohua’s home was left with just a bed and four walls – he had no more money to buy opium. Troubled and at a loss, he sighed to the rat: ‘Oh rat, rat, today my pockets are empty and my provisions exhausted. I can no longer afford ‘longevity paste,’ and I fear I cannot share this pleasure with you anymore.’ He lamented endlessly.

The rat listened to him speak, its eyes gleaming and thoughtful, then turned and left. When night fell, the rat returned with a silver dollar in its mouth, placing it by Hu Guohua’s pillow. Hu Guohua was overjoyed and surprised. That very night he went into the city and bought a piece of ‘longevity paste.’ When he returned, he lit it under the lamp, inhaling deeply, and together with the rat, they smoked to their hearts’ content.

The next day, the rat brought back three silver dollars. Hu Guohua was so happy he didn’t know what to say. Remembering a story from his private school days, he said to the rat: ‘He who understood Guan Zhong was Bao Shuya. You know my poverty yet give generously to me – you are truly my soulmate. If you don’t mind, let us become sworn brothers.’ From then on, he called the rat ‘Rat Brother,’ sharing meals and smoking opium together. He even made a little nest of cotton wadding on the bed for the rat to sleep on.

Man and rat lived in harmony, no less than the closest of friends. Every day the rat went out and brought back silver dollars – sometimes one or two, sometimes three to five. From then on, Hu Guohua wanted for nothing. Many years later, when my grandfather recalled this, he always said this period was the happiest time of his life.

After more than half a year of this, Hu Guohua gradually became prosperous again. But isn’t there a saying? ‘When you get rich, you meet good friends; when luck turns bad, you meet scoundrels.’ It was fated that Hu Guohua would remain poor – he was targeted by a scoundrel.

There was a rogue in the village named Wang Ergangzi. He was different from Hu Guohua – at least Hu Guohua had once been wealthy; he had, after all, been ‘Young Master Hu’ for over twenty years.

Wang Ergangzi wasn’t so fortunate. For eight generations, his family had never worn pants that didn’t show their backsides. When he saw Hu Guohua’s family fortune ruined, he gloated. Whether there was reason or not, he would beat, curse, and humiliate Hu Guohua, bullying the former Young Master Hu to make himself feel better.

Recently, he found it very strange. This poor boy Hu Guohua wasn’t doing any business, had pawned everything pawnable in his home, and most of his relatives were dead. How was he smoking opium every day at home? Where was he getting the money for opium? Maybe the boy had become a thief. ‘I should secretly watch him, and when I catch him stealing, I’ll turn him over to the authorities and get a few silver dollars as reward.’

But after watching for a while, he found that except for occasional trips to the city to buy food and opium, Hu Guohua basically never left home and never interacted with anyone. The less he understood where the money came from, the more Wang Ergangzi itched to know.

One day when Hu Guohua went out to buy food, Wang Ergangzi climbed over the wall into his home and searched through everything, trying to find out Hu Guohua’s secret. Suddenly he discovered a big rat sleeping on the bed. Wang Ergangzi casually grabbed the rat and threw it into the pot of water boiling on the stove, then pressed down the lid, thinking, ‘When Hu Guohua comes home and drinks the water, I’ll watch and have a good laugh.’

Before Wang Ergangzi could leave, Hu Guohua returned and caught him red-handed inside the room. When Hu Guohua saw the big rat in the pot, already scalded to death, his eyes turned red with rage. He grabbed a kitchen knife and started slashing. Wang Ergangzi was cut over a dozen times, but fortunately Hu Guohua was an opium addict with no strength in his arms. Though Wang Ergangzi received many cuts, none were fatal. Covered in blood, he escaped to the security force for help. The security captain was a relative of a local warlord and was hosting the warlord for drinks at that moment. Seeing this, the captain thought, ‘How outrageous! Attacking someone with a knife in broad daylight – is there no law?’ He immediately ordered his men to tie up Hu Guohua and bring him in.

Hu Guohua was brought before the hall, and the security captain sternly demanded to know why he had attacked Wang Ergangzi with a knife.

Hu Guohua’s face was streaming with tears. Sobbing, he recounted the whole story, finally lamenting: ‘When I was suffering and near death, without this rat I wouldn’t have lived until today. I never expected that through my carelessness, Rat Brother would lose his life. Though I didn’t kill him, he died because of me. How can I face my dear friend in the underworld? I did this deed and will accept whatever punishment comes. I only ask that the officer allow me to go home and bury my Rat Brother, then I can die with my eyes closed.’

Before the security captain could speak, the warlord beside him sighed with emotion and said to Hu Guohua: ‘Damn it all! Not forgetting kindness is benevolence, not betraying trust is righteousness. If you treat a rat this way, how much more so would you treat people? I admire your righteousness, and seeing you have no one to rely on, why don’t you join my army as an adjutant from now on.’

Guns were power. In chaotic times, the words of those who commanded soldiers were law. The warlord chief ordered his men to whip Wang Ergangzi to vent Hu Guohua’s anger, then released Hu Guohua to go home and bury the rat. Hu Guohua placed the rat’s body in a wooden box, dug a pit and buried it, cried for half a day, then went to join the warlord chief.

As the old saying goes: ‘When hungry, chaff tastes sweet as honey; when full, even honey isn’t sweet.’ When a person is in desperate poverty, even if someone gives them a bowl of porridge or a piece of bread, they’ll be eternally grateful. How much more so when the rat gave Hu Guohua so much money – though of course, the rat’s money was all stolen. The sage said one would rather die of thirst than drink from a stolen spring – but that’s the moral standard of the most virtuous and wise. Even the ancients found it hard to achieve, let alone an ordinary person like Hu Guohua. I’ve heard that if you smoke opium indoors long enough, even the flies and rats in the room become addicted. This is no lie.

Novels: Start reading《鬼吹灯》Ghost Blows Out the Light by Zhang Muye

《鬼guǐ吹chuī灯dēng》第dì一yī章Zhāng ▸

Lesson vocabulary 1092 words · 10 curated by the source

《鬼guǐ吹chuī灯dēng》第dì一yī章Zhāng