压岁钱的故事 (Yāsuìqián de gùshi) The Story of Pocket Money for Children on Lunar New Year's Day
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Listen to the story
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Key Learning Points (Preview):
哭 (kū): v. to cry
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宝贝 (bǎobèi): n/v. baby/ take sth/ sb as treasured one
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告诉 (gàosù): v. to tell
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Gǔ shíhou, yǒu yígè xiǎoyāo jiào "Suì."
古 时候, 有 一个 小妖 叫 “祟”。
In ancient times, there was a demon called "evil spirit."
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Tā xǐhuan zài chúxī wǎnshang yòng shǒu mō háizi de tóu.
他 喜欢 在 除夕 晚上 用 手 摸 孩子 的 头。
He loved to touch the heads of children on Chinese New Year's Eve.
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Bèi tā mō guò de háizi jiù huì dàkū, tóuténg fārè, zuìhòu biànchéng le shǎzi.
被 他 摸 过 的 孩子 就 会 大哭, 头疼 发热,最后 变成 了 傻子。
Children touched by him were scared to tears; then they developed a headache, followed by a fever, and eventually turned into a fool.
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Suǒyǐ, měi nián chúxī, měi yìjiā dōu liàng zhe dēng bú shuìjiào, zhè jiàozuò
所以,每 年 除夕, 每 一家 都 亮 着 灯 不 睡觉, 这 叫做
"shǒu Suì."
“守 祟”。
Therefore, every family had lights on throughout the night, and this was called: "protection from the evil spirit."
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Yǒu yìjiā fūqī hěn bǎobèi tāmen de xiǎo'érzi.
有 一家 夫妻 很 宝贝 他们 的 小儿子。
There was a couple who viewed their young son as their treasured one.
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Chúxī yèwǎn, tāmen bùjīngyì de jiāng bā méi tóngqián yòng hóng zhǐ bāo
除夕 夜晚, 他们 不经意 地 将 八 枚 铜钱 用 红 纸 包
qǐlái, fàngzài shúshuì de háizi de zhěntou xiàmian.
起来,放在 熟睡 的 孩子 的 枕头 下面。
They put eight coins in a red wrap and placed it below the child's pillow casually on New Year's Eve.
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Bànyè "Suì" gāng yào qù mō háizi de tóu, zhěntou biān jiù fāchū shǎnguāng,
半夜 “祟” 刚 要 去 摸 孩子 的 头, 枕头 边 就 发出 闪光,
xiàde "suì" táopǎo le.
吓得 “祟” 逃跑 了。
When the "evil sprit" was about to touch the child's head, the eight coins below the boy's pillow sent out a bright light which scared the "evil spirit" away.
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Yuánlái bā méi tóngqián shì bāxiān biànde, ànzhōng lái bǎohù háizi de.
原来 八 枚 铜钱 是 八仙 变的, 暗中 来 保护 孩子 的。
In fact, in the story the eight coins were reprsent the eight immortals who had secretly assumed the shape of coins to protect the children.
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Yīnwèi "Suì" yǔ "suì" tóngyīn, zhīhòu zhújiàn yǎnbiàn wéi "yāsuìqián."
因为 “祟” 与 “岁” 同音, 之后 逐渐 演变 为 “压岁钱”。
Because the "evil spirit" and "year" share the same pronunciation in Mandarin Chinese, it gradually began to be called "Pocket money for children on lunar New Year's Day." instead.
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Key learning points:
哭 (kū): v. to cry
The character "哭 (kū)" means to cry.
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Example:
Zài guò chūnjié de shíhou, xiǎoháizi búyào kū, yào xiào.
在 过 春节 的 时候, 小孩子 不要 哭,要 笑。
Children are encouraged to laugh instead of crying during the Chinese New Year.
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宝贝 (bǎobèi): n/ v. baby/ view sth/ sb as treasured one
The character "宝 (bǎo)" means precious and "贝 (bèi)" means shell.
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Examples:
Bǎobèi, māma míngtiān dài nǐ qù gōngyuán wán.
宝贝, 妈妈 明天 带 你 去 公园 玩。
Baby, mom would like to take you to the park tomorrow.
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Tā hěn bǎobèi tā nà bǎ jiùjítā.
他 很 宝贝 他 那 把 旧吉他。
He takes his old guitar as his treasured one.
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告诉 (gàosù): v. to tell
Both the character "告 (gào)" and "诉 (sù)" mean to tell.
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Example:
Tā gàosù wǒ míngtiān kěnéng huì xiàyǔ.
他 告诉 我 明天 可能 会 下雨。
He told me that it might rain tomorrow.
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生词 (shēngcí) Vocabulary
孩子(háizi): n. child
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枕头(zhěntou): n. pillow
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保护(bǎohù): v. to protect
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