Learning Chinese - Lesson 1: Dealing with a Beggar

For the printable version of this lesson with Chinese character worksheets, click here (warning: PDF file)Click here for the Cantonese version of this lesson.

对话 duìhuà (dialogue)

1. 老板，给我一点钱好吗
   lǎobǎn,gěiwǒyìdiǎnqiánhǎoma?
   (Boss, please give me some money)
   
2. 对不起，我没带钱
   duìbùqǐ,wǒměidàiqián
   (I’m sorry, I didn’t bring any money)
   
3. 老板，我饿了
   lǎobǎn,wǒèlè
   (Boss, I’m hungry)
   
4. 请你让开
   qǐngnǐràngkāi
   (Please move out of the way)
   
5. 老板，快给我钱
   lǎobǎn,kuàigěiwǒqián
   (Boss, give me money now)
   
6. 走开
   zǒukāi
   (Get out of here!)
   
7. 小气的外国人
   xiǎoqìdewàiguórén
   (Cheap foreigner)
   

老板，给我一点钱好吗
对不起，我没带钱
老板，我饿了
请你让开
老板，快给我钱
走开
小气的外国人

词汇 cíhuì (vocabulary)

All Vocabulary

1. 对不起 - “duìbùqǐ - I’m sorry.
2. 好吗? - hǎoma - okay?
3. 了 lè - Particle - completes an action

动词 - dòngcí (verbs)

1. 给 - gěi - To give
2. 带 - dài - To bring
3. 请 - qǐng - Please
4. 让开 - ràngkāi - Give way
5. 走开 - zǒukāi - Get out of here
6. 没有 - méiyǒu - To not have
7. 俄 - è - Hungry
8. 的 - de - Possessor particle (my/his/China’s/etc)

名词 - míngcí (nouns)

1. 老板 - lǎobǎn - Boss
2. 外国人 - wàiguórén - Foreigner (polite form)
3. 我 - wǒ - I, me
4. 你 - nǐ - You
5. 钱 - qián - Money

形容词 - xíngróngcí (adjectives)

1. 一点 - yìdiǎn - Some
2. 快 - kuài - Fast / Quickly (adjective & adverb)

语法 - yǔfǎ (grammar)

。。。的。。。(a possessor)

• 你的钱 (your money)
• 小气的外国人 (cheap foreigner)

给。。。一点。。。 (Give … a little …)

• 给我一点钱 (give me a little money)

吗 (a question marker)

• 你饿了吗？(are you hungry)
• 好吗? (okay? - literally good yes?)
• 你带了吗？ (did you bring it?)

了 (article of completion)

• 你给钱了没？我没有给钱 (have you given money? I have not given money)
• 你饿了吗？我饿了 (are you hungry? I’m hungry)

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1. 1|Brendan says:
   

   They’re now keeping the beggars off of Wangfujing, but a few years ago it was absolutely infested with child beggars who would grab onto your leg and not let go. I found that “你不松手我他妈揍你，你信不信？” worked great.

2. 2|Belle says:
   

   There are also many child beggars in Xiaoshan (outside of Hangzhou). I have seen them almost cause accidents before because they would not let go of someone trying to cross the street.

   I have heard many different things from friends here about beggars. Some say that the child beggars are made to work for the ‘mafia’ in China. Others say that many of the adult beggars are not really very poor at all. Do you have any ideas as to what is true and what is not?

3. 3|Jeremy says:
   

   Hi Belle,

   The question you ask is extremely important - of course, I’ve heard stuff like this countless numbers of times from countless numbers of people, including:

   - Many child beggars are not cared for by their parents but by people who only want to exploit them for their money making potential
   - Most beggars are part of a mafia organized beggar ring and are put out on the streets in the morning, rounded up at night, and have most of their ‘earnings’ go straight into organized crime.
   - Many of the beggars are doing much better than people with jobs.

   If you’re like me, you probably think all of these ideas about beggars in China have a lot of truth to them.

   Yet you also have to question whether this is just everyone’s way of dealing with the crushing poverty surrounding them - spreading on ‘urban myths’ just so they can feel better and avoid giving a little bit of their money to those who need it.

   I think if you look closely enough, you often can see who probably really needs the money versus those who don’t - but then again the ones who most need it might be controlled by the mafia.

4. 4|Belle says:
   

   Actually, I was more inclined to think that the beggars I see are mostly legit. I have lived in Hangzhou for a year now. I haven’t had a chance to see much else of this country…in my limited experience, the kids in Xiaoshan were the most extremely physical beggars.

   I wish I had a better way of being able to recognize who needs it and who doesn’t. I find that I am always more inclined to give whatever coins I have extra (like many of us hereI am not the ‘typical’ wealthy american hahaha…) to the ‘beggars’ that are actually doing something. Like the people that sit and play music outside in various places–not the ones that come equipped with amps, mikes, and an electric guitar (though they remind me of players in subways and sometimes they deserve something).

   I have to face it, though. There will probably always be at least one thing in this world that breaks my heart.