Thanks to: http://huayuworld.org/

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3 进财 进门招财很久以前，在彰化县有一位老实 又喜欢帮助人的杂货店老板，在过年这天早晨，他正要烧香拜拜时，传来敲门的声音。老板问：“是谁？” 门外人说：“我是进财”老板赶紧开门把这个叫进财的人请了进来。果然，就好像财神爷来了一样，这一年老板的生意比过去更好，还发了大财，这个消息立刻传遍全城。

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附近还有一家杂货店，老板由于吝啬又刻薄，所以不太有人喜欢来跟他买东西，生意也就冷冷清清。他听到这个消息，就四处打听进财住处，最后终于找到了。

刚好过两天就要过年了，他就带礼物和银粮去拜访进财 ：“进财兄，请你在正月初一清晨时，到我店里来敲门，不要忘了说你是进财！” 进财收了礼物高兴地说：“简单，我一定会做到的。”

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到了初一这一天，老板一大早就坐着等进财来敲门。一会儿果然有人来敲门，老板高兴地说：“你是谁呀！” 进财回答：“是我啦！” 老板心里觉得奇怪，于是又问：“ 你到底是谁？ ” 进财回答：“老板，你贵人多忘事，前几天你不是送钱给我吗？ ” 老板又问：“你是不是进财？ ” 进财回答：“不是我会是谁？ 难道是鬼吗？”

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也不知道是不是这句不吉利的话，结果老板这一年不但没有发财，说也奇怪家人还一个个都病倒了。

听到这个消息的人都觉得可笑，大家都说好运是上苍赐给好心人，贪得无厌的人，怎么可能求的到。

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3 进财 进门招财很久以前，在彰化县有一位老实又喜欢帮助人的杂货店老板，

Once upon a time, there was an honest grocery owner with a big heart who lived in Changhua County.

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招财 Zhāo cái attract fortune; attract wealth

招 zhāo 3 attract; incur; court:

财 cái (名) wealth

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招财猫 Zhāo cái māo Fortune Cat

招灾 zhāozāi court disaster; invite calamity

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县 xiàn (名) county

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老实 lǎoshí 1 (形) honest; frank:

忠诚老实 zhōngchéng lǎoshí loyal and honest.

他是一个老实人。 tā shì yīgè lǎoshí rén. He is an honest man

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老实 lǎoshí 1 (形) honest; frank: 2 well-behaved; good:

这孩子可老实了 zhè hái zǐ kě lǎoshíle The child is really well behaved.

老实巴交。 lǎoshibājiāo soft-spoken and timid

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老实 lǎoshí 1 (形) honest; frank: 2 well-behaved; good: 3 simpleminded; naive; easily taken in

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杂货店 záhuò diàn Grocery

杂货 záhuò (名) sundry goods; groceries:

日用杂货 rì yòng záhuò various household supplies

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在过年这天早晨，他正要烧香拜拜时，传来敲门的声音。

On the morning of one Chinese New Year’s Day, when he was about to burn incense and pray for a good year, he heard someone knock on the door,

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烧香 shāoxiāng (动) burn joss sticks (before an idol); burn incense on the altar

烧 shāo (动) burn

香 xiāng incense

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上庙烧香上供 Shàng miào shāoxiāng shàng gòng go to the temple for burning incense and offering up a

sacrifice

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拜拜 bàibài religious festival

拜 bài bow or kneel down to show respect ( religious service)

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老板问：“是谁？” 门外人说：“我是进财”老板赶紧开门把这个叫进财的人请了进来。

“This is Jinchai (Fortune).” The owner then rushed to the door and welcomed him.

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赶紧 gǎnjǐn (副) lose no time; hasten

赶快 gǎnkuài (副) hasten; at once; quickly:

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果然，就好像财神爷来了一样，这一年老板的生意比过去更好，

As you might have guessed, Fortune did indeed bring a lot of good luck to the grocery owner, who then ran greater business than in the previous year.

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财神爷 cáishényé fortune god; god of fortune; the god of wealth

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生意 shēngyì (名) business; trade:

做生意 zuò shēngyì do business

生意火爆 shēngyì huǒbào Business is brisk

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还发了大财，这个消息立刻传遍全城。

He made a fortune himself. The good tidings spread around the town very quickly

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发财 fācái (动) get rich; make a good deal of money

升官发财 shēng guān fācái win promotion and get rich

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立刻 lìkè (副) immediately; at once; right away:

立刻出发 lìkè chūfā set off at once

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附近还有一家杂货店，老板由于吝啬又刻薄， ”

There was another grocery store nearby; on the contrary, this storeowner was very stingy and mean.

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吝啬 lìnsè (形) stingy; miserly; mean:

吝啬鬼 lìnsè guǐ miser; niggard; skinflint

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刻薄 kèbó (形) unkind; harsh; mean:

说话刻薄 shuōhuà kèbó speak unkindly; make caustic remarks.

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待人刻薄 dàirén kèbó treat people meanly

尖酸刻薄 jiānsuān kèbó acerbic and bitterly sarcastic

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所以不太有人喜欢来跟他买东西，生意也就冷冷清清。

No one wanted to buy from his store, and his store was often empty.

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冷清 lěngqīng (形) cold and cheerless; desolate; lonely; deserted

冷冷清清

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他听到这个消息，就四处打听进财住处，最后终于找到了。

When he heard about what happened to his neighbouring storeowner, he decided to take the initiative and invite Fortune to visit his store. It took him quite a lot of effort to locate Fortune.

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四处 sìchù (名) all around; everywhere:

四处打听 sìchù dǎtīng make inquiries everywhere

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打听 dǎtīng (动) ask about; inquire about:

打听某人的下落 dǎtīng mǒu rén de xiàluò inquire about sb.'s whereabouts

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刚好过两天就要过年了，他就带礼物和银粮去拜访进财

It was again about time for Chinese New Year, so this storeowner brought gifts and money to Fortune and said,

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银粮 Yín liáng money and food

银 Yín 1 silver 2 relating to currency

粮 liáng (名) grain; cereals; food

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拜访 bàifǎng pay a visit; pay a call on:

正式拜访 zhèngshì bàifǎng official visit

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“进财兄，请你在正月初一清晨时，到我店里来敲门，不要忘了说你是进财！” 进财收了礼物高兴地说：“简单，我一定会做到的。”

“Mr. Fortune, please come to my house on the first day of the Chinese New Year, and don’t forget to say your name!” Fortune was happy to receive these gifts, so he said to him, “This is piece of cake. I will follow your instructions!”

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正月 zhēngyuè (名) the first month of the lunar year:

正月初一 zhēngyuè chū yī the lunar New Year's Day

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到了初一这一天，老板一大早就坐着等进财来敲门。一会儿果然有人来敲门，老板高兴地说：“你是谁呀！” 进财回答：“是我啦！” 老板心里觉得奇怪，于是又问：“ 你到底是谁？

On the New Year’s Day, even though it was still very early, the storeowner waited for Fortune to come to the door. Someone did knock on the door in a couple minutes. The storeowner gladly said, “Who is it?” Fortune then answered, “Of course, it is me!” The owner wanted him to say his name, so he asked again, “Who the heck are you?”

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到底 dàodǐ 4 [used in an interrogative sentence to indicate an attempt to

get to the bottom of the matter ]

你到底是什么意思? nǐ dàodǐ shì shénme yìsi? What on earth do you mean?

你到底去不去? Nǐ dàodǐ qù bù qù? Are you going or not?

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进财回答：“老板，你贵人多忘事，前几天你不是送钱给我吗？ ”老板又问：“你是不是进财？ ”进财回答：“不是我会是谁？ 难道是鬼吗？”

Fortune then answered, “You forget things easily! Didn’t you send me money the other day?” The storeowner then asked, “Are you Fortune?” Fortune answered, “Who else would I be? A ghost?”

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贵人多忘事 Guìrén duō wàng shì great wits have short memories

贵人 guìrén person of eminence

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难道 nándào (副) [ make an emphatic rhetorical question]:

难道太阳会从西边出来吗? nándào tàiyáng huì cóng xībian chūlái ma? Could the sun rise from the west?

难道你不是就喜欢那玩意儿吗? Nándào nǐ bùshì jiù xǐhuān nà wányì er ma?

Don 't you just love that?

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鬼 guǐ 1 (名) ghost; spirit

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也不知道是不是这句不吉利的话，结果老板这一年不但没有发财，说也奇怪家人还一个个都病倒了。

Maybe this response was too unlucky, because the storeowner not only didn’t bring himself any fortune for the coming year, but strangely, brought illness to his whole family.

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吉利 jílì (形) lucky; auspicious; propitious

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听到这个消息的人都觉得可笑，大家都说好运是上苍赐给好心人，贪得无厌的人，怎么可能求的到。

When the villagers heard of this news, everyone found the story amusing. Villagers all said that God would only give good fortune to a good man. The greedy man would never have any chance to be granted fortune. No matter how hard he tried, it would always be in vain.

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上苍 shàngcāng heaven; god

他们热情地祈求上苍的保佑。 Tāmen rèqíng de qíqiú shàngcāng de bǎoyòu. To express their thanks for the year's bounty, they reverently

ask for continued blessings .

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赐 cì 1 (动) grant

恩赐 ēncì 1 (动) bestow (favors, charity, etc. )

赏赐 shǎngcì (动) grant (or bestow) a reward; award

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贪得无厌 tāndéwúyàn be insatiably avaricious

贪 tān 2 (动) have an insatiable desire for:

贪心 tānxīn 1 (名) greed; avarice; rapacity 2 ( 形) greedy; avaricious; insatiable; voracious

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求 qiú 1 (动) beg; entreat; request:

求神 qiúshén pray to god; implore the gods

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