老太太的担忧。有位老太太生了两个女儿，大女儿嫁绐了伞店老板，小女儿当上了洗衣作坊的女主管。于是老太太整天忧心忡忡，每逢遇上下雨天，她担心洗衣作坊的衣服晾不干；每逢遇上晴天呢，她又深怕伞店的雨伞卖不出去，天天为女儿担忧。日子过得十分忧郁。后来，位聪明人告诉她：老太太，您真是好福气。下雨天，您大女儿家生意兴隆；大晴天你小女儿家顾客盈门，哪一天你都有好消息啊。哲理启示：现实生活中，很多人总是被事情的阴暗面困扰着，可是从来都没有换个角度去想一下。天还是老样子，只是脑筋变了一变，生活的色彩竟然焕然一新。
老太太的担忧。
The old lady's concern.
老太太的担忧。
lǎo tài tài de dān yōu
The old lady's concern.
老太太 (lǎo tài tài) elderly lady (respectful)/esteemed mother/CL:位[wei4]
老 (lǎo) null
太 (tài) highest/greatest/too (much)/very/extremely
太 (tài) highest/greatest/too (much)/very/extremely
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
担忧 (dān yōu) to worry/to be concerned
担 (dān) to undertake/to carry/to shoulder/to take responsibility
忧 (yōu) to worry/to concern oneself with/worried/anxiety/sorrow
有位老太太生了两个女儿，大女儿嫁绐了伞店老板，小女儿当上了洗衣作坊的女主管。
An old lady gave birth to two daughters, the elder daughter married the owner of an umbrella store and the younger daughter became the manager of a laundry.
有位老太太生了两个女儿，
yǒu wèi lǎo tài tài shēng le liǎng gě nǚ ér
There was an old lady who had two daughters.
有 (yǒu) to have/there is/there are/to exist/to be
位 (wèi) position/location/place/seat/classifier for people
老太太 (lǎo tài tài) elderly lady (respectful)/esteemed mother/CL:位[wei4]
老 (lǎo) null
太 (tài) highest/greatest/too (much)/very/extremely
太 (tài) highest/greatest/too (much)/very/extremely
生 (shēng) to be born/to give birth/life/to grow/raw/uncooked/student
了 (le) (modal particle intensifying preceding clause)/(completed
两 (liǎng) two/both/some/a few/tael unit of weight equal to 50 grams
个 (gě) individual/this/that/size/classifier for people or objects
女儿 (nǚ ér) daughter
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
儿 (ér) child/son/non-syllabic diminutive suffix/retroflex final
大女儿嫁绐了伞店老板，
dà nǚ ér jià dài le sǎn diàn lǎo bǎn
The eldest daughter married an umbrella store owner.
大 (dà) big/huge/large/major/great/wide/deep/older (than)/oldest
女儿 (nǚ ér) daughter
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
儿 (ér) child/son/non-syllabic diminutive suffix/retroflex final
嫁 (jià) (of a woman) to marry/to marry off a daughter/to shift
绐 (dài) to cheat/to pretend/to deceive
了 (le) (modal particle intensifying preceding clause)/(completed
伞 (sǎn) umbrella/parasol/CL:把[ba3]
店 (diàn) inn/shop/store/CL:家[jia1]
老板 (lǎo bǎn) Robam (brand)/boss/business proprietor/CL:個|个[ge4]
老 (lǎo) null
板 (bǎn) board/plank/plate/shutter/table tennis bat/clappers (music)
小女儿当上了洗衣作坊的女主管。
xiǎo nǚ ér dāng shǎng le xǐ yī zuō fāng de nǚ zhǔ guǎn
The youngest daughter became the head woman of the laundry workshop.
小女 (xiǎo nǚ) my daughter (humble)
小 (xiǎo) small/tiny/few/young
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
儿 (ér) child/son/non-syllabic diminutive suffix/retroflex final
当上 (dāng shǎng) to take up duty as/to assume a position/to assume/to take
当 (dāng) (onom.) dong/ding dong (bell)/to be/to act as/manage
上 (shǎng) see 上聲|上声[shang3 sheng1]/on top/upon/above/upper/previous
了 (le) (modal particle intensifying preceding clause)/(completed
洗衣 (xǐ yī) laundry
洗 (xǐ) to wash/to bathe/to develop (photo)
衣 (yī) clothes/CL:件[jian4]/to dress/to wear/to put on (clothes)
作坊 (zuō fāng) workshop (of artisan)
作 (zuō) worker/workshop/(slang) troublesome/high-maintenance
坊 (fāng) lane (usually as part of a street name)/memorial archway
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
主管 (zhǔ guǎn) in charge/responsible for/person in charge/manager
主 (zhǔ) owner/master/host/individual or party concerned/God/Lord
管 (guǎn) to take care (of)/to control/to manage/to be in charge of
于是老太太整天忧心忡忡，每逢遇上下雨天，她担心洗衣作坊的衣服晾不干；每逢遇上晴天呢，她又深怕伞店的雨伞卖不出去，天天为女儿担忧。
So the old lady was worried all day long. Whenever it rained, she was worried that the laundry would not dry; whenever it was sunny, she was afraid that the umbrellas in the umbrella store would not sell, so she worried about her daughter every day.
于是老太太整天忧心忡忡，
yú shì lǎo tài tài zhěng tiān yōu xīn chōng chōng
So the old lady was worried all day long.
于是 (yú shì) thereupon/as a result/consequently/thus/hence
于 (yú) in/at/to/from/by/than/out of
是 (shì) is/are/am/yes/to be
老太太 (lǎo tài tài) elderly lady (respectful)/esteemed mother/CL:位[wei4]
老 (lǎo) null
太 (tài) highest/greatest/too (much)/very/extremely
太 (tài) highest/greatest/too (much)/very/extremely
整天 (zhěng tiān) all day long/whole day
整 (zhěng) exactly/in good order/whole/complete/entire/in order
天 (tiān) day/sky/heaven
忧心忡忡 (yōu xīn chōng chōng) deeply worried and sick at heart (idiom)
忧 (yōu) to worry/to concern oneself with/worried/anxiety/sorrow
心 (xīn) heart/mind/intention/center/core/CL:顆|颗[ke1]個|个[ge4]
忡 (chōng) grieved/distressed/sad/uneasy
忡 (chōng) grieved/distressed/sad/uneasy
每逢遇上下雨天，
měi féng yù shǎng xià yǔ tiān
Whenever there is a rainy day
每逢 (měi féng) every time/on each occasion/whenever
每 (měi) each/every
逢 (féng) to meet by chance/to come across/(of a calendar event) to
遇 (yù) to meet/to encounter/to treat/to receive/opportunity/chance
上下 (shǎng xià) up and down/top and bottom/old and new/length/about
上 (shǎng) see 上聲|上声[shang3 sheng1]/on top/upon/above/upper/previous
下 (xià) down/downwards/below/lower/later/next (week etc)/second (of
雨天 (yǔ tiān) rainy day/rainy weather
雨 (yǔ) rain/CL:陣|阵[zhen4]場|场[chang2]/to rain/(of rain snow etc) to
天 (tiān) day/sky/heaven
她担心洗衣作坊的衣服晾不干；
tā dān xīn xǐ yī zuō fāng de yī fú liàng bù gān
She was concerned that the laundry would not dry out in the workshop.
她 (tā) she
担心 (dān xīn) anxious/worried/uneasy/to worry/to be anxious
担 (dān) to undertake/to carry/to shoulder/to take responsibility
心 (xīn) heart/mind/intention/center/core/CL:顆|颗[ke1]個|个[ge4]
洗衣 (xǐ yī) laundry
洗 (xǐ) to wash/to bathe/to develop (photo)
衣 (yī) clothes/CL:件[jian4]/to dress/to wear/to put on (clothes)
作坊 (zuō fāng) workshop (of artisan)
作 (zuō) worker/workshop/(slang) troublesome/high-maintenance
坊 (fāng) lane (usually as part of a street name)/memorial archway
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
衣服 (yī fú) clothes/CL:件[jian4]套[tao4]
衣 (yī) clothes/CL:件[jian4]/to dress/to wear/to put on (clothes)
服 (fú) clothes/dress/garment/to serve (in the military a prison
晾 (liàng) to dry in the air/(fig.) to cold-shoulder
不 (bù) (negative prefix)/not/no
干 (gān) to concern/to interfere/shield/stem
每逢遇上晴天呢，
měi féng yù shǎng qíng tiān ne
Whenever there is a sunny day, what about
每逢 (měi féng) every time/on each occasion/whenever
每 (měi) each/every
逢 (féng) to meet by chance/to come across/(of a calendar event) to
遇 (yù) to meet/to encounter/to treat/to receive/opportunity/chance
上 (shǎng) see 上聲|上声[shang3 sheng1]/on top/upon/above/upper/previous
晴天 (qíng tiān) clear sky/sunny day
晴 (qíng) clear/fine (weather)
天 (tiān) day/sky/heaven
呢 (ne) particle indicating that a previously asked question is to
她又深怕伞店的雨伞卖不出去，
tā yòu shēn pà sǎn diàn de yǔ sǎn mài bù chū qù
She was afraid that the umbrella store would not be able to sell the umbrellas.
她 (tā) she
又 (yòu) (once) again/also/both... and.../and yet/(used for
深 (shēn) deep/depth/deeply/(of a color) dark/deep/rich
怕 (pà) to be afraid/to fear/to dread/to be unable to endure
伞 (sǎn) umbrella/parasol/CL:把[ba3]
店 (diàn) inn/shop/store/CL:家[jia1]
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
雨伞 (yǔ sǎn) umbrella/CL:把[ba3]
雨 (yǔ) rain/CL:陣|阵[zhen4]場|场[chang2]/to rain/(of rain snow etc) to
伞 (sǎn) umbrella/parasol/CL:把[ba3]
卖 (mài) to sell/to betray/to spare no effort/to show off or flaunt
不 (bù) (negative prefix)/not/no
出去 (chū qù) to go out
出 (chū) to go out/to come out/to occur/to produce/to go beyond/to
去 (qù) to go/to go to (a place)/(of a time etc) last/just passed
天天为女儿担忧。
tiān tiān wéi nǚ ér dān yōu
Day in and day out, I worry about my daughter.
天天 (tiān tiān) every day
天 (tiān) day/sky/heaven
天 (tiān) day/sky/heaven
为 (wéi) as (in the capacity of)/to take sth as/to act as/to serve
女儿 (nǚ ér) daughter
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
儿 (ér) child/son/non-syllabic diminutive suffix/retroflex final
担忧 (dān yōu) to worry/to be concerned
担 (dān) to undertake/to carry/to shoulder/to take responsibility
忧 (yōu) to worry/to concern oneself with/worried/anxiety/sorrow
日子过得十分忧郁。
The days are very melancholy.
日子过得十分忧郁。
rì zǐ guō dé shí fēn yōu yù
The days are very melancholy.
日子 (rì zǐ) day/a (calendar) date/days of one's life
日 (rì) abbr. for 日本[Ri4 ben3] Japan/sun/day/date day of the month
子 (zǐ) son/child/seed/egg/small thing/1st earthly branch: 11
过得 (guō dé) How are you getting by?/How's life?/contraction of 過得去|过得去
过 (guō) to cross/to go over/to pass (time)/to celebrate (a holiday)
得 (dé) to obtain/to get/to gain/to catch (a disease)/proper
十分 (shí fēn) very/completely/utterly/extremely/absolutely/hundred
十 (shí) ten/10
分 (fēn) to divide/to separate/to distribute/to allocate/to
忧郁 (yōu yù) sullen/depressed/melancholy/dejected
忧 (yōu) to worry/to concern oneself with/worried/anxiety/sorrow
郁 (yù) elegant
后来，位聪明人告诉她：老太太，您真是好福气。
Later, a wise man told her: "Old lady, you are really lucky.
后来，
hòu lái
Later.
后来 (hòu lái) afterwards/later
后 (hòu) empress/queen
来 (lái) to come/to arrive/to come round/ever since/next
位聪明人告诉她：
wèi cōng míng rén gào sù tā
A wise person told her.
位 (wèi) position/location/place/seat/classifier for people
聪明 (cōng míng) intelligent/clever/bright/smart/acute (of sight and
聪 (cōng) quick at hearing/wise/clever/sharp-witted/intelligent/acute
明 (míng) bright/opposite: dark 暗[an4]/(of meaning) clear/to
人 (rén) man/person/people/CL:個|个[ge4]位[wei4]
告诉 (gào sù) to press charges/to file a complaint/to tell/to inform/to
告 (gào) to say/to tell/to announce/to report/to denounce/to file a
诉 (sù) to complain/to sue/to tell
她 (tā) she
老太太，
lǎo tài tài
Old lady.
老太太 (lǎo tài tài) elderly lady (respectful)/esteemed mother/CL:位[wei4]
老 (lǎo) null
太 (tài) highest/greatest/too (much)/very/extremely
太 (tài) highest/greatest/too (much)/very/extremely
您真是好福气。
nín zhēn shì hǎo fú qì
You are so blessed.
您 (nín) you (courteous as opposed to informal 你[ni3])
真是 (zhēn shì) indeed/truly/(coll.) (used to express disapproval annoyance
真 (zhēn) really/truly/indeed/real/true/genuine
是 (shì) is/are/am/yes/to be
好 (hǎo) good/well/proper/good to/easy to/very/so/(suffix indicating
福气 (fú qì) good fortune/a blessing
福 (fú) good fortune/happiness/luck
气 (qì) gas/air/smell/weather/to make angry/to annoy/to get angry
下雨天，您大女儿家生意兴隆；大晴天你小女儿家顾客盈门，哪一天你都有好消息啊。
On a rainy day, your eldest daughter's house is booming; on a sunny day, your youngest daughter's house is full of customers, so you have good news on any day.
下雨天，
xià yǔ tiān
Rainy days
下雨 (xià yǔ) to rain
下 (xià) down/downwards/below/lower/later/next (week etc)/second (of
雨 (yǔ) rain/CL:陣|阵[zhen4]場|场[chang2]/to rain/(of rain snow etc) to
天 (tiān) day/sky/heaven
您大女儿家生意兴隆；
nín dà nǚ ér jiā shēng yì xīng lóng
Your eldest daughter's family is doing well.
您 (nín) you (courteous as opposed to informal 你[ni3])
大 (dà) big/huge/large/major/great/wide/deep/older (than)/oldest
女儿 (nǚ ér) daughter
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
儿 (ér) child/son/non-syllabic diminutive suffix/retroflex final
家 (jiā) home/family/(polite) my (sister uncle etc)/classifier for
生意兴隆 (shēng yì xīng lóng) thriving and prosperous business or trade
生 (shēng) to be born/to give birth/life/to grow/raw/uncooked/student
意 (yì) Italy/Italian/abbr. for 意大利[Yi4 da4 li4]/idea/meaning
兴 (xīng) to rise/to flourish/to become popular/to start/to encourage
隆 (lóng) sound of drums/grand/intense/prosperous/to swell/to bulge
大晴天你小女儿家顾客盈门，
dà qíng tiān nǐ xiǎo nǚ ér jiā gù kè yíng mén
Your little daughter's house is full of customers on a big sunny day.
大 (dà) big/huge/large/major/great/wide/deep/older (than)/oldest
晴天 (qíng tiān) clear sky/sunny day
晴 (qíng) clear/fine (weather)
天 (tiān) day/sky/heaven
你 (nǐ) you (informal as opposed to courteous 您[nin2])
小女 (xiǎo nǚ) my daughter (humble)
小 (xiǎo) small/tiny/few/young
女 (nǚ) female/woman/daughter
儿 (ér) child/son/non-syllabic diminutive suffix/retroflex final
家 (jiā) home/family/(polite) my (sister uncle etc)/classifier for
顾客 (gù kè) client/customer/CL:位[wei4]
顾 (gù) to look after/to take into consideration/to attend to
客 (kè) customer/visitor/guest
盈门 (yíng mén) lit. fill the door/fill the house (at a wedding or
盈 (yíng) full/filled/surplus
门 (mén) gate/door/CL:扇[shan4]/gateway/doorway/CL:個|个[ge4]/opening
哪一天你都有好消息啊。
nǎ yī tiān nǐ dōu yǒu hǎo xiāo xī ā
Which day you have good news ah.
哪 (nǎ) how/which/(particle equivalent to 啊 after noun ending in
一 (yī) one/1/single/a (article)/as soon as/entire/whole/all
天 (tiān) day/sky/heaven
你 (nǐ) you (informal as opposed to courteous 您[nin2])
都 (dōu) all/both/entirely/(used for emphasis) even/already/(not) at
有 (yǒu) to have/there is/there are/to exist/to be
好 (hǎo) good/well/proper/good to/easy to/very/so/(suffix indicating
消息 (xiāo xī) news/information/CL:條|条[tiao2]
消 (xiāo) to disappear/to vanish/to eliminate/to spend (time)/have to
息 (xī) breath/news/interest (on an investment or loan)/to cease/to
啊 (ā) interjection of surprise/Ah!/Oh!/interjection expressing
哲理启示：现实生活中，很多人总是被事情的阴暗面困扰着，可是从来都没有换个角度去想一下。
Philosophical Insight: In real life, many people are always troubled by the dark side of things, but never think about it from a different perspective.
哲理启示：
zhé lǐ qǐ shì
Philosophical Insights.
哲理 (zhé lǐ) philosophic theory/philosophy
哲 (zhé) wise/a sage
理 (lǐ) texture/grain (of wood)/inner essence/intrinsic order
启示 (qǐ shì) to reveal/to enlighten/enlightenment/revelation
启 (qǐ) Qi son of Yu the Great 禹[Yu3] reported founder of the Xia
示 (shì) to show/to reveal
现实生活中，
xiàn shí shēng huó zhōng
In real life.
现实 (xiàn shí) reality/actuality/real/actual/realistic/pragmatic
现 (xiàn) to appear/present/now/existing/current
实 (shí) real/true/honest/really/solid/fruit/seed/definitely
生活 (shēng huó) life/activity/to live/livelihood
生 (shēng) to be born/to give birth/life/to grow/raw/uncooked/student
活 (huó) to live/alive/living/work/workmanship
中 (zhōng) within/among/in/middle/center/while (doing sth)/during
很多人总是被事情的阴暗面困扰着，
hěn duō rén zǒng shì bèi shì qíng de yīn àn miàn kùn rǎo zhāo
Many people are always troubled by the dark side of things that
很 (hěn) (adverb of degree)/quite/very/awfully
多 (duō) many/much/often/a lot of/numerous/more/in excess/how (to
人 (rén) man/person/people/CL:個|个[ge4]位[wei4]
总是 (zǒng shì) always
总 (zǒng) always/to assemble/gather/total/overall/head/chief/general
是 (shì) is/are/am/yes/to be
被 (bèi) quilt/by/(indicates passive-voice clauses)/(literary) to
事情 (shì qíng) affair/matter/thing/business/CL:件[jian4]樁|桩[zhuang1]
事 (shì) matter/thing/item/work/affair
情 (qíng) feeling/emotion/passion/situation
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
阴暗面 (yīn àn miàn) the dark side (of society etc)
阴 (yīn) overcast (weather)/cloudy/shady/Yin (the negative principle
暗 (àn) dark/gloomy/hidden/secret/muddled/obscure/in the dark
面 (miàn) face/side/surface/aspect/top/classifier for flat surfaces
困扰 (kùn rǎo) to perplex/to disturb/to cause complications
困 (kùn) to trap/to surround/hard-pressed/stranded/destitute
扰 (rǎo) to disturb
着 (zhāo) (chess) move/trick/all right!/(dialect) to add/to touch/to
可是从来都没有换个角度去想一下。
kě shì cóng lái dōu méi yǒu huàn gě jiǎo dù qù xiǎng yī xià
But never think about it in a different way.
可是 (kě shì) but/however/(used for emphasis) indeed
可 (kě) can/may/able to/to approve/to permit/to suit/(particle used
是 (shì) is/are/am/yes/to be
从来 (cóng lái) always/at all times/never (if used in negative sentence)
从 (cóng) from/through/via/to follow/to obey/to engage in (an
来 (lái) to come/to arrive/to come round/ever since/next
都 (dōu) all/both/entirely/(used for emphasis) even/already/(not) at
没有 (méi yǒu) haven't/hasn't/doesn't exist/to not have/to not be
没 (méi) (negative prefix for verbs)/have not/not/drowned/to end/to
有 (yǒu) to have/there is/there are/to exist/to be
换 (huàn) to exchange/to change (clothes etc)/to substitute/to switch
个 (gě) individual/this/that/size/classifier for people or objects
角度 (jiǎo dù) angle/point of view
角 (jiǎo) angle/corner/horn/horn-shaped/unit of money equal to 0.1
度 (dù) to pass/to spend (time)/measure/limit/extent/degree of
去 (qù) to go/to go to (a place)/(of a time etc) last/just passed
想 (xiǎng) to think/to believe/to suppose/to wish/to want/to miss
一下 (yī xià) (used after a verb) give it a go/to do (sth for a bit to
一 (yī) one/1/single/a (article)/as soon as/entire/whole/all
下 (xià) down/downwards/below/lower/later/next (week etc)/second (of
天还是老样子，只是脑筋变了一变，生活的色彩竟然焕然一新。
The day is still the same, just a change of brain, the color of life is surprisingly new.
天还是老样子，
tiān hái shì lǎo yàng zǐ
The days are still the same.
天 (tiān) day/sky/heaven
还是 (hái shì) or/still/nevertheless/had better
还 (hái) still/still in progress/still more/yet/even more/in
是 (shì) is/are/am/yes/to be
老样子 (lǎo yàng zǐ) old situation/things as they were
老 (lǎo) null
样 (yàng) manner/pattern/way/appearance/shape/classifier: kind type
子 (zǐ) son/child/seed/egg/small thing/1st earthly branch: 11
只是脑筋变了一变，
zhī shì nǎo jīn biàn le yī biàn
Just a change of brain.
只是 (zhī shì) merely/simply/only/but
只 (zhī) only/merely/just/but
是 (shì) is/are/am/yes/to be
脑筋 (nǎo jīn) brains/mind/head/way of thinking
脑 (nǎo) brain/mind/head/essence
筋 (jīn) muscle/tendon/veins visible under the skin/sth resembling
变 (biàn) to change/to become different/to transform/to vary
了 (le) (modal particle intensifying preceding clause)/(completed
一 (yī) one/1/single/a (article)/as soon as/entire/whole/all
变 (biàn) to change/to become different/to transform/to vary
生活的色彩竟然焕然一新。
shēng huó de sè cǎi jìng rán huàn rán yī xīn
The colors of life are surprisingly new.
生活 (shēng huó) life/activity/to live/livelihood
生 (shēng) to be born/to give birth/life/to grow/raw/uncooked/student
活 (huó) to live/alive/living/work/workmanship
的 (de) of/~'s (possessive particle)/(used after an attribute)
色彩 (sè cǎi) tint/coloring/coloration/(fig.) flavor/character
色 (sè) color/CL:種|种[zhong3]/look/appearance/sex/color/dice
彩 (cǎi) (bright) color/variety/applause/applaud/lottery prize
竟然 (jìng rán) unexpectedly/to one's surprise/in spite of everything/in
竟 (jìng) unexpectedly/actually/to go so far as to/indeed
然 (rán) correct/right/so/thus/like this/-ly
焕然一新 (huàn rán yī xīn) to look completely new (idiom); brand new/changed beyond
焕 (huàn) brilliant/lustrous
然 (rán) correct/right/so/thus/like this/-ly
一 (yī) one/1/single/a (article)/as soon as/entire/whole/all
新 (xīn) new/newly/meso- (chemistry)