The following proverbs, colloquial sayings and nursery rhymes were told by Fay Hing Lee Wong to her children and grandchildren. They were collected and submitted to us by her daughter Linda Huang. Most are wise, many funny, more are wry, and a few are very earthy. Fay Hing Lee Wong (1917-2000), recited them to Linda and her brothers and sisters, and their children, giving them, and us, a lifetime of loving wisdom. Her husband Voy Wong brought Fay to America in 1947, and, together with their children, they operated the Chungking Restaurant in Riverside for many years. The sayings, nearly 100 of them, are mostly accompanied in Hoisan and English. Click the audio “button” to hear the audio in Linda’s Hoisan-wah. Here are Fay’s sayings, Nos. 10 to 21. More will come in the following months.
10.-Lo ngin oi noon tai,
Old man loves young wife,
Hung nyan ang-gei fai-what mo bei.
(But) same year (age) together happy no comparison.
11.-Lo ngin oi noon tai,
Old man loves young wife,
Oi niu gei-hei dei-gah lo tong.
Wife (will be) spoiled marry old groom.
12.-Leung hai ung ak woon.
Two heads (ends) balance.
(When choosing a prospective groom, one hopes for a well proportioned handsome young
man.)
13.-Ho bwun doi
Handsome boy
14.-Lahn woo-keem
Broken organ
(Same as English idiom, “Broken Record”.)
15.-Gadda ngoi hel bean ung duk kei!
Makes me so angry, my pigtail stands on end!
16.-Noot huat-a thlo!
So frightened, whiskers break off.
17.-Geen jee, jieh chat,
Follow good people, then good will result,
Geen mak, jieh hak.
Follow black (bad), then dark.
18.-Swun tan m’ai,
Boat cost not big,
Dee l’ahm tan ai.
Anchor cost big.
(Cost of upkeep greater than value.)
19.-Thlew lahn swun dee bo lahn wok.
Fixing broken boat like patching broken wok.
(Lost cause because a broken wok can’t be repaired.)
20.-Chut mun m’ai mou dee lam sieu jye hai gei.
Outdoor not wear hat then use hands cover head home.
(Preparation prevents a wet head.)
21.-Mo mun ngoi, tei mun nei ga thleep-hai.
Don’t ask me, it’s like asking your knee.
