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Christmas is coming and here is a little festive treat from Instant Mandarin. Learn the Mandarin Chinese version of the legend behind the white beard, the reindeers, and the gifts – Santa Claus of course.

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圣诞老人的由来

The Origin of Santa Claus

Zài xīfāng guójiā yǒu xǔduō guānyú Shèngdàn Lǎorén de chuánshuō，qízhōng zuì yǒumíng de shì《Shèng Nígǔlāsī hé Sān gè Nǚháir》de gùshì.

在西方国家有许多关于圣诞老人的传说，其中最有名的是《圣尼古拉斯和三个女孩儿》的故事。

There are many legends about Santa Claus in Western countries, the most famous of which is the story of "St. Nicholas and the Three Girls”.

*Shèngdàn Lǎorén (圣诞老人) – Santa Claus / Father Christmas

*Shèng Nígǔlāsī (圣尼古拉斯) – St Nicholas

*chuánshuō (传说) – Legend

Chuánshuō zài hěnjiǔ yǐqián，yǒu yí gè pínqióng de fùqin，tā yǒu sān gè nǚ‘ér. Zhè gè pínqióng de fùqin yīnwéi wúfǎ fùdān sān gè nǚ’ér de jiàzhuang，dǎsuan bǎ nǚháir men mài qù dāng núlì. Shèng Nígǔlāsī zhīdào le zhèjiàn shìr，tā fēicháng tóngqíng sān gè nǚháir.

传说在很久以前，有一个贫穷的父亲，他有三个女儿。这个贫穷的父亲因为无法负担三个女儿的嫁妆，打算把女孩儿们卖去当奴隶。圣尼古拉斯知道了这件事儿，他非常同情三个女孩儿。

Legend has it that a long time ago, there was a poor father who had three daughters. Because the poor father could not afford the dowry of his three daughters, he had no choice but plan to sell the girls as slaves. Saint Nicholas knew about it, and he sympathized with the three girls very much.

*Pínqióng (贫穷) – poor

*Fùqin (父亲) – father

*wúfǎ (无法) – unable to

*fùdān (负担) – bear the burden

*jiàzhuang (嫁妆) – dowry

*dāng (当) – to be

*núlì (奴隶) – slave/slavery

*tóngqíng (同情) – to pity, sympathise, show compassion

Yúshì，yǒu yì tiān wǎnshang，Shèng Nígǔlāsī ná zhe yí dài jīnzi，cóng nǚháir men jiā de yāncong rēng le jìnqù. Jīnzi zhènghǎo luò jìn le nǚháir guà zài bìlú qián de chángwà lǐ.

于是，有一天晚上，圣尼古拉斯拿着一袋金子，从女孩儿们家的烟囱扔了进去。金子正好落进了女孩儿挂在壁炉前的长袜里。

So, one night, St. Nicholas took a bag of gold and threw it in the chimney of the girls' house. The gold just fell into the girl's stockings hung in front of the fireplace.

*Yúshì (于是) – therefore；hence

*yí dài jīnzi (一袋金子) – a bag of gold

*yāncong (烟囱) – Chimney

*rēng le (扔了) – thrown

*zhènghǎo (正好) – just right, by chance, just happen to

*luò jìn (落进) – fall into

*guà (挂) – hang/hung

*bìlú (壁炉) – fireplace

*chángwà (长袜) – stocking

Dì èr tiān, nǚ háir jīngxǐ de fāxiàn le chángwà lǐ de jīnzi，jīdòng de luò lèi le，dànshì shéi yě bù zhīdào zhèxiē jīnzi shì shéi sòng lái de. Dào le wǎnshang，nǚháir men xiàng qián yì wǎn yíyàng，bǎ chángwà guà zài bìlú qián jiù shuì qù le.

第二天女孩儿惊喜地发现了长袜里的金子，激动得落泪了，但是谁也不知道这些金子是谁送来的。到了晚上，女孩儿们像前一晚一样，把长袜挂在壁炉前就睡去了。

The next day the girl was surprised to find the gold in the stockings, she was so excited that she wept, but no one knew who sent the gold. At night, the girls hung their stockings in front of the fireplace and went to sleep like the night before.

*jīngxǐ (惊喜) – surprised

*fāxiàn (发现) – to discover/find

*jīdòng (激动) – excited

*luò lèi le (落泪了) – shed tears

Tāmen zài mèng lǐ qídǎo néng zài yí cì huòdé jīnzi. Dì sān tiān zǎoshang，nǚháir men guǒrán yòu zài chángwà lǐ fāxiàn le jīnzi. Nǚháir men bǎ zhè gè xiāoxi gàosù le tāmen de fùqin，tāmen de fùqin yě jīdòng de shuō bù chū huà.

她们在梦里祈祷能再一次获得金子。第三天早上，女孩儿们果然又在长袜里发现了金子。女孩儿们把这个消息告诉了她们的父亲，她们的父亲也激动得说不出话。

They prayed in their dreams to get gold again. On the third morning, the girls found gold in their stockings again. The girls told their father the news, and their father was too excited to speak.

*mèng lǐ (梦里) – dream

*qídǎo (祈祷) – to pray/prayer

*huòdé (获得) – to get, receive, obtain

*guǒrán (果然) – really, sure enough, as expected

*xiāoxi (消息) – news

Tā zhīdào zhè yìwèi zhe tā de nǚ’ér men kěyǐ ná zhe zhèxiē jīnzi zuòwéi jiàzhuang qù jiéhūn le，tā de nǚ’ér men bú yòng qù zuò núlì le.

他知道这意味着他的女儿们可以拿着这些金子作为嫁妆去结婚了，他的女儿们不用去做奴隶了。

He knew that this meant that his daughters could use the gold as a dowry to get married, and his daughters would not have to be slaves.

*yìwèi zhe (意味着) – meant, to mean, imply

*zuò wéi (作为) – use/act as

*jiéhūn (结婚) – get married

Fùqīn hé sān gè nǚháir dōu hěn xiǎng zhīdào shì shéi sòng gěi tāmen zhèxiē jīnzi de，zhè tiān wǎnshang，tāmen hái shì bǎ chángwà guà zài bìlú qián，dànshì tāmen méi yǒu xiàng wǎngcháng yíyàng shuìqù，érshì zài bìlú biān děng zhe jīnzi de dàolái.

父亲和三个女孩儿都很想知道是谁送给他们这些金子的，这天晚上，他们还是把长袜挂在壁炉前，但是他们没有像往常一样睡去，而是在壁炉边等着金子的到来。

The father and the three girls wanted to know who gave them the gold. That night, they still hung their stockings in front of the fireplace, but instead of going to sleep as usual, they waited for the gold by the fireplace's arrival

*érshì (而是) – but

*dàolái (到来) – arrival

Dào le bànyè，tāmen tīng dào le yìxiē xiǎngshēng，tūrán，yí dài jīnzi cóng

yāncong lǐ diào le chūlái，zhènghǎo luò jìn le chángwà lǐ.

到了半夜，他们听到了一些响声，突然，一袋金子从烟囱里掉了出来，正好落进了长袜里。

In the middle of the night, they heard some noises, and suddenly, a bag of gold fell out of the chimney, just into the stockings.

*bànyè (半夜) – midnight

*xiǎngshēng (响声) – sound, noise

*tūrán (突然) – suddenly

Fùqin hé nǚháir men gǎnjǐn pǎo chū mén，tāmen xiàng wūdǐng de yāncong wàng qù，yí gè zhǎng zhe báisè húzi，chuān zhe hóngsè yīfu de lǎorén zhèng zhàn zài tāmen jiā de wūdǐng shàng，qīnqiè de xiào zhe.

父亲和女孩儿们赶紧跑出门，他们向屋顶的烟囱望去，一个长着白色胡子，穿着红色衣服的老人正站在他们家的屋顶上，亲切地笑着。

The father and the girls rushed out. They looked towards the chimney on the roof. An old man with a white beard and red clothes was standing on the roof of their house, smiling affectionately.

*Gǎnjǐn (赶紧) – to rush, hurriedly, speedily, quickly

*Xiàng (向) – towards

*Wūdǐng (屋顶) – roof

*Wàng (望) – look far into the distance

*zhǎng zhe báisè húzi (长着白色胡子) – with a white beard

*chuān zhe hóngsè yīfu (穿着红色衣服) – worn red clothes

*Qīnqiè de xiào zhe (亲切地笑着) – a kind, affectionate, graceful smile

Shèng Nígǔlāsī bèi fāxiàn le，dànshì tā kěnqiú fùqin hé nǚ háir men búyào bǎ zhè jiàn shìr gàosù biéren. Kěxī de shì，shìqíng hái shì bèi liúchuán le chū qù.

圣尼古拉斯被发现了，但是他恳求父亲和女孩儿们不要把这件事儿告诉别人。可惜的是，事情还是被流传了出去。

Saint Nicholas was discovered, but he begged the father and the girls not to tell anyone about it. It's a pity that the matter was still spread.

*kěnqiú (恳求) – to plead

*Kěxī(可惜) – a pity

*Liúchuán (流传) – spread, circulate

Yīnwèi Shèng Nígǔlāsī sòng nǚ háir men jīnzi de shíjiān zhènghǎo shì Shèngdàn Jiē，yúshì rénmen dōu yǐwéi，Shèngdàn Jiē zài bìlú qián guà shàng chángwà，jiù néng shōu dào Shèng Nígǔlāsī de lǐwù. Mànman de rénmen jiù bǎ sòng lǐwù de Shèng Nígǔlāsī jiào chéng le Shèngdàn Lǎorén.

因为圣尼古拉斯送女孩儿们金子的时间正好是圣诞节，于是人们都以为，圣诞节在壁炉前挂上长袜，就能收到圣尼古拉斯的礼物。慢慢地人们就把送礼物的圣尼古拉斯叫成了圣诞老人。

Because the when St. Nicholas gave the girls gold happened to be Christmas, people thought that by hanging stockings in front of the fireplace at Christmas, you would receive gifts from St. Nicholas. Slowly the people called Saint Nicholas, who gave gifts, Santa Claus.

*Shèngdàn Jiē (圣诞节) – Christmas

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And here is the full retelling without interruption, in pinyin then Chinese characters.

Pinyin:

Zài xīfāng guójiā yǒu xǔduō guānyú Shèngdàn Lǎorén de chuánshuō，qízhōng zuì yǒumíng de shì《Shèng Nígǔlāsī hé Sān gè Nǚháir》de gùshì. Chuánshuō zài hěnjiǔ yǐqián，yǒu yí gè pínqióng de fùqin，tā yǒu sān gè nǚ‘ér. Zhè gè pínqióng de fùqin yīnwéi wúfǎ fùdān sān gè nǚ’ér de jiàzhuang，dǎsuan bǎ nǚháir men mài qù dāng núlì. Shèng Nígǔlāsī zhīdào le zhèjiàn shìr，tā fēicháng tóngqíng sān gè nǚháir. Yúshì，yǒu yì tiān wǎnshang，Shèng Nígǔlāsī ná zhe yí dài jīnzi，cóng nǚháir men jiā de yāncong rēng le jìnqù. Jīnzi zhènghǎo luò jìn le nǚháir guà zài bìlú qián de chángwà lǐ. Dì èr tiān, nǚ háir jīngxǐ de fāxiàn le chángwà lǐ de jīnzi，jīdòng de luò lèi le，dànshì shéi yě bù zhīdào zhèxiē jīnzi shì shéi sòng lái de. Dào le wǎnshang，nǚháir men xiàng qián yì wǎn yíyàng，bǎ chángwà guà zài bìlú qián jiù shuì qù le. Tāmen zài mèng lǐ qídǎo néng zài yí cì huòdé jīnzi. Dì sān tiān zǎoshang，nǚháir men guǒrán yòu zài chángwà lǐ fāxiàn le jīnzi. Nǚháir men bǎ zhè gè xiāoxi gàosù le tāmen de fùqin，tāmen de fùqin yě jīdòng de shuō bù chū huà. Tā zhīdào zhè yìwèi zhe tā de nǚ’ér men kěyǐ ná zhe zhèxiē jīnzi zuòwéi jiàzhuang qù jiéhūn le，tā de nǚ’ér men bú yòng qù zuò núlì le. Fùqīn hé sān gè nǚháir dōu hěn xiǎng zhīdào shì shéi sòng gěi tāmen zhèxiē jīnzi de，zhè tiān wǎnshang，tāmen hái shì bǎ chángwà guà zài bìlú qián，dànshì tāmen méi yǒu xiàng wǎngcháng yíyàng shuìqù，érshì zài bìlú biān děng zhe jīnzi de dàolái. Dào le bànyè，tāmen tīng dào le yìxiē xiǎngshēng，tūrán，yí dài jīnzi cóng yāncong lǐ diào le chūlái，zhènghǎo luò jìn le chángwà lǐ. Fùqin hé nǚháir men gǎnjǐn pǎo chū mén, tāmen xiàng wūdǐng de yāncong wàng qù，yí gè zhǎng zhe báisè húzi，chuān zhe hóngsè yīfu de lǎorén zhèng zhàn zài tāmen jiā de wūdǐng shàng，qīnqiè de xiào zhe. Shèng Nígǔlāsī bèi fāxiàn le，dànshì tā kěnqiú fùqin hé nǚ háir men búyào bǎ zhè jiàn shìr gàosù biéren. Kěxī de shì，shìqíng hái shì bèi liúchuán le chū qù. Yīnwèi Shèng Nígǔlāsī sòng nǚ háir men jīnzi de shíjiān zhènghǎo shì Shèngdàn Jiē，yúshì rénmen dōu yǐwéi，Shèngdàn Jiē zài bìlú qián guà shàng chángwà，jiù néng shōu dào Shèng Nígǔlāsī de lǐwù. Mànman de rénmen jiù bǎ sòng lǐwù de Shèng Nígǔlāsī jiào chéng le Shèngdàn Lǎorén.

Chinese Characters:

在西方国家有许多关于圣诞老人的传说，其中最有名的是《圣尼古拉斯和三个女孩儿》的故事。传说在很久以前，有一个贫穷的父亲，他有三个女儿。这个贫穷的父亲因为无法负担三个女儿的嫁妆，打算把女孩儿们卖去当奴隶。圣尼古拉斯知道了这件事儿，他非常同情三个女孩儿。于是，有一天晚上，圣尼古拉斯拿着一袋金子，从女孩儿们家的烟囱扔了进去。金子正好落进了女孩儿挂在壁炉前的长袜里。第二天女孩儿们惊喜地发现了长袜里的金子，激动得落泪了，但是谁也不知道这些金子是谁送来的。到了晚上，女孩儿们像前一晚一样，把长袜挂在壁炉前就睡去了。她们在梦里祈祷能再一次获得金子。第三天早上，女孩儿们果然又在长袜里发现了金子。女孩儿们把这个消息告诉了她们的父亲，她们的父亲也激动得说不出话。他知道这意味着他的女儿们可以拿着这些金子作为嫁妆去结婚了，他的女儿们不用去做奴隶了。父亲和三个女孩儿都很想知道是谁送给他们这些金子的，这天晚上，他们还是把长袜挂在壁炉前，但是他们没有像往常一样睡去，而是在壁炉边等着金子的到来。到了半夜，他们听到了一些响声，突然，一袋金子从烟囱里掉了出来，正好落进了长袜里。父亲和女孩儿们赶紧跑出门，他们向屋顶的烟囱望去，一个长着白色胡子，穿着红色衣服的老人正站在他们家的屋顶上，亲切地笑着。圣尼古拉斯被发现了，但是他恳求父亲和女孩儿们不要把这件事儿告诉别人。可惜的是，事情还是被流传了出去。因为圣尼古拉斯送女孩儿们金子的时间正好是圣诞节，于是人们都以为，圣诞节在壁炉前挂上长袜，就能收到圣尼古拉斯的礼物。慢慢地人们就把送礼物的圣尼古拉斯叫成了圣诞老人。

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To listen to our narration of Santa’s story, please search our videos section on our site or watch it on YouTube via the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPFF65mvb2o 

To test your understanding of the story, try and answer the questions below :)

最有名的圣诞老人的传说是什么？

贫穷的父亲有几个女儿？

这个贫穷的父亲能负担三个女儿的嫁妆吗？

如果不能负担，怎么办？

听说了这件事儿，圣尼古拉斯做了什么？

女孩儿在壁炉前挂了什么？

第二天，女孩儿发现金子的时候，是什么感觉？

第三天早上，还有金子吗？

为什么父亲激动得说不出话？

他们是怎么发现圣尼古拉斯的？

谁在屋顶上？

为什么圣尼古拉斯成了圣诞老人？

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Have a wonderful Christmas and keep safe!