Chinese Riddles Page 1

一個小姑娘, 坐在水中央,
jat1 go3 gu1 noeng4, co5 zoi6 seoi2 zung1 joeng1
身穿粉紅襖, 撐船不用槳.
san1 cyun1 fan2 hung4 ou2, caang1 syun4 bat1 jung6 zoeng2
(猜一種花卉)
caai1 jat1 zung2 faa1 wai2

A small maiden, sits in the middle of the water
Wearing a pink jacket, she rows her boat without oars
(Clue: a flowering plant)

一個 = a (person) 小 = small 姑娘 = maiden, 坐在 = sits upon 水 = water 中央 = middle
身 = (her) body 穿 = wearing 粉紅 = pink 襖 = jacket,
撐 = to row or punt 船 = (her) boat 不 = not 用 = use 槳. = paddle or oars
猜 = guess (or in this context, a clue) 一種 = a type 花卉 = flower

紅姑娘,住小巷
hung4 gu1 loeng4, zyu6 siu2 hong6
冬天短,夏天長.
dung1 tin1 dyun2, haa6 tin1 coeng4
(猜一種用品)
caai1 jat1 zung2 jung6 ban2

A red maiden, lives in a small lane
In the winter she is short, in the summer she is long
(Clue: an everyday item)

紅姑娘 = (a) red maiden 住 = to live / dwell 小巷 = small lane
冬天 = winter 短 = short (length) 夏天 = summer 長 = long
猜一種用品 = guess a thing, a household item

Answers: 荷花 ho4 faa1 (lotus / waterlily) 寒暑表 hon4 syu2 biu2 (thermometer)