Flowers of Shanghai

Flowers of Shanghai 1998

海上花 hǎishàng huā

At the end of the 19th century, Shanghai is divided into several foreign concessions. In the British concession, a number of luxurious “flower houses” are reserved for the male elite of the city. Since Chinese dignitaries are not allowed to frequent brothels, these establishments are the only ones that these men can visit. They form a self-contained world, with its own rites, traditions and even its own language. The men don’t only visit the houses to frequent the courtesans but also to dine, smoke opium, play mahjong and relax. The women working there are known as the “flowers of Shanghai”.

HSK 1
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4.02 Intermediate

Vocabulary

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头里 頭里 tóu lǐ in front; in advance of the field ∼HSK 2
小孩子 小孩子 xiǎo hái zi child ∼HSK 2
当家 當家 dāng jiā to manage the household; to be the one in charge of the family; to call the shots; to be in charge ∼HSK 2
小孩 小孩 xiǎo hái child ∼HSK 2
接下 接下 jiē xià to take on (a responsibility) ∼HSK 2
打气 打氣 dǎ qì to inflate; to pump up; (fig.) to encourage; to boost morale ∼HSK 2
不得 不得 bù dé must not; may not; not to be allowed; cannot ∼HSK 2
具 具 jù tool, implement; draw up, write ∼HSK 2
两全 兩全 liǎng quán to satisfy both sides; to accommodate both (demands) ∼HSK 2
刘 劉 Liú surname; kill, destroy ∼HSK 2
留客 留客 liú kè to ask a guest to stay; to detain a guest ∼HSK 2
花头 花頭 huā tou trick; pattern; novel idea; knack ∼HSK 2
不可能 不可能 bù kě néng impossible; cannot; not able ∼HSK 2
易 易 Yì change; easy ∼HSK 2
一点点 一點點 yī diǎn diǎn a little bit HSK 2
看得出 看得出 kàn de chū can see; can tell ∼HSK 2
干杯 乾杯 gān bēi to drink a toast; Cheers! (proposing a toast); Here's to you!; Bottoms up!; lit. dry cup HSK 2
请客 請客 qǐng kè to give a dinner party; to entertain guests; to invite to dinner HSK 2
做生意 做生意 zuò shēng yì to do business ∼HSK 2
里头 裡頭 lǐ tou inside; interior HSK 2
走开 走開 zǒu kāi to leave; to walk away; to beat it; to move aside HSK 2
老朋友 老朋友 lǎo péng you old friend; (slang) period; menstruation HSK 2
西北 西北 Xī běi Northwest China (Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Xinjiang) HSK 2
夜里 夜裡 yè li during the night; at night; nighttime HSK 2
这时候 這時候 zhè shíhòu At this moment HSK 2
一共 一共 yī gòng altogether HSK 2
商量 商量 shāng liang to consult; to talk over; to discuss HSK 2
半夜 半夜 bàn yè midnight; in the middle of the night HSK 2
笑话 笑話 xiào hua joke; jest; to laugh at; to mock HSK 2
太太 太太 tài tai married woman; Mrs.; Madam; wife HSK 2
大小 大小 dà xiǎo dimension; magnitude; size; measurement; large and small; at any rate; adults and children; consideration of seniority HSK 2
姓 姓 xìng family name; surname; to be surnamed HSK 2
这时 這時 zhè shí at this time; at this moment HSK 2
好人 好人 hǎo rén good person; healthy person; person who tries not to offend anyone, even at the expense of principle HSK 2
云 云 yún (classical) to say HSK 2
有意思 有意思 yǒu yì si interesting; meaningful; enjoyable; fun HSK 2
好久 好久 hǎo jiǔ quite a while HSK 2
碰到 碰到 pèng dào to come across; to run into; to meet; to hit HSK 2
碰 掽 pèng to touch; to meet with; to bump HSK 2
便宜 便宜 biàn yí convenient HSK 2
不好意思 不好意思 bù hǎo yì si to feel embarrassed; to find it embarrassing; to be sorry (for inconveniencing sb) HSK 2
客人 客人 kè rén visitor; guest; customer; client HSK 2
不如 不如 bù rú not equal to; not as good as; inferior to; it would be better to HSK 2
好事 好事 hǎo shì good action, deed, thing or work (also sarcastic, "a fine thing indeed"); charity; happy occasion; Daoist or Buddhist ceremony for the souls of the dead HSK 2
好处 好處 hǎo chǔ easy to get along with HSK 2
道理 道理 dào li reason; argument; sense; principle; basis; justification HSK 2
放心 放心 fàng xīn to feel relieved; to feel reassured; to be at ease HSK 2
响 響 xiǎng echo; sound; noise; to make a sound; to sound; to ring; loud; classifier for noises HSK 2
的话 的話 de huà if (coming after a conditional clause) HSK 2
到处 到處 dào chù everywhere HSK 2