numbered vest for laborers (historical)
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
numbered vest or waistcoat worn by laborers in old times
archaicRefers to the numbered uniforms worn by service workers such as rickshaw pullers, sedan carriers, and porters in pre-modern China (late Qing to Republican era). The numbers helped identify individuals and manage payroll or work assignments.
Jiù旧
shí时
de的
huáng黄
bāo包
chē车
fū夫
dōu都
chuān穿
zhe着
yìn印
yǒu有
chē车
háng行
hào号
mǎ码
de的
hào号
kǎn坎
r儿
。
Rickshaw pullers in the old days all wore numbered vests printed with their garage's code.
Bó博
wù物
guǎn馆
lǐ里
chén陈
liè列
zhe着
yī一
jiàn件
mín民
guó国
shí时
qī期
de的
bān搬
yùn运
gōng工
hào号
kǎn坎
r儿
。
The museum displays a numbered porter's vest from the Republican era.
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Nà那
gè个
lǎo老
tóu头
r儿
nián年
qīng轻
shí时
chuān穿
guo过
hào号
kǎn坎
r儿
lā拉
yáng洋
chē车
。
That old man wore a numbered vest pulling rickshaws when he was young.