五分钱比牛车的轮子还大 Five cent is bigger than the bullock cart wheel.

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五分钱有牛车轮那么大。

 Wǔ fēn qián yǒu niú chēlún nàme dà.

Five cent is as big as a bullock cart wheel.

五分钱比牛车的轮子还大。 Wǔ fēn qián bǐ niú chē de lún zǐ huán dà.  Five cent is bigger than the bullock cart wheel. 

五分钱大过牛车轮 Wǔ fēn qián dàguò niú chēlún  A nickel is bigger than a bull's wheel

 身无分文 shēn wú fēn wén penniless

 过去世道不景的年代，先辈来南洋谋生，碰到债主讨债或私会党收取保护费，常说“我身上半分钱都没有”，有些则进一步说自己“烂命倒有一条”。 这类“跑江湖”的口吻延续至今，可一窥当年“身无分文”之余，在生活中“打拼” 的困境。 他们为了几分钱而刀光拳影，甚至拼了性命，回不了“唐山”。 guòqù shìdào bù jǐng de niándài, xiānbèi lái nányáng móushēng, pèng dào zhàizhǔ tǎozhài huò sī huì dǎng shōuqǔ bǎohù fèi, cháng shuō “wǒ shēnshang bànfēn qián dōu méiyǒu”, yǒuxiē zé jìnyībù shuō zìjǐ “làn mìng dào yǒu yītiáo”. Zhè lèi “pǎojiānghú” de kǒuwěn yánxù zhìjīn, kè yī kuī dāngnián “shēn wú fēn wén” zhī yú, zài shēnghuó zhōng “dǎpīn” de kùnjìng. Tāmen wèile jǐ fēn qián ér dāo guāng quán yǐng, shènzhì pīnle xìngmìng, huí bùliǎo “tángshān”.    In the bad times in the past, when the ancestors came to Nanyang to make a living, they often said "I don't have a penny on me" when encountering creditors collecting debts or secret societies collecting protection fees. This kind of tone of "running the rivers and lakes" has continued to this day, which can give a glimpse of the predicament of "working hard" in life while being "penniless". They fought for a few cents, and even risked their lives, but they couldn't return to "Tangshan".

 到了我成长的年代，市面上还使用着以英女皇伊丽莎白头像铸造的一分钱的马来亚货币，有圆的也有方的，新马都可以使用。 由于没见过半分钱，因此一厢情愿地认为半分钱只是江湖口吻。Dàole wǒ chéngzhǎng de niándài, shìmiàn shàng hái shǐyòngzhe yǐ yīng nǚhuáng yīlìshābái tóuxiàng zhùzào de yī fēn qián de mǎ lái yà huòbì, yǒu yuán de yěyǒu fāng de, xīn mǎ dōu kěyǐ shǐyòng. Yóuyú méi jiànguò bànfēn qián, yīncǐ yīxiāngqíngyuàn de rènwéi bànfēn qián zhǐshì jiānghú kǒuwěn. When I was growing up, there was still a penny of Malayan currency minted with the head of Queen Elizabeth in the market. There were round and square ones, and both Singapore and Malaysia could use them. Since I have never seen half a penny, I wishful thinking that half a penny is just a quack tone.

 新加坡独立后有了自己的货币，当时还有发行比五分钱还要大些的一分钱，不过是铜铸的，所以闻起来有名副其实的“铜臭味”。 近年来市面上连五分钱都少用了，一分钱在时代的巨轮下成为见证历史的私人收藏。Xīnjiāpō dúlì hòu yǒule zìjǐ de huòbì, dāngshí hái yǒu fāxíng bǐ wǔ fēn qián hái yào dà xiē de yī fēn qián, bùguò shì tóng zhù de, suǒyǐ wén qǐlái yǒu míngfùqíshí de “tóng chòu wèi”. Jìnnián lái shìmiàn shàng lián wǔ fēn qián dōu shǎo yòngle, yī fēn qián zài shídài de jùlún xià chéngwéi jiànzhèng lìshǐ de sīrén shōucáng. After independence, Singapore had its own currency. At that time, there was a penny that was bigger than a five-cent coin, but it was made of copper, so it smelled like a veritable "copper stink".  In recent years, even five cents have been rarely used on the market, and one penny has become a private collection witnessing history under the wheel of the times.

 德士师傅郑章存先生让我见识了他收藏的海峡殖民地钱币，除了有1908年的圆形半分钱和1932年的方形半分钱之外，还有1916年的四分之一分，也就是半分钱 的一半，俗称“一须古”。 这些钱币的背面是时任英国国王乔治五世和爱德华七世的头像. Dé shì shīfù zhèngzhāngcún xiānshēng ràng wǒ jiànshìle tā shōucáng dì hǎixiá zhímíndì qiánbì, chúle yǒu 1908 nián de yuán xíng bànfēn qián hé 1932 nián de fāngxíng bànfēn qián zhī wài, hái yǒu 1916 nián de sì fēn zhī yī fēn, yě jiùshì bànfēn qián de yībàn, súchēng “yī xū gǔ”. Zhèxiē qiánbì de bèimiàn shì shí rèn yīngguó guówáng qiáozhì wǔ shì hé àidéhuá qī shì de tóuxiàng.    Mr. Zheng Zhangcun, the taxi master, let me see the Straits Settlement coins in his collection. In addition to the round half cents in 1908 and the square half cents in 1932, there are also quarter cents in 1916, that is, half cents.  Half of it, commonly known as "Yixu Gu".  On the reverse of these coins are the portraits of the then British Kings George V and Edward VII.

（1/2分，1/4分的海峡殖民地铜币）(1/2 Fēn,1/4 fēn dì hǎixiá zhímíndì tóngbì) (1/2 cent, 1/4 cent Straits Settlements copper coins)

 （铜币背后有乔治五世和爱德华七世的肖像）(Tóngbì bèihòu yǒu qiáozhì wǔ shì hé àidéhuá qī shì de xiàoxiàng) (There are portraits of George V and Edward VII on the back of the copper coin) 

郑章存打趣道，他将这些铜钱带在身上，是为了跟同行聊天时开玩笑用的。他可以随时将铜钱掏出来，大声说“谁说我半分钱都没有，我连一须古都有”。Zhèngzhāngcún dǎqù dào, tā jiāng zhèxiē tóngqián dài zài shēnshang, shì wèile gēn tóngxíng liáotiān shí kāiwánxiào yòng de. Tā kěyǐ suíshí jiāng tóngqián tāo chūlái, dàshēng shuō “shéi shuō wǒ bànfēn qián dōu méiyǒu, wǒ lián yī xū gǔdū yǒu”. Zheng Zhangcun joked that he brought these copper coins with him for joking when chatting with his colleagues. He can take out the copper coins at any time and say loudly, "Who said I don't have half a penny, I even have a beard."

百年前的铜钱证实了“身无半分钱”确实有历史考证，不是乱盖的。既然连四分之一分都用得上了，五分钱大过牛车轮自然有一定的道理了。Bǎinián qián de tóngqián zhèngshíle “shēn wú bànfēn qián” quèshí yǒu lìshǐ kǎozhèng, bùshì luàn gài de. Jìrán lián sì fēn zhī yī fēn dōu yòng dé shàngle, wǔ fēn qián dàguò niú chēlún zìrán yǒuyīdìng de dàolǐle. Copper coins a hundred years ago proved that "without half a penny" does have historical research and is not a random cover. Since even a quarter of a penny can be used, there is a certain reason why five cents is worth more than a bull's wheel.

五分钱能做什么？Wǔ fēn qián néng zuò shénme? What can five cents do?

到底五分钱有多大？上世纪60年代的新加坡，我手上拿着五分钱就可以开开心心地跑到俗称“妈妈店”（“Mamak shop” 印度小店）的印度人零食摊买两粒牛奶糖，两个五分钱可以买一片五颜六色的九层糕或者在学校的食堂买一碟炒米粉。Dàodǐ wǔ fēn qián yǒu duōdà? Shàng shìjì 60 niándài de xīnjiāpō, wǒ shǒu shàng názhe wǔ fēn qián jiù kěyǐ kāi kāixīn xīn dì pǎo dào súchēng “māmā diàn”(“Mamak shop” Yìndù xiǎo diàn) de yìn duó rén língshí tān mǎi liǎng lì niúnǎi táng, liǎng gè wǔ fēn qián kěyǐ mǎi yīpiàn wǔyánliùsè de jiǔ céng gāo huòzhě zài xuéxiào de shítáng mǎi yī dié chǎo mǐfěn. How much is a nickel? In Singapore in the 1960s, I could happily go to an Indian snack stall commonly known as "Mamak shop"( an Indian small shop) with five cents in my hand to buy two milk candy, two five cents You can buy a piece of colorful nine-layer cake or a plate of fried rice noodles in the school cafeteria.

那个年代，万金油和保济丸都很盛行，两个五分钱就可以买一盒万金油或一瓶保济丸，作为家有一老，如有一宝的家居良药了。红色盒子的万金油可以医治头痛肚痛、虫蚊咬伤等；同样红色包装的保济丸则是舟车晕浪、肚痛腹泻的良方。不晓得是不是心理作用，两者结合一起内服外用，还可达到事半功倍的效果。Nàgè niándài, wànjīnyóu hé bǎo jì wán dōu hěn shèngxíng, liǎng gè wǔ fēn qián jiù kěyǐ mǎi yī hé wànjīnyóu huò yī píng bǎo jì wán, zuòwéi jiā yǒuyī lǎo, rú yǒuyī bǎo de jiājū liángyàole. Hóngsè hézi de wànjīnyóu kěyǐ yīzhì tóutòng dù tòng, chóng wén yǎo shāng děng; tóngyàng hóngsè bāozhuāng de bǎo jì wán zé shì zhōuchē yūn làng, dù tòng fùxiè de liáng fāng. Bù xiǎodé shì bùshì xīnlǐ zuòyòng, liǎng zhě jiéhé yīqǐ nèifú wàiyòng, hái kě dádào shìbàngōngbèi de xiàoguǒ. At that time, Panacea and Po Chai Pills were very popular. You could buy a box of Panacea Balm or a bottle of Po Chai Pills for two five cents. The Panacea Balm in the red box can treat headaches, stomachaches, insect bites, etc.; the same red package of Po Chai Pills is a good remedy for boating and seasickness, stomachaches and diarrhea. I don't know if it's a psychological effect, but the combination of the two, taken internally and externally, can also achieve twice the result with half the effort.

我们就这样五分一毛地存起来，累积到一块钱就拿到住家附近的“钥匙银行”（POSB），看着存折上的数字一元一元地攀升，心头不免喜滋滋地乐开了怀。Wǒmen jiù zhèyàng wǔ fēn yī máo dì cún qǐlái, lěijī dào yīkuài qián jiù ná dào zhùjiā fùjìn de “yàoshi yínháng”(POSB), kànzhe cúnzhé shàng de shùzì yīyuán yīyuán de pānshēng, xīntóu bùmiǎn xǐzīzī de lè kāile huái. We just saved it for five cents, and when we accumulated one yuan (dollar), we took it to the "Key Bank" (POSB) near our house. Watching the numbers on the passbook climbed up one dollar by one dollar, we couldn't help but feel happy.

到了上世纪70年代初，世界性石油危机推高了本地的物价，吃碗云吞面要三毛钱，“妈妈店”的糖果也以一毛钱起跳了。Dàole shàng shìjì 70 niándài chū, shìjiè xìng shíyóu wéijī tuī gāole běndì de wùjià, chī wǎn yún tūn miàn yào sān máo qián,“māmāk diàn” de tángguǒ yě yǐ yī máo qián qǐtiàole. In the early 1970s, the global oil crisis pushed up local prices. A bowl of wonton noodles cost 30 cents, and the candies in "Mamak's Shop" also cost 10 cents.

老妈姐的故事 Lǎo mā jiě de gùshì old mother's story

近年来听退休后回到中国顺德家乡的老妈姐讲故事，心里多了些五分钱的体会。Jìnnián lái tīng tuìxiū hòu huí dào zhōngguó shùndé jiāxiāng de lǎo mā jiě jiǎng gùshì, xīnlǐ duōle xiē wǔ fēn qián de tǐhuì. In recent years, listening to stories told by my old mother who returned to her hometown in Shunde, China after retirement, has given me a little more experience of five cents.

老妈姐欧阳焕燕十四岁来到新加坡，跟姐姐在陈嘉庚家打工。当时她并不知道陈嘉庚是华侨领袖，组织南侨机工回中国抗日，还募集了一亿多元来支援国军。新加坡陷入日战，陈嘉庚仓惶逃到印尼，将小女儿委托给欧阳焕燕和她的姐姐看管。日治结束后，已经在陈嘉庚的邻居李光耀家工作的欧阳焕燕亲自将小姐交到陈嘉庚夫人手中。Lǎo mā jiě ōuyáng huàn yàn shísì suì lái dào xīnjiāpō, gēn jiějiě zài chénjiāgēng jiā dǎgōng. Dāngshí tā bìng bù zhīdào chénjiāgēng shì huáqiáo lǐngxiù, zǔzhī nán qiáo jī gōng huí zhōngguó kàngrì, hái mùjíle yī yì duō yuán lái zhīyuán guó jūn. Xīnjiāpō xiànrù rì zhàn, chénjiāgēng cāng huáng táo dào yìnní, jiāng xiǎo nǚ'ér wěituō gěi ōuyáng huàn yàn hé tā de jiějiě kānguǎn. Rì zhì jiéshù hòu, yǐjīng zài chénjiāgēng de línjū lǐguāngyào jiā gōngzuò de ōuyáng huàn yàn qīnzìjiāng xiǎojiě jiāo dào chénjiāgēng fūrén shǒuzhōng. Old mother Ouyang Huanyan came to Singapore at the age of 14 and worked with her sister at Tan Kah Kee's house. At that time, she didn't know that Tan Kah Kee was the leader of the overseas Chinese. He organized the southern overseas Chinese mechanics to return to China to fight against Japan, and raised more than 100 million yuan to support the national army. Singapore fell into the Japanese War, and Tan Kah Kee fled to Indonesia in a panic, entrusting his youngest daughter to Ouyang Huanyan and her sister. After the Japanese occupation ended, Ouyang Huanyan, who was already working at the home of Tan Kah Kee's neighbor Lee Kuan Yew, personally handed over the lady to Mrs. Tan Kah Kee.

欧阳焕燕记得当年新加坡的巴刹就像联合国，混杂着各种语言，广东话、潮州话、福建话、红毛话等，看似鸡同鸭讲，到头来却通行无阻。她说战前两三分钱就可以吃一碗云吞面了，一个月的生活费只需三块钱左右。当时她们姐妹们就这样两分钱三分钱地存起来，将打工的五六元工资的余钱养活家乡的亲人。Ōuyáng huàn yàn jìdé dàng nián xīnjiāpō de bā shā jiù xiàng liánhéguó, hùnzázhe gè zhǒng yǔyán, guǎngdōng huà, cháozhōu huà, fújiàn huà, hóng máo huà děng, kàn shì jī tóng yā jiǎng, dàotóulái què tōngxíng wúzǔ. Tā shuō zhàn qián liǎng sān fēn qián jiù kěyǐ chī yī wǎn yún tūn miànle, yīgè yuè de shēnghuófèi zhǐ xū sān kuài qián zuǒyòu. Dāngshí tāmen jiěmèimen jiù zhèyàng liǎng fēn qián sān fēn qián de cún qǐlái, jiāng dǎgōng de wǔliù yuán gōngzī de yú qián yǎnghuo jiāxiāng de qīnrén. Ouyang Huanyan remembers that the markets in Singapore were like the United Nations, with a mixture of various languages, such as Cantonese, Teochew, Hokkien, and Hongmao. She said that before the war, she could eat a bowl of wonton noodles for two or three cents, and her monthly living expenses were only about three yuan. At that time, the sisters saved two cents and three cents in this way, and used the rest of the five or six yuan wages from part-time workers to support their relatives in their hometown.

异乡打拼的妇女就像当年的男工一样，将挣来的工钱通过汇寄、水客（来往中新两地的商人）或归国的乡里带回家，为乡下众人带来温饱，为城镇带来繁华。一般回乡探亲的南洋客外表十分风光，甚至不惜通过标银会、借高利贷等来搞排场，到头来制造出南洋是金矿的误解，反而加重了自己肩膀上的担子。Yìxiāng dǎpīn de fùnǚ jiù xiàng dāngnián de nán gōng yīyàng, jiāng zhēng lái de gōngqián tōngguò huì jì, shuǐ kè (láiwǎng zhōng xīn liǎng dì de shāngrén) huò guī guó de xiānglǐ dài huí jiā, wèi xiāngxià zhòngrén dài lái wēnbǎo, wèi chéngzhèn dài lái fánhuá. Yībān huí xiāng tànqīn de nányáng kè wàibiǎo shífēn fēngguāng, shènzhì bùxī tōngguò biāo yín huì, jiè gāolìdài děng lái gǎo páichǎng, dàotóulái zhìzào chū nányáng shì jīn kuàng de wùjiě, fǎn'ér jiāzhòngle zìjǐ jiānbǎng shàng de dànzi. Women who work hard in foreign lands are just like male workers back then. They bring their wages back home through remittances, water travelers (businessmen traveling between China and New Zealand) or return villages, bringing food and clothing to the people in the countryside, and providing food and clothing for the towns and cities. Bring prosperity. Generally speaking, Nanyang tourists who return to their hometowns to visit their relatives are very beautiful in appearance, and they even do not hesitate to set up ostentation by bidding for bank associations and borrowing usury loans. In the end, they create a misunderstanding that Nanyang is a gold mine, which adds to the burden on their shoulders.

流通钱币知多少 Liútōng qiánbì zhī duōshǎo How much do you know about coins in circulation

新马曾经使用过多种货币。马来半岛上的几个早期王国如吉兰丹、丁加奴、吉打和柔佛都有自家通行的金币。18世纪末，英国东印度公司设在加尔各答的造币厂开始铸造银币和铜币，并在新开埠的槟城殖民地流通。Xīn mǎ céngjīng shǐyòngguò duō zhǒng huòbì. Mǎ lái bàndǎo shàng de jǐ gè zǎoqí wángguó rú jí lán dān, dīng jiā nú, jí dǎ hé róufú dōu yǒu zìjiā tōngxíng de jīnbì. 18 Shìjìmò, yīngguó dōng yìndù gōngsī shè zài jiā'ěrgèdá de zào bì chǎng kāishǐ zhùzào yínbì hé tóngbì, bìng zài xīn kāi bù de bīn chéng zhímíndì liútōng. Singapore and Malaysia used to use multiple currencies. Several early kingdoms on the Malay Peninsula such as Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Johor all had their own gold coins. At the end of the 18th century, the mint of the British East India Company in Calcutta began to mint silver and copper coins, which were circulated in the newly opened Penang colony.

英国东印度公司买下新加坡后，新加坡的商人使用西班牙元和印度卢比。那个时代的西班牙银元是国际货币，就像20世纪的美金和21世纪异军突起的人民币一样。Yīngguó dōng yìndù gōngsī mǎi xià xīnjiāpō hòu, xīnjiāpō de shāngrén shǐyòng xībānyá yuán hé yìndù lúbǐ. Nàgè shídài de xībānyá yínyuán shì guójì huòbì, jiù xiàng 20 shìjì dì měijīn hé 21 shìjì yìjūntúqǐ de rénmínbì yīyàng. After the British East India Company bought Singapore, merchants in Singapore used Spanish dollars and Indian rupees. The Spanish silver dollar of that era was an international currency, just like the U.S. dollar in the 20th century and the renminbi in the 21st century.

为了抗衡西班牙银元，英国东印度公司试图把印度卢比设定为新加坡的标准货币，然而却遭到新加坡商人的强烈抗议。1867年新加坡成为英国直辖殖民地，不归英国驻印度总督管辖后，新加坡才停止使用卢比。Wèile kànghéng xībānyá yínyuán, yīngguó dōng yìndù gōngsī shìtú bǎ yìndù lúbǐ shè dìng wèi xīnjiāpō de biāozhǔn huòbì, rán'ér què zāo dào xīnjiāpō shāngrén de qiángliè kàngyì. 1867 Nián xīnjiāpō chéngwéi yīngguó zhíxiá zhímíndì, bù guī yīngguó zhù yìndù zǒngdū guǎnxiá hòu, xīnjiāpō cái tíngzhǐ shǐyòng lúbǐ. In order to counter the Spanish silver dollar, the British East India Company tried to set the Indian rupee as the standard currency of Singapore, but it was strongly protested by Singaporean merchants. In 1867, Singapore became a British colony and was not under the jurisdiction of the British Governor in India. Singapore stopped using the rupee.

19世纪末，殖民地政府在新加坡成立货币局，新加坡终于跟马六甲和槟城拥有属于自己的海峡殖民地钱币，华社称之为叻币。1939年，叻币由马来亚货币取代，足见当时整个马来亚和新加坡已经成为英国的囊中物。19 Shìjìmò, zhímíndì zhèngfǔ zài xīnjiāpō chénglì huòbì jú, xīnjiāpō zhōngyú gēn mǎliùjiǎ hé bīn chéng yǒngyǒu shǔyú zìjǐ dì hǎixiá zhímíndì qiánbì, huá shè chēng zhī wèi lè bì. 1939 Nián, lè bì yóu mǎ lái yà huòbì qǔdài, zújiàn dāngshí zhěnggè mǎ lái yà hé xīnjiāpō yǐjīng chéngwéi yīngguó de nángzhōngwù. At the end of the 19th century, the colonial government established a currency bureau in Singapore, and Singapore finally had its own Straits Settlements coins with Malacca and Penang, which the Chinese community called Lat coins. In 1939, the currency was replaced by the Malayan currency, which shows that the whole of Malaya and Singapore had become the possession of the United Kingdom at that time.

（1939年发行的马来亚元，战后还在使用）(1939 Nián fāxíng de mǎ lái yà yuán, zhàn hòu hái zài shǐyòng) (Malayan dollar issued in 1939, still in use after the war)

到了日治时期，许多人将手上的马币兑换成香蕉票（军钞）。过了昭南岁月后，香蕉票都作废了，一夜之间完全改写了手上拿着一箱箱香蕉票的本地人的命运。Dàole rì zhì shíqí, xǔduō rén jiàng shǒu shàng de mǎ bì duìhuàn chéng xiāngjiāo piào (jūn chāo). Guòle zhāonán suìyuè hòu, xiāngjiāo piào dōu zuòfèile, yīyè zhī jiān wánquán gǎixiěle shǒu shàng názhe yī xiāng xiāng xiāngjiāo piào de běndì rén de mìngyùn. During the Japanese colonial period, many people exchanged their ringgits for banana bills (military bills). After the Zhaonan years, the banana tickets became invalid, and the fate of the locals who held boxes of banana tickets was completely rewritten overnight.

(日本军政府自己发行的军钞。10元面值的钞票印上香蕉，军钞统称为“香蕉票”）(Rìběn jūn zhèngfǔ zìjǐ fāxíng de jūn chāo.10 Yuán miànzhí de chāopiào yìn shàng xiāngjiāo, jūn chāo tǒngchēng wèi “xiāngjiāo piào”) (Military banknotes issued by the Japanese military government itself. Bananas are printed on banknotes with a face value of 10 yuan (dollar), and the military banknotes are collectively referred to as "banana notes") 

战后物资缺乏，通货膨胀，战前两三分钱一碗云吞面的光景不再。相反的，一碟咖喱饭卖到一元五角，殖民地政府只好将在英国实行的民众餐室带到本地，为劳动大众提供三毛半的营养餐。民众餐室的概念日后发展成为小贩中心的经营模式。Zhàn hòu wùzī quēfá, tōnghuò péngzhàng, zhàn qián liǎng sān fēn qián yī wǎn yún tūn miàn de guāngjǐng bù zài. Xiāngfǎn de, yī dié gālí fàn mài dào yīyuán wǔjiǎo, zhímíndì zhèngfǔ zhǐhǎo jiàng zài yīngguó shíxíng de mínzhòng cān shì dài dào běndì, wèi láodòng dàzhòng tígōng sān máo bàn de yíngyǎng cān. Mínzhòng cān shì de gàiniàn rìhòu fāzhǎn chéngwéi xiǎofàn zhōngxīn de jīngyíng móshì. After the war, there was a shortage of supplies and inflation. Before the war, the situation of a bowl of wanton noodles for two or three cents was no longer there. On the contrary, a plate of curry rice sold for one yuan and fifty cents, so the colonial government had no choice but to bring the public dining room implemented in Britain to the local area to provide nutritious meals for the working people for thirty and a half cents. The concept of a public dining room later developed into a hawker center business model.

物价受到控制后，我才有幸感受到短暂的五分钱大过牛车轮的岁月。Wùjià shòudào kòngzhì hòu, wǒ cái yǒuxìng gǎnshòu dào duǎnzàn de wǔ fēn qián dàguò niú chēlún de suìyuè. After prices were brought under control, I was lucky enough to experience the brief period when five cents were worth more than a bull's wheel.

我记得我在上世纪五十年代就读小学的时候，食堂出售一碗叻沙5c，鱼丸米线10c，叉烧麵15c，Wǒ jìdé wǒ zài shàng shìjì wǔshí niándài jiùdú xiǎoxué de shíhòu, shítáng chūshòu yī wǎn lè shā 5c, yú wán mǐxiàn 10c, chāshāo miàn 15c,  I remember when I was in elementary school in the 1950s, the cafeteria sold a bowl of laksa for 5c, fish ball noodle for 10c, char siew noodles for 15c,

在戏院街与登婆街一带的云吞麵30分/碟，‘ 豬腸’ 粉10c/条或15c/两条，粥20c/碗，当时的物价一

般上是稳定的，各国之间的滙率也几乎是固定的。zài xìyuàn jiē yǔ dēng pó jiē yīdài de yún tūn miàn 30 fēn/dié,‘zhū cháng’ fěn 10c/tiáo huò 15c/liǎng tiáo, zhōu 20c/wǎn, dāngshí de wùjià yī

bān shàng shì wěndìng de, gèguó zhī jiān de huìlǜ yě jīhū shì gùdìng de. In the area of ​​Theater Street and Dengpo Street, the wonton noodles cost 30 cents/dish, 'pig intestine' noodles 10c/piece or 15c/two, and porridge 20c/bowl.

 Generally stable, exchange rates between countries are almost fixed.

在那个年代，一间新建的双层duplex洋房也不过$23,500/=左右吧了。Zài nàgè niándài, yī jiàn xīnjiàn de shuāng céng duplex yángfáng yě bùguò $23,500/=zuǒyòu bale.  At that time, a newly built double-storey duplex bungalow was only around $23,500/=.

英镑在1967年的貶值震惊了许多人，新加坡政府趁机推出了自己的鈔票。Yīngbàng zài 1967 nián de biǎnzhí zhènjīngle xǔduō rén, xīnjiāpō zhèngfǔ chènjī tuīchūle zìjǐ de chāopiào. The devaluation of the British pound in 1967 shocked many, and the Singapore government took the opportunity to introduce its own banknotes.

当时多数国家的鈔票都实行 ‘金本位’ 制，1971年 ‘金本位’ 制被 ‘联系滙率’ 所取代，自此，各国 ‘自由’ 操控滙率，‘自由’ 发行鈔票，‘通货膨胀’ 也如 ‘脱缰之马’，物价甚至到了 ‘突飞猛进 一日千里’ 的 地步！Dāngshí duōshù guójiā de chāopiào dōu shíxíng ‘jīnběnwèi’ zhì,1971 nián ‘jīnběnwèi’ zhì bèi ‘liánxì huìlǜ’ suǒ qǔdài, zì cǐ, gèguó ‘zì yóu’ cāokòng huìlǜ,‘zìyóu’ fāxíng chāopiào,‘tōnghuò péngzhàng’ yě rú ‘tuō jiāng zhī mǎ’, wùjià shènzhì dàole ‘tūfēiměngjìn yīrìqiānlǐ’ de dìbù! At that time, the banknotes of most countries implemented the "gold standard" system. In 1971, the "gold standard" system was replaced by the "linked exchange rate".

五分钱大过牛车轮？如今5c硬币已经绝迹，就算 “大牛”（$500）或 “金牛”（$1000）又算得了什么？Wǔ fēn qián dàguò niú chēlún? Rújīn 5c yìngbì yǐjīng juéjī, jiùsuàn “dà niú”($500) huò “jīnniú”($1000) yòu suàndéle shénme? A nickel is bigger than a bull's wheel? Now that the 5c coin is extinct, what is a "Big Bull" ($500) or a "Golden Bull" ($1000)?

不过我还记得二，三拾年前为了便于携带，我多次向新加坡的银行指定支取 “一盘水” 即 ‘壹萬元’ 現 鈔的时候，每次都必须出示 “登记”，并记录在案。Bùguò wǒ hái jìdé èr, sānshí nián qián wéi le biànyú xiédài, wǒ duō cì xiàng xīnjiāpō de yínháng zhǐdìng zhīqǔ “yī pán shuǐ” jí ‘yī wàn yuán’ xiàn chāo de shíhòu, měi cì dōu bìxū chūshì “dēngjì”, bìng jìlù zài àn. However, I still remember that two or three decades ago, in order to be easy to carry, when I designated a bank in Singapore to withdraw "a plate of water" or '10,000 yuan' cash, I had to show my "registration" every time and record it, on record.

不知道今天还是否依然？Bù zhīdào jīntiān hái shìfǒu yīrán? I don't know if it is still the same today?

2. 

5c 钱是不是真的大过牛车轮？我不知道，但我肯定在六十多年前，它应该不是小数目。

我还记得在1950年代初我还是一名一年级的小学生，有一天，不知怎的我的班主任老

師发现我的口袋里有两张$1鈔票，当天她把我 ‘留堂’，不允许我回家，我的母亲到学校

接我的时候，她竟然查问她这$2的来历，在我母亲肯定是她给我收着的时候，她才劝她

以后不要让我有 ‘太多’ 钱带在身上，然后放我回家。以今天的标准，是不是太夸张了？

我还记得当年我每天上学必须乘坐巴士，五十年代我从Macpherson Road坐STC12号到

Bras Basah Road 10c，然后转STC10号到大门楼5c。六十年代我从Paya Lebar Road

坐巴耶利巴士或 Aljunied Road坐郑古悦巴士到Geylang Road 5c，然后转樟宜巴士到

Siglap5c，七十年代从三马路乘绿色3A巴士到裕廊50c，看得出当时跨越二十年我的学

生时代车资是挺稳定的，不轻易起价。

过去十年耒世界各国先后推行 ‘量化宽松’（QE)疯狂印鈔的政策，进一步刺激物价

（尤其不动产）飞涨，已经到了几乎早晚不同价的地步，黄金与现金似乎已无法保值，

从过去数十年的经验，只有国外的 freehold landed properties 或厚实的蓝筹股（如银行股）

值得投资与信赖，你说呢？

5C qián shì bùshì zhēn de dàguò niú chēlún? Wǒ bùzhīdào, dàn wǒ kěndìng zài liùshí duō nián qián, tā yīnggāi bùshì xiǎo shùmù.

Wǒ hái jìdé zài 1950 niándài chū wǒ háishì yī míng yī niánjí de xiǎoxuéshēng, yǒu yītiān, bù zhī zěn di wǒ de bānzhǔrèn lǎo

shī fāxiàn wǒ de kǒudài li yǒu liǎng zhāng $1 chāopiào, dàngtiān tā bǎ wǒ ‘liú táng’, bù yǔnxǔ wǒ huí jiā, wǒ de mǔqīn dào xuéxiào

jiē wǒ de shíhòu, tā jìngrán cháwèn tā zhè $2 de láilì, zài wǒ mǔqīn kěndìng shì tā gěi wǒ shōuzhe de shíhòu, tā cái quàn tā

yǐhòu bùyào ràng wǒ yǒu ‘tài duō’ qián dài zài shēnshang, ránhòu fàng wǒ huí jiā. Yǐ jīntiān de biāozhǔn, shì bùshì tài kuāzhāngle?

Wǒ hái jìdé dàng nián wǒ měitiān shàngxué bìxū chéngzuò bāshì, wǔshí niándài wǒ cóng Macpherson Road zuò STC12 hào dào

Bras Basah Road 10c, ránhòu zhuǎn STC10 hào dào dàmén lóu 5c. Liùshí niándài wǒ cóng Paya Lebar Road

zuò bā yé lì bāshì huò Aljunied Road zuò zhènggǔyuè bāshì dào Geylang Road 5c, ránhòu zhuǎn zhāng yí bāshì dào

Siglap5c, qīshí niándài cóng sān mǎlù chéng lǜsè 3A bāshì dào yù láng 50c, kàn dé chū dāngshí kuàyuè èrshí nián wǒ de xué

shēng shídài chēzī shì tǐng wěndìng de, bù qīngyì qǐjià.

Guòqù shí nián lěi shìjiè gèguó xiānhòu tuīxíng ‘liànghuà kuānsōng’(QE) fēngkuáng yìn chāo de zhèngcè, jìnyībù cìjī wùjià

(yóuqí bùdòngchǎn) fēizhàng, yǐjīng dàole jīhū zǎowǎn bùtóng jià dì dìbù, huángjīn yǔ xiànjīn sìhū yǐ wúfǎ bǎozhí,

cóng guòqù shù shí nián de jīngyàn, zhǐyǒu guówài de freehold landed properties huò hòushí de lánchóugǔ (rú yínháng gǔ)

zhídé tóuzī yǔ xìnlài, nǐ shuō ne?

5c Is money really bigger than a bull's wheel? I don't know, but I'm sure over sixty years ago, it shouldn't have been a small amount.

 I still remember that in the early 1950s when I was a first-grade pupil, one day, somehow, my homeroom teacher

 The teacher found two $1 bills in my pocket. She put me in 'detention' that day and didn't allow me to go home. My mother went to school.

 When picking me up, she actually asked her where the $2 came from, and she only persuaded my mother when she was sure she kept it for me

 Don't let me carry 'too much' money with me in the future and let me go home. By today's standards, is it too exaggerated?

 I still remember that I had to take a bus to go to school every day. In the 1950s, I took STC12 from Macpherson Road to

 Bras Basah Road 10c, then turn to STC10 to Gate Building 5c. I went from Paya Lebar Road in the sixties

 Take the Paya Li bus or take the Zheng Guyue bus on Aljunied Road to Geylang Road 5c, then transfer to Changi bus to

 Siglap 5c, I took the green 3A bus from Three Horse Road to Jurong 50c in the 1970s. It can be seen that my study spanned 20 years

 In the student era, the fare was quite stable, and it was not easy to raise the price.

 In the past ten years, countries around the world have successively implemented the policy of "quantitative easing" (QE) to print money crazily, further stimulating prices

 (especially real estate) skyrocketed to the point where there is almost a price difference sooner or later. Gold and cash seem to be unable to preserve their value.

 From the experience of the past few decades, only foreign freehold landed properties or thick blue chip stocks (such as bank stocks)

 Worthy of investment and trust, what do you think?

文中的四字开头 ‘身无分文’ 引起了我无限的 ‘遐思’，与 ‘感慨’。

在新加坡，与中国一样，如果你 ‘身无分文’ 意味着你是一个无产阶级，一个无房无车，身无长物的弱势可怜人。然而在西方国家如英美澳纽等，一个在法律上 ‘身无分文’ 的‘Pauper’ 可不一定是一个真正的 ‘可怜’人。事实上，许多西方的有钱人，他们的资产，如freehold 的房产与listing的股票，银行户口等，并不一定直接登记在他们的名下，他们更喜欢合法地将之 ‘放进’ 由他们 ‘控制’ 的 ‘信托’ 之中，他们 ‘净身’ 在外，一旦面临事业或婚姻失败的局面时，往往债主或前任配偶也 ‘奈他不何’，他们通过法律/律师复杂地操作安排以保护自己的资产，避税而不逃税，在西方国家合情合情合法。

有时我看了当代的连续剧，不少无知女人相亲时要求 “有房有Ｘ”，我笑了，因为在国外，真正的富人，在法律上可能只是一个 ‘身无分文’ 的PAUPER ‘穷酸汉’ 呢！

相反的，一个 ‘衣着名牌 出入千万豪宅’ 的 “白马王子”，也许他个人还在 ‘穷籍’ 名单之中，谁懂？！

Wénzhōng de sì zì kāitóu ‘shēn wú fēn wén’ yǐnqǐle wǒ wúxiàn de ‘xiásī’, yǔ ‘gǎnkǎi’.

Zài xīnjiāpō, yǔ zhōngguó yīyàng, rúguǒ nǐ ‘shēn wú fēn wén’ yìwèizhe nǐ shì yīgè wúchǎn jiējí, yīgè wú fáng wú chē, shēn wú cháng wù de ruòshì kělián rén. Rán'ér zài xīfāng guójiā rú yīngměi ào niǔ děng, yīgè zài fǎlǜ shàng ‘shēn wú fēn wén’ de ‘Pauper’ kěbù yīdìng shì yīgè zhēnzhèng de ‘kělián’ rén. Shìshí shàng, xǔduō xīfāng de yǒu qián rén, tāmen de zīchǎn, rú freehold de fángchǎn yǔ listing de gǔpiào, yínháng hùkǒu děng, bìng bù yīdìng zhíjiē dēngjì zài tāmen de míng xià, tāmen gèng xǐhuān héfǎ de jiāng zhī ‘fàng jìn’ yóu tāmen ‘kòngzhì’ de ‘xìntuō’ zhī zhōng, tāmen ‘jìng shēn’ zàiwài, yīdàn miànlín shìyè huò hūnyīn shībài de júmiàn shí, wǎngwǎng zhàizhǔ huò qiánrèn pèi'ǒu yě ‘nài tā bù hé’, tāmen tōngguò fǎlǜ/lǜshī fùzá de cāozuò ānpái yǐ bǎohù zìjǐ de zīchǎn, bìshuì ér bù táoshuì, zài xīfāng guójiā hé qíng hé qíng héfǎ.

Yǒushí wǒ kàn liǎo dàng dài de liánxùjù, bù shào wúzhī nǚrén xiāngqīn shí yāoqiú “yǒu fáng yǒu X”, wǒ xiàole, yīnwèi zài guówài, zhēnzhèng de fù rén, zài fǎlǜ shàng kěnéng zhǐshì yīgè ‘shēn wú fēn wén’ de PAUPER ‘qióngsuān hàn’ ne!

Xiāngfǎn de, yīgè ‘yīzhuó míngpái chūrù qiān wàn háozhái’ de “báimǎ wángzǐ”, yěxǔ tā gèrén hái zài ‘qióng jí’ míngdān zhī zhōng, shéi dǒng?!

The word "penniless" at the beginning of the article has aroused my infinite reverie and emotion.

  In Singapore, same as in China, if you are 'penniless' it means you are a proletarian, a poor poor person with no house, no car, no possessions. However, in Western countries such as Britain, the United States, Australia and New Zealand, a "Pauper" who is legally "penniless" is not necessarily a real "poor" person. In fact, many wealthy people in the West, their assets, such as freehold real estate and listed stocks, bank accounts, etc., are not necessarily directly registered in their names, they prefer to legally 'put' them by In the 'trust' they 'control', they 'cleanse themselves' out, once facing the situation of career or marriage failure, often creditors or ex-spouses are 'nothing', they operate complex arrangements through laws/lawyers In order to protect one's own assets and avoid taxes without evading taxes, it is reasonable and legal in Western countries.

  Sometimes I watch contemporary dramas, and many ignorant women ask for "a house and X" when they go on a blind date. I laugh, because in foreign countries, the real rich may be just a 'penniless' PAUPER' Poor man' too!

  On the contrary, a "Prince Charming" who "wears famous brands and enters and exits tens of millions of mansions", maybe he is still on the list of "poor people", who knows? !

越看越恐佈，如此趨势，鈔票价值天天 “江河日下”，

年轻人放在 “公积金” 的血汗钱岂非 ‘冻过水’，取回

之日，‘人老珠黄’，面临 ‘贫病交迫’ 之时，公积金的

结存又与 “冥纸” 何异？可悲

可恨！

Yuè kàn yuè kǒng bù, rúcǐ qū shì, chāopiào jiàzhí tiāntiān “jiānghérìxià”,

niánqīng rén fàng zài “gōngjījīn” de xiěhàn qián qǐfēi ‘dòngguò shuǐ’, qǔ huí

zhī rì,‘rénlǎozhūhuáng’, miànlín ‘pín bìng jiāopò’ zhī shí, gōngjījīn de

jiécún yòu yǔ “míng zhǐ” hé yì? Kěbēi kěh

èn!

The more you look at it, the more afraid you will be. With such a trend, the value of banknotes is "declining" every day.

 Isn’t the hard-earned money put in the “provident fund” by young people ‘frozen’, get it back

 In the day when people are "old and pearly", when facing "poverty and sickness", the provident fund

 How is the balance different from the "underworld paper"? Sad and hateful!