发财 fācái

[tooironic]

Most people know this word by its primary meaning of "to strike it rich", but I was wondering if anyone here is familiar with its supposed secondary meaning. My bubugao gives a second definition as: "to ask sb. where he or she works by way of asking where he or she makes a fortune." I'm a little confused by this usage. Could anyone here give me an example sentence or dialogue? Is it a common expression? Cheers.

[Kenny同志]

---- 老同学，好久不见，现在在哪儿发财呀？

---- 哪里，不过是混口饭吃（or 养家糊口 if you want to be more 文雅一点）而已。

The expression is used mostly for 寒暄 or what some call "客套".

[tooironic]

Thanks heaps Kenny. I've adapted that little dialogue to the Wiktionary entry (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%8F%91%E8%B4%A2), hope you don't mind. This way more people can learn about this usage. Thanks again.

[helenying]

yes, kenny is right.

the second defination is used mostly for 寒暄 or "客套".

it means where or which company you work for (or get pay),not a real question need you to answer ,not aim to dig your privacy, just another way of say hi. hope i didn't confuse you

[Kenny同志]

Don't mention it.

but it is more than making a living in the above example. it really means " striking it rich" but just used in a 客套 way.

[gato]

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E5%8F%91%E8%B4%A2

哪里，不过是混口饭吃而已。

If you can call it that! I make just enough to get by.

Just a clarification for your wiktionary entry, I don't think 混口饭吃 should be translated as "make just enough to get by".

"混" is a usage that's unique to mainland China (I've never heard a Taiwanese use it) and has the connotation of "doing the minimum necessary to get paid". It's derived from the Communist days when nobody cared that much about the quality of work. It's the paycheck that count. Though "混" is very commonly used in conversations in mainland China and is meant to be self-deprecating ("oh, I'm just an average worker, nothing special"), but I don't like it personally because it projects a very dismissive and irresponsible attitude about work. I know people don't mean it literally, but that's the connotation it has for me.

I would translate your example sentence this way:

哪里，不过是混口饭吃而已。

Hardly. I do the minimum necessary for the meal ticket.

[tooironic]

Thanks for the feedback Gato. I've modified it using your corrections. (Although I retained "If you can call it that!" as I think it connects more coherently with the previous speaker's line than "Hardly" does.)

[Kenny同志]

I basically agree with you, gato, except when you say

It's derived from the Communist days when nobody cared that much about the quality of work.

You can check out the word "混“ in ancient Chinese vernacular novels. I bet 混日子 is not uncommon.

Like you, I also don't like the phrase 混口饭吃, well-educated people rarely say that. 养家糊口 is more polite, therefore more preferable.

[tooironic]

Well, the example sentence serves the function of showing one possible usage of 发财, so I think it's fine.

[gato]

You can check out the word "混“ in ancient Chinese vernacular novels. I bet 混日子 is not uncommon.

You could be right about that, but I don't remember ever hearing a Taiwanese person use "混", which makes me think it's mainland-specific. Maybe it's because it's as you say, that the more educated Taiwanese don't use the word.

It is used quite a lot by even very well-educated people in the mainland, which I find disturbing. It's kind of a demeaning term, both for yourself and your work. I guess that's the point of self-deprecation.

[Kenny同志]

what you said is true. But I don't think they (some well-educated people) are well conscious of what they are conveying by saying that.

[mcgau]

Greeting with the Facai sounds tacky and corny to me. I've seldom used this word to greet anyone.

[Kenny同志]

Greeting with the Facai sounds tacky and corny

You have a point there. Well-educated people (and people with good taste) would not greet others in such a way. My junior middle school classmates greet me with Facai when I return home, but I never use the phrase.