送过不少香火钱
“to deliver quite a sum in incense donations.”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
“he once secretly had someone come to Ciguang Temple”
送过 不 少 香火钱
“to deliver quite a sum in incense donations.”
还有
“Also,”
“They didn't just donate out of piety—they are definitely hiding something or paying someone off at that temple.”
In Chinese religious culture, worshippers donate 'incense money' to temples to accumulate merit, pray for blessings, or tone for past sins. In detective stories, large secret donations often point to guilt or hidden payoffs.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
quite a lot; not a few
A very common litotes (understatement) in Chinese; literally 'not little/few', it actually means a large amount or quantity.
incense money; temple donation
Refers to money donated by worshippers to a Buddhist or Taoist temple for burning incense and maintaining the shrine.
VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS
Parallel Spoken Cinema Scenes (语义近邻切片)
“no one will burn incense or offerings for me.”
“I can't even receive any money.”
“Then I have to give donation money, right?”
“spent all your money on us.”
“You spent all the money you brought?”
“He's spent a fortune here.”