Ming said he would not go to this year's Christmas party for 3 reasons. Firstly, he didn't want to spend money; secondly, he didn't have much time; thirdly, he had had a girlfriend.
Examples (Wiktionary)
Mandarin
一则寓言
一則寓言
yī zé yù yán
a fable
Mandarin
我们在当地报纸上登了一则广告。
我們在當地報紙上登了一則廣告。
wǒ men zài dāng dì bào zhǐ shàng dēng le yī zé guǎng gào .
Of all the classes in the world the proletariat is the one which is most eager to change its position, and next comes the semi-proletariat, for the former possesses nothing at all while the latter is hardly any better off.