2016年9月18日星期日

Chinlingo Podcast|I must admit I’m a drama queen.

“Zuō”,shì zhè liǎng nián tū rán liú xíng qǐ lái de yí gè cí,biǎo shì yǒu yì xiē rén bù mǎn yì zì jǐ pǔ tōng de shēng huó,cháng cháng méi shì zhǎo shì,dàn jié guǒ què ràng zì jǐ gèng jiā gān gà hé yú chǔn。
“作”,是这两年突然流行起来的一个词,表示有一些人不满意自己普通的生活,常常没事找事,但结果却让自己更加尴尬和愚蠢。
“作” is a word that has become popular in recent years. It means somebody who is unsatisfied with his or her ordinary life often acts silly or daring for attention but embarrasses himself or herself more as a result.

Wǒ chéng rèn,wǒ shì yí gè hěn zuō de rén。
我承认,我是一个很作的人。
I must admit I’m a drama queen.
Bǐ rú shuō,wǒ de chéng jì bú cuò,kě shì zài kǎo shì de shí hòu wǒ xǐ huān bāng zhù chéng jì bú tài hǎo de péng you,dǎo zhì zuì hòu bèi lǎo shī fā xiàn bìng qiě chǔ fèn。
比如说,我的成绩不错,可是在考试的时候我喜欢帮助成绩不太好的朋友,导致最后被老师发现并且处分。
For example, I do well in my study. However, l like to help my friends who don’t do so well in their study to cheat in an exam. As a result, I get discovered and punished by the teacher.

Bǐ rú shuō,wǒ de shēn tǐ hé cháng wèi shòu bù liǎo tài là de shí wù,dàn shé tou què xǐ huān là wèi de cì jī,dǎo zhì cháng cháng yīn wèi chī le tài là de shí wù ér chī cháng wèi yào。
比如说,我的身体和肠胃受不了太辣的食物,但舌头却喜欢辣味的刺激,导致常常因为吃了太辣的食物而吃肠胃药。
For another example, my stomach cannot bear the spicy food, but my tongue likes it very much. As a result, I often have to take digestant pills right after the spicy food.

Wǒ de péng you jīng cháng gēn wǒ shuō:Bié zuō le!
我的朋友经常跟我说:别作了!
My friends always say to me, “别作了!”

Dàn shì wǒ què hěn nán kòng zhì zì jǐ “zuō”de yù wàng。
但是我却很难控制自己“作”的欲望。
However, I cannot control my desire to “作”.

Yǒu xiē nǚ shēng zài duì dài gǎn qíng de wèn tí shàng yě fēi cháng zuō,tā men cháng cháng duì xǐ huān de rén fā pí qi,nào biè niu,xī wàng néng yīn cǐ dé dào xǐ huān de rén gèng duō guān zhù。
有些女生在对待感情的问题上也非常作,她们常常对喜欢的人发脾气,闹别扭,希望能因此得到喜欢的人更多关注。
Some Chinese women are also quite “作” about the emotional issues. They are often angry and at odds with their significant others, expecting more of their attention.  

Bǐ rú zhōng guó nǚ shēng zuì xǐ huān wèn nán péng you huò zhě zhàng fu de yí gè zuì jīng diǎn de wèn tí:rú guǒ wǒ hé nǐ mā ma tóng shí diào jìn hé lǐ,nǐ xiān jiù shuí?
比如中国女生最喜欢问男朋友或者丈夫的一个最经典的问题:如果我和你妈妈同时掉进河里,你先救谁?
For example, they often ask their boyfriends or husbands a typical question, “Who would you save first if your mother and I fell into a river at the same time?”

Zhè shì yí gè ràng rén gān gà de wèn tí,yīn wèi wú lùn nán shēng zěn me huí dá,tā men dōu néng zhǎo dào fā pí qi de lǐ yóu。
这是一个让人尴尬的问题,因为无论男生怎么回答,她们都能找到发脾气的理由。
It is a dilemma. Whatever the answer is, they will always find an excuse to get mad.

Zuì jìn,yǒu yí gè guān yú“zuò”de zhōng wén wǎng luò liú xíng yǔ shèn zhì bèi shōu jìn le měi guó zài xiàn lǐ yǔ cí diǎn:no zuo no die 。
Rú guǒ wán quán yòng zhōng wén biǎo dá jiù shì“bù zuō sǐ jiù bú huì sǐ”,rú guǒ nǐ bù zhǔ dòng rě shì,nǐ shì bú huì sǐ de;rú guǒ nǐ zǒng shì rě shì,nà me nǐ yí dìng huì sǐ dé hěn cǎn!
最近,有一个关于“作”的中文网络流行语甚至被收进了美国在线俚语词典:No zuo no die。
如果完全用中文表达就是“不作死就不会死(重复)”,如果你不主动惹事,你是不会死的;如果你总是惹事,那么你一定会死得很惨!
Recently, a Chinese cyber catchword, “No zuo no die” has even been collected into the American online Urban Dictionary, which is “不作死就不会死” in full. It means that “if you don't do stupid things, they won't come back and bite you in the ass. (But if you do, they most certainly will.)”

Bù zuō sǐ jiù bú huì sǐ,zhè jù huà hái shì tǐng hǎo yòng de。
不做死就不会死,这句话还是挺好用的。
“不做死就不会死”. It is an mighty phrase.

Bǐ rú,yǒu rén lái gēn wǒ tiǎo zhàn wǒ hěn shàn cháng de lán qiú,zuì hòu tā shū dé hěn cǎn bìng qiě niǔ shāng le jiǎo,nǐ kě yǐ xìng zāi lè huò de gēn tā shuō yí jù:Bù zuō sǐ jiù bú huì sǐ!Bié tiǎo zhàn wǒ!
比如,有人来跟我挑战我很擅长的篮球,最后他输得很惨并且扭伤了脚,你可以幸灾乐祸地跟他说一句:不作死就不会死!别挑战我!
For example, someone challenges me to a basketball game, which I’m so good at. So it turns out that he lost completely and even got his foot sprained. Then, you can say to him with delight, “不作死就不会死!Never challenge me!”

Bǐ rú,zài wǒ yǒu yí gè fēi cháng zuō de xiǎng fǎ zhī qián,wǒ de péng you men zǒng huì gēn wǒ shuō:Bù zuō sǐ jiù bú huì sǐ,nǐ yào xiǎo xīn diǎn!
比如,在我有一个非常作的想法之前,我的朋友们总会跟我说:不作死就不会死,你要小心点!
For one more example, before I put into practice a very “作” idea, my friends will always say to me, “不作死就不会死. You should take care!”

Dàn kě xī de shì,wǒ cháng cháng bù tīng tā men de quàn gào ~
但可惜的是,我常常不听他们的劝告~
What a pity! I always fail to follow their advice.

Bǐ rú,wǒ de péng you cháng zài wǒ zuō sǐ hòu yí hàn de gēn wǒ shuō:Zǎo jiù gào su nǐ le,bù zuō sǐ jiù bú huì sǐ,nǐ jiù shì bù tīng,yǐ hòu dōu gǎi le ba!
比如,我的朋友常在我作死后遗憾地跟我说:早就告诉你了,不作死就不会死,你就是不听,以后都改了吧!
Then, they would say to me regretfully, “I told you! 不作死就不会死! You don’t listen to me at all. Don’t do it any more!”

Suī rán wǒ zǒng shì dā yìng tā men,dàn wǒ què zǒng shì rěn bú zhù yí cì yòu yí cì de zuō sǐ ~
虽然我总是答应他们,但我却总是忍不住一次又一次的作死~
Although I promise every time, I just can’t help “作ing” again and again.


The article is translated and editted by Chinlingo. Please indicate the source for any use, reproduction or transfer. 
本文由Chinlingo编译后发布,如需转载,请标明来源。

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Color connotations in Chinese

In contemporary Chinese, color connotations are used in all walks of life. Websites, food, agriculture, telephone directory, personal income and social groups can all be described with different colors.
在当代汉语中,各种颜色指代已堂而皇之地步入社会生活的各个领域,例如网站、食品、农业、电话簿、个人收入、社会群体等等,均可以不同的颜色称代之。

The most typical example is the colorful "领子" (lǐnɡ zi, collars). "白领" (bái lǐnɡ) is a white-collar worker, "蓝领" (lán lǐnɡ) is a blue-collar worker, "灰领" (huī lǐnɡ) is a gray-collar worker, "粉领" (fěn lǐnɡ) refers to a pink-collar worker or a female SOHO worker, and "黑领" (hēi lǐnɡ) refers to a "black-collar worker" who works in the government or a state-owned monopoly enterprise in China.
最为典型的是各种颜色的"领子",白领、蓝领、灰领、粉领、黑领。

There are also red, green and yellow websites. "红色网站" (hónɡ sè wǎnɡ zhàn) or "red websites" refer to those ideological & political education websites of colleges, public institutions and state-owned enterprises, "绿色网站" (lǜ sè wǎnɡ zhàn) or "green websites" refer to those innocuous, educational and inspiring websites, while "黄色网站" (huánɡ sè wǎnɡ zhàn) or "yellow websites" refer to the pornographic websites. 
再如各类网站也有红、绿、黑之分。高等院校或企事业单位中建立的思想政治教育网站,称为"红色网站"。内容健康向上、怡情益智,充满生命活力的网站,称为"绿色网站"。而"黄色网站"指充斥色情、淫秽等不健康内容的网站。

One's income can also be described by colors. "白色收入" (bái sè shōu rù, white income) refers to the legal and publically visible remunerations, including salary and bonus. "黑色收入" (hēi sè shōu rù, black income) refers to the illegal and concealed gains by embezzlement, theft and bribery. "灰色收入" (huī sè shōu rù, gray income) refers to the incomes except salary, like the part-time job gains, contribution fee, interest income, stock yield and post earnings. These incomes are named "灰色收入", because they exist between "白色收入" and "黑色收入", and one prefers to make them unknown to others. 
个人收入,亦可用颜色分类。"白色收入"指按规定获得的工资、津贴等劳动报酬。这类收入通常是公开的、透明的,故名。"黑色收入"指通过贪污、盗窃、受贿等非法手段获得的收入。这类收入是违法的,隐蔽的,故称。"灰色收入"指工资之外,如兼职收入、稿酬、利息、股票获利、职务收益等收入。这类收入介于"白色收入"和"黑色收入"之间,人们不大乐于公开,故称。

"绿色食品" (lǜ sè shí pǐn) or "green food" refers to the pollution-free, safe, quality and nutritious food, which is entitled with the green food mark. Due to the increasing awareness of the environmental protection, "绿色" has become the biggest eye-catcher among all colors. There are "绿色工厂" (lǜ sè ɡōnɡ chǎnɡ, green factory), "绿色奥运" (lǜ sè ào yùn, green Olympics), "绿色蔬菜" (lǜ sè shū cài, green vegetable), "绿色家电" (lǜ sè jiā diàn, green household appliance) and "绿色能源" (lǜ sè nénɡ yuán, green energy). Forest resources are called "绿色银行" (lǜ sè yín hánɡ, green bank), and a protection forest is accredited as "绿色长城" (lǜ sè chánɡ chénɡ, green Great Wall). 
"绿色食品"指无公害、无污染,安全、优质、营养,经专门机构认定许可使用绿色食品标志的食品。随着民众环保意识的增强,"绿色"已成最为抢眼的色彩词,如"绿色工厂、绿色奥运、绿色蔬菜、绿色家电、绿色能源、绿色建材、绿色能源"等。人们把森林资源称为"绿色银行",把防护林工程称为"绿色长城"。

In addition, the dark-color food, like black sesame, black rice, black fungus, black-bone chicken, seaweed, kelp, nori and trepang, are called "black food". Corresponding to "绿色农业" (lǜ sè nónɡ yè, green agriculture), there is "蓝色农业" (lán sè nónɡ yè, blue agriculture), which refers to marine aquaculture, marine farming and marine fishing. It's named for the blue seawater. 
另外,人们把颜色呈黑色的食品,如黑芝麻、黑米、黑木耳、香菇、乌骨鸡、海藻、海带、紫菜、海参等,统称为"黑色食品"。与"绿色农业"相对应的是"蓝色农业",指海洋养殖业、种植业和捕捞业,因海水为蓝色,故名。

Moreover, as "银发" (yín fà, "sliver hair" literally) refers to the elderly, "银色浪潮" (yín sè lànɡ cháo, "silver wave" literally) is used as a metaphor of the rapid growing aging population. Correspondingly, there is "银色市场" (yín sè shì chǎnɡ, silver market), "银色消费" (yín sè xiāo fèi, elderly-oriented market), "银色住宅" (yín sè zhù zhái, housing services for the elderly) and "银色医疗" (yín sè yī liáo, medical services for the elderly). 
由于"银发"指代老人群体,故而将老龄人口快速增长的社会现象喻为"银色浪潮",与之相应是"银色市场""银色消费""银色住宅""银色医疗"等。

As for "黄页" (huánɡ yè, yellow page) and "白页" (bái yè, white page) in a telephone directory, they are named simply by the paper colors. "黄页" refers to the pages of enterprise and residence phone numbers, while "白页" refer to the pages of telephone numbers of the party, government offices and social organizations. 
至于电话号码簿中的"黄页"和"白页",纯由印制纸张的颜色命名。"黄页"指登录企事业单位和住宅电话号码的部分,"白页"指登录党政机关、社会团体电话号码的部分。

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tags:learn Chinese pinyin

How to talk about "pretend" with Chinese "zhuāng"

Too many people live under a mask to hide the truth from others. It's inadvisable for us to expose their intentions, but that doesn't stop us from learning to talk about it in Chinese. The word "装" can be a noun, meaning "clothes" or "costume". It can also be a verb, meaning "to pretend", "to disguise" or "to feign". 

1. 装无辜
Butter wouldn't melt (in sb's mouth)

tā kàn zhe hěn wú gū
他看着很无辜。
--He looks so innocent.

shì ā, kěn dìng shì zhuāng de 
是啊,肯定是装的。
--Yes, butter wouldn't melt, I'm sure. 

2. 装有范
Put on airs

tā de yì xiē lǎo péng yǒu dōu zhǐ zé tā fā cái yǐ hòu jiù kāi shǐ bǎi jià zǐ le 
她的一些老朋友都指责她发财以后就开始摆架子了。
Some of her old friends have accused her of putting on airs since she became wealthy.

3. 装糊涂
Play dumb

zhān nī zhī dào táng fàng zài nǎ ér le, dàn tā gù yì zhuāng shǎ dòu tā de dì dì 
詹妮知道糖放在哪儿了,但她故意装傻逗她的弟弟。
Jenny knew where the sweets were but was playing dumb to tease her little brother.

4. 装嫩
Mutton dressed as lamb

tā suì shù tài dà le, zhè me dǎ bàn gēn tā nián líng bù fú, míng xiǎn jiù shì lǎo huáng guā shuā lǜ qī zhuāng nèn 
她岁数太大了,这么打扮跟她年龄不符,明显就是老黄瓜刷绿漆装嫩。
She's far too old for that - she looks like mutton dressed as lamb.

5. 装厉害
All bark and no bite

yuē hàn zǒng shì shuō yǒu yì tiān tā huì zuàn dà qián, dàn shì zhī jiàn tā shuō méi jiàn tā zuò ā ~
约翰总是说有一天他会赚大钱,但是只见他说没见他做啊~
John talks big about how much money he'll make someday, but he's all bark and no bite.