Aquatarkus Posted October 30, 2011 at 10:15 AM Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 at 10:15 AM Hi dear friends, I'm trying to translate a little story about friendship. The most part of text is quite clear, however I'm stuck at some sentences. Could you please explain? 是朋友，才敢放心把钱借给他。 A friend feels relieved only when he borrowed him some money (????) 想不到，那钱，却迟迟不见还。 Unexpectedly, these money slowly disappeared (??) .... 他为什么要冒雨爬上房顶？ Why did he climb the roof during the rain? 他心里急。他从小就急，办什么事都急，比如要帮村里盖小学…… He was in a hurry. Since when he was child, he used to do everything quickly, just wanted to help the village school to cover the roof... (??) 您是说他要帮村里盖小学？ - Has he told you that he was going to help the school? (???) 是的，已经盖起来了。 - Yes, he already climbed the roof (??) ... I can't make any sense out of the sentences above, and it's very annoying... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted October 30, 2011 at 11:16 AM Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 at 11:16 AM 是朋友，才敢放心把钱借给他。 A friend feels relieved only when he borrowed him some money. This is closer to "only if you are friends, you can borrow him money without worrying". 放心 is used adverbially here, and means something like "relaxed, not worrying". Does it help your understanding of this sentence to insert a 地 here? 放心地把钱借给他 -> "borrow him money without worrying". 想不到，那钱，却迟迟不见还。 Unexpectedly, these money slowly disappeared (??) 迟迟 is more like "belated", and 还 should be pronounced as huán here, meaning 'to return; to repay [of debts]'. 他为什么要冒雨爬上房顶？ Why did he climb the roof during the rain? I haven't read the whole story but this translation seems correct. You could consider translating 冒 as 'braving', or something to that effect. 他心里急。他从小就急，办什么事都急，比如要帮村里盖小学…… He was in a hurry. Since when he was child, he used to do everything quickly, just wanted to help the village school to cover the roof... (??) You seem to have forgotten to translate 办什么事都急 here. 盖 generally just means 'to build', not 'to cover' (although it can mean that sometimes). Knowing that, you should be able to fix the last two translations you had trouble with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imron Posted October 30, 2011 at 12:30 PM Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 at 12:30 PM This is closer to "only if you are friends, you can borrow him money without worrying". In this example, it is better to use lend rather than borrow. I would translate it along the lines of: He only felt comfortable lending him money because they were friends. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted October 30, 2011 at 01:49 PM Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 at 01:49 PM Of course - thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquatarkus Posted October 30, 2011 at 02:00 PM Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 at 02:00 PM Do I understand correctly that the meaning of the the first line is "while lending money to his friend, he felt comfortable only because they were friends"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted October 30, 2011 at 02:24 PM Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 at 02:24 PM No, it's more like "he only felt comfortable lending money to him because they were friends" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imron Posted October 30, 2011 at 03:20 PM Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 at 03:20 PM "It was only because they were friends that he felt comfortable lending him money" would also work, as would something like "It was only because they were friends that he wasn't apprehensive about lending him money" or perhaps more literally to the Chinese: "It was only because they were friends that he dared not to worry about lending him money." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquatarkus Posted October 30, 2011 at 09:43 PM Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 at 09:43 PM What a thorough explanation. Thank you very much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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