半生缘

[roddy]

That you've been reading the book. Congrats on the persistence. 

[Fred0]

Not persistent; just slow. I'm just starting Chapter 11, with 7 more to go.  

[Fred0]

Shuhui and Cuizhi climb to the top of a hill together where thay sit and talk about nothing in particular. Cuizhi is engaged now, but she and Shuhui have had a romantic interlude in a boat on a lake one evening, and now they find themselves together again, and loving it.

 

但是大家心里或者都有这样一个感想，想不到今日之下，还能够见这样一面。

 

Here I read 或者 “maybe," 都有这样一个 “not at all, this kind, another one" 感想 “thoughts."  Inwardly both are thinking that they may never have another time like this again.   想不到 “can't imagine"  今日 “today" 之下   "ending (?)." They can't imagine this day coming to an end. 还 "still"  能够 “to be able to" 见这样 “to see (each other) like this 一面  "face to face (?)"  and (no longer) be able to see each other like this, face to face.

 

Am I correct to read 之下  as "coming to an end?" 

 

Am I correct to read 一面 as "face to face?"

[陳德聰]

But perhaps both of them had this feeling; they could not have imagined that they would still be able to meet like they did on this day.

 

或者 here means the same as 或許.

 

都有這樣一個 means “both have this kind of.”

 

之下 means more like “under,” and in this case “on.”

 

見一面 is to meet as a Verb-Object structured Verb Phrase, and the author has inserted 這樣 to describe the object, “見(這樣)一面”.

[Fred0]

Very helpful. Thank you.

[Fred0]

Cuizhi has precipitously broken off her engagement to Yipeng. Manzhen comments on this kind of person and her behavior:

 

我觉得这些人都是电影看得太多了，有时候做出的事情都是‘为演戏而演戏’。

 

What does the expression 为演戏而演戏 mean?   I'm guessing it means what you see acted out in the theater, you then act out in your life- doing something for the sake of the drama of it. 

[Publius]

爲演戲而演戲 = drama for drama's sake => unnecessarily dramatic, melodramatic

[Fred0]

Would this structure:  为。。。而。。。be applicable generally？ For example: 为挣钱而挣钱, to make money for the sake of making money?

[Publius]

Yes. "Art for art's sake" is translated as 爲藝術而藝術.

[Fred0]

Manzhen has just broken her engagement to Shijun. He is very upset and gets up to leave, but to calm himself he drinks down the remaining tea in his cup in one gulp

 

他站起来，把自己的大衣帽子呼噜呼噜拿起来就走。为了想叫自己镇定一些，他临走又把桌上的一杯茶端起来，一口气喝完了。

 

The structure of the phrase 为了想叫自己镇定一些 is confusing to me; it seems to say "in order to want (or to think) to call himself to calm down somewhat ,...". Why doesn't she just say "为了叫自己镇定一些 ..."?

[陳德聰]

為了 just denotes the purpose/goal for doing something, and doesn’t always necessarily need to be translated as “in order to.” Here, I would translate it as “because” or not at all. I am not a literary translator though.

 

”Because he wanted to calm himself down a bit, ...”

 

Or just 

 

“Wanting to calm himself down a bit, he ...”

[Fred0]

Thanks. That's helpful. 

[Publius]

叫 is a causative verb that means 'make' or 'let'.

爲了想 is, admittedly, redundant. But it's still idiomatic Chinese. Compare 'the reason why' in English.

[Fred0]

Very helpful. Causitive verb is a new grammar concept for me. Thank you.

[Fred0]

我倒特为买了肉，楼底下老妈子上菜场去，我托她给我们带了一斤肉来。还承人家一个情！

Actually, I specially bought meat, the old downstairs maid is going to the grocery, I asked her to bring a catty of meat. 

 

But what does 还承人家一个情！mean?  She still owes me a favor?  I (now) owe her a favor? I am grateful to her? 

[Fred0]

“姑爷是一天到晚不回家，有本事家里一个人病到这样，他一点也不管！”

 

Mrs. Gu is complaining that her son-in-law stays away from the home even though his wife is very ill. She says he doesn't even care.

 

What does the phrase 有本事家里 mean? Does 本事 mean "source material, original story" or "ability, skill?" Does the sentence mean "(I) have been told (the inside story) that a family member is this sick, and he doesn't even  care?"

 

[roddy]

On 3/24/2019 at 4:24 PM, Fred0 said:

还承人家一个情

It can sometimes be useful to look at how words might have been split. 承情 is to be obliged to,  to owe gratitude to. 

 

The 有本事 one, I think 'ability' might be best, but it's being used sarcastically, scornfully. "His wife's really sick, but he's still able to go out..." Someone else might have a better way of explaining it though. 

[Fred0]

Mujin is preparing for his wedding the next day. Mrs. Gu doesn't want to burden him with the story of Manlu's grave illness

 

曼璐病重的情形，顾太太本来不想跟慕瑾多说，人家正是喜气洋洋地要办喜事了，不嫌忌讳么。

 

How to understand the meaning of 不嫌忌讳么?  She does not dislike to abstain from? Taking the 不 to be rhetorical, she dislikes to avoid, abstain from? I am completely stumped.

[Publius]

不 is rhetorical. The whole sentence can be rephrased as人家难道不嫌这种事情是忌讳么？She would mind because it's a taboo topic, wouldn't she?

嫌 is a tricky verb. You can't equate it with dislike or avoid. A more generic translation is 'to think something bad and act accordingly'. You also need more examples to grasp its usage.

From Pleco:

嫌脏

think sth. is too dirty

嫌麻烦

avoid taking the trouble; think it troublesome; consider something a nuisance

嫌孩子吵

feel the children are too noisy

大家都嫌他脾气太急。

Everybody disliked him because of his hot temper.

你不嫌我们在这里抽烟吧？

You don't mind us smoking here, do you?

这文章内容不错，只是文字略嫌啰唆。

The article is good in content, just too wordy.

[Fred0]

Very helpful. Thank you.