Travel in Chinese Lesson 31 Buy Pants

雪梅：这件T恤衫不错，带汉字的衣服在外国很时髦。

表姐：我也很喜欢这样的衣服，字小一点儿的更好看。

雪梅：没错儿，什么颜色的好呢？

表姐：我觉得那件的颜色就不错。（对售货员）把那件T恤衫拿来看看。

售货员1：你要多大号的？

雪梅：大号的。

售货员1：这件就是大号的，你试试大小怎么样？

雪梅：还行，不大不小正好。还有什么颜色的？

售货员1：还有黑的和红的。

雪梅：那给我拿一件黑色的吧。

售货员1：对不起，黑的只有中号的，大号的卖完了。

雪梅：真不巧。

售货员1：那要不你看看这种样式的吧，我觉得也挺适合您的。

雪梅：我不喜欢这样的领子。

表姐：（对售货员1）谢谢，我们再去别的地方看看，回头再说。

表姐：雪梅，你看，这裤子不错，（摸）手感好，穿着肯定特舒服。

售货员2：您真识货，这是全麻的。您再看这裤形，穿上显得特苗条。

雪梅：这条是蓝色的，我不太喜欢。

售货员2：我们还有黑色的，我拿一条给您看看。

雪梅：（比试一下）哎，我怎么觉得这两条的式样不太一样啊。

售货员2：差不多，您瞧，料子都一样，裤形也一样。

表姐：我穿这条不行，太长了，也有点儿肥。

雪梅：这条瘦点儿，你试试。

表姐：这条还行，我劝你也买一条吧。

雪梅：那我就买一条跟你一样的。

表姐：多少钱一条？

售货员：您诚心买，我给您便宜点儿，实打实，220一条。

表姐：我一次买两条，便宜点儿吧。

售货员2：那两条400，怎么样？

表姐：太贵了，120块钱一条，怎么样？

售货员2：那可不行，我不能赔钱卖呀。

表姐：那就算了，走吧。

（两人离开，售货员2大声叫她们）

售货员2：卖给你们吧，就算交个朋友，我这可真是赔本赚吆喝。

（两人高高兴兴地离开）

雪梅：你真行，以后买东西就找你。
 

Translation

Xuemei: This T-Shirt is nice. Clothes with Chinese characters are really popular overseas.

Cousin: I like clothes like this too. The ones with smaller characters are even better.

Xuemei: Exactly. Which colour is best？

Cousin: I think that colour’s good. （to the saleswoman）Please show us that T-Shirt.

Saleswoman 1: What size would you like？

Xuemei: Large.

Saleswoman 1: This one is large. How about you try it on for size？

Xuemei: It’s OK, not too large, not too small, just right. What other colours are there？

Saleswoman 1: There’s also black and red.

Xuemei: Then give me a black one.

Saleswoman 1: Sorry. The black only comes in medium. We sold out of the large size.

Xuemei: What a shame.

Saleswoman 1: Then, how about this style? I think it suits you too.

Xuemei: I don’t like this collar.

Cousin: （to saleswoman 1）Thanks. We’ll have a look elsewher. See you later.

Cousin: Look Xuemei. These pants are nice.（feels it）feels nice, it must be so comfortable to wear.

Saleswoman 2: You have a good eye. This is pure linen. Have a look at the cut of the pants, it’s very slimming.

Xuemei: This one’s blue. I don’t really like it.

Saleswoman 2: We have black ones too, I’ll get one and show you.

Xuemei: Hey. I think the two pairs are different in style.

Saleswoman 2: They’re about the same. Look, the material’s the same. The cut is the same.

Cousin: This pair doesn’t fit. They’re too long, a bit loose too.

Xuemei: This pair’s a bit smaller. Have a try.

Cousin: This pair’s OK. I think you should buy a pair too.

Xuemei: Then I’ll buy a pair just like yours.

Cousin: How much are they per pair？

Saleswoman: Since you really want them, I’ll make them cheaper, best price, 220 per pair.

Cousin: Give us a discount if I buy two pairs.

Saleswoman 2: How about 400 for two pairs？

Cousin: That’s too expensive. How about 120 yuan per pair？

Saleswoman 2: No way. I can’t make a loss on it.

Cousin: Well then forget it. Let’s go.

（the two leave, Saleswoman 2 calls out to them in a loud voice）

Saleswoman 2: I’ll sell them to you at mates ’ rates. I’m really not making money on this.

（the two leave happily）

Xuemei: You’re really good. I’ll definitely go shopping with you in the future.
 

Bookmarks

1）显得 to appear

（例）下雨以后，树叶显得更绿了。

After it rains, the leaves look even greener.

（例）这件衣服让她显得很年轻。

This article of clothing makes her look very young.

Sign Posts

Colloquial expression

In today's lesson we came across a lot of slang or colloquial expression. For example, 赔本赚吆喝 selling products at a loss as a form of promotion. 本 refers to 资本 capital, or goods. 吆喝 is the way hawkers traditionally called out their wares, promoted their product or service by calling out, like the way people at a baseball game might call out “peanuts, popcorn”. 吆喝 is basically a form of advertisement. By 赔本赚吆喝 you are losing money, but gaining in advertising.

In Beijing dialect we would say 赔本赚吆喝. Note 本儿 has the 儿 ending and 吆喝 is pronounced yao1huo. Standard Mandarin Chinese, the national language, is based on the Beijing dialect, but there is a slight distinction between the two. Some colloquial expressions in Beijing cannot be considered standard Mandarin. For example 盖了冒了. This literally means "put the cover on the hat". In other words, you have topped off the top layer. This expression means "the best there is". In standard Mandarin Chinese, 盖帽 means to block a shot in basketball, you put a lid on it, blocked the shot.

Beginners shouldn't be worried about this difference between Beijing dialect and standard Mandarin. There is no real language barrier between the two. It's just fun to pick up some of the local expressions if you are living in Beijing for any length of time.

Substitution and Extension

1）……好呢？a way of asking "what do you think?"

(例）这儿有这么多家餐馆，去哪家好呢？

There're so many restaurants here. Which one would be best?

2）不A不B it's neither this nor that

（例）这件衣服，不大不小，正合适。

This piece of clothing is neither too big nor too small. It's just right.