Travel in Chinese Lesson 32 Neiliansheng Shoes Store

雪梅：人豪特别喜欢穿布鞋，现在我也喜欢上了。

表姐：布鞋舒服啊。

雪梅：这种鞋挺好，你看这鞋底多棒啊。

表姐：你还挺有眼力，这千层底鞋，这是中国的名牌，有几百年的历史了。

雪梅：这鞋的做工真好。

表姐：以前都是手工制作的呢。

雪梅：（对售货员）这种鞋有没有8号半的？

售货员：8号半的？这不是中国的号码吧？

雪梅：瞧我这记性，我说错了，这是美国的号码。

售货员：没关系，我给你问一下。

售货员：8号半就是我们中国的43号。

表姐：这鞋做得真好，我也想买了。

雪梅：那咱们就一人买一双。

表姐：你要哪个颜色的?

雪梅：我有点儿拿不定主意，黑色和咖啡色的都不错。

售货员：那就两双都要了吧，这种鞋走得可快了，进多少卖多少。有的人一下子就买五、六双呢。

雪梅：穿上这鞋走得快？太离谱了吧？

售货员：走得快？（恍然大悟）噢，我说的不是这个意思。

表姐：走得快，在这儿就是卖得快的意思。

雪梅：天哪，这哪儿跟哪儿呀？

雪梅：这鞋我要两双。哎，两双能便宜吗？

售货员：（笑）我们商场是不讲价的。

雪梅：噢，是这样的？

表姐：这鞋不仅穿着舒服、做工好，还是名牌呢！

雪梅：什么牌子？

表姐：内联陞，以前朝廷里的官员都来买内联陞的鞋。

雪梅：为什么呢？

表姐：名字吉利，你听“内联陞”，听起来就是连着升官的意思。

雪梅：原来如此，今天这鞋是买对了。

表姐：去那边看看绣花鞋，我特喜欢，都买了好几双了。

雪梅：这鞋真有中国味儿。

售货员：您二位看看鞋，这绣花鞋不仅漂亮，穿着还舒服、轻便。

雪梅：这花绣得真漂亮，好像真的一样。

表姐：买一双吧。

雪梅：绣花鞋是不是配中式服装才好看啊。

表姐：也不见得，我觉得配牛仔裤也挺好看。

雪梅：那我来一双吧。
 

Translation

Xuemei: Renhao loves wearing cloth shoes. Now I like them, too.

Cousin: Cloth shoes are comfortable.

Xuemei: These are nice. Look how great the soles are.

Cousin: You have a pretty good eye. These are “thousand layer sole shoes”. This is a famous brand in China with centuries of history.

Xuemei: The quality of these shoes is wonderful.

Cousin: They used to be hand-made.

Xuemei: （to the saleswoman）Do these shoes come in size eight and a half?

Saleswoman: Eight and a half？That’s not a Chinese size. Is it？

Xuemei: Oh look at my memory. I said the wrong size. That’s American size.

Saleswoman: Don’t worry. I’ll ask for you.

Saleswoman: Eight and a half is size 43 in China.

Cousin: These shoes are really well made. I want to buy some too.

Xuemei: Then we’ll buy a pair each.

Cousin: Which color do you want?

Xuemei: I can’t quite decide. Both the black ones and brown ones are good.

Saleswoman: Then take both. These shoes are walking out the door fast. We’ll selling as many as we get in. Some people buy five six pairs at a time.

Xuemei: If I wear these shoes I walk fast？That’s hard to believe？

Saleswoman: walking fast？ Oh, I didn’t mean that.

Cousin: Walking fast, here means selling fast.

Xuemei: God. Who would have thought？

Xuemei: I’ll take two pairs of these shoes. Hey. Can you give us a better price for two pairs？

Saleswoman: （laughs）We don’t bargain at our store.

Xuemei: Oh. Is that right？

Cousin: These shoes are not only comfortable and well made. They’re a famous brand！

Xuemei: What brand is it？

Cousin: Nei Lian Sheng, the court officials in the past used to always buy these Nei Lian Sheng shoes.

Xuemei: Why？

Cousin: It has a lucky sounding name. “Nei Lian Sheng”, sounds like many promotions in a row.

Xuemei: Oh right. Looks like I made the right choice.

Cousin: Let’s have a look at embroidered shoes over there. I love them so much. I’ve bought quite a few pairs.

Xuemei: These shoes are so Chinese.

Saleswoman: Have a look at these shoes you two ladies. These embroidered shoes are not just pretty. They’re light and comfortable to wear.

Xuemei: The flower embroidery is so pretty the flowers look real.

Cousin: Buy a pair then.

Xuemei: Do embroidered shoes have to be worn with Chinese style clothes to look good?

Cousin: Not necessarily. I think they look good with jeans too.

Xuemei: Then I’ll take a pair.
 

Bookmarks

1）不见得 not necessarily

（例）贵的东西不见得都好。

Expensive things are not necessarily all good.

（例）他不见得有时间和我们一起去看电影。

He doesn't necessarily have time to go to the movies with us.

Sign Posts

Old Store Names

In Beijing, you'll often hear of 老字号. 字号 is a traditional term for a shop's name. This is a term that's not normally used for modern businesses. Instead, it refers to old store names that have survived from imperial times and are sometimes hundreds of years old.

When we went out to 全聚德 for Peking duck, we were going to one of the most famous 老字号. Some people say this is not the best Peking duck you can find, but it is the oldest and most famous of the Peking duck restaurants. Actually, there are several outlets around the city. The oldest 全聚德 is around 和平门, south of Tiananmen Square, although the original building no longer stands.

Today we heard about 内联升 cloth shoes. This is another 老字号 that has been around since the Qing Dynasty.

Another famous clothing and fabric dealer is called 瑞蚨祥. This 老字号 is located in the Dazhalan district of Beijing, near Qianmen. Note that locals pronounce this area Dashilar. In standard Chinese, the characters would be pronounced Dazhalan.

If you're going out for hot pot, the most famous 老字号 is 东来顺.

Of course, with the huge changes China has undergone in the past 100 years, these shops and stores are no longer under the same management. Most of them are state owned, and have adapted to the times. But in some ways they still preserve a little bit of Beijing's history. 

Substitution and Extension

1）V＋上 to show a result of the verb

（例）他们已经联系上了。

They've already made contact.

2）瞧我这…… to show that you've made a mistake or to criticize yourself

（例）瞧我这记性，忘了把书给你带来了。

Look at my memory! I forgot to bring the book for you.

3）数词＋人＋数词＋量词 something per person

（例）这是门票，我们一人一张。

These are the tickets. There's one per person.