45 Sentences with Chinese Characteristics (3)

Intermediate Level

26. [某事]不关[某人]的事。[Something] bù guān [somebody] de shì.

Literally: "Something does not relate to the affairs of somebody."
Function: Used to (quite rudely) point out that something is not the bussiness of someone else.
Near-equvilaent phrase in English: "Something is not someone's bussiness." When used as an interjection the phrases "None of your business!" or "What's it to you?" come to mind -- that's 关你屁事！Guān nǐ pìshì! in Mandarin.

27. [某人]真够朋友。 [Somebody] zhēn gòu péngyou.

Literally: "Somebody is really an adequate friend."
Function: Used to let someone know that you really value their friendship.
Near-equivalent phrase in English: "Somedoby is a true friend" or "Somebody is a real mate" in English.

28. 话不是这么说。Huà bú shì zhème shuō.

Literally: "It's not said like this."
Function: Used to gently disagree with someone.
Near-equivalent in English: "I don't really think that's the case."

29. 可不是吗？ Kě bú shì ma？

Literally: "How can it not be?"
Function: Used to exprss your strong agreement about something.
Near-equivalent in English: "Definitely!" or "Absolutely!"

30. 哪儿跟哪儿？ nǎr gēn nǎr？

Literally: "wher's compared to wher?"
Function: Used to express doubt about the relationship of two things which you think are not related.
Near-equivalent in English: "I don't see the connection" or "What's that got to do with it?"

31. 真有你的。 zhēn yǒu nǐ de.

Literally: 真（really）+ 有（has）+ 你的 （yours[skill; talent]）
Function: Used to express your admiration of someone's skill or talent.
Near-equivalent in English: "You're really awesome." or "You're really somthing else."

32. 看情况。 Kàn qínɡkuànɡ.

Literally: "Look at the situaion."
Function: Used to express uncertainty about a certain situation.
Near-equivalent phrase in English: "play it by ear" or "It depends" depending on situation.

33. 谁跟谁啊？ Shéi gēn shéi a？

Literally: "Look at the situation."
Function: Used to remind the other person that you are good friends with them, to tet them to stop being so polite or to get them to reveal to you something you want to know.
Near-equivalent phrase in English: "Come on, we're friends, aren't we?"

34. [某事]包在我身上。[Something] bāo zài wǒ shēnshang.

Literally: "Something's package is on my person."
Function: Used to let someone know that you'll take absolute responsibility for a certain ask.
Near-equivalent phrase in English: "Leave it all to me and I'll make it happen."

35. [某人]不是东西。[Somebody] bú shì dōngxi.

Literally: "Somebody is not a thing."
Function: Used to insult someone.
Near-equivalent phrase in English: "Somebody is good-for-nothing."

 

Advanced Level

 

36. 就那么回事。 Jiù nàme huí shì.

Literally: "That's how it was."
Function: To state that something is mediocre or average.
Near-equivalent phrases in English: "Not that great." or "Average."

37. [某人]死的心都有。 [Somebody] sǐ de xīn dōu yǒu.

Literally: "Somebody even has a dead heart." (As if their heart is dead.)
Function: Used to express somebody's deperation, disappointment and / or grief.
Near-equivalent phrase in English: "Somebody is torn apart."

38. 爱谁谁！（Ài shéi shéi!）

Literally: "Love who who!"
Function: Used to express indifference.
Near-equivalent phrase in English: "Whatever!" or "Who cares!"

39. [某人] 不好那口。[Somebody] bù hǎo nà kǒu.

Literally: "Somebody is not well (used to) that mouth."
Function: Used to express that someone does share a particular hobby or fondness for something.
Near-equivalent phrase in English: "Somebody is not into that." or "That's not somebody's thing."

40. 不要放在心上。Bú yào fànɡzài xīnshanɡ.

Literally: "Don't put [it] in [your] heart."
Function: Used to advise someone to not continue thinking about an unpleasant topic.
Near-equivalent phrase in English: "Don't take it to heart."

41. 请你多多包涵。Qǐnɡnǐ duōduō bāohán.

Literally: "Please forgive [me] much."
Function: Said before or after you do or say something which you think may hurt or offend others.
Near-equivalent phrase in English: "Please forgive me." or "Please bear with me."

42. 给[某人]点儿颜色看看。 Gěi [somebody] diǎnr yánsè kànkan.

Literally: "Give somebody a little colour (facial expression) to see."
Function: Used to express someone's ferciousness, to intimidate someone, usually to warn them that they are tough and not to be offended.
Near-equivalent phrase in English: "Teach someone a lesson."

43. [某人]鼻子气歪了。 [Somebody] de bízi qì wāi le.

Literally: "Somebody's nose is crooked with anger."
Function: Used to express how angry someone is.
Near-equivalent phrase in English: "He's really pissed off."

44. [关于某事]打一个问号。 [about something] dǎ yíɡe wènhào.

Literally: "about something [I] write a question mark."
Function: Used to express doudt about something.


Near-equivalent phrase in English: Not sure of an idiomatic equivalent; a basic translation is "to be unsure about something."

45. [某人]也有今天。 [Somebody] yě yǒu jīntiān.

Literally: "Somebody also has today."
Function: Used to state that someone has gotten comeuppance for a wrong deed.
Near-equivalent phrase in English: "Somebody will get his/ her just deserts." or "Somebody has got what he / she deserves."