At my current level of Chinese, my biggest struggle is 词不达意 (cíbùdáyì, literally words don't convey meaning). It means poorly expressed or inarticulate. Basically, I know enough to convey my message but am often unable to do so succinctly and articulately.
Today I'm sharing 15 words/expressions that I feel really boost my ability to express myself articulately. I use them all the time and wish I had known them sooner. I hope they will be of use to you too!
(1) 万一 | 萬一 wànyī - just in case / if by any chance / contingency
Ex: 万一我来不了,你就替我出席。
(2) 甚至 shènzhì - even / so much so that
Ex: 他忙得甚至连吃饭时间都没有。
(3) 到底 dàodǐ - finally / in the end / when all is said and done / after all / to the end / to the last
Ex: 他到底想要什么?
Ex: 我们一定要坚持到底,不能半途而废。
(4) 要不 yàobù - otherwise / or else / how about...?
Ex: 快点起床了,要不就会迟到了。
Ex: 要不我们先坐下再想想办法吧。
(5) 而已 éryǐ - that's all / nothing more
Ex: 我开玩笑而已,何必那么认真?
(6) 既然 jìrán - since / as / this being the case
Ex: 你既然不想参加这次聚会,那就别去了。
(7) 除非 chúfēi - only if (..., or otherwise, ...) / only when / only in the case that / unless
Ex: 除非大家都去,否则我不去。
Ex: 除非你去邀请,他才愿意出席。
(8) 处于 | 處於 chǔyú - to be in (some state, position, or condition)
Ex: 病人的状况一直不稳定,还处于危险中。
(9) 通过 | 通過 tōngguò - by means of / through / via
Ex: 很多人都想要通过看中剧提高中文水平。
Ex: 通过爸爸的帮助,我克服了害怕和紧张。
(10) 尤其 yóuqí - especially / particularly
Ex: 为了完成这份工作,大家都很努力,尤其是她。
(11) 其中 qízhōng - among / in / included among these
Ex: 我们班有十个学生,其中女生占百分之六十。
(12) 剩下 shèngxià - to remain / left over
Ex: 放学后,同学都走光了,只剩下他一个人在教室里。
(13) 到…为止 | 到…為止 dào...wéizhǐ - until / up to
Ex: 今天的讨论到此为止。
Ex: 到目前为止,这项活动只有十个人报名参加。
(14) 意味着 | 意味著 yìwèizhe - to mean / to imply
Ex: 树叶开始凋落,意味着冬天的到来。
(15) 隔 gé - after or at an interval of
Ex: 每隔十分钟开出一列火车。
Ex: 我们们每隔一天上一次中文课。
Happy Halloween tomorrow! 🎃👻🐈⬛
See similar posts:
20 measure words (量词) I wish I learned sooner
7 intermediate/advanced Chinese grammar fundamentals
@chocolatexiaoshi brought to my attention that Qiao Ling's actress, Cai Lu, posted a video from rehearsal where she's singing a part of QL's solo song that doesn't appear in the encore, only in main plot (rare!). Here's the video:
And by courtesy of chocolatexiaoshi, here's the full translation (plot context below the lyrics) 🙏🌟
M11 尼克和马修
'Nick and Matthew' sung by Qiao Ling
七岁那年遇见一个倒霉朋友
When I was seven years old, I met an unlucky friend.
我的笑料都来自他出丑
I get all my laughs when he makes a fool of himself.
没穿过耐克
(He) never wore Nike.
自己画个倒钩
Drew himself a barb (tick line, to pretend to wear Nike).
羡慕同学有爸妈开车接送
He envied his classmates when their parents drove them around.
他吹牛家里游艇正在维修
He bragged that his family's yacht was being repaired.
这个蠢货幻想有两个朋友
This douchebag fantasizes about having two friends.
一个叫尼克
One's name is Nick.
另一个叫马修
The other is Matthew.
还以为是他国外的笔友
I thought they're his pen pals from abroad.
所谓的朋友全都是他虚构
He's making up all his friends.
尼克是狮子
Nick was a lion.
马修是条狗
Matthew was a dog.
用秘密威胁他做我朋友
Threatened him with this secret to be my friend.
他提了个要求
He made a request.
家长会我爸
PTA meeting with my dad. (PTA - routine meetings between the parents and teachers of students, to discuss a child's progress at school)
装他大舅
Pretend to be his great-uncle.
Here starts the part Cai Lu is singing in the video (and it's 😭💔):
尼克马修其实是孤独的魔咒
Nick and Matthew are actually a curse of loneliness.
若有人陪伴怎会如此荒谬
How can it be so absurd if he has company?
所有的情绪靠幻想找个出口
All his emotions find an outlet in his fantasies.
喜怒哀愁去和故事书交流
He'd go to a storybook for his sorrows and his joys.
自我欺骗才能排解烦忧
The only way to get rid of them is to lie to himself.
这个倒霉蛋我认识十五年之久
I've known this unfortunate man for 15 years.
你是除了我以外,他唯一的朋友
You're the only friend he's got besides me.
看过了彼此的伤痛
You guys've seen each other's pain.
应该更宽容
You should be more forgiving.
别被情绪左右
Don't let your emotions get the best of you.
一起向前走
Let's move forward together.
如果我是尼克
If I'm Nick.
你来做马修
You'd be Matthew.
他渴望的两个朋友
The two friends he craves.
你和我送他拥有
You and I will give him the two friends he longs for.
The clip ends here, but there are a few more verses 🎶
尼克和马修他童年的缺口
Nick and Matthew, the gaping hole in his childhood
填补了他的梦
Filled his dreams.
你我别放手
You and I, don't let go.
尼克和马修吹过最离谱的牛
Nick and Matthew is the most outrageous thing he's ever bragged about.
能不能和我一起
Will you join me?
将他心愿保留
To keep his heart's desire alive
ಥωಥ yeah.
🌟Context: after the earthquake arc dive, Cheng Xiaoshi and Lu Guang have a fight where CXS says he doesn't want to see Lu Guang anymore. Qiao Ling tries to ask LG what happened but doesn't get an answer. Then she goes to comfort CXS:
Eventually LG goes to sulk on a basketball court:
Qiao Ling finds him and tells him about Xiaoshi's childhood (her song starts) :'>
These are drawings of Nick and Matthew (tho they seem to change, you can they're different in pics above^). QL shows them while singing:
My dear shiguang nation... how are we feeling about QL and LG stepping into Xiaoshi's life filling a place of his imaginary childhood friends born out of loneliness? Bc I-
Again huge thanks to @chocolatexiaoshi for basically translating everything and adding context to this song 🙏 I just checked english grammar and helped to put it together 🤝 We're keeping in touch and they've actually seen LC musical live, so if you have more in depth questions about the play or specific actors, let us know 😘