New Mandarin Chinese Lesson: Cultural Differences: Bumping Into People

 Bumping Into People

Zhuàngdào Rén Le
撞到人了

A:

Wow, really not polite.
Wà, zhēn méi lǐmào.
哇，真没礼貌。

B:

What's up?
Zěnme le?
怎么了？

A:

That person just bumped into me, ...
Nàgè rén gāngcái zhuàngdào wǒ le, ...
那个人刚才撞到我了，……

but he didn't even apologize - just walked.
dànshì tā lián duìbùqǐ dōu méiyóu shuō jiù zǒule.
但是他连对不起都没有说就走了。

B:

Oh, like this ...
O, zhèyàng a, ...
噢，这样啊，……

this kind of situation - I also often encounter.
zhèzhǒng qíngkuàng wǒ yě chángcháng pèngdào.
这种情况我也常常碰到。

A:

Really? Then you - not angry?
Zhēnde ma? Nà nǐ bù shēngqì ma?
真的吗？那你不生气吗？

B:

Ha ha, I'm used to it.
Haha, wǒ xíguàn le.
哈哈，我习惯了。

A:

Used to it?
Xíguàn le?
习惯了？

B:

Right, there are many Chinese people - have this kind of habit.
Duì, yǒu hěnduō Zhōngguórén yǒu zhèyàng de xíguàn.
对，有很多中国人有这样的习惯。

When I ride the subway - will frequently encounter this kind of thing.
Wǒ zuò dìtiě de shíhou chángcháng huì yùdào zhèyàng de shìqing.
我坐地铁的时候常常会遇到这样的事情。

They feel - to do like this - definitely isn't impolite.
Tāmen juéde zhèyàng zuò bìng bú shì bù lǐmào.
他们觉得这样做并不是不礼貌。

They believe - if isn't intentional bumping, ...
Tāmen rènwéi rúguǒ bú shì gùyì zhuàngdào, ...
他们认为如果不是故意撞到，……

can - not say - apology.
kěyǐ bù shuō duìbùqǐ.
可以不说对不起。

Because they feel - counterpart should - also will - make allowances for.
Yīnwèi tāmen juéde duìfàng yīnggāi yě huì tǐliàng.
因为他们觉得对方应该也会体谅。

Furthermore - because time - often very tight, ...
Érqiě yīnwèi shíjiān chángcháng hěn jǐn, ...
而且因为时间常常很紧，……

They just - directly walk away.
Tāmen jiù zhíjiē zǒule.
他们就直接走了。

A:

Yes, it's like this.
En, shì zhèyàng a.
嗯，是这样啊。

Thinking - also is somewhat reasonable.
Xiǎngxiǎng yě shì yǒuxiē dàolǐ de.
想想也是有些道理的。

B:

He-he - still angry?
Hehe, hái zài shēngqì ma?
呵呵，还在生气吗？

A:

It seems now - also not that angry.
Hǎoxiàng xiànzài yě méiyǒu nàme shēngqì le.
好像现在也没有那么生气了。

In China - every place - people all will - like this?
Zài Zhōngguó gègè dìfāng rénmen dōu huì zhèyàng ma?
在中国各个地方人们都会这样吗？

B:

Oh, isn't like this.
O, bú shì zhèyàng de.
噢，不是这样的。

Only when very many people - plus everyone in a hurry - then will - like this.
Zhǐshì zài rén hěnduō érqiě dàjiā yòu hěn zhāojí de shíhou cái huì zhèyàng.
只是在人很多而且大家又很着急的时候才会这样。

A:

Yes, then in suburbs, this kind of thing - should not occur often?
En, nà zài jiāoqù, zhè zhǒng shìqing yīnggai bù cháng fāshēng ba?
嗯，那在郊区，这种事情应该不常发生吧？

B:

Yes, in suburbs - won't often encounter this kind of thing.
Shìde, zài jiāoqù, búhuì chángcháng pèngdào zhèzhǒng shìqing de.
是的，在郊区，不会常常碰到这种事情的。

You can study this lesson, and many others, using Language Mentor - an audio-centric app that is designed to be used while your hands and eyes are busy doing other things. You can download it at the Android Play Store and the iPhone App Store.​