星期六早上,我问弟弟今天想做什么。
Saturday morning, I asked my little brother what he wanted to do today.
他说:“要么我们去爬山,要么去河边钓鱼,你选一个吧。”
He said, "Either we go hiking, or we go fishing by the river — you pick."
我看了看天,说:“可能会下雨,还是在家吧。”
I looked at the sky and said, "It might rain — let's just stay home."
在家也要做决定:要么看电影,要么玩游戏,我们又想了半天。
Staying home still meant deciding: either watch a movie or play games — and we spent forever thinking again.
弟弟说:“中午呢?要么自己做面条,要么出去吃,我都可以。”
My brother said, "What about lunch? Either we make noodles ourselves or we eat out — I'm fine with both."
我说:“家里没有菜了,所以只能出去吃。”
I said, "There are no groceries at home, so eating out it is."
到了饭馆,问题更多了:要么吃辣的,要么吃不辣的,弟弟跟我想要的不一样。
At the restaurant there were even more questions: either spicy or not spicy — and my brother and I wanted different things.
最后我们点了两个菜,一个辣的,一个不辣的,问题解决了。
In the end we ordered two dishes, one spicy and one not, and the problem was solved.
吃完饭,弟弟问:“下午我们喝茶或者喝咖啡,怎么样?”
After lunch, my brother asked, "This afternoon we could have tea or coffee — how about it?"
我笑了:“今天你终于不说‘要么’了!”
I laughed: "You finally stopped saying 'either-or' today!"
他想了想,说:“那要么你请客,要么我请客——还是你请吧!”
He thought for a second and said, "Then either you treat or I treat — actually, you treat!"
Hover a word for its pinyin & meaning; click to pin it.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 星期六 | xīng qī liù | Saturday |
| 早上 | zǎo shang | morning; early morning |
| 我 | wǒ | I; me |
| 问 | wèn | to ask |
| 弟弟 | dì di | younger brother |
| 今天 | jīn tiān | today |
| 想 | xiǎng | to think; to want |
| 做 | zuò | to do; to make |
| 什么 | shén me | what |
| 他说 | tā shuō | he says |
| 要么 | yào me | either... or; one or the other |
| 我们 | wǒ men | we; us |
| 去 | qù | to go |
| 爬山 | pá shān | to climb a mountain; hiking |
| 河边 | hé biān | river bank |
| 钓鱼 | diào yú | to fish with a rod and hook; also, to trick someone |
| 你 | nǐ | you |
| 选 | xuǎn | to choose; to select |
| 一个 | yī ge | a; an; one; the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc) |
| 吧 | ba | modal particle indicating suggestion |
| 看了 | kàn le | looked at; watched; read (completed action) |
| 看 | kàn | to look; to watch; to see |
| 天 | tiān | day; sky |
| 说 | shuō | to speak; to say |
| 可能 | kě néng | possible; might; perhaps |
| 会 | huì | can; to know how to; meeting |
| 下雨 | xià yǔ | to rain |
| 还是 | hái shi | or; had better |
| 在家 | zài jiā | to be at home |
| 也 | yě | also |
| 要 | yào | to want; will |
| 决定 | jué dìng | to decide; decision |
| 电影 | diàn yǐng | movie |
| 玩 | wán | to play; to have fun; to visit for pleasure; toy |
| 游戏 | yóu xì | game; to play |
| 又 | yòu | again; also |
| 了 | le | (particle indicating completed action or change of state) |
| 半天 | bàn tiān | half of the day; quite a while |
| 中午 | zhōng wǔ | noon; midday |
| 呢 | ne | question particle |
| 自己 | zì jǐ | oneself; one's own |
| 面条 | miàn tiáo | noodles |
| 出去 | chū qù | to go out |
| 吃 | chī | to eat |
| 都 | dōu | all; both |
| 可以 | kě yǐ | can; may; possible; allowed |
| 家里 | jiā lǐ | at home; inside the house |
| 没有 | méi yǒu | don't have; haven't |
| 菜 | cài | dish; vegetable |
| 所以 | suǒ yǐ | therefore; so |
| 只能 | zhǐ néng | can only; must |
| 到了 | dào liǎo | at last; finally; in the end |
| 饭馆 | fàn guǎn | restaurant |
| 问题 | wèn tí | question; problem |
| 更多 | gèng duō | more; even more |
| 辣 | là | spicy; hot |
| 的 | de | possessive particle |
| 不 | bù | no; not |
| 跟 | gēn | with; and; as (in 跟…一样); to follow |
| 想要的 | xiǎng yào de | desired; wanted |
| 不一样 | bù yī yàng | different; distinctive; unlike |
| 最后 | zuì hòu | final; last; finally |
| 点 | diǎn | o'clock; point; dot |
| 两个 | liǎng gè | two |
| 解决 | jiě jué | to solve; to resolve |
| 吃完 | chī wán | to finish eating |
| 饭 | fàn | food; meal |
| 下午 | xià wǔ | afternoon; p.m. |
| 喝茶 | hē chá | to drink tea; to get engaged; to have a serious conversation |
| 或者 | huò zhě | or; perhaps; maybe |
| 喝 | hē | to drink |
| 咖啡 | kā fēi | (loanword) coffee |
| 怎么样 | zěn me yàng | how?; what do you think? |
| 笑了 | xiào le | smiled; laughed |
| 终于 | zhōng yú | finally; at last |
| 他 | tā | he; him |
| 那 | nà | that; those |
| 请客 | qǐng kè | to treat (someone); to invite for a meal |
| 请 | qǐng | please; to invite |