Text
| 望子成龙 | Wàngzǐchénglóng | 望子成龙
wàngzǐchénglóng hoping one’s son will become successful (like a dragon) |
Hoping for a son to become a dragon |
| 大年初一的早晨，我还在睡懒觉，邻居就来我家拜年了 | dà nián chū yī de zǎochén, wǒ hái zài shuìlǎnjiào, línjū jiù lái wǒjiā bàiniánle | 大年初一 dànián chūyī: the first day of the Lunar New Year
早晨 zǎochen: morning 睡懒觉 shuì lǎnjiào: sleep in 邻居 línjū: neighbor 拜年 bàinián: pay a New Year call |
On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, I was still sleeping when my neighbour came to visit me. |
| 爸爸赶快叫醒我，说人家是专门带着孩子来找我的 | bàba gǎnkuài jiào xǐng wǒ, shuō rénjiā shì zhuānmén dàizhe háizi lái zhǎo wǒ de | 专门 zhuānmén: specially
带着 dàizhe: bring along 孩子 háizi: child |
My father woke me up quickly and said that he had come to see me specifically with his child |
| 邻居的儿子暑假后就念高中了，他父母想让我跟他分享一下成功的经验 | línjū de érzi shǔjià hòu jiù niàn gāozhōngle, tā fùmǔ xiǎng ràng wǒ gēn tā fēnxiǎng yīxià chénggōng de jīngyàn | 儿子 érzi: son
暑假 shǔjià: summer vacation 念 niàn: study 高中 gāozhōng: high school 成功 chénggōng: success 经验 jīngyàn: experience |
My neighbour’s son was going to high school after the summer holidays and his parents wanted me to share my success story with him |
| 几年前我考上了北京的一所名牌大学，从那时起，我就成了大人们口中的“榜样” | jǐ nián qián wǒ kǎo shàngle běijīng de yī suǒ míngpái dàxué, cóng nà shí qǐ, wǒ jiù chéngle dàrénmen kǒuzhōng de “bǎngyàng” | 几年前 jǐ nián qián: a few years ago
考上 kǎo shàng: pass an exam (for school admission) 北京 Běijīng: Beijing 名牌 míngpái: famous brand (here refers to prestigious) 大学 dàxué: university 榜样 bǎngyàng: example, role model |
I got into a prestigious university in Beijing a few years ago, and since then I’ve become a “role model” in the eyes of the adults |
| 每次放假回家，都有不少人来请教学习经验 | měi cì fàngjià huí jiā, dōu yǒu bù shǎo rén lái qǐngjiào xuéxí jīngyàn | 放假 fàngjià: have a holiday
回家 huíjiā: return home 请教 qǐngjiào: ask for advice |
Every time I came home from school, people would ask me for advice on my studies. |
| 可我哪儿有什么经验呢？我小时候很贪玩儿，常常被父母罚站 | kě wǒ nǎ’er yǒu shé me jīngyàn ne? Wǒ xiǎoshíhòu hěn tān wán er, chángcháng bèi fùmǔ fá zhàn | 贪玩儿 tānwánr: fond of playing
罚站 fá zhàn: stand as a punishment |
But what experience do I have? When I was a child, I was always punished by my parents for playing around. |
| 考试成绩不好时，还会挨打，被尺子打得直掉眼泪 | kǎoshì chéngjī bù hǎo shí, hái huì āidǎ, bèi chǐzi dǎ dé zhí diào yǎnlèi | 考试 kǎoshì: exam
成绩 chéngjì: grade, result 挨打 áidǎ: get beaten 尺子 chǐzi: ruler 眼泪 yǎnlèi: tear |
When I didn’t do well in exams, I would get beaten up and get beaten with a ruler to the point of tears. |
| 那时我父母也常跟我说：“看，人家老王的儿子学习多好，你要向他学习 | nà shí wǒ fùmǔ yě cháng gēn wǒ shuō:“Kàn, rénjiā lǎo wáng de ér zǐ xuéxí duō hǎo, nǐ yào xiàng tā xuéxí | 父母 fùmǔ: parents
学习 xuéxí: study |
My parents used to tell me: “Look, Wang’s son is a good student, you should learn from him! |
| ”这让我觉得很烦 | ” zhè ràng wǒ juédé hěn fán | 烦 fán: annoying | “This annoyed me |
| 所以我知道其实孩子并不喜欢被拿来跟别人比较，这太伤害他们的自尊心和自信心了 | suǒyǐ wǒ zhīdào qíshí háizi bìng bù xǐhuān bèi ná lái gēn biérén bǐjiào, zhè tài shānghài tāmen de zìzūnxīn hé zìxìn xīnle | 自尊心 zìzūnxīn: self-esteem
自信心 zìxìnxīn: self-confidence |
So I know that actually children don’t like to be compared to others, it hurts their self-esteem and self-confidence too much |
| 说老实话，每次有人来请教经验，我都觉得很勉强，但又不好意思拒绝别人 | shuō lǎoshí huà, měi cì yǒurén lái qǐngjiào jīngyàn, wǒ dū juédé hěn miǎnqiáng, dàn yòu bù hǎoyìsi jùjué biérén | 老实话 lǎoshíhuà: truth
勉强 miǎnqiǎng: reluctantly 拒绝 jùjué: refuse |
To be honest, I feel reluctant every time someone comes to ask for advice on their experiences, but I’m too embarrassed to say no to them |
| 我翻身起床，换好衣服走进客厅 | wǒ fānshēn qǐchuáng, huàn hǎo yīfú zǒu jìn kètīng | 翻身 fānshēn: turn over
起床 qǐchuáng: get up 换 huàn: change 衣服 yīfu: clothes 客厅 kètīng: living room |
I rolled out of bed, got dressed and walked into the living room. |
| 大人们正闲聊着，那男孩儿看起来性格很内向，乖乖地坐在旁边，一言不发 | dàrénmen zhèng xiánliáozhe, nà nánhái ér kàn qǐlái xìnggé hěn nèixiàng, guāiguāi de zuò zài pángbiān, yī yán bù fā | 闲聊 xiánliáo: chat
性格 xìnggé: character, personality 内向 nèixiàng: introverted |
The adults were chatting and the boy, who seemed to be an introvert, was sitting beside me, not saying a word |
| 我简单地跟他谈了谈我的看法，比如学习不应该死记硬背，要找到适合自己的方法，最好把做错的题专门抄下来等等 | wǒ jiǎndān de gēn tā tánle tán wǒ de kànfǎ, bǐrú xuéxí bùyìng gāi sǐjì yìng bèi, yào zhǎodào shìhé zìjǐ de fāngfǎ, zuì hǎo bǎ zuò cuò de tí zhuānmén chāo xiàlái děng děng | 简单 jiǎndān: simple
看法 kànfǎ: opinion 死记硬背 sǐjì yìng bèi: rote learning 方法 fāngfǎ: method |
I talked to him briefly about my views, such as not learning by rote, finding a method that works for you, copying down mistakes, etc. |
| 趁着大人们去厨房准备饭菜的工夫，男孩儿悄悄地跟我抱怨：‘太累了，成天在上各种补习班 | chènzhe dàrénmen qù chúfáng zhǔnbèi fàncài de gōngfū, nánhái ér qiāoqiāo de gēn wǒ bàoyuàn:‘Tài lèile, chéngtiān zài shàng gè zhǒng bǔxí bān | 趁着 chènzhe: take advantage of
厨房 chúfáng: kitchen 准备 zhǔnbèi: prepare 饭菜 fàncài: meals 工夫 gōngfu: time |
While the adults were in the kitchen preparing the meal, the boy quietly complained to me: ‘I’m so tired, I’m in all kinds of classes all the time. |
| ”我听了不知道应该说什么才好 | ” wǒ tīng liǎo bù zhīdào yīnggāi shuō shénme cái hǎo | 补习班 bǔxíbān: tutorial class | “I didn’t know what to say when I heard that |
| 我小的时候，父母也说社会竞争那么激烈，不希望我输在“起跑线”上，所以尽量给我提供最好的学习条件和物质条件 | wǒ xiǎo de shíhòu, fùmǔ yě shuō shèhuì jìngzhēng nàme jīliè, bù xīwàng wǒ shū zài “qǐpǎoxiàn” shàng, suǒyǐ jǐnliàng gěi wǒ tígōng zuì hǎo de xuéxí tiáojiàn hé wùzhí tiáojiàn | 社会 shèhuì: society
竞争 jìngzhēng: competition 起跑线 qǐpǎoxiàn: starting line (figuratively refers to the starting point in life or a competition) |
When I was young, my parents said that they didn’t want me to lose at the ‘starting line’ because of the fierce competition in society, so they tried to provide me with the best learning and material conditions. |
| 他们给我报了各种兴趣班：英语，数学，画画，还给我请了本地最好的小提琴老师 | tāmen gěi wǒ bàole gè zhǒng xìngqù bān: Yīngyǔ, shùxué, huà huà, hái gěi wǒ qǐngle běndì zuì hǎo de xiǎotíqín lǎoshī | 兴趣班 xìngqùbān: hobby class
英语 yīngyǔ: English 数学 shùxué: math 画画 huàhuà: drawing 小提琴 xiǎotíqín: violin 老师 lǎoshī: teacher |
They enrolled me in all kinds of interest classes: English, maths, painting, and even hired the best local violin teacher. |
| 每次我不愿意练琴的时候，妈妈都劝我说：“不努力就会落后，只有多练才能保持水平，多学一样本事就多一个机会，你长大了就会明白了 | měi cì wǒ bù yuànyì liàn qín de shíhòu, māmā dōu quàn wǒ shuō:“Bù nǔlì jiù huì luòhòu, zhǐyǒu duō liàn cáinéng bǎochí shuǐpíng, duō xué yīyàng běnshì jiù duō yīgè jīhuì, nǐ zhǎng dàle jiù huì míngbáile | 练琴 liànqín: practice the violin
劝 quàn: persuade 落后 luòhòu: fall behind 保持 bǎochí: maintain 水平 shuǐpíng: level 本事 běnshì: skill, ability 机会 jīhuì: opportunity 长大 zhǎngdà: grow up. |
Whenever I was reluctant to practise, my mother would advise me, “If you don’t work hard, you’ll fall behind, the only way to maintain your level is to practise more, learning one more skill gives you one more chance, you’ll understand when you grow up |
| ”那时，我对这样的说法很反感，但是现在，我却非常感谢她，幸好她那时候逼我学琴，学英语，成年以后学乐器和外语多费劲啊！如果我把这些告诉邻居的孩子，他会理解吗？不一定 | ” nà shí, wǒ duì zhèyàng de shuōfǎ hěn fǎngǎn, dànshì xiànzài, wǒ què fēicháng gǎnxiè tā, xìnghǎo tā nà shíhòu bī wǒ xué qín, xué yīngyǔ, chéngnián yǐhòu xué yuèqì hé wàiyǔ duō fèijìng a! Rúguǒ wǒ bǎ zhèxiē gàosù línjū de háizi, tā huì lǐjiě ma? Bù yīdìng | 反感 fǎngǎn: resent
感谢 gǎnxiè: appreciate 幸好 xìnghǎo: fortunately 逼 bī: force 乐器 yuèqì: musical instrument 外语 wàiyǔ: foreign language 费劲 fèijìn: strenuous 理解 lǐjiě: understand 不一定 bù yídìng: not necessarily |
“At the time, I resented such statements, but now, I am very grateful to her. Fortunately, she forced me to learn the piano and English at that time, how hard it would be to learn musical instruments and foreign languages as an adult! If I told this to my neighbour’s children, would he understand? I don’t think so. |
| 我想，现在的他跟小时候的我一样，谁的话都听不进去 | wǒ xiǎng, xiànzài de tā gēn xiǎoshíhòu de wǒ yīyàng, shéi dehuà dōu tīng bù jìnqù | 听不进去 tīng bù jìn qù: not listen to advice | I think he’s the same now as I was when I was a kid, he doesn’t listen to anyone |
| 我小时候想偷懒，不想去上补习班，还装过病 | wǒ xiǎoshíhòu xiǎng tōulǎn, bùxiǎng qù shàng bǔxí bān, hái zhuāngguò bìng | 偷懒 tōulǎn: to be lazy
补习班 bǔxíbān: cram school 装病 zhuāng bìng: pretend to be sick |
When I was a kid I wanted to be lazy, I didn’t want to go to tutorials and I pretended to be sick |
| 这可把奶奶急坏了，觉得都是因为妈妈给了我太大的压力 | zhè kě bǎ nǎinai jí huàile, juédé dōu shì yīnwèi māmā gěile wǒ tài dà de yālì | 奶奶 nǎinai: grandma
压力 yālì: pressure |
It made my grandmother very upset and she thought it was because my mother was putting too much pressure on me. |
| 奶奶着急地跟妈妈说：“期望越高，失望越大 | nǎinai zhāojí de gēn māmā shuō:“Qīwàng yuè gāo, shīwàng yuè dà | 期望 qīwàng: expectation
失望 shīwàng: disappointment |
Grandma told my mother anxiously, “The higher the expectations, the greater the disappointment. |
| 孩子年龄还小，要是把身体累坏了，一切期望都成空了，还是顺其自然吧，别勉强孩子 | háizi niánlíng hái xiǎo, yàoshi bǎ shēntǐ lèi huàile, yīqiè qīwàng dū chéng kōngle, háishì shùn qí zìrán ba, bié miǎnqiáng háizi | 年龄 niánlíng: age
身体 shēntǐ: body 累坏 lèi huài: to exhaust 成空 chéngkōng: come to nothing 顺其自然 shùn qí zìrán: let nature take its course 勉强 miǎnqiǎng: reluctantly |
The child is still young, if she gets exhausted, all her expectations will be in vain, let’s just let nature take its course, don’t force her. |
| ”可妈妈反对说：“我和他爸小时候就是因为家里没条件多念书，现在想竞争好一点的职位都不行 | ” kě māmā fǎnduì shuō:“Wǒ hé tā bà xiǎoshíhòu jiùshì yīn wéi jiālǐ méi tiáojiàn duō niànshū, xiànzài xiǎng jìngzhēng hǎo yīdiǎn de zhíwèi dōu bùxíng | 家里 jiālǐ: home
条件 tiáojiàn: condition 职位 zhíwèi: position |
“But his mother objected: “When his father and I were young, we didn’t have the means to study more because our family couldn’t afford to do so, and now we can’t even compete for a better job. |
| 无论怎么样，都要让孩子多学点儿，要不然，将来会后悔的 | wúlùn zěnme yàng, dōu yào ràng háizi duō xué diǎn er, yào bùrán, jiānglái huì hòuhuǐ de | 学点 xuédiǎn: learn something
将来 jiānglái: future 后悔 hòuhuǐ: regret |
No matter what, we have to let our children learn more, otherwise we will regret it in the future |
| ”俩人谁也不能说服谁，有时还会吵起来 | ” liǎ rén shéi yě bùnéng shuōfú shéi, yǒushí hái huì chǎo qǐlái | 说服 shuōfú: persuade
吵起来 chǎo qǐlái: argue |
“Neither of us could convince the other, and sometimes we would argue |
| 不过，后来学习真的变成了我的兴趣，即使父母不過我，我也愿意学了 | bùguò, hòulái xuéxí zhēn de biàn chéngle wǒ de xìngqù, jíshǐ fùmǔ bùguò wǒ, wǒ yě yuànyì xuéle | 兴趣 xìngqù: interest
不過 bùguò: supervise, manage |
But then learning really became a hobby for me, even if my parents didn’t want me to, I was willing to learn |
| 这就是我唯一的学习经验：兴趣是最好的老师 | zhè jiùshì wǒ wéiyī de xuéxí jīngyàn: Xìngqù shì zuì hǎo de lǎoshī | 老师 lǎoshī: teacher | That’s the only learning lesson I’ve learned: interest is the best teacher |
| 人的看法会随着年龄的增长而改变 | rén de kànfǎ huì suízhe niánlíng de zēng cháng ér gǎibiàn | 增长 zēngzhǎng: grow
改变 gǎibiàn: change |
People’s opinions change as they get older |
| 小时候我也跟父母争吵过，说他们管得太多了：不许我晚上出去玩，不许看电视，不许玩电脑，不准谈恋爱……说他们不理解我，让我的童年没有自由 | xiǎoshíhòu wǒ yě gēn fùmǔ zhēngchǎoguò, shuō tāmen guǎn dé tài duōle: Bùxǔ wǒ wǎnshàng chūqù wán, bùxǔ kàn diànshì, bùxǔ wán diànnǎo, bù zhǔn tán liàn’ài……shuō tāmen bù lǐjiě wǒ, ràng wǒ de tóngnián méiyǒu zìyóu | 管 guǎn: control, manage
晚上 wǎnshang: night 电视 diànshì: TV 电脑 diànnǎo: computer 不准 bù zhǔn: not allow 谈恋爱 tán liàn ài: date, be in a relationship 童年 tóngnián: childhood 自由 zìyóu: freedom |
When I was younger I argued with my parents, saying that they were too much in charge: I wasn’t allowed to go out at night, I wasn’t allowed to watch TV, I wasn’t allowed to play on the computer, I wasn’t allowed to fall in love …… saying that they didn’t understand me and that they let me have no freedom in my childhood |
| 其实我只说对了一半 | qíshí wǒ zhǐ shuō duìle yībàn | Actually, I was only half right. | |
| 父母不理解我，我也不理解他们 | fùmǔ bù lǐjiě wǒ, wǒ yě bù lǐjiě tāmen | 良好 liánghǎo: good
生活习惯 shēnghuó xíguàn: lifestyle habit 重要 zhòngyào: important |
My parents didn’t understand me, and I didn’t understand them |
| 现在却有所不同，我觉得从小养成良好的学习和生活习惯很重要 | xiànzài què yǒu suǒ bùtóng, wǒ juédé cóngxiǎo yǎng chéng liánghǎo de xuéxí hé shēnghuó xíguàn hěn zhòngyào | 参加工作 cānjiā gōngzuò: start working
生活不易 shēnghuó bù yì: life is hard |
Now it’s different, I think it’s important to develop good study and living habits from a young age |
| 特别是我参加工作以后，才知道生活不易，也越来越理解父母：他们的愿望都是良好的，虽然他们的教育方式不一定都是正确的 | tèbié shì wǒ cānjiā gōngzuò yǐhòu, cái zhīdào shēnghuó bù yì, yě yuè lái yuè lǐjiě fùmǔ: Tāmen de yuànwàng dū shì liánghǎo de, suīrán tāmen de jiàoyù fāngshì bù yīdìng dū shì zhèngquè de | 教育 jiàoyù: education
方式 fāngshì: method 正确 zhèngquè: correct |
Especially after I joined the workforce, I realise that life is not easy and I understand my parents more and more: their intentions are all good, although their way of education is not always the right one |
| 将来我也会结婚生子，可能到了那个时候，我才能够真正理解“可怜天下父母心”这句话吧？ | jiānglái wǒ yě huì jiéhūn shēngzǐ, kěnéng dàole nàgè shíhòu, wǒ cái nénggòu zhēnzhèng lǐjiě “kělián tiānxià fùmǔ xīn” zhè jù huà ba? | 结婚生子 jiéhūn shēngzǐ: get married and have children | In the future, I will get married and have children, and only then will I be able to truly understand the saying “pity the parents”, right? |
| Wàngzǐchénglóng | 可怜天下父母心 kělián tiānxià fùmǔ xīn: pity the hearts of parents around the world (a Chinese saying that refers to the universal worry and concern of parents for their children). | Hoping for a son to become a dragon | |
| _____________ |
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Vocabulary
望子成龙
wàngzǐchénglóng
hoping one’s son will become successful (like a dragon)
大年初一 dànián chūyī: the first day of the Lunar New Year
早晨 zǎochen: morning
睡懒觉 shuì lǎnjiào: sleep in
邻居 línjū: neighbor
拜年 bàinián: pay a New Year call
专门 zhuānmén: specially
带着 dàizhe: bring along
孩子 háizi: child
儿子 érzi: son
暑假 shǔjià: summer vacation
念 niàn: study
高中 gāozhōng: high school
成功 chénggōng: success
经验 jīngyàn: experience
几年前 jǐ nián qián: a few years ago
考上 kǎo shàng: pass an exam (for school admission)
北京 Běijīng: Beijing
名牌 míngpái: famous brand (here refers to prestigious)
大学 dàxué: university
榜样 bǎngyàng: example, role model
放假 fàngjià: have a holiday
回家 huíjiā: return home
请教 qǐngjiào: ask for advice
贪玩儿 tānwánr: fond of playing
罚站 fá zhàn: stand as a punishment
考试 kǎoshì: exam
成绩 chéngjì: grade, result
挨打 áidǎ: get beaten
尺子 chǐzi: ruler
眼泪 yǎnlèi: tear
父母 fùmǔ: parents
学习 xuéxí: study
烦 fán: annoying
自尊心 zìzūnxīn: self-esteem
自信心 zìxìnxīn: self-confidence
老实话 lǎoshíhuà: truth
勉强 miǎnqiǎng: reluctantly
拒绝 jùjué: refuse
翻身 fānshēn: turn over
起床 qǐchuáng: get up
换 huàn: change
衣服 yīfu: clothes
客厅 kètīng: living room
闲聊 xiánliáo: chat
性格 xìnggé: character, personality
内向 nèixiàng: introverted
简单 jiǎndān: simple
看法 kànfǎ: opinion
死记硬背 sǐjì yìng bèi: rote learning
方法 fāngfǎ: method
趁着 chènzhe: take advantage of
厨房 chúfáng: kitchen
准备 zhǔnbèi: prepare
饭菜 fàncài: meals
工夫 gōngfu: time
补习班 bǔxíbān: tutorial class
社会 shèhuì: society
竞争 jìngzhēng: competition
起跑线 qǐpǎoxiàn: starting line (figuratively refers to the starting point in life or a competition)
兴趣班 xìngqùbān: hobby class
英语 yīngyǔ: English
数学 shùxué: math
画画 huàhuà: drawing
小提琴 xiǎotíqín: violin
老师 lǎoshī: teacher
练琴 liànqín: practice the violin
劝 quàn: persuade
落后 luòhòu: fall behind
保持 bǎochí: maintain
水平 shuǐpíng: level
本事 běnshì: skill, ability
机会 jīhuì: opportunity
长大 zhǎngdà: grow up.
反感 fǎngǎn: resent
感谢 gǎnxiè: appreciate
幸好 xìnghǎo: fortunately
逼 bī: force
乐器 yuèqì: musical instrument
外语 wàiyǔ: foreign language
费劲 fèijìn: strenuous
理解 lǐjiě: understand
不一定 bù yídìng: not necessarily
听不进去 tīng bù jìn qù: not listen to advice
偷懒 tōulǎn: to be lazy
补习班 bǔxíbān: cram school
装病 zhuāng bìng: pretend to be sick
奶奶 nǎinai: grandma
压力 yālì: pressure
期望 qīwàng: expectation
失望 shīwàng: disappointment
年龄 niánlíng: age
身体 shēntǐ: body
累坏 lèi huài: to exhaust
成空 chéngkōng: come to nothing
顺其自然 shùn qí zìrán: let nature take its course
勉强 miǎnqiǎng: reluctantly
家里 jiālǐ: home
条件 tiáojiàn: condition
职位 zhíwèi: position
学点 xuédiǎn: learn something
将来 jiānglái: future
后悔 hòuhuǐ: regret
说服 shuōfú: persuade
吵起来 chǎo qǐlái: argue
兴趣 xìngqù: interest
不過 bùguò: supervise, manage
老师 lǎoshī: teacher
增长 zēngzhǎng: grow
改变 gǎibiàn: change
管 guǎn: control, manage
晚上 wǎnshang: night
电视 diànshì: TV
电脑 diànnǎo: computer
不准 bù zhǔn: not allow
谈恋爱 tán liàn ài: date, be in a relationship
童年 tóngnián: childhood
自由 zìyóu: freedom
良好 liánghǎo: good
生活习惯 shēnghuó xíguàn: lifestyle habit
重要 zhòngyào: important
参加工作 cānjiā gōngzuò: start working
生活不易 shēnghuó bù yì: life is hard
教育 jiàoyù: education
方式 fāngshì: method
正确 zhèngquè: correct
结婚生子 jiéhūn shēngzǐ: get married and have children
可怜天下父母心 kělián tiānxià fùmǔ xīn: pity the hearts of parents around the world (a Chinese saying that refers to the universal worry and concern of parents for their children).
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