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English → Chinese Inherited Walls, Honest Aging Level 5/10

The house had been built by Nipa's grandfather in the year her mother was born, which made it the same age as Malee, though it had aged more honestly.

这栋房子是尼帕的祖父在她母亲出生那年建造的，因此它与玛丽同龄，尽管它老去得更为坦诚。

The wooden walls had gone silver in the places where the paint had thinned.

木墙在油漆剥落稀薄之处已经泛出银灰色。

The porch roof sagged a little on the left side, where a mango branch had fallen during a storm some years back and left its impression in the eaves.

门廊屋顶的左侧微微下陷，那是几年前一场风暴中一根芒果树枝倒落，在屋檐上留下的印记。

Inside, the floors shifted under certain steps — the third board from the kitchen doorway, the two near the back window — and the family had learned to move around these creaks the way you learn to move around the furniture of someone you love.

屋内，地板在某些特定的脚步下会发出声响——厨房门口第三块木板，靠近后窗的两块——家人们已经学会绕过这些嘎吱声行走，就像你学会绕过你所爱之人的家具一样。

Not avoiding them, exactly.

并非刻意回避，确切地说。

Just knowing where they were.

只是知道它们在哪里。

Nipa had grown up inside this knowledge.

尼帕就在这样的熟知中长大。

She knew which door stuck in the rainy season, which faucet needed a firm hand, which corner of the garden stayed cool into the afternoon when the rest of the yard turned to white heat.

她知道哪扇门在雨季会卡住，哪个水龙头需要用力才能拧开，当院子其他地方被白热的阳光炙烤时，花园的哪个角落到午后仍保持凉爽。

She knew the way light came through the kitchen window at the end of the day and turned the old wooden table the color of something burnished.

她知道傍晚时分光线穿过厨房窗户的方式，如何将那张旧木桌染成某种锃亮之物的颜色。

She had not known that she knew these things until she was old enough to recognize that other houses were different — that her friends' houses had smooth tiled floors and walls that did not breathe — and by then the knowledge was already part of her, built in, belonging to her the way the creaking boards belonged to the house.

直到她长大到足以察觉其他房子的不同——她朋友家有光滑的瓷砖地板和不会呼吸的墙壁——她才意识到自己原来知晓这一切，而那时这些知识已经是她的一部分，融入其中，属于她，就如同那些嘎吱作响的木板属于这栋房子一样。

Khao learned the house differently.

考学习这栋房子的方式截然不同。

He learned it the way dogs learn — through his nose first, then his body, then his habits.

他学习它的方式就像狗学习的方式——先是用鼻子，然后是身体，然后是习惯。

Vocabulary

这: zhè — This; used to indicate something nearby.
栋: dòng — Measure word for buildings or houses.
房子: fángzi — House; a building used as a residence.
是: shì — To be; linking subject and predicate.
的: de — Structural particle indicating possession or modification.
祖父: zǔfù — Paternal grandfather; father's father.
在: zài — At, in, on; indicating location or ongoing action.
她: tā — She, her; third-person singular feminine pronoun.
母亲: mǔqīn — Mother; one's female parent.
出生: chūshēng — To be born; the event of birth.
那年: nà nián — That year; referring to a specific past year.
建造: jiànzào — To build or construct a structure.
因此: yīncǐ — Therefore, thus; indicating a logical conclusion.
它: tā — It; third-person singular pronoun for objects.
与: yǔ — And, with; connecting two nouns or ideas.
同龄: tónglíng — Of the same age; being the same number of years old.
尽管: jǐnguǎn — Although, even though; conceding a point.
老去: lǎoqù — To grow old; to age over time.
得: de — Structural particle linking verb and complement.
更为: gèngwéi — Even more; to a greater degree.
坦诚: tǎnchéng — Frank, candid; openly honest in expression.
木墙: mù qiáng — Wooden wall; a wall made of wood.
油漆: yóuqī — Paint; a coating applied to surfaces.
剥落: bōluò — To peel off, flake; surface material coming away.
稀薄: xībó — Thin, sparse; lacking density or thickness.
之处: zhī chù — Place where; a formal expression for location.
已经: yǐjīng — Already; indicating something has occurred.
泛出: fànchū — To show, emit; a color or quality appearing on a surface.
银灰色: yínhuīsè — Silver-gray color; a metallic grayish hue.
门廊: ménláng — Porch, veranda; covered entrance area of a building.
屋顶: wūdǐng — Roof; the top covering of a building.
左侧: zuǒcè — Left side; the left-hand portion of something.
微微: wēiwēi — Slightly, gently; to a small degree.
下陷: xiàxiàn — To sink down, cave in; to collapse inward.
那是: nà shì — That was; introducing a past fact or situation.
几年前: jǐ nián qián — A few years ago; several years in the past.
一场: yī chǎng — One instance of; measure word for events like storms.
风暴: fēngbào — Storm; a violent weather event with wind and rain.
中: zhōng — In, within, during; inside a time or space.
一根: yī gēn — One; measure word for long, thin objects.
芒果树枝: mángguǒ shùzhī — Mango tree branch; a limb from a mango tree.
倒落: dǎoluò — To fall down, collapse; to drop onto something.
屋檐: wūyán — Eaves; the overhanging lower edge of a roof.
上: shàng — On, above; indicating a surface or upper position.
留下: liúxià — To leave behind; to cause something to remain.
印记: yìnjì — Mark, imprint; a trace or impression left behind.
屋内: wū nèi — Inside the house; the interior of a building.
地板: dìbǎn — Floor; the flat surface inside a room.
某些: mǒuxiē — Certain, some; referring to unspecified particular ones.
特定: tèdìng — Specific, particular; designated for a certain purpose.
脚步: jiǎobù — Footstep; a step taken while walking.
下: xià — Under, below; beneath something or in a condition.
会: huì — Will, can; expressing ability or likelihood.
发出: fāchū — To emit, produce; to give off a sound or signal.
声响: shēngxiǎng — Sound, noise; an audible acoustic phenomenon.
厨房: chúfáng — Kitchen; the room used for cooking food.
门口: ménkǒu — Doorway, entrance; the area at a door's threshold.
第三: dìsān — Third; the ordinal number three in a sequence.
块: kuài — Piece, block; measure word for flat solid objects.
木板: mùbǎn — Wooden plank; a flat piece of cut timber.
靠近: kàojìn — Close to, near; in proximity to something.
后窗: hòu chuāng — Back window; a window at the rear of a room.
两块: liǎng kuài — Two pieces; referring to two flat objects.
家人们: jiārénmen — Family members; the people in one's household.
学会: xuéhuì — To learn to, master; to successfully acquire a skill.
绕过: ràoguò — To go around, bypass; to avoid by taking a detour.
这些: zhèxiē — These; plural demonstrative pronoun for nearby things.
嘎吱声: gāzhīshēng — Creaking sound; the noise of wood under pressure.
行走: xíngzǒu — To walk; to move on foot.
就像: jiù xiàng — Just like, as if; used to draw a comparison.
你: nǐ — You; second-person singular pronoun.
所爱: suǒ ài — Those one loves; beloved people or things.
之人: zhī rén — A person who; formal expression referring to a person.
家具: jiājù — Furniture; movable objects used to furnish a room.
一样: yīyàng — The same, alike; identical or similar in manner.
并非: bìngfēi — Not at all, by no means; emphatic negation.
刻意: kèyì — Deliberately, intentionally; done on purpose.
回避: huíbì — To avoid, evade; to stay away from something.
确切地说: quèqiè de shuō — To be exact; a phrase introducing precise clarification.
只是: zhǐshì — Just, simply; indicating nothing more than stated.
知道: zhīdào — To know; to be aware of a fact or information.
它们: tāmen — They, them; third-person plural pronoun for objects.
哪里: nǎlǐ — Where; asking about or referring to a location.
就: jiù — Then, just; indicating a result or emphasis.
这样: zhèyàng — Like this, in this way; referring to the current manner.
熟知: shúzhī — To know well; to be thoroughly familiar with something.
长大: zhǎngdà — To grow up; to develop from child to adult.
哪扇: nǎ shàn — Which; measure word for doors or windows.
门: mén — Door; an entrance or opening in a wall.
雨季: yǔjì — Rainy season; the period of year with heavy rainfall.
卡住: qiǎzhù — To get stuck; to become jammed and unable to move.
哪个: nǎge — Which one; asking about a specific item among several.
水龙头: shuǐlóngtóu — Faucet, tap; a valve controlling water flow.
需要: xūyào — To need, require; to have a necessity for something.
用力: yònglì — To exert force; to apply physical strength.
才能: cáinéng — Only then can; indicating a required condition.
拧开: nǐng kāi — To twist open; to turn and open a tap or cap.
当: dāng — When, while; introducing a time clause.
院子: yuànzi — Courtyard, yard; an outdoor space within a property.
其他: qítā — Other, the rest; referring to remaining items.
地方: dìfang — Place, area; a location or region.
被: bèi — By; passive marker indicating the subject is acted upon.
白热: báirè — White-hot, blazing; intensely bright and burning hot.
阳光: yángguāng — Sunlight; the light emitted or reflected by the sun.
炙烤: zhìkǎo — To scorch, roast; to heat intensely with direct heat.
时: shí — When, at the time of; indicating a moment or period.
花园: huāyuán — Garden; a cultivated area with flowers and plants.
角落: jiǎoluò — Corner; a secluded or out-of-the-way spot.
到: dào — Until, to; reaching a point in time or space.
午后: wǔhòu — Afternoon; the time period after midday.
仍: réng — Still, yet; continuing in the same state.
保持: bǎochí — To maintain, keep; to preserve an existing state.
凉爽: liángshuǎng — Cool and refreshing; pleasantly low in temperature.
傍晚: bàngwǎn — Evening, dusk; the time just before nightfall.
时分: shífēn — Time, moment; a particular point or period in the day.
光线: guāngxiàn — Light, rays of light; beams of illumination.
穿过: chuānguò — To pass through; to go across or penetrate something.
窗户: chuānghù — Window; an opening in a wall for light and air.
方式: fāngshì — Way, manner, method; the style of doing something.
如何: rúhé — How, in what way; asking about manner or method.
将: jiāng — Will; a formal particle indicating future action.
那张: nà zhāng — That; measure word for flat objects like tables.
旧木桌: jiù mùzhuō — Old wooden table; an aged table made of wood.
染成: rǎn chéng — To dye into, tint; to color something a certain hue.
某种: mǒu zhǒng — A certain kind of; referring to an unspecified type.
锃亮: zèngliàng — Gleaming, shiny; brightly polished or reflective.
颜色: yánsè — Color; the visual property of hue and tone.
直到: zhídào — Until; up to the point when something happens.
足以: zúyǐ — Enough to, sufficient to; capable of achieving something.
察觉: chájué — To notice, perceive; to become aware of something subtle.
不同: bùtóng — Different, unlike; not the same as something else.
朋友家: péngyou jiā — Friend's home; the house of one's friend.
有: yǒu — To have, there is; indicating possession or existence.
光滑: guānghuá — Smooth; having an even, polished surface.
瓷砖: cízhuān — Ceramic tile; a hard flat tile used on floors or walls.
和: hé — And; connecting words, phrases, or clauses.
不会: bùhuì — Won't, cannot; expressing inability or unlikelihood.
呼吸: hūxī — To breathe; the act of inhaling and exhaling air.
墙壁: qiángbì — Wall; a vertical structure enclosing a room or building.
才: cái — Only then; indicating a condition required for an outcome.
意识到: yìshí dào — To realize, become aware; to come to understand something.
自己: zìjǐ — Oneself; a reflexive pronoun referring back to the subject.
原来: yuánlái — It turns out; expressing a surprising realization.
知晓: zhīxiǎo — To know, be aware of; a slightly formal word for knowing.
这一切: zhè yīqiè — All of this; referring to everything just mentioned.
而: ér — And, but, yet; a conjunction linking contrasting clauses.
那时: nà shí — At that time, back then; referring to a past moment.
知识: zhīshi — Knowledge; information and understanding gained through experience.
一部分: yī bùfen — A part of; one portion or segment of a whole.
融入: róngrù — To blend into, merge with; to become integrated within.
其中: qízhōng — Among them, within it; inside a group or thing.
属于: shǔyú — To belong to; to be the property or part of something.
如同: rútóng — Just as, like; used to make a formal comparison.
那些: nàxiē — Those; plural demonstrative pronoun for distant things.
嘎吱: gāzhī — Creak; an onomatopoeia for a squeaking or creaking sound.
作响: zuòxiǎng — To make a sound; to produce an audible noise.
这栋: zhè dòng — This building; referring to a specific structure nearby.
考: kǎo — To take an exam; to test or examine knowledge.
学习: xuéxí — To study, learn; to acquire knowledge through effort.
截然不同: jiérán bùtóng — Completely different; sharply and utterly unlike each other.
他: tā — He, him; third-person singular masculine pronoun.
狗: gǒu — Dog; a common domesticated canine animal.
先是: xiān shì — First was; indicating the first step in a sequence.
用: yòng — To use; to employ something as a tool or means.
鼻子: bízi — Nose; the organ used for smelling and breathing.
然后: ránhòu — Then, afterward; indicating the next step in a sequence.
身体: shēntǐ — Body; the physical form of a person or animal.
习惯: xíguàn — Habit, custom; to be used to or accustomed to something.

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