ขาว — Page 3

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

Malee watched this happen for several weeks before she acknowledged it to herself.

玛莉观察这一切已有数周，才终于在心里承认了这件事。

She had tried, at first, to tell herself it was nothing — that dogs sat near gates, that it was instinct, that it meant only what it appeared to mean and nothing more.

起初，她试图说服自己这不算什么——狗坐在大门附近很正常，那是本能，那只是表面上看起来的意思，没有其他含义。

But there was something in the quality of Khao's waiting that resisted that explanation.

但考等待的方式里有某种东西，抗拒着这样的解释。

He was not restless.

他并不焦躁不安。

He was not hopeful in the anxious way of animals who have been hurt by uncertainty.

他也没有那种曾被不确定所伤的动物身上那种忧虑的期盼。

He was simply there, in the same way the gate was there, as if his presence and its presence were part of the same fact.

他只是在那里，就像大门在那里一样，仿佛他的存在与大门的存在同属一个事实。

One afternoon, coming through the gate herself with market bags in both hands, Malee found him sitting in his usual place.

一天下午，玛莉两手提着市场买来的袋子走进大门，发现他坐在老地方。

He looked up at her, and she saw in his expression — in whatever a dog's expression can hold — something that was not disappointment, but that was adjacent to it.

他抬头看着她，她在他的神情里——在一只狗的神情所能承载的一切之中——看到了某种东西，那不是失望，却与失望相邻。

A slight recalibration.

一种轻微的重新校准。

A recognition that what had arrived was not what had been waited for, but that this, too, was acceptable.

一种认知：到来的不是所等待的，但这也是可以接受的。

"She will come on Sunday," Malee said.

「她星期天会来，」玛莉说。

She had not planned to say this.

她并没有打算说这句话。

She had said it the way you say things when you find yourself speaking to someone who you know, on some level, is listening.

她说出这句话，就像你发现自己在和某个人说话，而你在某种程度上知道对方在听的时候，话就这样说出口了。

Khao's ears moved.

考的耳朵动了一下。

Not dramatically — just a small adjustment, a fractional tilt toward her voice.

不是大幅度的——只是一个小小的调整，朝着她的声音微微倾斜。

Malee set down the bags and opened the gate the rest of the way and stood there for a moment in the late light.

玛莉放下袋子，把大门完全推开，在那片迟暮的光线里站了片刻。

The frangipani at the corner of the yard had started to bloom again, two or three white flowers appearing at the ends of the bare branches, and their smell was faint but present in the still air.

院子角落的鸡蛋花又开始盛开了，两三朵白色的花出现在光秃秃的枝梢，它们的香气在静止的空气中若有若无。

Vocabulary

观察: guānchá — To observe or watch carefully over time.
这一切: zhè yīqiè — All of this; everything mentioned here.
已有: yǐ yǒu — Already having; has existed for some time.
数周: shù zhōu — Several weeks; a few weeks in duration.
才: cái — Only then; indicates delayed or conditional action.
终于: zhōngyú — Finally; at last after a long wait.
在: zài — At; in; located at a place or time.
心里: xīnlǐ — In one's heart; inwardly; deep inside.
承认: chéngrèn — To admit or acknowledge something as true.
了: le — Particle indicating completed action or change.
这件事: zhè jiàn shì — This matter; this particular thing or affair.
起初: qǐchū — At first; in the beginning; initially.
她: tā — She; her; third-person singular female pronoun.
试图: shìtú — To attempt or try to do something.
说服: shuōfú — To persuade or convince someone of something.
自己: zìjǐ — Oneself; one's own self; reflexive pronoun.
这: zhè — This; referring to something nearby or just mentioned.
不算: bù suàn — Does not count; not considered significant.
什么: shénme — What; anything; used in rhetorical or vague sense.
狗: gǒu — Dog; a domesticated canine animal.
坐在: zuò zài — Sitting at or in a specific location.
大门: dàmén — Main gate; front entrance of a building.
附近: fùjìn — Nearby; in the vicinity of a place.
很: hěn — Very; quite; used to modify adjectives.
正常: zhèngcháng — Normal; ordinary; within expected range.
那是: nà shì — That is; that was; used to identify something.
本能: běnnéng — Instinct; natural innate impulse or drive.
那: nà — That; referring to something distant or aforementioned.
只是: zhǐshì — Just; merely; only; nothing more than.
表面上: biǎomiàn shàng — On the surface; superficially; outwardly appearing.
看起来: kàn qǐlái — Looks like; appears to be; seems.
的: de — Structural particle indicating possession or modification.
意思: yìsi — Meaning; intention; sense of something.
没有: méiyǒu — Do not have; there is no; lacking.
其他: qítā — Other; additional; apart from this one.
含义: hányì — Implied meaning; connotation; deeper significance.
但: dàn — But; however; introducing a contrasting statement.
等待: děngdài — To wait; to await something or someone.
方式: fāngshì — Method; manner; way of doing something.
里: lǐ — Inside; within; interior of something.
有: yǒu — To have; there is/are; to exist.
某种: mǒu zhǒng — A certain kind; some type of something.
东西: dōngxi — Thing; stuff; an object or matter.
抗拒: kàngjù — To resist; to reject; to refuse acceptance.
着: zhe — Particle indicating ongoing or continuous action.
这样: zhèyàng — Like this; in this way; such.
解释: jiěshì — To explain; an explanation or interpretation.
他: tā — He; him; third-person singular male pronoun.
并不: bìng bù — Not at all; emphatically not; certainly not.
焦躁: jiāozào — Restless and irritable; anxiously agitated.
不安: bù'ān — Uneasy; restless; feeling unsettled or anxious.
也: yě — Also; too; either; likewise.
那种: nà zhǒng — That kind of; that type of thing.
曾被: céng bèi — Was once; had previously been (passive construction).
不确定: bù quèdìng — Uncertain; unsure; not definite or confirmed.
所伤: suǒ shāng — Hurt by; wounded by (passive formal structure).
动物: dòngwù — Animal; a living creature that moves.
身上: shēn shàng — On one's body; in/on a person or creature.
忧虑: yōulǜ — Worry; anxiety; troubled concern about something.
期盼: qīpàn — To hope for eagerly; to look forward to.
那里: nàlǐ — There; in that place; over there.
就像: jiù xiàng — Just like; exactly as; resembling closely.
一样: yīyàng — Same; alike; just like something else.
仿佛: fǎngfú — As if; seem as though; resembling closely.
存在: cúnzài — To exist; existence; to be present or real.
与: yǔ — And; with; together with (formal conjunction).
同属: tóng shǔ — Belonging to the same; sharing the same category.
一个: yī gè — One; a single item or entity.
事实: shìshí — Fact; reality; something that is actually true.
一天: yītiān — One day; a certain day; all day long.
下午: xiàwǔ — Afternoon; the period after noon.
两手: liǎng shǒu — Both hands; using two hands to hold.
提着: tí zhe — Carrying with hands raised; holding up bags.
市场: shìchǎng — Market; marketplace where goods are bought.
买来: mǎi lái — Bought and brought back; purchased items.
袋子: dàizi — Bag; a sack or pouch for carrying things.
走进: zǒu jìn — To walk into; to enter on foot.
发现: fāxiàn — To discover; to find; to notice something.
老: lǎo — Old; usual; longtime; familiar and habitual.
地方: dìfang — Place; location; a spot or area.
抬头: táitóu — To raise one's head; to look up.
看着: kàn zhe — Looking at; watching continuously or steadily.
神情: shénqíng — Expression; look on one's face; demeanor.
一只: yī zhī — One (animal); a single creature or animal.
所能: suǒ néng — What one is capable of; able to bear.
承载: chéngzài — To carry; to bear; to hold a load.
一切: yīqiè — Everything; all; the totality of things.
之中: zhī zhōng — Within; among; in the middle of something.
看到: kàn dào — To see; to catch sight of something.
不是: bù shì — Is not; are not; negation of identity.
失望: shīwàng — Disappointed; feeling let down by unmet expectations.
却: què — But; yet; however; indicating contrast.
相邻: xiānglín — Adjacent; neighboring; next to each other.
一种: yī zhǒng — A kind of; a type of something.
轻微: qīngwēi — Slight; minor; not serious or significant.
重新: chóngxīn — Again; anew; to start over or readjust.
校准: jiàozhǔn — To calibrate; to adjust for accuracy.
认知: rènzhī — Cognition; understanding; one's perception of reality.
到来: dàolái — Arrival; the coming of someone or something.
所: suǒ — Formal particle used with passive or relative clauses.
也是: yě shì — Also is; that too is; likewise counts as.
可以: kěyǐ — Can; may; it is acceptable or permissible.
接受: jiēshòu — To accept; to receive; to take in willingly.
星期天: xīngqītiān — Sunday; the last day of the week.
会: huì — Will; can; able to; expressing future or ability.
来: lái — To come; to arrive; to approach.
说: shuō — To say; to speak; to tell someone.
并没有: bìng méiyǒu — Actually did not; emphatically had no intention.
打算: dǎsuàn — To plan; to intend; to have in mind.
这句话: zhè jù huà — This sentence; these words just spoken.
说出: shuō chū — To utter; to speak out; to voice aloud.
你: nǐ — You; second-person singular pronoun.
和: hé — And; with; together with someone.
某个: mǒu gè — A certain; some particular person or thing.
人: rén — Person; human being; people.
说话: shuōhuà — To speak; to talk; to have a conversation.
而: ér — And yet; but; while; a formal conjunction.
程度上: chéngdù shàng — To some degree; in terms of extent or level.
知道: zhīdào — To know; to be aware of a fact.
对方: duìfāng — The other party; the other person involved.
听: tīng — To listen; to hear; to pay attention.
时候: shíhou — Time; moment; when something happens.
话: huà — Words; speech; what is said.
就: jiù — Then; just; at once; indicating immediacy.
说出口: shuō chū kǒu — To verbalize; to actually say out loud.
耳朵: ěrduo — Ear; the organ used for hearing.
动了: dòng le — Moved; made a slight physical movement.
一下: yīxià — Once; briefly; a short moment of action.
大幅度: dà fúdù — By a large margin; greatly; significant in degree.
小小: xiǎo xiǎo — Tiny; very small; a slight or minimal amount.
调整: tiáozhěng — To adjust; to readjust; to make corrections.
朝着: cháo zhe — Facing toward; directed at; oriented in a direction.
声音: shēngyīn — Sound; voice; an audible noise.
微微: wēiwēi — Slightly; gently; in a very small degree.
倾斜: qīngxié — To tilt; to lean; to incline at an angle.
放下: fàng xià — To put down; to set something down.
把: bǎ — Particle marking direct object acted upon.
完全: wánquán — Completely; entirely; fully; without exception.
推开: tuī kāi — To push open; to push away or aside.
那片: nà piàn — That patch of; that expanse of something.
迟暮: chímù — Late twilight; the fading light of dusk.
光线: guāngxiàn — Light; ray of light; illumination in a space.
站了: zhàn le — Stood; remained standing for a moment.
片刻: piànkè — A moment; a brief instant; a short while.
院子: yuànzi — Courtyard; yard; an outdoor enclosed space.
角落: jiǎoluò — Corner; a secluded or out-of-the-way spot.
鸡蛋花: jīdànhuā — Plumeria flower; frangipani, a tropical fragrant flower.
又: yòu — Again; once more; also; in addition.
开始: kāishǐ — To begin; to start; the beginning of something.
盛开: shèngkāi — In full bloom; blooming abundantly and beautifully.
两三朵: liǎng sān duǒ — Two or three blossoms; a small number of flowers.
白色: báisè — White color; the color of snow or milk.
花: huā — Flower; blossom; a plant's reproductive structure.
出现: chūxiàn — To appear; to emerge; to show up.
光秃秃: guāngtūtū — Bare; barren; completely without leaves or covering.
枝梢: zhīshāo — Branch tip; the end of a tree branch.
它们: tāmen — They; them; third-person plural for objects or animals.
香气: xiāngqì — Fragrance; pleasant scent; sweet-smelling aroma.
静止: jìngzhǐ — Still; motionless; at a complete standstill.
空气: kōngqì — Air; the atmosphere surrounding us.
中: zhōng — In; within; in the middle of something.
若有若无: ruò yǒu ruò wú — Faint and elusive; barely perceptible; almost nonexistent.

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