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English → Chinese Frangipani Blooms Without Waiting Level 5/10

"I ate at the station." "That's not the same." They went inside.

「我在车站吃过了。」「那不一样。」他们走进屋里。

The house smelled of rice and of wood and of the particular combination of soap and incense her mother had used for as long as Nipa could remember.

屋子里弥漫着米饭的气息、木头的气息，以及一种肥皂与香烛混合的特殊味道——那是妮帕记事起母亲就一直用着的气味。

The kitchen was the same kitchen — the dent in the cabinet her father had made moving furniture the year before he passed, the calendar on the wall two months behind, the ceramic bowl with the small chip in its rim that no one had ever thrown away.

厨房还是那个厨房——橱柜上的凹痕，是父亲去世前一年搬家具时撞出来的；墙上的日历落后了两个月；陶碗口沿上有道小缺口，从来没有人舍得扔掉它。

But there were other things.

但也有些东西变了。

The corner of the kitchen near the back door, where the water bowl had sat — clean now, bare tile.

厨房靠近后门的那个角落，水碗曾经放在那里——如今干干净净，只剩光秃秃的地砖。

The foot of the stairs, where Nipa used to step over a white shape in the dark on her way to bed — clear.

楼梯脚下，妮帕过去夜里上床时总要跨过一团白色的身影——如今空空荡荡。

The porch, where two chairs faced the garden in the evening, and the space on the floor between them where he had always settled, chin on paws, watching the gate even from a distance.

门廊里，两把椅子傍晚时朝着花园，椅子之间的那块地板上，他总是趴在那里，下巴搁在爪子上，即使隔着老远也望着院门。

The space was just space now.

那里现在只是一片空地。

Nipa sat down at the kitchen table and her mother put tea in front of her without asking and then sat across from her in the way she sat when she had something to say but was waiting for the right moment to say it.

妮帕在厨房桌边坐下，母亲不由分说地把茶放到她面前，然后在她对面坐下——那种坐法，是母亲有话要说、却在等候恰当时机时惯有的姿态。

They had been doing this since Nipa was small, this particular arrangement of patience between them.

从妮帕很小的时候起，她们之间就有这样一种默契，一种特有的耐心与等待。

"He went on a Tuesday," her mother said. "In the evening. It was not difficult."

「他是在一个星期二走的，」母亲说，「傍晚的时候。走得不难受。」

"You told me." "I know. But it's different to say it here."

「你告诉过我了。」「我知道。但是在这里说出来，感觉不一样。」

Nipa wrapped both hands around the cup.

妮帕用双手捧住茶杯。

The tea was jasmine, which her mother made when she wanted to be gentle about something.

茶是茉莉花茶，母亲在想要温柔地说什么的时候，才会泡这种茶。

"Did he know you were with him?"

「他知道你陪在他身边吗？」

Vocabulary

我: wǒ — First-person pronoun: I, me.
在: zài — To be at; located at a place.
车站: chē zhàn — Bus or train station, transport stop.
吃: chī — To eat food or a meal.
过了: guò le — Have passed or experienced something already.
那: nà — That; referring to something previously mentioned.
不: bù — Negation word: not, no.
一样: yī yàng — The same; alike; identical in some way.
他们: tā men — Third-person plural pronoun: they, them.
走进: zǒu jìn — To walk into or enter a place.
屋里: wū lǐ — Inside the room or house.
屋子: wū zi — A room or small house, dwelling space.
里: lǐ — Inside; within a place or container.
弥漫: mí màn — To fill and spread throughout an area, pervade.
着: zhe — Aspect particle indicating ongoing state or action.
米饭: mǐ fàn — Cooked rice, a staple Chinese food.
的: de — Structural particle linking modifier to noun.
气息: qì xī — Scent, breath, or subtle atmospheric feeling.
木头: mù tou — Wood; a piece of timber or lumber.
以及: yǐ jí — As well as; and also, connecting listed items.
一种: yī zhǒng — A kind of; a type or sort of something.
肥皂: féi zào — Soap used for washing and cleaning.
与: yǔ — And; together with, formal conjunction.
香烛: xiāng zhú — Incense and candles used in religious rituals.
混合: hùn hé — To mix or blend different elements together.
特殊: tè shū — Special, particular, or unusual in nature.
味道: wèi dào — Taste or smell; flavor or scent of something.
是: shì — To be; linking verb indicating identity or state.
记事: jì shì — To be old enough to remember things;記事起 means since childhood memory began.
起: qǐ — Starting from; beginning of a time period.
母亲: mǔ qīn — Mother; a formal word for one's mother.
就: jiù — Then; already; indicating immediacy or emphasis.
一直: yī zhí — Continuously, always, straight through without stop.
用: yòng — To use; to employ something for a purpose.
气味: qì wèi — Smell, odor, or scent of something.
厨房: chú fáng — Kitchen; the room used for cooking food.
还是: hái shì — Still; or; used for choices or persistence.
那个: nà ge — That one; referring to a specific thing.
橱柜: chú guì — Cabinet or cupboard used for storing items.
上: shàng — On top of; above a surface or object.
凹痕: āo hén — A dent or indentation on a surface.
父亲: fù qīn — Father; a formal word for one's father.
去世: qù shì — To pass away; a polite term for death.
前: qián — Before; in front of, referring to time or space.
一年: yī nián — One year; a period of twelve months.
搬: bān — To move or carry heavy objects or furniture.
家具: jiā jù — Furniture; household items like chairs and tables.
时: shí — When; at the time of a certain event.
撞: zhuàng — To bump into or collide with something forcefully.
出来: chū lái — To come out; result appearing from an action.
墙上: qiáng shàng — On the wall; surface of a wall.
日历: rì lì — Calendar used to track days and months.
落后: luò hòu — Behind; lagging, not up to date.
了: le — Particle indicating completed action or change of state.
两个: liǎng ge — Two of something; a pair or couple.
月: yuè — Month; also means moon in Chinese.
陶碗: táo wǎn — Ceramic or earthenware bowl for eating.
口沿: kǒu yán — The rim or edge of a bowl or cup.
小: xiǎo — Small, little in size or degree.
缺口: quē kǒu — A chip, notch, or gap in an object.
从来: cóng lái — Always; never (with negative); at no time ever.
没有: méi yǒu — Do not have; there is not; negation of existence.
人: rén — Person, people, human being.
舍得: shě de — To be willing to part with something cherished.
扔掉: rēng diào — To throw away or discard something.
它: tā — Third-person pronoun for objects or animals: it.
但: dàn — But, however; introduces a contrasting clause.
也: yě — Also, too; indicating addition or similarity.
有些: yǒu xiē — Some; somewhat; a few things or aspects.
东西: dōng xi — Things, objects, stuff in general.
变了: biàn le — Has changed; something is now different.
靠近: kào jìn — To approach; close to, near something.
后门: hòu mén — Back door; the rear entrance of a building.
角落: jiǎo luò — A corner or nook of a room or space.
水碗: shuǐ wǎn — A water bowl, typically for a pet animal.
曾经: céng jīng — Once; formerly; at some past time.
放在: fàng zài — To place or put something at a location.
那里: nà lǐ — There; that place or location.
如今: rú jīn — Nowadays; now, at the present time.
干干净净: gān gān jìng jìng — Completely clean and tidy, spotlessly clean.
只剩: zhǐ shèng — Only remaining; nothing left but something.
光秃秃: guāng tū tū — Bare and empty, stripped of all covering.
地砖: dì zhuān — Floor tile used in buildings and homes.
楼梯: lóu tī — Staircase; stairs connecting different floor levels.
脚下: jiǎo xià — Underfoot; beneath one's feet, at foot level.
过去: guò qù — In the past; formerly, previously in time.
夜里: yè lǐ — At night; during nighttime hours.
上床: shàng chuáng — To go to bed; get into bed for sleep.
总要: zǒng yào — Always need to; invariably must do something.
跨过: kuà guò — To step over or stride across something.
一团: yī tuán — A ball or lump of something; a cluster.
白色: bái sè — White color; the color white.
身影: shēn yǐng — A figure or silhouette of a person or animal.
空空荡荡: kōng kōng dàng dàng — Empty and desolate, devoid of people or things.
门廊: mén láng — A porch or corridor at the entrance of a house.
两把: liǎng bǎ — Two (chairs or handled objects); a pair.
椅子: yǐ zi — Chair; a seat with a back support.
傍晚: bàng wǎn — Dusk, early evening, time around sunset.
朝着: cháo zhe — Facing toward; directed at a certain direction.
花园: huā yuán — Garden; an outdoor area with flowers and plants.
之间: zhī jiān — Between; among two or more things or people.
地板: dì bǎn — Floor; the flat surface you walk on indoors.
他: tā — He, him; third-person masculine singular pronoun.
总是: zǒng shì — Always; invariably, at all times.
趴在: pā zài — To lie face down on or sprawl upon something.
下巴: xià ba — Chin; the lower part of the face.
搁在: gē zài — To rest or place something on a surface.
爪子: zhuǎ zi — Paw or claw of an animal.
即使: jí shǐ — Even if; even though, regardless of conditions.
隔着: gé zhe — Separated by; across a distance or barrier.
老远: lǎo yuǎn — Very far away; a long distance off.
望着: wàng zhe — Gazing at; looking toward something continuously.
院门: yuàn mén — The gate or door of a courtyard or yard.
现在: xiàn zài — Now; at the present moment or time.
只是: zhǐ shì — Only; merely; just, nothing more than.
一片: yī piàn — A stretch or expanse of something, a patch.
空地: kōng dì — An open empty space or vacant lot.
桌边: zhuō biān — Beside the table; at the table's edge.
坐下: zuò xià — To sit down; take a seat.
不由分说: bù yóu fēn shuō — Without allowing explanation; brooking no argument.
地: de — Adverbial particle linking adverb to verb.
把: bǎ — Preposition disposing of object before verb; also measure word for handles.
茶: chá — Tea; a popular hot beverage in China.
放到: fàng dào — To place something at or onto a location.
她: tā — She, her; third-person feminine singular pronoun.
面前: miàn qián — In front of; before someone's face or presence.
然后: rán hòu — Then; afterward, following a previous action.
对面: duì miàn — Opposite side; directly across from someone.
那种: nà zhǒng — That kind or type of something.
有话: yǒu huà — Having something to say; wanting to speak.
要说: yào shuō — To be about to say; wanting to express something.
却: què — Yet, but; indicates contrast or unexpectedness.
等候: děng hòu — To wait for; await the right moment or person.
恰当: qià dàng — Appropriate, suitable, fitting for the situation.
时机: shí jī — The right moment or opportunity to act.
惯有: guàn yǒu — Habitual; customary, characteristic of one's habit.
姿态: zī tài — Posture, attitude, or manner of conducting oneself.
从: cóng — From; since; a preposition indicating origin or time.
很小: hěn xiǎo — Very young or very small in age or size.
时候: shí hòu — Time; a period or point in time.
她们: tā men — They, them; third-person plural feminine pronoun.
有: yǒu — To have; there is or there are.
这样: zhè yàng — Like this; in this way or manner.
默契: mò qì — Tacit understanding; unspoken mutual agreement between people.
特有: tè yǒu — Unique to; characteristic only of something or someone.
耐心: nài xīn — Patience; ability to wait calmly without frustration.
等待: děng dài — To wait; to await something or someone patiently.
一个: yī ge — One; a single item or person.
星期二: xīng qī èr — Tuesday; the second day of the week.
说: shuō — To say or speak; to tell someone something.
难受: nán shòu — Feeling bad, uncomfortable, sad, or distressed.
你: nǐ — You; second-person singular pronoun.
告诉: gào sù — To tell or inform someone of something.
过: guò — Experiential particle indicating a past experience.
知道: zhī dào — To know; to be aware of something.
但是: dàn shì — But, however; introduces a contrasting statement.
这里: zhè lǐ — Here; this place or location.
说出来: shuō chū lái — To say aloud; to voice or express something openly.
感觉: gǎn jué — Feeling, sensation; to feel or sense something.
双手: shuāng shǒu — Both hands; two hands together.
捧住: pěng zhù — To cup or hold something gently with both hands.
茶杯: chá bēi — Teacup; a cup used for drinking tea.
茉莉花茶: mò lì huā chá — Jasmine tea; tea scented with jasmine flowers.
想要: xiǎng yào — To want; to desire or wish for something.
温柔: wēn róu — Gentle, tender, soft in manner or attitude.
什么: shén me — What; used in questions or as 'something'.
才会: cái huì — Only then would; indicating a conditional result.
泡: pào — To brew or steep tea in hot water.
这种: zhè zhǒng — This kind or type of something.
陪在: péi zài — To accompany or stay beside someone at a place.
身边: shēn biān — By one's side; next to someone, nearby.
吗: ma — Question particle turning statement into yes-no question.

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